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d she was loyal to him。 While that possibility existed； she was determined to make the most of it。 She certainly was not going to give him any cause to doubt her allegiance。
Irina unzipped the case； took the Toshiba out； handed the power cord with its adaptor to Tatiana。 While she was setting up the puter； Mars walked over to the coping of the pool； peered down into the phosphorescent depths。
〃Odysseus；〃 he said； 〃are you feeling any better？〃
〃I wasn't aware that I was at all unwell。''
Mars knelt down。 〃You had a seizure。 You don't recall that？''
〃No。〃
〃During the seizure you spoke a whole bunch of nonsense。〃
〃The color between the stars；〃 the Hero said。 〃I remember speaking their language。〃
Mars swallowed hard。 〃Whose language？〃
〃Not yours； rade。''
Mars stood up as if abruptly repulsed。 He turned； went over to where the puter sat。 Irina had pulled up a chair。
Lara came up； told Mars he had a call。 Out of the corner of her eye Irina watched him as he went to the wall phone； spoke into it briefly。 He seemed to listen for a long time and； though Irina could not be certain； she thought his face shut down tight。 Mars made one final curt reply； hung up the receiver。
Irina went back to work。 Her fingers danced over the keyboard and a string of recipes began scrolling across the screen。
Mars came up behind her。 〃What is this？〃 he demanded。
''Pineapple upside…down cake。'' Irina wondered what the call had been about。 Whatever it was； it had put him in a sour mood。 Good news for her or bad？
〃Idiotic；〃 Mars mented。 〃Where in the world would one get a pineapple？〃
〃Perhaps Valeri has them flown in from Cuba；〃 Irina said。
Tatiana said； 〃I don't believe Cuba has pineapple trees。〃
〃Idiotic；〃 Mars repeated。 〃What else is in the machine？〃
〃More recipes； it seems。〃
〃Bah。 Valeri Denysovich wouldn't use an illegal puter merely to store his recipes。〃 Mars shook his head。 〃What a woman he is。〃
〃Apparently he is a woman you cannot find。〃
In the wake of the Hero's words； everyone froze。
Mars stood up； walked on stiff legs back to the pool。 He glared down at the Него。 〃Who told you that？〃
The Hero said nothing。 He floated placidly in the saltwater。
〃I said； who told you that？〃
Arbat began to chatter in alarm。
Mars had drawn his pistol and was now aiming it at the Hero's head。
〃You'll answer me； Odysseus； or I'll blow your head off。〃
Irina got up； went across the room。 〃Mars；〃 she said softly。 She put her hand on his arm。 〃Mars； don't。〃
〃No one told me； rade；〃 the Hero said。 〃You've quite effectively cut off my information gathering； remember。 Besides； no one had to tell me。 I can read your mind。''
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃You've manipulated the final showdown with your archenemy； haven't you； Volkov？ No； don't bother denying it。 I know。 I can see it as clearly as I can see that ugly expression of hatred disfiguring your face。 You pushed and pushed； and what do you have to show for it？ Bondasenko's beyond even your reach。〃
〃Shut up！〃 Mars said； and Irina； with a flash of intuition； understood that he was abruptly terrified that Odysseus would blurt out that he was KGB。 Mars had no idea that Odysseus had already told her that。
Irina knelt beside the pool； looked into the Hero's eyes。 They spoke silently for the instant before she said； 〃Let it be for now； Odysseus。 You've provoked him enough。〃
The Hero sank beneath the water； and Arbat followed him。
For a long time Mars stared into me pool。 〃How does he do that？'' he said。 ''Stay underwater for so long？ 〃
〃Perhaps he's half dolphin；〃 Irina joked； but the stricken look on Mars's face told her that for him on this subject there was no room for humor。 She thought that quite interesting； and remembering the Hero's last conversation with Mars； she began to see the strategy Odysseus had formulated for bating Mars。
〃e away now；〃 she said gently。 Her fingers closed over his where he still gripped the pistol with white knuckles。 〃There's no need format。 e； Mars。 e。〃
And Irina led him back to the puter where every secret Mars lusted after lay hidden； waiting to be unlocked。
〃It's the waiting；〃 Russell said； 〃that I hate the most。〃
〃You're thinking of Nikolev； aren't you？〃 Tori said。 〃You still think he's using us as bloodhounds。〃
〃I only wish I was as sure of him as you are。〃
〃Yeah； well； I thought I was sure of Estilo and Hitasura。〃
They stared out at the glorious view of the Kremlin and the golden domes of St。 Basil's。 They were sitting at a window table at the twenty…first…floor restaurant of the Rossiya Hotel。 They had been there for forty…five minutes and had still to receive their drinks。 That was all right； they were in no hurry。
Tori had left a handwritten message； sealed in an envelope； and as Hitasura had told her was to be done； had addressed it to a Mrs。 Kubysheva； handed it in at the front desk。 The young man who had taken it from her had looked at the name she had printed on the envelope； said carefully in English； 〃Perhaps you'd care to have dinner at the restaurant upstairs； miss。 The twenty…first floor offers unparalleled views of the city。〃
Tori and Russell did as he suggested。 Upstairs； Tori went to the ladies' room while Russell went to get them seated。 How he had procured this choice table at the crowded restaurant she could not guess； but as she was learning； Russell was adept at such things。
〃Hitasura outfoxed everyone；〃 Russell said； still staring out the window。 〃And； as for Estilo； perhaps you weren't so wrong about him。 After all； without his help we might never have e this far。〃
〃But； oh； poor Ariel。〃
〃Yes。〃 Russell nodded。 〃Poor Ariel。 He was a seeker after truth； and he died for that。〃
Tori pulled something out of her pocket； put it on the table between them。 She smoothed out the creases。 〃I didn't tell you about this before； but Ariel made sure I had this before he died。 He obviously thought it was significant。〃
Russell looked at the photograph。 〃It's of Ariel。 That's San Francisco； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 It's a park very close to his house。〃
He looked on the back； read off the date。 March 21。
〃Jesus！〃 Tori snatched the photo out of his hand； studied it carefully。 Now she knew why the dates of Bernard Godwin's trip had rung a bell。 They coincided with when this picture was taken。 She moved the photo closer； peered intently at the people in the background。 And there； just to the left of the couple； in the extreme left…hand corner of the frame； was a man。 Bernard Godwin。
Russell could see it； too。 You had to be looking for Bernard； but once you did； you could recognize him。
〃Ariel had him pinpointed； all right；〃 Tori said。
Russell nodded。 〃It would seem so。〃
''And was murdered for it？''
〃Do you think so？〃 Russell was not convinced。 〃But there must be something more to this photo。 What's so incriminating about it？ I mean； Bernard could have gone to San Francisco for a vacation； to see a woman； any of a million reasons。〃 He studied the photo again； handed it back。 〃Can you make out this couple？〃
Tori shook her head。 〃They're further away than Bernard is； though they seem to be headed his way。''
''We could us