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Christ； he thought； this is useless now； the White Star information is locked away in there for all time。 Now I need Valeri Denysovich more than ever。
Throwing the Toshiba aside； he activated the Zil's two…way radio。 He identified himself； asked to be patched through to Lieutenant Pokov。 His fingers drummed impatiently against the bloody dashboard。 e on！ he thought。 e on！
The radio crackled to life。 〃Pokov。〃
〃This is Volkov；〃 Mars said without preamble。 〃You are now manding the Eleventh Division； is that clear； Lieutenant？〃
〃Perfectly； rade。〃
〃You have the Americans in sight？〃
〃I do。 Everything is under control。〃
〃Excellent。 They will lead you to Bondasenko。 Bring as many men as you feel you need。 I give you the authority。 And； Pokov； I need Bondasenko。 I'd like to have the Americans as well； but if they give you the least problem； kill them。 The less witnesses the better； do you follow me； Lieutenant？〃
〃Yes； rade。〃
〃Volkov out。〃
Mars replaced the receiver； slid over into the driver's seat。 He started the engine； swung the Zil around； headed back for Star Town。 It was difficult negotiating the highway with the shattered windshield； and he was soon obliged to pull over； use the butt of his pistol to knock out the remainder of the glass so he could see。
The guards gaped at him as he pulled into the Hero's fortress； but he had no time to give them an explanation。 He was thinking of how Anatoly Nikolev had believed himself more clever than himself。 He expected Irina did； too。 She thought she had convinced him of her loyalty； but he knew better。 He was willing to bet that someone； somewhere； had given her proof that he； not Valeri； was KGB。 He could see the fear in her eyes； feel it in her body when she touched him。
Had she been fertile when she had allowed Odysseus to take her？ He did not know if she was capable of such a terrible lie。 Buy why not？ he asked himself as he raced up the stairs of the Hero's fortress； wincing at the pain from his broken ribs。 She had proved herself capable of so many dangerous things。 He admired her for that； even as he hated her in the same unthinking way he hated the traitor； Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。 It was the antipathy of the cobra for the mongoose。 There was no reason to it； just an elemental fire that could be temporarily banked； but would never go out。
Now； Mars thought； opening the door to the pool room； it's time to see just how far Irina is capable of taking her triple life。 He decided it would be most interesting to see whether she clung to her smooth lies even at the edge of death。
Having crossed both the Moskva River and the narrow canal at the end of Red Square； having e cautiously down to Dobryninskaya Square on the Sadovaya ring； Tori and Russell now found themselves on the edge of the Zamoskvorechye； the District Beyond the Moskva。
Behind them； they could see the four handpicked men Captain Nikolev had left behind to make sure they got safely to their destination。 He had been most persuasive。 〃With Mars Volkov using the bulk of the Eleventh Division to b Moscow for Valeri Bondasenko； you'll never make it on the streets on your own；〃 Nikolev had said。
Lieutenant Pokov got out of his Zhiguli； came over to them。 It was one of those typical Russian cars； tinny； unfortable； a piece of junk； really。 Yet another manifestation of the third…world atmosphere。 〃We are close to a number of Volkov's patrols；〃 he said。 〃Are we near our destination？〃
〃Fuck off；〃 Russell said。
Pokov looked hurt。 He was a stolid…looking dark…haired Russian with the kind of musculature one often saw on amateur wrestlers。 He appeared very quick on his feet。 〃I'll lock the car and leave it here。 It will attract too much attention closer in。〃
Russell glanced over his shoulder at Pokov； drew Tori away from him。 〃I'm liking this less and less；〃 he whispered to her。 〃We're out in the deep water； and we can't even tell the good guys from the bad guys。 This seems to be an excellent way to get ourselves killed。''
Tori said； 〃You still think Nikolev's fall of shit； don't you？〃
〃Believe me； I would like to think he's telling us the truth； bat I can't。 Face it； the odds are against it。 Tori。 Look at this setup。 In all honesty； we've got to figure he had more reason to lie than to tell us the truth。 Or he could have been telling us the truth but for the wrong reasons。''
〃Is that the same thing？〃
Russell looked at her。 〃Do you see what's happening？ We're getting so enmeshed in sorting out the truth； we've lost our way in the forest of lies。 And let me tell you； Moscow is not a city to get lost in。 You do； and chances are you never e out。〃
〃Either way；〃 Tori said levelly； 〃we've got to reach Valeri Bondasenko as quickly as possible。 It's after one in the morning； less than four hours to the start of the Russian invasion of the Baltic states。〃
〃If Nikolev wasn't pulling our leg。〃
They fell silent as Lieutenant Pokov approached them。 〃Excuse me；〃 he said； 〃but we must go quickly。 It is very late。 Not many people are still on the streets； and so you will bee too conspicuous to remain out yourselves。 One of Volkov's patrols could pick you up at any moment； and I would be helpless to stop them。 My men and I can only try to steer you clear of the other Border Guards patrols。''
〃He's right；〃 Tori said。 〃We'd better go。〃
Russell said； 〃Goddamn this to hell；〃 but he did not stop her as she headed down Bolshaya Polyanka Street。
And so at length they came to the Church of St。 Gregory of Neocasarea。
〃Stay here； understand？〃 Russell said to Pokov。
〃Is this where Bondasenko is hiding？〃 Pokov said。 〃A church？〃
Something in his voice warned Russell； and he grabbed Tori by her arm； dragged her quickly around to the front of the church。 He got out a small instrument； twisted it into the lock。 Russell pushed； and the huge door swung inward。
They stood inside； in the utter darkness； listening for shouts； the shouts of running bootsteps on the gritty pavement outside。 They heard nothing。 〃What happened？〃 Tori whispered。
〃Maybe we're okay； after all；〃 Russell said。
Then he saw the silhouette of one of Nikolev's Border Guards insinuate itself through the front door。 For a moment it was outlined against the faint blue light filtering in through the stained…glass windows； and Russell pointed to it。 Then the silhouette was gone； and so was Tori。
Tori spent the first few moments doing nothing but listening。 It was impossible to see the Border Guard； but she could hear him well enough。 He was taking all the proper precautions； and in fact he was quite good； but Tori heard him nonetheless。
She had already taken off her shoes； had tied the laces together so she could hang them around her neck。 She listened a moment more； then； when she was certain of where the Border Guard was and how he was moving； she went after him。
He thought he was being clever； crawling between the pews。 Tori climbed onto a pew's back and； like a tightrope walker； put one foot carefully in front of another。 She felt without having to see the straight line of the wooden pew back against the soles of her feet； which she relaxed around the inch or so of wood； molding them to the