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g them to the shape of the carved wood。
When she was above and just behind the crawling Border Guard； she dropped onto him； as silent as a bat。 The Border Guard already had his knife out； ready to stab whoever he came upon first； her or Russell。 He twisted as he felt her weight e down on him and； as he did； he swung the knife up in a vicious arc toward her belly。
Tori； using an aikido immobilization； guided aside his thrust； grabbed his jaw on either side； and； as he reared back in surprise； twisted once very hard to the left。 His neck snapped like a dry twig； he convulsed a moment； and was still。
When Tori had left him； Russell stole behind the front door。 He was waiting for the next Border Guard to e through when he felt the pistol in the small of his back。
''Stoi！'' a voice manded。
Russell； not understanding； moved。 He turned around and found himself face to face with a cowled figure。 〃Have all priests in Moscow a need for a gun； Father？〃 he said。
〃Only if they are in hiding；〃 the figure said in heavily accented English。
〃Valeri Bondasenko？〃
〃Yes。〃
Russell tried to penetrate the penumbra of the cowl； but the darkness of the interior of the church defeated him。 〃I am a representative of Bernard Godwin。 My colleague is…〃
〃If what you tell me is the truth； why have you brought the KGB Border Guards with you？〃
〃It's a long story；〃 Russell said； 〃and I haven't the time or the understanding to explain it all now。 You must help us with the Border Guards。''
〃How many are there？〃
〃Three enlisted men； one officer。 Lieutenant Pokov。〃
〃So few？ That's odd。 They are usually deployed in much larger groups。〃
But Russell was no longer listening。 He was staring into the muzzle of a Kalashnikov semiautomatic machine gun。
Tori took the knife out of the dead Border Guard's hand。 She considered taking the gun as well； but thought better of it。 She did not care for guns； and in any case； the firing of just one shot would alert the authorities and bring disaster on them all。 She opted for pocketing the gun's ammunition so no one else who found it could use it。
Then she moved off into the depths of the darkened church。
The impenetrable blackness was like the shroud of a forest。 She could recall the winter in Hokkaido； where she was tested： to find sensei； who was living in the dense forest of pitch pines there。 It took her ten days； a long time in her estimation； but sensei told her she had beaten the next best record by eighteen hours。 Most of his students never found him at all。
Lightning burst； reflection off a length of metal。 Tori watched the progress of the telescoping steel truncheon as the Border Guard made his way through the darkness。
A moment later she could make out his face and； seeing the fixed look in his eyes； saw that he had spotted Russell。 She creeped along the edge of the pew she was on； and was just about to break toward him when she became aware of the presence behind her。
She leapt off the back of the pew as the steel truncheon…the mate of the one she had been staring at…whipped through the space where an instant before her ankles had been。
Tori whirled and； as she hit the floor； struck out hard with her left leg。 She felt it strike flesh and bone； heard a sharp intake of breath； and then she attacked with the stone； a two…handed percussive atemi。
His stiff arms； the gun held in both his hands； were raised toward her。
Tori was so close she could see the tremor of intent； in a fraction of a second he would fire； and the explosion would give them all away。 If not the KGB； then the police would be alerted； a loud noise like that this late at night would be reported instantly by some concerned citizen。
Tori swung her steel truncheon into the man's left wrist； momentarily paralyzing his finger on the trigger。 He kicked upward； caught her on the inside of her thigh。
She grunted； felt her balance going as her left leg crumpled。 The Border Guard tracked her with the muzzle of the gun。 He was taking no chances； aiming for her head。
Tori ducked； but slammed into the back of the wooden pew。 The Border Guard reached up； his mouth in a rictus of pain； as he grabbed a handful of her blouse； pulled her toward him with his left hand。
That cost him a lot。 Tori's first blow had fractured his wrist； but he was dedicated； and not about to give up。
Now Tori was too close to use the truncheon； and she let it go just before he smashed the side of his pistol into her rib cage。 Breath hissed through Tori's clenched teeth as she collapsed onto her knees。 The Border Guard pressed the muzzle of his pistol against her forehead。
〃Da zvedanye； suka； 〃he said； managing to grin through his agony。 Good…bye； bitch。
Tori slammed her fists against his ears； grabbed his right wrist with one hand； the barrel of his pistol with another。 He fought her every inch。 The cords at the sides of his neck stood out as he beat against her with his powerless left hand。
Tori was straddled across his legs so he could not use them against her。 Both she and the Border Guard were concentrated on the gun。 Tori had the leverage； but he had the brute strength。 They struggled silently； violently； force against force。 It was a standoff； until Tori； employing one of the main principles of aikido； abruptly dropped her resistance to him。 His aim came down with his unimpeded arm； past her face； past her body。 She used a kite against the side of his neck； and his arm fell to his side。 His eyes rolled up into his head。
She looked up。 Now she had lost the third Border Guard。
〃Put your pistol down；'' the Border Guard said to the cowled figure； who did as he was ordered。
〃Kick it over here。〃
When Russell saw the Border Guard's eyes flick toward the gun； he stepped forward and across and； as he had been taught； chopped down straight and hard； thinking not of the man's flesh but of the space beyond。
The Border Guard went down as his shoulder blade cracked beneath the assault。 He was scrabbling to lift his Kalashnikov into position when Russell hit the nerve at the inside of his elbow； and his arm went dead。 Russell took the Kalashnikov out of his hand； swiped him across the side of the head with the stock end。
Tori winced slightly as she crouched； began to move out of the aisle of pews into the sanctuary where she had last caught a glimpse of Russell。 She saw him now。 He was standing above the body of the third Border Guard； and there was a robed priest with him。 A disguised Bondasenko？ Tori hoped so。
〃Russell；〃 she said as she came up to them； 〃have you seen Pokov？〃
〃No。 What about the other two of his men？〃
〃Taken care of；〃 Tori said。 〃Like this one。〃 She felt gingerly at her side。
〃Are you all right？〃 When she nodded； Russell stared at her for some time。 〃You really are a very scary human being。〃
〃Mr。 Slade…〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 Russell said。 〃Tori； this is Valeri Bondasenko。 Valeri； this is Tori Nunn。〃
〃We have a lot to talk about；〃 Tori said。
The robed figure nodded。 〃This way；〃 he whispered。
''Not at this time； rade。 Maybe later。'' Lieutenant Pokov emerged from the shadows where he had been hidden。 He had stayed so still that even Tori had not been aware of him。