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''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。 She cursed herself for her lapse。 Sensei would have been very angry with her。
Lieutenant Pokov nodded his head。 ''A pleasure to make your acquaintance； rade Bondasenko。 Or I should say traitor Bondasenko。〃
Russell was furious。 〃Tori； I told you we shouldn't have trusted that sonuvabitch； Nikolev。〃
〃Ah； poor Nikolev。〃 Lieutenant Pokov laughed。 He could afford to be jovial now。 〃So misguided。 Unfortunately； he was stupid enough to have told you the truth。 Not that it will do you any good now。 You're on your way to the Lubyanka； where Mars Volkov will interview you。 rade Volkov is notorious in the Lubyanka for his interviews。 I don't envy any of you。〃 He made a sharp motion with his gun。 〃That way is the exit； lady and gentlemen。 Use it。〃
Pokov followed them down the aisle of pews。 They passed the second man that Tori had dispatched。 Pokov looked at her grimly。 〃I'll have something to say about this。 I'll take a measure of their shortened lives out of you when Volkov is done with you。〃
Tori saw ahead of them the first man she had fought with。 She could see his pistol lying on the floor where she had left it。 She put her hand in her pocket。
〃So you switched sides； Pokov；〃 Russell said。
Pokov laughed。 〃I never changed sides is more accurate。 Nikolev was a fool to try to cross Mars Volkov。 No one does that and lives very long。 I myself like life too much to play the fool。〃
During this exchange； Tori had e to the fallen Border Guard。 Putting her consciousness in mind/no mind； feeling the void fill her with the elemental power of the universe； she bent down with her back to Pokov。
He saw her almost immediately。 〃What are you doing？〃 he shouted。 〃Get away from there！〃
Tori turned。 She had the Border Guard's pistol in her hand。
Pokov took one look at it and threw his head back； laughing。 〃Oh； good try。 But it's empty。 Do you think I would have left it lying around； otherwise？〃 his lip curled in contempt。 〃Stupid Americans； sending a woman to do a man's job。 A man would know better。〃
〃Oh； yeah？〃 Tori said； and pulled the trigger。
Pokov was slammed back against the end of a pew。 His legs crumpled under him； and his expression of shock and rage transformed his face into a stylized mask。
〃But it was empty；〃 he whispered。 〃I know it was。〃
Tori walked up to him； held out a handful of bullets。
Pokov's eyes fluttered； his head hung as he slid to the floor of the church。
〃Da zvedanye； Pokov；〃 Tori said； throwing the pistol onto his unmoving chest。
Sergei； the man with the strawberry birthmark； pulled the cowl off his face。 〃By God； that was well done；〃 he said。 〃I think it's safe enough now to…〃
〃No；〃 Valeri said； striding toward them from the far end of the sanctuary。 〃I am Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。〃 He clapped Sergei on the shoulder。 〃You have protected me from danger long enough； my friend。〃
Tori and Russell introduced themselves； and Valeri nodded to them。 〃Our terrible risk in bringing you here may prove our downfall。 I have not been idle while you were here； valiantly defending me。〃 He nodded toward the dead Border Guards。 〃Your courage is beyond reproach and very much appreciated； but I'm afraid it may be for nothing。 These four did not e alone。 There is a contingent of Border Guards setting themselves in a standard perimeter around the church。〃
〃That bastard Pokov；〃 Russell said。 〃He must have been in munication with Volkov。''
〃No doubt；〃 Valeri said。 〃And now Mars Petrovich has pulled his net tightly around us。〃
〃Perhaps too tightly； rade；〃 Sergei said。 〃Remember the tunnels that lead out of the crypts beneath the church。〃
Valeri nodded grimly。 〃But even so； Volkov's patrols are everywhere。 We will have no chance at this hour on foot。〃
〃Maybe that's not so important right now；〃 Russell said。 He recounted Captain Nikolev's warning about the dawn invasion of the Baltic states and the simultaneous assassination of the Soviet president。
Valeri closed his eyes。 He seemed infinitely weary。 〃Yes； I suspected something of that nature。 But not so soon。〃
〃Nikolev said that White Star is the wild card in the equation。 He said that if we could get to you； White Star's leader； you would be able to mobilize the organization to prevent the invasion and the coup。〃 Russell stared at Valeri。 〃We know about the nuclear weapons Bernard Godwin has been selling you。 It's time to put them to use。''
Valeri shook his head。 〃Not selling； Mr。 Slade。 Mr。 Godwin has been giving the devices to us。 He is thought of as a great patriot here。 He is one of White Star's spiritual leaders。''
〃Good Christ；〃 Russell said。
〃But all this does no good； I'm afraid；〃 Valeri said。 〃We are rather cut off here。 There is no transcontinental munication possible from the church。 I was barely able to manage to get your local munique。 That was what caused the delay in my responding。 No。 We've got to get out of here。〃
〃We've got to get to Star Town；〃 Tori broke in。 〃Mars Volkov has a woman named Irina and your puter。 Is it true that the whole of White Star is in its hard disk？〃
〃Irina；〃 Valeri said。 〃So Mars caught Irina going into my apartment。 That must mean he suspects her loyalty is to me。〃
〃So the puter could betray you；'' Tori said。
Valeri nodded。 〃Yes。 The entire network is secreted in the software。 But no one could possibly dig it out。 It's a ghost in the machine。'' Then he stopped。 All the color drained from his face。 〃My God；〃 he said softly。 〃A ghost in the machine。 I told Irina； and she is well versed in puters。 She could… If Mars forced her… Dear God！〃 He glanced at his watch； then looked at Tori。 〃It's almost three in the morning。 Yes； you're right。 We must get to Star Town now。''
〃But how； rade？〃 Sergei asked。 〃The tunnels will take us to the streets； but what then？〃
And then Russell said； 〃We have a car。〃 He almost laughed in his relief。 〃Pokov's car。〃 He knelt down； went through Po…kov's pockets； stood up with the key in his hand。
At that moment the front door to the church crashed in。
〃KGB。 Keep calm！〃
〃Quickly！〃 Valeri whispered。 〃This way！〃
They ran back through the sanctuary； through doors that Valeri carefully closed and bolted behind them。 He left them for a moment； while Sergei continued to lead them downward。
They were on the second flight of stairs going down to the crypts when Valeri rejoined them。 〃I smashed out the window in the back of the sacristy；〃 he said。 〃Thinking we have escaped； they will never find us down here now。〃
In the crypt itself Valeri turned to the man with the strawberry birthmark。 〃Sergei； you must stay here with my daughter。 I don't want her moved again so soon； and in any event； there won't be room in the car for everyone。〃
''I understand； rade。''
''Take good care of her。''
〃As if she were my own daughter。〃
The two men embraced。
〃Godspeed； Valeri。〃
〃I will e for you myself； Sergei。 After dawn。〃
Then Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko was leading Tori and Russell into the tunnels； into the darkness and the light； on his final ra