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〃Talk to me；〃 the Hero said to Irina。
〃I feel unclean。〃 She put her head against his shoulder。 〃Hold me；〃 she whispered； and when she felt his arms around her； said； 〃Mars was right； violence does beget violence。 Everything he said was true。 I seduced and I lied； and I loved it。 Then； I was in so deep； I betrayed Natasha and Valeri。 I didn't know what I was doing。 I didn't know who Mars was when I told him。 But it doesn't matter。 That's just a rationalization。 I should never have betrayed the trust Natasha put in me。 She was my friend； and surely I had a hand in her torture。 And now this。 I've killed someone with my own hands。 Now I am truly part of Mars's world。〃
〃If that is really how you feel；〃 Odysseus said； 〃I cannot help you。〃
Irina drew her head back。 She stared into his fathomless eyes。 〃What do you mean？ You must！ I'm relying on you。〃
〃No； Irina。 It's time for you to rely on yourself。 I can help； yes； that's true。 But only you can save yourself from the violent world you fell so madly in love with。 And only if you want to。〃
The tension came into her frame； and her blackness returned； the blackness she recognized as her fear of the endless Siberian winter； the bars over her moon； the country as her prison； and a voice inside her said。 Now you have nothing。 You 're lost； utterly lost。
Irina could feel the tears welling hotly in her eyes； but this time she fought them back； just as she fought the voice inside her。 She did not have to be lost； it was not preordained。
There were alternatives to being utterly lost； and now she found that she wanted more than anything to explore those alternatives。
They would not be in America； as she had dreamed； but it was a foolish dream； an adolescent's wanting to run away from responsibility。 And if there was。 anything she could learn from the Него； it was a sense of responsibility。
She stared into the depths of Odysseus's opalescent eyes； and in the silence of their munication； told him that she was ready。
While Russell saw to Valeri's wound。 Ton went to where Lara lay； checked to see if she was still alive。 She wasn't。 Then she walked to the edge of the pool； bent down； pulled Tatiana from the water。 She rolled her over； saw that she was dead； too。
Such a waste of life； she thought sadly。 Where will it end？ That was a question she had been asking herself ever since she had watched Koi mit ritual suicide in an attempt to cleanse her spirit and her conscience of the blood staining it。
Tori could not forget that moment； as if it were fixed in time in her memory： the blue of the sky； the white of Koi's clothes； the red of the blood flowing。 And the lights of Koi's mountains； burning for her。 Silently； Tori said a prayer for Koi's spirit…and her own。
Slowly； almost hesitantly； she walked along the edge of the pool。 Her legs seemed to have lost their strength。 Here was the Hero； the Russian cosmonaut who had trained and lived with her brother Greg。 The man who had last seen Greg alive。 What strange fate that had brought her here！
And now that she was here； Tori found that she was almost afraid to approach him。 She heard the water purling against the coping； she saw the ice…blue and indigo shadows moving in mysterious patterns across the face of the water。 She heard the odd clicks of Arbat's language。 And all these things lent an otherworldly cast to the pool； as if they were not inside a fortress in the heart of the USSR at all； but in another time； another place altogether。
Tori saw Arbat first； and she was so surprised she did not know what to say。 The blue dolphin immediately broke away from where the Него and Irina hung in the pool； ducked her head； swam up to where Tori stood。
In a rush； Arbat leaped fully out of the water。 Her nose brushed Tori's cheek； and then her great sleek body was gone； in one enormous splash hidden beneath the churning water。
Tori stood very still。 Her legs trembled and she looked toward the two humans in the pool。 Irina swam over； introduced herself。
〃I'm Tori Nunn；〃 Tori said； sitting on the coping。 〃We've e with Valeri to help White Star。〃 She extended her hand。 Irina took it。
For a moment the two women stared deep into each other's eyes。 What transpired then？ Was there a silent munication of words； of feelings； or of something far more elemental； something impossible to define？ In any case； there was a sense of a shared emotion if not a shared destiny that leaped between the women when they touched。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Tori said； breaking the silence； 〃but I was stunned by what the dolphin did。''
Irina smiled。 〃Arbat has very particular likes and dislikes。 It's obvious she likes you a great deal。'' She turned。 ''Odysseus？ e meet Tori。 She's one of the Americans who…〃 Irina stopped； frozen by the look on Odysseus's face。 〃Is something the matter？〃
The Hero swam slowly into what light there was in the shadowy pool room。 Arbat surfaced next to him； and he put his hand on her back。
Tori watched as the Него emerged from the darkness。 Her heart was pounding so hard she could scarcely breathe。 She could see his gleaming； silvery skin first； as sleek as Arbat's。 She saw the contours of his face； the utter hairlessness of him。 And then she caught a glimpse of his opalescent eyes。
Tori opened her mouth； closed it with a snap。 Opened it again。
She stared into his angel eyes。
〃Greg？〃
〃Tori；〃 the Hero said。 〃God in Heaven。〃
Tori tumbled into the pool； clothes and all。 She swam to where Odysseus floated with Arbat。 Tears were streaming from her eyes。
〃Don't；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Oh； don't。〃 He stroked her head。
〃Greg。〃
Tori pulled him to her； embraced him； kissed his cheeks。 She held him and held him。 She did not want to let go； and for a long time she didn't。
When at last she unclasped him； she said； ''But I thought you were dead。 We all did。 How is it…〃
〃The Russians；〃 Gregory Nunn said。 〃Viktor Shevchenko and I were part of a secret experiment these bastards devised to see if exposure to measured amounts of cosmic radiation could counter the crippling effects of weightlessness。 Then the EVA event happened； and Viktor was killed。 I came home； but was in a a for several months。 When I regained consciousness； the Russians figured I was too valuable to give back to the Americans。
〃I don't know how they convinced our people it was me who died in space； but they did。 Then they set about calling me Viktor； I suppose in order to try to indoctrinate me to my new life in a Russian prison。 Of course； I had one all to myself； but it was no less a prison for that。〃
〃Tori；〃 Russell said from the edge of the pool behind her； 〃the deadline。〃
She turned。 〃Russ； this is my brother Greg！ It was the Russian cosmonaut who died in space； not him。 The Russians have been holding him here。''
''Hey； Jesus Christ。'' He squatted down。 ''What the hell have they done to you？〃
〃It's a long story。〃
〃I'll bet；〃 Russell said。 his frown deepened。 〃Are you okay？〃
〃It's hard to say。〃
〃Well； one thing's for sure； we've got to get you out of here。 I can tell you there'll be a lot of people back home falling all over themselves to talk to you。〃
〃Not so different from the Russians。〃
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