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back home falling all over themselves to talk to you。〃
〃Not so different from the Russians。〃
Russell cocked his head at Greg's cynical tone。 〃What am I missing here？〃
〃Time；〃 Tori said to Russell； but she was looking past him to her brother。
Russell said； 〃Okay。 Greg； believe me； I want to get the whole story； but right now…〃
〃Odysseus；〃 Valeri interrupted； ing up behind Russell； 〃the KGB and the military have bined as we had suspected。〃 His right shoulder was wrapped with surgical tape。 ''At dawn today the order will be given to invade the Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania。 At the same moment； the president will be assassinated by his own bodyguards。〃
〃So soon；〃 Greg said。 〃We're not yet altogether ready。〃
〃Nevertheless； we're going to have to make do；〃 Valeri said。 He winced with pain。 〃We are going to have to deploy the MANDs。〃
〃MANDs？〃 Russell said。
〃Yes；〃 Gregory Nunn said。 〃The Mobile Anti…personnel Nuclear Devices that Bernard Godwin has provided us with。〃 He nodded at Valeri。 〃I agree。 It's the only way to avert disaster。 '' He swam to the edge of the pool。 ''Help me up。''
Valeri and Russell bent down； lifted him from the pool。 Valeri used only his left arm； but sucked in his breath sharply at the strain。
Greg looked at him inquiringly； and Valeri grinned。 〃Only a flesh wound；〃 he said。 〃Not to worry。〃
〃The bullet went clear through him；〃 Russell said。 〃Only the muscle is damaged。 I've stopped the bleeding； applied antibiotic cream； and I've wrapped him well。 There's an excellent medical dispensary here。 Still； he must see a surgeon。〃
〃But not now；〃 Valeri said。
During this exchange； Irina had climbed out of the pool。 Now she went over to where the Hero's wheelchair sat。 She brought it over and； as they sat him in it； she covered him with an oversized towel as she had seen Lara and Tatiana do。 Then； as Tori emerged； dripping； Irina wrapped another towel around her； began to rub her shoulders to bring up the warmth。
Valeri wheeled Greg over to the munications area and； as Greg began to set up； he said； 〃Mars was almost right。 But he never could have grasped the whole truth…or believed it。
''We have been building the concept of White Star for years。 First； we had to fight state repression； then the people's fear of that repression。 More recently； as pockets of nationalism in Georgia； Lithuania； the Ukraine； and other sectors of the Soviet Union sprang up through our encouragement； we've had to battle the divided nature of that nationalism。 The Georgians cared only about Georgia； Ukrainians only about Ukrainians； and so on。〃
He paused； and they could all hear him breathing hard as he tried to block out the pain。 The shock had dissipated； and the full brunt of the pain had set in。 Of course； he had refused to take a painkiller。
〃Then； eighteen months ago； Greg dropped into our laps like a star from heaven；〃 he continued； gathering himself。 〃Greg was the Hero of the Odin…Galaktika II disaster。 He was of Soviet descent； being incarcerated and interrogated almost daily by the KGB。 He became a rallying point about which all the disparate nationalist elements could agree； a symbol to which every splinter group could relate。 He was our Rosetta stone； our Shogun； bringing order out of chaos。 And he became the leader of White Star。〃
They could hear Greg on the shortwave； talking in short bursts； moving the frequencies every twenty seconds in a preset pattern。
〃From here；〃 Valeri said； 〃the MANDs can be deployed quickly and efficiently。〃
〃But even so；〃 Russell said； 〃it's almost five in the morning。 The invasion will begin clear across the country。''
〃Not if the orders are never implemented；〃 Valeri said。 〃The MANDs are hidden here in Moscow。〃 He smiled。 〃Actually； right around the corner from the church where you found me。 They're in the basement of the Atomic Energy Administration on Staromonetny Street。〃
He nodded。 〃Odysseus…pardon me； Gregory…is seeing that our people get the MANDs immediately。 With them； they can get to the generals in their villas in the Lenin Hills； the KGB leaders in the Lubyanka and Lefortovo。 You see； our people are highly placed； and they need only go that far。〃
He bent down； retrieved the Kalishnikov that Irina had dropped。 〃Of course it won't be as straightforward as that。 It never is。 There will inevitably be plications； and before it's over； some of us may die。 Which is why I must go。 I must see that none of the generals slip our net。 And then I must confront the president； to give him an account of this treachery firsthand。〃
〃Isn't there anything we can do？〃 Russell asked。
Valeri smiled。 〃You and Miss Nunn have already done your part。 Now you must stand aside and let us do ours。 At this stage； it would not be helpful to anyone if news got out of American agents being involved in this crisis。〃
〃What will happen here？〃 Tori said。
〃I don't know。 No one does；〃 Valeri admitted。 〃But it is clear that some form of promise between the Russians and the national minorities must be hammered out。 A good degree of national autonomy is needed； but no one in White Star wants to cripple this country。 We just want the repression and prejudice against us to end。〃
After Greg was finished on the shortwave； Russell took over to send a coded signal via the Berlin station to Mail Central。 Irina took Tori into the shower and changing room； showed her where Tatiana and Lara kept their clothes。
Irina was in the shower； and Tori was just finishing dressing； when Greg wheeled himself in。
〃It's good to see you； Tori。 You can't know how good。〃
Tori knelt in front of him。 〃What's happened to you； Greg？ Mom and Dad will be so frightened when they see you。〃
He looked into her eyes； said； 〃I don't think so。〃
''What do you mean？''
Greg reached out； gripped her shoulders。 〃They know； Tori。〃
〃Mom and Dad know you're alive？〃 Her face was a mask of shock。 〃But how？〃
Then something flashed in her mind。 Russell saying。 Haw the devil is Bernard getting the funds to buy these nuclear weapons？ And； with fingers half paralyzed； she fumbled out the photo that Ariel had pressed into her hands at the point of death。 But there must be something more to this photo。 What's so incriminating about it？ Russell had said。 Bernard could have gone to San Francisco/or any one of a million reasons。
Tori looked past Ariel in the foreground； the bronze sundial； the little girl playing in the park。 She saw Bernard in the lower left…hand corner of the frame； and then； ing toward him； ing to meet him； the couple。
She peered through the gloom。 Could it be？ Did the photo show Tori's mother and father meeting Bernard Godwin in a San Francisco park？ To discuss financing？ Were Ellis and Laura Nunn financing White Star？ Was it their money that Bernard used to buy the MANDs from the Japanese coalition？
And then it all clicked together。
Tori said with a bit of wonder in her voice； ''Valeri contacted Bernard and told him about you； didn't he； Greg？ And then Bernard went to Dad。 He told him you were alive； that this was Dad's chance to help free the people of the Soviet Union。〃
She saw the truth in Greg's eyes。 〃Jesus Christ； Bernard wasn't content