Stanski sat in the kitchen at the back ofthe dacha. Irena sat facing him. She had returned from Moscow in the Skodaminutes before, carrying a large shopping bag and looking exhausted.

Stanski said, "OK, tell me what yougot."

She searched in her pocket and placed aslip of paper on the table. "The most important thing first. Have a lookat that."

He picked up the slip of paper, read whatwas written on it, and smiled. "Did you have any problems?"

"There were over a dozen Yuri Lukinslisted in the city telephone directory in the post office in Gorky Street. Icalled them all just to be certain, but when I got to the last I was prettysure I might have got the right one."

"How?"

"A woman answered. I asked for MajorYuri Lukin. She said he wasn't there and asked who was calling. I said I waswith the army pensions office. Some of our files had got mislaid and I wastrying to trace a Major Yuri Lukin who had serve, with the Third GuardsDivision of cavalry during the war. said it couldn't have been her husband; hewas certainly a man. but he hadn't served with the army. I apologized for callingthe wrong number and put down the phone. Only one other Major Yuri Lukin turnedup in all the calls I made. But he was attached to an artillery battalion inMoscow."

"What happened then?"

"I went to the address given in thephone book. It's an apartment off the Kutuzovsky Prospect. I spoke to one ofthe neighbors' children. It must be the same Lukin. He drives a green GermanBMW. And the long and the short of it is, he's marrie( with a wife and no kids.The apartment is on the second floor.' "Good. Did you get to see hiswife?"

"Are you joking? I wasn't going toknock on the door an@ let her see my face. That might've been tempting fate toofar."

She hesitated. "You're a very braveman but something tells me this could get us both killed."

Stanski shook his head. "Relax,Irena. You're not going to be in any real danger."

"What you're going to do is stillcrazy and you're playing with fire. You said your friend in the Lubyanka knewnothing. Why try and rescue her?"

"Because the plan's simple and witha little luck it can work. Just open the bag, Irena. You got everything Iasked?"

She opened the bag and spread thecontents on the table. "it wasn't easy. But you can get anything you wanton the black market once you have the money."

"Let me have a look."

He examined everything carefully. Therewas a heavy-duty army flashlight with two sets of batteries, several thin ropesand an army penknife. There was a hypodermic syringe and two small glassbottles, one of clear glass and the other opaque brown. He picked up both. Theyeach contained clear liquid. He examined them, then put them down again.

"You did better than I hoped. Hadyou any trouble getting these?"

"The Adrenalin and the hypodermicwere easy enough."

She picked up the brown bottle of liquid."But this was difficult. Ether isn't easy to come by. It cost two hundredrubles. I could live for a month on that."

Stanski smiled. "I'll remember youin my will. Did anyone ask why you needed this stuff?"

She laughed. "Are you joking? Thegangsters in the Moscow black market would deal with the devil himself if hehad a wallet full of rubles. And they keep their mouths shut. A loose tonguemeans a trip to the Gulag or the firing squad."

"What about the rest of thethings?"

"Viktor's old uniform I've taken inso it should fit. The divisional markings are probably out of date but you'llhave to live with that. Considering what you're going to do, Viktor is probablyturning in his grave right now and it serves the bastard right."

"The man didn't deserve you. Thanks,frena,"

"I must be mad to go along withthis."

He had explained everything to Irena thatafternoon because he needed her help. He had lost his chance to rescue Anna butnow he had a plan. A simple plan. When he told Irena she had turned pale.

"What'? Now I know you're reallyinsane." She had shaken her head resolutely. "I'm not gettinginvolved. If you want to risk your life, you go ahead. Me, I'm taking enoughrisks as it is. I don't want more trouble."

"There won't be any trouble if youdo as I tell you." When she still refused, Stanski said, "The woman'syour passport out of here. You think Lebel is going to like it when you turn upwithout her?"

Irena had hesitated then, doubt on herface. It had taken Stanski another half an hour to convince her and to go overthe details of the plan, but even though she still didn't like it, in the endshe reluctantly agreed.

"On one condition," shedemanded. "If it fails, you forget about her and I leave Moscowalone."

"Agreed."

The plan had come to him as he walkedback to the Boishoi. The image that kept coming into his mind was of Lukinsitting there in the car, tapping the steering wheel impatiently with hisfingers. And then Stanski remembered the ring. A gold wedding ring on his hand.Major Yuri Lukin was married. He had a weak point that could be exploited. Ifthe plan worked Anna would be free and Lukin dead.

if it worked.

He danced at his watch and looked back atlrena.

"You'd better get some sleep. We'vegot a busy day tomorrow." He saw the fear and strain on her face."Thanks for helping."

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think maybe you love thiswoman."

Moscow. March 1st Lukin arrived atDzerzhinsky Square the next morning at six.

While he drank his first coffee of themorning, he spread out the map of Moscow and laid several sheets of paper onhis desk. He looked at the map. If the Wolf was in Moscow, as he suspected,people had to be helping him. Perhaps Romulka was right about the Frenchman,Lebel. He had phoned Romulka's office the previous evening but so far he hadnot returned the call. He would deal with that later. Right now there wereother avenues to explore.

He spread the sheets of paper in front ofhim. They were lists of names of dissidents, mostly Jews, known supporters ofthe immigrant groups. If any group were suspect and likely to be involved, itwas this one. Eight pages that contained 312 names and addresses. It was amammoth task to check them all, search their homes and pull them in forquestioning, but it had to be done. Some of the people on the lists had alreadyendured harsh prison sentences. Others were allowed to remain free but weresecretly watched by the KGB and informers.

There was the chance, of course, thatwhoever was helping Stanski wasn't even on the list at all, and at this thoughtLukin sighed. The hotels in the city still had to be checked, but he doubtedthat Stanski would be so foolish as to stay in a hotel. It was too public, aguest had to register, and besides, there weren't that many hotels in Moscow inwhich to hide. But they would have to be eliminated. He considered visiting thewoman's cell again, but felt it was pointless. In the meantime, he had to dosomething.

He would need at least fifty men to checkthe hotels and pick all those on the list.

As he reached for the telephone to callthe Fostering office, the door opened and a tired-looking Pasha came in. He hadstayed through the night in case any news came in from Len ingrad. Lukin putdown the phone as Pasha went to sit in the .,_chair opposite, put his feet onthe desk, flung off his cap and yawned. Lukin said, "Any news?"

Pasha shook his head and ran a hand overhis face. "Not a whisper. It's been as quiet as the grave. Apart from avisit from Romulka, that is."