As Lukin went to turn away infrustration, he saw Pasha cross the courtyard and have words with the sergeantin charge.

So many people were going to sufferunnecessarily because of the Wolf. Many would end up in prison or the Gulags.Some would die.

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Hehad slept badly last night, tossed and turned for four hours, and his mood hadupset Nadia. He wanted to forget he had ever become part of this nightmare. Buthe had to get the woman to talk.

As he reached for his cap, the telephonejangled. He picked it up.

A man's voice said, "MajorLukin?"

"Yes, this is Lukin." There wasa pause, then the voice said, "Major, we need to talk."

Lukin saw the white plaster walls ofNovodevichy Convent in the wash of the BMW's headlights. As he swung aroundonto the entrance road and braked to a halt, his heart was pounding in hischest.

He switched off the engine, doused thelights, and stepped out.

The gilded onion domes of the desertedconvent rose up into the twilight. A frozen river lay at the rear and he walkeddown toward it. Blood hammered in his temples and his body was drenched inperspiration.

When he reached the river he found thebench near the edge of the bank and sat. There was a small birch wood behindhim and he peered anxiously over his shoulder but saw nothing except the darkoutline of trees and bushes.

His mind was on fire.

"Novodevichy Convent," the notesaid. "Be at the east wall, the second bench by the river at threeo'clock. Come alone and unarmed or you don't see your wife alive again."

No signature on the note but he had nodoubt it was Stanski. It was almost three o'clock now and darkness was falling.Two minutes after the call to his office, Lukin had driven frantically to hisapartment.

The man's voice on the telephone hadsaid, "We need to talk."

"Who is this?"

"An acquaintance of yours fromTallinn, Major Lukin. I've left a message for you at your home."

And then the line clicked dead.

At first Lukin had been confused, andthen a terrible realization dawned and he felt an icy chill go through him-itwas Stanski, it had to be. He felt a surge of fear and cold rage. No. It wasn'tpossible!

Nadia.

If Stanski had harmed Nadia ... He hadleft the office in a daze. Ten minutes later he was bounding up the steps tohis apartment. When he unlocked the door there was a pungent smell in thehallway. A handkerchief lay tossed on the floor, a small brown bottle besideit.

He called out Nadia's name and when hegot no answer he felt his stomach sink.

He picked up the handkerchief and movedinto the rooms. A flowerpot and stand had been knocked over. There had been astruggle here, Lukin was in no doubt. He was shaking with rage and fear,consumed with worry for Nadia. God, don't let her be harmed.

He put the handkerchief to his nose andsniffed the pungent smell.

Ether.

He checked the bedroom--empty-then movedinto the kitchen. He saw the note on the table. He read it and turned evenpaler, and his body shook. He raced back down the stairs to look for the blockjanitor. He found him in the boiler room, drinking vodka.

Yes, a man had called, early thatmorning. Tall, blond, smiled a lot. Said he knew you. friend from the war, hesaid. When Your wife wasn't here he said he wanted to call back and surpriseher. Why? Is everything all right, Major Lukin? You,look pale, MajorLukin."

Lukin had looked at the old mandistractedly and lied. "Yes ... yes, fine. Thank you. I imagine they'vegone somewhere together."

He went back upstairs and sat at thekitchen table for almost an hour, wondering what to do next.

Nothing.

He could do nothing until he met Stanski.

He felt a livid urge to kill the man. Ifhe harmed a hair on Nadia's head he'd tear him apart.

What if she had been hurt? What ifStanski had injured her?

God ... let her be safe. She's all Ihave.

And then another thought: how had Stanskiknown where he lived? Had he been watching him? Had he simply found his addressfrom the city telephone directory? Lukin was too confused to think straight. Heleft the question aside. All that mattered was Nadia's safety.

He imagined Nadia hurt, Nadia ill, Nadiafrightened and locked up somewhere, and he almost drove himself insane withworry.

He had to stop it. He went into thebathroom, splashed icy water on his face. The mood wouldn't go away. God, hewanted to destroy Stanski.

Why had Nadia been taken?

Why?

And then he understood.

Stanski wanted to trade. Nadia for AnnaKhorev.

It was so obvious that in his turmoil hehadn't seen it.

But that would be impossible.

It was two hours later when Lukin leftthe apartment. Stanski had chosen his meeting place well. Novodevichy Conventwas deserted, the nuns long ago shot or deported to the penal camps.

And as Lukin sat by the frozen river, hetried hard to control himself. Would the Wolf come himself or send someone'?

He heard the rustle behind him andturned.

A man stepped out of the shadows. He worea long dark overcoat and his face was visible in the twilight. Stanski. He helda Tokarev pistol in his right hand.

Rage erupted inside Lukin. He felt anoverpowering urge to rush Stanski and wrench the gun from his hand.

"Where's my wife?"

"Stay where you are. Don't move anddon't talk."

Stanski reached over and his free handsearched Lukin's body.

Lukin said, "I'm unarmed."

"Shut up."

When Stanski finished he stepped back.Lukin said again, "My wife, where is she?"

"She's safe. For now. But her safetyreally depends on you."

"What do you want?"

"I want Anna Khorev. And I want hertonight."

LUKIN felt sweat drip down his back. Heshook his head. "That's impossible. I can't release her, I don't have theauthority. You must know that."

"Don't lie to me, Lukin. You can doanything you want."

"I couldn't release her withoutpermission. It's impossible."

"Impossible or not, you bring herhere tonight. Eight o'clock. Just you and her. You tell no one what you'redoing. My people will be watching you every step of the way. Just like wewatched you taking her into the Lubionika this afternoon. And these are therules-you fail me, or try anything foolish, you won't see your wife again. Isthat understood?"

Lukin was numb with shock. Stanski hadhim watched. In the middle of Moscow this American had him watched. He felt theanger flare inside him and clenched his teeth.

"I have a condition."

"No conditions."

"You bring my wife here tonight. Iget her back when I hand over the prisoner. You agree or I don't bring thegirl."

"I'll think about it."

Lukin shook his head. "No, nothinking. You agree or you don't. I don't trust YOU."

"Very well. But remember the rules.You do anything foolish, you get no second chances."

"And you understand. When this isover, I'm going to find you and I'm going to kill you."

Stanski grinned. "But you'll have tocatch me first." He pointed the Tokarev in Lukin's face. "Close youreyes, tightly. Count to twenty. Nice and slow."

Lukin shut his eyes. Silence. Cold. Butnot feeling the icy air; his anger boiling, like a furnace inside his head. Awin@ whistled through branches.

He counted to twenty.

When he snapped open his eyes the Wolfwas gone.

The Lenin Hills were covered in a patinaof white as Lukin parked the BMW on the rise of a hill and climbed out. He ranthe rest of the way to the top of the hill.

In the valley below, Moscow was a millionwinking lights. When he reached the top he knelt, panting, in the snow. Hisbody shook. So close to Stanski. So close and he couldn't kill him. He felt hewas losing his grip, his mind throbbing with confusion as the image of Nadiaraged through it.