For some reason the late-night trafficwas slow and thick over the bridge. Suddenly it had ground to a halt in bothdirections.

"Something's wrong up ahead."

at the far end of the bridge. Thereseemed to be a pileup of traffic, and drivers were climbing out of their cars.Lukin had no siren and Romulka already had a five-minute head start, He hit thebrakes and Pasha went to step out of the car but Lukin beat him to it.

"Stay here. I'll find out what'sgoing on."

Lukin ran toward the pileup. Up ahead hesaw that a delivery truck had skidded across the bridge and the traffic towardOctober Square was blocked. Tire tracks slashed across the slushy surface andthe scene was chaotic. He swore.

He saw a pedestrian walking past on thefootpath, head down against the freezing cold, and he roared at the man,"What the hell's wrong up there?"

The man looked back at the tangle oftraffic and shrugged. "A truck's blocking the way. A couple of cars cametoo fast over the bridge and the truck had to swerve to avoid them."

Lukin saw no sign of Romulka's Zil. Thebastards must have caused the pileup and driven on. He raced back to the car.When he climbed in he slammed his fist on the steering wheel in frustration.Pasha said, "What's up?" Lukin told him. Pasha said, "That's allwe need. We'll never catch up with Romulka now."

Lukin ran his hand over his face andtried to think. Below the sweep of the bridge lay the entrance to Gorky Park,its expanse stretching along the bank of the frozen Moscow River. Farther on,in the hollow below the bridge, he saw the towering shape of the Warsaw Hotel.There was a narrow road off to the right of the hotel which Lukin knew finallycame out onto Lenin Prospect. It was throwing him off course by minutes but itwas the only way he could escape the pileup.

He said to Pasha, "Hold on to yourhat. This is where it starts to get interesting."

He shifted into gear, pulled out of theline of traffic and bumped onto the footpath, lights on and horn blaring as heheaded down toward the park.

Massey sat in a chair, the Tokarevpointed at him.

He looked over at Stanski steadily."It's over, Alex, whichever way you look at it. Lebel's been taken by theKGB and it can't be long before he talks. And that can only mean one thing-theboys in black are going to pay this place a visit."

"If you think I'm giving up now,Jake, you're crazy."

"I told you, it's over. Why be adamned fool?"

There was a slight smile on Stanski'sface but no trace of humor in his voice. "Instinct, if you like. Alifetime of bad habits. Besides, it would be one hell of a waste of anopportunity."

Massey shook his head. "You'rethrowing away your life and the lives of Anna and Irena."

"Washington didn't send you all thisway just to have a talk. You came here to put a bullet in me, didn't you,Jake?"

Massey was silent but Stanski saw thereaction on his face. "Could you do that, Jake? Kill Anna and me?"

If I have to," Massey said flatly.'

"The look in our eyes saysdifferent. You don't want to do it, Jake."

"There's a bigger picture at stake.It's not just your lives.

Moscow will want you both alive. And oncethey have their evidence they'll have enough reason to start a war."

"What you mean is, heads will rollin Washington if this goes wrong."

Stanski stood. "You didn't come herealone, did you?" Massey said quietly, "The dacha is covered, frontand back.

There's no way out."

Stanski thought for a moment, then said,"What proof has Moscow got that I'm here to kill Stalin?"

"They've got proof, I told you. Andthey'll use it once they find you,"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that.Besides, I'd never let them take me alive. You think Moscow would tell theworld that someone got close enough to kill Stalin? That's where you're wrong.It'd be the biggest loss of face the Kremlin's ever had.

They'd keep their mouths shut and pretendnothing had happened. And if I succeeded some of them might even begrateful." Massey started to stand.

Stanski said, "Stay right where youare."

"Then you mind if I smoke?"

"Go right ahead. But move nice andslowly. And light one for me while you're at it."

As Massey handed him a cigarette, Stanskisat down again, "I never thought it would come to this, Jake. You and me.

Like High Noon."

"It doesn't have to be that way. Yougive me your word you'll stop this now and I'll take you and the women backwith me. It's against my orders but I'm prepared to take that risk.

Like you guessed, I don't want to see anyof you wind up dead."

"Considerate of you, Jake. But howdo you plan on getting us out now that Lebel's out of the picture?"

"There's a military transport flightto Vienna tomorrow morning. I can arrange papers for all of us."

"And if I don't agree?"

"You won't get out of here alive.You, Anna or lrena."

"You'd really kill Anna too?"

When Massey didn't reply, Stanski said,"How about you just take her and lrena and leave me to finish this?"

Massey shook his head. "No deal,Alex. It's all of you or nothing. So I guess her life's in your hands. What'sit to be?"

Stanski smiled faintly. "What aterrible world we live in, Jake. We were friends, and now you're ready to killme. Anna too. It makes my heart bleed, but there you have it."

He held up two fingers, tips close."I'm that much away from putting a bullet in the head of the biggestmadman the world's ever known and you want me to forget it. You're crazier thanme."

"I told you the reasons. Washingtoncan't take the risk."

"And you always do what Washingtonsays?" Massey said impatiently, "Something tells me I'm wasting mytime here."

As he reached over to crush out hiscigarette suddenly his hand came up to grab the silenced pistol. But Stanskiwas too quick. He fired once, the pistol spat and the bullet nicked Massey'swrist. Massey fell back in pain, gripping the wound. "You're getting slow,Jake. I could have taken your eye out. Maybe I should just kill you and be donewith it."

He took a handkerchief from his pocketand tossed it over. Blood oozed through Massey's fingers and he put the clothon the wound.

"Alex, you're making a big mistake... listen to me ... for Anna's sake."

There was a sudden hard edge to Stanski'svoice. "What the hell do you care about Anna? Sorry, Massey, I'm pastlistening. Get up."

As Massey struggled to move, there wasnoise on the stairs and then Anna appeared in the doorway.

When she saw Massey she opened her mouthto speak but no words came, a look of utter shock on her face.

Stanski turned to her. "I'll explainlater. Get some water and look after Massey. Then wake Irena. We're getting outof here."

Five minutes later Lukin had cut ontoLenin Prospect and was headed toward the Ramenki district.

Pasha had tried to rouse Lebel, slappinghim hard and shouting in his face, but the Frenchman was still unconscious.

The Mongolian said in frustration,"Damn, it's no good, we've wasted our time bringing him with us."

"Try again!"

He tried again but the Frenchman onlygroaned in his sleep.

Lukin swore with frustration. "Leavehim." The traffic out to the country was thin and the roads covered inhard-packed snow. When they reached the intersection with Lomonossow Prospectand turned right, Lukin saw the taillights of another vehicle a hundred metersin front.