When he narrowed the gap he saw that itwas a black Zil and that there was another large car ahead of it.

Pasha said, "I think we're inluck."

The two cars up ahead were moving fastover the snow, but Lukin had snowchains and the BMW had a powerful engine. Heput his foot down and pulled out to get a better look. The car in the lead wasdefinitely also a Zil.

Pasha said, "If it's Romulka and youovertake him he'll smell a rat."

"What else can I do?"

Pasha grinned. "Nothing, but I'dlike to see the bastard's face when he sees us. Let's do it."

Lukin hit the accelerator. For a splitsecond there was a dragging sensation as the BMW's tires threaded the packedsnow, then the chains on the tires gripped and the powerful engine roared asLukin swung the steering wheel to the left.

He overtook the rear car. There were fourburly plain-clothes men inside and they glanced at the BMW as it roared past.

And then suddenly Lukin was alongside thelead Zil.

He glanced right just as Pasha did, andcaught a glimpse of the driver, then Romulka sitting in the passenger seat. Hegave another burst of power and the BMW shot forward.

The driver and Romulka glanced over, justas Lukin overtook them.

For a moment Romulka's face wasilluminated in a wash of street light. There was a look of astonishment when hesaw Lukin's car, Pasha rolled down his window and raised his middle finger atRomulka. "Sit on that, you asshole," Romulka reacted at the gestureand then his twisted, angry face was gone from view as the BMW raced ahead.

Moments later, Lukin pulled back into thelane, but kept the speed up. Pasha laughed. Lukin said, "Do you alwayshave to be the diplomat?"

"Fuck him. I'll worry about theconsequences afterwards."

"You Mongolians, you're beyondredemption."

It's in the blood. With Genghis Khan foran ancestor, what do you expect?"

Lebel groaned in the back, seemed to comearound, then fell silent. Lukin glanced in the rearview mirror.

Already the cars behind were picking upspeed, challenging him. He felt the sweat drip from his brow as he said toPasha, "How much farther?"

"I reckon another four kilometers.Keep up the speed and, with luck, we'li just have time to do our business atthe dacha before that bastard's up our ass."

Stanski blew out the oil lamp and theroom was plunged into darkness.

He flicked on the flashlight and held theTokarev in his other hand. He shone the beam into a corner of the room.

Massey was sitting on the floor, hishands tied behind his back. Anna and Irena sat huddled beside him. They haddressed and Irena's face was white with fear. Stanski said to Massey, "Howabout you let the women go free and I take my chances?"

Massey avoided looking at Anna as hesaid, "I told you, I can't do that, Alex."

"You're a bastard, Massey. They'reout of this already. What harm can it do?"

"I was given orders - .."

Massey saw that Anna was staring at him,hurt on her face. Stanski had told her why Massey had come and he had seen thedisbelief in her reaction.

Massey said suddenly, "Anna, I'msorry. This isn't my doing. If Alex goes ahead with this we're all dead. He hasto stop this madness."

There was a look of hopelessness on herface as she turned away. "I don't think it matters now, does it, Jake?Nothing matters."

"Tell him to stop because it's theonly way we all walk away from this alive ... You've nowhere left to runto." Before Anna could reply, Stanski said, "Shut up, Massey. Makeanother sound and it'll be your last."

He flicked off the flashlight and movedto the window. He waited until his eyes became accustomed to the dark, thenpulled back the curtain a crack and peered out. The front garden looked eerilyquiet in the moonlight. He thought he saw a figure move near the gate, and thenit was gone. He let the curtain fall back into place, switched on the torchagain and shone the light on Massey.

"How many people have you gotoutside?"

Massey didn't reply. Stanski cocked theTokarev and aimed at Massey's head. "You hesitate again and I take yourhead off. How many?"

"Two men."

"Who are they?"

, "Agents we dropped monthsback."

"Tell me more."

"They're former Ukrainian SS."

"Nice company you're keeping, Jake.I'm surprised."

"It was either a war crimes trial orwork for us." There was an edge of panic in Massey's voice. "ForGod's sake let me talk to them, Alex ..

Stanski shook his head. "You're sureabout the number?

You don't want to reconsider?"

"I told you, two."

"You'd better not be lying tome." He tossed Massey's weapon to Anna. "He moves, you shoot him. Ifyou don't he'll kill you," He handed the flashlight to Irena.

"Switch it off. And keep it off untilI get back. Give me the keys to the car."

Irena looked at him wildly. "We'llnever get out of this alive. We're all dead ... Oh my God., The woman wastrembling with fear and Stanski slapped her face and said firmly, "Shut upand just do as I tell you. That way we may get out of here in one piece. Thekeys. Then turn off the damned flashlight."

frena fumbled for the keys, handed themto Stanski, then flicked off the flashlight. Suddenly the room was plunged intodarkness again.

They heard the door creak faintly andStanski was gone.

The kitchen was in darkness and freezingcold.

As Stanski stepped inside he saw that thedoor that led out side was ajar. He crossed the room silently and peered outinto the courtyard, the Tokarev at the ready.

The snowed-under garden was pale gray inthe watery moon light. He trained his eyes for a long time on the woodshed andthe car, trying to discern movement, but saw only shadows and darkness.

He didn't know whether Massey was tellingthe truth. There could be more than two men out there and they could beanywhere, but there was only one way to find out.

He cocked the Tokarev, lay flat on hisstomach and crawled out of the door. Moments later he was slithering across thefreezing stone-flagged courtyard until he reached the woodshed.

He waited for any movement or sound andwhen none came he stood and unlocked the driver's door and inserted the key inthe ignition, then left the door ajar.

He was about to move forward when heheard a faint click from behind him and a voice said in Russian, "Drop theweapon and keep your hands in the air. Then turn around slowly."

He dropped the Tokarev and it clatteredto the ground. He turned and saw a young man standing in the shadows ten feetaway.

The man stepped out. He was heavily builtand held a pistol in his hand. He grinned. "I'll say this for you, youmove pretty silently, but not silently enough. Where's my Americanfriend?"

"Back in the house."

"Dead?"

"Very much alive, I'm afraid."Stanski nodded back toward the garden. "There were supposed to be two ofyou. Where's your comrade?"

"You'll soon find out. Turn aroundand move toward the house. I warn you not to try anything, I'm an excellentshot.' "Whatever you say. Except there's something you forgot."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"This."

The silenced Na gant came up and spatonce. The man had no chance. The single shot hit him square in the bridge ofthe nose and he fell back against the car and slid to the ground.

Stanski crouched and waited at the readyfor a reaction to the silenced gunshot, and when none came he retrieved theTokarev, then dragged the body to the back of the woodshed.