"After what happened tonight it'shardly going to matter much."

"Let's hope you're right."

"You did the favor I asked?"

Lebel took a set of car keys from hispocket and handed them to Stanski. "All I could manage was a blue Emkavan.

One of my contacts from the TradeMinistry who owed me a favor left it parked and waiting where you said. Hewon't report it stolen until tomorrow morning."

"Thanks. What about the train? Canyou manage that too?"

"Slightly more risky. We halt at astation named Klin, an hour out from Moscow, to hook on a cargo of coal forHelsinki.

That shouldn't take more than an hour.Nicolai ought to be able to stretch it to two taking on water for the engineand attending'

to some imaginary repairs, but he won'tbe able to delay much longer than that. Otherwise, the railway authorities mayget Suspicious. So if you're going to join us, I suggest you don't delay.

"Try to stretch the halt as long asyou can." Lebel said glumly, "I think we've stretched matters quitefar enough as it is, don't you?"

Stanski tossed away his cigarette."Cheer up, Henri. You're still breathing. It could be a lot worse."

"After this, I'll never see Moscowagain. Not that I ever want to. I suppose there's some compensation if Irena isfree, if we live long enough to enjoy it. Do you really think we'll still makeit to Helsinki?"

"It's a chance worth taking when youconsider the alternative."

Lebel frowned. "May I be permittedan observation? After four years in the French Resistance, a man gets to knowwhen he's being sold a stinker. And something definitely stinks about thiswhole arrangement. I suppose it's no use asking what's really going on betweenyou and Lukin?"

"No use at all."

Lebel shrugged and nodded toward thetrain. "It seems you have a farewell in store, my friend. I'd better seewhat's keep ing Nicolai."

As Anna handed her daughter to lrena andcame toward them, Lebel shuffled toward the train.

Then Anna's arms were around Stanski'sneck and she pulled him to her tightly.

"What Lukin did, I don't know how tothank him."

"Look after his wife, that'll bethanks enough."

She looked into his face. "You andLukin aren't really going to join us later, are you?"

"Oh, I don't know about that."

She studied him, her eyes wet."That's a lie, Alex, and you know it. Please ... it's not too late tochange your mind."

"Far too late, I'm afraid."

And then her lips were on his and heheard her sobbing. Finally he broke away. For a long time he looked at herface, then his hand brushed against her cheek. "Take care, Anna Khorev. Iwish you a long life and happiness with Sasha."

"Alex please ... ! Come withus!"

The train suddenly whistled and Lebelappeared and said, "Another minute and I'll be in tears myself. Nicolai'sready to go. Let's move, my friends, this isn't the Gare du Nord."

The steam engine seemed to burst intolife, gave another shrieking whistle, and Stanski took Anna's hand and pulledher toward the train.

Lukin helped Lebel up beside the driver,then got the others on board. A final look passed between them all; Stanski andAnna, Lukin and Nadia, and then lrena slid the carriage door and bolted itshut.

Lebel gave a wave from the engine."So long, comrades. With luck, maybe we'll all live to crack a bottle ofchampagne in Helsinki."

Stanski saw a terrible look of anguish onLukin's face as he stared grimly at the carriage, and then the train whistledagain and started to move. Lukin touched the carriage door with his hand as itpulled away from the platform, as if reluctant to let it go, and then theengine picked up speed and the carriage slid away.

Stanski said, "You said yourgoodbye?"

"As best I could under thecircumstances."

"How did Nadia take it?" Lukinsaid grimly, "I don't think she believed me when I told her I'd see heragain. But she knows what she's doing is for the best. And for our child. On myway to pick up Anna's daughter I called at the Leningrad Station. I showedBeria's letter to the duty official in charge of the railway lines to Helsinkiand told him to keep the lines clear for Lebel's train.

Under no circumstances was it to bedeliberately stopped or delayed, otherwise he'd face Beria's wrath and a firingsquad. Let's hope he does what I tell him. All we can do is hope by somemiracle they all survive." He looked around, agony in his face. "Aterrible world we live in, brother, but there you have it. And Anna? Somethingpassed between you and her, didn't it?"

Stanski shrugged. "Another time,another place, and under different circumstances, who knows what might havecome of it? But too late now."

He paused, then there was a hint ofremorse in his voice. "But it's still not too late for you to change yourmind."

Lukin shook his head. "This is forKatya. For our parents. For us.

Stanski touched his arm. "We'dbetter go. There isn't much time.

It was still snowing as Lukin pulled upacross the street from the side entrance to KGB Headquarters.

As he switched off the engine he turnedto Stanski and said, "Give me fifteen minutes. If I haven't showed up bythen get away from here as fast as you can. Ditch the car and go to the nearestMetro. After that I'm afraid you'll have to make your own way to Kuntsevo, asyou planned."

Stanski nodded toward the KGB building."You'll be taking a risk going in there. Is it really necessary?"

"I need to know if Pasha's safe. Iwant him to leave Moscow, otherwise after everything we've done is discoveredhe'll be guilty by association and doubtless he'll be shot. There's a trainleaving for the Urals in under two hours and I want him on it with a false setof papers. They'll never find him among his own people."

Lukin glanced over at the building. Thedouble oak doors were open, and another glass door led to a hallway beyond. Thelights were on and the uniformed guard on duty sat behind a desk in the hall.

"Besides, you're going to need a KGBuniform for what we're planning to do. There's also an important phone call tomake, remember?"

Stanski nodded. "Good luck."

Lukin climbed out of the car, crossed thestreet and went in through the side doors. Stanski watched the guard check hispapers before Lukin stepped into an elevator in the hall and was gone.

As Stanski sat in the car he reachedanxiously for a cigarette and lit one, then glanced over at the dead body lyingon the backseat.

Jake Massey's lifeless eyes stared backat him.

The fourth floor was empty and the officewas in darkness.

Lukin stepped into the room and closedthe door. He flicked on the light switch. The room flooded with light and heheard the voice at once and turned.

"Welcome back, Lukin. So kind of youto join us."

Romulka stood by the window, a Tokarev inhis hand. Two brutal-faced plain-clothes KGB men stood in front of Pasha'sdesk. They held rubber truncheons. Pasha was tied down in a chair with leatherstraps binding his arms and legs, his face bloated and bloodied almost beyondrecognition. One of the men had his hand over his mouth and as he released itPasha gurgled with pain and his swollen eyes rolled in their sockets.

Lukin's heart sank. "What's themeaning of this?"

Romulka stepped forward. "Don't fuckwith me, Lukin, it's far too late for that. Remove your pistol and place it onthe desk. Nice and easy. Or I'll be tempted to take your head off beforeComrade Beria has the pleasure of dealing with you."