The walls were covered in creeping vines,their leafless tendrils clinging to the granite like dead bones. Lights were onin the downstairs rooms and the white lawns were lit up in front.

A miniature wooden pavilion stood off tothe left, its onion dome encrusted with huge hanging icicles, Stanski wiped thesweat from his brow before he switched off the engine and climbed out of theBMW. As he did so, two Kremlin Guards stepped out from behind thedouhle-fronted oak doors of the dacha entrance.

Behind them in the lighted doorwayappeared a massive Guards colonel. He stood well over six feet and was ruggedlybuilt, his uniform immaculate, his boots brightly polished. He stood with hishands on his hips and stared at Stanski suspiciously before he strode down thepathway to the car.

"Major Lukin, I believe."

Stanski saluted and the colonel returnedthe salute smartly. He looked at the damaged BMW, then stared into Stanski'sface. "Colonel Zinyatin, Head of Security. Your papers, Major.

"They've already been checked at thegate, sir."

The colonel smiled coldly. "And nowthey're being checked again. We can't be too careful, can we? I'm the dutyofficer responsible for Comrade Stalin's personal safety. No one goes insidewithout my permission." He held out his hand stiffly and Stanski handedover his papers.

The colonel examined them thoroughly,looking from the photograph to Stanski's face, checking the stamp on theidentity card and rubbing his thumb vigorously on the print. Then he glanced atthe black leather glove on Stanski's hand. He seemed to hesitate, as ifuncertain of something, before he slowly handed the papers back and peered intothe back of the car.

Stanski said, "Not a pleasant sight,Comrade Colonel. An American agent." He gestured to the bullet holes inthe BMW. "He proved to be quite an adversary. Unfortunately, I was unableto capture him alive."

"So I heard."

"Then no doubt you know ComradeStalin wishes to see the body personally."

The colonel glanced back at Stanski withno expression, then he opened the rear door and examined the body, grippingMassey's stiff jaw and looking into the lifeless white face.

"Definitely dead, I think you'llfind, sir," Stanski offered.

"Don't be smart, Lukin. I'm notblind."

The colonel stared down at the corpsebefore turning back. "I'm certain it won't be necessary to take the bodyinside. Comrade Stalin will take my word for it the American's dead."

The colonel smiled without humor. ':

If he's in doubt, I'll have the corpsedelivered to him personally. I believe congratulations are in order,Lukin."

"Thank you, sir."

The colonel's smile was replaced by acold stare. "One more thing."

"Comrade?"

"Your sidearm. Procedure forbidsvisitors to Kuntsevo to carry weapons."

The colonel thrust out his hand.

Stanski hesitated, then unholstered theTokarev and handed it over.

"Now, if you'll follow me, ComradeStalin is expecting YOU."

The polished double oak doors openedsilently on their hinges and the colonel went in first.

Stanski followed him into a dazzlingroom. A log fire blazed in one corner, and a long walnut table stood in thecenter, a dozen or more chairs set around it. An omate crystal chandelier hungoverhead, its light flooding the entire room. Bokhara rugs were set around thefloor and rich tapestries draped the gilded walls.

Josef Vissarionovich Djugashvili-JosephStalin--General Secretary of the Communist Party, Generalissimo of the SovietUnion, stood at the end of the table. He smoked a pipe and held a glass in hishand, a half-full bottle of vodka on the table beside him. He was dressed in asimple gray smock tunic and his thick graying hair was swept back off apockmarked face, his mouth half hidden under a bushy gray mustache. Hooded,watery gray eyes stared cautiously at his visitors.

The colonel crossed the room andwhispered something into his ear. After a few moments the colonel stepped back.

Stalin put down his pipe and glass andcrooked a finger-.

"Comrade Major Lukin, comehere."

As Stanski stepped forward, Stalin turnedto the colonel.

"Leave us, Zinyatin."

The colonel seemed to hesitate, hiscautious eyes flicking to Stanski, then he saluted and left, closing the doubledoors softly after him.

A thin smile played across Stalin's lips,but the gray eyes regarded Lukin coldly. "Step closer, Major. Let me seeyou."

His voice sounded slurred. He motionedwith the fingers of his right hand and Stanski noticed the stiff and witheredleft arm. He stepped closer, enough to smell the man's body odor, A strongmixture of alcohol and stale tobacco. He had been drinking heavily, that muchwas obvious.

Suddenly Stalin leaned forward and kissedStanski on both cheeks. As he stepped back, he studied Stanski's face. His eyesclouded for a moment in doubtful recognition, then he said, "So, youbrought me the American's body."

"Yes, Comrade Stalin."

"And what about the woman?"

"Under lock and key in Lefortovoprison."

The gray eyes smiled coldly. "Youhave surpassed my expectations, Major Lukin. My congratulations. You will havea drink."

"No thank you, comrade."

Stalin frowned. "I insist. No onerefuses a drink with Stalin."

The old man shuffled to the drinkstrolley and poured vodka into a tumbler. He came back, handed it to Stanski,and raised his own glass.

"I drink to your success, ComradeLukin. And to your promotion. You have my thanks and my promised reward. As ofnow, you are a full colonel."

"I don't know what to say, ComradeStalin."

"Perhaps, but I do, If only all myofficers were as capable. Drink, Lukin. It's good Armenian vodka."

Stanski raised his glass and sipped.

Stalin swallowed his drink in one gulp,put the glass down and moved around the table.

He looked over at Lukin suspiciously.

"But you know, something bothersme."

"Comrade Stalin?"

"A small matter, but an importantone. You didn't see fit to follow protocol and inform Comrade Beria of yourvisit here, nor of the American's capture. I've just been on the phone to him.He's as surprised as I am by your success. According to him, you've beenavoiding answering his calls and deliberately obstructing one of his officers,Colonel Romulka, in his duty. Your behavior has been somewhat unusual andunorthodox, Comrade Beria thinks.,And I agree. In fact, before I informed himof your call, he wanted you arrested. He's on his way here now, to confrontyou. He claims you have kept the woman from him." Cold eyes stared intoStanski's face. "Why is that, Lukin? Did you want all the glory foryourself? Or are you keeping a Secret? Comrade Stalin doesn't like secrets keptfrom him."

Stanski put his glass down carefully onthe table. "There is a matter I needed to discuss in private. It concernsthe American plot. I have information of vital importance for your earsonly."

The bushy eyebrows rose slightly."And what information is that?"

Stanski slipped off the black leatherglove and the small Na gant appeared in his hand. There was the softest ofclicks as he cocked the hammer and aimed the weapon at Stalin's head.

Horror shone like torchlight in the oldman's eyes as Stanski leaned in closer and whispered.

"Not something you're going toenjoy. But you'll listen or I'll take your head off. Sit down. The chair toyour right. Make a sound and I kill you."

Stalin's face turned an angry red."What's the meaning of this ... ?"

"Sit. Or I put a bullet in you hereand now."