Cold blue eyes were set in abrutal-looking face, pockmarked with acne scars. Lukin noticed part of theman's left ear was missing. A pair of black leather gloves was tucked into histunic belt and he carried a manila file under his arm. He looked at the fatcolonel, who jerked a thumb at Lukin.

The rugged colonel stared over at Lukin.Then he wagged a finger and said curtly, "This way."

Lukin stood and stepped toward the door.

There was a blaze of colored light andmusic and a strong smell of tobacco smoke. As the door closed behind him, Lukinsaw he was in a large private cinema. Several rows of plush red leather seatsfaced the front, heads jutting from the darkness in the front row. A color filmflickered on a screen as Lukin looked up.

He had never seen the actors or actressesbefore but he guessed it was an American film. Girls in frilled dresses dancedon a bar while a man wearing a cowboy hat sang in English and strummed aguitar. The scene looked ridiculous.

The colonel prodded Lukin with a fingerlike an iron rod, "In there, Lukin. And keep quiet." He pointed toone of the chairs in a row at the very back, "The show isn't over yet andthe Kremlin doesn't like its entertainment interrupted," Lukin sank into adeep red leather seat and the big colonel slipped into the seat beside him.

It took several moments for Lukin toaccustom his eyes to the semi-darkness. There were perhaps half a dozen men inthe front row. A blur of cigarette smoke curled to the ceiling and a table wasset against the far right wall, a shaded lamp on top, its Pool of yellow lightspilling about the floor.

Two uniformed orderlies stood on eitherside and Lukin saw the silver trays of vodka, brandy and mineral water laid outneatly. A large box of chocolates lay open beside one of the trays, an enormousbasket of fruit next to it. Plump grapes, oranges and pears and bright redapples. Such fruit was rarely seen in Moscow in winter, but obviously theKremlin had no problem with luxury supplies.

Every now and then a hand rose and wavedfrom the blackness to be silhouetted against the screen, and moments later anorderly crossed to the table to pour some refreshment and place some chocolatesor fruit on a small tray and return.

Ten minutes later the film reeled to aclose and a fit of coughing erupted, but no one moved and the lights stayedoff. Lukin sat there in confusion. He saw the projectionist, a young man in acaptain's uniform, flick on a torch and feverishly load a fresh can of film.The screen flickered to life again.

This time the images were silent and inblack and white. White words on a black background announced GUILTY OF CRIMESAGAINST THE SOVIET PEOPLE AND STATE.

The banner faded out.

A cobbled courtyard covered in snowappeared on the screen. A half-dozen frightened men and women were led out insingle file and made to stand against a wall. Lukin realized that one of themen was a scrawny boy of no more than fourteen, his face drawn and pinched fromcold and fear, and he appeared to be crying.

A firing squad was lining up, a line ofuniformed KGB men readying their rifles.

Lukin saw the officer in charge raise hishand and silently bark a command. Puffs of smoke erupted from the rifles andthe men, women and boy were punched back against the wall and slumped to theground.

As they lay there, the boy's body twitched.The officer stepped forward and unholstered his pistol and aimed at the boy'shead. It jolted obscenely and the body fell still. Then the officer walkedalong the row of corpses and fired a single shot into each. Lukin turned awayin revulsion.

The colonel beside him seemed to beenjoying himself, his mouth set in a cruel grin.

For another ten minutes the brutal filmrolled on, the executions repeated as more groups were led out to thecourtyard. At least fifty men, women and children were brought out into thesnow and shot. In the middle of it all, a hand rose in the darkness of thefront row and an orderly placed some fruit and chocolates on a silver platterand brought them over.

Just when Lukin thought he could stand nomore, the film reeled to a close and the lights came on overhead.

Lukin blinked. There was an outburst ofcoughing as f weary bodies pushed themselves slowly out of their plush seats.Lukin froze in shock.

The figure of Joseph Stalin rose from oneof the seats in the front row, the withered left hand, the bushy gray eyebrowsand hair, the heavy mustache unmistakable, He wore a simple gray tunic andlooked frailer than Lukin imagined, his skin pale and waxen, but he was smilingas he lit his pipe and went to stand among a group of well-fed men. They werelaughing, as if someone had made a joke.

Lukin recognized the other facesinstantly.

Nikolai Bulganin, the sober-faced formerDefense Minister and beside him a grinning Georgi Malenkov, the fat, bagg,trousered senior member of the Communist Party Presidium. One other figurestood out from the group. A bald, stunte heavy-set man in a black baggy suit.His pumpkin head seemed to have no neck, and behind his wirerimmed glasses hiswatchful eyes looked full of menace. His portrait adorned every wall insideDzerzhinsky Square.

Lavrenty Beria, head of State Security.

Lukin sat rigid in his seat in a coldsweat. What was going on? Why had he been summoned here?

The colonel next to him stood, his bigframe towering above Lukin.

"Wait here."

And then he was gone toward the frontrow. The room started to empty.

Lukin saw an officer open a door to theright and Moloto and Malenkov stepped out. Moments later Joseph Stalin shuffledtoward the door, but at the last moment he hesitated, then looked back, hiseyes narrowing. He stared over at Lukin.

Lukin felt his pulse race. He was unsureif Stalin was smiling or glaring at him, but the man was definitely looking hisway. and with a look that suggested distaste. Uncomfortably, Lukin went to risefrom his seat, but just then Stalin turned abruptly, and went out of the door.

Lukin let out a breath, not knowing whatto make of it all. He glanced anxiously around the room. Only the big Colonelwho had led him in, the projectionist and Beria remained.

Suddenly the colonel beckoned for Lukinto join them. Lukin stood and moved down to the front row.

The colonel said bluntly, "MajorLukin, Comrade Beria."

Beria was standing, his stunted body lostnext to the towering figure beside him.

Reptilian, olive-black eyes bored intoLukin from behind his glasses, the pasty face grinned crookedly and a silkyvoice said, "So this is Major Lukin. The pleasure is all mine, I'msure."

"Comrade Beria."

Beria didn't offer a hand, but slumpedinto a leather chair. The man had a frightening, grotesque appearance. In thered leather chair he looked not much taller than a circus dwarf, his feetdangling over the edge of the seat. The feet, large and flat and awkward,seemed out of proportion with the rest of his body. A diamond pin glinted on agray silk tie.

Plump fingers gestured to a seat."Sit, Lukin."

As Lukin sat, Beria turned to theprojectionist. "Leave the last reel loaded and go."

The man did as he was told and saluted,then scurried out, closing the door after him. Beria said, "Well, Lukin,did you find our last film entertaining? Speak up, Major."

"It wasn't pleasant, ComradeBeria."

Beria smiled thinly. "Nevertheless,such punishment is often necessary. Those you saw executed were guilty ofserious crimes. Vagabonds and thieves and common criminals. As such theydeserved execution, wouldn't you say?"

"I'm sure the comrade knows betterthan I."

" You're being a diplomat, Lukin.You disappoint me. I prefer directness."

Beria snapped his fingers at the colonelopposite. "The file, Romulka."