Flakes of snow dashed against the glassand he saw a blaze of light below. Two black American Fords were parked outsidethe house and half a dozen men stood around, rubbing their hands to keep outthe cold. Massey recognized none of them.

Suddenly he heard footsteps climb thestairs and looked around.

The footsteps halted outside the door.Massey felt his heart race as the door opened.

Branigan stood there, grim-faced. He worean overcoat and scarf and leather gloves. He stepped into the room. "So,you're back in the land of the living." Massey said hoarsely, "Whatthe hell's going on, you sonof-a-bitch? You almost killed me."

"I could ask you the samequestion."

Massey went to brush past him butBranigan moved to block his way. "And where do you think you'regoing?"

"Downstairs-there's a radiobeacon-landing lights on the ice-"

"If you're thinking about yourfriend Saarinen, forget it."

"What do you mean?"

"He's dead."

Massey turned white. Branigan looked athim coldly. "We need to talk."

Tallinn, Estonia.

The Zil army truck jerked to a halt andStanski raised himself from the floor and peered out beyond the canvas flap.

They had halted in a narrow alleywaybeside what looked like an ancient inn. Beyond lay a deserted cobbled square.Shabby, brightly painted medieval houses ringed the square. He guessed theywere in the old town of Tallinn.

Anna sat beside him, and as she draggedherself up they heard the doors of the front cab open and the sound of feethitting the ground and crunching on snow. A moment later the sergeant tore backthe canvas flap. The KGB officer grinned up at them.

"Right, bring your things and followme."

Stanski jumped down and he and thesergeant helped Anna from the truck. They followed the officer down afoul-smelling alleyway to a door at the side of the inn. The place stank ofstale beer.

The officer brushed snow from his faceand knocked on the door. They heard the sound of metal bolts and then a big,stoutly built man with a bushy red beard appeared in the open doorway. He worea filthy white smock and a cigarette dangled from his bearded lips.

The officer smiled and said in Russian,"Your guests arrived on time, Toomas. Got a bit of a shock when they sawthe uniforms. Good job we found them before the army did. Those bastards areswarming all over the place." The officer jerked his thumb at Stanski."For a moment there I thought our friend here was one of them."

The innkeeper wiped his hands on hissmock and grinned. His teeth were stained yellow and his red beard hid half hisface.

"You'd better not hang around, Erik.Get that truck back to the barracks immediately."

The officer nodded and was gone, and theyheard the Zil start up and move out from the alleyway.

The innkeeper ushered them into ahallway. When he had closed and locked the door he shook their hands.

"My name is Toomas Gorev. Welcome toEstonia, my friends. I take it everything went well with the drop despite thelousy weather?" Stanski said, "Apart from the shock of having the KGBwaiting for us, reasonably good."

The innkeeper grinned. "A necessarychange of plan, I'm afraid. Some shit of a Russian general decided to put thearmy on maneuvers at the last minute. Two divisions are moving south toward thecoast for the next couple of nights. The area you landed in was smack right inthe middle of their route. Using the army truck was the only way our resistancecould pick you up. But don't worry, you're safe now." Stanski said,"There's a problem. I buried some belongings back in the woods."

Gorev shook his head. "Then I'mafraid you'll have to leave them there. For the next few days there's going tobe too much military activity in those parts. It would be more trouble thanit's worth."

He gestured toward an open door at theend of the hall, a shabby kitchen beyond. Dried fish and moldy-looking slabs ofmeat hung from hooks.

"In Estonia, we have a saying. Neverwelcome a guest without offering liquid refreshment. Come, I have a bottle ofvodka opened. I'm sure you both need warming after dropping through that filthystorm."

The staff car turned into the main squareof Tondy barracks just after 3 A.M. and ground to a halt.

As Lukin climbed out tiredly he lookedaround him and shivered. The snow had lightened but the early morning air wasice cold. The old barracks had once belonged to the Tsar's cavalry, its redbrickwork faded and crumbling, but now it served as Red Army Headquarters inTallinn. There was a captain waiting at a barrack door.

He saluted. "Captain Oleg Kaman. Iwas ordered to be at your service, sir."

"Carry on."

The captain led Lukin up a stonestairwell to an office on the third floor. The room overlooked a broad squareand was barely furnished; just a desk and a couple of hardwood chairs and arusting filing cabinet set against one wall. A map of the Baltic states andEstonia hung on another. A red-colored folder lay on the desk, and when thecaptain had taken Lukin's overcoat he said, "Some tea or coffee,Major?"

Lukin shook his head. "Perhapslater. You're familiar with Tallinn, Captain?"

"My father comes from these partsand I've been stationed here for five years. My commander was called away tosupervise winter maneuvers and sends his regrets."

"Good. You have a progress reportready for me?"

:,Yes, sir."

"Then proceed."

Lukin sat back tiredly in the chair. InMoscow there had just been time for a quick phone call to his wife before a Zilhad sped him away to the airport. The Mig had lifted off during a lull in thesnow but the flight had taken half an hour longer than expected as the pilottried to avoid the worst of the weather, Lukin cramped in the rear cockpitseat. The visibility at Tallinn airport was dangerously bad and the landing hadbeen frightening, the lights of the runway only visible for the last onehundred meters.

Now Lukin looked up and saw Kaman stareat him.

Lukin said, "Well?"

"I'm sorry, Major. You seemeddistracted."

Lukin's stump itched in the cold and hescratched his arm. "It's been a tiring night. Give me your report."

The captain picked up the folder from thedesk and opened it. He cleared his throat. "So far, what we know is thatat approximately nine P.M. local time a Mig 15P all-weather fighter on coastalpatrol disappeared. The aircraft was being tracked here in Tallinn, from theradio tower in St. Olaus's Church near Pikk Street, but because of bad weatheronly intermittent contact was made."

The captain pointed to an area of sea onthe map. "We think the Mig vanished somewhere here. When the alarm went upthree other Migs on patrol north of Leningrad were sent to screen the area.They flew low and spotted two areas of wreckage in their lights, crashed ontothe ice. One was the Mig. The other appeared to be what remained of a lightplane."

When the captain hesitated, Lukin said,"You're certain about the second aircraft?"

"Absolutely. That's what the pilotsreported. They suggest a midair collision occurred. The weather's now cleared alittle over the Gulf of Finland, but it's still pretty bad. We've sent a footpatrol out onto the ice but it may be dangerous to go too close to thewreckage. After the crash the ice nearby will be weakened. But the patrol oughtto be able to get a better look as soon as they get there. We've alreadyalerted the local militia that enemy agents may have been dropped and thecommander ordered a dozen patrols out to scour inland and along the coast, butwe've turned up nothing so far." The captain paused. "That's it,basically."