When he had shaved, an orderly broughthim a tray with a samovar of tea. It tasted vile but he drank it thirstily andignored the single slice of burned toast on the plate.

Five minutes later as he dressed there wasa knock on the door and Kaman entered.

"Sorry to disturb you, Major. Somenews just came in."

Lukin picked up his false hand lyingbeside him on the bed and began to strap it on. He saw the captain wince at thesight of the mangled stump.

"What's the matter? Haven't you seena war wound before?"

Kaman blushed. "It just occurred tome, how do you manage to shave?"

"With great difficulty. Your report,Kaman."

"The foot patrol managed to getwithin twenty meters of the wreckage sites. One's definitely the missingMig."

"And the other aircraft?"

"A light plane, make unknown, butdefinitely not one of ours."

"Any bodies?"

"Two. The Mig pilot and the otherpilot in the light aircraft. The patrol couldn't get close enough to remove thecorpses, and apparently there wasn't much left of either of them. Both appearedburned beyond recognition."

Lukin crossed to the wall map. "They'renot going to be much help to us anyway. Have the checkpoints turned up anythingyet?"

"Nothing except a half-dozendeserters and a black marketeer. One of the deserters was shot and woundedtrying to escape."

"Excellent. At least we've done somegood for the state.

Tell me, do you think the Estonianresistance might be helping our quarry?"

"It's possible, but they usuallyconfine themselves to the forests, and the nearest group we know of is ahundred kilometers east of here."

Lukin crossed to the window and lookeddown at the barrack square. A couple of dozen soldiers marched by smartly indouble file, and it was still dark outside.

He said without turning back, "Haveyou ever read Tut-genev, Captain?"

Kaman shrugged. "I come from asimple farming background, Comrade Major. Reading books wasn't half asimportant as cows."

Lukin smiled. "Nevertheless,Turgenev made an interesting observation. He used to say that when you'researching for something, don't forget to look behind your ears as well."

"I don't understand."

"If you wanted to hide a couple ofenemy agents in Tallinn, where would you put them?"

Kaman scratched his chin. "Lots ofplaces. Parts of the old town go back to the fourteenth century and the placeis like a rabbit warren. Underground vaults and passageways from the days ofpirate smuggling. I'm sure there are cellars and tunnels there we don't evenknow about."

"My point exactly." Lukinthought a moment "And the outskirts of the town?"

Kaman hesitated, then shook his head."Too few people. And country folk would spot a stranger a mile off."He smiled. "In that part of the world, people would talk if you part yourhair on the wrong side. Besides, half the population of Estonia are Russianplants. They'd be quick to inform the militia of suspicious strangers."

Lukin nodded. "Very well, forgetabout the rural areas for now." He pointed to the city map."Concentrate on the city and the old town. For now I want checkpoints androadblocks here, on all the main roads and the old entrance gates of thecitadel. Maintain radio links to the barracks and inform KGB Headquarters onPikk Street of our intention. These agents could have landed anywhere within atwenty-mile radius, but my guess is they'll try to hide where a new facedoesn't look amiss. Anyone fitting the ages or descriptions is to be stoppedand their papers checked thoroughly. And I mean thoroughly."

"Yes, Comrade Major."

Lukin dragged on his tunic. "Arrangean Emka and driver. And a mobile radio and maps. I'll be inspecting thecheckpoints personally at intervals."

"As you wish, sir." Kamansnapped to attention.

As the captain turned to leave, Lukinlooked down at the tea and burnt toast.

"Kaman, a decent breakfast might bein order. You can't expect a grown man to get through the morning onthis."

Kaman blushed. "I'll have the cooksee to it at once."

The ancient citadel of Tallinn had oncebeen part of the old Hanseatic League, an ancient port and trading fortress andhome to prosperous merchants and craftsmen, until the Russian Tsar had invitedhimself in and turned it into a colony. Then Stalin, then the Germans, thenStalin again.

Despite a long history of invaders, itlooked as if time had not touched the narrow medieval cobbled streets. Sunlightsplashed on yellow and blue pastel walls, and all around were oak-beamed innsand houses, and gilded onion-domed churches.

As they walked along Pikk Street, themain avenue that cut through the length of the town, Stanski looked in the drabshop windows.

In a butcher's shop a single scrawny carcassof beef hung from a solitary hook. In another shop window, a bored womanarranged a couple of pairs of cheap rubber shoes. Stanski decided to try hiscoupons, and when he bought a bottle of vodka in a shop off Pikk Street thegirl behind the counter took his coupon and money without batting an eye.

As they came onto Lossi Square, dozens ofattractive girls sat around on the park benches, their legs crossed, smiling atpassing uniformed sailors from the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Stanski noticed therewere numbers chalked on the soles of the girls' shoes.

"The girls are prostitutes fromMoscow, here for the sailors," Anna explained, smiling. "Prostitutionis against the law and a Gulag offense, but the militia can't arrest the girlsuntil they catch them soliciting by asking a price. So the girls write theirfee on their shoes and they're not breaking the law."

"All very civilized and clever. Youthink they'd take coupons?"

Anna laughed. "Stanski, you'recrazy."

"The name's Bodkin, remember."

"And it suits you in thosetrousers."

They came to a park on a hill at the topof the town, with a view down to the sea. Despite the clear blue skies it wasfreezing cold. Behind the park was some kind of large official residence, twosoldiers in uniform on guard duty outside. The park was empty except for acouple of elderly ladies walking their dogs and a strolling soldier and hisgirlfriend.

They found a bench and Stanski uncorkedthe vodka and took a sip, then handed the bottle to Anna. "Here, put alittle sunshine in your heart."

She took a sip. Stanski was watching herface and said, "Stalingrad. Tell me about it."

"Why do you want to know?"

"No reason. Just curious."

She looked out at the park. "It wasterrible. The savagery. The house-to-house fighting. The endless days andnights without sleep. The intense cold. And always wondering if you were goingto have enough to eat that day, or if you were going to die. The shelling wasthe worst. The noise went on for months, day and night. It got so bad even thedogs would drown themselves in the Volga-they couldn't take any more." Shehesitated. "But it taught me how to survive. After Stalingrad, nothingcould really frighten you." Stanski said quietly, "What do youbelieve in, Anna?"

She shook her head. "I think I stoppedbelieving in everything the day they took my daughter away."

"You never told me how Masseyintends getting her out."

"The same way he intends getting meout, whatever way that is. Just as soon as he finds out what orphanage she'sin.

Stalin's made so many orphans, and thereare so many orphanages in Moscow, Jake said it's going to take time to findSasha. Some of the children are often given new names, to make them forgettheir backgrounds and their parents. But he promised me he won't fail."She paused. "And you, what do you believe in?"