"How many men can youassemble?"

"At short notice? Perhaps athousand, including militia. Any more and you'll have to wait." Lukinsaid, "Very well. If these people have already found refuge with a contactin the city, as I suspect, it's going to make our task difficult, therefore youshould instruct your informers and block janitors to keep their eyes and earsopen for the arrival of any strangers similar to the man and woman you havedescriptions of-indeed, any strangers. And alert all militia and traffic policeto be on the lookout. Also, as well as civilian, I want any military trafficstopped and checked."

The colonel snapped. "Militarytraffic? But that's ridiculous ... !"

"Hardly. The man has alreadyimpersonated an army officer. He may still be in that disguise, and both ofthem using their assumed names, though I doubt it. But I can't afford to takethat chance."

The colonel sighed. "Is there anycategory we can eliminate to save time?"

"Animals and children. Everyoneelse, I want their papers checked. Disguise is a distinct possibility. Andremember, I suspect the man and woman have already murdered a senior officer.They'll be armed and highly dangerous. If there's the slightest doubt aboutanyone's identity or their papers, they're to be detained or arrested withcaution."

"I can see us filling every damnedjail and barracks in the city," the colonel said irritably. "We areprobably talking about checking the papers of half the population of Leningrad,you realize that, Major?"

"I don't care if I'm talking aboutthe entire population. These people must be found. Is that understood?"

Spittle appeared on the colonel's lipsand he looked as if he was going to have a fit. He didn't like being orderedabout by a lower rank, but to hell with him, Lukin thought.

The colonel bit back his anger with agrim, tight-mouthed expression. "Understood."

Lukin crossed to the door. "Pleasearrange everything immediately. As soon as you can assemble more men, cover theminor roads in and out of the city. I'm giving you an hour to do it. And I'llneed an office, manned with as many telephones as you can provide. Radio linksto all the checkpoints we spoke about. And make sure any mobile patrols havefield radios. I also want a fast car and a driver at my disposal who knows thecity, with a couple of militia motorcycle outriders as guides. If there's anynews, I'm to be contacted at once."

The colonel flung down his baton inobvious anger. "Anything else while we're here, Major?" Lukin ignoredthe sarcasm and said, "Yes, there is. Do you have a doctor in thebuilding?"

The man looked at Lukin's stump, at thecharred and ragged sleeve of his uniform, and wrinkled his nose at the smell ofburned flesh. The major was obviously in pain but had refused a doctor earlier,first demanding to see whoever was in-charge. "No. But I can have onebrought here."

"Then do so. And I'll need freshclothes."

The colonel picked up his baton again andglared. "By the way, Lukin, for your information we alerted Moscow as toyour accident as a matter of courtesy. A Colonel Romulka phoned back. He said totell you he's on his way here by air force jet. He should be arriving within anhour."

The colonel half smiled. "If it'sthe same Colonel Romulka I think it is, he seemed rather interested in yourprogress. Naturally, I could tell him nothing since we hadn't spoken."Lukin said grimly, "Thank you."

The door closed.

The colonel waited until Lukin'sfootsteps had receded down the hallway, then he flung his baton against thewall in a rage. It bounced off the picture of Beria and clattered to the floor.

"The fucking jumped-up shit! Who thehell does he think he is, talking to me like that?"

The adjutant looked suitably sympathetic."Who's this Romulka, sir?"

The telephone rang. The colonel picked itup and snapped, "What the fuck is it?" He listened for severalmoments, then said, "Have it brought to headquarters immediately,"and slammed down the phone. The adjutant said, "More problems?"

"The militia found a car matchingthe Emka abandoned in Udelnay. They're bringing the vehicle here."

The adjutant smiled. "So, we've madea little progress?"

The colonel glared. "Hardly, youidiot! The passengers could be anywhere by now. If they're not still travelingin the car it only makes our work more difficult trying to find them. Go afterLukin and tell him. And arrange everything he wants and fucking fast. The lastthing I need is that little shit Beria nosing up my ass."

Stanski wheeled the BMW into the middleof the storeroom and climbed on. He pulled on the helmet and goggles and worethe stinking heavy winter coat Vladimir had given him. Anna wore two sets ofclothes under her coat to keep out the cold and their small suitcases werestrapped to the carrier at the rear.

She climbed on and put her arms aroundStanski's waist.

"You have the map?" Stanskiasked.

"In my bra."

He laughed. "Whatever you do don'tlose it or we're in trouble."

He nodded to Vladimir who stood by thedoor. "Ready when you are."

"Don't forget to take the routethrough the city I told you about. And take it easy until you reach the mainBaltic highway. Breaking the speed limit won't help matters. The last thing youwant is to be chased by a militia patrol car with a wailing siren."

Stanski nodded. "Wish us luck."He kicked the starter arm and the BMW came to life, the engine purring solidlyunder them.

Vladimir opened the door and then Stanskithrottled the engine and kicked the machine into gear, but didn't release theclutch.

Vladimir went out into the street,looking left and right to check that there were no militia about beforesignaling for them to move out. Stanski drove out through the mouth of thearchway.

Vladimir slapped Anna on the shoulder."Go. And may the devil ride with you both."

The BMW roared off into the night. Therewas a crunch of gears as Stanski slowed and changed down, and then they droveat a leisurely speed along the Moika Canal.

Vladimir watched anxiously as the redtaillight disappeared toward the Nevsky Prospect, then he went back and turnedoff the storeroom light and padlocked the door, before going up to his flat.

As soon as he was inside he opened thebottle of vodka and poured a large glass.

He wondered what the man and woman wereup to in Moscow?

Still, it didn't really matter. Afterwhat they had told him and the man's lack of skill on the BMW he doubted they'dever make it. Just so long as they didn't incriminate him.

He shivered slightly at the prospect.

As he thought of the couple he lifted theglass in a toast and said, "Good luck, you poor bastards," andswallowed the vodka in one gulp.

A female doctor dressed Lukin's arm.

They were in a large room on the secondfloor which the adjutant had organized, and already uniformed personnel weresetting up telephones and a powerful radio transmitter.

The doctor gave him a mild shot ofmorphine, Lukin insisting that the injection not be so strong as to make himdrowsy and unable to concentrate. Then the woman basted a foul-smelling greenointment onto his stump to ease the pain, and after dressing the wound shepinned back the sleeve of the fresh tunic an orderly had brought.

The doctor was young and pretty withgentle hands.

She smiled. "You're as good as new,Major. The wound isn't too bad, but you'll need to have a surgeon examine yourstump. The morphine and bandage are only a temporary fix. Some of the burnedflesh may have to be cut away. You were lucky. You have no other injuries apartfrom bruising and a large bump on the back of your head. Your skull seems tohave suffered no really serious damage but I'd like to take an X-ray, just tobe certain."