Lukin winced as the woman examined theback of his skull again.

"Another time, but thank you,Doctor."

The woman sighed and looked up as a mancarrying several telephones and a roll of cable brushed past.

"As you wish. I can see you're abusy man. Do you mind telling me what's going on here?"

Lukin didn't reply as he looked at hisarm and the foldedback sleeve. The false hand was bad enough but now he reallydid look like a cripple. He had a spare he kept in his desk, a crude affairwith a metal hook on the end which he had first worn some months after he hadbeen wounded, until his stump had healed enough for a proper prosthesis. itwould have to wait until he got to Moscow.

Suddenly the door burst open and Romulkaappeared, wearing an overcoat slung loosely over his shoulders, a swagger canein his leather-gloved hand.

"There you are, Lukin. The adjutanttold me I'd find you here. Still alive after your mishap, I see." Hejerked his thumb ignorantly at the lady doctor and said, "You-getout."

The woman took one look at Romulka'sfrightening presence in the black uniform, packed up her black bag and scurriedout. The other men setting up the equipment in the room took the hint andfollowed her.

Romulka pulled up a chair and sat. He lita cigarette and looked around the room.

"They seem to be looking after you,I see. I've spoken with the colonel in charge. A car has been found, Ibelieve." He glanced at Lukin's arm. "Tell me what happened."

Lukin told him. When he had finished,Romulka grinned maliciously. "Not a very promising start, was it, Lukin?You let the couple slip from your grasp. Comrade Beria won't like that."Lukin said shortly, "Why are you here?"

"This case is my responsibility too,or had you forgotten?

I'm here to assist you and ensure yourhealth is sufficient to continue."

"It is. And if you've come to gloatover what happened, I can do without that kind of help."

Romulka stood, towering above Lukin."Let's cut out the fencing, Lukin. I may be here on Beria's orders but Iwant you to know I also have a personal interest in this case. The womanespecially." He tapped Lukin's chest with his stick. "As soon asshe's caught I want to interrogate her, you understand that?"

"In case you've forgotten, I'm incharge. If she's caught alive, I decide who interrogates her."

Romulka's eyes narrowed in an icy stare."I suggest you don't cross me, Lukin. Life wouldn't be worth living."

Lukin looked at the mess of equipment inthe room and nodded toward the door. "I'm busy, Romulka. There's work tobe done. Is there anything else you wish to say before you leave?"

Romulka grinned. "Actually there is.Another aspect to the investigation I thought you ought to know about.Unfortunately I won't be remaining in Leningrad. I'm leaving the pursuit inyour hands. It is after all your apparent specialty, though I'm hardly inspiredby the evidence so far. I have other pressing matters to attend to."

"What matters?"

"In case you failed to realize it,Lukin, it struck me the Americans would need someone in Moscow to help them.Possibly some person or persons to aid their escape once the deed is done,which it won't be if you do your job."

"I didn't fail to realize it. Butwhat of it?"

Romulka removed a sheet of paper from hispocket and handed it across.

"What's this?"

"A list of names. Foreigners who,because of important business interests vital to the state, are allowed to comeand go in Moscow virtually unchecked."

Lukin examined the list. Almost all wereEuropean businessmen, with the exception of two Turkish gold dealers and aJapanese oil buyer. He looked up. "What are you suggesting?"

"One name on the list particularlyinterests me. A man named Henri Lebel. A French fur dealer."

"I know of him."

"Then perhaps you'll know thatduring the war he was a member of the Communist Resistance branch inParis."

"I didn't, but go on."

"The man has considerable libertiesin Moscow because of his trading status and monetary contributions to theFrench Communist Party. But that's about to change."

"What do you intend?"

Romulka smirked. "I've a feelingabout Lebel. He isn't due in Moscow for another three days, but we can getaround that considering the urgency of this matter."

"How?"

"Our friends in Paris can arrangeit. We question him, discreetly. If he knows nothing, we let him go on hisway." . "Presumably unharmed? The man is a suspect, not aculprit."

Romulka grinned. "That depends onhow cooperative he is. If he's innocent, he has nothing to fear. But there'ssomething to consider that implicates him."

"What?"

"We know he had connections throughthe resistance to the man named Massey who was involved in organizing theAmerican mission."

Lukin thought for a moment, and nodded."Very well. But I suggest you proceed with this cautiously. No doubt Lebelhas important connections in Moscow and we don't want any embarrassment."

Romulka took the list and slipped it backinto his pocket "Whether you agree or not, Lukin, the matter of thisFrenchman is my responsibility. It's already been agreed to by Beria Besides, Ihave a feeling about Lebel. I assure you I won't be proved wrong."

Romulka turned toward the door andglared. "One more thing, Lukin. I meant what I said about the woman.Remember that. Do keep up the good work."

He laughed as he went through the doorjust as the adjutant came in, almost knocking the man over.

The startled adjutant said to Lukin,"A friend of yours, sir?"

"Hardly. Well, have you anynews?"

"Nothing positive from any of thecheckpoints. We're scouring the neighborhood where the car was found andalerting block janitors. We've also questioned people living in the area as towhether they saw a couple resembling the one we're looking for, but so far noone saw anything. As for the car, it was brought here ten minutes ago, butthere was nothing in it of interest or that could have belonged to the couple.No blood on the seats to suggest you wounded anyone either. Our patrolrecovered the body of the pilot in the woods, also the missing colonel. He wasburied in a shallow grave nearby. He'd been shot through the head, I'mafraid."

Lukin sighed. "What about thehotels?"

"Most have been checked, and we'reworking on the others. So far any persons remotely resembling the ones we'relooking for have had their identities and backgrounds thoroughlyinvestigated."

"And?"

A smile flickered on the adjutant's face."All we got was a divisional major sleeping with an adjutant's wife in theKremski Hotel and a couple of homosexual army officers caught in a compromisingposition in a flea-ridden hotel near the Finland Station. I could go on, but Iwon't bore you with such unimportant details."

Lukin ignored the flippant remark andcrossed to a map on the wall. The adjutant followed.

""We've also drafted anothertwo thousand men, including army personnel, and done everything you've asked,Major. Field radios were issued and linked to the transmitter we've installedhere and another in the exchange in the basement. I've got people standing bythe radio and telephones there also. The pins on the map indicate where we'veset up checkpoints. Now all we have to do is wait until something turnsup," Lukin stared at the wall map for a few moments. "Somethingwrong, Major?"

Lukin looked back absentmindedly."Something just occurred to me. The roads you've placed checkpoints on,they're all leading north, south or east of the city."