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Mars had had enough of this。 He needed to establish control of the interview； give it a certain rhythm； to turn it from a conversation into an interrogation。 That would calm him； he was sure。
〃I am afraid to say； Odysseus； that your days of uninterrupted information gathering have e to an end。〃 Mars was watching the Hero's face for a sign of reaction。 He thought of Natasha Mayakova's face when he had announced that he was taking her to the Lubyanka。 Too bad he couldn't do the same with the Него； but he could not afford a revolt from all the cosmonauts in Star Town。 With the burgeoning breakdowns in farflung parts of the Soviet Union…the strikes； the pro…nationalist demonstrations； the acts of sabotage against government installations…he could not risk such a protest so close to home and from the symbols of Russian pride and superiority。
So it was to be no hard man for the Hero。 Just Mars Volkov。
〃You've been very clever； I'll admit；〃 Mars said。 〃But I've been more clever。 I have found the source of your illegal information。〃
〃Is it your intention to isolate me； then？〃
Damn him； Mars thought。 I can discern nothing in his eyes。 No emotion at all。 〃For a time；〃 Mars said。 〃Punishment enough； I would think； for being involved in an illegal activity。 And I assure you that I am being lenient； because I am ignoring entirely the charge of espionage that no doubt someone more rigid and zealous than I could level at you。'' He shook his head。 〃KGB files are off…limits to everyone other than ranking KGB personnel。〃
''Even members of the Kremlin； so I understand。''
〃We are not here to debate the fine points of Soviet policy！〃 Mars thundered。 Seeing the look on the Hero's face； he immediately regretted his tone。 He was ashamed that he had been led to lose his temper。
〃It seems self…evident；〃 Odysseus said blandly； 〃that far too often Soviet policy and KGB policy travel two separate paths。〃
〃For the good of the state；〃 Mars said stiffly。 Another error。 〃And the labor camps； as well。 They exist for the good of the state。〃
Mars glared at the gleaming ashen face which he found so impenetrable。 All right； he thought。 Both barrels。 〃We have Natasha Mayakova； your courier。''
〃By 'have her；' I take it you mean you have put her under articulated interrogation。''
〃And we know her source；〃 Mars pressed grimly on。 〃Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。 I'm afraid you're going to be information dry for some time to e。〃
〃So that's how it's going to be。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃No more trying to be my kindly uncle； cajoling me out of the intelligence stored in my brain； pulling it from me like taffy； centimeter by centimeter。''
〃The traitor rade Bondasenko has caused the situation to change；〃 Mars said。 〃It's clear that…〃
He stopped； horrified。 The Hero's expression had gone slack； his eyes had rolled up into his head； and his head lolled on his left shoulder。
At the same time； Mars felt a stirring against his legs； something cold and rough like a shark's skin scraped against his flesh where the purling water had lifted his trouser leg。 He kicked reflexively as he turned this way and that to see where Arbat was。 He saw her across the pool looking curiously…somewhat hostilely he thought…at him。
When he turned back； the Hero's eyes had cleared。 He was looking directly at him。 Mars said； 〃What the hell happened to you？〃
The Hero opened his mouth； spewed out sounds that had no meaning。
Mars felt the small hairs at the back of his neck stir again。 He thought of Lara saying； He's metamorphosing。 And his own response； Into what？
〃Odysseus；〃 Mars said； 〃can you understand me？〃
The Hero said nothing； and Mars called for Lara。 In a moment she swam up。 〃Look at him；〃 Mars manded her。 〃A moment ago I asked him a question and he answered me in a nonsense language。 Has he ever done that to you or Tatiana？〃
〃No；〃 Lara said。 She was staring curiously at the Hero。 〃He looks different somehow。〃
〃Different？〃 The icy crawling had returned to the pit of 。Mars's stomach。 〃How do you mean？〃
〃His eyes；〃 she said； swimming a bit closer。
Mars reached out； pulled her back beside him。 〃What about his eyes？〃 His fright had made him angry with himself； and he was impatient with her。 ；
〃I can see right through them。〃
〃Impossible；〃 Mars snapped。 〃A moment ago they were as opaque as ball bearings。〃 But he peered into the Hero's face anyway。 Had those eyes changed？ In this low light he couldn't be certain unless he went closer。 He wasn't going to do that。
He swam to the edge of the pool； hoisted himself out。 Water sluiced from his sodden clothes； filled the spaces in his shoes。 His tie was ruined。 He rubbed at his leg where he had felt something mysterious scrape him。
〃Lara；〃 he said； 〃where is Irina Ponomareva？〃
〃I don't know； rade。〃 Lara was still staring into the Hero's face。 〃She left here some time ago。〃
〃She had transportation？〃
''I think she said she had a car。''
Mars nodded。 He had loaned her the car； so he knew where to find it。 It had a homing device hidden in the innards of the engine。 Perhaps when he found the car； he would also find Irina。 He stood up。 He thought it imperative that he do so as quickly as possible。
〃I need some dry clothes；〃 he said imperiously。
〃Right away； rade。〃 Lara tore herself away from her contemplation of the Hero。 She got out of the pool； went quickly across the room； disappeared into a cubicle。
Mars stared down at the still； floating figure of the Hero。 He thought with a shiver of the thing that had brushed against him in the pool。 What is happening to you？ he asked silently。 What are you being？ He suspected that even the Hero did not know the answer to that。
At the end of Red Square one crosses the Moskva River via the Moskvoretsky Bridge。 From there one is confronted by the illusion of choice； for it is no choice at all： two streets which； though their paths immediately diverge； end up in precisely the same place： Dobryninskaya Square。
This is part of the great Sadovaya ring that girdles central Moscow； and here is known as the Zamoskvorechye； or the District Beyond the Moskva。
Centuries ago the Zamoskvorechye was the residential quarter not only for the czar's servants； but for the court artisans。 Nowadays it is very different； like most of Moscow； having gone through a period of intense industrialization during the early part of the nineteenth century。
However； many delights still abound here； not the least of which is the Church of St。 Gregory of Neocasarea。 One arrives at this seventeenth…century triumph of Gothic architecture by passing over either one of the Kamenny bridges； following halfway down Bolshaya Polyanka Street。
The church is surrounded by modern one…story houses with their wide porches and cool inner courtyards； its five…domed sanctuary and tented belfry soaring over the shaded houses and narrow streets to the right； where； startlingly； one es upon the Institute of Geography and the Atomic Energy Administration。
Valeri Bondasenko could not have found a better hiding place in all of Moscow than the Church of St。 Gregory of Neocasarea。 Though its gorgeous interior had been denied… the sublime sanctuary's decorative frescoes and ceramics had been confiscated by the state…the church was a popular spot for foreign tour groups。 Intourist buses were always parked not far away； and the ringing voices of sour…faced state tour guides could be heard during the day； as regular as the belfry's chiming； echoing through the interior； repeating by rote the authorized version of this particular piece of history。
Below the shuffling crowds； in the long…forgotten church crypts； Valeri and Sergei hunched in the dust and the cobwebs。 Beside them； on a crude pallet； Valeri's daughter lay as if asleep。 Her face was peaceful； utterly blank。
〃God must be testing us； eh； rade？〃 Sergei said with a derisive laugh。 〃Otherwise； I can't think why I feel like Job。〃
〃It appears that the testing will be over soon；〃 Valeri said in a serious tone； 〃one way or another。〃
Sergei sobered quickly。 〃Is White Star doomed； men？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Valeri admitted。 〃rade Volkov…〃
〃May he rot in hell for eternity！〃
〃rade Volkov may have squeezed Natasha Mayakova dry； but there is only so much she knows。 We have sprung a leak； to be sure； but we're not yet sinking。 As long as my log of White Star activity is safe； so are we。〃
Sergei said； 〃I don't think I care for the look on your face； rade。 What are you thinking？〃
〃I'm thinking that as long as my puter is in my apartment； it is a liability to us now。''
〃The log is in there？〃
Valeri nodded。 〃Hidden safely away from inquisitive eyes。 But still。 。 。〃
〃Yes。 I understand pletely；〃 Sergei said。 〃Still； it is there。'' He shrugged。 ''Well； one thing is for certain； with rade Volkov's people scouring the city for us； neither of us can risk going to the apartment to get it。。 All of Moscow has bee a danger zone。 I doubt if we can risk anyone。''
〃Anyone who is involved with White Star。〃
〃Well； of course； that's what I meant；〃 Sergei said。 〃But who else could we use？〃
〃There is someone 。。。〃
〃Who？〃
〃A woman。〃
Sergei groaned。 〃Not another woman； rade。 Look at what has happened to Natasha