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〃We do；〃 Tori said。
〃Christ almighty！〃 Russell was clearly not happy。 〃Here es the death squad。〃
〃Why？〃 Tori said； keeping her eye on Nikolev。 〃For all the captain here knows； we could be working for Mars Volkov。 I could be lying to draw him out so that he can incriminate himself as a traitor to the state。'' She smiled into Nikolev's anxious face。 〃Isn't that so； Captain？〃
Nikolev licked his lips again。 〃Yes。 It could be either way。〃
〃But now； one way or another； the die is cast。 We must see whether the trust on both sides is justified。〃
Nikolev's gaze faltered。 He stared for a time into his glass。 〃I e to bury Caesar； not to praise him。〃
Russell said； 〃What？〃
Nikolev looked at them。 〃I feel a bit like Brutus； Mr。 Slade； so forgive me if I take my time about this。''
Tori； so close to him； could feel the constriction in his chest； the conflict of emotions battering him。 If he was being duplici…tous； he was a master。
Nikolev could bear standing still no longer。 He walked to the windows that looked out on a balcony and a steep drop as the Lenin Hills fell away into brush beneath slender pines and larch。 Tori could see his shoulders hunch involuntarily as if he were expecting a blow。
He said at length； 〃There is a plan…hatched within the KGB； but fully agreed to by the military…to march into Lithuania and Latvia。 We are now on the cusp of this mad campaign to return the Baltic states； which the president； in the euphoria of perestroika； allowed to slip away from the Soviet Union。〃
Russell rocked back and forth on his heels； whistling softly。 Tori said nothing。
Nikolev turned to face them。 He was haloed by the pristine light that fills the sky after a violent storm； and his face seemed so young that one could almost imagine peach fuzz on his cheeks instead of whiskers。 〃This is； of course； treason；〃 Nikolev went on。 〃No matter。 The campaign will begin in thirteen hours。 Dawn tomorrow。 There will be wholesale slaughter。 The official story is that the new and as yet unstable Baltic governments have been infiltrated by dangerous Western elements that threatened the national security of the Soviet Union。〃
In the charged silence that ensued； Tori said； 〃What about the president？〃
〃The president； it is felt by these factions within the KGB and the military； has bee obsessed by the same cult of personality that enveloped Yuri Andropov。 At precisely the same moment that the order will be given to invade the Baltic states； the president of the USSR will be assassinated by his own guards。 It is the Rome of Claudius all over again。''
〃This is madness；〃 Russell said。 〃Do you expect us to believe some cock…and…bull…〃
He stopped as Tori clutched his arm。 〃What has all this to do with us； Captain？ Surely we are even more powerless than you are at this moment。〃
〃But you're not；〃 Nikolev said with some urgency。 〃Not if I can believe you。 Not if there is trust between us。 You see； for a while we've known that White Star has been receiving aid in the form of materiel from the West。 If you're here on behalf of White Star； then you are a godsend。 Mars Volkov has forced Valeri Bondasenko； White Star's leader； into hiding。 We cannot find him； but as representatives of White Star's Western support； I have no doubt that you have the means to get a message to Bondasenko。
〃If you can do this； tell him what is happening； then we have a chance。 White Star is the wild card in this whole equation。 That's why Mars Volkov has been given carte blanche to find White Star and eradicate it。
〃Only White Star has the power to stop this madness。 It has the popular support throughout the Soviet Union； it has the people。 All it has been lacking is the proper armaments。 But now we believe that。。。〃
〃What were you going to say； Captain？〃 Tori said。 〃That it now has the weapons？〃
〃Yes；〃 Nikolev said。 〃We have no idea what they are； but we suspect that they have been amassing some kind of arsenal to use when they felt the time was right。〃 His fist clenched。 〃But the time is now。 You must convince Valeri Bondasenko of the extreme jeopardy the entire country is in。 He must use his new weapons to bring White Star's power into the Kremlin。〃
〃And what will you be doing；〃 Russell said； 〃while we're unearthing White Star's leader for you？ 〃
〃Not for me； not for the KGB；〃 Nikolev said； for the first time showing his impatience。 〃For all of the Soviet Union。〃
Russell turned to Tori。 〃Can't you see this guy is trying to use us？ Bondasenko's gone so successfully to ground no one can find him。 Nikolev will use us as his bloodhounds。 As soon as we find Bondasenko for him； he'll e in with his goons and…〃
〃No； no！ That is not my intention！ I am telling you the truth！''
''I think he is；〃 Tori said； but Russell waved away her words。
〃Prove it；〃 he said to Nikolev。
〃But how can I 。 。 。 ？〃 Nikolev thought a moment； then nodded。 〃I will make a proposal。 Mars Volkov has captured Valeri Bondasenko's personal puter。 It is believed that White Star's entire infrastructure is contained in the puter's software。 Under no circumstances must Volkov be allowed access to that material。 With it； he could break White Star inside thirty…six hours。
〃I was going to get that puter out of Volkov's hands while you were running down Bondasenko； but now I have a better idea。 You'll e with me； you'll see firsthand that I am telling the truth。 I will be putting my life…and the lives of my hand…picked men…on the line by defying Mars Volkov。 As outsiders； you cannot know what an enormous risk that is。 If we fail； we will be summarily executed。 No trial； no incarceration； no repense for our families。 In the blink of an eye； we simply will cease to exist。〃
〃If we go with you；〃 Tori said； 〃we'll be wasting valuable time。 We've got to get to Bondasenko well before the dawn deadline。〃
〃Yes；〃 Nikolev said。 〃So we will all be taking enormous risks。 There is an increasing chance we will not get to Bondasenko in time。 That is why I resist taking you with me； we will be gambling with an entire nation。 But I see no other method of fulfilling Mr。 Slade's demand。〃
〃Russell？〃
''I don't want to back down；'' Russell said。
Nikolev said； 〃You must help me。 You must。 If the invasion and the assassination are allowed to take place； I fear there will be no recourse for us。 We will return to the repressive government of the nightmare days of Stalin。 We will be lost forever。〃
〃We are lost；'' the Него said the moment before Mars walked into the pool room with Irina。
Tatiana was already out of the pool。 She had an oversized towel wrapped around her middle； but her chest above the line of her swimsuit was beaded with saltwater。
〃rade；〃 she said。 〃Irina。〃
''Good afternoon； Tatiana；'' Mars said。 ''Look what I have。'' He lifted the Toshiba portable。 〃Would you help Irina set this up on the table over there？ Make sure the power source is secure。〃
Tatiana did as she was told。 She glanced at Irina out of the corner of her eye。 Irina was afraid to say or do anything that Mars might misconstrue。 There was still a chance； she felt； that he believed she was loyal to him。 While that possibility existed； she was determined to make the most of it。 She certainly was not going to give him any cause to doubt her allegiance。
Irina unzipped the case； took the Toshiba out； handed the power cord with its adaptor to Tatiana。 While she was setting up the puter； Mars walked over to the coping of the pool； peered down into the phosphorescent depths。
〃Odysseus；〃 he said； 〃are you feeling any better？〃
〃I wasn't aware that I was at all unwell。''
Mars knelt down。 〃You had a seizure。 You don't recall that？''
〃No。〃
〃During the seizure you spoke a whole bunch of nonsense。〃
〃The color between the stars；〃 the Hero said。 〃I remember speaking their language。〃
Mars swallowed hard。 〃Whose language？〃
〃Not yours； rade。''
Mars stood up as if abruptly repulsed。 He turned； went over to where the puter sat。 Irina had pulled up a chair。
Lara came up； told Mars he had a call。 Out of the corner of her eye Irina watched him as he went to the wall phone； spoke into it briefly。 He seemed to listen for a long time and； though Irina could not be certain； she thought his face shut down tight。 Mars made one final curt reply； hung up the receiver。
Irina went back to work。 Her fingers danced over the keyboard and a string of recipes began scrolling across the screen。
Mars came up behind her。 〃What is this？〃 he demanded。
''Pineapple upside…down cake。'' Irina wondered what the call had been about。 Whatever it was； it had put him in a sour mood。 Good news for her or bad？
〃Idiotic；〃 Mars mented。 〃Where in the world would one get a pineapple？〃
〃Perhaps Valeri has them flown in from Cuba；〃 Irina said。
Tatiana said； 〃I don't believe Cuba has pineapple trees。〃
〃Idiotic；〃 Mars repeated。 〃What else is in the machine？〃
〃More recipes； it seems。〃
〃Bah。 Valeri Denysovich wouldn't use an illegal puter merely to store his recipes。〃 Mars shook his head。 〃What a woman he is。〃
〃Apparently he is a woman you cannot find。〃
In the wake of the Hero's words； everyone froze。
Mars stood up； walked on stiff legs back to the pool。 He glared down at the �