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〃White Star is our first real link to a coordinated Soviet nationalist underground；'' Bernard said。 ''Of course I 'm not going to let it go。〃
〃But how can you do otherwise？ Even you can't get a dime in appropriations； not when everyone believes you're walking into a similar situation to what happened years ago。 What a fiasco for the Mall。 That 'underground movement' turned out to be the KGB's Operation Boomerang。〃
' 'Must you continually remind me of that debacle？'' Bernard said testily。
〃I'm trying to protect you；〃 Russell said。 〃The KGB's predecessors tried the same thing in the twenties； creating the Trust。 They made believe the Trust's goal was the overthrow of Lenin。 They did it so well； in fact； that they took in a load of Soviet emigres； who were lured back to the motherland； only to fall into the hands of Felix Dzerzhinsky； head of the OGPU； who had created the bogus counterrevolutionary organization。 This is a pattern； Bernard； and me KGB is known for repeating patterns。 White Star…〃
〃This time I believe White Star is for real；〃 Bernard said。 ''It wants nothing less than a union of independent but centrally linked republics…much like our own states。〃
〃A true Union of Soviet Socialist Republics？〃 Russell almost laughed。
〃No； no。 Not socialist…and that's the point。 Imagine； Russell！ White Star envisions a democratic republic； the true death of socialism in Russia。 I am convinced this is the only way Russia can bee a viable； prosperous nation in the twenty…first century。 Their very survival depends on change。 Russia wants…and desperately needs…to pete with the likes of Japan； Korea； Taiwan for export dollars； but socialism is tying its hands and feet。 It needs a free…market economy just as surely as it needs to free its nationalist republics from their slavery to Moscow。 The leadership of White Star understands this。 But now the temptation is to move too fast。 When one does that； one gains unwanted attention。〃 He waved a hand in dismissal。 〃But enough of White Star。 We have more pressing matters to discuss。〃
Bernard had appeared to gain strength during their walk。 He said now； 〃You may think I'm overly sentimental about Tori Nunn； but you'll soon change your mind； believe me。 Reviewing the files； I see now that you rarely utilized her to her full potential。〃
〃Your opinion。〃
〃It's the only one that matters。〃 Godwin softened his tone。 〃In this instance； I happen to be more objective than you。 No matter how often you may deny it； Russell； you hate Tori Nunn's guts。 And I know why。 You know that if she had 'matured；' as you so inaccurately put it； she would have been made director instead of you。 And she's right； you know。 You're atrophying sitting behind your desk。 All too soon you'll be no good to me or the Mall。 Neither of us wants that； do we？〃
The two men resumed their walk。 They were approximately in the same place where Tori and Bernard had spoken。 But now it was later in the day； and the horses were gone。 The hills seemed bare without them。
〃Oh； don't look so downtrodden；〃 Bernard said。 〃You've a chance to rectify your past mistakes。 That's far more than most men are given。〃
〃Still；〃 Russell persisted； 〃I want some assurance。 The possibility does exist that you are wrong about her。 She may break the rules again and； in so doing； endanger us all。〃
〃True enough；〃 Bernard said。 〃And that's another sound reason for you to take the mission on with her。 Who better to detect a false word or move than you； Russell？〃
〃And if you are wrong？''
〃Oh； that's simple；〃 Bernard Godwin said； heading back toward Central。 〃You're authorized to terminate her。〃
〃Since our first stop will be Japan；〃 Russell said on the way to the airport； 〃I'll need a crash briefing on customs； current style； idioms； so forth。〃
〃We're not going to Japan；〃 Tori said。 〃At least not right away。〃
〃But it's the Japanese who…〃
〃We've got to start at the beginning if we're going to get anywhere；〃 Tori said。 〃It's no good us sticking our heads in at the middle because we'll never know which way to go； upstream or downstream。〃
〃But the Japanese are the source。 They're the logical choice to begin。''
〃Logic is only successful in a laboratory maze；〃 Tori said。 〃Out in the world； intuition bridges the gaps logic can't cross。〃 From Central she had phoned Estilo； the Argentine businessman who had befriended her； asking him to meet them。 She had spoken to him for quite a while。 Estilo talked about Ariel Solares。 He never broke down； never actually said how much he missed Solares； but then he didn't have to。 Tori understood； just as Estilo knew she would。 He had always said that she had the soul of a true porteno。
〃All right；〃 Russell said。 〃Where are we headed？〃
〃To Machine…Gun City；〃 Tori told him。
〃Medellin？〃 Russell said incredulously。 〃Colombia？〃
〃That's right；〃 Tori said as they climbed aboard the private 727。 The driver was stowing their luggage in the belly of the steel beast。
〃D'you know that where you're taking us is off limits even for American diplomatic personnel？ D'you know that down there it costs about eighty dollars to hire a mariachi band for the evening but only ten to buy a sicario for a hit？〃 Russell was talking about the local teenage assassins。 〃That hellhole has the highest murder rate of any city not at war。〃
〃Medellin is at war；〃 Tori said。 She turned to him。 〃Look； Russ； Japanese or no Japanese； down to bare bones it's a cocaine pipeline we're after； so we've got to go right to the source。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Russell said； taking a last look at Washington。 He was already feeling nostalgic for his fortable surroundings； his daily routine。 〃Right down the barrel of a semiautomatic。〃
Medellin was in the west…central area of Colombia； not far from the Pacific Ocean。 It was nestled into a deep valley within the lush pined ridges of the Andes。 The 727 was obliged to circle for what seemed an eternity as it came closer and closer to the tops of those formidable peaks and then； breathtakingly； dropped below them。
Before landing； Tori and Russell had a good look at the scenery； as sun…drenched and gorgeous as anything out of a travel agent's brochure。 They saw the spectacular terraced orchid farms； whose product was Machine…Gun City's other export。
They waited on the runway while the flight crew shut down the engines。 Tori went forward to speak to the pilot。 Everyone on board was a trained Mall operative。
Fifteen minutes went by； Russell began to chafe。 He got up； began to walk around the cabin。 〃Let's for God's sake get out of here；〃 he finally said。
Tori said； 〃You don't want to go into the terminal。 The sicarios who hang out there will spot your gringo face instantly； and attach themselves like leeches。〃
〃So what are we going to do？〃
〃For the moment； we're going to do nothing；〃 Tori said； pointing out the window。
Russell bent over； saw two uniformed paisas…natives…striding officiously across the tarmac。 They clip…clopped smartly up the rolling stairway； entered the cabin。
〃Let me have your passport；〃 she said to Russell； and he handed it over。
Tori went to meet the paisas； and Russell could hear her softly spoken Spanish mingling with theirs。 She did not sound like a gringo…he knew he did； even though he was fluent in Spanish； as well as several other languages。 Tori had a peculiar facility for idiom and nuance that was beyond him。 She spoke like a native wherever she went。
Russell saw packets of bills…U。S。 currency…pass from Tori to the uniformed paisas。 She handed them a stack of passports； hers； Russell's； those of the flight crew。 All were stamped。 A moment later they had left； without even having glanced Russell's way。
Tori nodded to him； and they went down the moving stairs。 The uniformed paisas had already disappeared。 Russell sucked in the air； clean and crisp； deliciously scented； and without any of the usual oppressive humidity found in the cities at a lower altitude。
Tori had a satchel of parachute cloth with her。 While they stood there in the shadow of the jet； the flight crew was already in the process of refueling； going through the myriad maintenance checks necessary between flights。
A blue four…door Renault drew up。 She had asked for it； because it had a larger engine and was heavier than either the Mazda or the Toyota that were available。 〃Are you armed？〃 Tori asked。
Russell shook his head。
Tori said； 〃Go back into the plane and requisition something from the pilot。 He's also an armorer。〃 She climbed into the backseat of the car。
Russell did as she suggested； but he was annoyed。 He hadn't taken a good look at the pilot； he'd needed her to tell him who his men were。 He was beginning to regret his acquiescence to this madness。 But what choice had he been given？ None； he told himself glumly。 Bernard had seen neatly to that。
Tori was already in the back of the Renault when he returned； huddling with the driver in front。 As soon as he sat down beside her； the Renault took off。 The driver； a fit…looking man with silver hair and mustache； wore wraparound dark glasses； an open…weave cotton shirt； and linen trousers。
〃Wele to Metra…lin； Senor Slade；〃 Estilo said。 He was using the only slightly tongue…in…cheek slang that had gi