Treloar was given forty…eight hours to consider his choices。 He wasted the first twenty…four doing just that。 Then； as he looked into a future that held nothing but ruins； he realized that his blackmailers had overreached： they had placed him in a position where he had nothing to lose by fighting back。
By virtue of his seniority at Bauer…Zermatt； Treloar was able to secure a meeting with Dr。 Karl Bauer himself。 In the elegant surroundings of Bauer's Zurich office； he laid out his trespasses and the way in which he was being blackmailed。 He offered to make amends any way he could。
To Treloar's surprise； Bauer seemed nonplussed at the turn of events that had befallen his wayward employee。 He listened without ment； then instructed Treloar to e back the next morning。
To this day； Treloar had no idea what had transpired behind the scenes。 The following morning； when he appeared before Bauer； he was told that he would never hear from the blackmailers again。 Evidence of his peccadilloes was no longer in the public domain。 There would be no repercussions… ever。
But there would be repense。 Bauer informed Treloar that in return for saving his future in the medical research munity； Treloar would soon leave the pany。 An employment offer would arrive from NASA； he would accept it。 His colleagues would be told that he was seizing the chance to do the kind of research he could never be involved in if he stayed at Bauer…Zermatt。 Once he arrived at NASA； he would place himself at the disposal of Dr。 Dylan Reed。 Reed would be his guide and mentor； and Treloar would obey him without question。
Treloar recalled the cold； precise way in which Bauer had handed down his edict。 He remembered the flash of anger； then the amusement in Bauer's eyes when Treloar had timorously asked what kind of research he would be doing at NASA。
〃Your work will be of secondary concern；〃 Bauer had told him。 〃It is your connection to your mother； to Russia； that interests me。 You will be seeing her on a regular basis； I think。〃
Treloar shouldered his way against the wind as he turned away from the bright lights of Gorky Square and into the dark streets that led into the Sadovaya District。 The bars became seedier； the homeless and the drunks more aggressive。 But this was not Treloar's first visit to Sadovaya； and he was not afraid。
Half a block away； he saw the familiar flashing neon sign： KROKODIL。 A moment later； he rapped on the heavy door and waited for the Judas hole to open。 A pair of black； suspicious eyes examined him； then the bolt was released and the door opened。 On his way in； Treloar gave the giant Mongolian bouncer a twenty…dollar bill for the cover charge。
Shrugging off his coat； Treloar felt the last of his thoughts dissolve beneath the hot lights and the screaming music。 Faces turned his way； eyes impressed by his Western suit。 Gyrating bodies bumped him； more by design than by accident。 The manager； a thin； ferretlike creature； hurried over to greet his foreign customer。 Within seconds； Treloar had a glass of vodka in his hand and was being escorted along the edge of the dance floor to a private area of velvet…covered couches and soft ottomans。
He sighed as he relaxed among the cushions。 The warmth of the liquor made his fingertips tingle。
〃Shall I fetch you a sample？〃 the ferret whispered。
Treloar nodded happily。 To pass the time； he closed his eyes and let the music roar through him。 He stirred when something soft grazed his cheek。
Standing in front of him were two blond…haired boys； their eyes a perfect blue； their plexions flawless。 They could not have been more than ten years old。
〃Twins？〃
The ferret nodded。 〃And better； virgins。〃
Treloar groaned。
〃But they are very expensive；〃 the ferret warned him。
〃Never mind that；〃 Treloar said hoarsely。 〃Bring us some zakuski。 And soft drinks for my angels。〃
He patted the cushions on either side of him。 〃e to me； my angels。 Give me a taste of heaven。。。。〃
Six kilometers from the Krokodil are the three high…rises known collectively as Dzerzhinsky Square。 Until the early 1990s； it had been the headquarters of the munist KGB； after democratization； the plex was taken over by the newly formed Russian Federal Security Service。
Major…general Oleg Kirov； hands behind his back； stood in front of the windows of his fifteenth…floor office； looking out at the Moscow skyline。
〃The Americans are ing；〃 he murmured。
〃What did you say； dusha？〃
Kirov heard the tap of heels on hardwood； felt slender fingers slide across his chest； inhaled the warm； sweet perfume borne on the words。 He turned and took the beautiful brunette into his arms； kissing her hungrily。 His passion was returned as he felt her tongue teasing his； her hands slipping to his belt； then lower。
Kirov pulled back； gazing into the provocative dark eyes that tantalized him。
〃I wish I could；〃 he said softly。
Lieutenant Lara Telegin； Kirov's aide…de…camp； stood with arms akimbo； surveying her lover。 Even in the drab military uniform she looked like a runway model。
〃You promised me dinner tonight；〃 she pouted。
Kirov couldn't help but smile。 Lara Telegin had graduated at the top of her class at the Frunze military academy。 She was an expert marksman； the same hands that caressed him could take his life in a matter of seconds。 Yet she could be as shameless and provocative as she was professional。
Kirov sighed。 Two women in one body。 Sometimes he wasn't sure which was the real one。 But he would enjoy them both for as long as he could。 At thirty； Lara was just beginning her career。 Inevitably she would move on to other posts； and finally a mand of her own。 Kirov； twenty years her senior； would go from being her lover to her godfather… or； as the Americans liked to say； a 〃rabbi〃 who would look after the interests of his favorite。
〃You didn't tell me about the American；〃 Lara said； all business now。 〃Which one is it？ We get so many these days。〃
〃I didn't tell you because you were gone all day and I had no one to help me with this infernal paperwork；〃 Kirov grumbled。 He handed her a puter printout。
〃Dr。 Jon Smith；〃 she read。 〃How very mon。〃 She frowned。 〃USAMRIID？〃
〃Our Dr。 Smith is anything but mon；〃 Kirov said dryly。 〃I met with him when he was stationed at Fort Detrick。〃
〃 ‘Was'？ I thought he still is。〃
〃According to Randi Russell； he still has an association with USAMRIID but is on indefinite leave。 She called to ask if I would see him。〃
〃Randi Russell。。。〃 Lara let the name hang。
Kirov smiled。 〃No need to get catty。〃
〃I only bee catty when there's good reason；〃 Lara replied tartly。 〃So she's paving the way for Smith。。。 who； it says here； was engaged to her sister。〃
Kirov nodded。 〃She died in the Hades horror。〃
〃And would Russell… whom we both suspect operates a CIA front… vouch for him？ Are the two of them running some kind of operation？ What's going on； dusha？〃
〃I think that the Americans have a problem；〃 Kirov said heavily。 〃Either we're part of it or they need our help。 In any event； we will find out soon enough。 You and I will be seeing Smith tonight。〃
In the waning afternoon Smith stepped out of the apartment block on Ulitsa Markovo。 He turned his collar against the wind and stared up at the grim concrete face of the building。 Somewhere within the anonymous windows on the twentieth floor Katrina Danko would be attending to the heartbreaking task of telling her six…year…old daughter； Olga； that she would never see her father again。
To Smith； the task of calling on the relatives of the dead was a task that pained him like no other。 Like all wives and mothers； Katrina had known why he was here from the minute she opened the door and laid eyes on him。 But she had iron in her spine。 She had refused to surrender to tears； asking Smith how Yuri Danko had died and whether he had suffered。 Smith told her as much of the truth as he could； then said that arrangements had already been made to fly Danko's remains to Moscow as soon as the Venetian authorities released them。
〃He talked a great deal about you； Mr。 Smith；〃 Katrina had told him。 〃He said that you were a good man。 I see that is true。〃
〃I wish I could tell you more；〃 Smith said