rt Belvoir； Virginia。
After the puter had scanned his credentials； he drove up the crushed…shell driveway to General Richardson's quarters； a stately Victorian surrounded by a manicured lawn。 Lights were burning on the third floor； as Price had expected。
The deputy director of the National Security Agency found Richardson in his study； the gleaming bookshelves filled with leather volumes； mementos； and framed military citations。 The general rose behind his desk and gestured at the coffee tray。
〃Sorry to have dragged you out of bed； Tony； but I wanted you to see this for yourself。〃
Price； who seldom slept more than four hours a night； helped himself to coffee； then came around so that he could see the puter screen。
〃The latest message from Telegin；〃 Richardson said； indicating the descrambled text。
Price read the first few sentences； then looked up。 〃So everything at Bioaparat went according to plan。 What's the problem？〃
〃Read the rest。〃
Price's eyes narrowed。 〃Jon Smith？ What the hell is he doing in Moscow？〃
〃According to Telegin； poking around in our business。 Seems that he almost tipped Kirov off in time。〃
〃But both Beria and Treloar escaped。。。。 Haven't they？〃
Richardson rubbed his tired eyes。 〃That's the reason I called you： I don't know。 Telegin was supposed to report once both men were safely away。 She hasn't。 Check this out。〃
Richardson hit several keys and the latest CNN updates filled the screen。
〃A problem at the Moscow train station；〃 he said。 〃Someone decided to have an O…K…corral shootout。 The Russians clamped down hard and fast； so the details are sketchy。 But you have to wonder： what happened to Telegin？〃
〃If you haven't heard from her； she's dead；〃 Price said flatly。
〃Or taken。 If Kirov has her…〃
〃He doesn't！ Telegin was a pro。 She never would have let herself be taken alive。〃 He pointed to the screen。 〃Says here there are at least five dead… all security personnel。 I know Beria is good； but to take out that many he had to have had help。 I think Telegin stepped in。〃
After a moment's silence； Richardson said； 〃Assuming that Beria got away clean； we still have a problem。 Kirov and Smith will be all over Telegin… her movements； contacts； the works。 She may have left footprints。〃
Price paced along Richardson's museum…quality Oriental rug。 〃I'll head for Fort Meade。 A shooting in a Moscow train station？ Hell； that's a terrorist act； NSA territory。 Nobody will raise an eyebrow when I get people working on this。〃
〃What about Smith？〃 Richardson asked。
〃He's army； so you start checking。 He's got to be working for someone； and as far as I'm concerned； he's making way too many connections。 First Yuri Danko； now showing up in Russia。。。〃
〃Randi Russell is CIA undercover in Moscow。〃
〃I don't think that Smith flew seven thousand miles for a piece of ass； Frank。 We need to know who's issuing him his marching orders… then we cut him off at the knees！〃
The first thing Randi Russell noticed when she deactivated the alarm and opened the door to Bay Digital was that she was not alone Although the security system indicated no intrusion； she caught the faint odor of clove tobacco smoke。
〃Carrot Top； is that you？〃 she called out。
〃I'm in here； Randi。〃
Sighing； Randi locked the door behind her。 She'd e in early； hoping to use the peace and quiet to catch up on some reports。
〃Where in here？〃
〃The file room。〃
〃Damn！〃
Gritting her teeth； Randi marched to the very back of the office。 The file room was really a large； walk…in vault where the latest puter equipment was kept。 Theoretically； she was the only one with the bination。
Randi stepped into the temperature…controlled chamber where she found the intruder busy downloading the latest video game from the confidential files of a Japanese electronics pany。
〃Carrot Top； I warned you about that；〃 she said； trying to sound severe。
Sasha Rublev… nicknamed Carrot Top for his mass of wiry； reddish…orange hair… beamed at her。 Tall and lanky； with liquid green eyes that Randi knew drove girls crazy； he was all of seventeen years old… and undoubtedly Russia's premier puter genius。
〃Sasha； one of these days you'll trip an alarm and you'll be calling me from the local militia precinct。〃
Sasha feigned hurt。 〃Randi； how could you possibly think that？ Your security is very good； but。。。〃
A cakewalk for someone like you。
Randi had discovered Sasha Rublev at a puter seminar Bay Digital hosted for Moscow University students。 The gangly teenager had caught her attention not only because he was the youngest person in the room but because he was quietly working at a laptop； hacking his way into the Russian Central Bank's mainframe to check on the level of gold reserves。
Randi knew at once that Rublev was an undiscovered prodigy。 Over cheeseburgers and Cokes； she was amazed to learn that this son of a Moscow subway conductor possessed an IQ that was off the charts but； because of the bureaucracy； remained mired in the antiquated high school system。 Eventually she got permission from Sasha's family for him to work for Bay Digital a few hours a week and on weekends。 As the bond between mentor and mentee grew； Randi gave him access to some of the most advanced equipment in the office； in return for Sasha's solemn promise not to misuse it。 But like a playful puppy； Sasha insisted on bringing her gifts… information whose sources she didn't want to know about。
〃Okay；〃 she said。 〃What's so important that it couldn't wait until I got in？〃
〃The shooting at the railroad station。〃
〃I was listening to the news on the way in。 What about it？〃
Sasha's fine…boned fingers danced over the keyboard。 〃They're saying it was the work of Chechen rebels。〃
〃And？〃
〃So why shut down the Moscow airport？〃
Randi stared over his shoulder at the screen。 Sasha had hacked his way into the Federal Security Service's mainframe and was reading the latest traffic about the imminent shutdown of Sheremetevo Airport。
〃The Chechens are targeting the airport？〃 he asked skeptically。 〃I think not。 Something big is happening； Randi。 And the FSS doesn't want anyone to know。〃
Randi thought for a moment。 〃Close the link；〃 she said quietly。
〃Why？ I'm using five cutouts。 Even if they pick up on the intrusion； they'll think that it's ing from Bombay。〃
〃Sasha。。。〃
Mindful of her tone； he quickly closed the laptop。
〃Randi； you look worried。 Don't be。 The cutouts are…〃
〃It's not the cutouts； Sasha。 It's what you said： why close the airport？〃
The logistics of shutting down a major airport are the stuff of nightmares。 Smith and Kirov arrived to find hundreds of bewildered travelers milling around in the concourse； besieging the check…in counters； seeking explanations from harried airline employees who had none to offer。 Armed militia were stationed at every entrance and exit； making the travelers virtual prisoners。 Three…man patrols swarmed through the concourse shops； lavatories； and stockrooms； checking the baggage and cargo areas； the employees' lounges and changing areas； even the chapel and the day…care center。 Rumors flew and anger mounted。 As the two bined； the level of fear among those trapped in the international terminal grew exponentially。
〃Someone in the surveillance room thinks he spotted Beria on the tape；〃 Kirov told Smith as they threaded their way through the concourse。
〃I sure as hell hope so；〃 Smith replied as the two men headed for the airport's security mand post。
Smith and Kirov burst into the security mand room； which resembled a large television studio。 In front of a twenty…foot console sat six technicians monitoring the ninety cameras strategically placed throughout the plex。 The cameras were on timers and were operated by remote control。 With a few taps of the keyboard； technicians could focus or shift them to cover a particular area。
Above the console were wall…mounted screens that offered the security director a real…time； bird's…eye view of the terminal。 Hidden away in a temperature…controlled area were the video machines； faithfully recording everything that the cameras picked up。
〃What do you have？〃 Kirov demanded。
The security director pointed to one of the