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〃No； Valeri。 I don't believe you know the meaning of the word love。 But I don't blame you。 Your work es first； it always has； and I see the necessity of it。 Truly； I do。 I don't know how I feel about you； and that's all right。 I don't think it a good idea to examine that part of me right now…maybe ever。''
〃Forever is a long time； koshka。〃
〃Especially in your line of work；'' Irina said。 ''And now that it's mine…however temporarily…I suppose we'd better get on with it。〃
〃Then you'll help us？〃
〃Oh； Valeri； how your face lights up。 Like a child at Easter。'' Irina smiled。 ''I had forgotten how nice your face is when you're happy。〃
Valeri gripped her arms。 〃Irina； I cannot overemphasize the element of danger involved。 Mars is out for my blood。 He's mobilized the KGB Border Guards to find me。〃
〃If you're trying to frighten me； you're doing a first…class job of it。〃
〃You'll be more careful if you're frightened；〃 Valeri said。 〃Now listen； you need to get to my apartment。 You know the Toshiba lap…top？ You must somehow get it out of the apartment。〃
It was at that moment that Irina almost told him that she had found his ghost in the machine； that she knew much of the inner workings of White Star； including the identity of its leader。 But she bit her lip instead； sure that he would not allow her anywhere near his apartment if he knew she had so much critical information inside her head。
〃Once I get it out of your apartment； then what？〃 Irina said。 〃I can't very well walk around the streets of Moscow carrying an illegal puter。〃
〃Of course not；〃 Valeri said。 〃Do you have access to a car？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ah； good；〃 Valeri said； breathing a sigh of relief。 〃At last； the tide seems to be turning in our favor。''
〃Don't you just hate Americans？〃 Mars said。
〃I met an American once；〃 Captain Nikolev said。 〃I was off duty； of course。 The Border Guards is not something the state wishes tourists to be aware of。 I met him outside the gates to the Kremlin。 He seemed a decent chap； really。 Full of questions； but he had no real idea of how this country works。〃
〃That's just it！〃 Mars said hotly。 〃Americans have no idea how anything works； not politics； not economics； not even social dynamics…especial not social dynamics。 They're far too busy rooting around Bloomingdale's and Tiffany's to be of any value to their fellow man。''
〃Like Khrushchev； you want to bury them； rade。〃
〃No； Captain； not bury them；〃 Mars said。 〃I want to eradicate them。〃
〃Then you've set yourself an impossible task。〃
Mars looked at him。 〃Do you really think so？ That's interesting； ing from a scholar of history。 Rome fell； so did Byzantium。 Why not America？〃
〃To be brutal； rade； because it is not Democracy that has been found deficient as a form of government； but munism。 The theories of Marx and Engels are simply inadequate。 It's a fact； sad though it may be to contemplate。 Poland； Hungary； Rumania； Czechoslovakia； East Germany。 We've had to relinquish control of our colonies as the Western nations were once obliged to do with theirs。
〃And why not？ Desperate men must resort to desperate measures。 Our own economy is in a shambles； we cannot even feed our own people； corruption and alcoholism are rampant throughout a bureaucracy that is second to none in its bloatedness； self…importance； and obstructionism。 We simply have to face facts。 The path we have set out on is a dead end。〃
〃And where are we to go then？〃 Mars said fiercely。 〃Where will it end？ With a Bloomingdale's and Tiffany's opening on Gorky Street？ With our women wearing designer blue jeans and sequined jackets？'' His face was livid。 ''That is not the solution； to lose ourselves in the mania of Americanization。 I reject that despicable notion！〃
〃In the days of the ancient Britons；〃 Captain Nikolev said； 〃the lure of Rome was irresistible。 It was an endlessly fascinating place。〃
〃A pit full of quicksand；〃 Mars said。 〃There's the truth。〃
〃If only；〃 Nikolev said with an ironic tone； 〃we could recognize it。〃 His eyes darted to the electronic console he was manning。
〃What is it； Captain？〃
〃Irina Ponomareva's car；〃 Nikolev said。 〃It's begun to move。〃
When Irina got to Valeri's apartment； she circled the block three times； cruising slowly； doing what Valeri had advised her； looking for KGB men who might be staked out； watching the place。
〃If they have spared anybody at all； it won't be more than one man；〃 he had told her。 〃They know I'm not stupid enough to try to get back there。〃
In any event； Irina used a great deal of caution。 She parked around the back； went into the rear entrance of the building next door and down into the cellar。 Valeri had told her that his building and the one next to it had once been one； and the cellars still connected。
Ten minutes later Irina emerged into the hallway of Valeri's building。
She stood quietly in the open doorway to the fire stairs； slowing her breathing； trying to listen for small sounds beyond the pumping of her heart。 Her eyes were open all the way around and their pupils were fully dilated。
Someone came out of his apartment； and Irina ducked back into the stairwell。 She could smell boiled cabbage and stale tobacco。 The door closed； a key turned； and heavy footfalls sounded in the corridor。 The elevator whined； opened； closed； whined again； descending to the lobby。
Stillness creeping like shadows with the movement of the sun across the afternoon sky。
There were no dezhumayas in either of these buildings； snoops who； in years gone by； would keep track of everyone and everything going in and out。 Unofficial adjuncts to the KGB。 Some things； at least； had finally changed in Moscow。
From where she stood； Irina could see Valeri's front door。 It looked all right。 Closed。 Just as she had left it。 But was that an illusion？ Mars's people must have been through the place； if only to be thorough； searching for clues to Valeri's whereabouts。
KGB。 Keep calm。
Irina shuddered； and for a moment her resolve wavered。 She could just turn around； go down the stairs to the basement； cross over； and leave via the building next door。 Simple。 No one would know that she had even e near the place。
But the fact was it wasn't so simple。 Freedom was a plex issue； one that； she saw now； she had been obsessed with ever since she had returned from Cambridge。 How could she turn her back on freedom now？
If she turned away； where would she go？ Back to her apartment to wait for Mars Volkov to find her and debrief her about her conversations with Odysseus？ What would she do when Mars was finished with her？ Return to her drone…like job at the Ministry of Education？ No； no。 She could not go back。 She would choke to death on her own despair。 Her feet were set on this new path； and she knew that she must follow it to its end or she would never be able to live with herself。 The other side of the mirror was too tantalizing； too filled with wonders for her ever to contemplate stepping back。
Irina stood trembling with fear as she inhaled the smells of the building。 The elevator hummed； on its way toward another assignation on another floor。 A baby cried。 A radio played a snatch of martial music； then was still。
Gathering her courage like a cloak around her； Irina ventured into the hallway。 She went quickly to Valeri's door； slid her key into the lock； turned it。 She closed her hand over the knob and； turning it； let herself into the apartment。
She knew immediately that people had been here。 The stillness was the same as when she had been here before； but there were smells lingering in the air； half…remembered reminders： a whiff of body odor in the dusty air of the hallway； a hint of cheap tobacco in the stale air of the bedroom。 She saw no butts anywhere； and she did not notice anything out of place。 Whoever had been in here； searching； had been circumspect。
Irina held her breath until she reached the kitchen。 But there it was； the illegal Toshiba lap…top； sitting fortably where it had always been； on the corner of the chopping block。
Crossing the kitchen Irina slammed down the top of the puter； unplugged the cord from the current converter； stuffed both into the puter's carrying case； then fit the puter itself in； zipped the case closed。
She had just grabbed the case by its soft handles when she heard the scrabbling sounds at the front door。 Her blood froze in her veins。 The contents of her stomach threatened to return to her mouth。
KGB。 Keep calm。
Mary； Mother of God！
Irina looked around her。 I'm trapped； she thought。 Then； No！ The window！
She threw open the kitchen window； ducked； stepped quickly out onto the fire escape。 She turned； shut the window behind her； stood with her back against the filthy concrete and brick facade of the building。 Below her was Telegraph Street。 Irina closed her eyes； imagining herself kneeling in the sanctuary of the nearby Church of the Archangel Gabriel。 She was there； as a child with her mother； inhaling the heady incense； hearing voices raised in prayer； listening to the inprehensible sacraments。 If only she could turn back time 。。。
Her eyes flew open as she heard a voice say； ''Is there any evidence that she was here？''
〃The front door was unlocked。 Captain。〃
〃Search the apartment。''
Irina turned her head； strained to get an oblique look through the windowpane。 In a moment she saw a young good…looking man in a gray uniform with red accents。 Valeri in the dankness of the crypt saying。 Mars is out for my blood。 He's mobilized the KGB Border Guards to find me。
How did they find me？ Irina asked herself。 Was I followed or were they watching the apartment？ I thought I had been so careful。 Oh； God； how stupid I am。
〃She's already left。 Captain。〃
〃Why did she e here？〃
Silence
〃Is anything missing？〃
〃Just the puter； Captain。〃
〃Ah；〃 the young uniformed man said。 〃The puter。'' He turned away from the window。 〃Find her；〃 Irina could hear him say。 〃If she slips by us； rade Volkov will have the lot of you reassigned to Sinkiang。''
KGB。 Keep calm。
How many of them are there？ Irina wondered； shaking with terror。 They're like ants crawling over a picnic blanket。 I've got to get off the blanket before they eat me alive。
When she could no longer see anyone through the kitchen window； Irina began to climb down along the rusting catwalks。 At any moment she expected shouts to be raised as one of the Border Guards contingent spotted her。 But nothing happened。
She gained the ground without incident。 The Toshiba puter pulled at her left arm。 If only I can make it to the car； she thought； I'll be all right。
She went along Telegraph Street； fearful that someone would wonder what it was she was lugging around with her。
It had begun to rain。 Instead of heading directly for the car； Irina sought shelter。 She stood； hidden within the deep shadows of a building doorway； the Toshiba tucked behind her legs； invisible to anyone passing by。 She watched the street with frightened； haunted eyes。 She could feel the bars across her moon； heading downward to close around her。 She could feel the arctic cold of the winter that never ended； bones strewn across a bleak field of ice； frozen Siberian tundra catching the snow as it silently fell from a featureless sky。 Her nightmare taking shape around her。
Irina scrutinized the faces of everyone who passed by。 She peered into rain…streaked car windows。 Everyone was a potential enemy； and she thought； It's happening to me； so soon； so soon。 I have bee afraid of everything and everyone。 Must this be the price of freedom？ Haven't I any other choice？
Thunder rolled through the canyons of the city； and it became as dark as midnight。 Once or twice a flash of lightning lit the street in a sickly； colorless burst of energy； making Irina start nervously。
It was pouring。 The KGB must be nearby； she knew； and she suspected that the longer she remained in the area； the greater her chance was of getting picked up。 Such was her anxiety and single…mindedness； it never occurred to her to ditch the Toshiba in the nearest trashcan。 Besides； even she knew that making a run for it on foot now would be foolish。 The KGB would spot her within minutes。
The car was her only salvation。 Once she was in it she could blend into traffic；