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pleasure。
Her eyes were closed； she rubbed her face against the coarseness of his cheeks； and jolts of electricity penetrated all the way into her lower belly。
She could feel the tension e into him in increments； not the tension of conflict and strife with which she had bee all too familiar； but the tiny ribbonings of a luscious tautness in the last few indescribable moments before release； a desire to drown in bliss。
Then he groaned； deep in his throat； a growl； really； drawn out and heartfelt； and she felt him draw in against her so tightly that she could not breathe as he convulsed。 This； in turn； set her off； her eyes flying open； her mouth gasping； all thought obliterated。
Then； all too quickly； he was sliding out of her。
〃No；〃 she moaned。 〃Oh； no。 Not yet。〃
But he had dropped to his knees； his mouth found her； burrowing in and up； his tongue like an adder flicking at the core of her； and she almost screamed。
She worked her hips around and around； her hands on either side of his head； lovingly stroking him as she shuddered again and again； her upper torso folded over him； her legs shaking and jerking； her head heavy； spinning in the full flux of desire。
〃Oh； God 。 。 。〃
Tori collapsed against him； and they tumbled in a heap to the floor。 She took him in her hands； whispered； 〃I want you hard again。 Right now。〃
Russell laughed。 〃Only one of us is from Krypton； remember？ Give me a couple of minutes to recover。〃
Tori kept her hands on him； moving； and as it turned out； he didn't need a couple of minutes。
When at last they were fully sated； Tori rested her head against his chest。 She liked hearing the beating of his heart； running at such a different pace from hers。 It was as if； from this one percussion line； she could determine the scope of the music that moved him…what he liked； what he didn't； what made him happy； what made him sad； what forted him； what frightened him。 It was an illusion； she knew…people were far too plex for all their secrets to be revealed in such a way…but it was a lovely illusion； for all that。
〃Almost to Moscow；〃 Tori said wryly when they had returned to their seats； 〃and all we can think about is sex。〃
〃It's a survival instinct；〃 Russell said。 〃We both know where we're headed； that there's nothing but trouble waiting for us when we land； and yet we're still going。 There's a part of us that does what it has to to remind us we're still alive。〃
〃Is that what our making love was to you？ A primitive instinct？〃
〃I see that once again I've said the wrong thing。〃
〃You bet you have！〃 Tori said； pulling away。
〃Calm down；〃 Russell said。
Tori shook away his hold。 〃Don't tell me what to do！〃
〃I'm not for Christ's sake telling you what to do。〃
〃Well； how do you expect me to act when we've just made such wonderful love and you tell me that！ Didn't it mean anything more to you than some kind of anthropological mating dance？〃
〃Of course it did！〃 Russell shouted。 〃Haven't I already told you I love you？ But I haven't heard a word in reply。〃
In the ringing silence they stared at each other。
〃Sometimes I wish I didn't love you；〃 Russell said in a low voice。 〃We're so different。 You're such a mystery to me。 You can be quite frightening at times。 The things you're capable of。。。 I don't really know what I'm letting myself in for； loving you。〃
〃We never do know；〃 Tori said softly。 〃Isn't that part of the excitement of love； the not knowing； the future of finding out together？〃
〃Tori；'' Russell said。 〃Do you love me？''
〃Oh； Russ。〃 She kissed him hard on the lips。 When she pulled her head away； she said； 〃I'm afraid； too。〃
〃Of what？〃
''Of losing myself in you。''
〃I'm not your father。〃
She stared at him。 〃What do you mean？〃
''Isn't that what happened to you？ You wanted to lose yourself in him； and because you couldn't； you lost yourself in Bernard Godwin？〃
〃What a horrible thing to say。〃
〃Perhaps； but it's the truth。〃 Russell held her。 〃Tori； this is what Bernard saw in you…the Wild Child of Tokyo。 Do you think he came upon you by accident； that he hadn't studied you for months？ Understanding your particular psychology was how he was able to snare you； keep you loyal to him。 This is Bernard's specialty。〃
Tori sought to digest all this。 She watched water droplets streaking the window。 It seemed to her as if that horizontal rain represented the strange new world opening to her。 〃I'm still the Wild Child； Russ；〃 she said。 〃I don't want to lose her。〃
Russell stroked her hair。 〃It seems hard to realize； I know； but you won't lose her； no matter what happens。''
Tori closed her eyes； shuddered。 〃Is that why it's so hard to pull away？〃
〃Partly；〃 Russell said。 〃There's also the fear of there being only you now to rely on。〃
Tori opened her eyes。 〃But that's not true； now； is it？〃 She was crying。 〃I love you； Russ。〃
They held each other in silence for some time。 At last he stirred and said； 〃You know； discipline dictates that we turn this plane around right now。 Love and fieldwork are deadly panions。〃
〃It's too late for second thoughts；〃 Tori said。
〃Is it？〃
〃Always serious。 Always duty first； that's you； Russ。〃
〃Not always；〃 he said； reaching for her。 〃Not anymore。〃
The 727 flew on toward Moscow。
* * *
Captain Nikolev was at Department N headquarters； immersed in the drudgery of paperwork connected with the Bondasenko…Ponomareva stakeout； when the routine report came over the wire。 It concerned the American diplomatic mission from Tokyo being held up at Sheremetyevo Airport because of bureaucratic red tape。
He immediately got up from the typewriter。 He was thinking of the memo Mars had shown him； and Mars's firm if unstated belief that this ''diplomatic mission'' had more to do with White Star than it did with international diplomacy。
He rang downstairs to the garage for a driver and car； grabbed his hat off the rack； and took the concrete stairs two at a time down to where the black Zil waited。
It was pouring； and traffic was snarled。 He instructed his driver to take the Chaika lane out of the city so they could make good time to Sheremetyevo。 It was important now that he arrive before someone from the American embassy did to bail the 〃diplomatic mission〃 out。
But even with all the cynicism KGB foreknowledge provided； he was unprepared for the two Americans he found enmeshed in the exquisitely inefficient Soviet bureaucratic machine。 It was not the big handsome American male with the hard eyes and sharp tongue of a professional…although hardly a professional diplomat…who threw Captain Nikolev； but the stunning； well…built blond with eyes so fantastic that Nikolev had to force himself to look away or forever be mesmerized。
If possible； her tongue was sharper than that of her panion's。 She was wearing a short skirt and a sleeveless blouse。 Captain Nikolev stared at the definition of the muscles in her arms。 He had never before in his life seen a pair of legs like those。 His mind was busy； nicking past possibility after possibility。 Who was this singular woman？
The two Americans were surrounded by a clot of suspicious； dull…eyed officials。 Shaking off his amazement； Captain Nikolev waded into the mess with the assurance and aplomb of a member of an invisible club which operated by an entirely different set of rules from the rest of the local citizens。
He glanced at the diplomatic mission's papers； and though he was convinced that they were forgeries before he even saw them； he could find no hard evidence to back up that suspicion。 The papers seemed genuine to him； and he was certain that should he hand them over to the KGB lab； its results would likely not differ from his first visual impression。 The lab could do the same with any American…or British； French； Japanese…document one could name； so what was the point in trying to spot a forgery？ One had to go by instinct in these matters。 Captain Nikolev had learned； not by evidence。 Though； of course； one needed to be thorough； experience had taught him that professionals rarely gave you any evidence to work with； so it was useless to waste too much time searching for it。
〃Mr。 Slade； Miss Nunn；〃 Captain Nikolev said in Russian； as he introduced himself； 〃do either of you speak Russian？〃
〃I speak it passably well；〃 Tori said； 〃though I admit it's been some time since I had cause to use it。〃
Captain Nikolev smiled； inclined his head。 〃Your accent is not terrible。 Miss Nunn。 How is your vocabulary？〃
〃We'll have to see。〃
Yes； Nikolev thought。 That we will。 He closed their documents； handed them back。 〃Everything seems in order；〃 he said。
〃Really？〃 Tori was surprised。 〃Then why have we been sitting here wrangling with Immigration for over an hour？〃
Nikolev shrugged。 〃It seems to me that bureaucracies are the same the world over。〃 He smiled。 〃Someone perhaps was concerned that your flight plan overflew the military air base outside Novosibirsk。〃
Tori said； 〃The fact is； we were detoured around it。〃
〃Of course。 I understand local security outside of Moscow is quite good； quite stable； but nevertheless 。 。 。〃 He smiled again。 〃I hope it would not be too much of an inconvenience if I had some of my men check your aircraft。''
〃I'm afraid that's impossible；〃 Tori said。 〃We are on a diplomatic mission。 Our carrier is United States government equipment。 We…and it…have immunity。〃
〃I promise you nothing of a personal nature will be disturbed。 I suppose some of my superiors are understandably disturbed that we might find long…range lenses or cameras…〃
Tori said； 〃I can assure you there's nothing of that nature on board。〃
〃Not to dispute your honesty。 Miss Nunn； but policy dictates…〃
〃You'll leave our airplane alone； Captain； unless you're prepared to initiate an international incident。 Our government takes a dim view of the violation of diplomatic rights。''
Captain Nikolev hesitated for just a moment； then a smile broke out on his face。 〃Of course；〃 he said。 〃You're quite right。 I can't imagine what I was thinking of。〃 He gestured them through Immigration。 〃Won't you follow me？ I have a car waiting to take you to Tchaikovsky Street。 To make up for the inconvenience。〃
Tori saw his expectant look。 She knew she was being tested。 She already had the disquieting sense that this Captain Nikolev of the KGB Border Guards did not for a moment believe that she and Russell were diplomats。 But how was that possible？
For a moment she had the odd； even more disquieting sensation that this man had been waiting for them to land。 But all that had been logged with the Soviet authorities was their flight plan。 That could hardly be enough to alert the KGB。 And that nonsense about the air base at Novosibirsk had not fooled her。 Had the ever…paranoid Soviets really been worried； they would never have approved the flight plan in the first place。 She wondered what was going on behind the carefully erected facades。
As they headed through the terminal； Russell said in English； 〃What the hell's going on？〃
Tori grinned like an idiot at him。 ''This nice KGB captain has been kind enough to offer us a ride into town。〃
〃He's too kind；〃 Russell said； catching her expression； which said； Who knows who understands English around here？
〃My thought exactly。〃
Captain Nikolev's driver had the black Zil's curbside doors open； and they all piled into the car。 Nikolev had previously told his driver not to take the Chaika lane inside Moscow； and the man did not take the route that would have brought them directly to the American embassy on Tchaikovsky Street。
〃I thought；〃 Nikolev said； 〃that you might enjoy a spot of sightseeing before I drop you at your destination。〃
〃That's most kind of you。 Captain；〃 Tori said after she had translated for Russell's benefit。 〃Neither of us have been in Moscow before。〃
〃A first diplomatic mission！〃 Nikolev enthused。 〃Now I must make this sightseeing something to remember。〃
Why is it； Tori asked herself； that I'm hearing sinister undertones in everything he says； as if he's saying one thing； and meaning something altogether different？
He took them past the Lenin Hills and the State University； where yesterday he and Mars Volkov had had their discussion。 Along the Moskva； past Gorky Park； so green