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t was difficult negotiating the highway with the shattered windshield； and he was soon obliged to pull over； use the butt of his pistol to knock out the remainder of the glass so he could see。
The guards gaped at him as he pulled into the Hero's fortress； but he had no time to give them an explanation。 He was thinking of how Anatoly Nikolev had believed himself more clever than himself。 He expected Irina did； too。 She thought she had convinced him of her loyalty； but he knew better。 He was willing to bet that someone； somewhere； had given her proof that he； not Valeri； was KGB。 He could see the fear in her eyes； feel it in her body when she touched him。
Had she been fertile when she had allowed Odysseus to take her？ He did not know if she was capable of such a terrible lie。 Buy why not？ he asked himself as he raced up the stairs of the Hero's fortress； wincing at the pain from his broken ribs。 She had proved herself capable of so many dangerous things。 He admired her for that； even as he hated her in the same unthinking way he hated the traitor； Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。 It was the antipathy of the cobra for the mongoose。 There was no reason to it； just an elemental fire that could be temporarily banked； but would never go out。
Now； Mars thought； opening the door to the pool room； it's time to see just how far Irina is capable of taking her triple life。 He decided it would be most interesting to see whether she clung to her smooth lies even at the edge of death。
Having crossed both the Moskva River and the narrow canal at the end of Red Square； having e cautiously down to Dobryninskaya Square on the Sadovaya ring； Tori and Russell now found themselves on the edge of the Zamoskvorechye； the District Beyond the Moskva。
Behind them； they could see the four handpicked men Captain Nikolev had left behind to make sure they got safely to their destination。 He had been most persuasive。 〃With Mars Volkov using the bulk of the Eleventh Division to b Moscow for Valeri Bondasenko； you'll never make it on the streets on your own；〃 Nikolev had said。
Lieutenant Pokov got out of his Zhiguli； came over to them。 It was one of those typical Russian cars； tinny； unfortable； a piece of junk； really。 Yet another manifestation of the third…world atmosphere。 〃We are close to a number of Volkov's patrols；〃 he said。 〃Are we near our destination？〃
〃Fuck off；〃 Russell said。
Pokov looked hurt。 He was a stolid…looking dark…haired Russian with the kind of musculature one often saw on amateur wrestlers。 He appeared very quick on his feet。 〃I'll lock the car and leave it here。 It will attract too much attention closer in。〃
Russell glanced over his shoulder at Pokov； drew Tori away from him。 〃I'm liking this less and less；〃 he whispered to her。 〃We're out in the deep water； and we can't even tell the good guys from the bad guys。 This seems to be an excellent way to get ourselves killed。''
Tori said； 〃You still think Nikolev's fall of shit； don't you？〃
〃Believe me； I would like to think he's telling us the truth； bat I can't。 Face it； the odds are against it。 Tori。 Look at this setup。 In all honesty； we've got to figure he had more reason to lie than to tell us the truth。 Or he could have been telling us the truth but for the wrong reasons。''
〃Is that the same thing？〃
Russell looked at her。 〃Do you see what's happening？ We're getting so enmeshed in sorting out the truth； we've lost our way in the forest of lies。 And let me tell you； Moscow is not a city to get lost in。 You do； and chances are you never e out。〃
〃Either way；〃 Tori said levelly； 〃we've got to reach Valeri Bondasenko as quickly as possible。 It's after one in the morning； less than four hours to the start of the Russian invasion of the Baltic states。〃
〃If Nikolev wasn't pulling our leg。〃
They fell silent as Lieutenant Pokov approached them。 〃Excuse me；〃 he said； 〃but we must go quickly。 It is very late。 Not many people are still on the streets； and so you will bee too conspicuous to remain out yourselves。 One of Volkov's patrols could pick you up at any moment； and I would be helpless to stop them。 My men and I can only try to steer you clear of the other Border Guards patrols。''
〃He's right；〃 Tori said。 〃We'd better go。〃
Russell said； 〃Goddamn this to hell；〃 but he did not stop her as she headed down Bolshaya Polyanka Street。
And so at length they came to the Church of St。 Gregory of Neocasarea。
〃Stay here； understand？〃 Russell said to Pokov。
〃Is this where Bondasenko is hiding？〃 Pokov said。 〃A church？〃
Something in his voice warned Russell； and he grabbed Tori by her arm； dragged her quickly around to the front of the church。 He got out a small instrument； twisted it into the lock。 Russell pushed； and the huge door swung inward。
They stood inside； in the utter darkness； listening for shouts； the shouts of running bootsteps on the gritty pavement outside。 They heard nothing。 〃What happened？〃 Tori whispered。
〃Maybe we're okay； after all；〃 Russell said。
Then he saw the silhouette of one of Nikolev's Border Guards insinuate itself through the front door。 For a moment it was outlined against the faint blue light filtering in through the stained…glass windows； and Russell pointed to it。 Then the silhouette was gone； and so was Tori。
Tori spent the first few moments doing nothing but listening。 It was impossible to see the Border Guard； but she could hear him well enough。 He was taking all the proper precautions； and in fact he was quite good； but Tori heard him nonetheless。
She had already taken off her shoes； had tied the laces together so she could hang them around her neck。 She listened a moment more； then； when she was certain of where the Border Guard was and how he was moving； she went after him。
He thought he was being clever； crawling between the pews。 Tori climbed onto a pew's back and； like a tightrope walker； put one foot carefully in front of another。 She felt without having to see the straight line of the wooden pew back against the soles of her feet； which she relaxed around the inch or so of wood； molding them to the shape of the carved wood。
When she was above and just behind the crawling Border Guard； she dropped onto him； as silent as a bat。 The Border Guard already had his knife out； ready to stab whoever he came upon first； her or Russell。 He twisted as he felt her weight e down on him and； as he did； he swung the knife up in a vicious arc toward her belly。
Tori； using an aikido immobilization； guided aside his thrust； grabbed his jaw on either side； and； as he reared back in surprise； twisted once very hard to the left。 His neck snapped like a dry twig； he convulsed a moment； and was still。
When Tori had left him； Russell stole behind the front door。 He was waiting for the next Border Guard to e through when he felt the pistol in the small of his back。
''Stoi！'' a voice manded。
Russell； not understanding； moved。 He turned around and found himself face to face with a cowled figure。 〃Have all priests in Moscow a need for a gun； Father？〃 he said。
〃Only if they are in hiding；〃 the figure said in heavily accented English。
〃Valeri Bondasenko？〃
〃Yes。〃
Russell tried to penetrate the penumbra of the cowl； but the darkness of the interior of the church defeated him。 〃I am a representative of Bernard Godwin。 My colleague is…〃
〃If what you tell me is the truth； why have you brought the KGB Border Guards with you？〃
〃It's a long story；〃 Russell said； 〃and I haven't the time or the understanding to explain it all now。 You must help us with the Border Guards。''
〃How many are there？〃
〃Three enlisted men； one officer。 Lieutenant Pokov。〃
〃So few？ That's odd。 They are usually deployed in much larger groups。〃
But Russell was no longer listening。 He was staring into the muzzle of a Kalashnikov semiautomatic machine gun。
Tori took the knife out of the dead Border Guard's hand。 She considered taking the gun as well； but thought better of it。 She did not care for guns； and in any case； the firing of just one shot would alert the authorities and bring disaster on them all。 She opted for pocketing the gun's ammunition so no one else who found it could use it。
Then she moved off into the depths of the darkened church。
The impenetrable blackness was like the shroud of a forest。 She could recall the winter in Hokkaido； where she was tested： to find sensei； who was living in the dense forest of pitch pines there。 It took her ten days； a long time in her estimation； but sensei told her she had beaten the next best record by eighteen hours。 Most of his students never found him at all。
Lightning burst； reflection off a length of metal。 Tori watched the progress of the telescoping steel truncheon as the Border Guard made his way through the darkness。
A moment later she could make out his face and； seeing the fixed look in his eyes； saw that he had spotted Russell。 She creeped along the edge of the pew she was on； and was just about to break toward him when she became aware of the presence behind her。
She leapt off the back of the pew as the steel truncheon…the mate of the one she had been staring at…whipped through the space where an instant before her ankles had been。
Tori whirled and； as she hit the floor； struck out hard with her left leg。 She felt it strike flesh and bone； heard a sharp intake of breath； and then she attacked with the stone； a two…handed percussive atemi。
His stiff arms； the gun held in both his hands； were raised toward her。
Tori was so close she could see the tremor of intent； in a fraction of a second he would fire； and the explosion would give them all away。 If not the KGB； then the police would be alerted； a loud noise like that this late at night would be reported instantly by some concerned citizen。
Tori swung her steel truncheon into the man's left wrist； momentarily paralyzing his finger on the trigger。 He kicked upward； caught her on the inside of her thigh。
She grunted； felt her balance going as her left leg crumpled。 The Border Guard tracked her with the muzzle of the gun。 He was taking no chances； aiming for her head。
Tori ducked； but slammed into the back of the wooden pew。 The Border Guard reached up； his mouth in a rictus of pain； as he grabbed a handful of her blouse； pulled her toward him with his left hand。
That cost him a lot。 Tori's first blow had fractured his wrist； but he was dedicated； and not about to give up。
Now Tori was too close to use the truncheon； and she let it go just before he smashed the side of his pistol into her rib cage。 Breath hissed through Tori's clenched teeth as she collapsed onto her knees。 The Border Guard pressed the muzzle of his pistol against her forehead。
〃Da zvedanye； suka； 〃he said； managing to grin through his agony。 Good…bye； bitch。
Tori slammed her fists against his ears； grabbed his right wrist with one hand； the barrel of his pistol with another。 He fought her every inch。 The cords at the sides of his neck stood out as he beat against her with his powerless left hand。
Tori was straddled across his legs so he could not use them against her。 Both she and the Border Guard were concentrated on the gun。 Tori had the leverage； but he had the brute strength。 They struggled silently； violently； force against force。 It was a standoff； until Tori； employing one of the main principles of aikido； abruptly dropped her resistance to him。 His aim came down with his unimpeded arm； past her face； past her body。 She used a kite against the side of his neck； and his arm fell to his side。 His eyes rolled up into his head。
She looked up。 Now she had lost the third Border Guard。
〃Put your pistol down；'' the Border Guard said to the cowled figure； who did as he was ordered。
〃Kick it over here。〃
When Russell saw the Border Guard's eyes flick toward the gun； he stepped forward and across and； as he had been taught； chopped down straight and hard； thinking not of the man's flesh but of the space beyond。
The Border Guard went down as his shoulder blade cracked beneath the assault。 He was scrabbling to lift his Kalashnikov into position when Russell hit the nerve at the inside of his elbow； and his arm went dead。 Russell took the Kalashnikov out of his hand； swiped him across the side of the