el.angeleyes-第92节
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Directorate。''
〃No！ It's impossible！〃
〃I'll call for Lara and Tatiana。 Let them verif…〃
〃No！〃 She could see the truth in his eyes； his fear for her。 〃Don't move！ Don't do a thing！〃
Irina remembered the night she and Mars had gone to see the performance of Chekhov's Three Sisters； Mars saying to her； The actress； Natasha something； isn't it？ And then； later； when he had e upon her here in Star Town after she'd followed Natasha to the Hero's building from Moscow； and wondered why she'd been following Natasha； Irina had asked him。 You know her？ And Mars had said。 Certainty。 I know everyone who goes into that building。
Irina hung suspended。 Beneath her the abyss waited only for her to finish her fall； to close over her； suffocating her in its immense black belly。
God in Heaven！ She was trembling all over。 Abruptly； she began to gag； and the Него turned her； hoisting her up so that she vomited onto the coping of the pool。
He gave a piercing whistle and； almost immediately； Lara appeared。 〃Your rade Volkov has claimed another victim；〃 the Него said to her。
Lara came to the side of the pool； pulled Irina out。 She lay her by the side； then went to get materials to clean up the mess。
''Are you all right？'' the Него asked Irina。
Arbat poked her head out of the water； pressing her bottle snout against Irina's shoulder。
〃No；〃 Irina said。 〃I'm not in the least all right。〃 She sat up as Lara knelt beside her。 She opened her mouth； but the Hero put his forefinger across his lips； pointed to his ear as if to say； Remember the listening devices。
Lara turned on a portable wet…vac。 The noise ate up the silence of the room。
〃How long have you been working for the KGB？'' Irina asked the young woman。
〃All my life；〃 Lara said。 〃Tatiana； as well。 We were orphans； wards of the state。 We were raised by the KGB； trained in their schools。〃
〃How long have you been working for Mars？〃
〃Tatiana and I are part of the team rade Volkov put together when he was given the assignment of finding out what went on during the EVA event。〃 She kept on scrubbing。 〃Not long ago Odysseus was able to procure for us our KGB dossiers。 Tatiana and I discovered who we were； who our parents had been。 Tatiana is Estonian。 Her parents were killed in a nuclear accident of suspicious origin。 The KGB file mentions negligence； a plete cover…up of the incident。'' She sponged more soapy water onto the coping； worked the wet…vac back and forth。 〃As for me； I'm Ukrainian。 My parents were sent to the Perm political prison in the Urals。''
〃What was their crime？〃 Irina asked。
''I don't know；'' Lara said。 〃Their dossiers say that the KGB arrested them for espionage for talking to American diplomatic personnel； but that is a euphemistic catchall charge。 It means nothing in itself。 Perhaps my parents didn't know why they were arrested； either。 Perhaps it was because my father was a professor of political science and held strong views at odds with the state。 Or perhaps the state just needed more wards to bring up as they saw fit。 The truth in these matters is impossible to determine； so I try not to dwell on it。''
〃Do you at least know whether they are alive or dead？〃
〃No。 No one knows。〃
〃But someone must；〃 Irina said。
''I think rade Volkov knows；'' the Hero interjected。 ''But he's not telling。〃
Irina said to Lara； 〃You're awfully open about all this。〃
〃Not to everyone。〃 Lara finished her clean…up； but kept the wet…vac running。
The Hero said； ''I think to some extent Lara and Tatiana have been changed by their proximity to me。〃
Lara nodded。 〃We find it prudent not to report everything that we hear at our weekly debriefings。''
Irina said to the Hero； 〃I see that you have been quietly assembling your own team。''
〃In a way；〃 the Hero said。 〃Volkov thought he could win my confidence by disconnecting all the listening devices in the room。 But he was wearing a body mike。 The next time he came； I forced him into the pool； and while he was with me； Lara made a copy of the cassette he had on him。 Would you care to hear it？ There are all sorts of…〃
It was then that Irina felt an icy stab through her heart； a wave of panic so strong that all the blood drained from her face。
〃Irina； what is it？〃
She looked into the Hero's eyes； pale now with anxiety。 〃Oh； Odysseus； you don't know what I've been doing。 I've been spying on Natasha Mayakova。 I've told Mars everything。 How Natasha has been secretly meeting with Valeri； how I followed Natasha here after she and Valeri met。 My God； what have I done？〃
In the ringing silence that ensued； only the wet…vac's drone could be heard。 Then the Hero turned to Lara； said； 〃Make the call。〃
Her eyes were wide； she was clearly startled。 〃Are you certain？〃
〃Now。〃
Lara obeyed。
When Natasha failed to make their next scheduled rendezvous； Valeri drove out to Arkhangelskoe as fast as he could without attracting attention。 He did not take his usual route； and he made sure he wasn't being followed。
All the way out to the insane asylum he thought of the sinking feeling he had gotten as he waited for Natasha in the lobby of the old Moscow Arts Theater。 It was still with him； and it was accelerating。
Natasha was absolutely reliable。 On the one occasion when she could not make their rendezvous； she had used the dead…letter drop at the International Post Office in Kohisomolskaya Square he had described to her。 Before every rendezvous； Valeri went to the post office box there to make sure there was no message from her。 There had been none today； and she hadn't made the scheduled rendezvous。 He could not ask about her at the old Moscow Arts Theater without calling attention to himself； so he had left； fearing the worst。 Then； at the public phone bank at the post office； he had called her apartment。 A man had answered in an officious voice。 His blood turned to ice； Valeri put down the receiver as if it had turned into a serpent。
All the way out to Arkhangelskoe； Valeri was thinking like a chess player； three； four； five steps ahead。 He was moderately successful in keeping his mind free of Natasha； because surely she was lost to him now； and there were larger issues at stake； something Natasha knew and accepted when he had recruited her。 Because her beliefs coincided with his； she had made herself into a professional。 But； as he well knew； even professionals had their breaking points。
It was a question of time now。
If the KGB had picked her up…which it appeared they had… they would break her； no question。 It was merely a matter of how long before she broke。 There was no blame here。 Valeri knew that were he in Natasha's position； he too would eventually break； tell them everything he knew； everything they wanted to hear。 There would be no shame in it； only the secret knowledge of how many more lives would be saved by holding out that much longer before the will gave out and the damaging information began to flow。
He arrived in Arkhangelskoe free of ticks； and skirted the magnificent estate； the birch forest； but he did not park in the lot outside the insane asylum。 Instead he pulled into a badly rutted dirt track that cut diagonally through the forest and switched off the ignition。
He sat listening to the ticking of the hot engine。 The bluebirds and cardinals sang in the trees； the insects droned and whirred； life went on here no different than it had the day before； than it would the day after。 If only that were true for Valeri Bondasenko。
Valeri pulled open the locked glove partment； extracted the handgun。 It was of West German manufacture； and extremely reliable。 He slid it into the waistband of his trousers。 It was unfortable there； but that was good； he thought as he began his nerve…racking trek toward the grim Victorian facade of the insane asylum； it would remind him of what had to be done now。
He took out a slender switchblade with a long； wicked blade。 He tested the action of the blade； then strapped the knife in its sheath to the inside of his wrist。
If he was expecting a contingent of KGB Border Guards to have surrounded the place； he was mistaken。 By the time he arrived near the front steps； he had almost convinced himself that Natasha was still holding on； that she hadn't spilled everything in her mind into their laps。 He said a little prayer as he turned away from the main lobby； entering the building through the rear service doors。
He was immediately hit by the familiar noxious odors； but he was too concerned to be repelled。 He went quickly up the south staircase to the third floor。 He stood just outside the door to the floor corridor； peering through the meshed square of glass。 In a moment he saw a plainclothes man ing in his direction。 Valeri ducked back into the stairwell。 The man passed by the door； and Valeri watched him as he went into his daughter's room。
His heart sank。 Natasha was as good as dead。 She had told them everything she knew。 Poor Natasha。
The only good news for him was that it appeared that she had just been broken； otherwise all entrances would have been guarded； the place would have been surrounded。 Time was running away。 He knew that the Border Guards contingent must be on its way。
Valeri opened the door； loo
