Price thought about that。 〃All right；〃 he said finally。 〃But if Howell contacts you from Palermo I want to know about it。〃
After hanging up； Price looked at the face on the screen。 〃It's Peter Howell；〃 he announced to the others。
He encapsulated what Dionetti had told him and gave an overview of Howell's career。
〃What would such a man be doing with Jon Smith？〃 Bauer demanded。
〃Covering his back；〃 Richardson said grimly。 〃Smith's no fool。 He wasn't about to go meet Danko alone。〃 He turned to Price。 〃That bastard Dionetti has a big mouth。 Can we still trust him？〃
〃As long as we pay him；〃 Price replied。 〃Without us Dionetti's one step away from bankruptcy。 Five hundred years of family tradition…〃 He snapped his fingers。 〃…gone！ Just like that。 And he was right： Howell would have found out about the Roccas and the C…twelve； one way or another。〃
〃It seems that Smith is not the only loose end；〃 Bauer observed。
〃True；〃 Richardson agreed。 〃But Palermo is a dangerous place… even for a man like Peter Howell。〃
CHAPTER SEVEN
Upon arriving from Houston； Jon Smith drove directly from Andrews to his Bethesda home。 He showered； packed a change of clothes for a week； and called a car service to take him to Dulles Airport。
He was arming the security system when the secure phone rang。
〃Klein here； Jon。 Have you made the necessary arrangements？〃
〃I'm booked on the Delta flight to Moscow； sir。 It leaves in three hours。〃
〃Good。 I've spoken with the president。 He's given Covert…One the green light to proceed as it sees fit… but fast。〃
〃Understood； sir。〃
〃Here's the information you'll need。〃 After Klein gave him the details； he added： 〃I know there's history between you and Randi Russell； Jon。 Don't let it get in the way of what you need to find out。〃
Smith reined in his anger。 Tact wasn't one of Klein's strong suits。
〃I'll report in every twelve hours； sir。〃
〃Good luck then。 Let's hope that whatever the problem is； the Russians have a handle on it。〃
As the Delta L…1011 lumbered into the night sky； Smith settled himself in the fortable business…class seat。 He ate sparingly； then slept all the way to London。 After refueling； the aircraft continued its easterly journey； landing at Sheremetevo early in the morning。 Traveling on his military ID； Smith had no problem at customs and immigration。 After a forty…minute cab ride he arrived at the new Sheraton hotel near Red Square。
Smith placed a DO NOT DISTURB sign on his door； washed away the travel grit； and slept another four hours。 Like most soldiers； he had long ago mastered the art of getting rest when he could。
A little after noon； he stepped out into the raw Moscow spring and walked the six blocks to a covered arcade fronting a nineteenth…century building。 The shops were upscale； offering everything from furs and perfumes to precious icons and Siberian 〃blue〃 diamonds。 Smith threaded his way past prosperous…looking shoppers； wondering which belonged to Russia's new business elite and which were outright criminals。 In the new Russia the distinction blurred。
He walked almost to the end of the arcade before he saw the address Klein had given him。 The gold lettering… in Cyrillic and English… read： BAY DIGITAL CORPORATION。
Through the plate…glass window Smith saw a reception desk； and behind it； a series of workstations as modern as any found on Wall Street。 Elegantly dressed men and women went about their business with brisk efficiency； but a particular one caught his eye。 She was in her mid…thirties； tall； with gold hair cut short。 She had the same straight nose and firm chin that belonged to another woman he'd known； the same dark eyes。。。 as Sophia had had。
Smith took a deep breath and entered。 He was about to introduce himself to the receptionist when the blond woman looked up。 For an instant Smith couldn't breathe。 It was as if his Sophia had suddenly e back to life。
〃Jon？〃
Randi Russell could not hide her surprise； which drew curious looks from the rest of the staff。 She hurried over to the receptionist's desk。
〃Why don't we talk in my office；〃 she said； trying to keep her tone businesslike。
Smith followed her to a small but pleasantly decorated office； filled with framed watercolors of the Santa Barbara coastline。 Randi Russell closed the door and looked him up and down。
〃I can't believe it；〃 she said； shaking her head。 〃When？ How。。。？〃
〃It's good to see you again； Randi；〃 Smith said quietly。 〃I'm sorry I didn't let you know I was ing。 It was a last…minute trip。〃
Randi's eyes narrowed。 〃Nothing is last…minute with you； Jon。 How did you know where to find me？〃
Smith knew that in the aftermath of the Hades tragedy Randi had been stationed as a CIA field operative in Moscow。 But it had taken Klein to ferret out the exact nature of her cover and where Smith could locate her。
Smith looked around the room。 〃Is it safe to talk here？〃
Randi pointed to what looked like a DVD player。 〃The latest in bug detection。 Besides； our cleaners ‘sweep' the place every night。〃
Smith nodded。 〃All right。 First； I knew you were in Moscow but not where to find you。 Others helped with that。 Second； I need your help because a man… a good man… is dead and I want to find out what happened to him。〃
Randi considered his words。 She could tell when people were lying； even professionals whose stock in trade was mendacity。 Her instincts told her that Smith was giving her the truth… or at least as much of it as he could。
〃I'm listening； Jon。〃
Smith sketched out who Danko was； then described his encounter with the Russian in minute detail。 He did not shy away from the grisly details of the massacre at St。 Mark's。 Randi was no stranger to violence。
〃Are you sure the hunters weren't after you as well？〃 she asked。
〃If I'd been the primary target； I'd be dead；〃 Smith replied grimly。 ‘Their target was Danko； they made sure he was dead。 Only then did they turn on me。〃
Randi shook her head。 〃Saved by a piano。 My God！ I can't believe that you chased after them unarmed。 You're lucky that someone got to them first。〃 She took a deep breath。 〃What is it you want； Jon… to avenge Danko or to get into Bioaparat？〃
〃Yuri sacrificed his life to bring me a secret；〃 he replied。 〃If I uncover it； I'll find whoever killed him。 But I think that whoever it is； he or they are also linked to Bioaparat。〃
〃What do you want from me？〃
〃Your best contacts in Russia； people in authority； people you would trust。〃
She stared at the watercolors。 〃Oleg Kirov； a major…general in the Russian Federal Security Service。 He's very much like the Danko you describe： realistic； trustworthy； a patriot。 His number two is Lara Telegin。 Very bright； politically savvy； very good in the field。〃
〃I remember meeting Kirov when I was working for USAMRIID；〃 Smith said。 〃But I don't know him well enough to call out of the blue。 Can you set up a meeting？〃
〃Of course。 But Kirov will want to know if you're acting in any official capacity… and so would I〃
〃I'm not working for USAMRIID or any intelligence agency。 That's the truth。〃
She looked at him wryly。 〃As far as it goes。〃 She held up her hands to ward off his protest。 〃Hey； I know how these things work。 So does Kirov。〃
〃This means a lot to me； Randi。〃
She brushed away his thanks； and an unfortable silence descended between them。
〃There are things I need to tell you；〃 Smith said at last。 〃Personal things。〃
He described his visit to Sophia's grave and told her about the closure he had managed to find。 〃After the funeral； I felt there were things you and I had to say to each other； but never did。 We just walked away from each other。〃
Randi stared at him。 〃I know what you mean。 But back then； a part of me still blamed you for what had happened to Sophia。 It took me a long time to work through that。〃
〃Do you still blame me？〃
〃No。 There was nothing you could have done to help her。 You didn't know about Tremont and his killers； or that Sophia was a threat to them。〃
〃I needed to hear you say that；〃 Smith told her。
Randi looked at the framed photo on her desk of her and Sophia in Santa Barbara before the horror。 Although over a year had passed； Randi had not been able to