〃I wish I could tell you more；〃 Smith said sincerely。
〃What good would that do？〃 Katrina asked。 〃I knew the kind of work Yuri was involved in… the secrecy； the silences。 But he did it because he loved his country。 He was proud of his service。 All I ask is that his death not be in vain。〃
〃I can promise you it won't be。〃
Smith walked back to his hotel and spent the next hour lost in thought。 Seeing Danko's family added a personal sense of urgency to his mission。 Of course he would make sure that Katrina and her daughter were well provided for。 But that wasn't enough。 Now more than ever he needed to know who had killed Danko； and why。 He wanted to be able to look his widow in the eye and say； no； the man you loved did not die in vain。
As night descended； Smith made his way to the lobby bar。 Randi； wearing a navy blue power suit； was already waiting for him。
〃You look pale； Jon；〃 she said quickly。 〃Are you all right？〃
〃I'll be fine。 Thanks for meeting me。〃
They ordered pepper…flavored vodka and a plate of zakuski… pickled mushrooms； herring； and other snacks。 After the waitress withdrew； Randi raised her glass。
〃To absent friends。〃
Smith echoed her toast。
〃I spoke with Kirov；〃 Randi said； and gave him the details on the uping meeting。 She glanced at her watch。 〃You'll have to get going。 Is there anything else I can do？〃
Smith counted out some rubles and left them on the table。 〃Let's see how things go with Kirov tonight。〃
Randi came close and slipped a business card in his hand。 〃My address and phone number… just in case。 You have secure munications； right？〃
Smith patted his pocket。 〃The latest in digitally encrypted cell phones。〃 He gave her the number。
〃Jon； if you find out anything I should know。。。〃 She let the rest of her thought hang。
Smith squeezed her hand。 〃I understand。〃
Jon Smith had been to Moscow a number of times； but he had never had occasion to visit Dzerzhinsky Square。 Now； standing in the cavernous lobby of the Zamat 3 building； all the stories he'd heard from Cold War warriors came back to him。 There was a soulless indifference about the place that no amount of fresh paint could hide。 The echoes off the varnished floorboards sounded like the footsteps of the condemned… men and women who； since the birth of munism； had been dragged through there on their way to the interrogation chambers in the cellars。 Smith wondered how those who worked there now dealt with the ghosts。 Were they aware of them？ Or was the past hurriedly dismissed for fear that； like a golem； it might e back to life？
Smith followed his junior…officer escort into the elevator。 As the car rose； he mentally reviewed the details Randi had provided on Major…General Oleg Kirov's career； and that of his deputy； Lara Telegin。
Kirov seemed to be the kind of soldier who straddled the past and the future。 Raised under the munist regime； he had distinguished himself in bat during Afghanistan； Russia's Vietnam。 Afterward； he had thrown his lot in with the reformers。 When a fragile democracy took hold； Kirov's patrons rewarded him with a post in the newly formed Federal Security Service。 The reformers were eager to destroy the old KGB and purge the diehards in its ranks。 The only people they trusted to carry out that cleansing were battle…tested soldiers like Kirov； whose loyalty to the new Russia was unquestioned。
If Kirov represented a bridge to the future； Lara Telegin was that future's best hope。 Educated in Russia and England； Telegin was the new breed of Russian technocrat： multilingual； worldly in her outlook； a technological wizard who knew more about the Internet and Windows than did most westerners。
But Randi had emphasized that when it came to matters of national security； the Russians were still secretive and suspicious。 They could drink with you all night； regale you with their most intimate or embarrassing experiences。 But if you asked the wrong question about the wrong subject； offense would be taken instantly； the trust broken。
Bioaparat is about as sensitive an issue as there is； Smith thought as he was shown into Kirov's office。 If Kirov takes what I tell him the wrong way； I could be back on the plane before morning。
〃Dr。 Jon Smith！〃
Kirov's voice boomed across the room as he went over and shook Smith's hand。 He was a tall； barrel…chested man with a full head of silver hair and a face that might have been stamped on a Roman coin。
〃It's good to see you again；〃 he said。 〃That last time was。。。 Geneva； five years ago。 Correct？〃
〃Yes； it was； General。〃
〃Allow me to introduce my adjutant； Lieutenant Lara Telegin。〃
〃A pleasure； Doctor；〃 Telegin said； openly appraising Smith and approving what she saw。
〃The pleasure is mine；〃 Smith replied。
He thought that with her dark eyes and raven hair； Lara Telegin was the archetypal temptress out of a nineteenth…century Russian novel； a siren who wooed otherwise rational men to their doom。
Kirov indicated the sideboard。 〃Can I offer you a refreshment； Dr。 Smith？〃
〃No； thank you。〃
〃Very well。 In that case； as you Americans are so fond of saying： what's on your mind？〃
Smith glanced at Lara Telegin。 〃No disrespect intended； Lieutenant； but the subject is highly confidential。〃
〃None taken； Doctor；〃 she replied tonelessly。 〃However； I am cleared for COSMIC…level material； the kind that you would take to your president。 Besides； I understand that you are not here in any official capacity。 Are you？〃
〃The lieutenant has my full confidence；〃 Kirov added。 〃You may speak freely here； Doctor。〃
〃Fine；〃 Smith replied。 〃I will assume that this conversation is not being monitored and that the premises are secure。〃
〃Take that as a given；〃 Kirov assured him。
〃Bioaparat；〃 Smith said。
The single word elicited the reactions he'd expected： shock and concern。
〃What about Bioaparat； Doctor？〃 Kirov asked quietly。
〃General； I have good reason to believe that there's a security breach at the facility。 If material has not already gone missing； there is a plan under way to steal some of the samples you hold there。〃
〃Preposterous！〃 Lara Telegin snapped。 〃Bioaparat has some of the most advanced security systems in the world。 We have heard these kinds of allegations before； Dr。 Smith。 Honestly； sometimes the West thinks that we are little more than unruly schoolchildren playing with dangerous toys。 It's insulting and…〃
〃Lara！ 〃
Kirov's voice was soft； but the mand behind it was unmistakable。
〃You must forgive the lieutenant；〃 he said to Smith。 〃She resents when the West appears to be patronizing or paternalistic… which is sometimes the case； wouldn't you agree？〃
〃General； I'm not here to criticize your security arrangements；〃 Smith replied。 〃I wouldn't have e all this way if I didn't believe that you have a serious problem… or that you wouldn't at least hear me out。〃
〃Then please； go on about our ‘problem。' 〃
Smith regrouped and took a deep breath。 〃The most likely target is your store of smallpox。〃
Kirov paled。 〃That's insane！ No one in their right mind would try to steal that！〃
〃 ‘Right minds' wouldn't try to steal anything you keep at Bioaparat。 But we have information that the theft is in the works。〃
〃Who is your source； Doctor？〃 Telegin demanded。 〃How reliable is he？ Or she？〃
〃Very reliable； Lieutenant。〃
〃Would you produce him for us so that we might satisfy ourselves？〃
〃The source is dead；〃 Smith replied； trying to keep his voice level。
〃Convenient；〃 she observed。
Smith turned to Kirov。 〃Please listen to me。 I'm not saying that you or the Russian government is involved in this。 The theft is being engineered by third parties who； right now； are unknown。 But for them to get the sample out of Russia requires the cooperation of people inside Bioaparat。〃
〃You're suggesting that either the research or security personnel are involved；〃 Kirov said。
〃It could be anyone who has access to the smallpox samples。〃 Smith paused。 〃I'm not passing judgment on your people or your security； General。 I know that most of those who work at Bioaparat are as loyal as the people who work in our facilities。 But I am telling you that you have a problem… which will bee our problem； and proba