t you have a problem… which will bee our problem； and probably the world's… if those samples get out。〃
Kirov lit a cigarette。
〃You came all this way to tell me this；〃 he said slowly。 〃But you also have a plan； don't you？〃
〃Shut down Bioaparat；〃 Smith said。 〃Right now。 Throw a military cordon around it。 Nothing goes in… for sure； nothing and no one es out。 In the morning； you inspect the virus stocks yourself。 If they're all there； fine； we're safe； and you can go after the mole。〃
〃And you； Dr。 Smith？ Where would you be during all this？〃
〃I would ask you to grant me observer status。〃
〃Don't you trust us to tell you that all the stocks are intact； Doctor？〃 Telegin taunted。
〃It's not a matter of trust； Lieutenant。 If the situation were reversed； wouldn't you want to be on…site at our facility？〃
〃There's still the issue of your source；〃 Kirov reminded him。 〃Understand； Doctor。 To do what you ask requires me to go to the president himself。 Certainly I can vouch for your credentials。 But I need a very good reason to disturb his sleep。 If I have the name of your source； if I can check his pedigree… that would validate a great deal of what you have told us。〃
Smith turned away。 He had known that it might e down to this； trading Yuri Danko's identity in order to secure Kirov's cooperation。
〃The man has a family；〃 he said at last。 〃I need your word that they will not be punished and that if they want to； they can leave。〃 He held up his hand before Kirov could reply。 〃That man was not a traitor； General。 He was a patriot。 He came to me only because he didn't know how high up the conspiracy went。 He gave up everything he had here so that Russia wouldn't be blamed if anything happened。〃
〃I can understand that；〃 Kirov replied。 〃You have my assurance that the family will not be harmed。 Furthermore； the only person I will speak to is President Potrenko… unless you tell me that he is somehow tainted？〃
〃I can't believe that to be the case；〃 Smith replied。
〃Then we are in agreement。 Lara； call the duty officer at the Kremlin。 Tell him that it's urgent and I'm on my way。〃
He turned to Smith。 〃Now； that name； please。〃
〃I think you are extending the American a great deal of trust；〃 Lara Telegin said as she and Kirov walked through the underground garage to his car。 〃Maybe too much trust。 If he is a liar； or worse； a provocateur； you could end up having to answer some embarrassing questions。〃
Kirov returned his driver's salute and stepped aside to allow Lara to get into the car。
〃Embarrassing questions；〃 he said once they were settled。 〃Is that all？〃
She glanced at the partition that separated the driver's partment from the rest of the car； making sure that it was all the way up。 Such actions were ingrained in her； a result of her military intelligence training。
〃You know what I mean；〃 she said。 〃For a soldier； you hold extremely progressive views。 They have made you your share of enemies。〃
〃If by 'progressive' you mean that I wish Russia to join the twenty…first century； then I plead guilty；〃 Kirov replied。 〃And if I have to take the odd risk to ensure that such views prevail against the Neanderthals who would send us back to a bankrupt political system； so be it。〃
He gripped the door handle as the car shot out into the wide boulevard that runs by Dzerzhinsky Square。
〃Listen to me； Lara；〃 he continued。 〃Men like Jon Smith do not recklessly give their word。 You can be sure that he is not on some fool's mission。 Individuals high in American government believe the information important enough to send Smith over。 Do you see what I mean？ What Smith has been allowed to do； told to do… not his wordslegitimizes what the Americans believe they have。〃
〃A traitor's word；〃 she said bitterly。
It had taken her all of twenty minutes to confirm that Yuri Danko was missing and that his whereabouts were unknown。 Except the Americans； damn them； know that he's dead！
〃On the face of it； Danko was a traitor；〃 Kirov agreed。 〃But you can see his dilemma： what if he had gone to his superior； or even higher up the mand chain； and that person had turned out to be part of this ‘conspiracy'？ Danko would still be dead and we would know nothing。〃
Kirov stared through the bulletproof window at the streetlights flashing by。
〃Believe me； I hope that the Americans are wrong；〃 he said softly。 〃I would like nothing more than to show Smith that Bioaparat is totally secure and that he has been the victim of a hoax。 But until I can do that； I must give him the benefit of the doubt。 You understand； dusha？〃
She squeezed his hand。 〃Better than you think。 After all； I have been learning at the feet of the master。〃
The big sedan bored through the Kremlin's Spassky Gate； stopping only at the security checkpoint where passengers' IDs were checked。 A few minutes later； Kirov and Telegin were escorted into the section of the Kremlin that houses the president's apartment and personal working quarters。
〃I had better wait here；〃 Telegin said as they stood in the grand； domed foyer built by Peter the Great。 〃There's bound to be more information ing through on Danko。〃
〃There will be… and Smith will give it to us；〃 Kirov replied。 〃But right now； I think it's time you got used to presenting yourself to your civilian masters。〃
Telegin could scarcely hide her surprise and trepidation as they followed the duty officer up the double staircase。 They were shown into an elegantly appointed library where a figure wrapped in a thick robe sat by a crackling fire。
〃Oleg Ivanovich； you had better have good reason to rob an old man of his sleep。〃
Viktor Potrenko cut a patrician…looking figure as he rose to shake Kirov's hand。
〃May I present my adjutant； Lieutenant Lara Telegin；〃 Kirov said。
〃Lieutenant Telegin；〃 Potrenko murmured。 〃I have heard good things about you。 Please； sit。〃
Lara thought that Potrenko lingered in holding her hand。 Maybe the rumors about the seventy…five…year…old president were true… that he had a fondness for young women； particularly ballerinas。
When they were seated； Potrenko continued； 〃Now what is all this business about Bioaparat？〃
Swiftly； Kirov laid out the gist of his conversation with Smith。 〃I think that this is something we must take seriously；〃 he concluded。
〃Do you？〃 Potrenko mused。 〃Lieutenant Telegin； what are your thoughts？〃
Lara understood that her next words could very well put her career in the crosshairs。 But she also knew that the two men before her were masters of nuance and inflection。 They would spot a lie or an equivocation faster than a hawk sees a hare。
〃I'm afraid that I must play devil's advocate； Mr。 President；〃 she said； then explained her reservations about taking Smith's words at face value。
〃Well spoken；〃 Potrenko mended her。 He turned to Kirov。 〃Don't lose this one。〃 He paused。 〃So； what are we to do？ On the one hand； the Americans gain nothing by crying foul。 On the other； it stings to believe that a theft of this magnitude can occur under our very noses… without us even being aware。〃
Potrenko rose and stepped close to the grate； warming his hands。 It seemed a very long time before he spoke。
〃We have a Special Forces training facility outside Vladimir； do we not？〃
〃We have； Mr。 President。〃
〃Call the mander and authorize a quarantine around Bioaparat effective immediately。 You； Lieutenant Telegin； and Dr。 Smith will fly there at first light。 If a theft has occurred； you will notify me immediately。 Either way； I want a prehensive review of the security procedures。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 President。〃
〃Oleg？〃
〃Sir？〃
〃If even a gram of smallpox is missing； alert our virus hunters at once。 Then arrest everyone on…site。〃
CHAPTER NINE
After landing at the Naples airport； Peter Howell took a taxi to the docks； where he boarded the hydrofoil for the thirty…minute ride across the Straits of Messina。 Through the big windows of the lounge； he watched as Sicily came into view； first the craters of Mount Etna； then Palermo itself； nestled beneath the limestone bulk of Monte Pellegrino that tapered off into a plateau at sea level。
Settled by Greeks； invaded by Romans； Arabs； Normans； and Spaniards； Sicily has been a wa