Smith watched the color drain from Kirov's face。
〃General？〃
〃Yes； I'm here。 I。。。 I understand what you're telling me； Mr。 Klein。〃
Kirov understood all too well。 Valeri Antonov was more a shadow than a man。 Rumored to be Potrenko's most trusted adviser； he was never seen at council meetings。 In fact； few people had ever seen him。 Yet his influence was undeniable。 That Klein knew of Antonov's existence… that he knew him quite well… spoke volumes。
〃General；〃 Klein said。 〃I remend that until we have more information； you do not alert any of your state security organizations。 Mention plague and you'll have a panic on your hands that Beria will use to his advantage。〃
〃I agree； Mr。 Klein。〃
〃Then please take what I'm about to say in the spirit it's offered： is there anything that I or any U。S。 agency can do to help you？〃
〃I appreciate the offer… sincerely；〃 Kirov replied。 〃But right now； this is an internal Russian matter。〃
〃Are there any standby measures you'd suggest we take？〃
Kirov looked at Smith； who shook his head。 〃No； sir。 Not at this time。〃
A second line on the console buzzed。 〃Mr。 Klein； please excuse me for a moment。〃
Kirov picked up the other call and listened intently。 After speaking a few words in Russian； he turned to Smith。
〃The test results on the contents of the first ampoule are plete；〃 he said tonelessly。 〃It is tea； not smallpox。〃
Klein's breath whistled across the ether。 〃How many ampoules are there？〃
〃Five。 There is no reason to think that the other results will be any different。〃
〃Beria made a switch！〃 Smith said。 〃He took Yardeni's container and gave him a dummy to carry。〃 He paused。 〃That's why Yardeni was poisoned。 Beria wanted us to find what he was carrying； to think that we'd caught the thief in time。〃
〃That makes sense；〃 Kirov said。 〃If Beria's original plan had stood； we would have discovered the theft later。 By then； Yardeni would have died； but identifying the body would have taken time。 The pieces of the puzzle would have been scattered all over Moscow。 Beria would have had ample time to finish his mission。〃
〃What exactly is his mission？〃 Klein spoke up。
〃To spirit the smallpox out of the country；〃 Smith said slowly。
Kirov looked at Smith。 〃The airport！ Beria's carrying the smallpox； headed straight for Sheremetevo！〃
The implications of Kirov's conclusion stilled the conversation。 Smallpox on a mercial airliner bound for God knows where 。。。。 It was insane！
〃Why Sheremetevo； General？〃 Smith asked。
〃It's the only logical place to go。 How else could he hope to get the virus out of the country？〃
〃I'm afraid he's right； Jon。 General； is there any way you can get to Beria before he gets to Sheremetevo？〃
〃Given his head start； no chance。 The best I can do is call President Potrenko and have him shut it down。〃
〃I suggest you do that immediately。 If a plane with Beria onboard gets off the ground； we have the makings of a holocaust！〃
Ivan Beria got off the bus after it had pulled into the departures area of the international terminal。 Because of the time difference between Moscow and Western capitals； most flights left early in the morning。 Those having business in Zurich； Paris； London； or even New York would arrive just as the wheels of merce in those cities started to churn。
Beria scrutinized the uniformed patrols loitering by the check…in counters。 Detecting no unusual activity or heightened security； he walked down the concourse toward the duty…free and gift shops。 On the way； he slowed his stride a fraction to glance at the monitor that listed the morning's departures。 The flight he'd been told to look for had just menced boarding。
Beria walked up to the plate…glass window of the duty…free shop and pretended to study the perfume and cigar displays。 As he moved closer to the entrance； he watched for the man whom he was supposed to meet。
A minute crawled by as passengers entered and left the shop。 Beria began to wonder if his contact was inside。 There was no way to check； since he couldn't enter the duty…free area without a boarding pass。
Then he saw what he was looking for： a shiny； bald pate sticking out of the crowd。 As he moved closer； he noted the second distinguishing feature： the distinct egg…shaped eyes that gave Adam Treloar his perplexed； slightly startled expression。
〃David；〃 he called out softly。
Treloar； who had been milling around the entrance to the shop； almost fainted when he heard the code name。 He looked around； trying to find the speaker； then felt a touch at his elbow。
〃David； I thought I had missed you。〃
Treloar stared at the cold； dark eyes of the man standing in front of him。 The thin smile； meant to reassure； reminded him of a razor slash。
〃You're late！〃 Treloar whispered。 〃I've been waiting…〃
He heard Beria's chuckle； then gasped as an incredibly tight grip seized his arm。 He offered no resistance as Beria steered him to a refreshment stand and sat him down at the end of the counter。
〃Oranges and lemons。。。〃 Beria said in a singsong tone。
For an instant； Treloar's mind went blank。 Desperately； he tried to remember the words that would plete the phrase。
〃Say。。。 Say the bells of Saint Clemens！〃
Beria smiled。 〃Give me your carry…on。〃
Treloar reached for the small leather bag at his feet and placed it on the counter。
〃The liquor。〃
Treloar dug out a small bottle of plum brandy that he'd bought at the hotel gift shop。
Unscrewing the cap； Beria raised the bottle to his lips and pretended to drink。 He passed it to Treloar； who mimicked him。 At the same time； Beria slipped the container from his pocket onto the counter。
〃Smile；〃 he said conversationally。 〃We are two friends sharing a drink before one of us has to leave。〃 Treloar's eyes bulged as Beria unscrewed the container。 〃And because we can't finish the bottle； I give you the rest to enjoy during your flight。〃
Carefully； he poured a few ounces of brandy into the container。 〃Now； if the inspectors wish to check； you open it and let them smell what's inside。〃
Pushing back his stool； Beria gripped Treloar's shoulder。 〃Have a safe flight。〃 He winked。 〃And forget that you ever saw me。〃
The all…points bulletin on Ivan Beria reached Sheremetevo security just as Adam Treloar was going through the metal detector。 The guard manning the scanner noted a cylindrical object in the carry…on and asked the American to step aside。 Another guard opened the bag； removed the container； and unscrewed it。 Smelling a distinctive plum odor； he smiled and closed the top。
Handing it back to Treloar； he offered some advice： 〃Your brandy is too cold。 It tastes much better when it's warm。〃
By the time a squad of militia flooded the international terminal； Treloar was safely ensconced in his first…class seat。 The American Airlines 767 was pulled back from the gate just as airport security began reviewing their surveillance tapes； searching for anyone who resembled Ivan Beria。
American flight 1710； nonstop to London with continuing service to Washington's Dulles Airport； was number two for takeoff behind a Paris…bound Air France Airbus。 The call from the minister of defense reached the flight director in the control tower as 1710 was given the go signal by traffic control。
〃Shut it down！〃 the director screamed over the loudspeaker。
Twenty…two faces turned and stared at him as if he were quite insane。
〃Shut what down？〃 one of the controllers asked。
〃The airport； you imbecile！〃
〃All of it？〃
〃Yes！ Nothing leaves the ground。〃
All activity in the tower was focused on relaying a FULL…STOP message to aircraft taxiing into position on the active runways and waiting on the aprons。 No one had time to think about the planes that had taken off。 By the time they did； American 1710 had banked over Moscow and was climbing smoothly to its designated cruising altitude of thirty…six thousand feet。
CHAPTER TWELVE
Because of the time difference between Moscow and the eastern seaboard of the United States； it was still the middle of the night when Anthony Price pulled up to the northern guard house at Fort Belvoir； Virginia。
After the puter had scanned his credentials； he drove up the crushed…shel