Massey looked at her. He thought he sawtears in the corners of her eyes. She was struggling hard to fight heremotions, then she bit her lip and looked away. She didn't look back at himwhen she spoke.

"May I ask you a question,Massey?"

:"Sure."

"Where did you learn yourRussian?"

He knew her question was a way ofdeflecting her pain and he looked at her and smiled.

:"My parents came from St.Petersburg."

"But Massey isn't a Russianname."

"Polish. It used to be Masensky. Myfather's people originally came from Warsaw; my mother's were pureRussian."

"But you don't like Russians?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The day you first came to see me atthe hospital. The way you looked at me. There was distrust in your eyes, even dislike."

Massey shook his head. "That's nottrue, Anna. On the contrary. For the most part the Russians are a fine andgenerous people. It's communism I hate. It kills everything that's noble andgood in mankind. Make no mistake, Anna, the men in the Kremlin are onlyinterested in one thing, and that's power. You're looking at the mirror imageof Nazism. But instead of a swastika on the flag there's a hammer and sickleand a red star." He paused. "Anna, there's something I have to tellyou. Someone from your embassy wants to talk with you."

She looked at him and Massey saw the fearin her eyes. "Talk about what?"

He explained what Canning had told him."It's only a formality but it's got to be done. Do you think you can gothrough with it?"

She hesitated. "If you want me to.When?"

"This afternoon. After that, theAmerican Ambassador will make his decision on your case. The Russian official,his name is Romulka. Don't be afraid, I'll be with you all the time. Romulka'snot entitled to ask you questions about the crimes you allegedly committed, buthe will ask you to return to face trial, and he will promise you leniency. ButI guess you know that would hardly be the case."

"The doctor asked me a question thismorning. He asked if I regretted killing the men. The camp officer and theguard at the border."

"What did you tell him?"

"I said that I could feel for theirwives and children, if they had any. But I didn't regret killing them. I wantedto escape. What was done to me was wrong. I remember Ivan telling me somethingonce. Something he had read. That those to whom evil is done, do evil inreturn. I only returned the evil that was done to me. It was me or them."

"Then I guess that answers it."

As Massey and Anna sat in the interviewroom in the city police station, the two Russians in civilian suits stepped inpast the policeman who opened the door.

The older of the two was in his earlyforties, and looked like a powerhouse of energy, tall and broad, his muscledbody straining under his suit.

A pair of cold blue eyes were set in abrutal-looking face that was pockmarked with acne scars, and part of the man'sleft ear was missing. He carried a briefcase and curtly introduced himself asNikita Romulka, a senior official from Moscow.

The second Russian, a young embassy aide,sat beside him and handed him a file.

Romulka flicked it open and said,"You are Anna Khorev."

The man barely looked at her as he spoke.

Massey nodded to Anna and she answered,"Yes."

When the man looked up he stared at hercoldly.

"Under the terms of theSoviet-Finnish Protocol I am here to offer you a chance to redeem yourself byfacing the serious crimes you have committed on Soviet soil. I am authorized toinform you that should you return to Moscow your entire case will be reviewedand resubmitted for trial and that you will be accorded the utmost leniencythat is due to every Soviet citizen. Do you understand me?"

Anna hesitated, and before she couldreply, Massey said in fluent Russian, "Let's cut out all the formal crap,Romulka. What exactly are you saying?"

The cold eyes stared over at Massey, andRomulka's voice was full of scorn. "The question was addressed to thewoman, not YOU."

"Then make it simple so sheunderstands the situation perfectly."

Romulka glared at Massey, then smiledcoldly and sat back.

"Basically this-if she agrees toreturn to Moscow there will be a retrial for her past deeds. If the courtsdecide she was harshly treated or wrongly accused, then her recent crimes,shooting the border guards and escaping from a prison camp, will be judged inthat light. Can I put it any simpler, even for an obviously simple man such asyourself"

Massey ignored the remark and looked atAnna. "What do you say, Anna?"

"I don't want to go back."Romulka said firmly, "Diplomatic efforts will be made to ensure you do.But I'm giving you the opportunity to return of your own free will and haveyour case reviewed. If I were you I would give such a proposal seriousthought."

"I told you. I don't want to goback. I was imprisoned for no wrong, I committed no crime before I was sent tothe Gulag. And it's not me who ought to be tried, but the people who sent me toa prison camp."

Romulka's face suddenly twisted in anger."Listen to me, you stupid bitch. Imagine how unpleasant we could makethings for your child. Come back and face the courts and you may see her again.Don't, and I swear to you the rest of her life in that orphanage could be madevery unpleasant indeed. Do you understand me?"

Massey tried hard to control the urge tohit the man, and then he saw the emotion welling in Anna's eyes, the paingrowing on her face until she seemed to snap, all the anguish suddenly floodingout. She lunged across the table and her nails dug into Romulka's face, drawingblood.

"No! You won't hurt my daughter likethat ... You won't!"

As Massey fought to restrain her, Romulkawent to grab her hair.

"You bitch!"

Massey and the aide stepped in betweenthem, before the policeman appeared at the door and Massey quickly ushered Annafrom the room.

As Romulka removed a handkerchief fromhis pocket and dabbed blood from his face, he glared at Massey. "Youhaven't heard the last of this! Your embassy will learn of this outrage!"

Massey stared angrily at the Russian."Tell who you goddamned like, you piece of shit. But she's made herdecision and we'll make ours." Massey jabbed a finger hard in Romulka'schest. "Now get the hell out of here before I hit you myself."

For a moment it seemed as if Romulkawould rise to the threat as he glared back at Massey, a fierce rage in hiseyes, but suddenly he snapped up his briefcase and stormed out of the room.

Romulka's aide lit a cigarette and lookedover at Massey. "Not a very sensible thing the woman just did, consideringour embassy will most likely succeed in getting her back. And besides, Romulkais a dangerous man to cross."

"So am i, buddy."

Massey arrived at the hospital thatevening and they walked down to the lake. They sat on one of the benches andAnna said, "What I did today didn't help, did it? Has your Ambassadordecided what's going to happen to me?"

She looked at Massey uncertainly but hesmiled. "After he heard about Romulka's threat he agreed to grant youasylum. We're going to help you start a new life in America, Anna. Give you anew identity and help you settle down and find a job. You won't be givencitizenship right away but that's normal in cases like yours. You'll have to bea resident for five years, just like any other legal immigrant. But if youdon't break the law or do anything crazy it shouldn't be a problem."

Massey saw her close her eyes, then openthem again slowly. There was a look of relief on her face.