"Did you ever take out people forMoscow?"

Lebel shook his head fiercely."Jake, I don't work for the KGB. Nor do the people I deal with, I swearit. Their sole motivation is money. But to take people instead of furs would beimpossible, believe me, and the train driver would never agree. Furs are onething, people quite another. He'd be shot for Such a thing, not to mention meif I was caught."

"What if the plan wasfoolproof?"

"Jake, no plan is foolproof,especially where the Russians are concerned."

"Foolproof and worth half a millionfrancs. Swiss francs, that is. Paid into your own Swiss account once you agreeto help. And if you do what I ask about Max Simon, there's a cherry on thecake."

"A formidable solution, but I'mstill not interested," Lebel frowned with curiosity. "What's thecherry?"

"If the Finns throw away their tileon you so long as you promise not to be a bad boy again. Otherwise, Henri, Ican assure you, your hide's going to be nailed to the wall and you'll nevermove another trainload of fur out of Russia."

Lebel's face showed his displeasure."Jake, you're a hard man."

"Believe me, I'm a pussycat comparedto the people who'll come after you."

There was a distracted look on Lebel'sface as he lit another cigar. For a long time he was silent, his brow creaseddeep in thought, then he looked at Massey.

"What if I said I would considerhelping YOU, but not for money?"

"It depends on what you have in mindinstead."

"An extra passenger." Massey'seyebrows rose. "You'd better explain."

Lebel told him about Irena.

Massey said, "She's Jewish?"

Lebel nodded. "Another reason whyI'd feel safer if she got out of'moscow. And I can't pretend some of mycontacts there haven't become noticeably icy toward me of late. I thought wehad left all that behind us with Hitler, but it seems not. Many times I thoughtof trying to get Irena out, but the risks were too great. If the Finnishauthorities were to find her on board the train they might send her back toRussia and me to prison. But you could make Sure that wouldn't happen, couldn'tyou, Jake? And get her a legal passport and citizenship?"

"You're a dark horse, Henri. Thisdacha Irena owns outside Moscow. Is it safe?"

"Of course, that's why we use it.Why?"

"I'll explain later. Do you lovethis woman?"

"What do you think?"

"I think we can do a deal."

New Hampshire. February 3rd It was almostseven when Anna awoke. It was cold in the small bedroom, and when she openedthe curtains it was dark outside and she saw the thin fall of snow. The viewdown to the lake was really quite special, she thought. She threw on her dressinggown and went downstairs.

Stanski was sitting at the table drinkingcoffee. He wore a military parka and sturdy boots, a small rucksack on thefloor beside him, and he looked up at her silently as she sat down.

Not for the first time she noticed thephotograph over the fireplace. A Couple and three small children. A prettyblond air] and two boys, one dark, one fair. She thought one of them resembledStanski, but she looked away when she noticed him watching her.

Vassily placed a breakfast of eggs, cheeseand corn bread in front of her and said, "Eat, little one.'@

When the old man had poured her more teaand left the room, she looked at Stanski. "Perhaps you'd better tell mewhat we'll be doing today."

"Nothing too strenuous to beginwith, just enough to start getting you in shape." He smiled. "Notthat there's much wrong with your shape as it is."

"Is that meant to be acompliment?"

"No, an observation. But it's reallya question of building, up your stamina. The training is purely a precaution.It's over six hundred miles from Tallinn to Moscow, a relatively short route,and that's why it was chosen. But if something goes wrong and you have to lookafter yourself, then You had better be fit and prepared."

"I'm quite capable of looking aftermyself'."

He smiled again. "Let's make certainof it. We'll take a gentle walk in the woods. Ten miles to start with. WhenPopov arrives in a couple of days the real training begins. Then, I assure you,it gets a lot tougher." He stood. "One more thing."

She looked up and saw the blue eyes staredown at her and for a moment she felt an odd flutter in her chest.

"What?"

"Something Massey will explain, butI think you'd better know now. You'll be given a pill when we go in. Cyanide.It kills instantly. You'll have to use it in a situation where it's likelyyou're going to get caught and there's no way out. But let's hope that doesn'thappen."

Anna hesitated. "Are you trying tofrighten me?"

."No, just making sure you know thisis not some elaborate game we're playing here. And that there's still time foryou to change your mind."

"I'm quite aware it's not a game.And I won't change my mind."

She dressed in the warm clothes Masseyhad bought her, furlined walking boots and heavy trousers and a thick sweaterand navy oilskin. It was still dark as they set off through the forest. Thesnow had stopped when they came to a clearing after half a mile, and Anna sawthe first rays of sunshine on the far horizon, streaking the sky orange andred.

She noticed the way Stanski moved throughthe woods. It was almost as if he was familiar with every inch of the forest,every branch and twig, but she knew that was impossible. He halted in theclearing and pointed toward a sloping mountain that rose up in the distancethrough a thin bank of pine trees.

"See that plateau on the mountain?It's called Kingdom Ridge. That's where we're headed. Ten miles there and back.Think you'll be able to manage it?"

There was a smile on his face and shethought he was goading her but she didn't reply, simply marched on ahead.

She was exhausted after the first twomiles. The rising ground made it hard on her legs, but Stanski walked as if hewere on flat ground and the tilt of the land seemed to make no difference tohis stamina. Once or twice he looked around to check on her, but by the fifthmile, as they reached the top, he was way ahead.

She came out of the forest onto theridge, exhausted, fighting for breath, and by then the sun was up, the view ofthe lake and forest below quite stunning. In the distance was an enormous ridgeof snow-capped mountains. In the morning light the rock looked as if it weretinted blue. Stanski was sitting on a rocky outcrop overhanging the ridge,smoking a cigarette. When he saw her he smiled. "Glad You could makeit."

"Give me a cigarette," shealmost gasped.

He handed her one and lit it for her.

When she had caught her breath she said,"The view is incredible."

""The mountains you see arecalled the Appalachians. They Stretch over a thousand miles."

She looked out at the view again, thenback at him. "Can I ask you a question, Stanski?"

"What?"

"You didn't want me to be part ofthis, did you?"

He grinned. "Now what makes youthink that?"

"From what you said back in thecabin- And besides, you strike me as the kind of man who likes to do thingsalone. Tell me about yourself."

"Why?"

"I don't want to know your lifehistory. Just enough to know you better. We're going to have to pretend to beman and wife and I presume that means sleeping in the same bed if necessary.I'd like to know something about the man I'll be sharing a bed with."

"What did Massey tell you?"