Saarinen smiled, a rakish smile."It's always a problem up here. But if it's bad it can work to ouradvantage in a situation like this. We can use cloud cover most of the way in.Stick right in it almost until the drop."

"Isn't that taking a big risk?"

Saarinen laughed. "Not as big a riskas getting blown out of the sky by the latest Mig fighter. There's a squadronof the latest all-weather model stationed south of Leningrad that covers Balticcoastal patrols. Those machines are pretty damned good-the fastest thing aroundright now, even faster than your latest American fighters. And the Russianshave got radar on board.

"What if they pick you up on theirradar?"

"The news is the Soviet pilots arenot that familiar with the new equipment, so they won't stay in the cloud toolong at the kind of speeds they cruise at. They prefer to be able to see wherethey're going. And if it's really bad, like heavy snow, they'll stay safely onland getting drunk in the mess."

"Can your plane stand the kind ofbuffeting you'll get if the weather's bad?"

Saarinen grinned. "The littleNorseman I've got could come through a blizzard of shit in one piece."

It was almost eight that evening whenSaarinen dropped Massey off at the Palace Hotel in Helsinki.

They had one drink in the bar togetherbefore the Finn bade him goodbye. When Massey went up to his room there was amessage waiting. Henri Lebel had called from Paris. Massey made the return callafter waiting twenty minutes for the Helsinki operator to patch him through toParis on a crackling line.

"Jake'? I'm going to be in Helsinkithe day after tomorrow and -I thought we could meet to discuss our businessarrangement further."

Massey knew Lebel meant to show him thehidden compartment in the private goods train the Frenchman leased from theFinns, before Lebel traveled on for a brief visit to Moscow.

"What about the other information Irequire?"

"I'm working on it, but it hasn'tbeen easy, mon ami. A matter of greasing the right greedy palm. But I hope tohave something for you soon."

"Good, Henri. Give me a call whenyou get here."

When Massey replaced the receiver hecrossed to the window that overlooked the harbor. If Lebel got the informationhe wanted he knew what he had to do next, despite what Branigan had warned.

In the moonlit winter's darkness theentire Baltic seemed frozen white as far as the eye could see. As he stoodthere looking out at the scene, Massey couldn't help thinking of Anna Khorev.Two weeks from now she'd be flying out over that frozen gulf with Stanski,taking the biggest risk taken in her life. she had in New Hampshire.

February 11th Anna was standing at thewindow when she saw the old black Ford pull up outside the house.

The man who climbed out was big andpowerfully built. His dark bushy beard and greasy black hair gave him theappearance of a wild-looking mountain man. When he and Stanski came up theveranda and stepped inside the cabin, the big man saw her and grinned, brokenteeth showing behind his beard.

"So this is the woman," the mansaid to Stanski.

Stanski said, "Popov, this isAnna."

The man held out a huge bearlike paw.Anna didn't offer to shake it but said to Stanski, "When you want me I'llbe outside," then walked past the Ukrainian and down the steps of theveranda.

Popov watched her retreating figureappreciatively as she walked toward the woods.

He grinned and stroked his beard. "Agood one to have beside you in a bed on a cold night, I'll say that much. Butdid I say something wrong?"

"I don't think former Ukrainian SSare among her favorite types, Dimitri." Popov grunted. "Massey saidshe was Russian. Russians and Ukrainians have always fought like cat and dog.The Russkis have tried to grind us to dust for centuries." A brief smileflashed on his face. "Still, I'd call a truce as far as that one'sconcerned. Nice ass on her, I'll say that."

"You're here to do the job,Diniitri. Get fresh with her and I'll take it personally."

Popov frowned as Stanski glared at him.There was a flash of anger in Popov's bearded face as he went to say something,but then he seemed to think better of' it and broke into a wide grin.

"You know me, Alex, always willingto keep the peace for the sake of' training."

"Let's go down to the lake. I wantto talk."

Popov left his things in the car, and asthey walked down to the water Stanski said, "You think you can covereverything in ten days?"

"You I know about. The girl I don't.It depends on her."

"Massey thinks she should beOK."

"And what do you think?"

Stanski smiled. "Much as I hate toadmit it, she's good. The last week she's Put her heart into getting fit."

"Better let me be the judge of that.But if anyone can do it, Popov can."

When Popov had settled in he met themdownstairs in the dining room. Stanski had poured coffee and the three of themsat at the table.

The Ukrainian looked across at Anna andStanski. "First things first. The program. You wake every morning atfour-thirty. We take a five-mile run, even if there's snow,@then back here formore exercises. After breakfast we do some selfdefense training, how to defendyourself, and also how to kill."

He looked at Stanski. @"You too,Alex. The day you think you know nothing more you're dead. The woman here, Iknow about her background, so I'll have to assume she knows nothing and go onfrom there." He looked directly at Anna. "What kind of experiencehave you had of this kind of thing?"

Stanski interrupted. "She's hadsome, Dimitri."

Popov raised his eyebrows and grunted."I asked the girl, Alex. So let her answer." He looked at Anna."Show me your hands."

"What?"

"Your hands. Give them to me."

Anna held out her hands and Popov studiedthem. Then he reached over and gripped them painfully hard. He seemed to takepleasure as his big strong fingers pressed cruelly into her flesh, as if he wastrying to hurt her, but Anna only winced and didn't cry out.

Popov grinned, then released his grip."Good. You've known pain before. So what's your background?" Stanskisaid, "Massey said no questions, Dimitri."

Popov turned to stare at him and spokegruffly. "I'm not asking her life history. But I need to know how muchtraining she's had. How much pain she can take."

"I've had military training, ifthat's what you mean," Anna answered sharply.

Popov's bushy eyebrows rose. "Whicharmy?"

"Dimitri ..." Stanski went tointerrupt.

Popov stared back at him. "Yourealize as well as I do it's important I know something of her background,considering what she might have to face when the time comes. I need to knowwhat I'm working with." He looked back at Anna. "Which army?"

"The Red Army."

Popov frowned, an unpleasant lookcrossing his face before he grinned again and stroked his beard. "Iguessed as much. So, we were once enemies. This should make for an interestingtime. But I can tell you that such military experience will hardly help you.The Red Army are a rabble. Undisciplined. Unruly."

Anger flared on Anna's face. "Evenat Stalin-rad?"

Popov grinned. "First blood to you.Stalingrad is the exception."

"And no doubt the SS werebetter?"

Popov heard the bitterness in Anna'svoice and glanced at Stanski before looking back at her.

"So, you know something of me? Asfighting men, the Ss were infinitely better, believe me."