The jumpsuits were made of heavygreen.canvas and contained generous pockets to hold items they would needimmediately after landing. A flashlight each and a knife to cut the parachute freeif it caught on a tree, and short folding spades to bury their equipment. Therewere helmets, goggles, gloves, and thermal suits for each of them.

"It's going to be pretty cold upthere when you jump, so you'll need the thermals to stop you from freezing todeath before you land. Now let's see how well the tailors have done."

He produced two frayed suitcases withtheir personal belongings and clothes inside, and after he had handed them outAnna went upstairs to try her clothes on.

When she came down ten minutes later herhair was tied back severely with a ribbon. She wore a heavy woollen skirt and athick white blouse, a woollen scarf and an overcoat that was just the rightsize.

Stanski had changed and stood theredressed as an Estonian peasant, wearing a tweed cap, an ill-fitting jacket anda baggy corduroy suit that was a little too short in the legs. Anna couldn'thelp laughing and Stanski said, "What's so funny?"

"You look like the villageidiot."

"A fine way to talk to yourhusband." Massey said, "The clothes and uniforms are all the genuinearticle, taken from Soviet army defectors or refugees who came over after thewar. You should wear the clothes tomorrow, to get used to them. You're happy,Alex?"

"Happy as I can he apart from thesetrousers."

Massey smiled. "Can't be helped, I'mafraid. Besides, an Estonian laborer is hardly going to be dressed toperfection. Anna, is there anything you want to ask?" She shook her headand Massey said, "Then I guess that's it, except for one last thing."

He took two miniature tin boxes from hispocket, opened their lids and emptied the contents on the table. One boxcontained only two black capsules. The second contained several dozen blueones, and both types of capsules were different sizes.

"Pills. Two types. One good, onebad, but both invaluable. As you can see they're different sizes and colors sohopefully you can't get them mixed up."

"What are they for?" Annaasked.

"The blue pill is an amphetamine. Itgives you an energy boost to overcome fatigue. Commonly used by special forcesand pilots during the war to stave off tiredness." Massey picked up one ofthe black pills. "And this little baby here is the one you've got to becareful about. It's only to be used in a dire emergency."

"What is it?" Anna asked.

"Cyanide. It kills you inseconds."

It was almost midnight and Stanski lay inthe dark, smoking a cigarette, listening to the wind rage outside. He heard thedoor open and Anna stood there in a cotton nightgown, holding an oil lamp. Shesaid softly, "Can I come in?"

"What's the matter?"

"I can't sleep."

"Come in, close the door."

Her hair was tousled and there wassomething childlike about her face in the light of the lamp as she came to sitat the end of the bed. He noticed she was trembling and he said, "Are youcold?"

She shook her head. "Justfrightened. Maybe I've suddenly realized everything about this is deadlyserious. Especially when Massey gave us that pill. Now it's not a game anymore.In the air raid shelters in Moscow during the war, when people were afraid ofthe bombing, complete strangers used to hold and kiss each other. I once evensaw a couple make love."

"it makes sense. A natural instinctto preserve the species when it's under threat. Soldiers got married for thesame reason before they went to war."

She bit her lip. "Will you dosomething for me?"

"What?"

"Just hold me. Hold me tightly. Itseems like it's been such a long time since someone did that."

He saw it in her face then, a real andterrible fear, and it made her look very young and vulnerable. He realized shewas more afraid than he had ever imagined, and his hand touched her cheek as helooked into her eyes and said, "My poor Anna."

Her arms went around his neck and sheheld him tightly. She moved under the covers beside him, snuggling close forwarmth and comfort, and then suddenly for no reason at all she was crying andkissing him fiercely.

"Make love to me."

When he hesitated, she kissed him again,her tongue finding his, and he felt himself reacting, growing hard. Her bodytrembled as he pulled up her nightgown and slid off her underwear. His handtraced the firm outline of her breasts, his fingers gently squeezing thenipples until they were hard and he took one in his mouth. She was panting ashis hand slid over her belly and moved down to the warmth between her legs, hisfingers caressing her until she was wet.

Without a word her hand came up andgripped his hardness and when he moved on top she moaned as she guided himinside.

It seemed after that as if they were in afrenzy, their bodies in the grip of some kind of urgent desperation, untilfinally they both shuddered and spent themselves. And then Anna started to cryagain, a deep sobbing that racked her whole body.

"What's wrong, Anna?"

She didn't reply, her eyes full of tears,and then she said, Do you want to know why I'm going back to RUSSIA withYOU?"

"Only if you want to tell me."

She told him, told him everything, andshe was still crying when she finished.

Stanski held her close and whispered,"Anna. It's all right, Anna."

He stroked her face but it was a longtime before her tears stopped. Then he blew out the lamp and held her gently,wordless in the dark, until she finally fell asleep.

Finland.

February 24th It was just after nine thenext morning when Janne Saarinen came in the front door, a cloud of icy windraging into the cabin before he kicked the door shut with his boot. His facelooked blue with cold and he carried two parachutes over his shoulders.

"You slept well?"

"Well enough, considering."

The Finn grinned as he flung theparachutes on the table. "Your chutes. I've repacked them twice just to becertain."

"Nice to know someone cares. Thanks,Janne."

Stanski looked out of the window and sawAnna and Massey out walking on the wooden boardwalk together, their collars upto keep out the biting cold. Saarinen stood behind Stanski and offered him acigarette.

When he lit their cigarettes, Saarinennodded out at the boardwalk. "She's quite a looker, your lady-friend. I'd almostrisk it just to Lay in with her myself."

Stanski examined the parachutes."She's a good woman. It's just a pity she has to be a part of this. Goingover is never easy and always dangerous."

"Tell me about it."

"Which reminds me. That was a niceshow you put on for yesterday's briefing The Finn blew out smoke and grinned."You didn't believe the bravado, did you'? Didn't think you would."

"There's a Couple of importantthings you left out. Like the fact that half of the agents parachuted ontoRussian soil are caught within forty-eight hours because they injure themselveswhen they drop, or else the radar picks up the flight. And that most of theboys in the air who bought it during the war weren't shot down by the enemy,but died because of your bad weather."

Saarinen eased himself into a chair."I've done this particular route maybe half a dozen times and each time itgets more difficult. The Russians are making their air defenses tighter andtighter and the new Mig fighters don't help the likes of' me. I only made itSound easy for her sake. As for our chances, cloud cover is our one real hope,despite the obvious dangers if the weather turns really nasty, but I can vouchfor that little aircraft Out there, mechanically and structurally. If the cloudstays in our favor, I'd almost guarantee you'll at least make the drop. If not..." Saarinen grinned and shrugged. "We may get blown out of thesky."