"Did anyone ever mention you've gota total disregard for life and death?"

Saarinen laughed. "All the time. Itcomes from having looked the grim reaper in the eye too many times and foundout it's not such a big deal. Before '39 I was studying English at HelsinkiUniversity, then the war came and the first time I flew into battle I wasbitten by the bug. After that I couldn't get enough jeopardy and excitement.You realize everything else lacks a certain dangerous edge. But after theshooting died down and it was all over, you know you're just living on borrowedtime anyway, so you keep sailing close to the wind just for the hell of it. IfI'm not mistaken, you have the same look about you yourself'. What was it Kantsaid "That steely unmistaken look in a man's eyes that tells its tale ofwar, and death the grim reaper too often faced.'

Stanski smiled. "So what about theradar on the other side?"

"Like I said, if the weather's onour side it shouldn't bother us."

Saarinen shook his head. "It's notall black, just shades of gray. But I told you, I'm lucky. I also speak fluentRussian. So even if their air traffic control calls us up, I can try and bluff'my way through."

"A man of many parts."

Saarinen grinned and tapped his woodenleg. "Not all of them good, I'm afraid."

Helsinki.

The wheels of the US Air Force B-47Stratojet bit the icy runway with a squeal as they touched down at Helsinki'sMaimi airport in a flurry of light hail at exactly 6 P.m. Karl Branigan wasexhausted after the long and turbulent flight from NVASHIJIGTON, a journey ofalmost ten hours and over four thousand miles, an experience he had neverbefore endured and never wished to repeat again.

Twenty minutes later his car drove upinto Kaivopuisto Park, the city's diplomatic belt, and came to a halt outsidethe American Embassy compound. Two immaculately uniformed Marines on the gatechecked the passengers before raising the barrier and allowing the car through.

As the Ford drew up at the front entranceto the embassy, a tired-looking Branigan stepped out, turning up his coatcollar against the cold. A tall, lean man with tanned skin came out of thedouble oak doors, an anxious younger official at his side.

"Mr. Branigan'? I'm DouglasCanning," the man said in a Texan drawl as he offered his hand. "Mysecretary here is already looking after your men, but if you'll come this way,the Ambassador is waiting to meet you."

Branigan grunted a reply and followedCanning as he led the way inside.

The small garden at the front of theembassy compound was deserted in the Baltic darkness. The grim-faced Ambassadorstood at the window looking down at the scene. frowning.

He had finished reading the one pageletter Branigan had presented him, signed by Alien Dulles, studying it silentlybefore handing it to Canning, his face blank.

Canning finally looked over at theAmbassador. "Sir, would you care to respond?"

The Ambassador looked around. Histhinning gray hair was groomed neatly, but the distinguished look on his facewas momentarily lost to astonishment as he stared back at his visitor.

"First, let me get this right, Mr.Branigan. You want to locate a certain three people in Finland who are engagedin a covert operation, and apprehend them as a matter of urgency. Ifapprehension is not possible you want to stop their mission, even if it meanstheir deaths. And you want my help in this."

Branigan's face was drawn and had anunmistakable five o'clock shadow, his limbs still aching and tense after thecramped tlight, and he didn't feel like playing the diplomat.

"That's correct," he saidbriskly, almost forgetting who he was talking to, and added, "Mr.Ambassador, sir."

"And I'm not permitted to ask whatthe exact nature of this operation is that these people are intent on carryingout?"

Branigan shook his head and said bluntly,"You read the letter from Mr. Dulles. That's the exact position and allyou need to know. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask me any furtherquestions in that regard."

The Ambassador's face registered hisannoyance at the disrespect, but he carried on.

"But you're requesting I put myentire embassy staff at your disposal, if necessary, in the pursuance of thismatter. You also want my personal intervention at the highest Lebel in Finland,to request that their air force prevent these people leaving Finnish airspace.Shoot them down if they're airborne."

"Correct."

"Mr. Branigan, I would suggest thisis all somewhat without precedent."

There was a look of frustration on theAmbassador's face. "So what in damnation is going on here?"

Branigan looked pointedly at his watch."You'll have to address that question to Mr. Dulles, not me. I've simplygot a job to do and quickly. Time's ticking away. So, can I rely on yourhelp?"

The Ambassador came back behind his deskand sat down. "Mr. Branigan, quite frankly, I find this matter not onlylacking in protocol, but rather disturbing. What do you think, Canning?"

Canning hesitated. "Everything we'vebeen asked is really rather impractical. Perhaps we ought to contact Mr. Dullesourselves to discuss this further?"

Branigan shook his head impatiently."Not possible. My orders say no telephone contact with CIA Headquartersfrom Helsinki right now. As you've gathered, the nature of this mission isextremely, and I repeat extremely, sensitive and covert."

The Ambassador looked over smugly andmade a steeple of his fingers. "Then I'm afraid I'll have to remind you,sir, that your Mr. Dulles is only Acting CIA Director. His official appointmentdoesn't take place in Washington until later today, and he won't be sworn intooffice for several more days. For such formidable requests as these, I'll needhigher authority, I'm afraid."

Branigan stood up angrily and grabbed theletter from Canning, replaced it in his pocket and glared across at both men.

"Now how about we cut out the shitright here and now. If either of you pair of assholes don't want your balls inthe Washington grinder I-suggest you do as the letter says. And another thing,I need a senior liaison man here from the Finnish SUPO. Someone who can berelied on to be completely discreet. And I need every goddamned trustworthy andavailable man you can spare. And I want to tell you something else for nothing.Either you or they breathe a word about this operation to anyone, and I'llpersonally see to it the offender gets a bullet in the head."

The Ambassador's face suddenly flushed angryred at the blatant, unseemly threat and disrespect being shown his high office,but Branigan ignored it as the telephone on the desk jangled.

The Ambassador glared over in shockbefore he grabbed the phone.

"What the hell is it!"

There was a long pause, then theAmbassador went pale as he flicked a switch to activate the scrambler, and thefirst words Branigan heard the Ambassador say were, "Mr. President, we'redoing everything we can."

The dimly lit temporary operations roomin the back office of the east wing of the embassy was thick with sweaty men,cigarette smoke and the babble of voices. Branigan had a dozen telephonesrigged up and they stood on six trestle tables in the center, a half-dozenpersonnel from the embassy huddled around them.

The Finn who stood beside Branigan wastall but chubbyfaced, his dark hair graying slightly at the sides, and he spokeperfect English.

Henry Steniund, the Deputy Director ofSUPO, Finnish Counter-intelligence, and a lawyer by profession, stared over atthe bustle of men and equipment with nothing short of amazement.

Finland's security police had its entireoperation housed in a drafty three-story granite office building on Ratakatuet, and was comprised of ten men, three worn-out Volksgen cars, and ahalf-dozen rusting Raleigh bicycles for his best agents. The offices hadnothing like the bustle of this, and it generated a certain excitement inSteniund that he hadn't experienced since the Germans had left Helsinki.