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Just be ready for anything.
4
March 7, 10:42 A.M.
Moscow, Russia
The large man stepped around his desk and settled into his chair with a creak of leather. He had the call up on his speakerphone. He had no fear of anyone listening. No one dared, especially not here.
“Where is the target now?” he asked. Word had reached his offices that an operative—an American mercenary with a dog—had been assigned to help Dr. Bukolov leave Russian soil.
That must not happen.
“Heading west,” the caller answered in Swedish-accented Russian. “Aboard the Trans-Siberian. We know he is booked through to Perm, but whether that’s his final destination, we don’t know yet.”
“What makes you think it would be otherwise?”
“This one clearly has some training. My instincts tell me he wouldn’t book a ticket straight to his ultimate destination. He’s too clever for that.”
“What name is he traveling under?”
“We’re working on that, too,” the Swede answered, growing testy.
“And where are you now?”
“Driving to Khabarovsk. We tried to board the train at Vladivostok but—”
“He gave you the shake, da?”
“Yes.”
“Let me understand this. A man and a large dog lost you and your team. Did he see you?”
“No. Of that we’re certain. He is simply careful and well trained. What else have you learned about him?”
“Nothing much. I’m making inquiries, trying to track his finances, but it appears he is using a credit card that has been backstopped—sanitized. It suggests he’s either more than he seems to be or has powerful help. Or both. What came of the hotel search in Vladivostok?”
“Nothing. We couldn’t get close. His employer—that bastard Bogdan Fedoseev—rented out the entire penthouse. Security was too tight. But if we can reach Khabarovsk before the train does, we’ll board there. If not . . .”
The Swede’s words trailed off.
Neither of them had to verbalize the problems such a failure would present.
The railway branched frequently from there, with routes heading in many different directions, including into China and Mongolia. Following their target into a foreign country—especially China—would exponentially multiply their surveillance challenges.
The speakerphone crackled again as the caller offered one hope. “If he is using sanitized credit cards, we should assume he has several passports and travel documents. If you have any colleagues in the FPS, it may be helpful to circulate his photo.”
He nodded to himself, rubbing his chin. The caller was referring to Russia’s Federal Border Guard Service.
“As you said,” the caller continued, “a man and a large dog are hard to miss.”
“I’ll see what I can do. I would prefer to keep the scope of this operation limited. That’s why I hired you. Sadly, I am begi
A long silence followed before a response came.
“Not to worry. I’ve never failed before. I’ll get the information you need, and he’ll be dead before he ever reaches Perm.”
5
March 7, 6:08 P.M.
Trans-Siberian Railway
A voice over the intercom system called out first in Russian, then in English.
“Next stop, Khabarovsk.”
A scrolling green LED sign on the wall of Tucker’s berth repeated the multilingual message along with: DEPARTING AGAIN IN 18 MINUTES.
Tucker began gathering his things, tugging on his coat. Once done, he patted Kane. “What do you say we stretch our legs?”
They’d been cooped up in the car for most of the day, and he knew he could use a bit of fresh air. He pulled on his fur trapper’s cap, attached Kane’s lead, then opened the berth door.
He followed the slow trudge of fellow passengers down the corridor to the exit steps. A few eyebrows were raised at the sight of his unusual traveling companion. One matronly babushka gave him what he could best describe as the evil eye.
Taking heed of the u
As Kane sniffed and marked his territory, Tucker stretched his back and legs. Aboard the train, he had caught up on his sleep, and he had the muscle kinks to prove it.
After a few minutes, the screech of tires drew his attention past the terminal. The frantic blare of a car horn followed. He spotted a line of cars stopped at the intersection as a departing eastbound train cleared the station. As the caboose clunked over the road and the barriers rose, a black sedan swerved to the head of the line and raced into the terminal parking lot.
He checked his watch. Four minutes to departure.
Whoever was in the sedan was cutting it close.
He let Kane wander for another full minute, then walked back over the tracks to their train car. Once returned to their berth, Kane jumped into his usual seat, panting, refreshed.
A commotion out on the terminal platform drew his attention, too. A trio of men in long black leather dusters strode purposefully along the length of the train, occasionally stopping porters and showing them what looked to be a photo before moving on again. None of the men offered any credentials.
Faint alarm bells sounded in Tucker’s head. But there were hundreds of people on the train, he told himself, and so far all the porters had merely shrugged or shook their heads when shown the photo.
Clearly frustrated, one of the men pulled out a cell phone and spoke into it. Thirty seconds later, he was joined by his partners, and after a brief discussion, the trio hurried back into the terminal and disappeared from view.
He watched and waited, but none of them reappeared.
He sighed in relief when the train whistle blew and the All Aboard was called. The train lurched forward and slowly pulled away from the station.
Only then did he settle back in his own seat.
But he was hardly settled.
7:38 P.M.
An hour later, too full of nervous energy to remain inside the berth, Tucker found himself seated in the dining car. Around him, the tables were draped with linen; the windows framed by silk curtains; the place settings china and crystal.
But his attention focused on the car’s best feature.
While he had never been the type to ogle the opposite sex, the woman sitting across the aisle and one booth down was challenging his discipline.
She was tall and lithe, her figure accentuated by a form-fitting skirt and a white cashmere turtleneck sweater. She wore her blond hair long and straight, framing high cheekbones and ice-blue eyes. Picking at a salad and occasionally sipping from a glass of wine, she spent most of the meal either reading a dog-eared copy of A
Still, her body language was easy to read.
Thank you, but I’d prefer to be alone.
A few minutes later, the woman signaled for the check, signed her bill, then swished past Tucker’s table and through the co
Tucker lingered over his coffee, oddly disappointed, more than he should be, then headed back to his own berth.
As he stepped into the corridor, he found the blond woman kneeling on the floor, the contents of her purse scattered at her feet, some of it rolling farther away with each jostle of the train’s wheels.
Tucker walked over and dropped to a knee beside her. “Let me help.”
She frowned, tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear, and offered him a shy smile. “Thank you. Everything seems to be getting away from me lately.”