Snow Wolf

"You're hardly one to talk aboutcrimes, Kraskin. By the laws of any land you ought to be put down like a maddog. You were responsible for the shooting of at least fifty schoolchildrenduring the kulak wars. I believe your specialty was to sexually assault thembefore you dispatched them with a bullet in the head. When they find Pitrov'sbody and yours they'll put it down to a lovers' tiff that turned tragicallyviolent. The gun I'm holding is Pitrov's. You killed him and thenyourself."

"Yes, very convenient,"saidKraskin dryly. "So who sent you?" He shifted again in his chair, feltthe flap of his holster lift against the tablecloth.

"That really doesn't matter. Butthis does." Stanski removed a photograph from his tunic pocket and tossedit on the table.

"Pick it up."

Kraskin did as he was told.

"Look at the photograph. Do yourecognize the girl?"

Kraskin saw a young dark-haired girlstanding on a deserted beach. She was smiling for the camera, and held a childin her arms.

"No, why should I?"

"Her name was Ave Perlov. And thisis where it gets personal, Comrade Kraskin. You interrogated her in Riga a yearago. If I'm not mistaken, you had quite a time with her before you sent her tothe firing squad. Torture is too mild a word. She had to be taken to the wallon a stretcher."

Kraskin smiled. "I remember now. Oneof the partisan bitches."

"She was only nineteen, youbastard."

Kraskin saw the flash of uncontrolledanger and knew it was time to make his move. As he tossed the photograph awayhe saw Stanski's eyes flick to it and Kraskin's right hand reached into hisholster and the Tokarev came out smartly.

Kraskin managed to get off a quick shotand it chipped Stanski's left arm below the elbow.

But it wasn't enough.

Stanski leaned in close and shot himbetween the eyes.

As the gun exploded, Kraskin was flungback in his chair, the close shot cracking open the back of his skull andtearing out half his brain.

Stanski picked up the photograph from thefloor and replaced it in his tunic pocket. He looked down at the neat holedrilled in his uniform sleeve, saw the patch of blood spread. There was nopain, not yet, just a dull ache in his arm. He found a towel in the bathroomand wrapped it around the wound before he pulled on the military overcoat.

When he came back into the room, he openedthe doctor's black bag and removed the knife. He knew he had very little timebefore someone reacted to Kraskin's gunshot, but he worked calmly.

He moved back to Kraskin's body andunbuttoned the man's trousers. He removed the flaccid penis. The knife flashedand the organ was severed in a gorge of blood. The man stuffed the severed lumpof flesh deep into Kraskin's gaping mouth. He wiped the blade on Kraskin'stunic and replaced the knife in the doctor's bag.

He could hear the noises in the hallway now,fists starting to pound the door, but already he was moving toward the windowand the fire escape.

Helsinki. October 26th That evening twomen sat down to a late di

Doug Ca

Ca

Doug Ca

It was the Ambassador who wouldultimately decide A

Ca

"it sounds from the report as thoughthe girl had a pretty rough time. But is she telling you anything we could finduseful, Jake?"

Massey had hardly touched his food, andnow he shook his head.

"There's nothing much she can tellus. It's been eight years since she was discharged from the Red Army. So anybackground information in that regard would be pretty much out of date bynow."

Ca

Massey knew it was a crucial question buthe replied honestly. "I guess not. But there are other circumstances toconsider here, Doug."

"Such as?"

"What the girl's been through. She'staken a hell of a beating in the last six months."

"And you think she's telling you thetruth?"

"Yes, I do. I think her story'sgenuine. Whether or not she can help us with intelligence information, onhumane grounds alone I think she has a case."

Ca

"What about the Fi

"They want us to make a quickdecision. But if we don't grant her asylum, they sure as hell won't. As it is,the Russian Ambassador's up their ass with a big stick."

After the Fi

"So what do you think's going tohappen?"

Ca