Snow Wolf

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 gri

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 Fi

"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 theFi

"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 A

February 11th A

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 gri

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

Stanski said, "Popov, this isA

The man held out a huge bearlike paw.A

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

He gri

"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 A

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 A

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

Popov raised his eyebrows and grunted."I asked the girl, Alex. So let her answer." He looked at A

"What?"

"Your hands. Give them to me."

A

Popov gri

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," A

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 A

"The Red Army."

Popov frowned, an unpleasant lookcrossing his face before he gri

Anger flared on A

Popov gri

"And no doubt the SS werebetter?"

Popov heard the bitterness in A

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