Chapter 22: Kidnapping

"So that's about the size of it then ... we've come a long way in our investigations, but the net result is that we're now as good as dead in the water. The death of that old man breaks the trail."

"Dah ... that is correct. Leonid was the last to know, and he is dead. That ends the Russian connection. We had great hope that more could be learned from the old files, but-sadly, for we lost a good operative to learn this-it appears that someone realized how dangerous those files were, and ordered all but the most vague references destroyed."

Pietor Grovischenk sat facing Michael and Dee'rah in Michael's embassy office. He'd arrived that morning to deliver an in-person briefing. All the resources, personnel and money of Nikogda Snova had been hurled into their effort to discover the location of the hidden Russian suitcase nuclear device in America. The trail had been broken with the death of the last surviving member of the Russian team that had infiltrated up through Mexico to smuggle and hide six of the devices in the southwestern desert.

"What about our young Mr. Abrams ... Todd, in the Washington 'spook shop' ... has he reported anything?" Michael asked.

"Nyet ... nothing. Our old friend Andrei is watching over the young man like he would his own son. He is very worried about the young man's safety, by the way. Things have become very unstable in Washington, and paranoia and suspicion infect every action. He hasn't said it, directly, but I believe that Andrei would be much less worried if we were to pull Mr. Abrams out of danger. He might resist ... young Todd is very idealistic ... but one word to Andrei and he'll have him away from there if he has to bag him and air-freight him here in handcuffs."

"I take it then, that Todd's contacts that he'd alluded to earlier, have dried up?"

"Worse than that; a few seem to have disappeared! Apparently someone heard somebody say something, a hint here, a word there ... and the President's men became suspicious. Two of Todd's contacts have been held at the prison in Cuba; one 'disappeared' before arriving there. He was handcuffed but was able to shoot himself twice in the back of the head. Andrei called in several favors to acquire that information, and he has himself been warned that he is 'out of favors' regarding anything further."

"Damn! Stinson's insanity is infecting everybody in that cesspool city!" Michael swore. "Pietor, you've already lost a man trying to track this down. Let's not lose any more. Ask Andrei to convince Todd that he's done all he can. Personally, I don't see the point of him staying in Washington. Tell Andrei this: convince Todd that it's time to get the hell out of there; we'll provide safe transport for himself and his family to Canada or Geneva, or even to your city, if that's what he desires. But he must leave, now.

"I doubt that it would be safe for him to attempt a border crossing with his family; he might be 'flagged' for detention as a suspect asset by the Agency. So, if he can arrange a 'vacation' of a few days with his family to a rural area, perhaps near his mother's home, we can arrange a night flight. All we need to know is the time and place. Can you get that to Andrei, and arrange for a coded message back to us?"

"Of course we can do that," Pietor responded. "At the same time, I think it would be good to have Andrei meet them there for pickup. I no longer see the value of leaving him exposed. It must have been noticed by the wrong eyes that an old Russian spymaster is fussing over a young American spy. Someone must be wondering, and that could be fatal for both of them."

"Do it. The instant we get word, we'll arrange for our own assets to initiate the pickup. And, Pietor ... please don't ask. You know that we cannot tell you. Not just yet. Someday soon, but..."

"Dah ... I have 'no need to know, ' of course. That is a tired old chestnut, but chestnuts taste best when tested in the fire, no?"

Michael groaned. "Go away, Pietor," he waved with his hand. "Get word to Andrei, and we'll expect a message. Enjoy your visit to our healing clinic this afternoon, and then come back here. You are expected for dinner and story-swapping this evening with the Ambassador and his wife. Don't disappoint her! For the mother of an angel, she can be more dangerous than a Russian bear when she's angry!"

Pietor smiled, and turned for the door. "Dah! This evening, then, friend Michael. And thank you for the invitation!"

Michael had never told a soul, not even Dee'rah ... although he would never bet that she didn't know, anyway ... that Pietor had been diagnosed with a serious congenital heart deficiency. It involved life-threatening weaknesses in his aorta, his main heart artery. It lay in his chest like a time-bomb. He remained vigorous and active, but he was a walking dead man. With Jon'a-ren's acquiescence, Michael arranged a visit to their secret Geneva clinic. It seemed such a small thing to do for a trusted friend.

'That seems so long ago ... two lifetimes ago ... when I fought for my life, and the lives of Rhys and the FBI agents in that Pahsimeroi cabin. Those were Pietor's men ... acting under Viktor's orders. What a twisted path we follow. Now I think of him as a most valued and trusted ally in this insane struggle, ' Michael mused to himself.

He slapped his hand down on his desk, as if to dismiss his introspective mood. He rose to his feet. A new worry furrowed his brow. How could they intercept those damnable nukes?

Andrei and Todd waited in the deep shadows of a thoroughly rotten Washington night. It was cold, blustery, and wet. Todd glanced nervously around. This was a perfect place to get mugged! Andrei didn't seem so concerned. 'Perhaps this is a child's playground compared to Eastern European cities of the Cold War era, but damn! One could die here just as quickly, ' Todd thought to himself, digging his hands deeper into his overcoat pockets and shivering in the chill night.

"She will be along with her boyfriend any moment now, my impatient young friend," Andrei murmured near Todd's ear. "Be ready."

They stood at the edge of an alleyway half a block down from an obscure Hard Rock club that was favored by certain young 'up and comers' in the Washington district. It was well-connected with the city authorities, so patrons had little to fear from roaming police patrols that might otherwise seize on some easy drug and prostitution arrests. Yet it was not so obscure and disreputable as to attract the truly dangerous clientele ... those who might prey on the others.

Katya possessed an exotic beauty. Recent years had matured her with rare favor-she was a breath-takingly beautiful woman. It was she who had dazzled a gullible friend of Rhys Jacobs, and learned the secret of Michael's hide-away in the Idaho mountains. Andrei was well aware of her unusual gifts. He convinced her to come away from her comfortable San Francisco retreat, to lend her talents to a good cause.

"What will your comfortable life among the artisans and illuminati gain you," he whispered in her ear at a San Francisco restaurant over dinner, "if the world burns to ashes in a nuclear holocaust? You know, as well as I, the truth of that!"

So it was that Ekaterina Khostov, the Katya of incredible allure, was on the hunt. Her prey was Bob Zaglinder, he of the perfect memory, the man who never forgot anything, the trusted senior assistant of the Chief of Staff of the President of the United States.

Zaglinder was Jonas Barnes' most irreplaceable asset. He was loyal and obedient, and gifted with an eidetic memory. To his superior, he was priceless. And now he was a target.

"Be ready ... here they come," Andrei whispered. A laughing woman clinging to the arm of a florid-faced man, himself laughing and relaxed, strolled across the alley opening on their way down the street to his waiting limousine and its driver. Without warning, Katya pushed hard against him and he stumbled, lost his balance, and fell into the alley. A rough hand clamped down on his mouth while they dragged him deeper into the shadows. A gag stifled any cry he could make. He felt the sharp pain of something punching into his neck. His world tilted, swept around in a dizzy circle, and went black.

"We all go, dah?" Andrei confirmed with his companions as they scrambled into a waiting van pointed toward the street at the other end of the alley.

"Yes, we ALL go," Todd affirmed, looking to Katya. She nodded agreement. After all, if she could not return to San Francisco, wouldn't Geneva serve as well? Perhaps even better, she thought.

"Your family is waiting for the call. We will be there in one hour. Have them waiting in your car beside the baseball field as we'd discussed. Todd, you understand? For the sake of your family, there must be no hesitation, no backing-out?"

"No backing out, Andrei. Debbie is a strong woman, and the children are smart enough to keep secrets. They will be waiting, and there will be no hesitation!"

"Very good, my young friend. And your mother? What of her?"