Coercion (38 page)

The Foreign Minister turned from
the panoramic view of Moscow to look Alex in the eye.  “You understand, Alex—that I had to make sure the State’s interests were secure before confiding in you.”

“I do understand.  Of course I’ve been very curious these past two weeks, but since you assured me that Anna would be fine, I wasn’t distraught.  I trust that her condition has not changed?”

“You have my word on that.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, to bring you up to date.  I intend to answer all your questions at this time so that you will never have to ask another one.”  He paused to make sure this message got through, then continued.

“As you know,
Vasily Karpov is dead.”

Alex nodded.  Apparently n
o mention of their biological relationship would be made here.

“
Victor Titov did not get off so easily.”

“Lubyanka?”

“Lubyanka.  I was there when they logged him in.  The warden, Comrade Lebed, was particularly pleased about receiving him.  I’m not sure exactly why that was, but I got the strong impression that he had unresolved business with his father from long ago.  Regardless, I have no doubt that as we speak Victor is receiving the best Lebed has to offer.”

Alex nodded.  He would have to examine his thoughts on the
fate of his half-brother later.  Perhaps much later.  The realization that he had the blood of a psychopath coursing through his veins simmered on the back burner of his mind.  He did not want to think about it.

Sugurov removed his glasses and began to clean them with his handkerchief.  “So much for what is awkward for you.  Now we come to what is awkward for me.  Before I tell you that, I should say that when I am done, I hope that we can still be friends.  I will understand, however, if you feel that we can not.”

Alex felt his throat turn dry as a sense of foreboding reverberated along his spine.

“Four months ago, the helicopter piloted by my Deputy and carrying my Chief of Staff, crashed in the mountains southeast of Novosibirsk. 
My Deputy, Leo Antsiferov, died in the crash.  My Chief of Staff, Andrey Demerko, walked away.”

Alex drew a deep breath
as he thought back to the man who had saved his life and the ultimate sacrifice he had made.

“After the crash, Andrey found
documents in Leo’s briefcase that outlined something horrible.  That something is what we now call the Karpov conspiracy.

“We found Victor Titov’s fingerprint, but the only name mentioned in the documents was
the code name Knyaz.  Even without specific names, however, it was clear from those documents that the conspiracy ran very high, so high that even at my level I did not know who could be trusted—who was Knyaz, and who was not.  If they had recruited my own Deputy…”  Sugurov shrugged.

“To make matters worse,
the fragile yet volatile state of Russian politics combined with the fledgling status of our economy made this the absolute worst time to stir things up.  Even without the destabilizing force of the Knyaz, we knew that President Gorbachev was at risk of being toppled at any time.  And we knew that if he fell it would be a tragedy of historic proportions—for our country, and for the world.  The bottom line, Alex, was that we were looking at a ticking bomb we could neither attempt to disarm nor afford to ignore.”

“So you came to me?”

Sugurov nodded.  “If an American were caught meddling in Russian affairs, the scandal would pull the people of Russia together, unite us against a common enemy.  Whereas if the government of Russia were discovered conducting a witch hunt among its own, it could blow the country apart.”

“Why me?”

“I can’t tell you exactly.  I left the details and the implementation up to Andrey.  He enjoyed my full trust and confidence.  Andrey came to me convinced that you were the best man for the job, and I accepted his judgment.  Now it’s clear that he was right.  I doubt there was anyone else who could have done what you did, Alex.”

“Still, how did you find me?  Was it my CIA file?”

“I’m sure that played a role, but it would have taken more than that.  Andrey was not a gambler.”

Alex paused. 
It didn’t really matter how they found him, did it?  Not in light of subsequent events
.  “But I got involved because of the death of my brother, and it was Jason who killed—”   Alex’s heart moved into his throat, cutting off his voice.

“It was
Jason who killed Frank.  He pulled the trigger.  But we set Jason up.  Andrey broke into Frank’s house and sent an e-mail to Jason from Frank’s computer.  It said.  ‘I know who you really are.  Come by my house tomorrow evening, and we’ll see what we can work out.’  The next day Jason did what we knew he would do.”

Alex looked up at Sugurov, aware that there were tears in his eyes.  “And the Puzzler entry?”

“Andrey planted it.  It was insurance.  He was afraid you might catch Jason without learning about the Knyaz, so we had to direct you toward Jason through Elaine.  Meanwhile, Andrey kept a watchful eye on you and Jason.”

“The loose wire on the car bomb...”

“That was Andrey.”

“I won’t make excuses for what we did, Alex.  As we saw it, there was no other choice.”

“Well, I certainly can’t question your conviction,” Alex said, thinking of Andrey.  Then his thoughts shifted to a question that had been eating at him these past two weeks.  “You still haven’t explained to me how you ended up at the church that night.”

“Aah yes.  I believe you Americans like to say, ‘what goes around, comes around.’  Well it did.  Some time ago an accountant stumbled across Karpov’s financing scheme—the details of which aren’t important.”  Sugurov’s tone on the last part of the sentence indicated he did not want to get into that discussion.  “Karpov killed her.
”

“Her father, already a widower and now further devastated by the loss of his only
child, somehow figured out that Vasily was responsible.  He went looking for a chance to extract his revenge.  He found that opportunity when he found you … bringing you breakfast.”

“The friendly eye at the peep hole?”

“That would be he.”

Alex found the wherewithal to smile.

Sugurov put his glasses back on.  “I lost track of you after Andrey was killed.  Since I couldn’t conduct an outright search, I set up a passive search.  I called the police and border patrols to request that they inform me immediately of any incidents involving Americans—for diplomatic reasons you understand.  A week later, a call came in from the Chief of Police in Novosibirsk.  He told me of an old man who had gone to the US Consulate to report an American being secretly held by the KGB.  I flew to meet Mr. Orlov, got his story, and then came for you.”

“Unbelievable.  And just in the nick of time.”  A switch clicked on in Alex’s head.  “Did you follow us that night in a helicopter?”

“Right again.”

“Wow.  So much information … so many opportunities for things to have gone wrong, terribly wrong.”  Alex began shaking his head and then stopped to look up at Sugurov.  “Tell me, Minister, did you ever give up hope?”

“No, Alex, I never did.  Guys like Karpov can’t go on forever.”

THE END

Alex watched little Kimberly
skip his way, her pigtails flopping to and fro as she left tiny footprints in the shimmering sand.

“What are you smiling at?”  Elaine asked.

“I don’t know.  Guess I’m just kind of excited about the prospect of having a little girl of my own some day.”

“
I’m glad to hear that Alex—and I’m sure Anna will be too.  How much longer?”

“She lands in—”

Alex’s cell phone chirped as he looked at his watch.  He mouthed “three hours” as he flipped the phone open.  “Alex Ferris.”

“Please come up to the bar, Alex.”

“What?”

“The bar.  I’m waiting for you.”

“…  Minister Sugurov?”

“Call me Pavel.”

Alex gave a shrug to Elaine and did a slow jog across the burning sand and up the cliff-side staircase to The Crane’s Nest.  Arriving at the picturesque watering hole, he saw that it was not Georgio behind the bar.  In his place stood a pale elderly man with the distinguished face of an accomplished diplomat but the sunglasses and faded fishing hat of a beach bum.

“You’re blending right in there, Pavel.”

“Just one of those things I always wanted to try.  Actually, my fantasy job when things were especially tough at the Ministry was bartender-in-Tahiti, but Barbados will do.”

“Speaking of your job and despite all appearances, something tells me you’re on the clock?”

Sugurov smiled.  “How are you doing, Alex?”

“I suspect you have a pretty good idea how I’m doing, Pavel.”  Alex had been tripping over Russian agents ever since leaving Gorky Eight, three months earlier.  He understood why the surveillance was necessary, but it annoyed him all the same.

“Aah, yes.  You understand we just wanted to make sure that you adjusted satisfactorily.  No post-traumatic stress disorder or whatnot.”

“How kind of you,” Alex replied in monotone.

“Now that I see you’re doing well, I’m sure the courtesy won’t be necessary any more.”

“Thank you.”

Sugurov pushed the sunglasses down to the end of his nose.  “Yes, well I understand you’ve got some company arriving this evening?”

“Fancy you should know that.  Yes, Anna’s flight arrives in three hours.”  Then the light went on in Alex’s head.  The fact that Anna’s passport application had suddenly been approved was linked to the decision to cancel the surveillance.  Alex knew he was lucky to get away with just three months, lucky to have the Foreign Minister as an ally, but it burned
nonetheless.

Sugurov undoubtedly saw the realization dawn on Alex’s face, but did not comment.  “I’m going back on the same plane.”

“Quick trip.”

“Just a stop over from New York.”

“I’m guessing you have something more to tell me.”

Sugurov looked aside and smiled.  “
I thought you might also like to be among the first to know that Andrey Demerko has been posthumously named Hero of the Soviet Union.  The way things are going, he could well be the last.  Anyhow, it means that his family will be well provided for.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”  Alex looked down at the sand between his toes.  “What about Leo?”

“His untimely death, tragic though it was, probably ultimately saved our nation.  Unfortunately, only a few people will ever know the truth, and his family cannot be among them.  That revelation will have to wait until the hereafter.”

“I figured as much.”  Alex
leaned against a bar stool and gave Sugurov an appraising stare.  “You seem to have gotten religion, Minister.”

Sugurov’s pale face reddened.  “Karpov brought us so close to the edge…”

“But for the grace of God,” Alex finished.

Sugurov removed his sunglasses to focus on Alex with his crystal-clear eyes.  “I fear I do have one bit of disturbing news to deliver.  Victor Titov
has escaped from the Lubyanka.”

Alex closed his eyes for a long second, but did not comment.

“We’re not exactly sure how he did it—this is a first—but we know he had help.”

They were quiet while Alex absorbed the news.  Finally
Alex asked, “What condition was Victor in when he escaped?”

“He’s missing his left eye now.  Other than that, the physical damage should heal.  Psychologically…”
Sugurov shrugged.

“I see.”

Sugurov nodded toward Elaine down on the beach below.  “You certainly travel in style.”

It was Alex’s turn to blush. 
I inherited Frank’s stock options.  They are paying off nicely now that the sabotage has stopped.  Anyhow, I thought it appropriate to share the wealth.”

Sugurov nodded his approval.  “It was a great idea you had, having Elaine meet personally with the
American Peitho victims last month to deliver the good news.  Thank you again for ensuring that there was no hint of Russian involvement.”

“My pleasure.”

“Well, I guess that’s it then…”  Sugurov trailed off and began nodding to himself.

Alex raised his eyebrows.

“It seems you’ve finally achieved what all of us want but few truly possess, Alex.”

“What’s that?”

“Freedom.”