Snow Wolf (76 page)

"What price?"

"Both our lives."

Stanski hesitated, then shook his head.
"Me, I figured on dying anyway. But this isn't your battle."

"You're wrong. It's as much mine as
yours. You and I, we're two sides of the same coin. We can both repay
everything that happened to us. Stalin has an appointment with death. It's an
appointment long overdue, I'm going to make sure he keeps it."

"What about your wife? The child
she's carrying? You can't do that."

"I must, And you can't do what I
have in mind without me. Your friends might still make it to the border with
Lebel. The colonel I told you about, Romulka, may suspect that Lebel's train
will be used, and try to stop it. But if things go the way I plan, the entire
Moscow KGB will be in chaos and your friends just may get away in the
confusion. It's the only chance they have, however small. I'll see to it they
get on board safely. Nadia can go with them. After tonight, I'm dead anyway.
Staying in Russia, Nadia stands no chance. Going with Lebel, she may make it
over the border."

Stanski looked at him intently.
"You're sure about this?"

"I've never been more certain about
anything in my life."

Lukin paused. His voice became firm.
"But one condition. It's best Nadia doesn't know what we're going to do.
Or why we're doing it. She'll be confused enough as it is. As far as she's
concerned, I caught you, but we've come to a mutual understanding. I've allowed
Anna and your friends to escape and you've agreed in return for her to go with
them because of the risk to her life. You make sure your friends tell her I'll
be joining her later in Finland. Make sure they tell her that. She'll worry
less. But you don't tell any of them about our past. They'd never believe it,
and things are confusing enough for them as it is."

"So what do I tell them?"

"That I've failed Beria and my life
is at risk. And now we've reached an accommodation in return for letting your
friends escape."

"You think they'll believe it?"

"I don't see why not. Anna and Lebel
know I'm finished after releasing them. They know what Beria's capable of and
that Nadia's life would be in danger because of what I've done." He
hesitated. "There's something else I want to do before the train leaves.
Something important."

"What?"

Lukin told him. Stanski's forehead
creased in thought as he sat there in the cold night, as if trying to take it
all in. Lukin said finally, "So, brother, do you agree?"

"You know, I never thought I'd be
glad I didn't kill you when I had the chance."

Lukin smiled, a sad smile. "Maybe it
was fate."

Suddenly Stanski seemed to crumple and
his shoulders sagged, a lifetime of hardened anguish peeled away, as if his
soul was exposed. He said, "God, Petya ... it's good to see you
again."

Lukin put a hand on his shoulder, then
embraced him.

As they sat together the snow started to
fall more heavily, drifting against the silver birch trees. Beyond the far bank
of the frozen river the lights of Moscow were dying slowly. The whole city
seemed to be growing still in the cottony silence.

After a long time Stanski seemed to
compose himself, wiped his face, looked across at Lukin and asked, "So
tell me, how do we kill Stalin?"

Henri Lebel sat uncomfortably at the
window of the deserted station house outside Moscow, smoking a cigarette and
staring out worriedly beyond the thickly falling snow.

The man who stood beside Lebel was
painfully thin and had a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He
wore a greasy cap and a train driver's overalls under a filthy overcoat, and
there was a troubled expression on his face as he wiped his hands with an oily
rag.

A train stood waiting on the tracks
outside, its black paintwork muddied, a limp plume of smoke rising from its
funnel.

The man said, "For a while there you
had me worried, Henri. When I didn't get your call yesterday as we arranged I
phoned your hotel. They said you hadn't arrived in Moscow. Then you call me at
the last minute and tell me everything's still on as we agreed. And now I find
you hobbling about like you need crutches. Mind telling me what's going
on?"

Lebel was barely enjoying his first smoke
in three days. Lukin had given him another shot of morphine, and the pain in
his crotch had subsided, replaced by a feeling of numbness. But he was barely
able to walk, and really he needed rest and a decent doctor. But both would
have to wait for now. He brushed a fleck of ash from his sable coat and turned
to the man.

"Forget it, Nicolai. Let's just say
I had a rather unpleasant experience, but I'm here now," He looked at the
cheap makkorka cigarette with distaste. "You could have found me something
better than this Bolshevik firecracker."

"They're good enough for me."

"With the money you earn from me you
ought to be smoking Havanas. What time is it?"

The man consulted his watch. "Almost
one. Your friends are cutting it a bit fine. You're sure they'll come? If they
don't they'll save us both a lot of bother."

Lebel fixed him with a stare.
"They'll come. Just don't forget our agreement."

"Hey, have I ever let you down? But
whether they appear or not, I still get my money, that was what we
agreed."

"You'll get your reward, Nicolai.
Just as soon as the goods are delivered."

At that moment the headlights of a car
swept up to the right of the station house and Lebel's heart skipped. Stanski
stepped out of' the BMW, followed by Lukin, still wearing his KGB uniform.

When Nicolai saw the uniform the
cigarette dropped from his mouth and he said with horror, "On Lenin's life
... what the fuck's going on?"

"Nothing for you to worry about.
Relax, Nicolai, your passengers have arrived."

"Relax? In case you hadn't noticed,
that's a KGB uniform your friend's wearing." Lebel said wearily,
"Help me up." Nicolai eased him to his feet and the Frenchman said,
"Wait here."

He opened the station house door and
hobbled out. He hadn't gone very far when Stanski crossed the platform to meet
him and said, "Everything's in order?"

"I haven't told the driver about our
new arrangement yet. I thought it best to wait until you came. Something tells
me Nicolai isn't going to like it. How has Major Lukin's wife taken the
news?"

Stanski glanced back toward the car where
Lukin was helping the other passengers out. His wife took his arm shakily as
she stepped from the car clutching a single small suitcase, looking totally
lost.

"She's bewildered to say the least,
and upset. But that's to be expected."

At that moment they heard a door bang and
the train driver came marching across the platform toward Lebel.

"Henri, what the fuck's going on
here ... ?"

Stanski said briskly, "A change of
plan. You have two extra passengers."

The driver's face turned red with anger
and he glared at Lebel. "This wasn't our agreement. Two was the limit. You
want to Get me put up against a wall?"

"Nicolai, I'm afraid the situation's
changed."

"You can say that again. The deal's
off. No way do I go along with this." Lebel said, "Listen to me,
Nicolai. The only way you're going to get your money is to take the extra
people along. Besides, I'll see there's a bonus in it for you."

."it wasn't what we agreed. And our
lives are on the line quite enough as it is. I may never get to spend the
money. Don't fuck with me, Henri. I haven't got the time or the patience. The
train's already behind schedule. I take two people, no more, take it or leave
it. What do you think I'm running here, a fucking wooden horse of Troy?"

"Ten thousand rubles more as soon as
everyone's safely over the border. I guarantee it. That's a lot of champagne
and underwear for your girlfriend in Karelia."

Nicolai seemed to hesitate, then he
looked over at the green BMW as the uniformed KGB major ushered more passengers
out of the back, but in the slanting snow the driver couldn't see their faces.

"Who are they?"

"Your passengers, that's all you
need to know. Three women and a child."

"This is starting to sound like a
widows and orphans outing. Children are trouble. What happens if the border
guards decide to take a look at the carriage and the kid starts crying?"

"if you've done your job and bribed
them as usual, they shouldn't. Besides, the child will be given a sedative.
She'll sleep all the way through."

Nicola looked doubtful and shook his
head. "It's still too big a risk." He jerked his chin at Stanski.
"And who might this be?"

Stanski produced a KGB identity card from
his pocket and flashed it at the driver.

"Someone who's about to save your
life, comrade." He looked over toward the BMW, as Lukin led the others
toward the platform. "The man you see over there is a colleague of mine,
Major Lukin." Stanski paused for effect. "He knows all about your
little smuggling operation. In fact, until Monsieur Lebel and I intervened, he
wanted to arrest YOU."

Nicolai turned even paler and looked at
Lebel in alarm. "You bastard. You said I had nothing to worry about."

You don't so long as you do as you're
told," Stanski interrupted. "One of the passengers is an agent of
ours we want transported to the west. You leave her behind and I personally
guarantee to have you up against a wall and shot before morning.

Nicolai's face drained completely of
color as he looked helplessly at Lebel.

Lebel said, "It's true, I'm
afraid."

"Then tell me exactly what's going
on." Stanski said, "That's a matter of state security and none of
your business. You'll proceed as normal with the transport and give no
indication, as usual, of your hidden cargo. Fail us, and you'll suffer the
consequences. You think you can do that?"

Nicolai crumpled and sighed. "I
don't have much choice, do I?"

Stanski turned and crossed the platform
smartly toward the others.

Lebel said, "Relax, Nicolai. Look on
the bright side."

"Which is?"

"Now you're working for the
KGB."

Stanski stood on the platform, Lebel
beside him as they watched Nicolai slide open the door of one of the goods
trucks. He stepped inside carrying a steel crowbar and a bag of tools.

Lebel said, "It shouldn't take him
long to loosen the floorboards. He's already vented the wood so they won't
suffocate. Your friends will be able to come out once we have a clear run to
the border, but they'll have to go back in hiding before we cross the
checkpoint. That is, assuming we make it that far."

"Give me a cigarette."

Lebel handed Stanski a cigarette and
looked over at the group huddled on the platform beside the open carriage.
Lukin was embracing his wife and Lebel saw that the woman was crying. Next to
them Anna Khorev was holding her daughter tightly in her arms as irena fussed
over the child.

Lebel said, "Your lady-friend I know
about, but who's the little girl?"

Stanski struck a match against one of the
station pillars and lit his cigarette. "Her daughter. The child was in a
KGB or phanage. Major Lukin just forged Beria's signature to release her."
Lebel said palely, "My God, this gets worse by the minute."

"After what happened tonight it's
hardly going to matter much."

"Let's hope you're right."

"You did the favor I asked?"

Lebel took a set of car keys from his
pocket and handed them to Stanski. "All I could manage was a blue Emka
van.

One of my contacts from the Trade
Ministry who owed me a favor left it parked and waiting where you said. He
won't report it stolen until tomorrow morning."

"Thanks. What about the train? Can
you manage that too?"

"Slightly more risky. We halt at a
station named Klin, an hour out from Moscow, to hook on a cargo of coal for
Helsinki.

That shouldn't take more than an hour.
Nicolai ought to be able to stretch it to two taking on water for the engine
and attending'

to some imaginary repairs, but he won't
be able to delay much longer than that. Otherwise, the railway authorities may
get Suspicious. So if you're going to join us, I suggest you don't delay.

"Try to stretch the halt as long as
you can." Lebel said glumly, "I think we've stretched matters quite
far enough as it is, don't you?"

Stanski tossed away his cigarette.
"Cheer up, Henri. You're still breathing. It could be a lot worse."

"After this, I'll never see Moscow
again. Not that I ever want to. I suppose there's some compensation if Irena is
free, if we live long enough to enjoy it. Do you really think we'll still make
it to Helsinki?"

"It's a chance worth taking when you
consider the alternative."