Silent Thunder

LISA, she remembered. He hadn't liked it, but he'd accepted the best course and stepped down.

It was strange thinking of him as captain of that sub. She had a sudden memory of the expression on his face as he stood in the control room. Passion. Nostalgia. Power. Hell, perhaps his wife had a right to be jealous of Silent Thunder.

And she shouldn't be sitting here analyzing the mystery of Kirov. The evening had been exhausting and emotional, and she had learned more about the man than she wanted to know. She needed to keep him at a distance, and it would be difficult to do that now that she was beginning to realize how he thought, what made him tick. She stood up and moved toward the bathroom. A shower and then bed. Call Cathy?

No, she had phoned her before they had started for Florida, and it was better to call with a fait accompli than a progress report. Of course, she could tell her about Niler's pretty necklace, and that would really freak her out.

Just go to bed and forget Kirov and Cathy and everything else for a few hours, she thought wearily. Being with Kirov was like living in an exotic third-world country where nothing was comfortable or predictable. Just when she thought she was on solid ground, he pulled the rug out from under her as he had tonight.

But tomorrow, she'd be cool and steady and ready for anything he had in store for her.

Tomorrow…

I haven't found out anything yet, Kirov,' Eugenia said when she answered the call Kirov made when he got back to his room. 'Don't bother me.'

'I'm not nagging. I'm going to send you a picture on my phone. I'm circling the symbol I want you to trace. The rest are navigational symbols.'

'And this one isn't?'

'No. I'm not sure what it is yet.'

'And I'm supposed to find out.' Eugenia sighed. 'Now I'm a decoder?'

'At least try to point me in the right direction. No news?'

'I managed to find out that Pavski's contact in the GRU is Danzyl. He's clever, money-hungry, and lethal. He's looking for a statue.'

'Statue?'

'I thought it was pretty weird. But that's what he's been researching in his computer. I tapped it, and so far he's coming up with nothing. I'm wondering if maybe Pavski found a picture of Heiser in front of a statue. What do you think?'

'It's possible.'

'It's my best guess so far. This afternoon Danzyl went to Heiser's old apartment building. No statue.'

'The symbol will reach you a few minutes after I hang up.' He paused. 'We're running out of time.'

'Okay. Okay. I'll work on it.' She paused. 'It's strange being here this time, Kirov. Lately, when I've come to Moscow, it's been as a high-powered businesswoman. This time I feel… deja vu.' She chuckled. 'Of course, I have been here before and doing these same things. But it seems like another life. At first, I was a little uneasy.'

'And now?'

'I'm beginning to like it. It's exhilarating. I thought I was done with the old life, but there's something about walking on the edge…'

'Not too close to the edge, Eugenia.'

'Never. I like living too much.' She added briskly, 'Now hang up, and I'll study your pretty little symbol. It probably only takes a keen eye and a brilliant mind like mine to make sense of it.'

Kirov smiled as he hung up the phone. Eugenia would probably be up half the night puzzling over the symbol once she saw it. She was curious as a cat.

His smile faded as he looked down at the piece of stationery. He half expected there to be tears on the paper. Hannah's tears.

Stop brooding. He'd done what he'd had to do, dammit. Now get the symbol to Eugenia and try to make the reason for those tears have meaning.

PANAMA CITY

9:00 P.M.

I've logged my fair share of time in car backseats along these beaches.' Niler smiled. 'I far prefer that activity to doing this.'

'Taking a phone call from a mass murderer?' Hannah asked. 'I'd say anything would be preferable.'

They were sitting in the rental car on a lonely stretch of beach as Kirov tested the connection between Niler's cell phone and the three-way splitter he had bought at Radio Shack that afternoon. Niler sat in back, setting up the proxy server connection on Kirov's laptop. He wore a telephone headset, while Kirov and Hannah sat in front wearing simple stereo headphones.

'Remember, Pavski said he may call,' Niler said. 'Koppel wouldn't give me any guarantees.'

'For your sake, I hope he comes through,' Kirov said.

'Was that a threat?'

'Only in an economic sense. The bonus I promised you is riding on it.'

'No guarantees.' Niler leaned back in his seat. 'And I should tell you that I may be moving away after we conclude our business this weekend. You can count me out.'

'You're closing the TNT bar?' Hannah asked.

'I'll sell it. I get offers all the time. You wouldn't believe how many uptight Wall Street moguls dream of retiring and running their own beachfront party bar.'

'Why are you leaving?' Kirov asked.

'I need to get back under the radar. When you two run across one of my bombs and know right where to find me, that tells me something. I've been having a good time here, but it's only a matter of time before my luck will run out. I'm going to disappear into the sunset. Don't you think I-' Niler's cell phone suddenly blared Queen's 'Another One Bites the Dust.'

'You might want to try a new ringtone,' Hannah suggested dryly.

'Shhh.' Niler checked the laptop display screen. 'I think this may be him. Are we ready?'

Hannah and Kirov adjusted their headphones and nodded.

Niler pushed the TALK button. 'Speak to me.'

'You're the one who insisted on this conversation,' the caller said impatiently. 'Perhaps you should speak to me.'

Russian accent, sharp, precise enunciation. Pavski. The knowledge that he was on the other end of the line made Hannah's chest tighten. She glanced at Kirov.

His grim expression confirmed it.

'I've had a few problems lately,' Niler said. 'A few seconds- and thirds-in-command have been placing orders without their bosses' okay, and I've had trouble collecting payments.'

'How foolish,' Pavski said. 'It's not a good idea to anger some-one in your profession.'

'I took care of the problem. Anyway, I recognize your voice. Your package will be ready this weekend.'

'No, I want it tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow?'

'Yes. I'm on my way there now. Same plan, same place, just a different day.'

'But your devices aren't ready.'

'Make them ready.'

Niler was clearly flustered. 'It's-It's not that simple. Your man said-'

'Forget what he said. You're talking to me now. That's what you wanted, isn't it? To hear it from me?'

'Yes, but I-'

'Is the deal on or off? Because if you can't deliver, I need to make other arrangements.'

Niler paused. 'I can deliver.'