Snow Falcon

would be asleep, or reading. He was one of them, and they opened the door of the bedside cabinet. He took out a sketch plan made from his own observations of the castle, and a large-scale map of the surroundings of the Lahtilinna. The problem of making his escape had begun to concern him in an immediate, pressing way, so that when he thought of it, as he seemed to do with increasing frequency, his palms seemed to grow damp, his whole body just that infinitesimal amount of his control.

He began to recite to himself, using the sketch-plan, the litany of moves that would end with the assassination of Khamovkhin.

The mere presence of Defence Minister Druzhinin and Chief of the General Staff Pavoletskii in his spacious office gave Yuri Andropov a renewed sense of authority, command. He perceived that his worst moments during the past days had come while he was alone — without the challenge of possible enemies or the satisfying obedience of subordinates. The two men before him now, both elderly and in uniform, might be enemies — though he did not think so — but since they were tangible and present, they could give no more sense of threat than their bulk, or medals or features.

And they looked old, and rather ordinary, with turkey-necks of loose skin just above the collars of their green uniforms, just above the V-shapes of their rows of medals, and framed by the heavy square shoulder-boards. Gold rank, green cloth, and the bronze and gold of medals. There they were, he thought — his reaction was tinged with contempt — the old stories — both of them wearing the medal commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Soviet Army, both of them the medal for Heroic Work during the Great War of the Motherland; both with the medal for the Liberation of Berlin. Pavoletskii with the Medal for Valour, and the Medal for the Defence of Leningrad — Druzhinin with the Medal for Battle Merit, and the Defence of the Caucasus.

Parade uniforms, parade minds, parade behaviour. Old soldiers. He weighed his words carefully.

'It is necessary, at this time, to stand down certain of the border units — especially those that have undertaken unauthorised movements and dispositions during the past week.' He watched their faces, just as Kapustin, standing a little way behind the two soldiers, watched him. Andropov was already assessing future loyalties. His remarks had challenged the two visitors to take sides, declare themselves.

It was Pavoletskii who spoke first. He cleared his throat as if the words stuck there.

1 speak personally, Chairman Andropov,' he began, glancing at his companion, 'When I say that I learn with surprise, even horror, of the charges you have levelled against certain senior officers in the Soviet Army — '

'And I — ' Druzhinin interrupted, but as if on cue, 'I am saddened to hear of the — accidents — that have befallen those same officers who have fallen under suspicion from the security Then there was a silence. Andropov felt an unexpected anger welling in him, and pressed his palms on his thighs, as if to restrain the emotion. But he was unable to prevent his outburst. The anger forced his body forward, made his face thin with rage.

'He is one of you! Gorochenko is one of you — an army man! Don't pretend you didn't know — ' He saw Kapustin's face darken with warning.

'You have no proof that the Deputy Foreign Minister is involved in a conspiracy against the state involving sections of the armed forces,' Druzhinin remarked levelly, his stare seeming to read Andropov's thoughts.

'Proof?' Andropov asked mockingly. 'We have all the proof we require to arrest him for questioning — ' Each of the two soldiers flinched in contempt. 'Now I ask you again — will you issue the necessary orders to units in GSFN and the Red Banner Northern Fleet?'

After an interminable silence, Druzhinin said, 'I will request Marshal Pavoletskii to draw up new dispositions for the units who may have adopted provocative frontier positions.'

'And the Moscow Garrison? Something must be done.'

Pavoletskii's eyes gleamed, and Andropov realised that the dialogue had been rehearsed, that he had been led, rather than been leader, thus far.

'When you have taken Deputy Foreign Minister Gorochenko into custody, then I will order the stand-down of the Garrison and the arrest of Valenkov.'

Suddenly, the furniture of the room, gloomily heavy to eye and hand, seemed unsubstantial to Andropov.

'You refuse?'

'No. There is nothing to accept or refuse. I will comply with your request when I am presented with proof that the Moscow Garrison is involved with Comrade Gorochenko in a conspiracy against the state.'

'Where is Major Vorontsyev, who you say has such proof?' Pavoletskii asked silkily, unsurprised even when Andropov stood up, leaning his weight on white-knuckled hands on the edge of his desk.

'Get out! Get out!' was all he managed to say. The two soldiers, as if the years had lightened, stood up together, put on their caps and saluted like junior officers. Then, as one, they turned to the door, and went out.

Kapustin watched Andropov for a moment. 'You handled that very badly,' he observed.

'Don't tell me that — what are you, a bloody theatre critic?' Andropov screamed, Kapustin took one step towards the desk, then halted as Andropov succumbed completely to his fury. 'They're all in league! Those two, they're just standing back to see who will be the winner! They will watch as you and I are swept away like dirt, or flushed down the lavatory. Don't you understand — they know what's going on! And they will do nothing about it!'

'They will order the invasion troops to stand down from frontier positions. What else did you expect?'

'Valenkov is all that's required for the whole thing to succeed!'

'And I know that. We have to find Gorochenko before tomorrow. And Vorontsyev.'

'Find them, then — find them!' Andropov raged, the sweat bright on his forehead, the light from the window catching his spectacles so that he had no eyes for a moment and looked hollow and incomplete. 'Find them — find them!'

Vorontsyev dialled the unlisted number of the telephone on his own desk in the Frunze Quay office. The glass of the public telephone on Gogol Boulevard fogged swiftly, so that he could no longer see the people waiting at the bus stop, staring up at the public TV screen at the head of the bus queue. The opaque glass of the booth became a mirror of the tension which had built with every step from Gorochenko's house. So far, he had not been followed.

He listened to the ringing of the telephone, his other hand tugging compulsively at the cord as he waited. Then, thankfully, Alevtina answered.

'Office of Major Vorontsyev.'

'Alevtina, can you talk freely? It's me.' The anonymous admission sounded coy and unreal from an SID officer. The girl gasped audibly.

'Major — they've been here,' she stammered. 'Kapustin himself is looking for you. We're supposed to report if — '

'Alevtina, will you help me?' It was a plea. His isolation, his dependence on this single telephone call, assailed him. He was naked before what threatened him, and he could not assume the strength to order or impress. Alevtina was silent for a long time.

'What can I do, Major?' It was not a bluff, or a delay while they put on a trace. Vorontsyev knew it was something more than obedience — and for the first time he was grateful for the girl's romantic feelings towards him, which he had studiously ignored. He was greedy for affection, suddenly.

'I have to have the file — on my father.'

'Your — the Deputy Foreign Minister? I heard there was a panic on, and he was part of it — '

'He is it,' Vorontsyev said slowly. 'Didn't they tell you? He's the ringleader of Group 1917.' 'Oh-my-God,' the girl breathed softly. Vorontsyev envied her the simplicity of the shock.

'Yes. And I have to find him — me, no one else. You understand, Alevtina? I need that file. Is it still there?'

'What — oh, yes. A copy taken by the Deputy Chairman, but there's still our office copy — ' She had retreated into a secretarial neutrality.