hurled his glass across the room. It shattered against the wall. "Godamn itl" Taleniekov bolted forward, his right hand under his coat. "What is it?" "You're right and I do know it. He trusts me and I've got to kill him.
It'll be days before the British will know where to start. Neither MI-Six nor the Foreign Office know anything about the Connaught." The KGB man removed his hand, sliding it on to the arm of the chair. "We need the time. I don't thank there's any other way." "If there is, I hope to God it comes to me." Bray shook his head. "I'm sick to death of necessity." He looked over at the bedroom door. "But then she told me that." "The rest is detail," continued Talemekov, rushing the moment. "I'll have an automobile on the street outside the entrance. The moment I'm finished-if, indeed, there's anything for me to do--I'll come inside and help you. It will be necessary, of course, to take the dead man along with Waverly. Remove him." "The dead man has no name," said Scofield quietly. He, got out of the chair and walked to the window. "Has it occurred to you that the closer we get, the more like them we become?" "What occurs to me," replied the Russian, "is that your strategy is nothing short of extraordinary. Not only will we have a consigliere of the Matarese, but what a consigherel The Foreign Secretary of Englaudl Have you any idea what that means? We'll break that man wide open, and the world will listen. It will be forced to listeal" Taleniekov paused, then added softly, "What you've done lives up to the stories of Beowulf Agate." "Bullshit," mid Bray. "I hate that name." The moan was, sudden, bursting into a prolonged sob, followed by a cry of pain, muffled, uncertain, desperate. Scofield raced into the bedroom. Toni was writhing on the bed, her hands clawing her face, her legs kicking viciously at imaginary demons that surrounded her. Bray sat down and pulled her hands from her face, gently, firmly, bending each finger so that the nails would not puncture her skiii. He pinned her arms and held her, cradling her as he had cradled her in Rome. Her cries subsided, replaced once more by sobs; she shivered, her breathing erratic, slowly returning to normal as her rigid body went limp. The first hysterics brought about by the dissipation of scopolamine had passed. Scofield heard footsteps in the doorway; he angled his head to signify that he was listening.
"It will keep up until morning, you know," said the KGB man. "it leaves the body slowly, with a great deal of pain. As much from the images in the mind as anything else. There's nothing you can do. Just hold her." "I know. I will." There was a moment of silence; Bray could feel the Russian's eyes on him, on Antonia. "I'll leave now," Taleniekov said. "I'll call you here at noon, come up later in the day. We can refiae the details then, coordinate signals, that kind of thing." "Sure. That kind of thing. Where'll you go? You can stay here, if you like." 'I think not. As in Paris, there are dozens of places here. I know them as well as you do. Besides, I must find a car, study the streets. Nothing takes the place of preparation, does it?" "No, it doesn't." "Good night. Take care of her." "I'll try." Footsteps again-, the Russian walked out of the room. Scofield spoke. "Taieniekov." "Yes?" "I'm sorry about Leningrad." "Yes." Again there was silence; then the words were spoken quietly. "Thank you." The outside door closed; he was alone with his love. He lowered her to the pillow and touched her face. So Wogical, so unreasonable. Why did I find you? Why did you find me? You should have left me where I was-deep in the earth. It isn't the time for either of us, can't you understand that? les all so... uncalled for.
It was as if his thoughts had been spoken out loud. Toni opened her eyes, the focus imperfect, the recognition slight, but she knew him. Her lips formed his name, the sound a whisper.
$,Bray?" "You'll be all right. They didn't hurt you. The pain you feel is from chemicals; it will pass, believe that." "You came back." "Yes.,, "Don't go away again, pleme. Not without me."
Her eyes suddenly widened, the stare glazed, her white teeth bared like a young animal's