would all like to have my； shall we say； guardian angel？ Why； an army of men with my talent would be quite invulnerable！
〃So you see how important I am。 And yet what am I but a shrunken little man； whose lifespan is destined to be short？ And so while I live I want power。 I want to be great； for however short a span。 And because it will be short； I want it now。〃
〃And with Krakovitch gone； you'll be the boss here。〃 Dolgikh nodded。
Gerenko smiled his withered smile。 〃That for a start。 But then es the integration of E…Branch and the KGB。 Brezhnev would be against it； of course； but alas the Party Leader is rapidly being a mumbling； crumbling cretin。 He can't last long。 And Andropov； because he is strong； has many enemies。 How long will he last； do you think？ Which means that eventually； possibly； even probably …〃
〃You'll have it all！〃 Dolgikh could see the logic…of it。 〃But by then； surely； you too will have made enemies。 Leaders always climb to the top over the bodies of dead leaders。〃
〃Ah！〃 Gerenko's smile was sly； cold； and not entirely sane。 〃But this time it will be different。 What do I care for enemies？ Sticks and stones will not break my bones！ And I shall weed them out； one by one； until there are no more。 And I shall die small and wrinkled； but also great and very powerful。 So whatever you do； Theo Dolgikh； make sure you're my friend； not my enemy。 。
Dolgikh said nothing for a moment but let all that Gerenko had said sink in。 The man was obviously a megalomaniac！ Tactfully； Dolgikh changed the subject。 〃You said there'd likely be more work for me。 What sort of work？〃
〃As soon as we are sure that we can learn everything we desire to know from Alec Kyle； then Krakovitch； his man Gulharov； and the other British agent； Quint； will bee quite expendable。 At the moment； when Krakovitch wants something done； he speaks to me and I in turn pass on his request to Brezhnev。 Not directly to Brezhnev but through one of his men…a mere lackey； but a powerful lackey。 The Party Leader is keen on E…Branch and so Krakovitch usually gets what he wants。 Witness this unheard of liaison between British and Soviet espers！
〃But of course I'm also working for Andropov。 He； too； knows everything that is happening。 And he has already instructed me that when the time es you are the tool I shall throw…into Krakovitch's machinery。 E…Branch has been soundly beaten； almost destroyed； by INTESP once before。 Brezhnev wants to know how and why； and so does Andropov。 We had a mighty weapon in Boris Dragosani； but their weapon； a youth called Harry Keogh； was mightier。 What gave him his power？ What were his powers？ And right now： we know that with the aid of INTESP Krakovitch has destroyed something in Romania。 I have been through Krakovitch's files and I think I know what he destroyed： the same thing which gave Dragosani his powers！ Krakovitch sees it as a great evil； but I see it only as another tool。 A powerful weapon。 That is why the British are so eager to help Krakovitch：
the fool is systematically destroying a possible route for future Soviet supremacy！〃
〃Then he's a traitor？〃 Dolgikh's eyes narrowed。 The Soviet Union was all。 Power struggles within the structure were only to be expected； but treachery of this sort was something else。 〃No。〃 Gerenko shook his head。 〃He's a dupe。 Now listen： At this very moment Krakovitch； Gulharov and Quint are stalled at a crossing…point on the Moldavian horder。 I organised that through Andropov。 I know where they want to go； and very shortly I'll be sending you to deal with them there。 When exactly rather depends on how much we get from Kyle。 But in any case we must stop them from doing any more damage。 Which means that time is of the essence； they can't be stalled forever； and soon must be allowed to proceed。 Also； they know the location of whatever it is they're seeking； and we do not。 Not yet。 Tomorrow morning you will be there to follow them to their destination； their ultimate destination。 At least I hope so。 。
Dolgikh frowned。 〃They've destroyed something； you say？ And they'll do it again？ What sort of something？〃
〃If you had been in time to follow them into the Romanian hills； you'd probably have seen for yourself。 But don't worry about it。 Let it suffice that this time they mustn't succeed。〃
As Gerenko finished speaking his telephone rang。 He lifted it to his ear…and his expression at once became wary； alert。 〃rade Krakovitch！〃 he said。 〃I was begin…fling to worry about you。 I had expected to hear from you before now。 Are you in Chernovtsy？〃 He looked pointedly across his desk at Dolgikh。
Even from where he sat； Dolgikh could hear the angry； tinny clatter of Krakovitch's distant voice。 Gerenko began to blink rapidly and a nervous tic jerked the corner of his mouth。
Finally； when Krakovitch was finished； he said； 〃Listen； rade。 Ignore that stupid frontier guard。 He isn't worth losing your temper over。 Just stay exactly where you are and in a few minutes I shall have full authorisation phoned through。 But first let me speak to that idiot。〃
He waited a moment； until he heard the slightly tremulous； inquiring voice of the border official； and then very quietly said； 〃Listen。 Do you recognise my voice？ Good！ In approximately ten minutes I shall phone again and tell you I am the missioner for Frontier Control in Moscow。 Ensure that you and you alone answer the phone； and that you can't be overheard。 I will order you to let rade Krakovitch and his friends through； and you will do so。 Do you understand？〃
〃Oh； yes； rade！〃
〃If Krakovitch should ask you what I have just said； tell him I was shouting at you and calling you a fool。〃
〃Yes； of course； rade。〃
〃Good！〃 Gerenko put the phone down。 He looked at Dolgikh。 〃As I was saying； I couldn't hold them up forever。 Already this affair is growing clumsy； being embarrassing。 But even though they'll now go through to Chernovtsy； they can do nothing tonight。 And tomorrow you'll be there to stop them doing anything。〃
Dolgikh nodded。 〃Do you have any suggestions？〃
〃In what respect？〃
〃About how it should be done？ If Krakovitch is a traitor； it seems to me that the easiest way of dealing with this would be …〃
〃No！〃 Gerenko cut him off。 〃That would be hard to prove。 And he has the ear of the Party Leader； remember？ We must never leave ourselves open to question in this matter。〃 He tapped a finger on his desk； gave the problem a moment's thought。 〃Ah！ I think I may have it。 I have called Krakovitch a dupe…so let it appear。 Let Carl Quint be the guilty party！ Arrange it so that he can be blamed。 Let it be seen that the British espers came into Russia to discover what they could of E…Branch； and to kill its head。 Why not？ They've damaged the branch before； haven't they？ But on this occasion Quint will err and bee a fatality of his own strategy。〃
〃Good！〃 said Dolgikh。 〃I'm sure I'll work something out along those lines。 And…of course I'll be the only witness 。 。
Light footsteps sounded and Zek Foener appeared on the office threshold。 She merely glanced coldly at Dolgikh； then fixed her gaze on Gerenko。 〃Kyle is a goldmine…the sane part of him； anyway！ There is nothing he doesn't know； and he's releasing it in a flood。 He even knows a good many…too many…things about us。 Things I didn't know。 Fantastic things。。。〃 Suddenly she looked tired。
Gerenko nodded。 〃Fantastic things？ I had supposed that they would be。 Is that why you think he's partly insane？ That his mind is playing him tricks？ Believe me； it isn't！ Do you know what they destroyed in Romania？〃
She nodded。 〃Yes； but。。。 it's hard to believe。 I …〃
Gerenko held up a warning hand。 She understood； felt caution emanating from him。 Theo Dolgikh was not to know。 Like most of the other espers at the Chateau； Foener hated the KGB。 She nodded； and kept her silence。
Gerenko spoke again。 〃And is it the same sort of thing that lies hidden in the mountains beyond Chernovtsy？〃
Again she nodded。
〃Very well。〃 Gerenko smiled without emotion。 〃And now； my dear； you must return to your work。 Give it total priority。〃
〃Of course；〃 she answered。 〃I only came away while they were dosing him again。 And because I need a break from。。。〃 She shook her head dazedly。 Her eyes were wide； bright with strange new knowledge。 〃rade； this thing is utterly …〃
Again Gerenko held up his child's hand in warning。 〃I know。〃
She nodded； turned and left； her footsteps a little uncertain on the descending stone stairs。
〃What was all that about？〃 Dolgikh was mystified。
〃That was the joint death certificate of Krakovitch； Gulharov and Quint；〃 Gerenko answered。 〃Actually； Quint was the only one who might have been useful…but no longer。 Now you can get on your way。 Is the branch helicopter ready for you？〃
Dolgikh nodded。 He began to stand up； then frowned and said； 〃First tell me； what will happen to Kyle when you are finished with him？ I mean； I'll take care of that other pair of traitors； and the British esper； Quint； but what of Kyle？ What will bee of him？〃
Gerenko raised his eyebrows。 〃I thought that was obvious。 When we have what we want； everything we want； then we'll dump him in the British zone in Berlin。 There he'll simply die； and their best doctors won't know why。〃