They walked for a while in silence as Polevoi waited for a sign or a word that Antonov was ready to talk business. Antonov paused before the small structure marking Stalin's grave site.

"You know him?" he asked.

Polevoi shook his head. "I was too far down the party ladder for him to notice me."

Antonov's expression went stern and he muttered tensely. "You were fortunate." Then he stepped on, dabbing a handkerchief at the perspiration forming on the back of his neck.

Polevoi could see his chief was in no mood for small talk, so he came to the point. "We may have a break on the Huckleberry Finn Project."

"We could use one," Antonov said grudgingly.

"One of our agents in New York who is in charge of security for our United Nations workers has turned up missing."

"How does that concern Huckleberry Finn?"

"He disappeared while following Dr. Lugovoy."

"Any possibility he defected?"

"I don't think so."

Antonov stopped in minstep and gave Polevoi a hard stare.

"We'd have a disaster in the making if he went over to the Americans.

"I personally vouch for Paul Suvorov," said Polevoi firmly. "I'd stake my reputation on his loyalty."

"The name is familiar."

"He is the son of Viktor Suvorov, the agriculture specialist."

Antonov seemed appeased. "Viktor is a dedicated party member."

"So is his son," said Polevoi. "If anything, he's overzealous."

"What do you think happened to him?"

"I suspect he somehow passed himself off as one of Lugovoy's staff of psychologists and was taken along with them by Madame Bougainville's men."

"Then we have a security man on the inside."

"An assumption. We have no proof."

"Did he know anything?"

"He was aware of nothing," Polevoi said unequivocally. "His involvement is purely coincinental."

"A mistake to have Dr. Lugovoy watched."

Polevoi took a deep breath. "The FBI keeps a tight collar on our United Nations delegates. If we had allowed Dr. Lugovoy and his team of psychologists to roam freely about New York without our security agents observing their actions, the Americans would have become suspicious.

"So they watch us while we watch ours."

"In the last seven months, three of our people have asked for political asylum. We can't be too careful."

Antonov threw up his hands in a vague gesture. "I accept your argument."

"If Suvorov is indeed with Lugovoy, he will no doubt attempt to make contact and disclose the location of the laboratory facility."

"Yes, but if Suvorov, in his ignorance, makes a stupid move, there is nothing to indicate how that old bitch Bougainville will react."

"She might raise the ante."

"Or worse, sell the President and the others to the highest bidder."

"I can't see that," said Polevoi thoughtfully. "Without Dr. Lugovoy, the project isn't possible."

Antonov made a thin smile. "Excuse my cautious nature, Comrade Polevoi, but I tend to look on the dark side. That way I'm seldom taken by surprise."

"The completion of Lugovoy's experiment is only three days away.