At the train station, they split up so as to be less conspicuous, and bought their tickets to Moscow separately. Once on the train, they would regroup.

“Keep your eyes on the ground. Don’t make eye contact with anyone. Don’t look at police,” Lance said. “Don’t look at each other. Just keep to yourself and get on the train quietly.”

Lance kept an eye on everyone at the train station. He bought his ticket last and then went to the platform. It was fairly busy, the Trans-Siberian to Moscow was an overnight service and an important connection.

He scanned the crowd and found Sofia first. She was sitting on a bench in an outfit that Lance thought was strangely old fashioned for a woman like her. She had the collar up on her coat and was keeping her head down, eyes to the ground, like he’d told her.

In the other direction he found Olga, similarly dressed, also keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact.

Vasily should have been the easiest to spot with his big frame and mane of black hair, but Lance didn’t see him on the platform. He looked at his watch. It was five minutes until the train arrived. He got up and walked up and down the platform. Both Olga and Sofia looked right at him as he passed, which he’d told them not to.

Vasily wasn’t on the platform.

He checked the station’s clock. Just two minutes now, according to it, and the display said the train was running on schedule.

People were beginning to get up from their seats in anticipation of its arrival.

Something wasn’t right. Vasily should have been there.

Lance checked his gun and looked at the clock a last time. One minute until the train arrived.

He took the steps down from the platform to the tunnel that passed under all the tracks. It had steps leading back up to each platform. He was at the last platform and looked down the length of the tunnel back in the direction of the station. It was completely empty.

He started running along he tunnel, checking each set of steps as he passed. Most were empty. In one he saw a couple making out. In another, a woman struggling to get a heavy suitcase up the stairs.

In the next he saw three men. Two were police officers, and they were arguing with the third, who was Vasily.

“Hey,” Lance said.

As the first cop turned, Lance caught him in the groin with his knee, then knocked him out with a blow to the back of the head. Vasily got the second cop with a punch to the face, then finished him with his knee.

“What are you doing?” Lance said. “You’re going to miss the train.”

“I’m not getting on the train.”

“What?”

“I’ve got some unfinished business here.”

“What unfinished business?”