The streets of Zurich welcomed me, as though they had been patiently awaited my return. The nearer we got to the Hotel St. Germain the more aware I became of the feelings I'd had since Diltz's call. Curiously, it wasn't fear or anxiety. It was confidence. I knew what I was and knew that I could convince them.

Samas stood beside me before the panel in the grotto. The gallery against the curtain was filled to capacity. Several new faces looked out at me. Poppy's was not among them. Torches crackled above the murmur of voices as the five members of the panel walked out from behind the curtain and sat down. Their expressionless faces told me nothing.

"Mr. Michaels," said the old man, leaning forward. "Are you and your new advocate prepared to continue with these proceedings?"

"Yes."

"Very well. There are a few things we still need to ask you," he said nodding to the Egyptian.

"Hello Mr. Michaels," said the Egyptian, smiling warmly. "Welcome back." The gaps between his long narrow teeth appeared like missing boards in a white fence. His unusual warmness boosted my confidence even further.

"Thank you," I said.

He nodded. "Let's jump right in. I want to know if you remember the name of the judge who convicted you, as Vasili, in 1946."

I took a drink of water from the tall glass in front of me. "I will never forget his name, Comrade Vlad Dukchov of the Committee for the People's Justice."

The Egyptian circled something on his notes while the members to his left and right looked on. "And the name of the Commandant at State Camp #4?"

"Colonel Stohla."

"Do you remember the names of any of the guards?"

"I was only close to two guards, Similenka and Bukar. After I'd been there for three months, I mentioned to them that I'd fought with Captain Hoxa. Bukar and Similenka arranged for me to become a trustee so that I could work in the laundry and tell them stories about the Captain."

"That's fine." He looked down at his notes. "There's one thing I'm curious about that we haven't touched on."

"Yes?" I said, preempting him.

"What happened to the relationship with your parents in Minnesota when you realized you were different?"