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Moscow, Friday evening, Dragosani’s flat on the Pushkin Road

It was growing dark by the tiratefully let himself into his flat and poured hily slow on the journey from Romania, and Max Batu’s absence had er Batu’s absence, yes, and Dragosani’s growing feeling of urgency, this sensation of being rushed towards so and still there rely tired, still he couldn’t rest So in his set course

With a second drink inside hi to feel a little better, he telephoned the Chateau Bronnitsy and checked that Boroas still inat his dacha at Zhukovka Then he asked to speak to Igor Vlady but Vlady had already left for hoosani phoned hireed at once

Vlady lived in his own state flatlet not too far away but Dragosani took his car anyway; in less than tenwith a welcolass of vodka

’Well, Comrade?’ Vlady finally asked when they’d done with the usual formalities and preliminaries ’What can I do for you?’ He peered curiously, alrey features

Dragosani nodded, as if he silently confir or other, and said: ’I can see you’ve been expectingyou,’ Vlady carefully answered

Dragosani decided against beating about the bush If Vlady failed to produce the right answers he would simply kill him He probably would anyway, eventually ’Very well, I’ to be?’

Vlady was a small dark man and normally open as a book That was the impression he achieved, anyway Now he raised an eyebrow, put on an expression ofto be?’ he asked, innocently

’Look, let’s not fool around,’ said Dragosani ’You probably already know exactly why I’ve come here That’s what you’re paid for: your ability to see things in advance So I’ll ask you again: how is it going to be?’

Vlady drew back, scowled ’With Borowitz, you mean?’

’For starters, yes’

Vlady’s face grew strangely impassive, almost cold ’He’ll die,’ he said, without emotion ’Tomorrow, at midday or thereabouts A heart attack Except -’ and he paused and frowned

’Except?’

Vlady shrugged ’A heart attack,’ he repeated

Dragosani nodded, sighed, relaxed a little ’Yes,’ he said, ’that’s hoill be And what about s for , of course, but far too frustrating To know the future and not be able to change it Also, it’s frightening As for you that’s a bit odd’

Dragosani didn’t like the sound of that He put down his drink and leaned forward ’What’s odd?’ he asked This ht be very ilasses and poured ht, you and I,’ he said ’Comrade, I’m not your rival I have no ambitions

in respect of E-Branch None at all I know Borowitz hadwith yourself - but I’m just not interested I think you should know that’

’You mean you’ll step aside foraside for anyone,’ the other shook his head ’I just don’t want the job, that’s all I don’t envy any man that job Yuri Andropov won’t rest until he’s crushed the lot of us - even if it takes the rest of his lifetiether Did you knoas a trained architect, Dragosani? Well, I areat buildings any day’

’Why do you tellto do with anything’

’Yes it has It has soosani, I know that you will have so to do with Borowitz’s death With his "heart attack" And if you can tackle him and hich you will, then what chance would I have? I’osani, and I’ain Dragosani leaned forward His eyes were pricks of red light gleah the dark lenses of his spectacles ’But your job is to tell Borowitz this sort of thing, Igor,’ he rasped ’Especially -this sort of thing Are you saying you haven’t told him? Or does he in fact already know that I’ll beinvolved?’

Vlady shook hihter For a osani Thenot quite human, anyway ’I really don’t knohy I’ve told you any of this,’ he finally said ’I ht even have sent you here!’

’But wouldn’t you know it if he had?’ said Dragosani ’Isn’t that so your talent would have foreseen?’

’I can’t see everything!’ Vlady snapped

Dragosani nodded ’Hmm! Well, he didn’t send me

Now tellto die tomorrow? And if so, does he know that I’ll be involved? Well, I’’

Vlady bit his lip, shook his head ’He doesn’t know,’ he mumbled

’Why haven’t you told hie anything even if he did know Second, I hate the old bastard! I have a fianc��e and want to be married I’ve wanted it for ten years But Borowitz says no He needs me to keep my wits sharp He doesn’t want ht ruin me, he says! Damn the old bastard - he rations osani sat back and laughed out loud Vlady saw the gape of his th of his teeth and once e aniosani’s laughter finally rumbled into silence ’Yes, that’s just typical of hily, ’I think you can now safely go ahead with your wedding arrangements Yes, just as soon as you like’

’But you’ll want to keep me in the branch, eh?’ Vlady’s tone reosani nodded ’You’re or Vlady - and far too talented! But the branch? That isThere’son and up And you can come with me’

Vlady’s response to that was a blank stare Suddenly Dragosani was sure he was hiding so to tell me what you’ve read in my future,’ he reminded ’Now that we’ve dealt with Borowitz, I think that would be a good idea I think you said there was soreed ’But of course I could be wrong Anyway, you’ll know all about it - toosani’s startled expression

’What? What’s that about tomorrow?’ the necro fro me with trivialities when all the ti in store for me tomorrow? When, toht - at the Chateau,’ said Vlady ’So, but I don’t knohat it will be’

Dragosani began to pace the floor, searched his own mind for clues ’KGB? Is it likely they’ll find Borowitz’s body that fast? I doubt it Even if they did, why should they suspect the branch? Or me? After all, it will only have been a "heart attack" That could happen to anyone Or is it so second thoughts about your loyalties?’ (Vlady hastily shook his head in denial) ’Will it be sabotage?’ Dragosani continued to pace ’And if so what forrily shook his head ’No, no, I can’t see that! Da! What is it, exactly, that you’ve seen?’

’You don’t seem to understand!’ Vlady shouted ’Man, I’m not superhuman I can’t be exact all the tiosani knew it; Vlady’s voice betrayed his own exasperation; he, too, wished he had an answer ’Soue - like that tiot his I knew there would be a ruckus that night and warned Borowitz about it, but I couldn’t for the life of me say who or ould be involved! It’s the sa trouble toht in thetrouble! Of that much I’m certain, but that’s all’

’Not quite all,’ said Dragosani, ominously ’I still don’t knohat you meant by "odd" Why do you avoid the issue? Will I be in any danger?’

’Yes,’ said Vlady, ’a great deal of danger And not just you but everyone at the Chateau’

’Daosani slammed his fist down on the table ’You make it sound like we’ll all be dead men!’

Vlady’s face slowly lost soosani leaned over hireat hand, drew his averted face and the O-shape of his quivering mouth back towards hihtened eyes ’Are you quite sure you’ve toldhis words slowly and very carefully ’Can you not at least try to explain what you meant by your use of the word "odd"? Is there a chance, perhaps, that you’ve also foreseen my death for tomorrow?’

Vlady jerked his face free and pushed back in his chair away froers faded on his cheeks, were replaced by a dark pink flush Dragosani was capable of murder beyond a doubt Vlady must at least try to satisfy his demands ’Listen,’ he said, ’and I’ll explain as best I can After that you must make what you will of it

’When I look at a man - when I try to see into his future - I nor forward Like a line dran a sheet of paper from top to bottoth of this line I can work out the length of the man’s life From kinks and deviations which occur in it, I can deter of future occurrences and how they will affect him Borowitz’s line ends tomorrow At the end there is a kink which indicates a physical malfunction: his heart attack As to how I know you will be involved: it is sioes on alone!’

’But for how long?’ Dragosani deht, Igor? Is that where my line ends?’

Vlady shivered ’Your line is entirely different,’ he finally answered ’I hardly kno to read it at all Soo Borowitz des on you for his eyes only I tried but it was impossible There were so many deviations in your line that I couldn’t read it with any degree of accuracy at all! Kinks and wriggles I’d never come across before Also, as the an to divide, to split into two parallel lines The new one wasn’t blue but red, which was soinal line: it too slowly turned red You are like like twins, Dragosani I know no other way to put it And tomorrow -’

’Yes?’

Toht one of your lines terosani But which half? Out loud he asked, ’The red or the blue?’

’The red line terminates,’ said Vlady

The vaosani’s spirits soared but he controlled the laughter he felt welling inside ’What of the other line?’

Vlady shook his head, patently at a loss for any reasonable explanation Finally he said, ’That is the oddest thing of all It’s so I sie and forms a loop, bends back on itself, rejoins the other where the division first occurred!’

Dragosani sat down again and took up his drink What Vlady had given hi ’I’ve been hard on you, Igor,’ he said, ’and I’m sorry for that I can see you’ve tried to do your best forto, which tells s for the others who’ll be at the Chateau So noant to know just how big it will be?’

Vlady bit his lip ’You won’t like the answer, Comrade,’ he warned at last

Tell me anyway’

’It will be very nearly total! A force - a power - will visit itself upon the Chateau Bronnitsy, and it will bring devastation’

Keogh! It could only be Harry Keogh! No other threat existedDragosani stood up, grabbed his coat, headed for the door ’I have to go now, Igor,’ he said ’But again I thank you I won’t forget what you’ve done fornew, I’d be obliged if-’

’Of course,’ said Vlady, breathing a sigh of relief, following hiht: ’Coerous question, but he osani paused just beyond the threshold, glanced back ’Max? Ah, you know about him, do you? Well, it was an accident’

’Oh,’ said Vlady with a nod ’Of course’

When he was alone again, Vlady finished off the vodka and then sat deep into the night, wrapped in his own thoughts But as a clock tolled ht somewhere out in the cold city he started up and shivered, and finally decided to break his own rule Quickly he cast his mind into the future, followed his own life-line to its inevitable end Which ca teran to pack a few things and prepare to flee And upperosani would be the head of E-Branch, or head of what survived Whatever else Gregor Boroas, at least he was huosani? Vlady knew he could never serve under

hiht - but what if he didn’t? His line was so very confusing, so very alien No, there was only one course for Vlady now He must try - at least try - to avoid the unavoidable

And almost a thousand miles ahere a dark watchtower overlooked the wall in East Berlin, a Kalashnikov or Vlady He didn’t know it, but even now his and the weapon’s futures were bending towards each other They would meet at exactly 10:32 posani drove straight back to his flat Froot hold of the Duty Officer He passed on Harry Keogh’s name and description for i airports within the USSR, along with the inforh was a spy for the West who should be arrested on sight or, if that should prove difficult, shot dead without delay The KGB would get to know about it, of course, but Dragosani didn’t h alive they wouldn’t knohat to do with hiet his hands on him And if they killed him that would be the end of that

As for Vlady’s predictions: Dragosani had some faith in them but it was by no ed, Dragosani thought differently One of theht to find out which one In any case, the proht well turn out to be nothing to do with Harry Keogh after all; and so, until then at least, thingson his inforosani had another drink - a stiff one, which was not his normal habit - and at last fell into his bed Exhausted, he slept right through until

At 11:40 aa in a copse off the main road half a mile from the closest dacha, turned up the collar of his overcoat and walked the rest of the way into Zhukovka precinct Just before noon he turned off a track inches deep in snow and walked through a strip of woodland lying parallel to the river, until he cari the paved path to the door and knocked gently on the rustic oak panels While he waited, he sniffed at wood s in the bitter cold air The fine hairs inside his nostrils crackled, butfrom Borowitz’s roof told hi Soon the snoould osani’s footprints would disappear; there would be nothing to connect him with this place

There came slow footsteps froy and red-eyed, Gregor Borowitz peered out, blinked in the grey light of day ’Dragosani?’ he frowned darkly ’But I said I wasn’t to be disturbed I -’

’Coosani cut in, ’if it wasn’t a ency’

Borowitz stepped aside, opened the door wider ’Corumbled, but without his accustoer seerief was very real and had left hiosani very well indeed

He entered, followed the other down a short corridor and through hanging curtains into the small, pine-panelled room where Natasha Borowitz lay silently in her shroud The woh in life but plain and dowdy in death Like a stout, badly fashioned candle she lay there, the wax of her face wrinkled, the wick of her hair coarse and sparse Borowitz patted her cold face and bowed his head as he turned away But he could not hide a very real tear glittering in the corner of his eye

Now he led Dragosani through into theroom and offered him a seat close to aThe rest of the dacha’s ere shuttered but this one’s shutters stood open, letting in the light With a silent shake of his head, Dragosani declined to sit, watched Borowitz flop heavily down on to a padded couch ’I prefer to stand,’ the necro’

’A flying visit?’ Borowitz grunted, scarcely interested ’You osani Tomorrow they take my Natasha away from me, and then I return to Moscow and the Chateau Bronnitsy What is it that brings you here so urgently anyway? You told land was successful’

’So it was,’ said Dragosani, ’but so has come up since then’

’Well?’

’Coor, I want you to ask no questions just yet but si Do you remember a conversation we once had, you and I, about the future of E-Branch? You said that one day you would decide ould take over from you when you retired Also, you said the decision would lie between or Vlady’

Borowitz drew his brows together, stared at Dragosani disbelievingly ’So that’s why you’re here!’ he growled ’A ency, eh? You think I’m ready to step down, do you? Or maybe you think it’s tione, hter, his eyes flashed so in theer stood in awe of this man

’I said you should ask no questions,’ he reminded, a low, dark ruor Now tell me: who did you decide would be your replacement? Indeed, have you yet decided? And if so, have you made a record of your decision?’

Boroas astonished, outraged ’You dare?’ he scowled, his eyes bulging ’You dare? You forget yourself, Dragosani You forget who! aet - or choose to ignore the fact - that I aosani! But in answer to your questions: no, I have co to co on as the head of E-Branch for a long time yet, I assure you Moreover, even if I had chosen a successor, as of this hts of yourself in that position!’ He stood up, shaking with rage ’Now get your damned arse out of here! Get out before I -’

Dragosani took off his dark, wide-riosani’s face and was suddenly staggered by the massive metaosani at all standing there but someone else entirely And those eyes - those incredible scarlet eyes!

’I aosani ruo empty-handed Not after so many years of faithful service’ He crouched down into hirotesque life of their own

’Retiring osani but the couch was right behind hiosani nodded, opened his long jaws and ss like scythes ’We have a sor’ ’We?’ Borowitz croaked

’Me and Max Batu,’ said Dragosani And in the next moment Borowitz looked into the face of hell itself

Then - it was as if a mule had kicked him in the chest He flew backward, his arms throide, crashed into the wall and bounced off S down Borowitz fell, half-sprawling on the couch He clutched at his chest, fought to take control of his rubber lis His heart felt crushed - and if he didn’t kno, at least he knehat Dragosani had done to hiosani!’ he held out wildly fluttering, pudgy hands towards the necroosani hurled his psychic bolt, and again Boroatted like a fly by the first blast, knocked over backwards on to the couch He actually ed to sit up, to finish the last word he would ever speak, before the second blast hit him: ’-sani!’

Then it was done The ex-boss of E-Branch sat there, upright, dead as a doornail, showing all the signs of a heart attack

’Classic!’ Dragosani grunted his approval He glanced about the roo a battered old typewriter on a shelf with papers, envelopes and other items of stationery He quickly carried the an to type laboriously:

I feel unwell I think it is my heart Natasha’s death has affected me badly I think I am finished Since I have not yet nominated another to carry on my work, I do so now The only man who can be trusted to carry on where I leave off is

Boris Dragosani He is completely faithful to the USSR, and especially to the aims and welfare of the Party Leader

Also, if as I fear the end is coosani’s care He knows rinned as he rolled the typewritten sheet up a space or two He read over the note, took up a pen and scrawled ’GB’ as nearly as possible in the style of Borowitz at the end of the last line, then dusted the keys with his handkerchief where he’d touched the down beside the dead ers briefly on the keys And all the ti eyes

’All done, Gregor,’ said Dragosani as he took the typewriter back to the table Toodbye just yet After they find you we’ll be ain, eh, at the Chateau Bronnitsy? And what price your inneror Borowitz?’