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His watch read 11:57- He was beyond his timetable; his twofear He reached down and snatched a Colt Woodsht calf He screwed on a four-inch suppressor; and for a brief instant he was not himself, a man outside himself, a man whose only code of duty and unleashed eun at the President's forehead on the other side of the transparent cover, Through the nized what Suvorov was about to do He staggered across the cocoon chaun

Suvorov just sidestepped and pushed hiolin remained on his feet His vision was blurred and distorted, and a wave of sudden nausea threatened to gag hi himself forward in another attempt to save the President's life

Suvorov solin's temple and the Vice President dropped li down the side of his face For a moment Suvorov stood rooted

His well-rehearsed plan was cracking and cru apart Time had run out

His last fleeting hope lay in salvaging the pieces He forgot the President, kicked Margolin out of the way and shoved Lari the still unconscious Moran over his shoulder, he herded the unco senator down the corridor to the elevator

They stumbled around the final corner just as the concealed doors parted and Lugovoy was about to step inside

"Stop right where you are, Doctor"

Lugovoy whirled and stared dumbly The Colt was held rocksteady in Suvorov's hand The eyes of the KGB agent blazed with a contemptuous disdain

"You fool!" Lugovoy blurted as the full realization of as happening struck him "You bloody fool!"

"Shut up!" Suvorov snapped

"And step back out of the way"

"You don't knohat you're doing"

"I'ood Russian"

"You're ruining years of planning," Lugovoy said angrily

"President Antonov will have you shot"