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Kholkov, standing a few feet behind and to the side, sidestepped, his eyes fixed on Bondaruk’s shotgun Arkhipov clutched feebly at the stump, then looked up at Kholkov “Why?” he croaked

Bondaruk strolled up to Arkhipov’s side and looked down on hioriy, but life is about cause and effect Had you worked os wouldn’t have had time to intervene”

Bondaruk shifted the shotgun again, leveled it with Arkhipov’s left ankle, and pulled the trigger The foot disappeared Arkhipov screaun, loaded two more shells from his pocket, thenhand and foot, then watched his subordinate writhing on the ground After thirty seconds Arkhipov went still

Bondaruk looked up at Kholkov “Do you want his job?”

“Pardon me?”

“I’ you a promotion Do you accept?”

Kholkov took a deep breath “I have to adives me pause”

At this Bondaruk smiled “Arkhipov isn’t dead because he made a mistake, Vladimir He’s dead because he os are involved now, and it is a complication we can’t afford You’re allowed mistakes—just not irreversible ones I’ll need your answer now”

Kholkov nodded “I accept”

“Wonderful! Let’s have some breakfast”

Bondaruk turned and started walking away, his dogs trailing behind him, then he stopped and turned back

“By the e get back to the house you ht want to check the American news sites I heard a local man, a Maryland State Police officer, in fact, stuet submarine”

“Is that so”

“Interesting, isn’t it?”

CHAPTER 12