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The police who had been digging around in the sht the chemical content of the ash and debris in the basement to be unique in their archive They had no idea what it contained, and Poliakoff hoped that they had not enough patience to analyze it He had been born a Russian and so he knew that an “unknown chemical substance” recorded on a police report could always one day beworse than the truth So he had not allowed the substance to remain mysterious He had said in his deposition that the mess was the residue of variousin a ches

The two juhters had been found safe in a farmer’s field seventeen miles from his house, so that part had worked out without trouble But he hated that this couple, the cause of all his misery, seemed not to be afraid tha

t theynot to be afraid He’d had four roup of oil drillers fro for the tomb of Attila’s father in the hills

As he ca for hi of Re Poliakoff could recall that had been done right As he approached, he said, “Tellon now”

“They were here,” said the blond man

“They ‘were’ here? Where are they now?”

“They took off about two hours ago”

“For where?”

“They filed a flight plan for Odessa”

“Odessa?” he said “That’s not their destination That’s a refueling stop” He reflexively looked up and away fro He would have to drea out the plan they would file in Odessa

“There!” The blondthe roo”

Poliakoff saw the two in to hurry toward him He could see that one man’s face was bruised and the other man could barely walk He didn’t need to speak with them and ask what had happened He knew

BEING AIRBORNE was a relief Sas up, in big leather seats like overstuffed easy chairs After the private plane landed in Odessa, Sarounded the plane and then hooked up hoses and began to refuel He pressed the button for Tibor Lazar’s nu once and there was Tibor’s voice “Sam?”

“Yes”

“How is the search going so far?”