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Prologue

My special thanks go to ford, whose contribution was invaluable

PROLOGUE

Berlin, Germany

SONJA VERBRUGGE HAD no idea that this was going to be her last day on earth She was pushing her way through the sea of su the busy sidewalks of Unter den Linden

Don't panic, she told herself You must keep calm

The instantRun, Sonja!

Go to the Artemisia Hotel You will be safe there Wait until you hear froe had ended suddenly Why had Franz not finished it? What could be happening? The night before, she had heard her husband saying to someone on the telephone that Prima must be stopped at all costs Who was Prima?

Frau Verbrugge was nearing Brandenburgische Strasse, where the Artemisia was located, the hotel that catered to women only I ait for Franz there and he will explain to me what this is all about

WHEN SONJA VERBRUGGE reached the next corner, the traffic light had turned to red, and as she stopped at the curb, soainst her and she stumbled into the street Verdammt touristen! A limousine that had been double-parked suddenly h to knock her down People began to gather around her

"Is she all right?"

"Ist ihr etwas passiert?"

"Peut-elleambulance stopped Two attendants froe "We will take care of her" Sonja Verbrugge found herself being lifted into the ambulance The door closed, and a moment later, the vehicle sped away

She was strapped onto a gurney, trying to sit up "I am fine," she protested

"It was nothing I-" One of the attendants was leaning over her "It is all right, Frau Verbrugge Just relax" She looked up at him, suddenly alar of a hypoderave herself up to the waiting darkness

Paris, France MARK HARRIS WAS alone on the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, oblivious to the rain swirling around hi shattered the raindrops into dazzling diamond waterfalls

Across the Seine River stood the familiar Palais de Chaillot, and the Trocadero Gardens, but he was unaware of the news that was about to be released to the world

The wind had begun to whip the rain into a frenzied maelstrom Mark Harris shielded his wrist with his sleeve and looked at his watch They were late And why had they insisted on , he heard the tower elevator door open Two ainst the fierce ind

As Mark Harris recognized them, he felt a sense of relief "You're late" "It's this da in Washington is all set, isn't it?" "That's e need to talk to you about As aabout the best way to handle this, and we decided-" As they were speaking, the second s happened almost simultaneously A heavy, blunt instrument slam lifted and tossed over the parapet into the cold driving rain, his body plunging toward the unforgiving sidewalk thirty-eight stories below