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be quite a race。 There weren't many roads in this part of Russia； and what roads there were here were unpaved gravel； which suited the tracked vehicles。 The problem would be diesel fuel； because there were few gas stations for the trucks which ran the roads in peacetime pursuits； and so the 201st had requisitioned every tanker truck its officers could locate； and even that might not be enough； the logisticians all worried； not that they had much choice in the matter。 If they could get their tanks there； then they'd fight them as pillboxes if it came to that。
About the only thing they had going for them was the network of telephone lines； which enabled them to municate without using radios。 The entire area was under the strictest possible orders for radio silence； to deny all conceivable knowledge to the enemy； and the air forces in the area； American and Russian； were tasked to eliminate all tactical reconnaissance aircraft that Chinese would be sending about。 So far； they'd been successful。 A total of seventeen J…6 and …7 aircraft； thought to be the reconnaissance variants of their classes； had been 〃splashed〃 short of Chita。
The Chinese problem with reconnaissance was confirmed in Paris； of all places。 SPOT； the French corporation which operated mercial photosatellites； had received numerous requests for photos of Siberia； and while many of them came from seemingly legitimate western businesses； mainly news agencies； all had been summarily denied。 Though not as good as American reconnaissance satellites； the SPOT birds were good enough to identify all the trains assembled at Chita。
And since the People's Republic of China still had a functioning embassy in Moscow； the other concern was that their Ministry of State Security had Russian nationals acting as paid spies； feeding data to Russia's new enemy。 Those individuals about whom the Russian Federal Security Service had suspicions were picked up and questioned； and those in custody were interrogated vigorously。
This number included Klementi Ivanovich Suvorov。
〃You were in the service of an enemy country；〃 Pavel Yefremov observed。 〃You killed for a foreign power； and you conspired to kill our country's president。 We know all this。 We've had you under surveillance for some time now。 We have this。〃 He held up a photocopy of the onetime pad recovered from the dead…drop on the park bench。 〃You may talk now； or you may be shot。 It is your life at risk； not mine。〃
In the movies； this was the part where the suspect was supposed to say defiantly； 〃You're going to kill me anyway；〃 except that Suvorov had no more wish to die than anyone else。 He loved life as much as any man； and he'd never expected to be caught any more than the most foolish of street criminals did。 If anything； he'd expected arrest even less than one of those criminals； because he knew how intelligent and clever he was； though this feeling had understandably deflated over the last few days。
The outlook of Klementi Ivan'ch Suvorov was rather bleak at the moment。 He was KGB…trained； and he knew what to expect…a bullet in the head…unless he could give his interrogators something sufficiently valuable for them to spare his life； and at the moment even life in a labor camp of strict regime was preferable to the alternative。
〃Have you truly arrested Kong？〃
〃We told you that before； but； no； we have not。 Why tip them off that we've penetrated their operation？〃 Yefremov said honestly。
〃Then you can use me against them。〃
〃How might we do that？〃 the FSS officer asked。
〃I can tell them that the operation they propose is going forward； but that the situation in Siberia wrecked my chance to execute it in a timely fashion。〃
〃And if Kong cannot leave their embassy…we have it guarded and isolated now； of course…how would you get that information to him？〃
〃By electronic mail。 Yes； you can monitor their landlines； but to monitor their cellular phones is more difficult。 There's a backup method for me to municate with him electronically。〃
〃And the fact that you haven't made use of it so far will not alert them？〃
〃The explanation is simple。 My Spetsnaz contact was frightened off by the outbreak of hostilities； and so was I。〃
〃But we've already checked your electronic accounts。〃
〃Do you think they are all written down？〃 He tapped the side of his head。 〃Do you think I am totally foolish？〃
〃Go on； make your proposal。〃
〃I will propose that I can go forward with the mission。 I require them to authorize it by a signal…the way they set the shades in their windows； for example。〃
〃And for this？〃
〃And for this I will not be executed；〃 the traitor suggested。
〃I see；〃 Yefremov said quietly。 He would have been perfectly content to shoot the traitor right here and now； but it might be politically useful to go forward with his proposal。 He'd kick that one upstairs。
The bad part about watching them was that you had to anticipate everything they did； and that meant that they got to have more sleep； about an hour's worth； Aleksandrov figured； and no more than that only because they were predictable。 He'd had his morning tea。 Sergeant Buikov had enjoyed two morning cigarettes with his； and now they lay prone on wet dew…dampened ground； with their binoculars to their eyes。 The Chinese had also had soldiers out of their tracks all night； set about a hundred meters away from them； so it seemed。 They weren't very adventurous； the captain thought。 He would have spread his sentries much farther out； at least half a kilometer； in pairs with radios to go with their weapons。 For that matter； he would have set up a mortar in the event that they spotted something dangerous。 But the fox and the gardener seemed to be both conservative and confident； which was an odd bination of characteristics。
But their morning drill was precise。 The petrol heaters came out for tea…probably tea； they all figured…and whatever it was that they had for breakfast。 Then the camouflage nets came down。 The outlying sentries came in and reported in person to their officers； and everyone mounted up。 The first hop on their tracks was a short one； not even half a kilometer； and again the foot…scouts dismounted and moved forward； then quickly reported back for the second； much longer morning frog leap forward。
〃Let's move； Sergeant；〃 Aleksandrov ordered； and together they ran to their BRM for their first trek into the woods for their own third installment of frog leap backwards。
〃There they go again；〃 Major Tucker said； after getting three whole hours of sleep on a thin mattress four feet from the Dark Star terminal。 It was Ingrid Bergman up again； positioned so that she could see both the reconnaissance element and main body of the Chinese army。 〃You know； they really stick to the book； don't they？〃
〃So it would seem；〃 Colonel Tolkunov agreed。
〃So； going by that； tonight they'll go to about here。〃 Tucker made a green mark on the acetate…covered map。 〃That puts them at the gold mine day after tomorrow。 Where do you plan to make your stand？〃 the major asked。
〃That depends on how quickly the Two Zero One can get forward。〃
〃Gas？〃 Tucker asked。
〃Diesel fuel； but； yes； that is the main problem with