The Savage Horde

Chapter 8

Varakov stood beyond the abandoned astronomy museum, on the spot of land, the rocks beyond it separating him from Lake Michigan. For once it was not too cold, though he had yet to find himself able to describe the lake wind as warm.

"Comrade general?"

General Ishmael Varakov recognized the voice—warm, athletic, resonating—somehow just the thought of Colonel Nehemiah Rozhdestvenskiy made his feet hurt all the more.

"Yes, colonel." He still did not turn around.

"Have there been any private communiques from your niece, Major Tiemerovna, Comrade general?"

"No—she is involved in an operation of the most delicate nature even as we speak."

"The Eden Project, Comrade general? For this is the prerogative of the KGB and a KGB agent involved in research on this matter should be under my direct control rather than that of the Army—"

"I have put her on detached duty to my specific command, colonel—she is responsible only to me. As is the nature of her sensitive mission."

"Infiltrating the American resistance perhaps?"

"Colonel—you can make as many lateral references as you wish—but I will divulge no further information at this time. Suffice it to say, her mission is on behalf of the

welfare of all."

"Comrade general—though such an action would grieve me greatly, if no news of the major's activities is forthcoming, I shall be left with no other choice than to contact Moscow."

"I am sure you have already contacted Moscow, colonel—were I in your position, that is exactly what I should do. If Moscow becomes sufficiently worried, I will be contacted regarding the matter. In the meantime—"

"Yes, Comrade general?"

"I come here for a few moments of solitude, colonel—" Varakov began to walk, the wind, he reasoned, drowning out the click of the heels from Rozhdestvenskiy's spit-shined boots.

Varakov repeated the words he had used to describe Natalia's mission—but this time to the wind rather than the commander of the North American KGB—"She is involved in an operation of the most delicate nature." He smiled, his feet hurting though to the point where he was ready to sit down. "Delicate operation indeed."