The Charm School

passes. “This is valid now until noon tomorrow and also will give you entry to the state farm. See that you’re within the Moscow city limits by noon.” Burov indicated the way out.
    Hollis said, “I want to call my embassy.”
    “I don’t think there’s a phone here. Follow me, please.”
    Burov snapped off the light in the cubicle and led them through the dark morgue.
    They stood outside on the front steps of the morgue, and Burov gave them directions to the farm. Burov added, “There will be a large wooden sign over the entrance to the farm road that will read ‘Forty Years of October; Grain and Livestock Enterprise.’ You read Russian of course.”
    Hollis supposed the name had something to do with the Great October Revolution, but there were only so many constructions you could make out of the words
Red, October, Revolution,
and
Great
before you had to start stretching it a bit. Hollis said, “The Red Livestock… what?”
    Lisa suppressed a laugh.
    Burov said curtly, “The October—no, the Forty Years of October—”
    “What the hell does that mean?”
    “How do I know?” snapped Burov. “The farm was probably founded on the fortieth anniversary of the October Revolution.” He glared at Hollis. “You damned people are so superior, aren’t you? So smug and so glib. Well, one day we’ll see who…” Burov seemed to realize he had let himself be baited and recovered his composure. “Well, I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding it. An old couple sleeps in the administration building. Knock loudly.”
    Lisa said, “Where can we find a telephone?”
    “On the state farm. And showers, so you can get that resin off you.” Burov touched his finger to a sticky smudge on her hand.
    Lisa jerked her hand away.
    Burov walked to the Zhiguli and looked at the license plate. “A rental car?”
    “There were no embassy cars available.”
    “Even so, Colonel Hollis, it is not legal for you to drive this car.”
    “Don’t sweat the small stuff, Colonel. Do you know what that means?”
    Burov walked around the car. “This car has been driven roughly… mud, pine twigs…” He pulled a cluster of pine needles from the chrome and twirled it in his fingers. “And the doors and fenders are newly dented. They will charge you for that. Where did you rent this?”
    “My staff rented it for me.”
    “May I see the rental papers?”
    “No.”
    “No?”
    “No.” Hollis opened the driver’s-side door. “Good evening, Colonel Burov.”
    Lisa opened her door and got in the car, but Burov put his hand on the door so she couldn’t close it. He said, “There are three main sights around Mozhaisk—Saint Nicholas’ Cathedral, Luzhetsky monastery ruins, and Borodino. You may have time to drive by all three, if you are early risers. Borodino is especially interesting to Westerners because of
War and Peace.
”
    Hollis replied, “I have no interest in battlefields.”
    “No? It’s a passion with us, I’m afraid. Too much war in this land. We keep having to teach people lessons.”
    Hollis observed undiplomatically, “I don’t think either side learned anything at Borodino.”
    Burov looked at him quizzically. “You must reread your history. It was a great Russian victory.”
    Hollis studied the man across the roof of the car. Hollis believed that the one fatal flaw in the Soviet system was not economic, political, or military, but informational. Soviet facts had replaced truth and reality. Hollis said to Burov, “If you have nothing further, please close Ms. Rhodes’ door.”
    Burov moved away from the car without closing the door, and Lisa pulled it shut, locking it.
    Burov stood on the sidewalk and called out to Hollis, “Don’t get lost. And be careful on the highway. We don’t have room for two more bodies in the freezer.”
    Hollis said, “Go fuck yourself, Colonel.”
    “And yourself as well, Colonel.”
    Then, as they both understood the rules of the game, they saluted simultaneously and bade each other good-evening.

 
11
    As Hollis drove away from the morgue, he saw a black Chaika in his rearview mirror. He drove slowly through the dark, quiet streets of Mozhaisk, and the Chaika stayed with him.
    Lisa said, “Colonel Burov was a nasty son of a bitch.”
    “He must have had a fight with his wife this morning.”
    “Did he know about our side trip to Borodino or not?”
    “He made the correct deduction. Soon, however, when they find the two Border Guards, he will have no