The Defector

carefully prescribed guidelines and be conducted mainly with falsehoods and half-truths. Nothing would be admitted and no demands would ever be stated. It wasn’t necessary. Shamron and Korovin both spoke the language of lies.
    “Are you sure, Sergei? Are you sure Ivan’s hands are clean?”
    “I’ve spoken to representatives of Ivan personally.”
    Another pause, then, “Have you heard anything about the condition of the woman?”
    “Only that she’s alive and being well cared for.”
    “That’s good to know, Sergei. If that could continue, we would be most grateful.”
    “I’ll see what I can do. As you know, Ivan is very upset about his current circumstances.”
    “He has no one to blame but himself.”
    “Ivan doesn’t see it that way. He believes these charges and accusations in the West are all lies and fabrications. He would have never been so foolish as to enter into a deal to supply our missiles to al-Qaeda. In fact, he assures me he’s not even involved in the arms business.”
    “I’ll make sure to pass that along to the Americans.”
    “There’s something else you should pass along.”
    “Anything, Sergei.”
    “Ivan believes his children were taken from him illegally in France last summer. Ivan wants them back.”
    Shamron shrugged his shoulders, feigning surprise. “I never knew the Americans had them.”
    “We believe this to be the case, despite the official statements to the contrary. Perhaps someone could put in a good word with the Americans on Ivan’s behalf.” Now it was Korovin’s turn to shrug. “I couldn’t say for certain, but I believe it would go a long way toward helping you recover your missing agent.”
    Korovin had just taken another step closer toward offering a quid pro quo. Shamron chose the path of prevarication.
    “We’re not a large service like you, Sergei. We’re a small family. We want our agent back, and we’re willing to do whatever we can. But I have very little sway over the Americans. If they do have the children, it’s unlikely they would agree to hand them over to Ivan, even under circumstances such as these.”
    “You give yourself too little credit, Ari. Go to the Americans. Talk some sense into them. Convince them to put Ivan’s children on a plane. Once they’re in Russia where they belong, I’m certain your agent will turn up.”
    Korovin had laid a contract upon the table. Shamron did due diligence.
    “Safe and sound?”
    “Safe and sound.”
    “There is one other matter, Sergei. We want Grigori Bulganov back as well.”
    “Grigori Bulganov is none of your concern.”
    Shamron conceded the point. “And if I’m able to convince the Americans to surrender the children? How long would we have to make the arrangements?”
    “I couldn’t say for certain, but not terribly long.”
    “I need to know, Sergei.”
    “My response would only be hypothetical in nature.”
    “All right, hypothetically speaking, how long do we have?”
    Korovin sipped his vodka and said, “Seventy-two hours.”
    “That’s not long, Sergei.”
    “It is what it is.”
    “How do I contact you?”
    “You don’t. We’ll meet again on Tuesday at four in the afternoon. As one friend to another, I would strongly advise you to have an answer by then.”
    “Where shall we meet?”
    “Is one still permitted to smoke in the Jardin des Tuileries?”
    “For now.”
    “Then let’s meet there. The benches near the Jeu de Paume.”
    “Four o’clock?”
    Korovin nodded. Four o’clock.

44
    HOTEL BRISTOL, GENEVA
    THE NEWS from Paris was quickly flashed to several points around the globe: to the Operations Desk at King Saul Boulevard, to Thames House in London, and to CIA Headquarters in Langley. And to the stately Hotel Bristol in Geneva, temporary home of Gabriel and his team. Though they were deeply relieved to hear Chiara was indeed alive, there was nothing resembling celebration. Ivan’s terms were, of course, unacceptable. They were unacceptable to Shamron. Unacceptable to the Americans. And especially unacceptable to Gabriel. No one was prepared to ask Elena Kharkov to sacrifice her children, least of all a man who had once lost one of his own. Ivan’s offer did serve one valuable purpose, though. It gave them a bit of time and some additional room to maneuver. Not much time, just seventy-two hours, and very little room. They were going to pursue Chiara and Grigori along parallel paths. One was the path of negotiation; the other, the path of