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〃Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy？〃 the KGB Chairman asked。
All heads turned to the colonel； and he did his best to keep his voice level。 This was very deep water for a mere colonel。 The entire operation now rested on his shoulders； a possibility he had somehow never fully considered。 But if he was to get his general's stars； he had to take this responsibility； didn't he？
〃rade Minister； I would estimate four to six weeks； if you authorize the operation today； and so notify the Bulgarian Politburo。 We will be using one of their assets； for which their permission is necessary。〃
〃Andrey Andreyevich？〃 Brezhnev asked。 〃How cooperative will they be in Sofia？〃
The Foreign Minister took a moment。 〃That depends on what we ask them and how we ask it。 If they know the purpose of the operation； they might dally somewhat。〃
〃Can we ask their cooperation without telling them what it is for？〃 Ustinov asked。
〃Yes； I think so。 We can just offer them a hundred new tanks or some fighter aircraft； as a gesture of socialist solidarity；〃 the Minister for Foreign Affairs suggested。
〃Be generous；〃 Brezhnev agreed。 〃I'm sure they have a request floating in the Defense Ministry； yes； Dmitriy？〃
〃Always！〃 Marshal Ustinov confirmed。 〃It's all they ever ask for； more tanks and more MiGs！〃
〃Then load the tanks on a train and send them to Sofia。 rades； we have a vote to take；〃 the General Secretary told the Politburo。 The eleven voting members felt a little bit railroaded。 The seven 〃candidate；〃 or nonvoting； members just watched and nodded。
As usual； the vote was unanimous。 No one voted no； despite the fact that some of them had doubts concealed in their silence。 In this room； one did not want to stray too far from the kollectiv spirit。 Power here was as circumscribed as everywhere else in the world； a fact upon which they rarely reflected and on which they never acted。
〃Very well。〃 Brezhnev turned his head to Andropov。 〃KGB is authorized to undertake this operation； and may God have mercy on his Polish soul；〃 he added； in a bit of peasant levity。 〃So； what is next？〃
〃rade； if I may。。。〃 Andropov said； getting a nod。 〃Our brother and friend Mikhail Andreyevich Suslov will soon depart this life； after long and devoted service to the Party we all hold dear。 His chair is already empty due to his illness； and needs filling。 I propose Mikhail Yevgeniyevich Alexandrov as the next Central mittee Secretary for Ideology； with full voting membership in the Politburo。〃
Alexandrov even managed to blush。 He held up his hands and spoke with the utmost sincerity。 〃rades； my…our…friend is still alive。 I cannot take his place while he still lives。〃
〃It is good of you to put it that way； Misha；〃 the General Secretary observed； using the affectionate abbreviation for his Christian name。 〃But Mikhail Andreyevich is gravely ill and has not long to live。 I suggest that we table Yuriy's motion for the moment。 Such an appointment must； of course； be ratified by the Central mittee as a whole。〃 But that was less than a formality； as everyone here knew。 Brezhnev had just given his blessing to Alexandrov's promotion； and that was all he needed。
〃Thank you； rade General Secretary。〃 And now Alexandrov could look at the empty chair at Brezhnev's left hand and know that in a few weeks it would soon be his officially。 He'd weep like all the others when Suslov died； and the tears would be just as cold。 And Mikhail Andreyevich would even understand。 His biggest problem now was facing death； the greatest of life's mysteries； and wondering what lay on the other side of it。 It was something everyone at the table would have to face； but for all of them it was sufficiently distant to be dismissed。。。 for the moment。 That； Yuriy Andropov thought； was one difference between them and the Pope； who was soon to die at their hands。
The meeting broke up just after four in the afternoon。 The men took their leave； as always； with friendly words and shaken hands； before they went their separate ways。 Andropov； with Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy in tow； headed out toward the end。 Soon he would be the last to leave； as was the prerogative of the General Secretary。
〃rade Chairman； a moment； if you would allow it；〃 Rozhdestvenskiy said； heading for the men's room。 He emerged a minute and a half later with an easier stride。
〃You did well； Aleksey；〃 Andropov told him； as they resumed their way out…the Chairman took the steps down instead of the elevator。 〃So； what did you make of it？〃
〃rade Brezhnev is frailer than I expected。〃
〃Yes； he is。 It didn't help him very much to stop smoking；〃 Andropov reached into his coat pocket for his Marlboros…at the Politburo meetings； people now avoided smoking； out of deference to Leonid Ilyich； and the KGB Chairman needed a cigarette right now。 〃What else？〃
〃It was remarkably collegial。 I expected more disagreement； more arguing； I suppose。〃 Discussions between spooks at #2 Dzerzhinskiy Square were far more lively； especially when discussing operations。
〃They are all cautious players； Aleksey。 Those with so much power at their fingertips always are…and they should be。 But they often do not take action because they fear doing anything new and different。〃 Andropov knew that his country needed new and different things； and wondered how difficult it would be for him to bring them about。
〃But； rade Chairman； our operation…〃
〃That's different； Colonel。 When they feel threatened； then they can take action。 They fear the Pope。 And they are probably right to。 Don't you think？〃
〃rade Chairman； I am a colonel only。 I serve。 I do not rule。〃
〃Keep it that way； Aleksey。 It's safer。〃 Andropov entered the car and sat down； and immediately became lost in his thoughts。
An hour later； Zaitzev was finishing up his day and awaiting his relief。 Then Colonel Rozhdestvenskiy appeared at his side without warning。
〃Captain； I need you to send this out to Sofia immediately。〃 He paused。 〃Does anyone else see these messages？〃
〃No； rade Colonel。 The message designator labels it as something to e to me only。 That is in the order book。〃
〃Good。 Let's keep it that way。〃 He handed over the blank。
〃By your order； rade Colonel。〃 Zaitzev watched him head off。 He barely had time to get this done before taking his leave。
MOST SECRET
IMMEDIATE AND URGENT
FROM： OFFICE OF CHAIRMAN； Moscow CENTRE
To： REZIDENT SOFIA
REFERENCE： OPERATIONAL DESIGNATOR 15…8…82…666
OPERATION APPROVED。 NEXT STEP INTERMEDIATE APPROVAL BULGARIAN POLITBURO。 EXPECT FULL APPROVAL TEN DAYS OR LESS。 CONTINUE PLANNING FOR OPERATION。
Zaitzev saw it telexed off； then handed the copy to a messenger to be hand…delivered to the top floor。 Then he took his leave； walking a little more swiftly than usual。 Out on the street； he fished out his cigarette pack to get himself another Trud before going down the escalator to the metro platform。 There； he checked the ceiling clock。 He'd actually walked too quickly； he saw； and so let the train go without him； fumbling with his cigarette pack as an excuse if anyone was watching him…but then again； if anyone were watching him now； he was already a dead man。 The thought made his hands shake； but it was too late for that。 The next train came out of the tunnel exactly on time； and he boarded the proper carriage； shuffling in with fifteen or so other workers。。。
And there he was。 Reading a newspaper； wearing an unbuttoned raincoat； his right hand on the chrome overhead bar。
Zaitzev wandered that way。 In his right hand was the second note that he'd just fished out of his cigarette pack。 Yes； he saw belatedly； the man was wearing a bright green tie； held in place by a gold…colored tie bar。 A brown suit； a clean white shirt that looked expensive； and his face was occupied with the paper。 The man did not look around。 Zaitzev slid closer。
One of the things Ed Foley had studied at The Farm was how to perfect his peripheral vision。 With training and practice； your eyes could actually see a wider field than the unschooled realized。 At CIA camp； he'd learned by walking down the street and reading house numbers without turning his head。 Best of all； it was like riding a bicycle。 Once learned；