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will be better tomorrow night. Terese has a small recorder, and we will
record. That way, I can recall the phrasing when we return to Columbia.
You'll sing them again?
Mais oui.
Just remember, I said gently, my beautiful and talented diva, that you have
conquered two national capitals.
Not yet, she replied with a smile. After Saturday . . . we shall see.
You are a skeptic.
I am hungry.
So we cleaned up, dressed quickly, and went down and caught the last of
breakfast.
After that, we went back to our quarters, but I was there only long enough to
gather my overcoat and gloves. I had some more sightseeing in mind, if of a
particular nature, but I needed to check a few more items. The last thing I
did was make sure I had fresh batteries in the calculator that was more than a
calculator, before I slipped it into my side coat pocket. The projector pens
went into my shirt pocket, beside the more bulbous special pen, and a couple
of spare batteries.
Then, overcoat folded on my arm, I went to find Commander Madley. He was in
the conference room, reading a sheaf of papers. After alerting him, we went to
Christian's office. The younger man was looking over exit visas at his desk.
Yes, sir? asked Christian.
I have a request of you two. I need to see if either of you can find out
anything about a man named Viktor Yelensov.
Madley stiffened.
I see you know of him.
If . . . if he's the same man, there is a Viktor Yelensov who is considered
one of the . . . he's very involved in the rocketry projects.
The Perun work?
I can't say, sir.
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Madley had already said enough.
He's a payload or warhead specialist then. Otherwise, you could have said
more, because they used all the Goddard work for propulsion systems.
Sir . . . I really can't say. Madley screwed uphis mouth. His degrees are
in physics, and he's written papers that have been published on electrical
wave theories and ELF propagation propensities.
I managed to keepmy reaction to a nod. Outside my field, clearly. You can
comment on that, can't you?
As far as I know, sir, Viktor Yelensov has nothing to do with either energy
or environmental efforts.
That's all I need to know. I pursed my lips. I still have to wonder . . .
Then I shook my head. Christian . . . could you check and see if there's
anything in the past news clips or summaries about him, particularly about
energy-related matters. There may not be, but I need to know that.
Madley frowned but didn't offer anything else.
While you're checking that out, I need a moment with Colonel Sudwerth.
Madley didn't relax a moment with that, and I'd thought he would. All he said,
almost stiffly, was, I'll see if I can helpChristian, sir.
I won't be very long, I'm sure. That's if the colonel's even around.
Colonel Sudwerth was standing in the doorway of his small office.
The last thing I wanted was to be behind closed doors with the colonel at the
moment. So I stopped and asked, as innocently as I could, Colonel, you have
some understanding of the situation in which I find myself, I trust? After a
week, I still find very little happening.
Minister Eschbach, attempting to work out anything quickly in Russia is
time-consuming and frustrating.
It also leads one into strange places, I mused.
The ambassador has noticed that, said Sudwerth. He mentioned that there was
an explosion right after you left the Senate Square, where I understood you
were sightseeing.
I'd always wanted to see the Bronze Horseman, and we had a few minutes
between appointments. I understand there was a Septembrist there. I gather we
were both lucky and unlucky.
A few minutes later, and you might have been another of the ghosts of St.
Petersburg, Minister Eschbach.
Lucky, as I said. I looked at Sudwerth. Have you ever heard the name Viktor
Yelensov?
It's not the most common of names.
I could tell. He'd heard the name. I'd asked Christian and Commander Madley
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