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there was anyone in here until after I had shut the door. Then I just tried to get my property without bothering you."

    "I didn't hear anyone come in!" the man said.

    The woman giggled. "I wonder why!"

    Now Grisha could smell sex overlaying the sawdust. He thought of Valari and felt urgency.

    "Well, just stay there, and I'll be out of your life in a moment."

    "Wait," the man said. "Who are you? Our hostess said this was her husband's shop."

    "I'm the husband," he said.

    "But then you have just returned from New Archangel, yes?"

    "Yes," Grisha echoed, surprised that Kazina had even remembered his destination, and more surprised she told anyone else. "Why do you ask?"

    "What is the celebration like over there?"

    "Celebration? What celebration?"

    "Haven't you heard, man? The New Openness Treaty!"

    "New what?"

    "Openness!" the man and woman said together.

    Finally his eyes adjusted, and he could see them in the dim light. They obviously believed themselves cloaked by darkness, as they made no effort to cover themselves.

    Very nice breasts .

    "I don't understand."

    "New France, California, British Canada, and the First People's Nation have signed a treaty with us that drops political barriers and most trade and travel restrictions. The Cold War is over! We have true peace on this continent for the first time in over two hundred years."

    Grisha felt numb. Not now. Please, not yet! "But what about New Spain, Texas? And Deseret?"

    "Who cares? All are impossibly far away and none could conquer the rest of North America by themselves, or even in tandem. Peace! Isn't it wonderful?"

    "Yes. Yes it is." He had the money bag in his hand, he edged toward the door. New Spain lay two thousand kilometers to the south. "I must have been in transit when this happened."

    "Ah, your wife, sir," the woman said, "she and the kommander . . ."

    "Never mind. I know. It's nice to see you two beginning a relationship that might go somewhere."

    "Oh, we know where we will be going," the man said, laughing.

    "Yes," the woman said with a giggle, "right back to our spouses!"

    Grisha suddenly wanted to be anywhere but here.

    He slipped out the door and into the dark night, jogging the four blocks to the boat harbor before slowing. The harbor lay quiet and dark.

    He stopped, weighing possible actions. There might not be political asylum anymore. Perhaps the thing to do is throw ourselves on the mercy of the crown. Karpov did start the whole thing, and wouldn't stop until he was killed .

    But Valari was right; they had disposed of the body. Honest citizens wouldn't do that. How would they explain that away? Tell them he fell over the side?

    Valari would know, she understood the international political world. She owed him.

    Grisha hurried down the dark dock to his boat. No sound or movement broke the stillness around Pravda . Concern enveloped him as he slipped aboard.

    "Valari, are you here?" he whispered.

    "Yes." Her voice sounded flat, official, disinterested.

    Bright light stabbed out of the night and blinded him. Strong, rough hands seized his arms; he sensed many people around him.

    "Are you Grigoriy Grigorievich?" an authoritative voice boomed.

    "Yes, why?" He tried squinting to see past the glare.

    "Is this the man, Lieutenant Kominskiya?"

    "Yes," Valari said with a quaver in her voice. "He's the murderer."

    Lieutenant ? "Valari!" he screamed, cold fear tightening his guts. "What have you told them-"

    The fist materialized out of the darkness and smashed into the side of his head. Dimly he felt them drag him off the boat. The smell of salt and tar flooded his nose.

    "Time to hang a fuckin' Creole !" someone shouted.

    Fireworks exploded in the air over Russian Amerika._

    4

    Akku

    Consciousness brought pain on a level new to him. A small voice in the back of his mind noted that he must still be alive unless everything the priests taught him was a lie. He wondered if they were going to kill him.

    Opening his eyes