Selena didn't want to think about what might have happened to her.
"Sister, can you hear me?" Valentina's voice was quiet.
"I hear you. Are you all right?"
"Yes. And you?"
"Yes. You tried to throw me your gun, didn't you? When we were in that room?"
"I knew I couldn't shoot Rostov before I went down," Valentina said. "That bitch got what she deserved."
"Why did she shoot you?"
Valentina gave a weak laugh. It turned into a prolonged fit of coughing. "She was like one of those scorpions. It was her nature. Her boss probably put her up to it."
"Volkov?"
"He is ambitious and jealous of my organization's success. He would like to bring back the KGB. I am sure General Vysotsky and myself would be at the top of his list for the courtyard at the Lubyanka and a bullet in the back of the head."
"I thought all that was over," Selena said.
"If you thought that you are naïve."
Selena was quiet. She thought about her father and his illegitimate daughter. Her sister.
"What are you thinking?" Valentina asked.
"I was thinking about our father."
"Your father, maybe. Not mine. Mine was a biological accident."
"If you like."
"You had a father. I had instructors."
"You had your mother. What was she like?"
"She was KGB. What do you think she was like?"
Oh, Valentina, you are so angry.
"It's strange," Selena said, "you and I."
"I know. I wish we were not enemies."
"We don't have to be. You could come to America."
Valentina started to laugh. It changed to coughing. "Why don't you come to Russia? I think that would be better."
"I'm serious. There's a place for you there."
"You really are naïve, aren't you, sister?"
Selena changed the subject. "What do you think they'll do with us?"
"We work for clever people, you and I. I think we will be going home soon."
"How did you know where the ruins were?"
"You mean in the ocean?"
"Yes."
"It was on the computer in your hotel room."
"You took it?"
"You should be grateful it was me who found it and not Rostov. You and your friends are not very good at knowing when you are being watched."
The thought was chilling. Selena put it away for another time.
"Maybe you're better at concealment than you think."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Valentina said.
The outer door of their cellblock scraped open. Two guards came in. They stopped in front of Selena's cell. One of them took out a key and unlocked it.
"Come."
"What about her?"
"Never mind about her. Come."
As they escorted her out of the building, Selena heard Valentina call after her.
"Don't worry, sister. We'll see each other again."
I hope so, Selena thought.
CHAPTER 54
Karimi had released Valentina and sent her back to Moscow. General Alexei Vysotsky was reading her report for the third time, with satisfaction.
It was everything he needed to discredit Volkov with President Orlov. Rostov had been following Volkov's orders. If she hadn't interfered, the mysterious stone that controlled the ancient force would now be in the Kremlin's hands.
Orlov had become obsessed with thoughts of finding the archive of Atlantis. He'd demanded daily updates while the mission was unfolding. Now no one would ever know what had been in those records, or what might have been accomplished if the Atlantis stone had been brought back to Russia. The Americans had failed to get what they wanted, but that was of small comfort to the Russian president.
Orlov was angry.
Alexei was certain Volkov's story of events would be different from Valentina's. He was meeting with the president and Volkov in an hour at Orlov's office in the Kremlin. Alexei planned to bring Valentina with him and have her wait outside. It was obvious Orlov was attracted to her. He would want to hear her story in person. When he did, it would be Volkov's word against Valentina's. Alexei thought he knew who would be believed.
He was looking forward to the meeting.
His intercom sounded. "Major Antipov is here."
"Send her in."
When she entered the room Alexei saw she was in pain from her wound. Her face was pale and drawn. There were deep bags under her eyes.
Even better, Alexei thought. Orlov will feel sorry for his little dove.
"Valentina. Sit down. We have work to do today."
Alexei reached into his desk drawer and took out the vodka and two small glasses. He poured the liquor and handed her a glass.
"Drink this. It will help with the pain."
"Na'zdrovnya." They lifted glasses. She downed the shot. "What work?"
Alexei set his empty glass down on the desk.
"I am meeting with Orlov and Volkov in less than an hour. I'm taking you with me. You'll wait outside until I summon you."
"Should I be flattered? Why do you need me there?"
"You really must learn to curb your insolence, Valentina. Others may not be so tolerant of your petty rebellions."
Valentina bit back a sharp reply. "Yes, General."
"President Orlov will want to hear what happened from you."
"Doesn't he have my report?"
"Are you really so obtuse? Orlov wants to bed you. I want his desire to fuel his anger at Volkov."
"I suppose you would like me to seduce him."
"That would be an excellent result. Today would be a good day to begin. Nothing obvious, but I want you to plant the seed of an affair."
"And if I don't want to have sex with him?"
"Has that mattered in the past? It's an assignment, for the good of the nation."
Valentina wanted to point out that it was for the good of Vysotsky, not the nation. She kept her thoughts to herself. If she were honest, there was a certain attraction to seducing one of the most powerful men in the world. Getting him into bed would be easy. The challenge was whether or not she would be able to control him.
"You understand?" Alexei said.
"Yes."
"I want you to paint Rostov in the worst possible light. I want you to make sure Orlov knows she was acting under Volkov's direct orders when she decided to kill the Americans."
"Was she?" Valentina asked.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is the perception."
"Rostov was a bitch. I won't have any trouble describing her."
Alexei looked at his watch. "A car should be waiting downstairs for us. One more thing."
"Yes?"
"Limp a little when you come into the room. You are the wounded soldier, betrayed by the actions of those who were supposed to support you."
"Perhaps I should put a pebble in my shoe."
For a second Alexei thought she was serious. He shook his finger at her.
"There you go again," he said.
The ride to the Kremlin took about thirty minutes on a good day. Today, Moscow traffic was terrible. Even Vysotsky's escort had trouble getting through the mess. They arrived only minutes before the meeting was due to begin. Two uniformed guards stood outside the open doors of Orlov's office. Alexei saw that Volkov had arrived before him. He sat in a gilded chair in front of Orlov's desk. A second chair was empty.
"Wait out here," Vysotsky said to Valentina.
The guards closed the tall doors to the office behind him.
Orlov looked at his watch. "You are exactly on time, General. Please sit."
Alexei took a seat. His chair had a high, curved back and a red plush seat.