Page 124 of Dead Fall

CHAPTER 35

MONDAY

RUSSIAN/NORWEGIANBORDER

The Russian border guard studied Leonid Grechko’s paperwork. “What’s your purpose in going to Norway? Business or pleasure?”

“That depends,” the intelligence operative replied. “If your wife sent you to do her shopping, what would you call it?”

Since the beginning of the war, most countries had shut their borders to Russia. One of the few passages to the west that remained open was above the Arctic Circle in Storskog, Norway. From there, Russians were allowed to travel to Kirkenes to go shopping for things like diapers, cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, and chocolate.

“Open your trunk,” the guard ordered.

Grechko depressed the button for the trunk release and the guard searched it. There was nothing to see. Anything he intended to carry into his new life was already on his person.

Closing the trunk, the border guard returned his paperwork and waved him through the checkpoint.

Once he had made the decision to defect, everything else was simply a formality. Setting up some routine meetings with intelligence colleagues in Murmansk, he had flown up from Moscow, rented a car, and taken a hotel room.

After checking in, he had left his suitcase in his room and had made the short drive to the border. Many Russians crossed over to do their shopping. The prices were good, the Norwegians tended to have a muchbetter selection, and the quality of the items was much higher than what was available in Russia.

The Norwegian border guards were extremely efficient and moved him quickly through their checkpoint. Grechko had almost made it.

It was only a couple of miles from the crossing to SPAR, a large Norwegian supermarket popular with Russian shoppers. Parking his car in the lot, he left his fob in the cup holder and headed inside.

He moved slowly up and down the aisles, reading labels and placing items in his cart. In front of the smoked fish, he studied all the different versions of salmon that were available.

As he did, a store employee, in a long white butcher’s coat, approached him and asked, “Are you interested in any fresh Norwegian caviar? The catch was especially good this weekend.”

Grechko smiled and replied, “Yes, I would. In Russia, Moscow especially, good caviar has been very difficult to find.”

The employee pointed to a set of double doors and said, “Our supplier just pulled up. You should come taste some.”

The intelligence operative nodded and then followed as the employee led him through the back and to the loading dock.

There, a team from the Norwegian Intelligence Service was waiting for him. After patting him down and placing his watch, phone, and other personal items into a large Faraday pouch, a very attractive blond woman stepped forward and introduced herself.

“Mr. Grechko,” she stated, extending her hand. “My name is Sølvi Kolstad. I am a Deputy Director at NIS. Welcome to Norway.”

CHAPTER 36

KYIV

Cleaned up and dressed in civilian clothes, Harvath gave Argos and Draco a bunch of extra attention before dropping into a chair in front of Nicholas’s desk.

“How do you feel?” the little man asked.

“I feel like I need a vacation.”

Nicholas fished a bottle and two glasses out of his drawer. “I’m not surprised.”

“How are my guys?”

“The Canadian, Biscuit,” he said as he poured, “is lucky to be alive. Five minutes more and he would have been dead.”

“I’ve got to be honest,” Harvath replied, accepting his glass. “I thought he was dead. He’d lost so much blood. If you and Kozar hadn’t gotten us that helicopter when you did, he wouldn’t have made it. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” the little man said, raising his shot. “To the heroes.”