Blackmail

18 MOSCOW

Christine O’Connor peered out the window of the C-32 executive transport, the military version of Boeing’s 757 and designated Air Force One when the president was aboard, or Air Force Two when the vice president was being flown. As the aircraft descended, it broke through the heavy gray clouds, revealing a sprawling metropolis — the capital of the Russian Federation and home to twelve million. In the distance, she spotted the Kremlin, where the next round of negotiations for the successor to New START would occur.

Today, Christine would meet with the Russians for the second time. The first round hadn’t gone well, with Russia refusing to allow inspections of their new Bulava missile or the Borei class submarines that carried them. However, following the Russian assault on Ice Station Nautilus and the American president’s threat to go public with what Russia had done, President Kalinin acquiesced, agreeing to allow inspections of their new missiles and submarines. However, the concession was only verbal up to this point, and Christine was bent on ensuring the agreement became documented in the next draft of the treaty.

The C-32 touched down at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, and after descending the staircase onto the tarmac, Christine was met by her Russian counterpart, National Security Advisor Sergei Ivanov. This was her first time meeting Ivanov, who’d been out of town during her last visit. Although Christine was handling the negotiations from the American side, Russia had defaulted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which negotiated New START. As they shook hands, Ivanov gave her an odd look, reacting the same way many within the Russian administration did upon meeting her for the first time.

Standing beside Ivanov was Mark Johnson, Christine’s interpreter for the negotiations, supplied by the American embassy in Moscow. Christine and Johnson joined Ivanov in the back of his limousine, which sped from the airport toward the Kremlin. Along the way, Ivanov described the Russian landmarks they passed, and it wasn’t long before Red Square appeared through the car windows.

Preparations were under way for Russia’s Victory Day celebration, commemorating the surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, referred to within Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Huge banners draped the facades of buildings along the perimeter of Red Square, and the roar of jet engines pulled Christine’s eyes skyward as a dozen jets streaked overhead; a squadron of Sukhoi Su-35s, Ivanov explained, practicing for the Victory Day parade, which would include a flyover by 150 military aircraft.

The limousine passed within the five-hundred-year-old Kremlin walls, pulling to a halt in front of the triangular-shaped Kremlin Senate, the Russian version of the White House, with its distinctive green dome. Ivanov escorted Christine to the third floor of the building, entering a twenty-by-sixty-foot conference room containing a polished ebony table capable of seating thirty persons. As before, on one side of the table sat Maksim Posniak, director of security and disarmament in Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with his interpreter, although neither side had needed one for the initial discussions. Posniak’s accent was thick but his English understandable.

Waiting in the conference room along with Posniak was Russia’s minister of defense, Boris Chernov. The three men at the table rose as Christine and Ivanov entered the room.

“Welcome back to Moscow, Christine,” Chernov said. “It’s good to see you again.”

Christine noticed Chernov’s use of her first name, instead of addressing her as Miss O’Connor as was customary. “It’s good to see you again, too, Boris.”

Chernov smiled. “You should find Russia’s recent concessions incorporated into the new document Maksim has for you, but if not, please don’t hesitate to contact me. As for the details, I leave that for you two to work out.”

He checked his watch. “I cannot stay, but before I leave, I must inquire. Will you be attending the ball tomorrow night?” Chernov’s eyes wandered as he spoke, examining her body; he seemed unaware she could follow his eyes.

“Yes,” Christine answered. “I received the itinerary for my visit and packed the necessary attire. If I may ask, what is the occasion?”

“It’s a Victory Day gala.”

“I thought Victory Day was on the ninth.”

“We have managed to turn the entire month into a celebration,” Chernov replied. “Several foreign leaders have already arrived, and we plan to keep them entertained.” He added, “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll stop by to see how things are going tomorrow, and of course, I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Chernov and Ivanov departed the conference room, leaving Christine with Posniak and the two interpreters.

Christine turned to Posniak as she eased into her chair. “Let’s get started, shall we?”