The Restoration Game

In a single of my artics,’ he stated. ‘Artics? ’ ‘Container vehicles. ’ I stared at him. ‘Container vans? What the fuck’s improper with flying? There needs to nonetheless be flights in to Batumi, or perhaps simply to Istanbul, it’d nonetheless be speedier than a truck. ’ Ross shook his head. ‘Even with out the chance that the airspace round Georgia can be a wee bit contested, or the airports closed, or no matter what … I don’t belief flying for this sort of factor. Too managed. You’re in a airplane, you get clocked, finish of tale. Nowhere to run. while in a lorry …’ He smiled into the center distance. ‘You have techniques, be aware of what I suggest? ’ ‘And how lengthy will I be away? ’ ‘Allow per week and a part to get there, a number of days to arrive where – name it a fortnight, and double that for problems. ’ He shrugged. ‘Allow a month, tops. to any extent further we’re into September, and a technique or one other where could have blown by way of then besides. ’ ‘What approximately getting again? ’ ‘Oh, the exit’s effortless enough,’ he acknowledged. ‘You can fly out, probably now not from Georgia yet no less than from Turkey. ’ He didn’t sound like he’d given this point of the problem a lot proposal. I gave him a suspicious glance. ‘I am presupposed to get out, correct? back? that's a part of the plan, yeah? ’ To my shock, he didn’t dismiss my misgivings. He seemed me instantly within the eye. ‘Lucy,’ he acknowledged, ‘I recognize what I’m asking of you. I’m not likely to aim to child you that it’s no longer risky. Leaving apart the little challenge of the ex-MVD men patrolling the mountainside, no matter what is within the mystery position it’s anything bloody harmful. You heard Yuri’s tale approximately 1952, correct? ’ ‘Uh-huh. ’ ‘OK. no matter what is there, simply seeing a movie of it left of the scariest men who ever walked the earth shaking of their boots. So …’ ‘It didn’t scare the Vrai,’ I acknowledged. I felt a wierd thrill of delight in those mysterious ancestors of mine, and that i extra: ‘And it doesn’t scare me. ’ Ross slapped my knee. ‘That’s the spirit! ’ yet once I’d one way or the other talked my manner into announcing i used to be courageous sufficient to stand anything that had made Stalin and Beria quail, a extra brilliant a part of my mind popped up with useful objections. ‘What approximately my task? ’ ‘Are you the single individual within the complete large international who can do your task? ’ ‘Well, no longer exactly—’ ‘Right then,’ he stated. ‘You’re the single individual within the entire broad international who can do that activity. ’ ‘But what approximately discover, and—’ Ross leaned throughout me and slid the door open. ‘You’ll style anything out,’ he acknowledged. It sounded an identical even if it used to be a prediction or an guide. I made to go away. ‘Oh, and focus on your hair,’ he stated. ‘What? ’ He waved a hand above his head. ‘The color. For the passport picture. ’ i used to be down in the street back, having a look up. He used to be nonetheless leaning over, preserving the door deal with. ‘I have a passport,’ I stated. ‘In truth, i've got . ’ ‘You’ll want one other. ’ ‘How do I—’ ‘I’ll be in touch,’ he acknowledged. The door slid close. 2. I tucked my lilac satin clutch-bag lower than my left elbow, wedged the stem of my champagne flute among spare hands of the hand already retaining a side-plate of cucumber-and-tuna white bread triangles and tikka poultry wings, and with the lilac-polished fingernails of the opposite hand raked a few flakes of sausage-roll pastry out of Alec’s beard.