“I appreciate your professionalism,” Cobb answered. “Nice pose.”
“Can I cut his balls off now?” she hissed.
Keradin’s eyes settled on Cobb. Still no expression. He was a tough man.
“No, not now, not unless we have to. I would like him in one piece. But if there’s the slightest doubt, then, yes, you may.” He made sure the general absorbed that.
“He’s dangerous, you know,” she said.
“He doesn’t appear to be now.” Cobb grinned. The general said nothing, still motionless. It seemed best to keep him in that position for the time being. Cobb turned to Verra. “Put on your clothes.”
As she dressed, Keradin’s eyes never left Cobb, watching his every move, waiting perhaps, Cobb thought, for me to do something dumb, perhaps leer at the girl. One should always enjoy a beautiful woman’s nudity — but the alternative here wasn’t nearly as pleasurable. He must realize that I am not the little old wine maker he thought he’d found, and certainly not an enemy from Moscow. They wouldn’t do it this way.
Once dressed, Verra went through the general’s clothes without a word from Cobb. Neatly hung over the chair was the man’s holster, belt, and gun. “What do you want to do with this?”
“Strap it around my waist, gun over the left hip, butt forward. You can have this one when we’re ready.”
In the general’s dresser she found a slender but deadly looking knife in an ornate sheath. Removing it, she stroked the blade thoughtfully, looking Keradin up and down as she did so.
“Are you planning to kill me?” Keradin inquired. He spoke in a normal voice, though his eyes were now on the knife.
“Not unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Cobb answered. “As far as she’s concerned,” he inclined his head toward Verra, “I’m going to try to convince her not to either. I can’t swear that I can keep her from using the knife,” he added.
From the look in Keradin’s eyes, he seemed to share Cobb’s concern. “May I get up and get dressed?”
“You may get up, very carefully. Roll off that table, slowly, onto the bed. Once you’re there, I’ll tell you when you can stand up.”
The general did just as he was instructed, bouncing slightly as he landed on the mattress, rolling over, then watching Cobb, silently.
“Good. Now slide toward me until your feet are on the floor.” It was an odd sight, the naked man moving as though he were fully clothed, seemingly unconcerned with his own nakedness. As his feet touched the floor, his hand snaked out, grabbing a leg of the table still on the bed. In one fluid motion, he was on his feet, heaving it in Cobb’s direction. But Cobb was a split second ahead of him, and ducked. The table passed a fraction of an inch from his head, crashing against the wall. As Keradin lunged toward him, Cobb stepped slightly to one side, slashing the gun barrel across the man’s cheek. Keradin looked up from the floor at Cobb with an astonished look on his face. He felt the welt on his cheek and stared at the blood that covered his hand when he pulled it away.
“Someone will come — all that noise,” Verra said, the first sign of fear in her eyes.
Cobb looked down at the general. Behind the pain in his eyes was a triumphant expression, as if Keradin knew he had won, whether or not Cobb had knocked him to the floor.
“The knife,” said Cobb. “Use it if you have to.”
Before Keradin fully understood what was implied, Verra was on her knees beside him, the blade of the knife nestled in his crotch. Honest fear shone in Keradin’s eyes.
Cobb waited. The response was quick. There was pounding at the door. Voices outside called Keradin’s name.
Cobb dropped to his knees, whispering close to the man’s face, “Answer them. Laugh, tell them it’s all right.” Keradin looked stubbornly at him. Cobb turned slightly to Verra, then back to the General.
“Everything is all right,” Keradin answered. “Nothing to worry about.”
“What happened?” a voice responded, not satisfied.
“It is very personal, tell them,” Cobb whispered. “You can explain everything in the morning. You’re having a wonderful time and it will make a funny story.” Keradin hesitated again. Cobb got to his feet. “If he doesn’t do what he’s told by the time I count to three,” he said to Verra, “he’s all yours.”
Keradin looked down at the knife. Verra moved it slightly, enough for Keradin to get the message that she would enjoy carrying it through. “I will have to tell you all about it in the morning,” Keradin shouted. “You’ll all be amused. But, please, I am occupied now.” He finished with a suggestive laugh.
Outside the closed door, male laughter answered. Voices called a pleasant good night to the general as they drifted down the hallway. Keradin looked down at the knife. Verra hadn’t moved it. He looked up at Cobb.
“A deal’s a deal.” Cobb grinned at her appreciatively. “I can’t let you scare him to death. I still have a job to do.” She removed the knife, slipping it back in its sheath and dropping it inside her blouse. Cobb had the general’s gun holstered around his waist. He handed Verra the Makarov. “Remember, if there’s any problem, anything that he could have saved us from, the first shot is for him.” He looked at Keradin. “You understand?”
The general nodded. “Where are you taking me?”
“It doesn’t matter. Put on your shoes and socks.”
The general indicated the rest of his clothing hanging over the chair.
Cobb shook his head. “You’re traveling incognito tonight. All I’m worried about is your feet.” He indicated to the girl. “Make a little roll for him — shorts, shirt, pants — just in case there’s a delay. I wouldn’t want to lose him to pneumonia. He’ll carry his clothes himself and like it.” And to Keradin: “Remember, the first bullet will be for you. But if I have time, even just a few seconds, I will let her use her knife. Any questions?”
Keradin shook his head. Cobb explained to both of them how they would get out of the dacha and away from the area. There was no reason to explain yet where they would go afterward.
Even the most jaded observer would have found humor in the departure of a well-dressed woman, followed by a naked man, followed by a peasant. After lowering themselves from the balcony to the barrel to the ground, they walked to the main gate. Verra’s knife was once again pressed against the general to assure his silence.
The gate was the easiest method of escape. Electrically controlled from the inside by the guard, it could not be opened from the outside, and apparently security had not considered the possibility of someone escaping from the inside of General Keradin’s compound. As a result, there was only one guard there, whom Cobb had watched for a while from his position inside the crusher. He was by himself and likely bored. Cobb disposed of him quickly. Having seen earlier where the controls were, he opened the gate just the slightest bit to allow them to slip through. Taking the guard’s body with him, he dumped it in the bushes on the opposite side of the road. He knew that sooner or later the man would be missed, the gate found ajar, and then Keradin’s absence would be noted. However, it seemed unlikely to him that they would be discovered missing in such a short time, and assuming luck was with them and Lassiter appeared as planned, things should turn out well.
The naked general preceded the other two, following directions as Cobb dictated them, taking the same path Cobb used when he came into the area. The road between Yalta and Alushta was mainly dirt, and it carried more horse- or ox-drawn carts than motorized vehicles. At night, it was deserted. Only peasants ever used it, and nowhere but home existed for them after dark. Twice the general indicated how chilled he was becoming, but each time Cobb decided that he would be more obedient if he was cold.