"Perfect."

"Yeah, perfect," Brognola said wryly.

He plucked a fat cigar from his pocket and roasted the end with a match. "It's a bit hot for this," he explained, "but it's the only way to kill the damn smell of this place."

Bolan let his friend talk. He knew the man pretty well after all these years together.

Recognized his discomfort at the situation. He'd seen Bolan hatch a lot of farfetched plans before, but this was the most bizarre of all. Or maybe just the most dangerous.

"What about the fingerprints?" Bolan asked.

"Taken care of. It'll take them a day or two, but by then they'll match you through the FBI as Damon Blue. Your rap sheet would do any convict proud. Twelve arrests for armed robbery, assault, carrying a concealed weapon. Two convictions. Just like you wanted."

"Good."

Brognola blew a cloud of smoke at the ceiling. "I'm glad you approve."

"What about our target?"

"Dodge Reed is still locked up nice and snug at the countyjail. No fights, no fuss. Model prisoner."

"Any word on Zavlin?"

Brognola hesitated, his face suddenly grim. "He's in the country."

"Damn! Already?"

"Flew in last night from Soviet Union via Canada. Lost our boys less than ten miles from Washington, D.C."

Bolan grimaced.

"He's their best. Maybe the best ever."

And that's what started this whole charade, Bolan thought.

Undercover sources in east Europe had passed word along the intelligence network that the KGB's best, most ruthless assassin had been assigned a new target for immediate elimination. Nothing unusual there.

Zavlin had been responsible for the assassinations of those bothersome to the KGB for years. When Zavlin was given a target's name, nothing could stop him. Many had tried.

The CIA routinely got advance notice on some of his marks and set up elaborate plans to foil the assassin. They never succeeded. Neither did the British, the Israelis nor any other government agency. All they ever got for their troubles was a long list of murdered field agents. Many anti-Soviet leaders in Africa, South America and Europe had fallen under Zavlin's hand.