Page 125 of Dead Fall

“Slava Ukraïni,” he toasted, clinking glasses. “Heroiam slava.”

Nicholas savored the flavor. “That’s not bad.”

“What is it?”

“Varenukha. Vodka with spices.”

Harvath held his glass out for a refill and asked, “How’s my man Hookah?”

“He’s good. He’ll get full use of his arm back, but he’s got a lot of physical therapy in front of him.”

“What about Anna? How’s she?”

Nicholas poured them each a fresh shot and replied, “They’ve already transferred her to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Her family’s en route to meet her there. Physically, they expect her to make a full recovery. Emotionally and psychologically, after everything she’s been through? That’s up to her. She’s got a long and difficult road ahead.”

“Here’s to another hero,” said Harvath, raising his glass. “To Anna Royko.”

“To Anna Royko,” Nicholas replied, clinking glasses.

“And the little girls? The twins. What about them?”

“They’ve been taken in by a family in their village, but, like Anna, they’re going to need a lot of help.”

“If there’s anything I can do…” said Harvath, setting his glass on the desk.

“You’re a good man. I’m going to help keep an eye on them and will let you know.”

“Please do,” he said, nodding when his friend offered him one more drink.

“You know, the Ukrainians want to give you a medal for taking out the Ravens and recovering all of that stolen art. They’d like you to hang around for a while.”

Harvath smiled. “I’m honored, but they should give it to the guys. Besides, I’m not hanging around. There’s a train back to Poland tonight. We both should be on it.”

Nicholas filled his friend’s glass and slid it across the table to him. “I’m going to stay for a little bit.”

“You are?”

“There’s still some more I can teach them. Plus, there’s been a development.”

“What development?” Harvath asked, pausing mid-sip.

Nicholas looked up to where Kozar had indicated one of the hidden cameras were. All of the surveillance equipment in the office could be turned on and off via a fingerprint reader under Nicholas’s desk. “The GUR has been dealing with a mole who has been feeding all sorts of sensitive information to the Russians.”

Harvath wasn’t surprised, but it was still a shock. “Do they have any idea who it is?”

Nicholas nodded.

“What kind of intelligence have they been leaking?”

“For starters,” the little man said, “the classified list of Ukrainian cultural artifacts and where they were hidden.”

“And the Ravens lucked onto it when they slaughtered the team the Kremlin had sent to do the initial looting.”

“Bingo,” said Nicholas. “That’s why Kozar wouldn’t put troop movements on the table and give you what you were asking for. I’m going to stay to help feed bad intel back to the Russians through the mole.”

Harvath held his glass up. “Here’s to leveraging the mole.”

“To leveraging the mole,” responded Nicholas, raising his glass.

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