pe, Ilya."

Simonov said slowly, "Yes, a Party member. Catherina Panova, my assistant
in the automobile agency in Prague."

Blagonravov scowled heavily at him, put forth his fat lips in a thoughtful
pout. He came to his feet, approached a file cabinet, fishing from his
pocket a key ring. He unlocked the cabinet, brought forth a sheaf of
papers with which he returned to his desk. He fumbled though them for a
moment, found the paper he wanted and read it. He scowled again and looked
up at his agent.

"Your first report," he said. "Catherina Panova. From what you say here, a
dangerous reactionary. Certainly she has no place in Party ranks."

Ilya Simonov said, "Is that the complete file of my assignment?"

"Yes. I've kept it here in my own office. I've wanted this to be
ultra-undercover. No one except you and me. I had hopes of you working
your way up into the enemy's organization, and I wanted no possible chance
of you being betrayed. You don't seem to have been too successful."

"I was as successful as it's possible to be."

The security minister leaned forward. "Ah ha! I knew I could trust you to
bring back results, Ilya. This will take Frol Zverev's pressure off me.
Number One has been riding me hard." Blagonravov poured them both another
drink. "You were able to insert yourself into their higher circles?"

Simonov said, "Kliment, there are no higher circles."

His chief glared at him. "Nonsense!" He tapped the file with a pudgy
finger. "In your early reports you described several groups, small
organizations, illegal meetings. There must be an upper organization, some
movement supported from the West most likely."

Ilya Simonov was shaking his head. "No. They're all spontaneous."

His chief growled, "I tell you there are literally thousands of these
little groups. That hardly sounds like a spontaneous phenomenon."

"Nevertheless, that is what my investigations have led me to believe."

Blagonravov glowered at him, uncertainly. Finally, he said, "Well,
confound it, you've spent the better part of a year among them. What's it
all about? What do they want?"

Ilya Simonov said flatly, "They want freedom, Kliment."

"Freedom! What do you mean, freedom? The Soviet Complex is the most highly
industrialized area of the world. Our people have the highest standard of
living anywhere. Don't they understand? We've met all the promises we ever
made. We've reached far and beyond the point ever dreamed of by Utopians.