Second Variety

three blast rifles. Tasso can have my pistol." Rudi tapped hisbelt. "In the Soviet army we didn't have shoes always, but we hadguns. With all four of us armed one of us might get to your commandbunker. Preferably you, Major."

  "What if they're already there?" Klaus said.

  Rudi shrugged. "Well, then we come back here."

  * * * * *

  Hendricks stopped pacing. "What do you think the chances are they'realready in the American lines?"

  "Hard to say. Fairly good. They're organized. They know exactly whatthey're doing. Once they start they go like a horde of locusts. Theyhave to keep moving, and fast. It's secrecy and speed they depend on.Surprise. They push their way in before anyone has any idea."

  "I see," Hendricks murmured.

  From the other room Tasso stirred. "Major?"

  Hendricks pushed the curtain back. "What?"

  Tasso looked up at him lazily from the cot. "Have you any moreAmerican cigarettes left?"

  Hendricks went into the room and sat down across from her, on a woodstool. He felt in his pockets. "No. All gone."

  "Too bad."

  "What nationality are you?" Hendricks asked after awhile.

  "Russian."

  "How did you get here?"

  "Here?"

  "This used to be France. This was part of Normandy. Did you come withthe Soviet army?"

  "Why?"

  "Just curious." He studied her. She had taken off her coat, tossing itover the end of the cot. She was young, about twenty. Slim. Her longhair stretched out over the pillow. She was staring at him silently,her eyes dark and large.

  "What's on your mind?" Tasso said.

  "Nothing. How old are you?"

  "Eighteen." She continued to watch him, unblinking, her arms behindher head. She had on Russian army pants and shirt. Gray-green. Thickleather belt with counter and cartridges. Medicine kit.

  "You're in the Soviet army?"

  "No."

  "Where did you get the uniform?"

  She shrugged. "It was given to me," she told him.

  "How--how old were you when you came here?"

  "Sixteen."

  "That young?"

  Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

  * * * * *

  Hendricks rubbed his jaw. "Your life would have been a lot differentif there had been no war. Sixteen. You came here at sixteen. To livethis way."

  "I had to survive."

  "I'm not moralizing."

  "Your life would have been different, too," Tasso murmured. Shereached down and unfastened one of her boots. She kicked the boot off,onto the floor. "Major, do you want to go in the other room? I'msleepy."

  "It's going to be a problem, the four of us here. It's going to behard to live in these quarters. Are there just the two rooms?"

  "Yes."

  "How big was the cellar originally? Was it larger than this? Are thereother rooms filled up with debris? We might be able to open one ofthem."

  "Perhaps. I really don't know." Tasso loosened her belt. She madeherself comfortable on the cot, unbuttoning her shirt. "You're sureyou have no more cigarettes?"

  "I had only the one pack."

  "Too bad. Maybe if we get back to your bunker we can find some." Theother boot fell. Tasso reached up for the light cord. "Good night."

  "You're going to sleep?"

  "That's right."

  The room plunged into darkness. Hendricks got up and made his way pastthe curtain, into the kitchen.

  And stopped, rigid.

  Rudi stood against the wall, his face white and gleaming. His mouthopened and closed but no sounds came. Klaus stood in front of him, themuzzle of his pistol in Rudi's stomach. Neither of them moved. Klaus,his hand tight around his gun, his features set. Rudi, pale andsilent, spread-eagled against the wall.

  "What--" Hendricks muttered, but Klaus cut him off.

  "Be quiet, Major. Come over here. Your gun. Get out your gun."

  Hendricks drew his pistol. "What is it?"

  "Cover him." Klaus motioned him forward. "Beside me. Hurry!"

  Rudi moved a little, lowering his arms. He turned to Hendricks,licking his lips. The whites of his eyes shone wildly. Sweat drippedfrom his forehead, down his cheeks. He fixed his gaze on Hendricks."Major, he's gone insane. Stop him." Rudi's voice was thin and hoarse,almost inaudible.

  "What's going on?" Hendricks demanded.

  Without lowering his pistol Klaus answered. "Major, remember ourdiscussion? The Three Varieties? We knew about One and Three. But wedidn't know about Two. At least, we didn't know before." Klaus'fingers tightened around the gun butt. "We didn't know before, but weknow now."

  He pressed the trigger. A burst of white heat rolled out of the gun,licking around Rudi.

  "Major, this is the Second Variety."

  * * * * *

  Tasso swept the curtain aside. "Klaus! What did you do?"

  Klaus turned from the charred form, gradually sinking down the wallonto the floor. "The Second Variety, Tasso. Now we know. We have allthree types identified. The danger is less. I--"

  Tasso stared past him at the remains of Rudi, at the blackened,smouldering fragments and bits of cloth. "You killed him."

  "Him? _It_, you mean. I was watching. I had a feeling, but I wasn'tsure. At least, I wasn't sure before. But this evening I was certain."Klaus rubbed his pistol butt nervously. "We're lucky. Don't youunderstand? Another hour and it might--"

  "You were _certain_?" Tasso pushed past him and bent down, over thesteaming remains on the floor. Her face became hard. "Major, see foryourself. Bones. Flesh."

  Hendricks bent down beside her. The remains were human remains. Searedflesh, charred bone fragments, part of a skull. Ligaments, viscera,blood. Blood forming a pool against the wall.

  "No wheels," Tasso said calmly. She straightened up. "No wheels, noparts, no relays. Not a claw. Not the Second Variety." She folded herarms. "You're going to have to be able to explain this."

  Klaus sat down at the table, all the color drained suddenly from hisface. He put his head in his hands and rocked back and forth.

  "Snap out of it." Tasso's fingers closed over his shoulder. "Why didyou do it? Why did you kill him?"

  "He was frightened," Hendricks said. "All this, the whole thing,building up around us."

  "Maybe."

  "What, then? What do you think?"

  "I think he may have had a reason for killing Rudi. A good reason."

  "What reason?"

  "Maybe Rudi learned something."

  Hendricks studied her bleak face. "About what?" he asked.

  "About him. About Klaus."

  * * * * *

  Klaus looked up quickly. "You can see what she's trying to say. Shethinks I'm the Second Variety. Don't you see, Major? Now she wants youto believe I killed him on purpose. That I'm--"

  "Why did you kill him, then?" Tasso said.

  "I told you." Klaus shook his head wearily. "I thought he was a claw.I thought I knew."

  "Why?"

  "I had been watching him. I was suspicious."

  "Why?"

  "I thought I had seen something. Heard something. I thought I--" Hestopped.

  "Go on."

  "We were sitting at the table. Playing cards. You two were in theother room. It was silent. I thought I heard him--_whirr_."

  There was silence.

  "Do you believe that?" Tasso said to Hendricks.

  "Yes. I believe what he says."

  "I don't. I think he killed Rudi for a good purpose." Tasso touchedthe rifle, resting in the corner of the room. "Major--"

  "No." Hendricks shook his head. "Let's stop it right now. One isenough. We're afraid, the way he was. If we kill him we'll be doingwhat he did to Rudi."

  Klaus looked gratefully up at him. "Thanks. I was afraid. Youunderstand, don't you? Now she's afraid, the way I was. She wants tokill me."

  "No more kil
ling." Hendricks moved toward the end of the ladder. "I'mgoing above and try the transmitter once more. If I can't get themwe're moving back toward my lines tomorrow morning."

  Klaus rose quickly. "I'll come up with you and give you a hand."

  * * * * *

  The night air was cold.