Paul than just pawns in the game being played.
For some reason, having studied under the older Koslov seemed to give a
personal touch that had grown.

Nikolai Kirichenko, a higher-up in the Moscow branch of the underground,
looked strangely at Paul then at Shvernik. "What have you told him about
the nature of our movement?" he demanded.

Paul said, "What's the matter? All I wanted to know was who was
scheduled to be top man."

Shvernik said, "Actually, I suppose we have had little time to discus
the nature of the new society we plan. We've been busy working on the
overthrow of the Communists. However, I thought ..."

Paul was uneasy now. Leonid was right. Actually in his association with
both Ana and Leonid Shvernik they had seldom mentioned what was to
follow the collapse of the Soviets. It suddenly occurred to him how
overwhelmingly important this was.

Nikolai Kirichenko, who spoke no English, said in Russian, "See here, we
are not an organization attempting to seize power for ourselves."

This was a delicate point, Paul sensed. Revolutions are seldom put over
in the name of reaction or even conservatism. Whatever the final
product, they are invariably presented as being motivated by liberal
idealism and progress.

He said, "I am familiar with the dedication of your organization. I have
no desire to underestimate your ideals. However, my question is
presented with good intentions and remains unanswered. You aren't
anarchists, I know. You expect a responsible government to be in control
after the removal of the police state. So I repeat, who is to be your
head man?"

"How would we know?" Kirichenko blurted in irritation. "We're working
toward a democracy. It's up to the Russian people to elect any officials
they may find necessary to govern the country."

Shvernik said, "However, the very idea of a _head man_, as you call him,
is opposed to what we have in mind. We aren't looking for a
super-leader. We've had enough of leaders. Our experience is that it is
too easy for them to become misleaders. If the history of this century
has proven anything with its Mussolinis, Hitlers, Stalins, Chiangs, and
Maos, it is that the search for a leader to take over the problems of a
people is a vain one. The job has to be done by the people themselves."

Paul hadn't wanted to get involved in the internals of their political
ideology. It was dangerous ground. For all he knew, there might be wide
differences within the rank