"Put him in the can and question him tomorrow," Nick snarled. "Anybody
can see he's working for the filthy capitalists."

"Of course, Your Excellency Comrade." Broken nose and his three pals
escorted Nick to a chair beside a column. "I'm Lieutenant Putov of the
MVD," he whispered. "We picked up this Prince Navi the instant he
entered, and have been watching him."

"Skip the commercial," Nick said, almost laughing as he gave Moloch's
favorite expression. "How come you didn't spot him at one of our
airports?"

"He must have landed on an abandoned field in his private plane, Your
Excellency Comrade." Lieutenant Putov glanced at the other three
equally worried looking plug-uglies. "He's a prince, all right. Look
at the gold and jewels he tossed to the clerk, several million dol--I
mean, several billion rubles. We haven't checked his story, but he
claims he's here to sell fifty Persian oil wells."

"I know _that_, idiot. Our spies in Baghdad advised us yesterday.
That's why I pretend to be with the stinking Super-San--Wggh!"

"What are Your Excellency Comrade's wishes?"

"Get him away from that blonde before she ruins our plans."

"Ah, that's Nishka, one of us." Astonishment widened Putov's watery
blue eyes. "Have you forgotten the night you and she drank--"

"You talk too much, Putov." Nick flapped a hand. "Get a car to take me
and the prince to the Kremlin. Hurry it! Comrade Andrei Broncov and I
have a Council meeting at midnight. You three, bring the prince to me
here."

Cletus and Nishka had withdrawn to a sofa in an alcove off the lobby.
Without effort, Nick could see them and hear the female agent saying:
"How do I know you have all that money, Navi-Honey? I'll bet you
brought gilt lead and fake jewels just to impress me."

"No, but I've been to America," Cletus bragged, knowing well his boss
would be listening. "So be nice and I'll prove they're real. I've been
everywhere but this lousy place. I even lived in Egypt."

"Talk some Egyptian for me," Nishka wheedled.

"I've forgotten most of it," Cletus said, cannily dodging the trap.
"But I once made a study of the ancient language." He ripped out a
stream of what had once been his native tongue. Then, partly at least
to test Nishka's knowledge, he added in English, "How's for looking at
my room before we go out on the town?"

"Wha-at? Why, you bad boy!" The girl winked at her three fellow agents
coming toward them in a crablike walk, then spoke in Cletus'