The Leviathan Effect (46 page)

That was something that could change. That
would
change. Volkov knew exactly how to do it. How the world could become more civilized. He just needed the right general to carry out his mission.
The Project
.

Once again, the Americans had not been paying attention, he reflected, looking up at the cumulous clouds, as he walked along a ridge beside the sea. It was almost amusing to him: for all of their wealth, their knowhow, their arrogance, aggression, and resourcefulness, the Americans had not even read the last warning properly. They had become so consumed with their notions of success and winning that they hadn’t even processed the last note carefully. It had been stated very clearly:
The next two events will be on American soil
.

Vladimir Volkov turned from the water and gazed up the lawn. That’s when he saw his son, the good son, Dmitry Petrenko, walking toward him. What he really saw was the future.

I am grateful to Laura Gross for her support of this series and of my writing.

Thank you to Bronwen Hruska and the staff at Soho Press for their creative work on the book.

Special thanks to my editor, Juliet Grames, for her incisive editorial suggestions, which made this a better book.

And thank you to Janet, China and Tibbie for their continuing friendship, encouragement and humor.