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“Not so impossible,” came a voice from the side and they all turned to see Prakov approaching<br />
from the lawns. He was walking through the downpour with little regard for personal discomfort –<br />
there was no hat on his head, nor boots on his feet, and when he stepped under the portico he made no<br />
attempt to wipe the water from his brow.<br />
“What matters the number of rooms if there are only two exits?” he continued. “The enclave is<br />
designed so that it is easy for a man to hide, but not so easy for him to escape. You are the British<br />
Queen’s bodyguards, I understand?”<br />
“Trevor Welles, Rayley Abrams, Davy Mabrey,” Trevor said as hands were shaken all around.<br />
“We appreciate you taking time to meet with us.”<br />
“Not much time. The next two days will place many demands on my unit.”<br />
“Indeed,” said Trevor. “If you could just tell us a bit more about these two exits.” He hesitated,<br />
as if wondering if he should explain why he asked, but Prakov did not inquire. The Russians did not<br />
ask the “why” of anything very often, Trevor had noticed. It was as if cause and effect were somehow<br />
severed in their minds.<br />
“This exit is the dock as you have doubtlessly noticed,” Prakov said brusquely. “The palace<br />
has five – one for bringing the staff in and out, one for bringing goods in and out, one for recreation,<br />
one for exalted visitors and the imperial yacht, and this one, for the private use of the gentlemen.”<br />
“Not guarded, I presume,” Trevor said neutrally.<br />
“Most certainly guarded, but not in any manner one would notice. We do not wish to make the<br />
imperial gentlemen self-conscious, after all, at least not in their hours of leisure. Come with me.”<br />
Mulling it all over, Trevor followed Prakov through the doors with Rayley and Davy trailing<br />
wordlessly behind. The men moved up the plush carpets along the narrow hall, struggling not to gape<br />
at the portraits of ladies in various degrees of dishabille along the walls. Davy was trying to count<br />
the doors as they walked, but abandoned the plan when the number passed twenty.<br />
“And here,” Prakov said when they finally arrived at the point where the hallway branched off<br />
into another angle, “is the route to the private stable.”<br />
“Also guarded in a discrete manner, I assume?” Trevor said and Rayley almost simultaneously<br />
asked “How many points are there within the palace where people might come or go by carriage?”<br />
“Twenty-two,” Prakov answered promptly. “Four meant for public entrance, such as visitors
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