“Did you know," he said slowly, "That Victor Dashkov is sitting on your bed?""Yeah," I said. "It was kind of a shock to us too.”

“He froze, and it was one of those rare moments when Adrian Ivashkov was caught totally and completely off guard. "Did you know," he said slowly, "that Victor Dashkov is sitting on your bed?" "Yeah," I said. "It was kind of a shock to us too.”

“You guys didn't really think you could go off on a party weekend without me, did you? Especially here of all places—" He froze and it was one of those rare moments when Adrian Ivashkov was caught totally and completely off guard. "Did you know," he said slowly, "that Victor Dashkov is sitting on your bed?" "Yeah," I said. "It was kind of a shock to us too.”

“ʺWhy,ʺ he began slowly, ʺis Victor Dashkov joining us?ʺʺWell, itʹs kind of a funny story . . .ʺ”

“Okay, so. You, Belikov, the Alchemist, Sonya Karp, Victor Dashkov, and Robert Doru are all hanging out in West Virginia together.”“No,” I said.“No?”“We’re, uh, not in West Virginia.”

“You're sitting on my bed," he said. "Did yo think I was under it?”