Three days later, Kalin was called out of his class on American fashion. The senior KGB officer in charge of his preparation said, “With all the turmoil now in the United States because of the war in Vietnam, my superiors decided the opportunity to infiltrate agents into the United States, often through Canada and Mexico, is now ideal. This is a new program. In the West it would be called a ‘pilot program.’ Seldom do we send KGB officers into this kind of a program. An exception was made in your case. No one except your instructors knows of your affiliation with the KGB, and they will never leave the Soviet Union.

“Your American English and academic knowledge of the U.S. and Canada is comprehensive. It was decided to infiltrate you into Canada as a refugee immigrant from Poland. A young man traveling alone presents a higher profile of risk to the Canadian counter-intelligence, so you will be provided with a wife. The KGB is a resourceful organization and you should never underestimate our abilities and tenacity. Within three months you will be married to a twenty-year-old Polish woman whose parents are committed Communists and under the control of the KGB. The woman is an excellent student, speaks English, and was selected as a volunteer candidate for training by the Polish Intelligence Service. She is a very beautiful young woman. I told my superiors in Moscow you would carry out your assignment as planned. Am I right about that?”

“Yes sir, I’m ready to serve my country.”

“Good! Get your stuff together. We are leaving for another place tonight. Meet me in front of the Admin building in two hours. Do not tell anyone you are leaving. You will be leaving the name Ivan Kalin here.”

All of Barry Kelly’s novels are available in print and digital formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your local bookstore. Visit www.factsandfictions.com for more by the author.