"There'll be business all right," Starlitz said. "The Russian mob is alreadyrunning the biggest money-laundry since the Second World War. The arms and narcocrowd worldwide are banging down the doors. Black electronic cash is a vitalcomponent of the emergent global system. The point is -- we got a very narrowwindow of opportunity here. If our little crowd is gonna get anything out ofthis set-up, we have gotta be there with a functional online money-laundry justwhen the system really needs one. And just before everybody else realizes that."

"Then publicity is vital," Raf insisted. "Publicity is our oxygen! With a majordevelopment like this one, you must seize and create your own headlines. It'slike Leila Khaled always says: 'The world has to hear our voice.'"

Aino blinked. "Is Leila Khaled still alive?"

"Leila lives!" Raf said. "Wonderful woman, Leila Khaled. She does social work inDamascus with the orphans of the Intifada. Soon she will be in the newPalestinian government."

"Leila Khaled," said Aino thoughtfully. "I envy her historical experience somuch. There's something so direct and healthy and physical about hijackingplanes."

Eero couldn't seem to find a place inside his clothing for the grenade. Finallyhe placed it daintily on the kitchen counter and regarded it with moroserespect.

"Any other questions?" Raf asked Starlitz.

"Yeah, plenty," Starlitz said. "The Organizatsiya's got their pet Russian mathprofessors working the technical problems. I figure the Russians can hack themath -- Russians do great at that. But black-market online money laundering is acommercial customer service operation. Customer service is definitely not aRussian specialty."

"So?"

"So we can't hang around waiting for clearance from Moscow Mafia muckety-mucks.If this scheme is gonna work, we gotta slam it together and get it online