He saw Bull on the staircase, firing his gun. Shubin lunged after him, caught him by the ankle, and yanked his leg up. Bull tumbled down. The steps below him cracked and splintered. The entire staircase sunk, leaning away from the wall. Shubin stumbled and reached for the handrail. It came off in his hand. Bull lifted his gun. Fired at Shubin. Missed. Shubin whacked the gun out of Bull’s hand with the handrail. The gun cartwheeled through the air. The staircase heaved and gave way. Shubin swayed, flapping his arms. Falling sideways, Bull kicked Shubin’s face like a football. Then time sped up and everything came crashing down in the explosion of timber and bodies and dust.
Shubin’s head thumped the floor inches from Jake’s face. Among the staircase debris, panting and cursing, Bader and Bambach were grappling with Bull. They rolled him facedown. Two matching pairs of handcuffs snapped over Bull’s ankles and wrists.
Jake shifted his gaze from the G-men toward a deep gash across Shubin’s forehead. His nostrils were bubbling with blood, his eyes were shut. He looked more dead than alive and yet, incredibly, he was smiling.
“Dad?” Jake whispered. “Are you okay?”
One of his father’s bloodshot eyes popped open and peered at Jake.
“You know this is not how I wanted us to meet, son?”
“Oh, yeah?”
“What? You don’t trust me?”
“No, sir.”
His father’s smile spread wider. “Fair enough, son. Give it time.”
Jake felt his mother’s body lifting off him and heard her voice. “You two have plenty to talk over, boys.”
“Yes, ma’am,” his father agreed. “But what about that coffee?”
“What about it?” his mother said.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Jake said. “I’ll make it.”
“Nah,” his father groaned, sitting up. “I’ll make it.”
“We’ll make it together,” his mother said. “Come to the kitchen, boys.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Spy Runner was conceived at the suggestion of my agent, Steven Malk, to whom I gratefully dedicate this book. He must have been gazing into a crystal ball when he brought up Russian spies in our phone conversation a few years ago. While I was learning about the former Soviet Union’s covert actions against the United States in the past, US intelligence revealed that Russia is using the very same tactics in the present. In the meantime, the United States was returning to the politics of division it had already experienced during the Cold War anti-communist crusade. At that time, certain politicians exploited the communist threat against democracy by dividing American people. As a result, Steven’s advice—and the work that went into creating Spy Runner—seemed not only necessary but urgent. I wish to thank my editor and publisher, Laura Godwin, for her unwavering belief that my books testify, often from personal experience, to the damaging effects of ideology on the lives of ordinary children.
I would also like to thank the talented team at Godwin Books: April Ward, Julia Sooy, copyeditor Ana Deboo, and proofreader Regina Castillo, as well as everyone at Macmillan Children’s Publishing for their tireless efforts to connect young readers with my books.
My deeply felt thanks to my fellow authors, librarians, and educators for their comments on innumerable drafts: M. T. Anderson, Viki Ash, Olga Bukhina, Anna Katsnelson, Kristen Kittscher, Hannah Mann, Alec Sokolow, Chris Sturdevant, and Sylvia Tag.
And last, without whom not only my art but my adult life would be inconceivable, my greatest thanks to my wife, Mary Kuryla.
About the Author
Eugene Yelchin is the author and illustrator of The Haunting of Falcon House, Arcady’s Goal, and the Newbery Honor Book Breaking Stalin’s Nose. He has also illustrated several books for children, including Crybaby, Who Ate All the Cookie Dough?, and Won Ton. He lives in California with his wife and children. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Copyright
Henry Holt and Company, Publishers since 1866
Henry Holt® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010 • mackids.com
Copyright © 2019 by Eugene Yelchin
All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-250-12081-6
Library of Congress Control Number 2018945030
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First edition, 2019
eISBN 9781250120823