chapter 3

“PAUL, WE HAVE a new assignment for you. How’s your Russian?” “It’s good, sir. My parents were afraid to speak it, even in secret. But after the Soviet union collapsed, all of a sudden it was the only language they spoke around the house. The urge to use it had built up during the years they were in hiding. I needed to learn Russian so I could understand what they said.” “Your file says they defected to the United States in 1976.” “That’s right. They were part of the Soviet gymnastics team sent to the summer Olympics in Montreal. They managed to slip away 12  from their handlers, reached the American consulate, and requested political asylum.” “Interesting that they chose the U.S. instead of Canada.” “I think they worried that Canada’s winters would be as cold as those in their former home in Leningrad.” “I was hoping you’d tell me they admired the American way of life.” “They did, sir, especially Florida, where they went to live and never felt cold again.” “Florida? I had an assignment there one Christmas. All that sun and sand, the mood didn’t work. They never felt cold? I assume you mean except for the Cold War.” “Yes, sir. The Soviets never stopped searching for defectors, especially ones who’d made international headlines. Despite the new identities the State Department gave them, my parents were always afraid they’d be tracked down.” “Their original names were Irina and Vladimir Kozlov?” “Correct.” “Changed to Kagan?” “Yes, sir. Gymnastics was their passion, but they soon realized they could never compete again. The risk of discovery was too great. They didn’t even dare go into a gymnasium and practice their moves. They knew they wouldn’t be able to resist doing their best, and if people saw how amazing they were, word would have spread. Perhaps to the wrong people. My parents were too terrified to take the chance. Suppressing their talents broke their spirit. That was the price of their freedom.” “They could have won gold medals?” The Spy Who Came for Christmas 13 “Almost certainly. But they defected because of me. Relationships between male and female gymnasts were strictly forbidden, but somehow they managed to find time to sneak away and be by themselves. Perhaps if the opportunity hadn’t seemed so rare, they might not have . . . Well, in any case, when my mother realized she was pregnant, she knew that the Soviets would insist she have an abortion, to keep her in competition. She was determined not to let that happen.” “Only teenagers—they grew up fast.” “They were so paranoid about KGB agents grabbing us in the middle of the night that they raised me to be suspicious of everyone, to study everything wherever I went, and to watch for anybody who seemed out of place. As I grew up, I thought it was a normal way to live, always keeping secrets.” “So it was natural for you to become a spy.”