One night in February Hans came home from work to find Rainer standing outside his apartment door. This was the last thing Hans wanted. He could only get himself in bigger trouble, talking to Rainer again. “Oh Hans, God be thanked you have come home,” Rainer said, speaking almost in a whisper. “I've been freezing in this hallway.” “Rainer, you shouldn't come here. I've been followed lately. Someone probably knows you're here — or will see you leave.” “I had no where else to go, Hans. I'm hiding out. The Stasi is looking for me.” Hans felt his hope drain away. He was caught, either way. If Rainer was telling the truth, Hans should have nothing to do with him. If he was lying, and was actually here to seduce him into a mistake — to please some Stasi agent — that was even worse.
