Royce faced Moscow State University's vast central building located on Sparrow Hills in the southwest part of the city. The building had been designed by Lev Vladimirovich Rudnev and was the tallest of Moscow's Seven Sisters, the high-rises built by Stalin's labor force. It was both grim and beautiful at the same time.

"Holy cow." Kenzie tilted her head back to look up at the center spire that reached toward the cloudless winter sky.

"One of the tallest buildings in the ...