Vienna, Virginia
September 1988

FBI Special Agent Robert Hanssen sat in his basement office at home. The door was closed and locked; his wife, Bonnie, and six children knew not to intrude on his privacy here.

He opened the safe in the corner and carefully removed a black velvet pouch. Loosening the cord, he watched as a large, two-carat Russian diamond spilled out into his hand, sparkling and luminous under the glare of the Tensor lamp on his desk.

He gazed at the gem longingly for several minutes, turning it over in his palm, then slipped it back into the dark, soft folds and carefully put it away again.

He knew there were plenty more diamonds to be had where this one came from.