“Can you hammer out an agreement, Ma’am?” Bonnie asked.
“I hope so, you never know. These meetings can bring surprises.”
“The American President and Deniken will be in for a big surprise,” Yefim Galkin said as he and Yuri Bulganesky, the desk manager finished up the last-minute plans for the kidnapping of the two presidents
“I’ll get Lanewsky and Manatov,” Bulganesky said and pulled out a walkie talkie. They were antiquated but the advantage they had over cell phones was, they couldn’t be traced.
“Yes, sir.” Lanewsky said as the two stood in front of the desk. They weren’t at attention exactly but it was the next best thing.
“They’re at the meeting. The bus tour will begin at five thirty. Be in position across the bridge. Kulagin and his men will make their move after you two stop the bus.”
“Yes, Comrade,” Manatov said.
“Not so loud,” Galkin said softly with a finger to his lips. Manatov looked at Lanewsky who gave a facial gesture telling his partner to be discreet.
“When do we leave?” Lanewksy asked.
“In an hour the two of you will drive across the bridge and wait at the location given to you. It’s a parking lot, level with the street. Remain quiet and no one will notice anything. The U.S. will have no agents in Russia and the Russians will be concentrating on the caravan,” Galkin said.
“Where will the secret service and Russian agents be?” Manatov asked.
“They’ll each be in separate cars to the rear of the bus,” Bulganesky replied.
“Will there be a car in front of the bus?” Lanewsky asked.
“Yes, but he is one of us,” Galkin said and so is the bus driver.”
“How did we manage that?” Manatov asked.
“We did, that’s all you need to know,” Bulganesky said.
“Is there another car to handle the security vehicles after we block the bus?” Lanewsky asked.
“Yes, we have two trucks who will take out the security details before you make your move.” Lanewsky and Manatov looked at one another, grinned and nodded before leaving the front desk and disappearing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Is everything ready?” Kulagin asked one of his lackeys over a cell as his team waited at an abandoned building on the outskirts of Novorossiysk for the two presidents and their entourages to be brought to them. The place was a fortress with a huge cache of automatic weapons, grenade launchers, gas masks, food, medical supplies and a state-of-the-art communication system so they could talk to the police when the building was finally surrounded and they could broadcast a television signal showing the two Presidents held captive. They had a direct line to Kapustin Yar and could also talk to Melenkov when necessary. The plan was multi-faceted and was dependent on several things happening and there could be no foul ups. Both presidents had to be taken and held as ransom. Radinsky had to take over at Kapustin Yar with his finger on the button. Melenkov needed to be in Deniken’s office. Kulagin had made arrangements to take out the Prime Minister Berelenov. Melenkov was the opposition leader to Deniken and with the president and the Prime Minister out of the picture, he would be ready to take over. There were many elements in the military that sided with Kulagin and his philosophy so there would be plenty of help for Melenkov.
“Yes, Comrade, Galkin and Bulganesky report they are set to go into operation.” Once hostages were taken and secure in the possession of the Stalinists, things would start to happen. Radinsky would have control of the missile silo at Kapustin Yar. There was a team assigned to take out the next in line behind the President of Russia, the Prime Minister, Vladimir Berelenov who was on vacation at his villa in the country. It was a full-fledged coup. Melenkov would appear as the titular head of state but it was Kulagin who was set up to take over as dictator. In his mind the country would welcome him as a liberator and any acts of repressive violence would be cheered. For as we know the Russian people long to feel the whip. The biggest thing that Kulagin and his gang had going for them was that President Deniken was not very popular. Even the non-Stalinists didn’t want to give back The Crimea. President Deniken wanted to use The Crimea as a springboard to further reduction in the number of nuclear missiles on both sides. President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev had instituted Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START) to reduce the number of missiles but each side still had around seven thousand. Presidents Deniken and Lexington had exchanged preliminary notes suggesting a program to reduce each side’s numbers by one thousand each year until they reached one thousand per country. That was still enough to completely destroy the planet but it provided a higher moral ground upon which to prevent new countries from establishing a program of nuclear weapons. Of course, secrets never remain hidden for long and there were leaks on both sides. As a result, the two Presidents released their aims to the public and that fed into the mania of militarists in both countries.
“Good, let’s make sure we’re ready.” Andrei was sitting and cleaning his favorite hand gun, a nine-millimeter Beretta. He had a hunting rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun at his disposal as well. His crew carried machine guns along with their own Berettas. These men were armed to the teeth and they knew how to use them and weren’t afraid to do so. Nearly all of them had killed before and frequently members of their own group. Kulagin, not unlike Stalin himself, was paranoid about someone plotting to bump him off and take over and on occasion he’d have two or three shot just to send a message to the rest. He had a total of thirty men, his best ones, on duty today. This was his moment in history and he had the best to help him achieve his goal. In his mind he was destined to greatness, a common characteristic of megalomaniacs. Who decided that he, Andrei Kulagin, was to shine in history’s spotlight today? Why Andrei did, of course… another characteristic of megalomaniacs.
“What’s this tour thing?” Belinda asked Justin as they all sat together in the hotel dining room for breakfast.
“The two presidents and their people along with the ten of us are going on a trip over the Crimean Bridge into Russia and see the sights,” Justin said.
“What sights?” Dave asked.
“Dave is right, there’s not much to see in rural Russia especially out here. The port at Kavkaz, maybe, if you like ships,” Tatiana said and there were chuckles.
“I think it’s more of a PR thing for the bridge and to show off that we are near Russia and not the U.S.,” Jozette suggested.
“You’re probably right, Jo,” Dave said.
“Where do we go?” Ariel asked.
“A van will take us to the bus at the meeting site,” Justin said.
“What time?” Warren asked.
“We leave here at one,” Justin replied.
“Are you nervous?” Tatiana asked.
“No, are you?” Justin asked.
“Yes, I am,” Tatiana answered.
“Why?” Jozette asked.
“We’ll be going into Russia and it’s always good to be nervous in Russia.” They all looked at Tatiana but no one said anything.
“Sir, it’s time for the test,” Lieutenant Radinsky said standing in front of Colonel Azarov.”
“Very well, clear the room everyone, Captain Retzlarian will stay with you.”
“But, sir, protocol states that I should do the test alone.”
“I know but I want another person in here in case something goes wrong.”
“Yes, sir.” Radinsky was nervous. Any plan begins to unravel when unexpected changes occur but he could handle it. Colonel Azarov and the rest of the staff of sixteen people, left for the officers’ lounge area.