“Well, we’re prepared for this. That’s what we do every day.”
“Yeah, that’s what scares me. Get me General Ledger. Tommy, yeah one detonated over Southern Virginia. Our fighters hit it and it veered off course and missed the capital. I talked to Jensen and she may order a full strike if we get hit again. Get ready to send all of your bombers… I hope so, good luck, Tommy.”
“Comrade, the missile was deflected away from Washington. It landed in Southern Virginia,” Kolchevsky said.
“Did it detonate?”
“Yes.”
“Good, I’ll call another strike and maybe send four or five this time.” He called Radinsky on his cell.
“That’s too bad, Comrade,” Radinsky said. “Yes, I have five all ready and aimed at Washington. Yes, Comrade.”
“Your boss, I take it. I guess he is determined to end the world today.”
“He is and I’m going to be the lucky guy to do it.” Igor readied for launch as he double checked the coordinates. “Here we go.” But he never hit the buttons. A large block of wood, a stool actually came crashing down on Igor’s head and he went down on the floor out cold. Svetlov quickly opened the doors and men poured in followed by Colonel Azarov.
“Well done, Captain. Get an ambulance here as quick as possible.” Svetlov sat down hard in a chair holding his side where he’d been shot. First aid was administered, which consisted of a tight bandage to stop the bleeding.
“Sir, we need to get the word out that we are in control again,” Sergeant Yaselov said.
“Call the television station,” Azarov said.
“Are you serious sir?”
“Normally, I wouldn’t do this and I could be broken out of the service for it but we need this to get out to the world as fast as possible. Tell them to send a crew and they can come into the control room.”
“Yes, sir.” The call was made. Kelchak worked quickly to take the missiles off launch mode.
“How are we, Kelchak?” Colonel Azarov asked.
“We’re fine, sir. All missiles are disarmed. We’re back to a state of readiness and that’s all.”
“Well done, Lieutenant.” Radinsky was handcuffed and shackled then taken to a room where he was placed under armed guard.
“The television crew is here, sir,” Yaselov announced and Colonel Azarov waved them inside. Even the camera crew and the reporter were surprised at the access they were allowed.
“We need to start rolling as soon as possible to tell the world that we are in control of this site once again,” Colonel Azarov instructed.
“Are you ready, Sergei?” The female reporter asked.
“Yes.”
“Roll.”
“We’re on.”
“This is Katerina Laryanov for Moscow news Channel 9. We’re here at the Kapustin Yar missile site near Volgograd with the commanding officer Colonel Mikhail Azarov. Colonel what happened here?”
“In short, one of our officers took control of the facility after shooting another officer. He locked out any outsider and had the doomsday mechanism in place.”
“What is that, Colonel?”
“If the door is breeched by force then the missiles launch automatically.”
“That’s scary.”
“Yes, it is but I’m happy to say that the officer is now in custody thanks to Captain Svetlov Retzlarian, who despite being seriously wounded, overpowered the renegade officer and we got back control of the missile site. All missiles are off launch mode and the site is secure. I know two missiles were fired and one detonated. I can assure the American people and the world that it had nothing to do with the government of Russia.”
“You heard it here on channel 9. Kapustin Yar is back under the control of the Russian Air Force. Katerina Laryanov Channel 9 news.”
“We’re off,” a voice said.
“Thank you for doing this but you’ll have to leave now,” Mikhail said and the crew didn’t argue. Unlike America, where media can go just about any place they want, in Russia the media is controlled by the government and is used to being told to get lost or not show up at all. That is why when the opportunity was given to them these folks jumped at it. The television crew left and the control room was locked down.
“What do we do now, sir?” Yaselov asked.
“We wait for them to come and arrest me.” Yaselov and Kerchak looked at one another somewhat surprised but after a moment they knew that the colonel was right. (As it happened, Colonel Azarov received a commendation for his actions that was presented personally by Vladimir Berelenov, when he visited the Kapustin Yar site a few months later.)
“General, it’s on the news worldwide. Kapustin Yar is back in control of the Russians. They took out the guy who was launching the missiles,” Deke announced.
“Take us down to DEFCON Four.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Get me General Ledger on the line.”
“Here sir,” Deke said as he handed Walter the phone.
“Tommy, you heard? Yeah, I agree. Bring back the bombers. Keep a few in the air but land most of them. Let the Russians see we’re backing off. It was an accident, Tommy. I know the loss of life will be catastrophic but we can’t let it lead to the end of civilization. This was a group of nuts and not the Russian government… alright, stay close.”
“What about those guys who are holding the Presidents?” Deke asked.
“That’s out of our hands, Deke. What I’m worried about now is what happened in Virginia.” Deke looked at his commanding officer and nodded.
“Okay, Pavel let’s get them inside,” Yuri said as they pulled to the rear of the building that housed Deniken’s office. There was a guard inside the back door and Yuri recognized him as a long time Stalinist. “Look, I bet Melenkov is in Deniken’s office right now. That’s a cohort by the door. Pavel sneaked a look and nodded.”
“Tranquilizer?”
“Yeah, I’ll get his attention and you hit him.”
“Hey, buddy can you help me, I think I’m lost,” Yuri said as she went in the back door.
“Hold it right there,” the guard said and that was his last word as Pavel shot him in the neck. They moved the guard out of sight and took his gun.
“Check the elevator?” Yuri said and Pavel returned.
“One guy with his back turned.” Okay, let’s get the Prime Minister and his wife up to where he belongs. They carried them in and made their way around the corner to the elevator. The guard heard a noise and turned but Pavel shot him in the arm and he fell to his knees then on his side.
“Up we go,” and they went to the third floor and waited for the doors to open. Not knowing what to expect they had a stun gun and a pistol ready as the Prime Minister and his wife lay slumped in the corner of the elevator. The doors opened and Pavel peaked out.
“Two guys in front of the door to the Prime Minister’s office. They looked this way when the elevator dinged.”
“Freeze the doors and we’ll wait for them to investigate.” About thirty seconds later when no one got out of the elevator the two guards moved slowly. They cautiously looked into the elevator and saw five people lying in the floor.
“Help,” a muffled voice moaned. Yuri was on his side with his face on his arm. The guards looked at one another and put their weapons on their shoulders. In an instant Pavel shot one and Abram the other and both were out cold. Yuri didn’t want to leave a trail of dead bodies. They crawled to the office and saw Melenkov at the desk writing and he was alone. He was known to carry a gun and he knew how to use it. Yuri and Pavel stood up and walked to the door. It was all glass and when Melenkov recognized Yuri, who he knew to be his enemy, he drew his gun and fired. It shattered the glass but missed. Yuri didn’t wait and shot Melenkov twice in the chest.