“Did he make any threats or reveal any specifics?”
“No, he’s too smart for that.”
“So, this is nothing new, what makes this kid think something is in the works more than bluster?”
“Kulagin said something about grabbing the two Presidents. Later, they ran them down and killed his partner.”
“Whoa, that is different and they chased him no doubt.”
“Yes, he was lucky to get away.”
“You’re thinking something might happen at the summit like a kidnapping?”
“He does and so do I,” Landon said and Yuri sighed and nodded.
“I don’t want to go anywhere with this.”
“You don’t trust the higher ups do you?”
“Not all of them.”
“Is Deniken safe at his summit. You know it’d be Kulagin’s style to do something for publicity. He knows the whole world will be watching.”
“Yeah and security for Deniken is light, it always has been. You Americans protect your Presidents.”
“Well, not always; we’ve had four assassinated, one shot but survived and others who were shot at or plots were in the works.”
“Yeah, I guess there’s plenty of nuts out there and it’s hard to stop them all,” Yuri remarked.
“What can you do?”
“Everything and nothing.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can order dozens of men to provide security for anyone but that would alert the wrong people and Kulagin would know he’d been had,” Yuri said.
“That won’t do, he’d just lay low and strike again when it was right.” Yuri sat back and thought for a moment. “What?”
“I can’t help Deniken but Berelenov worries me.”
“The Prime Minister… his status as second in line makes him vulnerable.”
“Very vulnerable.
“Is he with Deniken?”
“No, he stayed away from the summit.”
“Why… shouldn’t he be there?” Landon asked.
“He and Deniken are very close friends and he didn’t want to steal any of the thunder from the President.”
“Where is Berenelov?”
“That’s the problem. He’s at his country place and he has very little security.”
“You think Kulagin would target him too?”
“Kulagin wouldn’t leave anything to chance.”
“So, who would take over if both Deniken and Berelenov were out of the way?” Yuri shook his head and groaned.
“Melenkov.”
“Oh, God, no. He’s as bad as Kulagin.” Landon commented.
“Yes, and they are close. Everyone knows Melenkov does Kulagin’s bidding and if he were in power, he’d be a puppet for Kulagin and the Stalinists would have their coup.”
“But Melenkov is only an opposition leader in the legislature.” Yuri nodded with an expression that foretold doom.
“Oh brother, you’re talking about a full-blown rebellion. A takeover… will the military support Kulagin?”
“I don’t know but I think he already has a gauge on that because like I said he doesn’t miss anything.”
“What are you going to do, Yuri?”
“I have two people that I can trust without any reservation whatsoever. I’m going to see them immediately and formulate a plan.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes, keep that kid safe in the embassy. Kulagin will have men looking for him since they know he was at the meeting in Volgograd.
“Consider it done.”
“I’m not optimistic about the outcome of this thing but if it turns out alright, I’m going to take you to the opera then we’ll go back to your embassy and drink a bottle of Cherry Brandy I’ve had for thirty years… good stuff.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” Landon said and Yuri nodded. They left at fifteen-minute intervals with one out the back and the other using the front.
“Catherine, get Yesikov and Kornilov back here as soon as you can,” Yuri said as he walked into his office where his secretary was typing.
“Yes, sir.”
“Haven’t I told you to stop calling me sir?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re doing it again.”
“You’re my superior, you deserve a title of respect.”
“But I… never mind just get those two here immediately, please.”
“Yes, sir,” Catherine said and Yuri walked into his office shaking his head.
“We’ll have to be discreet. If the wrong people get wind of what we’re doing, they’ll tip off Kulagin and he’ll order either a murder of Berelenov or have him taken in deep where we’ll never find him,” Yuri said softly to himself as he waited at his desk staring at his two heroes; his grandfather and father. Mikhail Petrovsky was Yuri’s grandfather and he was murdered by Stalin’s men in 1948. Nikolai, Yuri’s father fell victim to Leonid Brezhnev’s scheme, which was to sentence dissidents to an insane asylum. It was always for life and Nikolai Petrovsky died inside. Yuri grew up an angry young man and vowed revenge. Bur how does one get revenge in the Soviet Union with secret police everywhere and the populace under an iron thumb of a brutal dictatorship? Simple; you wait for the regime to collapse and when it did in the early nineties, Yuri was ready and joined the militia. He wanted to protect any of the new leaders who weren’t Communist. His hope was to ultimately blow the whistle on former KGB officials who participated in murders over the decades. That proved difficult and most were able to elude the authorities but he nailed a few and he liked his job even as mundane as it was sometimes. He picked up the photograph and grinned.
“Sir, agents Yesikov and Kornilov are here,” Catherine said into the intercom.
“Send them in, please.”
“Hello, where are we headed?” Pavel Kornilov asked as he and Abram Yesikov sat down in chairs in front of Yuri’s desk.
“Close the door,” and Abram latched it before sitting down again.
“You have that look, Yuri,” Pavel said.
“What look?”
“The we’re up against the world and no one can help us look,” Abram answered. Yuri nodded and let out a deep sigh.
“And a sigh, that is never a good sign,” Pavel said as he leaned back clasping his hands behind his head.
“You two think you have me figured out.”
“Not often, just always,” Abram quipped and Yuri chuckled.
“I have something and I don’t like it,” Yuri said.
“Give it to us straight,” Pavel said.
“It’s not definite and the basis is information from an American newspaper reporter.”
“I’d believe their reporters over ours,” Abram posed and Yuri nodded.
“What’d he say?” Pavel asked as he unclasped his hands and leaned forward.
“He and his partner spied on a Kulagin meeting in Volgograd.”
“Are they insane?” Abram asked.
“They were and his partner was killed. The kid escaped and made it to the American embassy.”
“Endicott told you,” Pavel said.
“Yes.”
“I trust him,” Abram added.
“Me too, that’s why you’re both here.”
“Anything concrete?” Pavel asked.
“There never is; that’s the nature of our business but he gathered from the tone of Kulagin’s speech that he seeks to do something at the summit.”
“The two presidents?”
“It’s possible,” Your replied.
“Assassination?” Abram wondered.
“The kid seemed to suggest kidnapping. Who knows but anything is possible with those crazy Stalinists. They’re beyond fanatics.”
“Are we headed to Kerch? That’s kind of out of our territory,” Pavel asked.
“It is and no we’re not headed to Kerch. Officially we’re not to leave Moscow unless the mayor requests our presence,” Yuri reminded them and they nodded.
“Then what are we going to do?” Abram asked.
“It’s kind of tricky and we have to do it without arousing any suspicions.” Pavel held out both palms asking for an explanation.