Antolov started to light a cigarette, then decided against it. "I assume what you are about to discuss has nothing to do with Comrade Dotsenko."
"It does not, Comrade Antolov. Once we were instructed to find Reznikov, we had little time to … "
"Do you have any idea who was responsible for his disappearance? Could it have been the same people who helped Reznikov escape?"
"Doubtful, sir. And there hasn't been any transmissions detected by our intel people."
"Do you think the Americans were involved?"
"Anything is possible, sir. Comrade Komarov did not have much for us to go on."
Antolov decided to move the conversation forward. "Tell me what you have that is so important."
Removing the mini recorder from his jacket pocket, Kalinin held it tightly in his hand. He would verbalize the investigation to Antolov, then play the tape — Zykov's tape.
He chose his words carefully, beginning when they recognized Reznikov fleeing the embassy, to finding Baskov, to their inspection of the destroyed hideout and finding a license plate and RPG launcher.
Antolov stood without any expression, without any comments. Occasionally, he'd look at Kalinin through narrowed eyes, silently questioning what was being relayed to him.
Kalinin took a breath, and immediately said, "Comrade Antolov, I would like to play this tape for you. It is Sergeant Baskov's confession and explanation why he participated in the attacks, why he helped in the escape of Reznikov." Antolov nodded. Kalinin pressed the button, adjusted the sound to a lower level, then handed it to him.
Holding the recorder close to his ear, Antolov slowly walked down the passageway, concentrating on the voice speaking on the tape. At one point, he stopped the tape, rewound it, then played that section again.
The recorder clicked off. Antolov stood motionless, except for the heaving of his barrel chest. His two agents had uncovered the unthinkable. The accusation left him dumbfounded. He finally turned and went back to Kalinin. "Who else knows of this?"
"Just Agent Zykov, sir." Kalinin silently thought,Oh fuck! His decision to keep the extra recording might have been a wise move.
Antolov stared hard at the younger agent. "You did not coerce him in any way, did you?"
"Negative, Comrade, sir! Everything he said can be verified." Kalinin knew that might be a problem, since records and dossiers had been 'scrubbed.' He might have to stretch the truth. "Sir, after interrogating Baskov, I reviewed records. The information seemed incomplete, as if the records were tampered with, so I did further research, and found Reznikov and his men were in the same prison, then released on the exact same day. I then discovered Sergeant Baskov worked at the Kremlin, on the Premier's staff. And as far as Reznikov escaping, there were very few people who knew of the exchange date and time, and very few who could have financed all those previous attacks, sir." Kalinin decided to make a suggestion. "Sir, if you interrogated Baskov yourself … "
"You said he was still in hospital?"
"Yes, sir. There are two East German police guarding him. He is handcuffed to the bed. Agent Zykov has the key. The hospital is only a couple kilometers from here. We can drive you, Comrade."
An indiscernible smile briefly appeared on Antolov's face before he answered, "Comrade Kalinin, you realize that I report to Minister Sokoloff, and protocol dictates this information be presented to him."
Kalinin gave a quick nod of his head. "I do, sir."
Keeping his eyes on Kalinin, Antolov called, "Agent Zykov."
"Sir?"
Antolov held his hand out with the recorder in his palm. "Can you verify that Sergeant Baskov told the complete truth and you did not coerce him in any way?"
Zykov brought himself to attention. "Comrade Antolov, neither of us coerced him! And we believed him completely, especially after finding Reznikov's hideout, exactly where he said it would be, sir. And the explosives. No one else could have known."
Antolov lowered his eyes, and closed his hand over the recorder. "How far are both of you willing to go with this … knowledge?"
Kalinin's brow wrinkled. "I do not understand, sir."
"Are you prepared to confront the Premier?"
Kalinin sucked in a breath, quickly looked at Zykov, then answered for both of them. "If we are requested to do so, Comrade Antolov, then, yes, sir. We are."
That response told the KGB director how confident the two men were with the thoroughness of their investigation and truthfulness of one witness. He also realized that allowing the accusation to proceed would put him in the "line of fire" as well.
He put the recorder in his pocket. "Follow me."
The three men got out of the elevator on the twentieth floor. Antolov looked down the hallway. All guards were still outside the three rooms.
Security guards focused their attention on the three men, recognizing Antolov immediately. "They are with me," Antolov said, then pointed down the hallway. "Room 2012, Comrades. Wait outside the door."
Kalinin and Zykov walked to the door, then posted themselves just past the security guard, who eyed them cautiously, as he adjusted his rifle strap.
Antolov knocked on Gorshevsky's door, then entered. The Premier was seated on a brown leather sofa, puffing on a cigarette. Sokoloff was sitting at a small desk next to the door, writing in a leather-bound notebook.
"Excuse me, Comrade Gorshevsky, but I would like to discuss plans for the morning with Comrade Sokoloff. Perhaps he and I should go to my room so you will not be disturbed." He walked to a credenza, opened the middle drawer, removed a hotel menu, then handed it to Gorshevsky. "If you wish, you can order something light from the restaurant on the top floor. We will rejoin you in a while, then perhaps all of us can have dinner."
Gorshevsky took the menu, but flipped it onto the coffee table. "You two go discuss your plans. I will work on my speech."
Once the two men were in the hallway, Antolov started toward his room, when Sokoloff stopped short, seeing Kalinin and Zykov. "Who are they?"
"Comrade, those are the agents who have been searching for Reznikov. They have extremely important information, sir."
"But why … " Sokoloff motioned toward Gorshevsky's door."
"You will understand once you hear what they have to say, Comrade."
Kalinin and Zykov brought themselves to attention, nodding to both men. Antolov unlocked the door, letting Sokoloff enter first.
Once inside, Sokoloff immediately wanted answers. "This is highly irregular, Comrade Antolov! Can you explain your actions?!"
Kalinin and Zykov remained by the door. They couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by being in the presence of both high-ranking KGB men.
Antolov finally replied. "Comrade, these men have uncovered more than just information on Reznikov. With your permission I would like them to explain."
Sokoloff eyed the two younger men, then walked to a white upholstered side chair. Pausing briefly, he finally sat down, then crossed his legs. "Exactly what do they want to report?"
Antolov motioned Kalinin and Zykov closer, as he sat on the couch opposite Sokoloff. "Comrade Kalinin, give your report to Comrade Sokoloff exactly the way you told me. Exactly."
Kalinin stood with his arms behind his back. Keeping his eyes focused on Sokoloff, he repeated the story almost word for word, without faltering at any point.
Antolov glanced at Sokoloff', whose expression was difficult to decipher. But as he listened to Kalinin, Antolov believed the story even more.
Kalinin was nearly finished, when he said to Antolov, "Sir, the recorder, please." Antolov handed it to him. Kalinin held it in his palm. "Comrade Sokoloff, sir, this is the confession of Sergeant Baskov, verifying everything I have told you." He stepped closer to Sokoloff, offering the recorder to him.