Part 13 (2/2)
”Sir?” Kalinin said.
”A moment, Nicolai. I have a message from Captain Ivanov.” As he scanned the communication, sweat formed on his brow. His heart thumped against his chest. ”No!” he shouted, pounding a fist on the desk.
Kalinin abruptly stood, concerned. ”Mr. Amba.s.sador! What is wrong?!”
Vazov didn't immediately respond as he reread the message. He finally answered Kalinin. ”A team of men boarded the Igor Brobov during the night and stole the weapons.”
Kalinin was stunned. ”But I received a message from him earlier in the evening saying the weapons were safely onboard!”
”Apparently this happened after midnight.” Both men were quiet, trying to a.s.similate the incident.
Kalinin finally broke the silence. ”Sir?” No response. ”Mr. Amba.s.sador! Was there any further information?! Does he have any idea who those men were?!”
Vazov perused the message again. ”He said there were six onboard. Two spoke Russian. They left the s.h.i.+p by helicopter. One of the s.h.i.+p's crew was killed, two injured.”
Kalinin paced the room. ”We must get more information from him. What kind of weapons did they use? Were there markings on the helicopter? Anything, sir! It is vital we find out!”
”Yes. Yes. Of course.”
”Should I still prepare to leave for Moscow with the remaining weapons?”
”I have sent a message to Defense Minister Troski, advising him s.h.i.+pment will be today. He should confirm soon. I will phone you.”
Vazov put the phone down, just as there was a knock at the door, and the communication corporal rushed in again. ”Mr. Amba.s.sador, a message from Moscow!” Vazov ripped the paper from his hand, then waved him away.
Vazov read the message, and immediately phoned Kalinin. ”Nicolai.”
”Yes, sir.”
”Moscow is notifying the base. Do you have everything ready?”
”Not quite. I have just started downstairs. The radio and Morse key are cleaned and secured again. Weapons are in the truck. I will call the pilot to file a flight plan.”
”And what about a flight time?”
”I will wait until I am positive things here are completely cleaned, then I will call.”
”Be sure to give me your exact departure time, Nicolai. I may want to send Comrade Vikulin with you for additional security.”
”Yes, sir, I will. Have you received further information on those six men?”
”Not yet. I will try to contact the Brobov before you depart.”
Kalinin hung up. Six men,he thought. But how? How could they have discovered his plan, and know the exact cargo s.h.i.+p? And what does Stevens have to do with anything? Kalinin slapped the cleaning cloth against his thigh as he paced the room. Then, he abruptly stopped, remembering the men who followed him that day. He closed his eyes, trying to picture them. Were they part of the team that boarded the s.h.i.+p? He could never understand how they knew he'd show up that morning. Unless it was pure luck. Coincidences were always possible, but not this many. Yet, all of them affected him.
The door swung open. Zelesky came in carrying a folder. He dropped it in front of Vazov, pointing to a name along the side.
Vazov scanned the papers inside. Certain areas were highlighted, catching his attention: Navy SEAL; Naval Investigative Service; speaks Russian and j.a.panese. He turned to the next page, but it was blank. The last entry was nearly a year ago, when Amba.s.sador Balicov died.
”Misha, find Petya. The two of you may have work to do.” Zelesky immediately left. Vazov pressed the intercom, calling for the communication corporal. When Brusinsky arrived, Vazov dictated a message to be sent to Kabul, advising weapons would not be delivered. No explanation was given.
Then, holding the dossier, he called Kalinin. ”Nicolai, I have very interesting information on 'Stevens.' He is fluent in Russian and he is a Navy SEAL. His dossier is. . .” Vazov looked up as Zelesky walked in with Vikulin. ”Nicolai, I must go.”
Kalinin wondered about the amba.s.sador's report. ”Navy SEAL,” he said out loud. It had to be. A team of Navy SEALs boarded the cargo s.h.i.+p. And the two men outside the emba.s.sy were part of that team.
His worry now was finis.h.i.+ng his work at the house, then getting to the airport. Too much had gone wrong in a short expanse of time. And if he was right about the men being SEALs, they were the reason.
Russian Emba.s.sy ”Has Misha explained the situation, Petya?” the amba.s.sador asked.
”Only briefly.”
”Here. Look at this,” Vazov said, picking up the photograph.
Vikulin walked closer to the desk and reached for the photo. He stared at the face, remembering his meeting with Kalinin. Everything suddenly became clear. Everything explained completely. He threw the photograph on the desk, then turned away. He should have known, with all the specific questions asked of him. How could he have been fooled? He brushed beads of sweat from his forehead as he debated how much, if anything, he should tell Vazov.
Vazov was obviously curious. ”Do you know this man?!” Vikulin didn't respond. ”Petya!”
Vikulin saw Zelesky out of the corner of his eye, watching him closely. He made a mistake in his over-reaction to the photograph. There wasn't any way to make a denial. ”Mr. Amba.s.sador, I had a meeting with someone who I thought was Comrade Kalinin, but. . .”
”You had a meeting with this man?! A private meeting?!”
”I am afraid so.”
Vazov angrily shoved his chair away from the desk, and abruptly stood. ”You?! A KGB officer?! Explain!” Vikulin proceeded to relay full details of the meeting. The longer he talked, the redder Vazov's face became.
He asked Zelesky, ”Did you have knowledge of this?”
Zelesky shook his head. ”No.”
Vazov turned his attention again to Vikulin. ”Confirm you did not discuss anything about the weapons.”
”I did not! They were never brought up.”
Vazov continued staring at the KGB officer. ”Do you expect me to believe it is completely coincidental that you talked with this man, then the weapons were taken from the s.h.i.+p, and then we get this photograph?!”
”We did not discuss the weapons!”
”I will have to report this to Director Antolov (Mikhail Antolov, KGB). But I am making the decision to send you back to Moscow. You will report immediately to the director once you arrive. He will be expecting you.”
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