Black Harvest

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Besida Gelashvili paced back and forth in Zviad's study. The day was sunny. She could see children playing in Gorky Park. Damn him. Damn all of them. Damn Iosif for getting himself killed. She couldn't gain control of the organization without him. The vultures were already circling and she was a disposable liability. She knew too much. She needed to get out of Moscow. Her daughters were young, no threat to anyone. They were safe but she wasn't. She felt her belly, where Iosif's baby was growing. She thought about what she'd take with her.

A servant came into the room. He was nervous.

"What is it?"

Before he could answer, three men entered the room. One of them held up his identification. A round, gold badge. In the center, a five pointed star surrounding a blue lined globe. A banner of red, blue and white spread under the star and globe.

SVR. Not FSB, but foreign intelligence. Besida forced herself to remain calm.

"Besida Gelashvili?"

"Yes."

"You will come with us."

"What…"

One of the men took her arm. "Shut up. Come with us."

A black Mercedes waited outside. The men pushed her into the back seat. One sat on either side. No one spoke until they reached SVR headquarters.

"Get out."

The men took her inside, down a long flight of steps, into a dingy corridor. They weren't gentle about it. One of them pulled open a door.

"In there." He shoved her into the room. The door shut behind her.

A narrow metal shelf extended from one wall. There were no blankets or sheets. There was a toilet without a seat. It smelled of urine and shit and vomit. There was no window. The walls were concrete. There was nothing else in the room.

For the first time since she was a child, Besida felt real fear.