Black Rose

CHAPTER 47

In Moscow, late snow had buried the promise of spring. No one was surprised. It was always too cold or too hot in Moscow, too wet or too dry. The one thing you could count on was that whatever kind of day it was could change at any moment.

That was as true for Alexei Vysotsky as it was for the weather.

Vysotsky stood at parade rest in front of the desk of the Director of SVR, Boris Vishinski. Vishinski sat in a brown, high back leather chair, studying Vysotsky's report on the interrogation of Konstantine Kamarov. Vishinski had total control of the largest intelligence network in the world. It made him the most dangerous man in Russia.

Standing behind Vishinski was a tall, hawk faced man in civilian clothes. General Kiril Golovkin was head of the GRU, Russian Military Intelligence. Vysotsky had worked with him often and knew him well. He was intelligent and ruthless, a nationalist and a patriot. He wore a patch over his left eye, a gift of the Chechen separatists.

Vysotsky had taken a chance coming here. If Vishinski was part of the plot, Alexei knew he'd be dead by nightfall.

"Where is Kamarov now, General?"

"In a private medical facility where no one will find him," Vysotsky said. "I thought it best to keep him alive for trial and further interrogation."

Vishinski nodded. "Your report says his nephew arranged the attack on the train and the assassination of your men. Have you arrested him?"

"No, sir. That is for you to decide. Without his uncle to give him directions, I feel he can do little damage. I thought he should be left in place until you decide what to do."

"What do you think we should do?" Golovkin asked.

Vysotsky didn't hesitate. "He is a traitor to the motherland. He should be interrogated and shot."

"Sometimes you are so very old-school," Vishinski said. "It's one of the things I appreciate about you, General. In this case you are absolutely right."

Vysotsky felt himself relax, just a little.

"Stand at ease, General. You are making me nervous."

"Sir." He allowed himself to stand easy.

"You have displayed considerable initiative in this matter. It must have been rather confrontational for you, no?"

"Sir?"

"I'm talking about risk. You took a great personal risk in going after Kamarov like that. Why did you do it?"

"Konstantine Kamarov is a pig, feeding on the spoils of our nation. If I'd tried to go through channels and accused him, he would have made sure the accusation turned back on me. I'd be pictured as someone angling for his nephew's job, someone jealous of Kamarov's success and wealth."

"That thought had occurred to me as I was reading your report," Vishinski said. "I understand your caution. But it still does not explain your actions."

"He is responsible for the deaths of my men. That alone would be reason enough for me. He's a traitor. He had to be brought down, one way or another."

Golovkin nodded once, in agreement.

"Take a team and arrest Vladimir Kamarov immediately," Vishinski said. "As of now, you are the new deputy director."

"Thank you, sir."

"You will retain command of Zaslon."

"Sir."

"Put together a plan for elimination of this group, AEON. Subject to my approval, you will put it into effect," Vishinsky said. "I will want daily progress reports but nothing in writing. Make sure nothing leads back to us. The names in this report are too important. The British Chancellor of the Exchequer and the French Foreign Minister, for starters. It's unbelievable. There's even a U.S. Senator."

"It explains a lot, doesn't it?" Vysotsky said.

"How do you mean?"

"The sanctions, the propaganda, the false accusations of atrocities while they secretly create crisis after crisis. All designed to turn world opinion against us. These men in AEON have been manipulating events for years. They are driving us to war."

"All the more reason we must stop them," Golovkin said.

"The world will be destroyed if there is war," Vysotsky said.

"Yes," Vishinski said. "So you had better get to work."