The Russian Deception

CHAPTER 43

The University Hospital of Leipzig was a teaching hospital with more than four thousand people working in it. Valentina slipped in unnoticed through a side entrance, dressed in a nurse's uniform purchased a few hours earlier. A plastic name badge identified her as Lisa Grunig. The badge was close enough in shape and color to the official one worn by all the nurses at the hospital that no one would notice the difference. Valentina knew most people were not particularly observant. They saw what they expected to see. When they looked at her they would see a nurse who worked at the hospital.

Earlier she'd tapped in to the SVR servers and accessed the hospital computer. Kepler was in a room on the fourth floor, in a section reserved for VIPs who had enough money to secure privacy and space. She took the stairs to the fourth floor, cracked the door open and looked out on a brightly lit hall that ended in an L.

Kepler's room was not far away. She moved to the junction and glanced around the corner. A large man sat in a chair outside Kepler's room, reading an illustrated book.

Bodyguard, she thought. Probably one or two more in the room.

The hall stretched away into the distance, like a photographer's study in perspective. There was a nurse's station some distance beyond the guard. A nurse sat behind the desk writing something, her back toward Valentina.

Valentina was armed with a Makarov PSM pistol and a razor-sharp dagger. The PSM fired a 5.45 X 18 mm round that was capable of punching through body armor at the close distances where most engagements took place. The PSM was compact and light, weighing in at about a pound. She didn't want to use it except as a last resort. The report of the pistol was sure to bring people running. Even with a suppressor screwed onto the end of the barrel the Makarov was still a noisy weapon.

For this operation noise was an enemy. She would have to use her Spetsnaz Systema martial arts or the knife. Valentina watched the nurse at the station get up and walk away. She straightened her nurse's cap and turned the corner, walking toward the guard. He looked up as she drew near.

"I need to check on Herr Kepler," Valentina said. Her German was flawless.

The guard looked at her. "I haven't seen you before. You have to be on a list. This room is restricted."

Valentina appeared annoyed. "Of course it's restricted. Herr Kepler is far too important to have just anyone disturbing him. Check your list, you'll find my name. Lisa Grunig."

She looked again toward the nurse's station in the distance. The nurse hadn't come back yet.

The guard bent over to his left and reached for a clipboard on the floor. Valentina stabbed him in the kidney, the blade sliding with ease into his unprotected back. The pain of the strike made speech impossible. The guard arched backward in reflex and tried to scream but no sound came from his throat. Valentina withdrew the blade and struck again, through the hollow at the base of his skull. She caught him as he collapsed back in the chair. It had taken only a few, silent seconds to kill him.

She straightened the body and placed the guard's hands on his lap with the book under them. From a distance it would look like he'd fallen asleep while he was reading.

Valentina opened the door into Kepler's room. Kepler was propped up in the bed and appeared to be asleep. An IV was hooked up to a needle inserted into his arm. Monitors recorded his vital signs. She stepped into the room and paused, distracted by the ruin of his face. A mistake. Something hard pressed into her back.

"Don't move. Who are you?"

The voice belonged to another guard. He'd been to the left of the door.

"She's just a nurse, Hans," a second voice said. "Karl let her through. She must be okay."

"I know all the nurses authorized to come in here," Hans said. "She's not one of them. Go ask Karl why he let her in."

The second man went outside. He was back before Valentina could move.

"Karl's dead. This bitch must've killed him."

Before she could move Hans wrapped a thick arm around her throat. He was big, much bigger than she was. It felt like being held by a gorilla. Valentina stomped down on his foot. He grunted but didn't release his hold. She was having trouble breathing. She tried to say something but his arm made it impossible.

"Time to go bye-bye, honey," Karl said. "When you wake up we'll have a nice long chat."