the Moscovskaya, and begun to pour. Vari took the offered glass and nursed it, watching as Nikolai emptied his own and filled it again. His eyes fell to the second cassette lying on the corner of the table, its own transcript beside it. “And there’s more?”
Nikolai took another swig from his glass and regarded its interior. “Much more.” He looked up at Vari again, his mouth set in a grim smile. “If you liked that movie, the sequel is even better.” He turned to the recorder, ejected the first tape and slotted the second. “Natalia hasn’t seen this one, thank God.”
He carried his glass back to the sofa and sank onto the velour cushions.” We have a problem, Vari. A major problem.” He turned to the screen and thumbed the remote. “Watch!”
The camera came to life from the same perspective but this time the table and chairs at either side were empty. There were voices in the background and Vari edged closer trying to make out what they were saying. He cast a glance at the transcript Nikolai now held in his hand but Niko pointed to the screen, directing his partner’s attention. Vari frowned and looked back at the image. A blue-gray haze passed in front of the camera – someone moving around the head of the table, making his way to the other side – then Ivankov came into view, moving towards the same position he had taken in the first tape. Behind him the same well-groomed, younger and thinner man fell in to his left. The figure that had passed in front of the camera had still not come back into view but it was apparent that Ivankov was addressing someone across the table now, his voice becoming more distinct as he moved closer to the microphone. Ivankov made a relaxed gesture, indicating the younger man to his left.
“You’ve met my assistant, Vitaly Kolbasov, I believe.”
“Of course.” The reply came from off camera.” Vitaly and I are old friends.”
Vari Vlasenko sat forward, nursing his jaw, concentrating. There was something vaguely familiar about the disembodied voice.
Vitaly Kolbasov smiled and reached a hand across the table. The man on the right started to come into the picture, moving his chair aside to take Kolbasov’s grasp, but now his back was turned to the lens.
“Vitaly.” They clasped and shook. “How long has it been?” Kolbasov smiled with exaggerated grace. “Oh, it must be ten years, at least.”
The two men released their grasp and Kolbasov’s expression slid immediately back to neutral. He lowered himself into his seat as the other man stepped back and started to take his own chair.
“That’s right,” he continued. “Kaliningrad. I was a captain in the Third Chief Directorate.”
KGB Third Chief Directorate… political surveillance of the armed forces. Vari shot a worried glance towards his partner but Nikolai’s eyes remained locked on the screen as the man opposite Ivankov settled into his seat.
“It’s good to see you again, Vitaly.” The lean, pale face came into view and turned towards Ivankov.” And, if I recall correctly, Marat, you were stationed in Kaliningrad around the same time, although I don’t think we met until Afghanistan, a year or so later. In fact…’ the gleaming gray eyes creased in a considered smile. “I don’t think we actually had anything on you until Afghanistan.”
Vari spun towards Nikolai, his eyes wide with astonished recognition. “ Shit! It’s Stephasin!”
Nikolai pointed the remote, pressed the pause button and gave a slow, deliberate nod.
“Correct.” Nikolai paused, staring at the frozen image of Colonel General Aleksey Stephasin, former Director of Military Counter-intelligence and now Deputy Director of the FSB. Vari turned back slowly to the screen, his jaw hanging open. Through his position as Deputy Director, Stephasin now occupied the rung above their own superior, Tsekhanov, in the Bureau’s power structure.
Nikolai picked up the transcript and handed it across.
“Here, read it. It’s
Nikolai took another swig from his glass and regarded its interior. “Much more.” He looked up at Vari again, his mouth set in a grim smile. “If you liked that movie, the sequel is even better.” He turned to the recorder, ejected the first tape and slotted the second. “Natalia hasn’t seen this one, thank God.”
He carried his glass back to the sofa and sank onto the velour cushions.” We have a problem, Vari. A major problem.” He turned to the screen and thumbed the remote. “Watch!”
The camera came to life from the same perspective but this time the table and chairs at either side were empty. There were voices in the background and Vari edged closer trying to make out what they were saying. He cast a glance at the transcript Nikolai now held in his hand but Niko pointed to the screen, directing his partner’s attention. Vari frowned and looked back at the image. A blue-gray haze passed in front of the camera – someone moving around the head of the table, making his way to the other side – then Ivankov came into view, moving towards the same position he had taken in the first tape. Behind him the same well-groomed, younger and thinner man fell in to his left. The figure that had passed in front of the camera had still not come back into view but it was apparent that Ivankov was addressing someone across the table now, his voice becoming more distinct as he moved closer to the microphone. Ivankov made a relaxed gesture, indicating the younger man to his left.
“You’ve met my assistant, Vitaly Kolbasov, I believe.”
“Of course.” The reply came from off camera.” Vitaly and I are old friends.”
Vari Vlasenko sat forward, nursing his jaw, concentrating. There was something vaguely familiar about the disembodied voice.
Vitaly Kolbasov smiled and reached a hand across the table. The man on the right started to come into the picture, moving his chair aside to take Kolbasov’s grasp, but now his back was turned to the lens.
“Vitaly.” They clasped and shook. “How long has it been?” Kolbasov smiled with exaggerated grace. “Oh, it must be ten years, at least.”
The two men released their grasp and Kolbasov’s expression slid immediately back to neutral. He lowered himself into his seat as the other man stepped back and started to take his own chair.
“That’s right,” he continued. “Kaliningrad. I was a captain in the Third Chief Directorate.”
KGB Third Chief Directorate… political surveillance of the armed forces. Vari shot a worried glance towards his partner but Nikolai’s eyes remained locked on the screen as the man opposite Ivankov settled into his seat.
“It’s good to see you again, Vitaly.” The lean, pale face came into view and turned towards Ivankov.” And, if I recall correctly, Marat, you were stationed in Kaliningrad around the same time, although I don’t think we met until Afghanistan, a year or so later. In fact…’ the gleaming gray eyes creased in a considered smile. “I don’t think we actually had anything on you until Afghanistan.”
Vari spun towards Nikolai, his eyes wide with astonished recognition. “ Shit! It’s Stephasin!”
Nikolai pointed the remote, pressed the pause button and gave a slow, deliberate nod.
“Correct.” Nikolai paused, staring at the frozen image of Colonel General Aleksey Stephasin, former Director of Military Counter-intelligence and now Deputy Director of the FSB. Vari turned back slowly to the screen, his jaw hanging open. Through his position as Deputy Director, Stephasin now occupied the rung above their own superior, Tsekhanov, in the Bureau’s power structure.
Nikolai picked up the transcript and handed it across.
“Here, read it. It’s
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