Part 30: Leningrad

Many, many apologies for the long delay. I finally got around to finishing the entirety of Chapter 2, so there shouldn't be any more waiting. Not sure that was a good way to do it, but oh well. Hope you all are still interested. Anyway, since it's been a while, I'll be working on a recap of Chapter 1. But first, here's Chapter 2.
Update 13 - Leningrad





You make an inventory of what you're carrying: 300 rubles, your mission orders, your I.D., files on Leningrad Department 7 officers, a camera, a recorder-receiver and a microphone with transmitter.



Inspect room 205
Modern, if a little dusty.

That was one long train ride. None too comfortable, either. Anyway, here I am in Leningrad. I'm staying at the Hotel Gostinitsa. Decent lodging, could be better. I've always wanted to see the Hermitage, but I'm not here for sightseeing! I'm here to hunt down degenerate gangsters and take down a snuff film ring!

Inspect the phone
A printed card says: reception 000. Your number is 37640.

Inspect the window
A depressing if busy street. A forlorn phone booth stands on the sidewalk beside the hotel entrance, which is below your room. The street in front of the hotel is quiet.

We also have a bed, a desk, and a roomy closet.



I changed my clothes before I left. Walking around the park with a baggy old suit is bound to draw too much attention from the wrong sort of people.

Let's take a closer look at our inventory.

Inspect the camera
Single-lens reflex. The 75-350 zoom lens allows you to photograph fairly distant objects as if they were near. There are 24 photos left in the camera.

Inspect the listening device
Receiver and password-activated playback device.

When we use the recorder-receiver:



As you can see, you can fast-forward, rewind, play, and switch between manually-activated and voice-activated playback. According to Guzenko, in voice-activated mode you say “TALK” out loud to play a message.

What the hell is the point of that? I'll just stick to manual mode.

Inspect the microphone
Microphone with burst transmitter

Inspect the headphones
A lightweight set of phones. When plugged into the receiver/recorder unit, the sound is channeled solely through the phones.

We also have our KGB ID and 300 rubles.

It is of course up to you, Maks, but most operatives start their mission by first reading their mission orders.
Okay, okay. Whatever you say, dad.

Mission instructions:



You are ordered to observe the meeting between “Romeo” and his contact in Ladoga park at 3 pm without being seen.
Failure to execute this mission will not be tolerated. You are to follow up new leads and suspects with utmost discretion.
Photographs of all suspects, their meetings and conversations are requested.
You will avoid intervention of any sort likely to compromise this surveillance operation.
You will avoid violence at all costs except in self-defense.
You will avoid provoking officers of Department 7.
You will receive further orders from your mission controller in your hotel room at 19:30 pm.

I knew most of that already, but it's still useful info. Time to check out the dossiers. That should come in handy when I need to meet the Leningrad KGB.


Inspect Drobnista's file

DROBNISTA, LEV YEVGENIEVICH
RANK: CAPTAIN
POSITION: Administrative officer, Department 7, 2nd Principal Directorate, Leningrad.
DATE OF BIRTH: 09/05/1955
NOTES: This officer's record is unremarkable, if unblemished. Despite regular attendance at party meetings, his lack of enthusiasm precludes him from significant promotion in the foreseeable future.

Inspect Kusnetsov's file

KUSNETSOV, VLADIMIR IVANOVICH
RANK: COLONEL
POSITION: Chief of Department 7, 2nd Principal Directorate, Leningrad.
DATE OF BIRTH: 04/07/1940
NOTES: K is responsible for the surveillance of foreign tourists in the Leningrad area. He has been accused of abusing his position for his own criminal ends. Proof of any such economic sabotage is currently lacking.

Inspect Agabekov's file

AGABEKOV, GRIGORI PAVLOVICH
RANK: MAJOR
POSITION: Second in command, Department 7, 2nd Principal Directorate, Leningrad.
DATE OF BIRTH: 17/10/1947
NOTES: Following intensive investigation, Agabekov's socialist integrity and loyalty to the party are unquestionable. This internationalist patriot served with fraternal distinction in Afghanistan, where his role as advisor to KHAD interrogation teams proved invaluable in the destruction of imperialist-backed sabotage gangs. Colleagues and former colleagues speak highly of him.

Inspect Chapkin's file

CHAPKIN, PIOTR PETROVICH
RANK: CAPTAIN
POSITION: Operational officer, Department 7, 2nd Principal Directorate, Leningrad.
DATE OF BIRTH: 12/01/1960
NOTES: Kusnetsov's son-in-law. Suggestions that he may be involved in criminal activities with Kusnetsov are no more than speculation at this stage.

So Agabekov's an upstanding torturer, Drobnista's completely unremarkable, Kusnetsov's corrupt to the bone, and his son-in-law Chapkin is probably a criminal as well. Should be easy to remember. I'll call my uncle. He always has good advice for dealing with these sorts of people.



We call home.

Who is it?
It is I, uncle. Maks.
Maks, my boy! I'm in the middle of a delicate opening gambit. What's your problem?
How's old Yegor?
He wouldn't appreciate being called old, Maks! Well, what do you want?
I need your advice, uncle.



I don't know who to trust in my mission!
Nobody, I imagine. Good luck, Maks!



That's as good advice as any. Well, I'd better clean up before I leave.

We start to head through the bathroom door, but...



We pick up the phone.



You've got the wrong number.
I meant to dial 37452. Sorry.

The caller rings off.

Very odd.




Inspect the basin
Not everly clean

Inspect the shower
The somewhat rusty shower nozzle drips.

Inspect the flush unit
It gurgles a little but is otherwise a model of Soviet efficiency

Inspect the mirror
Dusty. Some of the surrounding tiles have recently been removed.

I'll try going to the bathroom before I leave.



Never mind that. If I recall, the phone call mentioned something about checking out a light. I'll check out that neon light up there.






Meet THE hardest puzzle in the game. See if you can figure it out. You already have everything you need to solve it, surprisingly enough. No walkthroughs allowed!