Part 42: The Moscow Connection

Sorry for the delay, folks.

Update 19 – The Moscow Connection



I forgot to do one thing last time.



We head back to the back room of the bar via the roof.

Inspect the door
Judging from the aroma, that's the toilet.

We head on in.



Inspect the toilet
Hold your breath, comrade.

Inspect the basin
Just touching the taps would be fatal.

Inspect the flush unit
The flushing mechanism has gone to a meeting.

Inspect the toilet bowl
This is one of the more disgusting things you've done recently.

Inspect the small window



We unlock it. We now have another path into the bar should we ever need it. Yes, this is going to come up later.



We then return to the back storeroom and resume hiding inside the crates.

Damn, it's cramped in here. I can hardly fit.

4:11 PM

From beyond the door nearest the steps, at the back of the warehouse, you hear the sound of a garage door opening, followed by that of a car driving in and stopping. Car doors slam you hear footsteps.

From the front room, more footsteps.

Romeo's surly-looking contact comes in through the front door. A hefty-looking fellow we haven't seen before enters through the door leading to the garage.



They then head into the meeting room.

We try to listen, but:



We resume hiding inside the crates.

4:20 PM

Surly comes out of the meeting room.



He goes into the front part of the warehouse.

They've probably said a lot so far. Time to listen to the new recordings.

The game doesn't show who's talking, and you have to figure it out for yourself based on various clues. I just filled them in. Rukov would probably recognize the speaker's voice if he'd heard it before, anyway.

Recording 2
Start of recording timed at 4:12 pm.

No problems at the park?
No, boss. They had trouble with a snooper in Moscow.
And?
They say he's probably harmless, but he could turn up.
He better not... The videos are here?
Yes...

End of recording timed at 4:13 pm..

Hey, looks like I got another mention!

The first voice asks the second whether there was any trouble in the park, and we know Surly just came from there. Therefore, the second voice is Surly, and the first voice is Hefty.

Recording 3
Start of recording timed at 4:15 pm.

Boss?
What?
When's your friend Alfred Obukov coming?
Few minutes. Why?
Well, I have to phone Yakuchev to tell him when he can come round and pick up his...
Obukov'll be here in a few minutes.

End of recording timed at 4:16 pm.

Yakuchev, eh? Romeo mentioned earlier that someone called Yak was the go-between. I thought it was a codename at first, but I guess it was just short for his real name.

The first voice calls the second voice boss, and we already know that Hefty is Surly's boss from the previous recording.

Recording 4
Start of recording timed at 4:19 pm.

Sergei Antonovich...
Boss?
How well do you know this Yakuchev?
Just what I've heard. Reliable. Maybe a little hotheaded.
What's his connection with the Moscow people?
He knew a couple of them in Afghanistan.
Mm.
I'll be in the front if you want me.
OK, Obukov'll be here any minute.

End of recording timed at 4:20 pm.

Looks like Surly's name is actually Sergei Antonovich. I'll be calling him that from now on. Also sounds like Yakuchev knew one of the Moscow gang members in Afghanistan. Probably Verto.

4:30 PM



Everything in order?
Sure. And your end?
No problems at all. You have the videos?
Of course. Mechulaiev's expecting you in his office.
Excellent.



From the front room comes a sharply-dressed man.

That must be Obukov. Sergei mentioned him before.



He goes into the meeting room.



4:40 PM

The sound of approaching footsteps comes from the back office.

Alfred Obukov, the sharply-dressed man, comes out of the back office and goes into the front room.

You play cards a lot, my friend.
Passes the time.
Interesting game. Better with a partner, no?
Like sex, comrade Obukov.
Ha ha! Well said. Until later, then.



I'd better play the recordings to find out where he's going.



Recording 5
Start of recording timed at 4:31 pm.



End of recording timed at 4:32 pm.

Damn it. I knew this would happen. I guess that means the conversation took place outside the office. It must have been the first conversation I heard between Sergei and Obukov.

Recording 6
Start of recording timed at 4:33 pm.

Alfred Alexandrovich! Come in and sit down. A drink?
Thank you, Gennadi Leonidovich...
So. How are things?
Fine. Your friend Savchenko tells me you have the videos from Moscow?
Yes...

End of recording timed at 4:35 pm.

Sounds like Sergei's last name is Savchenko.

Recording 7
Start of recording timed at 4:36 pm.

Have you watched them?
The videos? I don't care to. Strange kind of business.
Indeed. But profitable?
Fairly. The principal advantage is a Moscow connection.
Naturally... Yes, a drop, please...

End of recording timed at 4:37 pm.

Recording 8
Start of recording timed at 4:38 pm.

And what of Viktor?
Viktor?
I was referring to the exportation of the cassettes...
Oh. Ha Ha! Yes, I see. Viktor will be ready to leave. Has the timing for the exchange been fixed?
Well, I'm going to see Mr X right now, to find out.
The mysterious Mr X!
Precisely my friend. Let him remain so. I expect he'll require Viktor's services within a few days.
That's excellent. You'll be back?
Naturally. As soon as I get the timing from Mr X.
See you later then, Alfred Alexandrovich.
Yes. Around six-thirty, Gennadi Leonidovich.

End of recording timed at 4:39 pm.

We know that the first voice is Obukov because he mentions leaving to go see Mr X, and Obukov is the one who leaves the office.

Mr X! I'd better follow Obukov. Unfortunately, Savchenko is still in the other room. Fortunately, I planned for something like this.

We fast-forward to the end, start recording again, and put the listening device back in the box. We've already got a lot of information out of that meeting room, but it can't hurt to keep listening in just in case some important conversation happens while we're away. We sneak up the stairs.



We climb up onto the roof.



We climb through the bar skylight and head out of the bar.





We follow Obukov into the metro.