Part 62: The Truth

Sorry for yet another long delay. I've been busy with college and stuff.

Update 29 – The Truth



Well, I certainly learned a lot from that little chat. Savinkov will be here any minute, but I don't think I can trust him. After all, he was meeting with Agabekov. Well, probably. Savinkov's not the only man who smokes Cuban cigars. It could have been somebody else. Maybe I'm just getting paranoid.



We switch on the light.



We pick up everything off the bed.

That camera may have been a piece of junk, but this recorder has served me well. I'll make sure to thank Guzenko the next time I see him.

7:00 AM

Savinkov arrives right on time.



Everything in order, I trust?



He comes back, dragging Chapkin.




Yes, indeed, comrade major.



I used a lethal truth-drug, meant for me, on Chapkin.
Spare me the details, Rukov. I want to know WHAT you learned, not how.
Chapkin admitted the gangster Savchenko was his agent.
So Kusnetsov and the gang boss use Savchenko and Chapkin as intermediaries. It's what I thought. Kusnetsov keeps his hands clean! Go on.
I was approached by an American agent.
Fascinating. Unfortunately, we cannot trust what they may have told you. I need concrete facts, Rukov. Not wild goose chases!
Chapkin said the warehouse gang are importing crack.
What else did you discover?
Chapkin admitted Kusnetsov plans stealing the crack shipment.
Now, that's the kind of information I'm looking for. Keep talking.
I'm starting to think Savinkov is more interested in nailing Kusnetsov than in taking down this criminal conspiracy.
Chapkin admitted Kusnetsov and Agabekov dislike each other.
A somewhat partisan appraisal. Kusnetsov is clearly uncomfortable with a brilliant and honest officer in his department! Go on.
Brilliant and honest, my ass. Maybe I was right before. Maybe Savinkov and Agabekov really did meet.
Chapkin said Kusnetsov takes criminal pay-offs.
We knew that. What else?
Chapkin said he didn't send the killers.
Savikov: In his place, I'd have said the same thing! Continue.
I don't know about that. Chapkin said a lot of things he didn't have to say. I think he was telling the truth about not sending the killers. Unless the vial was actually full of poison, and he pretended it was a truth serum so he could send me off on the wrong direction. If he were tricky enough to pull off something like that, I would actually gain a lot of respect for the bastard.
Chapkin said Viktor Matsnev is the boat that the gang's crack is coming in on, Sunday morning.
What else did you discover?
The biggest lead we have so far, and Savinkov doesn't care a bit. He's more concerned with Kusnetsov's petty crimes. Well, I'll give him what he wants.
Kusnetsov's going to kill the gang boss at the warehouse tonight.
That's it! That's what we've been waiting for! Continue.
I learned nothing more, comrade major.



I've brought you a camera to replace the broken one. It's precisely similar, except that it works. We need photographs of everything Kusnetsov does!
Kusnetsov? Kusnetsov's not relevant to this case! The only thing that matters right now is getting on that boat.
Stay here this morning and relax. You deserve some rest! I'll come at 1:30. If I can't make it, then go to the warehouse in the afternoon. “Tonight” could be anything from lunchtime to tomorrow morning, especially now that Chapkin's dead. Report to me here at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Oh, I think you'd better do something about that body.



I'll leave the recorder with you, Rukov. A recording of Kusnetsov gloating over his crimes will prove invaluable.



You deny all knowledge of the gun.

Please don't force me to hunt around for it, Rukov. I realize that as an ex-Spetsnaz man, you feel more comfortable with a weapon, but your work for us must be discreet. Hand it over.
Maybe he has a point there. I still don't trust him.



He leaves.

Well, time for another nap.




Huh, what time is it? 10:15? Damn, I slept late. I have to meet Cut-throat in about 45 minutes. Now I have to get rid of Chapkin's body.



To hell with it. I'll just stick him in the closet and figure out what to do with him later.

Let's check out the new camera Savinkov gave us.

Inspect the camera
A recent western model with an integrated flash.

It's certainly a lot fancier than my old camera.





We head down to the alleyway to wait for Cut-throat.

10:30 AM




It's the same drunk who was loitering in the alley behind the hotel last night.

I wonder where his friend went.
Hello, again.
Indeed.
Nice morning.
Isn't it though?
You can read?
A citizen's sacred duty, comrade!
What's in the news?
A very interesting edition indeed, professor. You should read it!
Anybody else pass this way just now?
I just arrived, professor.
He should be gone soon enough.

10:56 AM



Cut-throat still hasn't showed. He could be waiting for me to clear out the bum. Unless...
Cut-throat?
Might that be one of your secret spy passwords, General? Let me see now... The hunter's moon rises over the Himalayas. No, clearly not the right answer.

Talk about...being a down and out
It's a job for life.

Talk about...the political outlook
Every cloud has an acid lining, as they say.

Talk about...the price of vodka
Shocking, professor. Times are hard for the drinking man.

Talk about...newspapers
I like thick ones: they keep you warm at night. This one's very interesting, your highness. You should read it!

Ask for...a drink
Alas, professor, I can't help you.

Ask for...some money
Aren't you confusing our respective roles, professor?

Ask for...a piece of advice
Just make sure that whatever goes wrong is never your fault. And take an interest in the truth.

The truth? This guy is starting to sound like Cut-throat. He's reading Pravda (“Truth” in Russian). I think he wants me to read it.

Ask for...the newspaper
I haven't read it yet! Nevertheless, I may be persuaded to part with it...in exchange for something of yours.
I'm KGB. Here's my ID.
You told me that last night, General.
Give me that newspaper, comrade.
Give it to you?! Really, General, you must think in new ways! I'll exchange it for something of yours.
Okay. What can I give him? My rubles, maybe?

We try to give it to him, but...

I have no use for that, professor. Thank you all the same.

He doesn't want our dollars either.

Maybe the fancy new camera Savinkov gave me? Giving it to the down-and-out would mean I couldn't complete my mission to take down Kusnetsov. However, I have no intention of completing it anyway.
Now I can pretend to be a tourist! Here's your paper, professor. Time for my stroll, professor. Keep your chin up, now.

He gives us his copy of Pravda, and then leaves.



I hope it was worth it.

Inspect Pravda
As you leaf through today's edition of Pravda, your eye is attracted to a lengthy article on the Baltic fishing quota upswing: some letters have been underlined to form a short message which, when decoded, reads: “Be in the phone booth in front of your hotel at eleven fifteen.”

Thanks for completing the puzzle for me, game.