15th June 2013
The FSB agents returned today, and they brought some friends this time. I was out at the entrance in the old 'holding area' for all our supplies with Privates Sergei and Vlasov when there was a grinding screech of metal. Instantly I rushed out, a hand on my sidearm, a bit over the top yes, but I've been on edge for a while now…What I saw when I got there though was…ridiculous almost.
The huge steel door, which had been locked since we got here, was open, and the lights from a train outside blazed into the small holding area we stood in. The guards at the gate looked as confused as we were; lazily hefting their AK's to challenge the new arrivals.
But they were greeted by one of the FSB agents, swathed in a black overcoat and calmly flashing his identification at the guards in the same way someone gives a middle finger in a Western country. Then in behind him came a long line of men and women in white lab coats, all shivering a little, either at the cold or the group of soldiers all staring at them like they were Martians or something. Whereas the slimy FSB agent, along with his cronies, exuded arrogance and a superior attitude, these scientists were all on edge, wide eyed and looking around everywhere in curiosity.
All of them were carrying something; large crates marked with red A's, scientific equipment, bits of piping and metal, all completely incomprehensible to me and the other men, and all the others did was stare. It seemed like so long since we had seen anybody not in a military uniform, and now there were over fifty people just waltzing into one of the most secretive military installations in the whole of Russia like they were on a fucking nature walk! I found myself laughing a bit, earning a look from Private Vlasov next to me, and before I could stop one of the FSB agents had stormed over.
The man was tiny, barely coming up to my shoulder .I'm not a particularly huge man myself, not like some of the troll like thugs we've had shifting supplies for us the past few days, but even I looked like a muscular giant compared to this little rat. But the agent's voice quickly silenced me; it dripped with menace, like some Hollywood psychopath.
"Something funny private?"
"It's Major actually…"
The agent grinned slightly.
"I am so sorry…major…what were you wanting to say exactly before I so rudely cut you off?"
I was so tempted to punch the little prick right now, and frankly, if some of his friends and the scientists hadn't been here, I could have easily got away with it.
"Only that, as official quartermaster for this facility, I need to have a look at these new supplies being brought here."
The agent sniggered like a little child about to tell on somebody.
"No, I'm sorry major, but these people, and anything they may bring with them, is exclusively under the control of the FSB and Ministry of Defence. I would advise you to stay out of business that does not concern you. The consequences may be…"
The little creep was interrupted in his rant by a sudden crash of metal, and we both turned, along with every other person in the room, to the source of the noise.
One of the soldiers nearby ,who had been carrying metal crates from the train outside with the rest of his squad, had dropped the heavy object, and it now sat on the concrete floor, everybody around it stopping, especially, the scientists and FSB agents, who all jumped back instantly. The man who had dropped the crate grimaced and went to pick it up again, before suddenly there was the click of a pistol being drawn. As one, we all looked at the head FSB agent, who had drawn his Vektor pistol, its short barrel aimed directly in the soldier's face.
"Not…another…step." He said coldly, and then walked toward the crate, gun still trained on the terrified soldier.
As the agent bent down to examine the crate, I saw a few men raising their rifles. But then Captain Delov was storming in, silently shaking his head and the soldiers lowered their weapons.
There was complete silence in the room as the agent simply said.
"The container is not compromised. Carry on…"
Instantly everybody in the room breathed a silent sigh of relief and went back to their duties, the FSB agent calmly withdrawing his pistol inside his overcoat.
AS I watched however, it didn't seem things were back to normal as the scientists trooped further into the complex. The main FSB agent strode over to Delov, pulling him aside and hissing something into the man's ear.
I don't know what he actually said, but, as the agent swept away, I went over to Delov, who was now white as a ghost, all the colour drained from his face.
"What is it?" I snapped, excepting another sarcastic response.
But the captain's reply was nothing like that, almost a whimper, all his arrogant bluster lost as he spoke softly. I barely heard the man, but there was one word that stuck in my head, and, as I heard it, I knew things were about to get a lot worse.
Spetsnaz.
