Chapter 36
_ So, Nikolaï? Sam repeated. In which submarine did you put the torpedoes?
_ I... I can't...
_ You can, otherwise I'll smash your other ear to a pulp, Sam threatened him, putting the pliers on his right ear.
_ No, no, no! Dubov begged him, terror on his face. Please don't! Please! I'll tell you!
_ I'm listening.
_ The torpedoes are aboard the Khabarovsk, Dubov confessed, shaking in fear. It's a Project 885 attack submarine, and it belongs to the Pacific fleet.
_ Who's the commander?
_ Evgueni Gurkovski.
_ Is he from Meggido?
_ Yes, Dubov said, regaining some composure. And an old friend of Avilov's since their childhood.
_ Who knows aboard the Khabarovsk about the attack on American boats?
_ No one except the commander and his second, Dmitri Poda.
_ And when will they attack?
_ I can't tell you, Fisher! They're going to kill me!
Sam used his pliers again, and Dubov screamed louder than ever. Sam didn't like what he was doing, but this wimp had intel on the impending war, and he was determined to avoid it.
_ Nikolaï? When will they attack?
_ The... the Khabarovsk has a mission starting on the 6th of January, Dubov sobbed. They'll attack soon after their departure.
_ Who are the targets?
_ I don't know, I swear I don't know! he said in a panic. Avilov didn't trust me with the info, since it still had to be confirmed by his wife!
_ Samantha Jukov? How could she know?
_ I don't know, but I think she's a spy for Voron too, Dubov moaned. Please stop!
Sam let him go, and Dubov slumped on the back of his chair, bleeding profusely from both ears and moaning in pain.
Sam looked at Briggs who shook his head quietly. They had enough information for the moment, and a lot of work. So Sam gestured at him to go upstairs, and Briggs went to fetch Dr Collins. Then he opened the cuffs on Dubov's wrists and helped him on the cemented floor.
_ Okay, Nikolaï, we're done for now, he said gruffly. Our doc will come and treat your wounds, and he'll help you eat and drink. But know that if I have more questions for you, I won't hesitate any second to use my pliers again. Do you understand?
Dubov nodded fearfully, and Sam straightened up. He waited for the doc and Briggs, and soon heard their footsteps. He clapped Briggs on the back, and the ops nodded, staying with Dr Collins to watch over him. Then Sam exited the room, breathing heavily and longing for fresh air.
He ascended the stairs to the kitchen and went straight to the huge bay window in the living room. Grim raised her head when he entered and caught his stare. She stood up and went next to him, letting him open the bay a few inches and breathe the cold air, her hand on his back. He was grateful for her silent presence, he needed comfort but also quiet for a few minutes.
In the lounge, Kestrel, still lying on his sofa, was speaking in Russian, carefully articulating the words for Charlie to put Dubov's matching words in the right order. And soon the tech rejoiced:
_ We have fifteen sentences out of seventeen! That's so cool!
Sam smiled. The young tech was so full of enthusiasm it was heart-warming. He turned towards Grim and kissed her softly. She smiled at him, and just for a few seconds he forgot the heavy burden on their shoulders. They hugged tightly, and Sam buried his face in Grim's hair, but the magical moment ended when Briggs entered the room, grumbling.
_ That Voron bastard is a fucking asshole, but he sure knows a lot of things... Oh!
Briggs stopped dead in his tracks, and Sam looked up at him. The ops, flustered, was blushing, obviously embarrassed at having interrupted them. But Sam smiled wearily, pulling away from Grim with a last kiss.
_ Go on, Briggs. We must gather our info.
The three of them went back to the lounge, Charlie and Kestrel looking expectantly at them. So Sam told them what Dubov had revealed, helped by Briggs' notes. Kestrel, Sam noticed, was very pale but listened carefully. He was obviously shocked to hear about some of his former colleagues as Voron traitors. And when Sam finished talking, he shut his eyes and sighed deeply. Grim added darkly:
_ And Samantha Jukov is the mole in the Pentagon, I've just discovered it. We'll have to take care of her.
The silence was thick as maple syrup, and Sam didn't dare disturb it. He knew that in this matter Kestrel had the upper hand, even if he himself would have to take the decisions. He caught Grim's stare and saw she was preoccupied, like him, by who were the traitors and who weren't. It would be difficult to save the Russian president in those circumstances. Russia was a hostile country for them, with Voron so intent on killing them. But the war was looming into view, they simply couldn't stay idle.
Kestrel's calm voice shook him out of his thoughts.
_ We must meet Igor Kossiak as soon as possible and show him the recording.
Sam saw that Kestrel's eyes were fixed on him, gleaming with determination.
_ I agree, Briggs said. But how will we know if he's not going to betray us?
_ I'll meet him alone first, Kestrel said, with a communication device. So in the case he betrays me, I'll be the only one to die. You will still be able to stop Avilov and Sarto.
_ Kestrel, Grim said with concern, we can't let you take that risk. They want you dead. You've got much more to lose than any of us.
_ But I'm an ex-Voron ops, Kestrel said calmly. Even if I'm not with them anymore, the decade I spent there created bonds, and I'll use these bonds to our profit. Kossiak, though second-in-command, is a very old friend of mine. He'll listen to sense, I'm sure of it. But don't worry, I know who to trust and who not.
_ Who would you trust with this? Sam asked him grimly.
_ Aside from Igor? Let's see. I would blindly trust Marinov and Jdan, they're old friends of mine too. Valentina Stepankova and Cristina Nikonova, of course. The other Mikhail, Poliakov, and his close friend Kandinski. And I think I could count on Ivkin and Kniazev, who harbor a grudge against Avilov since a long time.
_ So that's seven ops and two women, Charlie counted. Not bad.
_ You can count eight ops, Kestrel smiled. Stepankova was one, the very first female one in Russian special forces, and she's still very fit, at least she was three years ago.
_ Do you want to phone Kossiak? Briggs asked him.
_ Yes, but to explain something like that we must be face to face. Where could we go to meet him?
Sam saw Kestrel look at him again, and thought about it. They would need a crowded place, out of Voron's sphere of influence, somewhere where he and Briggs could watch Kestrel's back. In no way would he let his ops be captured and tortured again by these Russian barbarians.
_ What about Bangkok? he suggested. Does Voron have a hideout there?
_ No, Kestrel said. At least they didn't have three years ago. The local NIA is very protective of the country's independance and thwarted every attempt at establishing a base there.
_ So it would be neutral territory, Sam said. Would Kossiak accept to meet us there?
_ Let's ask him, Kestrel said simply.
Sam saw him raise his legs and swing them, using their weight to raise his torso and reach a sitting position on the sofa. But the ops winced, putting his right hand on the brace cercling his neck.
_ Go easy, Kestrel, Grim said, concern on her face.
_ It's okay, he replied calmly, letting his hand fall on his knees. I'll be better tomorrow.
_ I hope so, Briggs said, standing up and fetching the secure phone on the living room table. You won't be able to do much with a broken arm, you know, mate?
_ I know.
Briggs handed him the phone, shooting him a puzzled glance, but Kestrel had his poker-faced expression on. He dialed the number and switched on the loudspeaker. After two ringings the line was picked up.
_ Да?
_ If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war, Kestrel said in Russian, quoting Tolstoi's War and Peace again.
_ What's the matter with you people? Kossiak said angrily. That's the fourth time I'm telling you I'm not interested in your hoovers, carpets or anything! And I'm not interested in your so-called second-generation computers either! Leave me alone!
The line went dead, and Kestrel, unfazed, hung up. Sam saw him raise his head and explain calmly:
_ He was with four ops and couldn't answer. He asked me to call him back in two hours.
_ Fine, Sam said, checking his OPSAT. It's 1.16 pm, so we'll go to the kitchen and have lunch. And at fifteen hundred we'll be ready to answer Avilov then phone back Kossiak.
The team nodded to him and got up. He followed them to the kitchen, where a delicious smell welcomed them. The nurse Anderson had cooked again for them, and she seemed specialized in Italian food, much to Sam's taste. They ate fabulous Milanese veal cutlets with pasta and vegetables, and a tiramisu for dessert.
Briggs kissed her to thank her, and the whole team complimented her. She was smiling timidly, and Sam caught a spark in Briggs' eyes he had never seen before. Maybe his ops had found true love at last, he thought. Then he caught Kestrel's stare, and saw a wistful smile on his face before resuming his poker-faced expression. Sam could see his other ops was happy for his teammate but also sad to have lost his own love.
He gently grabbed Grim's hand under the table and squeezed it. She shot him a loving look, and he silently told her how much he loved her, while stroking her hand. She smiled a little and seemed to understand. Then Sam said aloud, looking at his team:
_ Nap for everyone before the entertainment starts. Meet you in the living room at 2.50 pm.
He noticed that Briggs stayed in the kitchen to help his girlfriend clearing the table, that Dr Collins asked Kestrel how he was feeling and beckoned him to the lounge, and that Charlie went to sit in front of his laptop, obviously wanting to get on with his job. But Grim pulled on his hand, and he happily followed her to their bedroom.