‘The FSB! Wooh! I guess it must be important. Did you give it to them, Bishop?’
Bishop Remizov frowned and shock his head. ‘It appears one of my monks has taken it and I don’t know where he’s gone, or indeed, if he plans to return with it; silly boy. Believe me, he won’t get very far. You don’t mess with the FSB in Russia, Michael. It’s advisable not to rock the boat, if you get my meaning. But thankfully that’s not something you need to worry about?’
Rob chuckled. ‘I certainly hope not, Bishop.’
‘Come along let’s climb up to the bell towers. After all, that’s what you came all this way for, isn’t it?’
‘Absolutely, I can’t wait.’
Chapter 23
Victor Canseliet was standing in a slow moving queue waiting to visit the tomb of Lenin. Dark clouds were gathering above him in Red Square and a light rain had started to fall. The Frenchman lit a cigarette, filled his lungs with smoke and pulled up the collar of his coat in defiance.
A woman tourist in the queue asked: ‘Excuse me, but aren’t you Victor Canseliet?’
Doffing his cap he replied, ‘Oui madam, Je suis Victor Canseliet.’
‘Oh my God! I thought so. Can I have your autograph, please?’
Some distance away the motorized shutter of a Nikon D5300 DSLR camera clicked into action.
The mausoleum was built just outside the imposing walls of the Kremlin and after what seemed like an eternity to Victor, he finally reached the entrance of what looked to him like a pyramidal, nuclear-bunker. The Frenchman extinguished his cigarette in a sand dish that was overflowing with cigarette ends before entering the welcoming shelter of the building.
Moments later he was staring into a glass sarcophagus at the embalmed body of the first Soviet leader, Vladimir Lenin. The Frenchman was surprised that the dead Russian looked surprisingly well preserved, considering he died in 1924. His shaved head and facial skin had a somewhat pale, waxy appearance that contrasted with his neatly trimmed, reddish goatee. He was wearing a formal black suit, shirt and tie and his hands rested on his thighs.
Victor, being an expert on Egyptian archaeology, knew that Lenin’s brain and internal organs had been removed after his death. Only his skeleton, muscles and skin were being preserved, using a secret cocktail of expensive chemicals administered every 18 months by a team of embalming experts in a laboratory under the viewing room. The same laboratory that successfully embalmed Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh, Bulgarian leader Georgi Dimitrov, and North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Not to mention Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, whose embalmed body lay alongside Lenin’s from 1953 to 1961.
Not exactly the eternal life alchemists strive to achieve, he thought drolly to himself. Victor checked his watch, ‘I’ve seen enough; time for a cigarette,’ he said quietly. He walked out of the dimly lit interior of the mausoleum into bright sunshine and squinted, and again his image was captured on a digital camera some distance away on the other side of Red Square.
As Victor strode away from the mausoleum he felt a tingle of excitement; knowing he was a major player in Michael Waterman’s plan.
Chapter 24
Professor Shastri was sitting in a small room somewhere in the Kremlin. He was agitated and the fingers of his right hand nervously tapped the aluminum briefcase that rested on his knees. He sighed, stood up and walked to the metal door. He tried the handle but the door was locked.
‘Hello,’ he called out, but got no response. Then he raised his voice. ‘Hello… I am Professor Shastri and I am not accustomed to being kept waiting like this!’ Shastri turned and huffed with indignation when no one answered.
‘How dare they treat me as if I’m a common criminal.’ The professor was about to sit down again when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. ‘At last,’ he said, at the sound of the door being unlocked and opened. He watched as a tall man with a walking stick entered the room.
‘Sorry to have kept you waiting, Professor, I’m Commander Leonid Tsvetaeva.’ The war veteran slumped onto a chair next to a small wooden table. ‘Please… sit down.’ Tsvetaeva motioned to the only other chair in the room.
‘I am not used to this kind of treatment, Commander.’ Shastri said as he sat down at the table.
Tsvetaeva ignored his comment. ‘I’m here to understand what you have to offer me,’ he said, coldly.
Professor Shastri took some deep breaths trying to compose himself before placing the metal briefcase on the desk and clicking the latches open.
‘I believe Russia is in possession of a very special book. A book that holds many powerful secrets.’ Shastri looked into the commander’s eyes. ‘The knowledge the book contains is unique. It could make Russia the most powerful nation on the planet, Commander.’
Tsvetaeva smiled wryly. ‘But we already are, Professor.’
Shastri sneered at the comment. ‘No,…You just think you are, Commander.’
Tsvetaeva nodded gently but did not retaliate…. ‘So… if we already have this book, as you suggest we do… why do we need you, Professor?’
Shastri smiled for the first time. ‘You don’t need me, Commander, but you do need this.’ The professor lifted the lid of his briefcase and took out a shiny metal cylinder about twelve inches long and three inches wide. ‘This tube contains an ancient document which is the key to understanding the book. Without this key your book is worthless.’
‘And with it?’
‘…Priceless, Commander… priceless!’
Tsvetaeva took a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and placed them on the table in front of him. Then from his other pocket he took out a zippo lighter and placed it on top of the cigarettes. ‘It is a habit of mine to enjoy a cigarette once the deal is done,’ he said, smiling.
‘Then let’s hope we can agree, Commander.’
‘What is your asking price, Professor?’
‘Five-million US dollars; a bargain if I say so myself.’
The commander took a cigarette from his pack and lit it. As he exhaled he repeated the words, ‘five million US dollars.’
Shastri smiled. ‘We have a deal?’
Tsvetaeva laughed and called out in Russian. A uniformed guard entered the room and grabbed the professor by the arm.
‘Забери его!’ (Take him away!), the commander ordered. The guard manhandled the professor out of the room and frogmarched him down the corridor. An angry and shocked Shastri complained bitterly but the sound of his remonstrations and threats soon faded into the distance allowing the commander to enjoy the rest of his cigarette in peace while he inspected the strange writing on the scroll that he had carefully extracted from the tube. ‘Five million US dollars for this?’ he said, followed by a deep, throaty, smoker’s laugh.
‘All we need to do now, soldier, is find that AWOL fucking monk and then we will have the elusive book,’ he said.
Carefully replacing the scroll in the tube he left the smoked filled room, I just hope it’s worth all this effort.
A few minutes later the commander was sitting in a small open-topped carriage, traveling the short distance north-east from the Kremlin to the FSB headquarters via a ten-foot diameter concrete-walled tunnel. In his one hand he was holding his walking stick in the other, the shiny tube containing the scroll. Normally there would others on the train, mostly young, attractive secretaries struggling with large bundles of paperwork; a testimony to the Russian government’s ‘computer paranoia, but today he was alone; with no pert young breasts to stare at and fantasize over.’
I wonder what the geeks will make of this scroll? Tsvetaeva thought as he lit another cigarette.
Two-hundred-feet above him on the edge of Red Square, Robert McPherson was getting into a taxi, under his arm he was carrying a plain-paper parcel. For the last four hours he had spent valuable time with some extremely talented forgers.
Chapter 25
Viktoriya turned her head to look at Alexi who was lying naked next to her on the bed. He was s
taring at the ceiling; trance like. ‘What are you thinking?’ she asked, tentatively.
Alexi turned and smiled at her. ‘We have just made love for over an hour and you’re wondering what I’m thinking.’
‘…Was it good, Alexi?’ she asked softly.
‘Are you serious! Was it good? …I just want to stay in this big bed for the rest of my life and make love to you.’ Alexi tenderly stroked Viktoriya’s cheek with his fingers. ‘Thank you,’ he said.
‘For what?’
‘For everything…For showing me what to do.’
Viktoriya giggled and straddled Alexi. ‘I seem to recall that you had a very good idea of what to do anyway,’ she added, before leaning down and kissing him.
Alexi groaned with pleasure and their bodies began to gyrate in unison, gently at first but then with passion. ‘Ooooh… it feels like you’re ready for more, young man,’ she said, as Alexi entered her.
‘I have a lot of catching up to do,’ he said as he fondled her breasts.
‘So have I.’ Viktoriya’s head jerked backwards and her eyes rolled as another orgasm ripped through her body. She cried out in ecstasy before collapsing on top of her lover.
Alexi held her trembling body close to his and stroked her hair. ‘Was that number six or number seven?’
Viktoriya sighed, ‘I’ve lost count,’ she answered weakly.
Alexi’s emotions were in turmoil. His whole world had changed in a matter of hours and he wanted more…lots more of the girl he was madly in love with, but he was also scared, very scared. He knew there was no way back, but he had no idea what the future would hold.
‘Whatever happens, Viktoriya, promise me that we do this thing together.’
‘I promise.’
Alexi squeezed her tenderly. ‘We can’t stay here for long.’
‘I know,’ Viktoriya replied. ‘We’ve got a few days at best before they come for us, because they will come for us, won’t they?’
‘Yes,’ he replied pensively. ‘I need to find that buyer for the book. We need the money. With it we can get out of Russia and start a new life together.’
‘How will you find him?’ Viktoriya asked.
‘Right now I don’t know… I really don’t know…’
A moment later there was a knock on the apartment’s front door. Alexi and Viktoriya froze in each other’s arms.
‘Nobody knows we’re here,’ Viktoriya whispered.
‘Let’s just ignore it and hope they go away, replied Alexi.’
They embraced in silence for a long time and then there was another knock on the door. Alexi felt Viktoriya’s body stiffen.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Oh God, they’ve come for us.’
A voice called out in Russian from the other side of the door. ‘Alexi, it’s me, Michael Waterman. I need to see you. Can I come in, please?’
Chapter 26
‘It’s him, the guy who wants to buy the book!’
‘Can you be sure it’s him, he’s speaking Russian?’ Viktoriya asked nervously.
Alexi leaped out of bed and quickly dressed. He ran down the stairs and peeped through the security eye-glass in the door. He could see the face of Michael Waterman. ‘It’s him!’ he called to Viktoriya.
‘Is he alone?’ she asked.
‘…Alexi, it’s me, Michael. I’m here to help you. Can I come in please?… It’s okay, you can trust me. I’m on my own and nobody has followed me.’
There was a moments silence and then the sound of bolts being released before the door slowly opened.
Rob looked at a very anxious young man peering around the door and smiled at him. ‘It’s okay, Alexi.’
Alexi scanned the hallway before inviting Rob in and bolting the door closed again.
‘How the hell did you find us? Nobody knows we’re here.’
‘Only two people know you’re here — me and Olga.’
‘Olga told you we were here?’
Rob didn’t answer the question. Instead he said, ‘I have a solution to your problem, Alexi. Can we sit down and talk?’
Alexi noticed Rob was carrying a brown parcel under his arm and gestured to the table and chairs.
Viktoriya walked down the stairs and stood next to Alexi who smiled at her and put his arm around her shoulders.
‘This is my girlfriend, Viktoriya. We are in this thing together… Do you still want to buy the book Mr. Waterman?’
Robert placed the parcel on the table. ‘It’s a bit more complicated now.’
Viktoriya buried her face in her hands… ‘Then why did you come here?’ she asked in desperation.
‘I’ve come here to help you.’
Alexi looked deflated. ‘We don’t need your help we need money, so that we can escape this place.’
‘Exactly!’ Rob said. ‘And I have a plan to do just that.’
‘I don’t understand. Why would you do that? You don’t even know us?’ Viktoriya asked.
‘Because I need you to do something for me in return.’
‘What?’ Alexi asked.
Rob unwrapped the parcel on the table to reveal a leather bound book. ‘This is a copy of the book you have. I want you to return this copy to the FSB as if it was the original. Tell them you thought someone was trying to steal it and you panicked but always intended to get it to them safely. In return I will promise you and Viktoriya a safe passage out of here to anywhere you choose in the world.’
‘Why have you changed your mind? You offered to buy the book off me in Gorky Park for five million rubles. Why should I trust you now?’
‘We need the money,’ Viktoriya cried.
Rob nodded. ‘Firstly you need to get the FSB off your backs or quite frankly you’ll never see the light of day again. Delivering the book to them is the only way. Walk into the FSB headquarters and ask for Commander Tsvetaeva. Deliver the book to him personally; nobody else. Lay it on thick and he’ll believe you.’
‘But will he believe the book is genuine?’ Viktoriya asked.
Rob smiled confidently. ‘Take a look for yourselves, he said, opening the translucent pages. ‘Remember, the FSB has never seen the original, so they have no way of comparing it.
Alexi nodded his approval. ‘It certainly looks authentic.’
‘Made and expertly aged by craftsmen here in Moscow; the best forgers I have ever met. Believe me the authorities will think this is the original… You can keep the original until you’re out of trouble with the FSB and then I’ll buy it off you as promised for the agreed price, plus a safe passage out of here. That way we all get what we want, except the Russians of course, who end up with a document that is completely worthless, and the rub is, they’ll never have a reason to dispute its authenticity.’
Rob was waiting for them to ask him how he knew what the original book looked like?…But the question never came. Instead the couple just looked at each other, open mouthed, struggling to come to terms with Rob’s offer.
Eventually, Viktoriya asked ‘Who are you?’
Rob paused. ‘…Let's just say I’m someone who needs this book more than most people could imagine. It’s a historical document that has great value and significance to my family.’
‘It must mean a lot to you?’ Alexi suggested.
‘Yes, it does. It means a lot to me… So do we have a deal, guys?’
Alexi looked at Viktoriya and they nervously nodded their agreement to each other.
‘Okay, Mr. Waterman, we have a deal.’ Alexi said, firmly. ‘Where do we start?’
Looking out of his office window, the Commander said:
‘That fucking Frenchman is here to buy the book. His visit is not just a coincidence. He wants this book for himself. I want him monitored constantly and he must not be allowed to leave Russia until I say so, is that clear?’
‘Perfectly clear, Commander,’ replied the person sitting nervously facing Tsvetaeva’s desk.
‘Have you found the stupid monk yet?’
; ‘No,…not yet, sir.’
‘Why not? You have the best resources in the world and he is just a half-witted monk with nowhere to fucking hide… And you can’t find him?’ The commander’s face was red with rage. ‘You and your team have forty-eight-hours to bring him in, or heads will start to roll; do you understand?’
‘Yes, Commander, I understand.’
‘Good! …Now get out… and do your job!’ The commander watched as the person gathered his possessions and left the office, closing the door behind him.
‘Useless piece of shit,’ the commander uttered, as he lit a cigarette and slumped in his chair, deep in thought. He knew by monitoring the Frenchman he would eventually find the monk and ultimately the book.
‘Sorry to disappoint you Victor, fucking, Canseliet but this book is not for sale.’ He said to himself.
The commander’s thoughts were interrupted when his desk phone started ringing.
He answered it. ‘Commander Tsvetaeva, speaking’…and for a few moments he listened in disbelief to the female’s voice… ‘What!’ he finally exclaimed.
Chapter 27
A few moments later there was a knock on Tsvetaeva’s office door.
‘Come!’
The door opened and Alexi and Viktoriya were ushered in to his office by a female member of staff.
‘Leave us,’ he said and the woman walked out and closed the door behind her.
For a while the commander was silent, sitting at his desk staring at his apprehensive visitors.
‘What have you brought me, monk?’
Alexis moved towards his desk and offered up a parcel. ‘The book sir, the one you’re looking for. I was scared that…’
‘Shut up!’
Alexi placed the parcel on his desk and moved back to stand next to Viktoriya.
Tsvetaeva looked at the parcel and nodded. Eventually he unwrapped it and held the book in his hands. Opening the pages he scanned them quickly and placed the book back on the desk.