The Spy Case Chapter 5

The Spy Case

Chapter 5

Hey! I yelled, and the figure turned as I flicked on the overhead light. The figure proved to be a nurse, and she wasn’t too happy about all the commotion.

Another nurse and security guard followed behind me into the room, gesticulating and speaking rapidly in Russian.

I don’t understand; I replied shrugging. Извините! Sorry!

The security guard motioned me to step out into the hall. I speak a little English; he said gruffly. Now, what is the reason for this outburst?

I explained about how I had come to check on Mr. Krakov, that he was my boss out at TSO and a suspicious character was seen entering the hospital a few minutes ago.

Do the authorities know about this man? The guard said skeptically.

No, not yet, it's really a long story and I'm really sorry I scared that nurse. Can I go now?

The guard motioned for me to stay where I was. He went in the room and came out a few moments later. It's all right, Mr. Macdonald. The nurse was only taking the patient's pulse, and she didn't turn on the light in case the patient woke up.

Tell her again I'm sorry, I said, and the guard nodded.

I left the hospital, constantly on the lookout for the blond man. I still thought he was suspicious. When I had the chance, I would call Pushtin and let him know, but right now I wanted to talk to Boris.

Back in the parking lot, his car was gone. Great! I muttered. Where could he have gone? I walked over to Volya's car and got in. I turned the ignition but the car wouldn't start. I sighed in frustration as I tried again and again to start the car, but it was dead. Figures the tank is full of gas and now it conks out, I muttered. In spite of my predicament I had to smile. I must have given that nurse quite a scare! She won't be taking patients pulse in a darkened room for a while.

A sudden rapping on the window startled me. I turned to see Boris looking in the window. I rolled it down. What happened to you? Where did you go?

I was attempting following our blond-haired friend. Look can I get in the other side? I'm very freezing out here.

I opened the right side door and Boris folded his massive frame inside. You didn't see him leave? Boris asked.

No, I was too busy causing a major commotion; I related. He must have slipped out then.

Why what did you do? Boris asked.

Tell you later. You said you were following the blond man. Where did he go?

He went back to the restaurant we were at earlier, Boris related.

I saw him there earlier when we were there.

So I come back to see if you were OK. Maybe he may have harmed you someways. But I see you're OK. Let's go back to the restaurant and see if he's still there. Can you drive us there?

Not in this heap, I remarked. It won't start. And I just filled the tank with gas, too. I sighed in frustration running my hand through my hair.

You filled the gas tank? Boris said, incredulous. No one would fill their tank in this town. Someone will come in the night and syphon it out. I'll bet that young guy Vasily almost would have heart attack when you asked for a fill up, he added with a chuckle.

Thanks for the tip, I grumbled. Come on let's take your car.

We got out and I locked the doors and we went over to Boris' car. I was nearly froze solid in the biting wind but it was relatively warm in his small car—but not much.

We drove to the restaurant and parked around the back. Boris went in first and I followed a few minutes later. We saw the blond man right away at the same table he had before. We took another booth where we could watch the man and the door but we were in the shadows.

He doesn't see us—yet, I remarked. Wonder what he's doing here? My answer came a few minutes later when a young man entered the room and went straight to Blondie's table.

Volya! Vlad's friend from TSO. I wonder if he's the saboteur, I muttered. That's Volya from TSO. He works in the hangar. It's his car I borrowed.

Boris just nodded. Let us watch to see what they are doing, he remarked.

The two spoke in hushed tones for a few minutes then Volya left. Blondie paid his tab and left a few minutes later. I'm sure Blondie attacked Krakov and Volya is involved in planting the explosive device. But why? Did he know who I was? And why did he lend me his car?

I do not know, Justin, Boris said. But we should follow them, no?

Yes, yes, I exclaimed, jumping up from my seat. We rushed past the waiter who was coming to take our order. Boris mumbled something to him in Russian as we went out the door. Blondie wasn't anywhere around. A lone figure was walking down the street, headed west out of town. Could that be Volya? It sure looked like him.

We got into Boris' car and drove along the street until we came to the man walking. It was Volya. We stopped and I got out. Justin? He asked. Is this you? He hesitated. Where is being my car?

Nearby, I said. Come on, get in. My friend Boris will take us back to where it's parked. Volya got in the back seat and we headed back to the hospital parking lot.

Volya was able to start his car, he pumped the clutch a few times and banged on the steering wheel and the car roared to life. I spoke in hushed tones with Boris who related he would stay in town for now and search for Blondie while I would return to TSO with Volya, hoping on the way to get him to reveal his part in the sabotage—if he did play a part.

We headed off west out of town and headed for TSO, with Volya driving. He was quiet but I caught him glancing at the gas gauge and grinning. How did you come to town? I asked about 5 minutes into our trip.

Oh—another friend of mine—ah—he drove me into town, Volya said, glancing in the rear view mirror. I wanted to come into town and I tried to—ah—find you. I felt guilty about the car. It doesn't always run very good—especially for strangers. I admit I lent it to you so you would put some gas in it.

Yeah, I figured that, I said ruefully. It cost me almost a weeks wages, but a promise is a promise, right?

Yes, he said, his hands gripping the steering wheel tight enough that his knuckles were white. What was he so nervous about?

A brisk wind had come up and slow blew across the highway, the car's headlights casting an eerie glow on the road ahead. It was now completely dark, it was after 10 pm. I was starting to get tired, the day was certainly busy and eventful.

Suddenly two points of light shone in the rear view mirror. Another car was approaching. Was it Boris following us back to TSO? I was getting an uneasy feeling. I didn't completely trust Volya and hoped he would be more talkative.

It was then I noticed he was slowing his speed. It was not too noticeable, but I was anxious to get back to TSO and hoped the trip would be quick. The lights behind us were gaining by the minute and my anxiety grew as well.

Suddenly the car sputtered and lurched. Volya cursed in Russian and pulled the car over to the side of the road where it lurched one more time and the engine quit. It is too cold, he muttered. I shouldn't have pushed her too hard. He tried to start the engine but it wouldn't turn over.

The other car approached and pulled in behind us. I could see right off it wasn't Boris. It was a strange car. The driver got out of the car and my heart sank. It was the blond stranger from Yakutska.

Volya got out of the car and I did the same. The headlights of the car shone on the scene, Volya standing with the blond stranger. The man turned to me and said in heavily accented English, Justin Macdonald. We meet again.

Who are you? I demanded. Do I know you?

Oh, I am sure you don't, Mr. Macdonald, but you will soon enough. He turned to Volya and mumbled something in Russian. Volya went to the man's car and got in the passenger side, the engine still running so it was probably toasty warm inside. I, on the other hand was freezing and getting colder by the minute. The stiff breeze had come up again and was blowing snow across the highway and into my unprotected face.

Can I get in the c-car too, I muttered but I already knew the answer.

Sorry, the man said. No room. It's only a two seater.

I gulped, my teeth starting to chatter. W-what's g-going on here?

Your days as an amateur detective are at an end, he remarked, pulling the collar up on his long coat. Too bad it has to be like this. Why, when your father hears that you perished in the frigid cold of the Siberian wilderness, he will be so distraught that he will leave Russia. TSO will not build the pipeline and the company will go out of business. That is regrettable. I, on the other hand will become rich. This is not regrettable.

Who are you? I demanded again.

Let's just say—someone who's been watching you since you came to TSO. Romanov and Petrov sent you here. I know that now. But you will fail, Mr. Macdonald. You will fail in your task. That is a certainty.

The man turned and walked back to his car and got in the drivers seat. He pulled out onto the road and stopped next to where I was standing.  Volya rolled down the passenger window but didn't look at me.

And one more thing, Mr. Macdonald, the blond man said. Your friend Boris has been taken care of back in Yakutska. He will end up like that coward Krakov. When Krakov wakes—if he wakes he will have you to thank. If you hadn't been prowling around I would have taken care of him once and for all and he would now be dead.

You can't leave me here? I gasped.

I can and I will. Good night, he muttered. Volya rolled the window back down as I lunged for the door handle, but it was locked. The car sped away into the blowing snow. Minutes later it's taillights were lost to view.

What a mess! I thought. Some spy I am. First big assignment and I freeze to death in the Siberian wilderness. OK, get a grip. I shivered and tried to focus. I had to get out of this wind. I climbed back into Volya's car and was elated to find the keys still in the ignition. I tried to start the car but to no avail. Then I noticed the gas gauge. Empty!

That's why the car stalled. Volya or Blondie must have syphoned off the gas back in Yakutska. I was out of the wind, but it was still bitterly cold. I opened the glove box hoping to find—what? I had no idea but I had to try.

I pulled out a sheaf of papers written in Cyrillic script. I could read Russian phonetically but didn't know a lot of words. I scanned the papers, my teeth chattering violently. I saw a word that might be “Macdonald”. Was it about me? Or Dad?

Another had the word “Krakov”, I was sure of it. Another word stood out to me as well. Убить. Kill.

I was sure of it now. Volya was the saboteur. I had been set up when I requested to use his car. I only hoped Vlad wasn’t in on it.

I scanned the road ahead and behind but there was no sign of another vehicle. It was getting colder in the car by the minute. Ten minutes later I felt myself drifting off, hypothermia setting in.

No! I grunted. I can’t fall asleep. There had been nothing in the car that could be used to generate heat. My head nodded and I jerked awake again.

What was that? I suddenly noticed to points of light on the highway ahead. Was it a car? Or was this a dream—or hallucination? Was it Volya coming back to finish the job?

I lost consciousness at that point. The next thing I remember is someone shaking me awake and that it was very cold—wait. It wasn’t that cold now. I could feel heat.

I sat up groggily. I was sitting in a car with the engine running and heat coming out of the vents. It wasn’t Volya’s car.

Justin. Good, you’re awake. A familiar voice. Vlad.

I turned to my friend. W-what happened. How did you get here?

This is Olga’s car, but I don’t have time to explain, he said with a frown. We have a problem, he said pointing out the front window of the car. Another car was stopped in front headlights blazing in our eyes. The blond man got out and pulled a shiny object from his pocket. A gun!

He fired at our windshield as Vlad threw the car into reverse and it spider webbed into a thousand shards, the bullet nearly missing our heads.

Vlad backed up nearly smashing into Volya’s car which was directly behind us.

Another shot was fired and our front left tire blew out sending us into a spin, sliding across the icy road and into the far ditch. Vlad tried desperately to back out of the ditch but the three remaining tires just spun on the ice.

We were trapped!