The Spy Case Chapter 6-Final Chapter!

The Spy Case

Chapter 6

Vlad and I sat in silence, the nose of the car in the ditch. The blond man approached and ordered us out of the car. We complied.

Kamenkov! Vlad hissed. Yuri Kamenkov! You framed my father! Vlad turned to me. This is the traitor from Moscow, the one who set up my father. I’ve met you before, he muttered, turning back to the blond man. With my father a few years ago. You worked with him at TSO under Petrov and Romanov. You’re responsible for framing my father. Before you were fired for embezzlement. My father tells me things.

Very good, Mr. Malenkov. Kamenkov said, then turned to me. I see you made a friend at TSO. Very unfortunate.

He turned back to Vlad. Your father was a fool. He was the perfect stooge to take the fall. Working late, acting nervous and distracted. It was so easy to frame him.

You sent him to that residence along the Moscow river that night I followed him; I remarked.

Yes, Kamenkov replied. We left some papers out on the table and the fool Malenkov picked them up and realized they were secret documents relating to our company. We knew you were following him and knew you would lead Romanov and Petrov to the place. They found the papers with Malenkov’s fingerprints all over them. It was very easy. Like taking sweets from a young baby, he added.

When your father wakes up from his coma they will arrest him for sabotaging the pipeline and I will be a rich man and will be long gone from this horrible place. I really hate the cold.

You left Justin out here to die, Vlad muttered. You know Volya told me what happened; he felt guilty about leaving him out here.

I already know and I took care of your friend. We put our trust in the wrong person and it is regrettable now that he has had to pay the price for his actions.

What did you do to him? Vlad asked.

You’ll never know because you will both die now.

What does Justin have to do with this? He said exchanging a glance with me. He’s only a Canadian student here for training. Aren’t you?

Actually, no, I said and Vlad looked at me. I was working undercover. I was sent here to TSO to find out who was sabotaging the pipeline project, I explained. By Petrov and Romanov, your father’s bosses back in Moscow.

So you knew about my father, Vlad said with pain in his voice.

Yes, I said. I wanted to tell you about him but I didn’t want to blow my cover. I was relieved when you found out about your father on your own.

You still could have told me, Justin, he said, turning away.

Enough of this melodrama, Kamenkov muttered. It is finished. The TSO pipeline will not go through now, the American Atlantic Oil company will break their contract and TSO will be out of business.

Who are you working for? I asked Kamenkov. Vlad was quiet, probably wondering how I could have betrayed him.

Who do you think? Northlands is preparing to build their own pipeline—.

So that’s why they’ve been buying up land quietly, I surmised. You were leaking documents about the proposed sales to Northlands and they we undercutting the price and buying up the land.

Quite a simple operation, Kamenkov said. We just needed a stooge to take the fall. By the time Dmitri Malenkov’s case goes to trial, TSO will be finished and Northlands will build their own pipeline quietly.

I hope Northlands is paying you a lot for this, I muttered. You’re going to eliminate us. That’s murder!

Kamenkov seemed unmoved. So be it. He raised his pistol to fire but instead flung his hand at Vlad’s forehead and connected with a sharp whack!

Vlad crumpled to the ground. I made my move, kicking up at Kamenkov’s arm and the gun went flying into the snow on the far snowbank. Why you! He roared coming at me, his fist connecting with my jaw. I stumbled and fell into the snow, momentarily dazed. Kamenkov went looking for his gun but was not able to find it. He dashed to his car and turned it around and headed back in the direction of TSO.

I knelt beside Vlad and tried to revive him. He came around a few minutes later, blood trickling from his forehead. I tried to help him up but he wrenched free. Leave me alone!  He hissed. I can get up myself.

Vlad. I’m sorry for lying to you. I’m on your side my friend, I pleaded. We don’t have time for arguing now. We have to get out of here.

The wind had picked up again and it started to snow. I’ll push the car out of the ditch, you put it in reverse. Quickly, Kamenkov is getting away.

Vlad got in the drivers seat but was still a little dazed. I trudged into the ditch and pushed as Vlad put the car in reverse. Ten minutes later we had the car out and on the road. I half expected Vlad to take off and leave me, but he stopped the car. I got in the passenger side. He didn’t look at me but turned the car and headed to Yakutska. To get the authorities. We can’t handle Kamenkov on our own.

Good thinking, I said, looking at my new friend. Look Vlad—.

Not now, Justin, he said, starting down the road, keeping his eyes ahead. We fell silent. The car lumbered and lurched as the front left tire was blown out. It was a slow drive but soon we neared the town. A car approached then. It was the local authorities. We stopped and they approached the car.

They spoke to Vlad in Russian and he translated. Olga had alerted the authorities when I didn’t return, he said turning to me. She was worried about us. Well about her car as well. Wait til she hears about what happened.

Good old Olga, I said with a grin, but Vlad remained impassive. They want us to go back to headquarters and give a report, he added.

Since Olga’s car was damaged, we abandoned it, Vlad locking it up and we got in the police car and headed back to the local police detachment, which proved to be a small two room bungalow about a block from the hospital.

Another car was quickly dispatched to TSO to apprehend Volya and hopefully Kamenkov. We followed the officer into the building. The one officer named Burkov, a short young man with brown eyes, blond hair and a trimmed blond beard, stayed with us while the other whose name was Yashin, went back to his car and would complete his rounds.

With Vlad translating I gave a report, starting with being hired by Romanov and Petrov back in Moscow to come out to the TSO field plant and find out who was sabotaging the project.

I turned to Vlad. They suspected your father, but then had their misgivings about that. I swear I only refrained from telling you as I didn’t want to blow my cover and let it slip who I really as and what I was really doing there. That was all I lied about. I really do like you, Vlad. I wasn’t lying about that. You’re a cool guy and I hope we can still be friends.

Vlad seemed unconvinced but I was sure he would come around—eventually.

Burkov interrupted us with a question for Vlad. He wants to know about this rival company buying up land, Vlad remarked. There’s been no such land transactions and as far as he knows he’s never heard of Northlands—at least in this area of Siberia.

That’s odd, I said. All along we assumed that Northlands was buying up land. Why else would Kamenkov want the land—unless—. What did you say Kamenkov was in charge of back in Moscow. He worked with your father?

Yes, Vlad said. In the same office. My father told me that Kamenkov was in charge of the land surveys but was fired about 6 months ago.

Land surveys? I asked my mind racing. I asked Burkov if he could double check to make sure there was no company named Northlands that was in the area—or even in Russia.

He nodded and went to his computer. He returned a few minutes later and confirmed it.

Why would Kamenkov lie—what a dumb question, I said ruefully. He wouldn’t want us to know what he is actually doing.

Which is? Vlad asked.

I have a theory. You said he was in charge of land surveys?

Yes, Vlad said. He took soil samples and analyzed them and made reports to the company bosses. I remember my father saying there was no oil here on this land, hence the pipeline which would only transport it from far away, be refined here and piped to the Sea of Okhotsk where it could be shipped in tankers all over the world.

No oil? I wonder—.

What is it, Justin? Vlad asked.

I wonder if there is still oil under the land? That would make sense as to why Kamenkov was buying land.

The officer said something else in Russian and Vlad translated. No company has purchased a sizable piece of land in the area, but an individual has purchased a small tract of land out by TSO.

Kamenkov! I’ll bet, I said. I asked Burkov if he could find out the name. He returned and said there was no name, but the person was affiliated with the TSO office back in Moscow. It listed the person as “land surveyor”. We didn’t think much about it as TSO owned the land next to it. Anyone would think they were just expanding.

It must be Kamenkov! We need to call headquarters and let them know this.

Another officer came up and related something in Russian. Vlad turned to me. They found Volya at the TSO compound. He was severely beaten but is still alive. No sign of Kamenkov. They are patrolling the roads in the area to try to capture him.

Where could he have gone? Vlad said.

I don't know. I said. But something is bothering me, though. What was Krakov’s connection to all this, I asked.

He worked in Moscow with my father and Kamenkov, Vlad related. I wonder why he was attacked?

Kamenkov was tying up loose ends. He framed your father and then had to take out Krakov. Maybe Krakov found out about his scheme, I remarked. I suddenly had a sobering thought.

Vlad! Can you ask Burkov if there is another way besides the main road we were on, to get to Yakutska from the TSO compound. He did and reported that yes, there was another back road that went around to the south and came into Yakutska from the other direction.

We have to get to the hospital! I exclaimed. I think I know where Kamenkov went.

Where? Vlad asked following me out the main entrance of the police station. Burkov followed us, looking confused.

The hospital. I’ll wager Kamenkov went to finish the job he started earlier. To eliminate Krakov!

Vlad translated for the officer, who called in back up. If I was wrong these guys would probably be miffed at me, making them go out on a cold night like this. But I was almost positive Kamenkov wouldn’t leave the area without dealing with Krakov. He was a loose end and Krakov didn’t seem like the person who would leave a loose end hanging.

Vlad and I followed Burkov to his car and we piled in the back. We raced to the hospital. It was late and visiting hours were long over and most of the patients were sleeping for the night.

We enquired at the front desk about Krakov and the night doctor was summoned. Burkov spoke to the man, an older man with grey hair and glasses whose badge read “Dr. Putin” in Cyrillic.

The doctor led us down the darkened hallway to Krakov's room. Suddenly a figure came out of the room and was startled by the four of us.

Kamenkov! The man raced down the hallway in the opposite direction. Burkov and I went after him while Vlad stayed behind with the doctor.

The hallway ended at a stairwell and Kamenkov crashed though the door and flew down the steps to the basement, Burkov and I on his heels. He burst through the door and we heard a tremendous crash. Burkov was first through the door and I followed. The scene before us was like out of a comedy movie.

Broken dirty dishes lay in a heap on the floor, Kamenkov laying in the middle of it, an irate man in a white uniform bellowing at the top of his lungs. Kamenkov had burst into the kitchen and right into a stand of dishes which the poor man in front of us looked like he was about to wheel to the large standing dishwasher just off to the left.

Burkov threw handcuffs on the thoroughly incensed Kamenkov, who just glared at me as he moved past me back into the hallway and back up the stairs. Burkov led him to the car and headed back to headquarters to lock up the prisoner. I wanted to stay behind to make sure Krakov was OK.

I found Vlad in the room with Dr. Putin. He turned to me when I entered. Someone has given him some kind of poison, Vlad related. The doctor was able to extract the intravenous tube before any of the poison entered his body. Seems we got here just in time.

Burkov returned to the hospital and retrieved Vlad and I and brought us back to the police detachment station. It was nearing midnight, and I was physically and mentally exhausted. We learned from Burkov that Kamenkov was being very tight-lipped, but a few phone calls to TSO headquarters and the registry office in Moscow, Burkov was able to corroborate most of what I had deduced.

In the main office of the police station I put a call through to Dad back in Moscow and he was relieved to hear my voice.

I spoke to the authorities out there, Justin and they were able to give me some information. We were also able to dig up some old land surveys back here and there is indeed oil under the ground where the TSO facility was located, he reported.

So Kamenkov falsified his own land surveys when he was in the employ of the TSO and stated that there was no oil. He would plan to get the land somehow and then dig for oil on his own.

But he didn't count on being fired so soon, I added.

Yes, Dad remarked. He was fired for embezzlement about 6 months ago and that was when he decided to ramp up the scheme to ruin TSO. He recruited Volya to infiltrate the TSO compound and get a job in the hangar. He would wait til the time was right and hit TSO where it hurt. Sabotaging equipment and supplies was just one part of his scheme.

Meanwhile he would create a fake company and make it look like he was buying up land so that TSO would not be able to build the pipeline, I added.

That they had to build according to the contract with American Atlantic Oil, Dad remarked.

I heard another voice in the background on the speakerphone. Petrov here. We were able to find out that Kamenkov purchased some land next to the TSO facility only, and did it under the TSO name. He was still employed here at the time.

Yes, I said. The authorities here told me that earlier. Once TSO lost the pipeline contract, they would abandon the facility and leave the area. He would be free to then buy the land at a reduced price—then in a few years time when everyone forgot that there was no oil below the ground here, he would “miraculously” discover oil and he mine it and would be filthy rich.

It was a great scheme, another voice piped up. Romanov. Justin you did a great job out there, finding the culprits so soon. How would you like to come work for us here in Moscow. My brother works with the police services. They could use a good undercover operative.

Sounds great!

Wait, Dad piped up. Justin has to finish school first. Then maybe we'll see about a job with the Russian police.

Everyone laughed—including Vlad. I glanced at him and he no longer looked like he wanted to punch me out. Had he finally come around?

You'll be happy to know your father is doing fine, Vladimir, Petrov said. He has regained consciousness and will be up and about in a few days.

I'd like to visit him, Vlad said, his eyes misting up. He turned to me. I want to thank Justin as well. He was able to clear my father and I will always be indebted to him for that. He offered his hand which I gladly shook.

I think I found a friend, Dad, I said, my own eyes misting up.

That's great, son. I hear Vlad is a decent guy.  Speaking of friends where is Boris? Is he there with you?

I forgot all about him! I blurted. He was a big help to us.

Someone call my name, a voice boomed from down the hall where the cells were located.

Boris? I asked heading down the small corridor. I glimpsed Kamenkov sitting hunched over in the corner of one cell, food smeared on his nice expensive suit. In another cell was Boris.

What happened, Boris?

I was taken in to being arrested, he said sheepishly.

But why?

Burkov came up to me followed by Vlad. They arrested him for disturbing the peace and vandalism, Vlad said with a grin. When he lost Kamenkov’s trail he took a fit and nearly destroyed Kamenkov’s car all the time screaming and yelling. Burkov and his partner had to arrest him. But they 'll release him in the morning, once he cools down.

I am cool now, Boris said pleadingly. See I am very cold.

Burkov said something in Russian and Boris' face lit up. They are letting me go! He said as Burkov unlocked the cell. He say I am in your custody, Justin. You have to look after me tonight and take me back to TSO for the night. You will have to be responsible for me. Is that OK?

Oh I don't know, I said looking at Boris then at Vlad and Burkov. I don't think I can take that responsibility. You better lock him up again. We'll come back for him in the morning, I said to Burkov.

But—but! Boris cried out. I thinking you are my friend, Justin Macdonald.

You are Boris. You are. But even friends have limits!

**the end**

Original story finished 9/28/2001 

Revised story finished 2/4/2015