The teleportation. Chapters from 8 to 14. Part 1

          Chapter 8. The technology of safety.

          After thinking a little, the old man Paul continued:
          -So, hear me. I'm going to begin from secondary things. Possessing such abilities, it's necessary as far as possible to avoid drunkenness or intoxication himself with something else. Here is recently occurred with me. All finished well, otherwise I wouldn't sit here in front of you now.
          By chance, in the youth I visited Kamchatka. That time I visited a few volcanos, including Avachinsky, which is situated near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. A few of them were in the weak acting condition. I remember as well as now, one of the sheer walls made me indelible impression. I was standing high. It was an instant of the evening twilight, against which the lava looks like enough bright. It was seething down and the unbearable heat was emanating from there. That's the beauty of hell! It was creepy and fun. To say the truth, some inexplicable and sublime feeling.
          It must have been the devil who prompted me to get drunk two years ago in the summer. I felt that too drunk, but I'm not young. The heart could give out or something else. I understood it in spite of my drunken condition, and it was good that it was summer. I thought to head to the taiga to spend the night, in the open air. This would be less harmful than in the room, even in the ventilated one. I took with me a compass, matches just in case, even a remedy against the gnats wasn't forgotten. Passing deeper into the forest near one mile I put on me the remedy and went to sleep under a spruce. And I remembered the youth, the travels. I thought: "I'll get enough sleep now and head to travel anywhere. I've better to use all that God gave me more often". I woke up. The night. Still, I was drunk. It happened somehow instantly, involuntarily. I didn't have time to think and concentrate. I just did the only sudden movement and suddenly: the day, the bright sunlight, the heat like in a steam bath. I stood near a stone wall on the narrow stone cornice, there was an abyss below me, the red-hot lava was below, and I felt sulphurous fumes reached me. I had better would concentrate and move back. But I saw a lot of protrusions on the steep wall, as if one could cling to them, put the feet on them. What the hell, fool, I started to climb, in spite that I was never an alpinist. The more high, the more difficult. To return down, it would be impossible, but there was near seventy feet till the level place to rest. Like till the sixth floor. In addition the drunkenness with the first signs of the hangover, my hands shook a something wrong with the mind. It's possible, some influence of the sulphurous fumes. I had not to hurry, if otherwise, then one could fall down. But one must not delay too. One could get poisoned by the sulphurous fumes. Still, I had to move faster. Quiet, - I told myself. What if this wall would be in a silent and safe place, could I climb? Difficult, but I could, - I answered to myself, I continued climbing, calming down myself. I stepped on a stone protruding from the wall, but it broke away. I didn't succeed to hold on the rock and I had started to fall in the fire lake. I can't remember now, what I thought about in that instant. As if some energy entered into me, still I wasn't below, but already I felt burning. The end?! I jerked mechanically and found myself in a study room. A middle aged man sat at the table, dressed in a suit with a tie and wrote something. On the table some spreadsheets and books with Latin titles were put on. That's natural, the employee stared at me, the mouth a little opened, and his eyes, as I saw, as it were going to pop out of his head. Of course, I understand him. My look was scared, it's possible, I still was pale as paper and on my jeans the smoke was coming from some places. In all probability, he took me for someone from hell. Now it was nothing to be afraid anymore. I laughed heartily, then concentrated and returned in the place, where I spent the night. It only started to dawn, and in spite of the cold nights in Siberia, I felt the coolness not at once. It was a fun adventure, but unfortunately the end of such adventures is not always good. So, possessing such capabilities, we have to touch nothing doping.
          -Wait a little, - Albert said, came out quickly and soon returned with a notebook and a pen. He sat down, drew two rectangles, took a coin and put it on one of the rectangles.
          -Here, look at this. Suppose, these rectangles are rooms or cells, it doesn't matter. And two-dimensional beings live here, and the only the dimensions of this plane are accessible for them. The sides of the rectangle are irresistible barriers for them, as the walls for us. There is the coin now. They take it as a circle, that is as a two-dimensional ball, - Albert took the coin and shifted it in another rectangle, clarifying:
          -Now they would take this as disappearance of the ball, but the inhabitants of that rectangle would take it as appearance it in an unknown and supernatural manner for them.
          -All occurred exactly like this.
          -It means, you can run away any prison, or to climb in a safe of any bank, can't you? - Inquiringly Albert looked at the old man.
          -Quite right! And what? Will you, as soon as have learnt to do the same thing I do, climb in the most primary and rich bank? I wouldn't blame you. This wouldn't be a sin to plunder such a communistic state of several billion green banknotes. In any case, this money will be spent to feed a huge herd of the fat ass bastards, every of them holds a high position, in spite that his intellectual level is lower than any of us in 99% of case, but we have to huddle. After the higher education and with your great erudition you have to sell the newspapers. But they graduated the only one thing UMSL, that is the University of the meanness of Soviet Life. If this money will not be spent in favor of them, then what for? Is it in order to muffle the radio voices of free countries? Is this in order to pull a few thousand miles of the barbed wire? Yes, here is the democracy now, but is it for a long time? People - slave, people - herd, people - scoundrel, they are against the liberty! They want to return back in the slavery. To stand in line for a rotten sausage and to glorify Lenin. As well as in the last century there were the slave revolts against abolition the serfhood, and now the horizon is darkening with clouds too. The herd of cattle wants to return in its stall. So, will you go to rob banks?
          -This looks, as if you set me a cunning task with a something trick.
          -Already a little more right. Well. Let's think. You are a clever man.
          -This would provoke a panic, unnecessary worries in some circles.
          -That's right at all! Good for you!
          -This would mobilize all the KGB or... what is its name now, no matter... it's not about the name.
          -As for mobilizing, all the intelligence services of the world will be mobilized. And not only the intelligence services, but the mafia clans, the drug lords, lonely adventurers who seek adventures and easy money, suicides, fanatics. There could be such persons among them, against which it would be very difficult to fight, even possessing the super abilities. This is not a hypnosis or telepathy that you can see at every step. It would be enough an imperious voice and unblinking and sure look, also a little of the fantasy and imagination. And having lived longer, anyway you will understand a man you see, how he treats you. Even if he speaks another language, you could say in Russian what he thinks about you, not word for word, but enough right. This is another thing. This is not a hypnosis or telepathy, which about I wasn't afraid to say in the presence of your wife. This is the TELEPORTATION! Did you notice that I use this word in the first time? And be aware: the last time. And I do not advise you to use it too. Do you think that I during a very long time lived in the Siberian hinterland, because I say "to climb over" instead of... - old man turned to a whisper, - "to teleport"?
          -But who would believe in this? It looks as ravings of a madman for a lot of people.
          -Don't hurry, but think. You would understand, I know, however, if I tell you, it will be faster. There are divisions or even individuals who are interested in all the discoveries, also all what the science still didn't discover. And they know well that among a million of ravings and superstitions, once upon such a treasure may be found! These are like the treasure hunters. And they guess, it can occur a discovery, which doesn't need a huge laboratory and expensive equipment. And in spite of this the discovery is able to  set the world on fire. Or even a seeker of adventures and treasures is alone, but there is an acoustic directional device in his pocket. In our epoch to overhear talking, it isn't necessary to throw up a microphone to whomever apartment. Such a dude walks in the street, amusing himself, aiming his device to the windows of houses and listens, where and what is said. Somewhere he can hear something spicy. One would use this for a subsequent blackmail, another enjoys and in the same time executes an assignment, planing to earn or to curry favor with a boss. Here and there is boring everyday talking. But there is something more interesting already: a husband left for the work trip and neighbor came in for a visit. And there one of the chiefs of the secret plant babbles out a secret information to his friend, drinking the cognac from the bottle. One must make a note this. One day this type hears that two dreamers are talking about UFO and abnormal phenomena and you can believe me, he will come again to "go fishing" in the direction of this window, to check, whether is it ravings or no. Yes, the most probably this would be ravings, but what if something will turn out? If there is something, and he is a fool, he will run to report. In answer they would pretend as if they disregard, but in fact they will connect very cool and dangerous people to this case who would be not a couple of some racketeers or like those who clapped eyes on Sveta's boyfriend's cooperative. If the dude who has reported, does something against, they will get rid of him, even without killing. They will find an article of the Criminal Code and will send him in a madhouse and all would look so, as if all took place accidentally. But who is smarter, he knows already to whom and how to report, or he will think a hundred times before, but all the same this would be a risk. If he is lucky, he will be provided for life, in old age, he will grow fat, flaunting with general's epaulettes. But the matter will continue to function. In the internal or external intelligence the leak information always takes place. All this from an ordinary person's point of view as if something doesn't exist, like a joke. However, those who realise something, they are able to understand that these organisations exist, in fact, and the people who work there, they don't only wear out the seat of his pants. Sometimes such passions run high there, which сouldn't cross to someone's mind or wouldn't be seen in a dream. There are interests of the authorities, of the powers that be, and these interests clash in the most bizarre and unexpected combinations. There are dueling of infernal machines, which are able to break down a single human destiny, in the same manner as a tank would break down a turtle. There are persons who wouldn't stop at anything. What's a matter for them as a life of another or a pain of another, while a few of them are able in the interest of the matter to rush themselves under a tank or in that lava in Kamchatka, what I nearly fell into, thank God.
          If you think, you will see, that in fact there are such things, for which you would sacrifice yourself, not accidentally like a drunk soldier, because of the vodka, but after thinking and calculating, weighing all the pros and cons. Why did millions of people pass through the hell, which was raging almost during all twentieth century? Because there wasn't found a hero who would possess the information and in a high time he would cut the spread of the red-brown contagion. And if there would be a person who would have information how to destroy the insidious creeping of the totalitarianism in its very source, and in the same time he would be aware the importance and the scale of that what took place, also if he would know about the possibility to change all this, then there would be not too little of chances that he would do everything possible, up to the self-sacrifice.
          Here the main danger is not for us both. We can escape with our abilities, and I'm sure, soon you yourself will be able to climb over in the same manner. Primarily, it is inadmissible that someone except we both would be able to do it, You know what I say about. If the main thing for you is the liberty and true dignity, if you aren't a slave of the state, that's good. However, you may be tempted and give this great discovery to the West. But you must not do it, and I believe, you will understand the reason. Remember, how the first nuclear weapon was spread. In the 1945 the USA had applied it, but already in the 1949 Beriya with Kurchatov played with it. It's possible, no intelligence service, no prison cell, which would be insured against the moles. Let it's deadly dangerous, but the game is worth the candle and one can find people who are agreed to play these deadly dangerous games. The main our advantage is because we are a double, and the deuce is the most reliable and stable group. Do you know that among killers, the most prevalent groups are the groups consisting of two persons?
          -I hear about this in the first time.
          -As you see, the proverb is right: "One mind is good, but two ones are better". I teach you something, you teach me something. I'm going to instruct you to the fullest extent of my knowledge. A lot of that I say, you know, but it would be more preferable if I tell all, but without tearing off my knowledge pieces, which are unknown to you. Even if you hear from me something known you, it would be useful. Never shun repeating.
          So, a group consisting of ten persons would be unreliable, clumsy and with the information leak. But the deuce is strong, mobile and secretive. As well as you have understood, we have to throw all our forces not into a bank robbery, but at keeping the secret. We have to avoid that someone would be on our tail, even if they do, then be able to dump them away, but we have better to slip away. Our discovery is akin to the discovery of the nuclear weapon. It's enough to take thought, what possibilities it opens! But this is dangerous, dangerous for all the humanity. Some will try to obtain the world dominance. Others will defend themselves. The "defenders" will have an admirable reason for the unlimited power and it's not known who of them will be worse. That still is not all. And what about the access to the nuclear button? This is not a safe with money. And what if the USA and Saddam Hussein will possess the equal forces? And all of this yet only at examining on the surface.
          Albert became lost in thought. From the beginning he was happily shocked by the news, but now he saw its back side. The old man is right. This miracle is not any better than the nuclear weapon.
          -Here now you have fallen into another extreme. I see, you are ready to give advice me to take with me this discovery to the grave, aren't you?
          -It's a pity. Very sorry! But maybe, will be it better so?
          -Still, you try to answer the task without trying to solve it. You are clever, you will solve it and you will find the right answer. But what for to wait a long time? To wait, in spite of the fact that already I have the solution. I can govern this phenomenon since 1957 year. Can you count? What's the year now?
          -Ninety-third.
          -Did my abilities lead to the world disasters? I remin d you: one hour ago I showed them to you. They are real. No disaster observed. Maybe are aren't you sure about yourself?
          -On the contrary. Maybe I'm too sure about myself. Do you know, why don't I like to fly by plane? Because if I myself pilot a plane, I would feel much better.
          You won't worry about me too, because I've stood the trial period thirty six years. To doubt me, it wouldn't be right. The only you remain. However, you are sure of yourself. I described for you all the horror, because of getting out of control of the given discovery, not in order to refuse it. Then, from my side it would be more right to hide it from you. Just I wanted to show you how important and significant the technology of safety is. All will be in your hand. Notice more one important moment. If someone from a kind of the very dangerous persons intends to wrest from your close person the information about my and in the future about your "travels", before to torture them, they are well able to guess very fast, looking at them, whether they know something or don't know. For this reason, this information is dangerous for your close persons, and you have better they would know nothing. The spies are not sadists and the unscheduled tortures for them are the same thing like you would sell the newspapers without any profit for you.
          -Moreover, how I would train? I have to work, to trade. Otherwise, I'll be left high and dry.
          -You will take with you rucksack or bag as usual. But instead Moscow, you will visit other places. We will train so. You will return at home at the right time and bring money, which I'll give you.
          -But I don't want to be in debt to anyone.
          -Is it possible to be in debt to a person who has poured and given you a glass of the tap water? I earn the money not more difficult. To earn one hundred dollars is not more difficult than you would make some tea.
          -You have given a good idea, - after saying this, Albert poured some water in the teapot and poured the content out in the toilet. After this he lighted a burner a put the big kettle on it, adding water in it. The old man took out of his pocket a bundle of banknotes of one hundred dollars.
          -I could give you it all now, but others will see your mood, that something occurs to you. You cannot hide this. One must pay for all, and I don't think that it's a large payment for the future, which opens in front of you.
          -Of course, no.
          -But in the presence of your wife, her friends, of your parents try not to show look that your mood is changed. When you feel joy because of the coming changes, try to think about their negative sides. And on the contrary: remember their advantages if you start to sorrow because of the horrors which appeared in your imagination. And the main thing, try to think that walking, running, the transport - these are foolishnesses. Wasn't a foolishnesses to come to this gas stove thirty miles, was it? Or to go from Mytishchi to Moscow via the North Pole, the Western Hemisphere, Antarctica, Africa, Crimea, Kharkov and finally Serpuhov and Podolsk? However, in the everyday life everyone does like this. Remember and don't forget, in the middle Ages the people used the beams, the candles, the torches, but no the electric lamps or pocket flashlight. And it wasn't just about the technological complexities to use the electricity, but firstly about the ignorance. But now you know. You have seen. And you will see it many times more.
          The doorbell sounded at the height of drinking tea.
          -I've told you all and am going to sit a half hour else for reasons of decorum. Then I'll go out as usual, without tricks, - the old man said to Albert after, when he opened the door.
          Nadya came in without Sveta.
          -As far as I see, you've made friends definitively, - it was the first words she said.
          Then took place a coze in the kitchen. It was seen as Nadya tried to bring the conversation to the topic of the hypnosis, the telepathy and generally on the themes of anomalous phenomena. As if accidentally, she asked:
          -Is it really you can settle this matter, in the cooperative?
          -It will be settled as by itself. The less you worry, the better it takes place. If every case like this would end by bloody denouement, the corps would be strewn at every turn and a total war of all against all would be. It is ninety percent that all will be settled, even without interfering.
          -Whether you want to hypnotize them, in fact? Excuse me for this immodest question, of course.
          -I'm an expert in my own business, - the old man answered strictly and clearly.
          Nadya understood that next questions will look not only tactless, but also useless. The guest sat a half hour else, as he promised, and began to be going to come out, parting with his new friends. Albert went to accompany him to the door. 
          -Thursday. On the platform Kalistovo. At nine o'clock in the morning. Thursday. On the platform Kalistovo. At nine o'clock in the morning, - the old man repeated two times in a whisper to Albert in his ear. - I need all information about those who don't walk the line, who try to subdue the cooperative. Even a trifle can become a valuable thing, so bring all what is possible to recognize about them. All that is possible, including the least details, especially about their leadership, because the "bulls" themselves do nothing without an order from above. Farewell.
          -Goodbye!
          -Are you sure he doesn't palter? - Nadya asked when Albert returned into the kitchen.
          -A tree is known by its fruits. And in the near future, I have to meet with Sveta's boyfriend, what is his name, by the way?
          -I think, Anatoly.
          -Let him bring me all that he knows about the uninvited guests, all absolutely, including trifles. That's very much important. I have to meet him, it would be better in an exposed area. Let he rewrites all the necessary information. To forget nothing, I'll rewrite all this by my hand. After this one can destroy these papers.
          -If I don't know you, I would think that you are afraid, but as well as I see, you have decided to play spies. If someone doesn't like my way to do, I may refuse. However, if I act, then only as I like, - Albert answered sternly. - And I have to meet him in the next two days.
          Nadezhda had a wish to quarrel with him, but this time she abstained.

                Chapter 9. A private espionage.

          Albert and Tolik didn't like each other when they were meeting, but they didn't show a look of this. Sooner or later they could be found as rivals because of Sveta. However, only Albert knew about it, but there was a completely different thing, which irritated him. Tolik was a person absolutely alien to his nature. If in childhood they were in the same school or in youth in the same student hostel, they would become intransigent enemies, because Tolik was a typical soviet person of the herd. He wouldn't like Albert's individualism, also his isolation, in the spirit he would enroll him like an "intelligent", however, in Russia this word is almost abusive. In his mind, although not moronic, but enough primitive, it was inconceivable a fact that Albert was able to be much steeper than he himself, however, only if this would justify itself, but not for shoddy showing off. As well as a drowning man would catch at a straw, in the same manner he clung to any unlikely possibility to ease the situation, in center of which exaggeratedly he felt himself, but in fact, who was in the very scorching heat of the circumstances, they were the people of his bandit "roof" (that is the constant racketeers). He consoled himself by a thought that this "nerd" is only a mediator, bringing the information to some steep friend or to several steep friends. And he would become awfully disappointed if he sees the old man Paul. On Thursday this information was already in old man Paul's pocket. However, before to put it into the pocket, the old man learnt it long time and with attention, and he gave an advice to Albert, that time to observe the nature, feeling himself as a part of it. Finally he said:
          -Even if I don't cope during this short time, let Anatoly at a high time pays for the first and for the second group. I'll give the money.
          That day the old man explained him for a long time the concentration technique, also the value of the ability to keep a thought with the object.
          -Create in spirit an imagined world and do in it all what you want. Try to make it clearer and distinct, let events take place on it coherently, but not confusedly as in dreams. Practice to do it every time when you go to bed, don't miss. In order not the dreams occur with you, but you yourself would be their master, not a piece of wood, which would be rushing downstream of the river. And no transport, no electric trains and buses. It's not necessary to go by bus or by anything else, because everything is nearby, everything is close and available.
          Already in the afternoon, before saying goodbye, Albert asked:
          -If it's not a secret, have you decided now what to do?
          -No, but my minor friend is trying to do it.
          -???
          -My subconscious.
          As far as it's known, every "roof" has a chief. He directs the actions of his subordinates along the necessary direction, but the questions, where to direct, whom to attack, aren't solved by him, but by the superordinate persons.
          In this world of the mafia, there is the power above everyone, this power is cruel, not always righteous. If someone even may take the initiative, then within a very limited framework. The old man already knew the surname of the author of the situation. To learn the first name and patronymic, it wasn't difficult, calling a few times, motivating his request by the fact, as if it would be an inconvenient thing to address to a powerful man by name, and it would be better to use the first name and patronymic. In the militia or in another special service the object didn't work in the given moment, so the address bureau wrote the address, which Albert so needed, without obstruction. The information, given in the window of the information office, led into the city, which was named in honor of the famous spacecraft designer, and the station what he had to get off the train, in spite of all the changes, it conservatively succeeded to have kept its name "Podlipki".
          The old man already knew a lot of nooks and wastelands of this city and he has teleported into one of them. The house was found quickly, but the entrance was encoded. Paul wasn't embarrassed because of this, he waited when someone would come out, this was a woman with a child, came in the opened door which itself has closed slowly. His solid age helped not to provoke the suspicion from the bystanders. He was going to penetrate into the flat using the known way: to ring the doorbell and when the tenant opens the door, to hypnotize as if he is not here, and in the same instant to slip into the flat. He could not teleport into the flat, the atmosphere of which he still didn't see. He still didn't approach the door, but already on the other side of it sounded loud and wild canine barking. Judging by the low voice, the dog was big enough.
          -All right, - thought Paul. It cannot be lucky all the way. Now I have to switch to the long and tedious surveillance.
          Thinking so, he went upstairs, reached the staircase near the garret, concentrated, incorporating all the details of this silent corner, in order subsequently to imagine and in any needed instant to get here, omitting the entrance and curious looks. The perennial experience made him able to memorize needed interior quickly, and after a short meditation Paul immediately got into a wasteland and returned to the house on foot, selecting a comfortable place to observe.
          In three hours from the same entrance a man who was balding, but not old, came out with a Rottweiler on a leash. The dog took up its canine business, sniffing the ground and sometimes looking around, and the man with all his views tried to show his importance and significance, but one doesn't know to whom. It was nobody around, apparently the habit took place. This swagger would make laugh an American, however, to the Slavs, he would provoke either the obedience or the servile admiration. The old man Paul knew well, in America you can see such grimaces rarely and if you see it, then the actors of them often are found natives from this soviet world, which were victims of the slave-owners in the past centuries and of the communists in the present century. Going along the street, such people like the black holes take under their influence the souls of passers-by, bringing confusion to their minds, only by a look they unbalance them, suppress the will and recharge themselves by the psychic energy. The victims are guilty in part too, because they believe in the importance of these "arrogant Aces". However, in England, he would be considered as a bumpkin, and his car "Mercedes" and not very large incomes by Western standards, would impress nobody.
          Not without a risk to complicate the situation, the old man in an instant have teleported on the staircase near the garret, descended the stairs to the needed floor and rang the doorbell. The canine barking didn't sound. After a long keeping silent a simple woman, middle-aged, opened the door, most likely a housekeeper. Shrugging in perplexity, because of the fact than nobody was here, as it seemed to her, she closed the door, but that time the old man succeeded to slip into the flat. She went to the kitchen and the old man in the toilet, because if to appear suddenly, then it would better in it. It was difficult to switch himself from one to another. Now he observed the atmosphere inside the toilet, understanding that he will have to "climb over the space" only here and it's possible that more that once. Then he came out quietly into the corridor, also without sound he climbed into the cupboard in the wall, where the clothes hung. He hasn't to wait for a long time. Paul heard, the exit door opened.
          -Start to pack things, Zina, we go by car to my wife in the dacha and at the same time I need to meet with the guys, but that's not for a long.
          -I must report to my family.
          -So, what is problem with? Here is the phone, call them.
          -And during how much time I have to be there?
          -Two days, not less. You will help us with housework, as usual... What is the matter? Or do I pay you less?
          -The matter is in another thing. Someone rang the doorbell. I opened. Nobody was.
          -Shuck! I walked with the dog in the courtyard. Into the entrance nobody entered, excepting normal people who returned from work. More likely, the minors frolicked again.
          -But if... Who, killer? - the master burst out laughing. - Nobody would put on a cast. But he on the stairs would shoot me... or I him.
          Suddenly the loud dog barking drowned out all the sounds.
          The old man was ready for this, immediately he teleported in the wasteland and went to the station, had a snack, buying a hot dog and a glass of the coffee. It was a pleasant warm evening, the same as many years ago. The Earth still continued to live and to flower. The seasons still changed in the same manner. As well as in the youth he would like to travel very very far. But all was close. Either New-York, where was the daytime in full swing now, or Krasnoyarsk where it was past midnight, or the forests around Moscow, which he once climbed round and studied lengthwise and crosswise.
          The old man crawled under the platform, in order nobody would see, and teleported into one forest of the Moscow region, which he liked. He pulled the matches out of his pocket. The campfire lighted up quickly. In the sky first stars appeared. The life continued to please. At the ninety-fifth time with him the nature of the temperate climate changed the white anger of the winter to the blue-green mercy and caress.
          It was time to return. Paul put out the fire carefully, carrying some water in his palms from the creek a few times. Did he remember the interior of the toilet well? He rushed there. He has succeeded, but was in the darkness. He barked a few times just in case. It was no answer. He came out and came in the room. The view from the windows have dispelled all doubts. It was the same flat. He had a lot of time, but he had to act carefully, putting on its place everything what he examined, as it was before. The owner must suspect nothing and the dog all the same couldn't tell, why it had to so bark suddenly. The arrangement of the objects what the old man could not remember, he recorded on a separate list, using a cipher, which nobody knew except for himself. To get through all this documentation here in the same place, even to think about it would be useless. Ahead was a great work on information processing. Fortunately, he already wasn't a novice in this matter. He had to xerox everything urgently, then to put in its place and to study the photocopies. The windows overlooked the North, where at this time was a little lighter and it allowed to look about without switching on. Slowly, but right the old man examined all the furniture consistently in the three rooms, also in the kitchen and in the bathroom. He was interested only in the information. He had to learn as much as possible about this man, because the situation looked so, as if the whole initiative came from him. Even the old man stood up on the window sill, and using a screwdriver, he unscrewed the ends of the tubular crossbeam. On the crossbeam hung the curtain with rings, which the owner didn't close. He shone with a flashlight into the tube - emptiness. Among the books, inside one of them, he found a hiding place and there a fat bundle of banknotes of one hundred dollars was hidden. He put it back. It will not go anywhere. This is not all. He has a dacha else.
          It seemed that the work was done. Only the cupboard in the wall remained. Groping the clothes, he found something solid. That's strange. There was a home bathrobe, it seemed old and shabby and there was an inner pocket in it. And there was something rectangular, either a book, or a video cassette. However, in the flat he saw already a lot of the last. Every of them were in boxes and showed different names in color. In general, there were the detective films and horror. But this video cassette was for some reason in the unusual place. The old man decided to watch the video, if it would be necessary, rewrite the movie and return it in its place, to xerox all the papers and also return them. The faster - the better.
          It was the night, but in the night as far as one knows, all the photocopy offices are closed. The old man Paul concentrated and appeared inside of an old and rickety wooden house. A girl fifteen years old Olesya slept soundly like everyone in the youth. The old man put the cassette on the table, then he concentrated again and appeared in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Two tramps in the wasteland watched him with surprised looks. Here the light time of the day already gained power. It was the morning peak hour. The old man had found the office quickly, but it opens only in fifteen minutes. He had to wait. In an hour all was done. The first strange client today turned out to be profitable. After receiving the copies of the papers, the old man returned to his house in the Krasnoyarsk region, put all the copies along the books and teleported into the same flat. It was dark, and it seemed especially dark after the sunny morning in Kamchatka. The old man decided to rest in the armchair and he slept during an hour. He slept with one eye open, and if some rustle took place, he would wake up and manage to get out at a high time. As well as he saw, not only the door, but the windows were on the alarm. But this alarm system was designed for malefactors who could come in through the door or the windows. Such a wonderful way, like the teleportation, wasn't foreseen.

                Chapter 10. A nidus.

          After waking up, the old man sat near an hour, being awake. When it became quite light, he started to distribute everything to their places what took a long time. Finally, all was done and he may come out. Immediately the old man returned into his house in the Krasnoyarsk region. On the TV screen, the owner of the recently left flat flaunted with his mob. Olesya didn't sleep, but was sitting quite pale and watched on the screen. The tears rolled down her cheeks.
          -Do you know? They have murdered her! They made her to dig out a grave for herself and killed, hitting her with some heavy object on her head. Can they kill you? I have nobody but you! Nobody never would understand me! Nobody would do with me what you do.
          These words flattered him. The girl who was younger than him for a fantastic period of time, almost for eighty years, couldn't live without him. It was the truth. If he dies, she will stay alone with this evil and alien world. She is not ready and may break down. He must care for her. Why did he lose sight of this before?
          -However, Olesya, didn't you see a lot of evil in your life, - the old man answered finally, - because of what are you surprised?
          -I saw a lot of evil, but so! Nobody was murdered in front of me! I never saw such a lot of blood!
          -Maybe this is a movie? Actors played their role, didn't they?
          -No. This is not a movie! This is reality! Watch it yourself.
          -Let's immediately watch and rewrite. We have to return this cassette.
          The old man have rewound the cassette to the beginning and switched on. At first all this looked like an amusing porn. Enforcers, joking, allured, in other plots dragged wenches by force into the car. What took place after this, to say psychological pressure it would be an exaggeration. Those who could sass to a shy guy, a few of them would be able to imprison him for a rape, which didn't exist, such cases occurred often in the judicial practice of this country, but here they behaved so, as if the bandits would be their friends yet long ago or at least they pretended as if it would be so. The girls held themselves kindly as with lovers, a little pretended as if resist, every of them passed through the session of usual sex, also oral and anal sex. After this she sat down at the table, they gave her to eat, to drink, sometimes the bandits gave her a few of banknote from 1000 roubles to 10 dollars (the rate of the 1993 year - author), in such a case everyone took the initiative individually and freely. After this, the bandits, bidding farewell to them, also said: "Come to our place once more", a girl had to say in front of the camera something, as: "Thank you boys, we had fun with you". One of the morons as usual tried to play trumpet "Farewell of the Slav", a melody, with which it was a habit to escort who leaves. So one plot ended and another began.
          The erotic then changed by scenes of business if one may say so. Different racketeers with different leaders disturbed cooperators, self employed businessmen and others. If the movie was silent, one could think that the business talks took place. It was a premeditated technology of the pressure on the mind, without loud talking, even within the bounds of decency, however, enough monotonous: on scene was similar to the other, and it became boring to watch. At first they intruded into the area of victim's attention, trying clear this area out of all extraneous things, in order nothing would distract, as far as possible, everything would go into the background, in order in front of the victim would be only the all-powerful and invincible masters, and it would be an absurdity to contradict them. After this, with a logic, which seemed impeccable at the first blush, they tried to prove why one must act only so, but not in another manner, and here was done an emphasis on "the normality" of the proposed compromise, because otherwise it will not be as "it should". In order not to go too far and do not bring the client to despair, they inspire about a "humanity" of their intentions, as if they could act much harsher and more unfair, but they also are humane and understand everything and because of this they demand reciprocal understanding. At the same time they demanded not to pay to the constant "roof" anymore and to refuse them severely, and this was beyond the acceptable and in a case of a clash, they promised to solve the problem, affirming as if the former bandits are wretched little nitwits, candidates to the morgue, and they, being all-powerful ones, will help to get there if they dare to do something. The clients stayed morally broken and devastated after such a conversation. Either the new masters were all-powerful actually, or they frame them maliciously, however, there wasn't a choice. It was proposed a hard and defined track, and going along it, they must deviate neither right, nor left, and no matter regardless of whether they like it or not. The former free life, what was limited only by the tribute payment, now such a life became an unrealisable dream.
          -That's strange, why they take too much upon themselves, - the old man thought aloud. - Well, let so. We will understand it in the future.
          The offices changed to the city in the movie. Moscow. The center. The place is similar near the Main Universal Store. A girl is standing in the street, her hairs are dark, but not black, by the look she is like a visitor. There are things nearby her, a lot of things: trunks, suitcases. It is likely, she is left in order to guard things. Suddenly, strong hands grabbed her from behind, and she became squeezed by them. A few instants, and two wide backs in the expensive suits have enclosed the lens. The lens seemed to be with a variable focal length, because all the group have moved smoothly, becoming located four times further.
          -Tanya, what a sketch are you! We are looking for you all day long throughout Moscow! Go with us, he will pour you an additional glass.
          From aside, it was looking like a scene from the adventures of a cheerful drunk company, however, the views of the passing people were turned at all to another side, as if because of an order. A person, who was making the movie, also turned the lens to that side.
          Suddenly Olesya had clicked the "pause" and rewound the tape a little back, then clicked "playback" and at this time she clicked "pause" when one must. At this instant the "provincial girl" appeared on the screen again after being enclosed. Paul already was going to scold his favorite pupil, but he said instead this:
          -Wow! Here what a young age is able to do! But I nearly missed it.
          -Now she is unconscious or almost senseless and they are carrying her like a drunk, joking cheerfully. Someone of them in these suits has stunned her.
          It was seen in the snapshot clearly that they don't hold her down, but support in order she wouldn't fall, because her legs went out.
          Olesya let go the cassette again, and again the passing people turned "to that side". And at that side of the back street two young short-haired dudes are fighting. The fight was accompanied with the foul language, threats and reciprocal insults, because of which in the prison camp everyone could be murdered. However, in this fight one could see something ostentatious, and in spite of the fact that the nose of one of them already bled, there were enough lots of the beautiful jumps, loud swearings.
          -Fuckwit, stop. The cops are coming!
          Suddenly they both stopped fighting and went both away, stepping fast. Everyone who watched this cassette, he would understand that it was an usual distracting maneuver, but there in the street the people were busy with their problems, so they could notice only fighting, but missed the main event. Even the cops are not supermen and could miss the abduct and if they noticed and caught the criminals, this group would get out, only being scared a little, or would bribe.
          Now here is the abducted girl on the screen. They have explained her already, why she is here. She sat on the chair. Her interlocutors weren't seen. She talked slowly and with a strange accent:
          -May be this is like a game for your girls, but I must not do it. Our customs forbid it. After this I would become another person. That's bad.
          -Do you think as if your troubles worry us?
          -Not only troubles. If you don't touch me, you can get ten thousand dollars for me. Only if I return, being not spoiled. They haven't more. If you think to receive more, so my life is ended. If you touch me, then you would receive nothing. That's a shame. Then likely I'll die, and you get nothing.
          -And you say about this so calmly?
          -On all will of Allah.
          -There is something to think about, - more serious voice declared, - so we make a movie to send the cassette to your relatives. And if you ask in order not to deflower you, that means we yet didn't touch you, do we?
          -Right, - the visitor girl answered with an accent on "AI".
          -However, what is an address to send a letter? We have to connect with them, - the same business tone sounded behind the scenes.
          -Ichkeria... You have better to write "Chechen Republic", otherwise, the letter may become lost. A district of Shatoy...
          -Have you gone mad?.. - The boorish voice sounded again. - Do you know that?..
          -Shut up! The fact is that I'm informed, better than you, - sounded the confident voice, because of which Olesya felt uneasy.
          -Ah, that's it, I've understood! The Colonel likes the exotic...
          -Will you shut up at last?! - and at the same time, he said with a soft and subtle voice:
          -Continue, please.
          The girl tried to understand the unfamiliar Russian idiom about the "Colonel" and "exotic", but it seemed that in vain. She called the village, her name, the first name and added that one must write the address in full, otherwise the letter would not reach. She understood that these persons would not go there even for big money even if their conscience is clean in front of her relatives. She knew their habits better than they knew the character of her people.
          -Your offer is tempting, very much. Likely we will be agreed, - finally the voice of the "business man" sounded, - however, we have to deliver you in a place, which is safer for us.
          There was frame change in the movie. Apparently, this is a garden near a private house.
          -Comrade Colonel. A valuable trophy is grabbed. A wench, what do you think she is from? From Chechnya itself. You had not yet deal with similar girls, - the young owner of the boorish voice reported proudly. Now he was in the frame, skinny, high, with a little mustache, almost all the hair is cut. There were no military uniforms on him. That report was only posturing, but not a witty.
          -Stop clowning, motherfucker, sounded the voice of the "business man". Finally himself appeared in sight. He was a middle-aged man wearing a fashionable sunglasses and well-fed like a fed cat.
          -Colonel, to say without any bullshit, I would beware such a gift. They are able to find better than the criminal police.
          -Here I'm who decides, - said Colonel. Now he himself have got into the frame.
          -That's himself, - the old man could not resist. He watched on the screen threateningly.
          -It means, your nickname is Colonel? Well. You will command not a long time. Olesya. Is this Chechen girl they murdered?
          -Yes, Paul. This is terrible, - Olesya already clicked the "pause". The old man was not against and continued talking.
          -I see, you've never encountered. Chechens are admirable persons, if one may say so about any people. Still in the Stalin's epoch they saved dissident, hid them and helped them in other manners. Solzhenitsyn described this. They haven't a habit to abuse person without any reason. There is the revenge for this. Even if they are unforgiving, however, also I'm. A half of a century, I can't forget these muzzles of the Soviet scoundrels and turnkeys. If such a wish appears, I would kill now. Are you astonished that I talk so, being a christian?
          -Explain please.
          -Lord pardons those who have repented. But nobody repents. I may pardon Balda for all, because he is my brother in spirit, in spite that he is a baptist. I know the main thing that his repentance is sincere. You know him. He lives in this village.
          Olesya nodded. She knew all the habitants of the village, but it would be risky to be seen by someone of them. Now the settlement was endangered, only old men and old women stay in it and the rest of people left for the cities. Olesya let go the "pause" which she clicked when she started the dialog with Paul.
          Colonel looked at the Chechen girl severely and contemptuously. The "business man" whom nickname was Doughnut, still he didn't remove his glasses. He came up to Colonel, got up on the toes and whispered something into the ear. The Colonel's view became more angry. Finally, he has pronounced:
          -Hey, beast! Do you hear? We don't need your money! Undress faster!
          It seemed, the girl as if obeyed and started to unbutton upper buttons on her dress, but suddenly she had pulled out a knife from the bosom, and hit Colonel with it in the stomach, but the flashing steel stumbled upon something solid. That was a light flak jacket under the summer denim jacket. She succeeded to stab him at the second time, but missed, hitting not in the neck, but below. The knife stuck in a bone of the rib cage, which the girl had not quite of the forces to pierce. In the same instant, the assailant was knocked off by Doughnut. With all his might he struck her with his foot in the solar plexus, but Colonel's rigorous shout: "Don't dare!" cast him into a stupor, and the blow occurred sparing.
          -I thought how would be better, - the type with glasses have guiltily pronounced. She could severely cut you.
          Colonel unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt. The blood oozed out of the fresh wound.
          -That's you, two fools, didn't guess to search her. - It was noticed as the type with glasses was ready to get on his knees. - Well. The scars adorn. Call Skeleton, let him come here, Doughnut, - Colonel ordered.
          -Skeleton! Skeleton - Doughnut shouted with all his might so that he himself blushed because of the shouting.
          Skeleton came in with the noise, running here on the stairs.
          -You both keep her. I go to bandage the wound. You will have to work for the fact that you didn't search her.
          The girl at this time started to stand up.
          -Lie down! - Doughnut and Colonel have shouted almost at the same time.
          -Don't beat her. I need her would be fresh. If she didn't get married, there they all are the virgins, even being eighteen years old. If she resists, pull her hands behind and on the nape until my coming.
          -Maybe let her go, - Skeleton pronounced in crawling and pleading manner. What if they catch us? They are worse than cops. They will revenger. Also, don't one has pity on the wench, do you?
          -Pity? Since when have you become a good boy? Maybe you are going to exculpate yourself in front of the camera? Don't be afraid. I keep such cassettes, but there is an alarm. I'm connected with cops. The thieves know me too, and they wouldn't dare. Maybe UFO? Humanoids will fly here, then passing through the walls and steal the cassette, wouldn't they? And they will canary in her mountain village, wouldn't they? I'll return now and we will lead her on an excursion, - then Colonel came out, chuckling maliciously.
          Frame change. Something similar to dungeon. Likely in a specially equipped cellar. The girl still is dressed, even clad with a headscarf. There is a very thick lattice in the wall. There is a young man on the other side of the lattice. It's awful to look at his face. This is a continuous bruise with dried stains of blood. One eye is closed and sticks out like a bulbous ball. The second eye saw, but without any emotion.
          -Hi, nullity. No. Your Majesty, how did you sleep, didn't the flies shit onto you? As far as I see, the eye has not come out? - Then he returned to Skeleton. - You are a bad boxer. So well, - he turned to the victim again. - The eye would heal, but you will not survive until this. I have led here a wife for you. You both will marry today, posthumously. Haw! What for have you the eyes if you didn't see the authority in me? You had been notified that this is my area, - after saying this he turned to the girl. 
          -Colonel, it would better explain it her more slowly, she understands in Russian not very well.
          -Would you like to see such a thing, which wouldn't appear even in a nightmare? No, we will not touch you, but will put you down on a chair and tie, and you will watch as in a theatre in the first row. To watch all. Did you see before how human being burns alive? Or how one inserts him a red-hot soldering iron between buttock? Or how one forces him his chopped off arm to eat with the potatoes and ketchup? - All this was said in such a manner as if it was talking about traveling, for example: "Were you before on the Canaries, or in Rio de Janeiro?"
          Then Colonel went on:
          -Here I'm the main authority! However, the authority must be cruel and terrible, otherwise, this would not be an authority. But what about a president of the USA? He neither kills anybody, nor burns up.
          -Ah, great! What she said! All of you think this about! That's right that you were deported! Traitors of the Motherland. My grandfather worked in the NKVD, in the 1937 and after he beat such like you, he hung you by the hair, forced to stand during two weeks. If you resist, we will subject this scoundrel to terrible tortures and during two hours we will not let him die, and you will watch this.
          -All the same you will kill us.
          -If you submit, we will shoot you both quietly and nothing more.
          She took off the headscarf defiantly.
          -You both, prepare the room for us.
          -What do you mean?
          -To get out of sight all the stabbing and cutting subjects.
          Frame change again. Then took place the same erotic, but without the oral sex, because one may expect everything from this daughter of the mountains.
          -Film by camera all, don't shame, - the victim said with an accent and as if looked right in the face to Olesya and the old man.
          This one must not name a love game. Even it wasn't a porno. A grave crime was committed, in fact, it was deserving the revenge. Knowing, what was before and what is going to be soon, it was impossible to have fun because of these movie frames. Here a new frame. There is an edge of the forest. There are flickering figures of people in the forest, but they are Colonel's people. The field is seen very far. The girl is dressed again and she is digging the ground with a shovel. Her view is sad, but without tears. This looked as if she is digging a grave for a relative, but not for herself. Colonel whistled. Doughnut and Skeleton have come out the forest.
          -Do you remember, I promised to charge you with a work, as a punishment?
          The accomplices became suspicious and stood still, waiting for a severe ultimatum.
          -That's very simple. You see, she cannot bury herself with this gudgeon. You will bury them.
          There was a sigh of relief. Their tense faces and bodies revived.
          -You see, what a good man I'm today. Even for them, I've organized the light death, - Colonel said, pointing at the girl.
          Then the camera from somewhere caught the same dude with the broken face who before was behind bars. Now he was lying among the high grass, being partly tied.
          -With regard to this type, I'm going to express the humanism too. If he is beaten, let the bride work instead of him. They say that the deads walk during forty days. Here you, dude, come to my place to tell about your wedding night. Do you promise?
          The prisoner kept silent. Colonel spat upon him contemptuously and stepped aside. Apparently, the girl was digging enough long, but the camera filmed only a little part of the work. Soon enough a deep pit was shown.
          -Well done, bride. Before the death you have worked well. In another world you will receive a prize. Would you like to give an interview before the death?
          She didn't lose her head, but immediately she has plucked up courage and expressed clearly in the same manner with the accent:
          -I don't know, either the people will denounce me, or Allah will punish me, but maybe forgive. He is merciful. However, I think that I did right. I can make a mistake, but I see, that's right, that I committed a shame thing to save a man from the terrible torments.
          Olesya, watching with attention all this, at the second time she has already burst into tears, dropping her head on a table and covering the face with his hands.
          -You are sensitive, that's good, stay like this, however, at the same time try to be hardened. Not callous, but sensitive and hardened at the same time. Such a thing is possible.
          Here the prisoners were standing on their knees. Colonel appeared behind. He had a Makarov pistol in his hand.
          -I'm your authority. I'm your Judge and I'm your executioner, - he pronounced solemnly. It was seen very much that he isn't indifferent to the word "authority". There wasn't a sadism or a simple evil cruelty. But there was the ambitiousness what had made him, like he was. Using only this string, the devil played to get his soul.
          Now they were shown in front again. The man kept silent dejectedly like a sullen mutilated graven image and the girl, holding her hands prayerfully, she was whispering something in her language through tears. Her shoulders were shaking.
          Again a view behind. A shot sounded. The man with a hole in his nape, had fallen to the side.
          -Snap out of it! Otherwise, Allah will punish you! - the girl condemned to death shouted suddenly. Olesya started to cry again. The victim was the same age that Olesya was right now.
          Again a shot, then second, third, more shots. The magazine was over, but the girl continued to pray in tears. Colonel, reloading the pistol, shouted with annoyance:
          -Anyone, bring the crowbar!
          He used all the magazine again, but the girl continued to stand on the knees and pray. He was a good sharpshooter, but it seemed the bullets deviated from the planned trajectory. He was gripped by an unconscious superstitious fear and malice. He pulled the crowbar out of Doughnut's hands who already had run to him, ran to the victim and hit her with all his might from right in her temple. It was heard clearly as something crunched, then weak shouting, the second hit and blood. Very much of blood.
          The culprit of just occurred event has appeared on the screen, and his face was possessed.
          -It will occur to everyone like this who is against us! Because we are the authorities! We are the authorities! We are the authorities! - he repeated in a frenzy, like a Nazi speaker on the podium.
          Skeleton and Doughnut dropped the deads into the just dug grave. These were like just abandoned houses and their fireplaces still didn't cool off, houses, which owners left for an unknown travel. Someday they will return to the Earth to study more the eternal science of the life, but now the clods of earth started to fall down on the deads. Two accomplices by the end of work, they were leveling the disturbed ground, put on the turf, tried to trample. A bucket of water appeared in their hands and they poured out this water on the bloodstained grass. In a few of days all the visible traces of the tragedy will disappear. However, some lone mushroom picker, without knowledge why, he will try to pass this place faster.
          Again, Colonel appeared on the screen near a stone fence, behind which chimneys of a plant smoked. There was a gang near fifteen persons with him. This was a bravado in front of the camera in the form of a report about the "adventures" of the criminal group. They recited about the tidbits, which they succeeded to snatch in three districts. As well as became known, the young man who was shot on the edge of the forest, he was a gang leader of one "roof". Like a moth onto the fire, he rushed up the social ladder by the hell car, and he was crushed by the same car. This time they prudently kept silent about the Chechen girl. One of the scoundrels had separated from the group and looking right in the eyes of spectators, he pronounced sharply:
          -We are authorities, and they must be afraid of us. We promise that the second movie will be more terrible.
          -I'll try, in order the second movie would not appear, motherfuckers! - pronounced Paul with hatred in the soul.
          Olesya saw him so angry at the first time. He understood, it would be a foolish thing, but he had a wish to throw something heavy on the screen.
          -Can you really overpower them?
          -I already told you, I'm a wizard. And to overpower them is easily if to act right.   
          -What a wizard are you, kind or evil? - asked Olesya in a playful manner.
          -I so much want to be kind! But I don't know, whether I could, - the old man answered. - So, I'm going to rest, and you rewrite the cassette. For today all the studying and other things are annulled. Because you have got such a lesson! It is the main lesson.
          Thinking a little else, Paul summed up what he has seen:
          -I was going only to help to the friends of my friends, but... such a nidus... I've unearthed such a nidus!

                Chapter 11. The gained dirt.

          There were bloody cataclysms, which mowed people down in the like the plague epidemics in the middle ages and then they had cooled, sparkling goodbye with two murderous suns above Japan. The so called "socialist camp" was icebound with cold ice of the lifelessness. At first sight, in the street you could see sometimes smiling, even laughing people who were talking animatedly. However, this has been zombies. They thought in the same manner, they were dressed in the same manner, even they chose in the same manner the sexual partners. Those who didn't want or could not be identical, were gradually destroyed, but now it took place by another way and unnoticeable. The bullying at school, the bullying in the army, the loss of work, pushing on the lowest steps of the social ladder, occasional fatal conflicts, the madhouses, the prison camps, which are hotbeds of the homosexual rapes, the spreading public opinion, which promotes the godlessness, the aggression, the drunkenness, and in the case of some life failures the suicide. All this was in its essence arranged traps skillfully for those who had dared to express a dissent, but after arranging the traps, the hunter may put his gun aside and rest.
         Like a flashlight in pitch darkness, also the Khrushchev's "Thaw" had served as the same contrast, as if emphasizing the inviolability and imperishability of the glacial public order. The apocalyptic evil made a deal: making some concessions, it gained in return the calmness and order. A lot of misguided people thought that it has been forever. Even a lot of them thought that the people live so everywhere, and the countries blame each other for small things, like the rivals do, but in fact, being the same. But really, this apparent monumental equilibrium was like a rotten stump. And here finally, because of the almost imperceptible life movement this "stump" had begun to fall apart.
          The fresh breath of the life rushed outwards, breaking the erstwhile barriers, as the spring grass breaks the asphalt. The end of the hopelessness and despair! Eventually one may live as he likes; to love in characteristic of your own nature, to trade and to do business freely, to open a private company and don't be considered as a criminal because of this. A very large part of the people were embraced by the most positive expectations, and that's natural. Also in spring if the thermometer goes above +5, it seems the summer is beginning. Also a person who has received a good prize, he imagines himself as Rotshild.
          However the evil wasn't going to leave. While a lot of people rejoiced at the changes and freely traded everywhere, it sought feverishly the new forms of its staying in this part of the Earth. It wasn't difficult, because there were enough the examples in the conditions of the free western business either in the South of the Italy, that is in Sicily, or among the most backward national diasporas in New-York. In the territory of the former USSR the human material was very much spoiled by the red-fascist slavery, and in was simply perfect for new experimentation. Gradually all the country began to turn into a kind of the national shanty town. The division of the territory took place. Everyone who did a business, he has to pay to so called "bandit roof", representatives of which in their essence were as soldiers without uniform of the some illegal formation, which somewhere performed as safety functions and somewhere they performed the punitive ones. Above them there were corrupt local officials and the former employees of the disbanded divisions of the KGB, and the last of them were admirable instructors of the violence and punitive actions, because it was their specialty.
          The state was washing its hands. Now it may be considered like a democratic one, regarded as a country giving hope of the correction from the point of view of the advanced Western countries, also now the possibility appeared to use the west credits more and to use other benefits of the improving international relations. However, the dirty work, because of which the country wouldn't be admitted at all to world civilized community, now this work was carried out by so called bandits. Thanks to these groups, not only money went above. Also, they helped to keep all the business under control - here is what was so important for the customs of the serfdom in this country, where traditionally the people were afraid and hated the free self-respecting persons. These last could create a lot of independent companies without all the dirt of the Russian business, which well hampers economic development. Due to this absence of dirt, they would get ahead sharply, abandoning on the margins a great lot of the snobby retards, making them a laughing stock in front of the whole world, but a person who is not lazy, who has the hands to do and the head to think, he could live in the contentment and prosperity without any doubts. It would be the end of the Russian-soviet local kinglets, so there was ideas against the West, which were thrown to the narrow persons.
          The brightest and most advanced undertakings in the West, reaching the Soviet borders, they were subjected to a monstrous transformation, and being distorted beyond recognition, they became caricatures of themselves. It is enough the only example with the "Herbalife", if compare how many people were qualified for the "World Team" in the USA, Germany and Israel, but in Russia - not a single one! - according to several issues of the magazine "Herbalife today" in the 1995.
          Here is why the patriotic card was played out so passionately. The communists, which in the first play worshiped the idol of the "Motherland" and only after this - Lenin, they not only were not persecuted, but even there wasn't a normal trial against them, as in Nuremberg, in order for ever to shackle to the pillory the cannibalistic doctrine whom fruit had turned out to be an incredible genocide.
          The apocalyptic evil in the former USSR needed to satisfy two conditions: the first one, in order the global community would tolerate it; second one: to keep the positions as much as possible. However, it had to make concessions as in the 1956, also in the 1991, and not small, and so called democracy, in spite of all its uglinesses it was much better than the former bacchanal of the Soviet power. Until "summer" it still was far, but the "winter" already had been over. More likely it was "an early spring".
          The not very conspicuous war between "bandit roofs" for the sphere of influence was being over gradually ended, and the question who should be above these "roofs", was solved by the higher authorities. A group who dares to do the nasty without agreeing from above, it would immediately be crushed by the OMON, and a destiny of these people at the best wouldn't differ from a destiny of a thief who has arrived in an unknown city and was caught while pick-pocketing.
          In the epoch of Brezhnev, Colonel worked in the capacity of investigator, captain of the militia in the Mordovian ASSR. His maniacal passion to become a colonel caused the nickname, which one can see not so rare. There are many innocent victims on his conscience, a lot of years spent in the prison camps without guilty by various unfortunate people. A lot of those who didn't want to take the blame for a crime, which they did not commit, were maimed by him and his colleagues. This helped him to feel his authority, to enjoy it. Also, this helped him to rush to greater power. This passion drowned out in him all the rest, all the human ones. Because of the such a way of life, sometimes bouts of the mental anguish embraced him, hopeless and incomprehensible. Sometimes he succeeded to neutralize this anguish, using a demonstration of his power above the detained. In spite of his false pride and showy polish, he was very unhappy and made others unhappy too.
          In the years of the perestroika, at first timidly, but then confidently, the things began being called by their proper names. It was unexpected for himself, however, he was brought out into open. During working in the militia he managed to steal a lot and to acquire some connections, which now became him very useful. However, the greatest thing, what almighty patrons could do for him, this is to help him not to spend a very long time in the prison camps. He understood not at once that a proposal to leave the job and to leave from Mordovia for good, was greatest benefit and rescue for him. However, relatively quickly he understood it. Also, one of high-ranking guy, whom father was a torturer in Lubyanka too, one day drinking the cognac together, clarified him that the perestroika backward is impossible. He himself began to guess, even if it is some moving back, then it will be nothing similar to the past. One must seek his place, before it will be too late, to take an own niche in the changed situation.
          After selling flat in Saransk, Colonel bought a dacha near Moscow. Naturally, not without help from above, he was appointed as a brigadier of one of the bandit "roofs". In this well-paying place, he accumulated money for an apartment in Podlipki and firmly settled down near Moscow, nibbling off one tidbit after another. The protectors straightened him if he went too far, they alluded where and what one can and what cannot, and already long ago he had learnt to understand what they meant. In turn, he tried to be useful for his patrons, but even without this they felt intuitively that he is their insider. He understood clearly that almost anything is allowed for him. The only line he had not to cross, that's to trouble the public opinion, but he didn't need it. The public already got used to the shots, during the division of the territory. If he or his accomplices disported with the girls, the victims were selected on several grounds, and the main of them was a fact, the victim herself pretended, as if she came in with the invitation to amuse, because she was without complexes and choose a reasonable option, after which wolves are sated and sheep are intact, and she understood that it would be meaningless and useless to report or resist. Objectively, it wouldn't be right to consider these events as grave crimes, because the most of the victims felt only a small moral discomfort. But it was quite another thing if a victim considered her life spoiled after the case. As a rule such girls were visiting in Moscow from different provinces. In such a case she was made to drink either vodka or cheap drugs, or usual sleeping tablets and thrown out of the car on a road, enough far from their den. However, when a girl of a nation, the people of which who are able to hold his own, she was caught up in their nets, Colonel became obstinate. This provoked him. He decided to show to all people around, but in turn to himself that there can be no exceptions for his authority. But just in case, in order not create a superfluous problem, he has murdered the victim at the same time with the recalcitrant competitor.
          Working with stolen documents, Paul learnt that 90% of the initiative issued from Colonel, that is to grab the profitable places, using the violence and threats. He was protected by quite influential people from the MIA of Russia. In spite of the fact they did not care, in what order the money mixed below, because all the same this money was flowing into their hand, however, they had not any wish to their beloved dog, who served them well, would be offended by anyone. And if their child takes away other children's toys, wherever possible, then let him amuse.
          Paul understood that he was lucky very much, but regretted, because he got lucky, but a very high price: the innocent girl's life was ruined. He could destroy this man in any case. For example, to set on them against each other how he did before and not once. He was sorry that as if he would shoot sparrows from a cannon. Only by the age of seventy he realized, he was meant to be a scout, a secret agent more than an actor. He understood, according to his vocation, he had the best to be born in the medieval Japan, in the clans Iga or Koga, he could there become a ninja at the high level. However, God decided otherwise, and that meant that he had better to be so, he needed this experience more than another, which, in spite of this, seemed more attractive and more appropriate. All the same, it was a little bore, because in cases, which he could be a professional and succeed only with empty hands, but he had to apply such a powerful remedy, using it, it was possible to turn over the world.
         However, he was consoled by the fact that he has missions more difficult in the close future. To teach Albert not only the teleportation, this was easy, but also to make him an agent of the alive world who would be penetrated into this world of the fool and vile people. Also Olesya. Only because of the memory of her name he became younger. As yet he must not to teach her the teleportation, but after his death, she has to be able to defend herself, then she will have better can find another lover. Let him be old if she likes so, but not a fool and not a traitor. At any cost, while he is alive, he has to make her a US citizen. However, he could teleport only being alone. The old man didn't know  the mechanism he used. Likely the aura around him took with him his clothes and all small things, which were in his big pockets, including the cellular, even the axe. But any person could not be taken together, even embracing. It was impossible to take with him a big suitcase. As a last resort it was possible, for example, teleport in New-York, leaving the hand keeping the suitcase in the Krasnoyarsk region, then either leave the suitcase and get the hand free, or return back in full, without leaving the suitcase. It was impossible to teleport together with another person or big things.
          The old man thought about all this, performing the boring work. Using the collected data, he was composing a text to help the perished girl's relatives to commit an action of the just retribution. There are a lot of his fingerprints on the text. So he xeroxed it and didn't touch it with his hands anymore, only being gloved, but more often he underlaid other paper. Already he rewrote the terrible cassette a few times. The original was returned in its place long ago. When all the data was ready to transmit, as usual, he was going to say goodbye to Olesya, he said that leaves for one place and will return at midnight. She knew nothing about the teleportation and thought that Paul visits the taiga it's unclear why. She was astonished, how he finds a time to communicate with some gangs. She thought as if all this nidus, how the old man said, is situated in Krasnoyarsk. However, even to leave for Krasnoyarsk in the early morning by the public transport and return at midnight would be a problem. She thought he uses the passing cars for money. Her old and "cool" lover didn't hide a fact that he has bundles of money in his pockets. The landscapes in the movie didn't provoke her suspicion. At least, Paul could influence the situation through friends, which she didn't know.
          It would be no good for her to appear in the sight of the inhabitants of the village. They could connect with the militia and she could be returned by force in the children's home, where she would be abused by all kinds of scoundrels again. Without wishing to stay at home in such good weather, he asked to walk in the taiga. The old man led her out through a secret gate. The fence in the back of the yard divided the yard from the forest. There was an imperceptible gate in the fence. She had seen his pockets were full today. After walking a mile, they said goodbye and the old man strictly forbid her to continue following him. In five minutes as he went away, she still decided to follow him. She ran silently in the direction he could be, but the old man Paul disappeared, like he never existed.

                Chapter 12. Ichkeria.

          Old Paul had been never in mountain Chechnya, however, he was in Groznyi and more than once. Immediately from the taiga he has teleported into one of the gateways of Groznyi, which is situated not far from the bus station. A few days ago he was here already and had studied the bus schedule. Here it still was an early morning. The only bus to Shatoy leaves in a half hour. Paul bought the bus ticket and tried to be more inconspicuous. He never took the passport with him, the only time as an exception, otherwise Albert wouldn't believe how old he was, and in that case he could make an impression of a liar and of a not clever man. Even now, in the epoch of democracy one may be detained by militia without reason, but because of the force of habit, especially without the passport. But with the passport it would be worse, because there is written in it who is and where from has arrived this person, who can disappear from the cell by such a wonderful way. They could take away the compromising evidence against Colonel's gangs and the cassette, and then he would have to work again and after to leave again through this point. In addition, some competent authorities could express interest in him much more than all the crimes of the nidus together.
          All turned out well and in a half hour he sat in the back seat of the bus near the window on the right. Soon the city was left behind, and now the bus rolled through slightly hilly monotonous landscapes, however, a small variety was added by little villages with white houses of adobe bricks.
          A view from the window at once changed in a large village Chishki. Yet before reaching this village, grassy slopes of relatively small mountains appeared in front of him. They were covered with forest in some places and only remotely resembled hills in the East Siberia. In this large village the mountains stood already from all directions. In Chishki a lot of passengers got off and a lot of others got on the bus. They talked a lot in their language, which sounds sharp, but beautiful in its own way, with the unaccustomed rhythm and intonation. It seemed, as if nobody pays attention to the old man, but it wasn't so.
          Further on the way the ravine began quickly to get narrower. Instead the bright green grassy slopes, from the both sides the severe stone walls stood, in some places they were vertical and sometimes higher than the Empire State Building in New-York. The road twisted on the edge of the precipice, and in spite of the engine noise it was heard at the bottom of the chasm how the Argun river was roaring. Here and there were gravestones with inscriptions in Arabic, sometimes groups of graves were seen from the road, these were the victims of the often car crashes who have found their end here. The old man regretted that he didn't travel here before. However, in Teberda he was, that's one thing, here is another. Every area is good in its own manner. All the Earth is beautiful and various, and he made a mistake, when, after being in Teberda, he thought as if he had knowledge in full about the Caucasus.
          However, now he had to think about the deal. Already long ago he heard that the local people live together in friendship and they are always ready to stand up for one another, but in spite of this he didn't want, in order the data he brought would fall in someone's hands, excepting the closest relatives. Because of this after getting from the bus, he avoided to talk to anyone or to ask the way. Approximately he knew where he had to go, because the large village, he needed, it was on the map.
          A little town Shatoy ended. The road went away from the canyon and continued through a terrain, which was a little uneven. The grassy slopes, then dropped away to the road, then gently sloping joined to it, becoming sometimes flat lawns like near Moscow. Sometimes small shrubby ravines led down to the road. Sometimes on both sides of the road impassable shrubs stood. A forest was seen sometimes too, but not close. After passing near four miles, Paul turned up in a large village again.
          The local people looked at him curiously. After passing the center of the large village, he stopped, trying to learn the area, in which case to teleport here next time at once, without making detour through Groznyi. Three boys near ten years old ran up to him, asking
          -Have you going into montagne?
          -Yes, - Paul answered, because didn't know a word in Chechen.
          He headed further, who asked, they now followed him with staring look. Paul understood, if sometimes he provoked an astonishment even in the Moscow region, but here at all he looks like a black sheep, and it's probable, the militia may take an interest in him. He started to walk faster and as soon as he went out of the village, he stood near five minutes, studying the landscape for a case of teleporting immediately into this place in case of the necessary.
          Risking to repeat all this long road, Paul teleported to the well-known place into the night New-York. Walking a little, almost blindly, not immediately accustoming in the darkness, he came out to the Broadway, surrounded by towers, shops, offices and speaking English, in spite of the late hour here. Into the ears, the noise of cars invaded. All this has excited him and when he returned back, covering the eyes with his hands, in order not to spoil vision, because of the sudden daylight, he was rejoiced more, because he succeeded and to remember the unaccustomed landscapes more difficult. He could continue his way smiling, but soon he remembered, it's not good look cheerful, bringing such a terrible information. He stopped, prayed and moved further.
          The rest of the way was one and a half miles. Closer and closer. At the edge of the village where he arrived, there were four men standing at the roadside, from thirty to forty years old and talked in their language. Paul came up to them and pronounced slowly and clearly:
          -I need Suleymanova's close relatives.
          As if on command, they froze, looking at him in an interrogative manner.
          -I need very close Suleimanova's relatives, - the old man repeated slowly and clearly, - who left for Moscow and didn't return.
          They started to talk quickly, interrupting each other. Finally, the oldest of them had shouted something one time and then he pronounced an incomprehensible monologue slowly and expressively. After this he turned to the old man, saying:
          -You must go with us together.
          All of them surrounded him and at first they headed to the center of the village. The old man wasn't against it.
          -Is she alive? - asked one of them.
          -No, but I know who had done it. All the information is with me. I have arrived here to tell and to show. However, only the closest relatives must be informed of this.
          -Everyone of us is her relative, and you go with us where you must go.
          All  of them frowned and began to speak Chechen again. The only man talked with Paul. That meant, he spoke Russian better than others. Now one of them was making a long speech, as if he was swearing in something, at the same time looking at Paul like at a cockroach. It seemed that the others restrained him.
          -I've asked you, whether she is alive. You answered no, but you know who had done it. It means, you have arrived not to demand money, but you want to give us an information about people who has killed her, don't you? Are they your enemies? Is that you were in the mafia, then you quarrelled? Did you trade and they prevented? And you have wanted in order, we would revenge, haven't you?
          -Nothing bad if I'm going to tell and to show you the truth. But at first the closest relatives have to be informed. Hardly they want to show it to the rest of the inhabitants of the village. She is perished. That's bad. But other inhabitants would see it.
          Who was instead of a translator, he turned to the most aggressive one. His scorn look still was gloomy, however, it became an interrogative one. The translator turned to the old man again.
          -Why do you say "show"? Maybe you have a cassette. Give it to us. Don't be afraid. I neither joke, nor deceive. Here is he, - he said, touching with his palm the aggressive fellow who looked at Paul all the time, - is her brother. What a close relative else do you seek?
          Paul understood that in a similar situation even Russians likely would refrain from lying or drawing. He handed to the brother of the perished girl the cassette and a few papers joined with a clip. There was all information, facilitating access to the rear of the enemy. There was describing their habits, probable behaviour, including possible accomplices. There were all the details, even the codes of entrances, plans of flats, phone numbers and addresses, places and time of the most probably appearing of every accomplice in any day of the week.
          -In this movie you'll see everything that took place in fact. And here I have succeeded to collect everything to find and to catch them.
          -Are you sure, as if we are going to revenge?
          -If she was my daughter or granddaughter, I myself would revenge them. You will see, I learnt about them very much, however, it' more difficult than to kill them. I myself could do it, but at first, one must learn the truth.
          It was seen that they liked these words, especially when that who was instead of a translator, told them something, it's possible he has translated these words. They talked a lot, then the translator turned to the old man:
          -My name is Sultan. I'm sorry, but you have told us such a thing, we have to learn this better, so we should not let you go. You have to live with us, till we have known everything about this. We aren't going to report about you to militia, however, don't attempt to run away. Here is our guard, his name is Halid. If you attempt to escape, he will shoot. If you are an honest man, we will let you go after the verification. If all what you said and wrote here is truth, then even we will help you. Is the militia looking for you?
          -No. But who committed this, they have a lot of connections with big bosses in the militia. Here all is written, - the old man pointed at the sheets of paper, which victim's brother kept in his hand.
          -We have our own connections here. Their connections will not help them.
          -Maybe you ran away from the loony bin in Braguni, didn't you? - suddenly asked the deceased's brother, pronouncing the words with a forte local accent. It was apparent he didn't joke, but as a drowning man would catch at a straw, he clutched, at least, a little plausible version. Because if all this is the ravings of a madman, then his sister is alive.
          Already they had turned off the road long ago, and now they walked along a footpath, which wound intricately among the bushes. Their conversation continued, but the old man understood nothing. The path began to head up the slope covered with forest. It seemed, they reached a top, but instead a top, it was only a decrease in the steepness of the rise. Rising still went for a long while and soon it became more steep than before. So they still went up till the path turned to the left and the way became relatively horizontal. Hearing their talking, a man with black beard went met them. He was dressed in the camouflage uniform and with a calpac on his head in spite of the summer.
          -Salaam Alaikum!
          -Walaikum Assalam!
          They were speaking not long. The bearded man turned to Paul:
          -From now you live here. My name is Khalid. You will eat well and go to the toilet, but don't even think about running away, - and he pointed at the holster, what hung on the side, then at the stairs where the old man had to go down.
          He went down the stairs. The door was opened. Before coming in, he turned to Khalid and said:
          -You will not have to shoot. I swear, I'm not going to run away through the door. I'll run away through the wall.
          -There are thirty feet of the stone rock. What are you going to do: to gnaw with your teeth or to scratch with fingernail? - After saying this he started to laugh purposely loud, but suddenly stopped. All the four who accompanied the old man looked at him, and he understood that one may not laugh now. Just they weren't still telling him what had occurred in Moscow.
          -Leave to me, please, only a pen and a paper, - asked Paul while they frisked him.
          -I see, you want to write memoirs, don't you? You even haven't an weapon?
          -I've arrived here not to make war, but to tell the truth.
          After frisking Paul, Khalid talked in Chechen with the attendants. After talking a little, he turned to the old man:
          -There is the food for you on the nightstand. Here is the bed. That door is the toilet. If you need to call us, click this button. And this is a switch for the lamp. Break nothing. Otherwise, we will make you repair or to work to pay damages. We think to treat you well, because we guess, you aren't guilty. however, be without tricks. - Khalid spoke Russian with a large accent, but more correctly than Sultan.
          -But I'll come out through the wall, because I'm not quite a human being. An usual man could not steal this cassette from the mafia.
          -It would very well if you ran away from the loony bin, - said Sultan sadly and pointing at Suleymanov, he added:
          -In such a case his sister would be alive.
          They came out from the basement to the stairs, and only now the old man saw the massive door, with peephole as in a prison, is closing.
          He sat at the table, took a pen, a paper, which was allowed to leave for him. He tried to write in block letters and strictly on the line. A paper was from a school notebook in a cage.
          "Dear friends! Just I wanted to help you. When you verify, you will see that all is right. Then you'll understand that I'm your friend. Don't take offense at Khalid, please. Nobody could hold me, even a regiment of soldiers, because I'm an alien from outer space. May Allah help you. Excuse me, and farewell".
          The only movement and he is in the taiga. The night is light.
          -Hey, Olesya, Olesya! - he shouted with all his might.
          A weak voice has responded. Olesya was at the limit of hearing, but enough far. He headed for the voice, and soon they met.

                Chapter 13. An act of revenge.

          Colonel wasn't a clairvoyant, that's for sure. Even if he expected for a danger, then completely from another side. Two accomplices Skeleton and Doughnut, being with pistols, separated from him rarely. Also, the strong and trained guard dog had been together with them almost always, however, lately he more often barked without a reason.
          Nobody noticed that the work is in full swing and something was preparing. Some people were selected who would not provoke any suspicion. The information from a stranger, who disappeared as well unexpectedly as appeared, was verified and reverified by these people.
          Everyone in the Argun valley has learnt about the stranger with striking rapidity, first of all the cops from Chishki to Itum-Kale learnt it through relatives. Different rumors were circulating, but here these things were known exactly: the signs of the strange old man, a fact that the formal course of the investigation should not be given, by all means, the stranger should neither come out, nor climb out from the Argun valley, If he is caught, he must be returned back, and there the facts will clarify. As much as possible, don't kill him, because he helped to someone here, however, the person is contradictory, either from Moscow mafia, or a madman who had run away from the mental hospital Braguni, or almost an alien from a flying saucer. In all the points where the stranger could slip, local residents hid and watched, being aware that the tribesmen have their own problems and should help them. They pretended as if are hunters or just walked near their villages. It seemed, all the paths are cut, and only an alpinist of high level with appropriate equipment could slip through all the traps set. Nobody was caught. Not only who was wanted, even no Russian was noticed. Khalid and the relatives of the murdered girl, those who lived in this republic, all of them were perplexed by appearance another note else, this time it was printed and put onto the table in the same basement, which was locked tightly and there was nobody:
          "Khalid, if you can, excuse me for the caused disquietude. Soon, all of you will learn, all what I reported you is the truth, and I'm your friend. I wish that the rightness would triumph. If I needed only to destroy the main enemy from the cassette, I could do it by another way. But in such a case you wouldn't know, what occurred with Suleymanova in fact. It would be prudent to destroy this note".
          Under the note was a self-made map of the place of burial of the heroically perished girl with a geodetic reference relatively marked points of the closest railway and road.
          While some of those local inhabitants cordoned off the Argun valley, others prepared a group consisted of the relatives of the victim, and a plan for retribution was discussed and developed by them. It was the flying weather, and their plane has landed in the airport Domodedovo situated near Moscow already in the evening of the next day after disappearing of Paul from Halid's specially equipped bunker. And in the next day after this, spies appeared who didn't provoke suspicion, who looked similar to Slavs and didn't stand out, in general, they were women, even part of them were boys. They were laconic to hide their accent. A group of executors consisted of three men, looked middle-aged, dressed in the same manner, in the grey suits and hats, with mustaches and small beards. The hats hid the fact all three were bald as it should be for the faithful Muslims, who consider indecent to show their hair. In Brezhnev's epoch they could be quickly detained and ransacked, but not now. Against the background of different youth groups, that is hippies, punks and others, these men looked not very extravagantly. In the USA the people hardly would pay attention them, and they would be considered, as if brothers who arrived from Latin America to do their business.
          In one usual morning, as it took place often, Skeleton entered to Colonel's home. Something was wrong. Only in a few of minutes Colonel understood that the dog absolutely didn't bark and didn't come up to the door, as usual. With Skeleton together they found the dog and it was sleeping deeply. When they were trying to wake up the dog, it opened its eyes, yawned, closed them and went on sleeping. Doughnut should be about to arrive by his foreign car. In the presence of the two accomplices Colonel always felt himself in safety as well as Balda didn't fear for his money long ago.
          -Call the vet, - Colonel ordered to Skeleton, and at once he began to call on his mobile phone.
          Then they both started to plan for today. In twenty minutes a twitter of the fashionable doorbell sounded. Colonel, showing his invulnerability, went in person to open the door. Likely this is Doughnut, because for the vet it would be quickly very much. It's possible, someone of the neighbors did this mischievous trick with the dog. He opened the door neither asking, nor looking at the peephole. At the doorstep Doughnut stood, as usual wearing sunglasses, however, Colonel who before used to be an investigator, at once he has understood that the accomplice is in a big trouble. So, who dared to disturb peace of the all-powerful and invulnerable group?! Even the known criminal authorities, of course, they wouldn't fawn in front of them, but they would prefer to pass by them without touching. And he would do in the same manner toward them.
          Whether are you bloody full of the cogentine tablets? Since when..., - he didn't have time to finish the sentence, something has clicked strangely and unbearable pain in his knee forced him to forget everything. Almost at the same time started to sound Doughnut's screech who have been stabbed with three knives.
          Skeleton, hearing something wrong, grabbed his pistol from the table and rushed into entrance hall, but before aiming, he prostrated on the floor, because of a skillfully made undercutting. Nearby Colonel howled and was rolling on the floor, grabbing his knee. Doughnut sat on the pool of blood and was still alive, being all pale.
          -We will not hurt you. You said not to kill her, didn't you? - A voice with a weak accent said above him.
          Skeleton looked up. From a big black and white photography a young, but already with curvy body shapes girl wearing school uniform and head covering, she was looking at him. Above him the three men were standing with the small beards and pistols in their hands. One of them was keeping the photo in front of his face. Suddenly he understood all the horror of the situation.
          -Not me! - Skeleton has yelled wildly, then he jumped upon and rushed anywhere, without choosing, away from the terrible strangers, at first into the room, onto the window sill and together with the glass splinters jumped out of the window, continuing be yelling until meeting with the asphalt. Colonel lived on the sixth floor.
          -You, jackal, are going to die for our sister! - quietly, but angrily one of the avengers said, turning the photo to the Doughnut, who was sitting by the wall.
          The strong hand slashed him with sharp, like a razor, blade of the knife up to the throat. This in full guaranteed the death during a few of minutes.
          Then all the free turned to Colonel who was writhing on the floor.
          -Look here, scoundrel!
          Now the girl, murdered by him, was looking at him from the photo. He has understood everything and pronounced, in spite of the pain in his knee:
          -My last wish in front of the death. Say, please, how have you learnt this? Still the cassette is here. Nobody took her. In the apartment here is an alarm system on the door and on the windows.
          -Where is the cassette?
          -Here a grey home bathrobe in the cupboard. It's in the inner pocket.
          -Beware! What if a bomb is there, - one of them said in Russian and suddenly added:
          -One must quickly! I myself!
          He rushed to the cupboard and has found the cassette quickly. No explosion followed.
          -We take it with us.
          -But say, please, how have you learnt? The cassette, perhaps its copy, was brought in Ichkeria by an old stranger. And a letter, how to find you with your jackals, was given us by him. After this he disappeared from a locked room. That's me who have to ask you, whom did you screw else to such a point, what they wanted to kill you, using our hands. Maybe you have quarrelled with the flying saucers, haven't you? Because your enemy is able to come out of a locked room without any clef and without breaking the door.
          The mystical fear embraced the sentenced to death. In the fact, that it will be no mercy, he didn't doubt. A long time ago, he read Shakespeare with a passion. Among the ambiance of the full lack of spirituality and beastliness he forgot absolutely about this, but now he didn't know from what wasted nooks of his stirred consciousness these lines appeared:
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns...
          Suddenly he realized the main thing. The life could be so beautiful without this quest for power, without these vile and stupid faces around him, working in the militia of Saransk, among the gangs of Moscow region, in the offices of the authorities that be! He has remembered, that knew and felt this beauty of the life. But since a young age, he crushed within himself all germs of beauty. He drowned out all the joyful manifestations of his soul, even he mocked them in the spirit. He has remembered, there were instants, usually in summer or in spring, when the life of nature is the most expressed, and he wanted to thank someone, he didn't know whom, for this caused gladness, a reason of which was unknown to him. At the same time he imagined, how the classmates would mock his impulse of feelings, so he must be a normal dude as everyone. No. He must banish this folly, this weakness to a bad mother, banish away these exalted madness. He banished and succeeded in it. Nothing holy stayed for him. The only thing he estimated, these were unwritten laws of the gangs, unspoken "comme il faut" of all the segments of the foolish people, which he had to deal with. He thought as if he dominated above these bastards, but now as it has appeared, they were those who set the program what he must be and how he must live, how and what he must think about, what is right and what is not right, what is normal and what is not normal. All were guilty: the parents, the teachers, the classmates, the colleagues, the gangs. If it is considered prestigious to be a power, he became it, if it is considered prestigious to be a cynic, he became it, if it is considered prestigious to be a cool dude, he became it. The social environment had been pulling the strings on him during all the way, and he obeyed them, he obeyed them with honours. Here is he cool, strong, with connections, but those are killing him, which don't care about his coolness, force, power and connections. However, everything could be in another manner. If he didn't banished, but cherished those bright feelings, which visited him in youth, the history of his life would be another. Nothing terrible would occur to him. He could without neither quarreling, nor debating with someone, keeping silent, go on to do his own business, to live his own life and to be free and happy. Even if it was a destiny today to die, then a short life would be lived in happiness. But everything was contrariwise. He was wretched, very much, and this was his own choose, he himself had directed so. When it was necessary, he had not wanted to keep one's ears open for his inner voice. When it was necessary, he had not wanted to use his own brain and here is the result. No, Not the death, but the unhappy and senseless life - that's what's the worst!
          He remembered Raskolnikov from Dostoevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment". No. Now he doesn't need to kill an old woman moneylender to understand who is he, whether he is a louse or Napoleon. He was free to choose, quite free, and without thinking, he had chosen: to become a big, disgusting and stinking louse. All his life is the mistake. The tragic mistake!
          The fear has disappeared, and it was even gladly, because everything is ending, because he is paying fully his debts. Being forced by the atheistic education, he didn't understand that he was passing through the TRUE REPENTANCE.
          In the first instants he didn't feel a sharp knife stabbed into the stomach. However, the avenger, stabbing the victim with the knife, started to turn it anticlockwise. The unbearable pain made him already at second time to forget everything, but when this terrible pain has gone and it became very, very easy, a last thing he succeeded in this world to think about, it was a sense of liberation from a terrible debt and an assurance coming he didn't know where from, that he has learned something very much important, that he has received an invaluable lesson, that he will return on the Earth with this new knowledge, with open eyes for everything, but now it's time to go to the Teacher who has taught this lesson.
          The avengers terminated the work, after execution of the most abominable and heavy part of it. Heavily breathe because of the physical stress, they cut off the head of the killed enemy and put it in the sink in the kitchen. It was distastefully ad nauseam, however, some unknown principles required this. They didn't notice called for the dog the vet came into the door, which they have forgotten to close by negligence, and now he is observing them with horror. They didn't notice how he came out, trembling because of the fear. But when he went downstairs and coming out of the entrance headed to the public phone, a woman as if she would walk towards him by chance, but stared at him. Perhaps, I'm looking odd after the seen incident, - the vet thought. Now the passersby stopped and looked directly at him without any hiding. Inside her was something attractive, something strange, not local. He confused without knowing what to say and just at that moment a jet of the red pepper hit him in his eyes.
          -During one hour you will call nowhere and tell nothing nobody. Otherwise, they will kill you. The just retribution was made and you must not interfere! - the demanding voice of the dangerous stranger woman explained, pronouncing with a not local reprimand.
          At this time the three avengers were still in the flat. They have examined every room. Fell silent, in which became heard one's snoring.
          Brother of the murdered Suleymanova rushed into the room where one's breathing was heard and looked under the bed. The Rottweiler was sleeping and didn't wake. At first he touched the dog's paw with his bloody hand, then he patted it on the head, saying in broken Russian with a strong accent:
          -Poor good dog. It has eaten barbamyl and is sleeping. When it wakes up, it will whine, because the owner have disappeared. The dog serves for man and doesn't understand its owner is a scoundrel. Didn't he lacked the Moscow whores? He had disgraced my sister and murdered her, - after saying this, Suleymanov felt with horror that the tears come to his eyes. However, a brave highlander doesn't dare to cry. He took a deep and heavy breath and rejected this desire. The two other avengers sharply and imperatively, but without any insult, demanded in Chechen, in order he would prepare to come out faster, otherwise he could let down not only himself, but all the group.
          All their suits were covered in blood, however, this was foreseen before. They brought their suitcase from the staircase, took from it a big polyethylene bag and new suits, this time the sport ones. It wasn't still five minutes they already have changed, washed quickly their bladed weapons, they put their bloody suits into the bag and covered them with a newspaper. Really, they had to hurry. Fortunately, the window, which Skeleton jumped from, faced not south where is the yard with entrances, but in the opposite side. The yard was limited there by a fence, and the tramps often visited that place in need. Skeleton, being thoroughly broken, because of falling from the sixth floor, he died in a hospital in a few hours still being brought unconscious.
          The three avengers slammed the door and ran downstairs. The debt was executed. The justice was done. However, Suleymanov began to feel the disappointment. They could kill the enemies, the strong and vile enemies. But they can never do so, in order he would see his younger sister in this life again, in order he would talk with her, he would play together. That's impossible for any money. No force, no weapon would help to do it. But he believed that she is alive. She just left for a very, very far country and she waits for him and their parents, and others brothers and sisters. And if he doesn't anger Allah, one day he himself will go to this country and meet there all close persons, which he lost in this life.
          A lot of neighbors understood something terrible has taken place. All of them knew that in this flat mafia always gathers, however, till today the situation was comparatively calm. And now, finally, they have done. A few of the neighbors, hearing running downstairs, looked in the peephole. Three men were with small beards glimpsed, either Caucasians, or Ukrainians. Afterwards an investigation group had still not been able to get a sketch. They happily have got in a taxi, which waited for them near the entrance. There was some passenger on the back seat, a woman. They weren't against that the driver let her come in the car when she thumbed a lift on the Yaroslavsky road. Also, she wasn't against to wait twenty minutes, while three traveling companions as if went home to change the clothes. The driver didn't guess, this "country woman" has a pistol "Walter"in her pocket, a few pepper sprays and a cell phone (In Russia in 1993 a cell phone was rare). Also, he didn't guess that all the four are together. All of them went in silence. Three either friends or brothers needed to get in Bolshevo and woman by the same road, but further to Voronok. As soon as the driver delivered three passengers to the necessary point and rolled a quarter mile else, the woman took the cell phone imperceptibly from her handbag and said:
          -What a lovely day is today! - these words about the weather were a signal.
          -Yes, it would be fun to get to the beach now, but one have to work, - the taxi driver answered, suspecting nothing.
          Also, he had learnt nothing in future. The woman left the taxi, paying the previously agreed amount and saying softly: "Thank you", - almost whispering.
          In that instant when she called and said about the weather, another car drove up to a point near bushes in Bolshevo. The three men come out of the bushes and got into the car. This time their insider was as a driver. Along the way, they got rid of the compromising evidence, having thrown the bag with the bloody suits into a Dumpster in Pushkino. After this, by a concrete road they got in the village Morozki, then in Povarovo. There they said goodbye to their driver. They were going to get in Vyshniy Volochek by a few electric trains till the evening. Their distant relatives waited for them in that city.
          An investigation group got into the flat with witnesses only in a few hours. At first they were going to interrogate the dwellers of apartment about the man who have fallen from the window, but nobody opened the door.
          The senior investigator at first doubted, called colleagues to ensure whether his version is right. He made no mistake. This was the vendetta. It meant in the given case searching for criminals is useless. The subjects of crime will leave for some south republic, for which of them is unknown, and disappear there. Even if they don't disappear, it will be taken a long time to seek them, and it would be too long time for the preservation of evidence. In which case, the local people can hide them without shame, and a visiting investigator would not be allowed to dig very deep, breaking the law. Already the days aren't these. The investigator understood that it's a cold case, but the only fact consoled him, the superiors knew the picture of reality, not worse than himself, so they will not too much accuse, also, he is not a newcomer, but with experience.
          Later an expert, who was specialized including in the blood feud, he suggested, as if seventy percent of the probability (he didn't explain where he took this number from) that in this case the avengers were Caucasians of the Vainakh origin.
          Practically, a benefit because of such a report was zero for the investigation. Also, there was a little unusual feature in this affair. Nothing disappeared, but only a lot of money from a recess of one of the books. As usual, Vainakhs don't steal, while they do an act of the revenge. They are contemptuous of the secret theft and prefer to rob openly, that is in "heroic" manner. After all, the killed victim himself could take his own money from his own secret place.
          Two days before the appointed time Albert gave to Sveta the necessary amount of dollars in order Tolik could pay to the new self-appointed "roof".
          Tolik waited for them all day long, but nobody came. Next day Sveta returned the money to Albert, asking him to keep them just in case.
          After Colonel's death, there was a lot of street shooting in the district, also, fights without the firearm, but with the victims. During a few of days the annual statistical indicator was surpassed. The Colonel's group was banished out. Only Albert knew, who has "helped" to happen this. To all the rest, he explained, as if all has occurred by itself.

                Chapter 14. Knights of the Cloak and Dagger.

          A Major-General of Counterintelligence Paukov Innokentiy Nikolaevich sat at his work in the spacious study, which was furnished comfortably, but rigorously. Rigorously, because the luxury didn't stand out so much, and if don't pay attention at an expensive computer on the table, at the selector video communication, using which he could observe the actions of their subordinates, if not to know, what was a price of telephone apparatuses of the new generation, then at the first sight one could have thought that the large room looked quite ascetic. Outside the windows it was June heat, and the passers-by were tapping grudgingly on the hot asphalt, but there was fresh air in the office, the conditioners were working, and the windows facing South were curtained off. Apparently, the sunlight penetrating through these curtains, was not sufficient, consequently as a backlight, fluorescent lamps served. They were incorporated into the ceiling immediately above the table, however, as opposed to the similar lamps in some sewing workshop or in another Russian-Soviet institution, these lamps neither flickered, nor buzzed, but their light was plain, a little pleasurable and a little warm. In the similar institutions the windows are always covered by curtains, it became a custom in the whole world, and one can understand it: against curious watching. Also, the curtains protect against the hot sunshine, but now they executed an additional function: They helped not to see the pedestal, from which the idol was cast down already almost two years ago. Nevertheless, now it was looking at the general from a portrait hanging above the door, so who was entering, quite possible he could have missed it, but perhaps, the owner of the room was receiving some additional forces from this doubtful art.
          Yes, almost two years have passed since the former traditional titles and names had been thrown on the dump of history with "ferrous Felix" together. Even this institution was renamed again, however, to name this General "mister", nobody could move his tongue to say so. For the most of the people he was as well as before, that is comrade General, however, if convey meaning of this word from the epoch of the invasion of Chinggis Khan's hordes, it meant the following things: comrade (in Russian - tovarishch) is a friend not on common interests, but on an occasional formed herd. For a few more close people, including the superiors, he was as before Innokentiy Nikolaevich, and for very few, the closest, not because of the position at work, but because of the formed relations, they were allowed a desirable familiarity to name him "uncle Kesha".
          The screen lit up and well known Kovalev's puffy face appeared. He was the chief of a department executing a very delicate work, that is controlling almost all the employees of the serious institution.
          -Comrade General! Allow me to apply to you. I have an interesting data, however, I can act only after consulting together with you.
          -And what? Is this an urgent matter? Does it depend on a few seconds? Are people perishing? Is it possible the leak of a strategic information? Is something from the list I had said, taking place?
          -No ways, comrade General!
          -Quit it, Grisha, these "comrade General", but come up to me one hour before the end of the time work, and we will talk it.
          -Will be done!
          Things what the newcomers and the most zealous colleagues thought as considerable, from the point of the General it was an endless duel stretching for decades, of the state against all the rest of the world. If today the "ours" have hit "theirs", then tomorrow "theirs" will strike "ours". Either the information leak in our "camp", or the same thing on their side. Either some our colleagues defect to "them", or some "their" colleagues defect to "us". On the scale of large countries, it was trifles, an exchange of the pricks by pins, sometimes, even it became boring. Sometimes there were blows more heavy, almost knockouts, like that case with Penkovsky long ago, but similar blunders could take place also in "their side". Only on the scale of a half century it was seen more clearly who ultimately takes possession of an advantage. Unlikely these passing little fortunes and misfortunes would help to get rid of these changes, which were crawling here inexorably.
          In the eighties, the General ascertained with sadness that "their" propaganda doesn't need absolutely to lie, but it's enough to tell the truth known by all the world, excepting "our" the most foolish and downtrodden narrow persons, but "our" propaganda has to handwave, using very doubtful arguments like the "right to work" and the very cheap metro. He felt, soon there will be nothing to say, but a stupidity, as one day the radio of socialist Albania had bragged that "now in every home the electric lamp shines".
          However, the General who thought practically and sensibly, he had to grieve not long. He watched cautiously at the whirlwind of changes, and when as if a smoke, because of the disturbance of the environment had blown away and it became clear then the "second Nuremberg" was not going to be, he understood that the state, without which he couldn't exist, will not go anywhere, especially his institution. What is a great matter that a few departments carried out functions of a secret political and then they were dissolved? A configuration of his dear institution has changed, but the institution itself stands as well as before, in the same manner a lot of departments work under his authority, even if it's time to change a way of working, for him it was no problem.
          The only thing he had to do, this is to execute a monotonous work, for every "A" to be able to set off an appropriate "B". Of course, one must not turn a blind eye to all kinds events and ignore them, however, he had not to inhibit some emotions, just because they already didn't appeared long ago. In spite of his sixty years old, he did exercises in the morning, ran for several miles, so being heavy set, at the same he was vigorous and agile. But at work, if he would be without the general's uniform, he could be taken for a usual clerical assistant.
          As usual, the subordinates came in plain clothes and put on the uniform only in some special days. At the designated time, coming up to the door, Kovalev adjusted his tie, coughed to clean his voice and knocked.
          -Come in, Grisha, don't be shy.
          Innokentiy Nikolaevich, - started to talk Kovalev, but the omnipotent boss immediately has interrupted him:
          -How long I have to explain? Call me "Uncle Kesha", sit down and calmly tell me what is it with you, and I'm going to listen you. It's interesting to me. It's very interesting.
          Kovalev felt like a cat what is petted. He depended from the omnipotent General fully and totally, and apart from him, there no were any other standards of truth and couldn't be. His mood depended in full from chief's relation to him, and all the rest of things, either his family, or the private life - all this relegated into the background. Also now, the timidity has gone away, and he has begun to tell:
          -Well, uncle Kesha, I kept silent long, because one must be able to work independently, otherwise, what an employee would be who needs a caretaker at every step? However, things are starting to take on enough increasing prevalent. Do you remember Kashin?
          -Of course, I remember him, what a question? - "Uncle Kesha" answered with astonishment. - His department oversees the foreigners, sometimes leads the unofficial surveillance over persons with the diplomatic immunity. Go on.
          -He has charged his deputy with almost all the work. Certainly, the last is happy to try, he hopes, it will be reckoned to him in future, and he doesn't make a mistake, especially if his chief will lose his seat.
          -Does it mean, the chief has charged his deputy with all, but at the same time he has walked to the taverns, also to look for women, hasn't he?
          -If so, I wouldn't come up to you, we ourselves would solve this and wouldn't bother you. However, in leisure he goes in for neither taverns, nor women, to say more exact, he goes in for women, but completely for another purpose. In a nutshell, he is building his own intelligence network. There are two persons led by him and devoted to him, they are colleagues from his department, that is our employees in an enough mediocre post. Likely, he has succeeded to encourage them, promising bright prospects. They recruit the people off the street. One didn't still succeed to learn, by what measure these people are chosen, however, in general, they are women seeking love adventures. Almost all of them were in bed with him. These women are a part of the network, which does the main job. Another part of the network finances them. This is a not great mafia group enjoys a privilege, they even use the certificates of our Security Service, which were issued illegally to a few of them. This fact greatly facilitates to do the business for whole their group. Surely, they more prefer our colleagues over them instead their "brigadiers". They don't particularly strain the situation in terms of the criminality, likely, because of our colleagues's influence. In general, they earn on racketeering, now such a "business" takes place usually without conflicts. Businessmen willingly pay them, because they feel with them, like behind a stone wall. This setup couldn't be without agreement with the criminal authorities, certainly, our watching confirm it. Information leak cannot be through them, because they are kept known nothing. This part of them, I'm repeating, is created only for financing the network doing the main work.
          The main their work is collecting data on the abnormal phenomena, and this main part of the network study our methods of intelligence work, in general, to collect data, also, the surveillance, the martial arts, but the last is studied very superficially. Sometimes, there are given tasks to watch out for an object which represents nothing in fact. Such tasks are given for training and testing abilities. Their job is payed not expensive, but themselves subordinates think differently, being accustomed to poverty. It seems, they consider Kashin enough lavish. Enticing by money, they undergo by cautious and correct, so to speak, intimidate. The emphasis is on the fact that nobody says in clear, but they "guess" that in case of the disobedience more likely they could be liquidated.
          -That's very, very interesting things... Are they succeed so a three-way?
          -No, sometimes they use our colleagues who suspect nothing. Not always they are told about the person they monitor. They are ordered, they watch over the object, but who is this object, this is a matter of the superiors, they know. However, they involve often our uninitiated colleagues when it's not enough the people or they need to use the equipment, the cars. Strangely enough, Kashin manages to lead his business so that the suspicious activity isn't at all a parasite upon the work of our Committee. Already it was verified, when they receive a serious task, he is able to interrupt suddenly all the functioning of his private boiler room, you understand me, and to switch on action demanded by our Service. Just a virtuoso.
          -Yes, yes... A good premium is owed to them for such a work, - Major-General smiled ironically. - Well, go on.
          -It's clear, the scale is large, but what about direction? He is dangerous! Dangerous for whole the Service!
          -Because of what? Whether he is because of the information leak?
          -Naturally.
          -But did you think well? He possesses the secret information as well as any other chief, and any of them, it is impossible to exclude this, has the possibility to give his knowledge to a foreign intelligence service and because of this to hit us so that we would not soon be recovered from it. Such cases took place and as a rule, those traitors didn't play a similar strange game so brazenly. If he is going to serve us so, then he is an original person supremely, however, got a talent, I'll give him that. And what if we slaughter the hen, which lays golden eggs? What about this, Grisha?
          -But he can... - Grisha became pensive.
          -Not more probably than any other of us.
          -He teaches.
          -And what? Do you think women will begin to use our methods to survey their lovers, don't you? But one has to teach them during a few of years in order they would become dangerous really.
          -But what if?.. You said rightly, he's talented. What if he discovers such things, and they would blab about it, or he would...
          -Who they? All of them at the same time would blab, wouldn't they?
          Kovalev felt, in front of the high authority he loses the ability to think straight.
          -Uncle Kesha, it seems, I'm bothering you in vain, am not I?
          -No, no, Grisha. If you only knew how right you are doing, because you have bothered us! On the word "have bothered us," he did an ironic accent. - If he discovers such things, he will not stand up on a square to recite his discovery to illiterate old women who are hurrying in a shop to buy some food. I want to ask you about something another. Like a teacher in a school, what an assessment you would give to the general condition of your subordinate departments of our Service?
          -I would give them "good".
          -Wonderful! Usually, you don't make mistakes in this matter. It means, the people and the instruments of restraint aren't overloaded. Well, look, Kashin is a fishhook to catch a golden fish, more importantly the fish we need. As soon as she is caught, the worst thing may occur if it's given to the other side, do you understand me? It must not occur. The "fish" must belong to us. And if they are working under our unseen control, in fact, they will be working for us, and it doesn't matter, what they are planning. While the atmosphere in your subordinate departments is assessed "good", I allow you to occupy till a half of the resources, you understand me, either the people, or other tools, of course, in a case of the necessary. Neither talking must be missed, either of the hero of the occasion, or all his subordinate people, including the recruited persons. If their talk even a little is similar to allegorical speech, it's necessary to fix, to rewrite and bring to me, and I have experts in the allegorical communication.
          -And what about the mafia wing, which finances them?
          -It is necessary to become sure, whether are they informed about something or not.
          -I dare ask, must I stay in ignorance? I'm surprised, how much attention is going to be payed them.
          -Dear, Grisha. First of all, there are the economic considerations which take place. Now every child knows from the press, we had such department, in all probability, not in vain. In spite of the fact that all these matters with the diablerie are still studied a very little. But do you imagine how much "eats" such a department. After all, you are perfectly aware, how expensive is this pleasure. However, while everything is calm with your work, while you are working at the idling speed, go solve it! And then it will not be necessary to get into the treasury, to create a brouhaha around the exotic department, this would only provoke information leak. But in the given case needful department exist and at the same time it doesn't exist. It is like the Perpetuum mobile, consuming nothing, but the entrepreneurs pay the expenses, thinking as if they pay to the mafia. Let it doesn't embarrass you, Grisha. Times are different now. It's a time of the pragmatic approach. And don't worry. Patriots don't sleep, - and he slyly winked at Kovalev.
          -You are genius, uncle Kesha.
          The general was very flattered with such a compliment and even didn't try to hide it.
          -I'm just on my own place, - answered he, smiling proudly.
          The both parted in a good mood.