Julia Gousseva - Gray Shadows - Russian Historical Thriller

“Protocol? We have none. Just receive whatever is brought in here and take it to whomever it’s for. I told you, Nikolai, we’ve never had to deal with anything dangerous. It’s a small town, and things are usually quiet here.”

“Not anymore. Somebody is sending serious warnings to Pyotr Alekseevich, and they are not going to stop,” Nikolai said. “You have to tell me everything you know. Have there been attempts on Pyotr Alekseevich’s life before?”

“No, not real attempts.”

“Care to explain?”

“A few months ago, a couple of characters came to me,” Vanya said reluctantly. “They offered me a lot of money to kill Pyotr Alekseevich. That was just before he took over the company.”

“So much for a small quiet town, no?”

“It was an isolated incident,” Vanya said. “A fluke.”

“They asked you, the company’s security director, to murder him? And you call that a fluke?”

“I wasn’t the security director then, and Pyotr Alekseevich was still the mayor.”

“And that meant it was okay for you to kill him? I don’t get your point.”

“Of course not! Don’t even say things like that! I just mean that I worked for the city hall, as a security guard, one of the three guards who worked there, so that’s how I knew Pyotr Alekseevich.”

“And then what?” Nikolai asked.

“I told Pyotr Alekseevich about it, and he appointed me head of security after he took over the company.”

“Who were these people?” Nikolai asked.

“I have no idea. I had never seen them before, or after. They disappeared right after that conversation, and our investigation, with the local police, showed nothing. And nothing had happened since. It was deemed an empty threat.”

“An empty threat? I’m not so sure. So, why didn’t you think I would want to know about it?”

“I thought it was all in the past, that with this new compound and the new security system, things were under control. Everything has been quiet,” Vanya said. “Until now.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about it earlier?”

“I didn’t think it was any of your business, that’s one reason.”

“What’s another reason?”

Vanya hesitated. “Look, I’m supposed to be in charge here. I’m supposed to know what’s going on and be able to control it. I’m older than you and I have lived here my whole life. I’m the security expert of Upper Luzinsk, right? Then you show up, a fancy young Moscow guy, first time here and you know more than I do. I feel like a useless old fool. You could do it all on your own.”

“You must be kidding,” Nikolai said. “Do it all on my own? I can hardly find my way around the compound, let alone this whole town. There’s no way I could do anything here without you. I don’t know the people, they don’t know me. Nobody would even talk to me without you. You know much more about Upper Luzinsk and the company.”

“Maybe so,” Vanya said. “But this?” He pointed to the car. “The telescopic pole thing, the ID card, the stretched wire. I had no clue.”

“We have different work experiences, and I have had to deal with certain types of threats more. As you said yourself, life in Moscow is different than here.”

“Right. Here it’s just ice and snow. At least it used to be.”

“But things are changing here, too,” Nikolai said. “There’s much more to Upper Luzinsk than ice and snow. The oil field has tremendous wealth and can attract all kinds of people, with a variety of motives. In Moscow, I’ve seen what money can do to people, and now I see that this small town is no different. There’s a lot of wealth in your oil field and a lot of money to be made,” Nikolai said. “Division of wealth can get ugly.”

“I never thought it could get that bad here, real death threats and all. Right in my hometown,” Vanya said.

“That’s how I felt about Moscow, my hometown. If somebody would have told me some years ago that killers tried to shoot people in the middle of the day, right on a quiet street where I grew up, I would have never believed it. Now, I’ve experienced it myself.”

“Are you serious? Did you get shot?”

“I wasn’t the target, my client was. He’s okay, and my leg is healing. Life is different now. In Moscow and here.”

Vanya looked at Nikolai for a long moment, then nodded. “I’m glad you’re okay. And thank you, Nikolai. I didn’t think of things that way. It makes sense. We can learn from each other, right?”

“Of course. That’s the only way to live and work.”

“You’re a good man, Nikolai,” Vanya said. “So, what else can I tell you about this town? What would help?”

“I wish I could stay and help, but I have an obligation to Natalya, her dad, and my company to keep her safe. That’s my only goal right now, and I don’t feel that what’s happening here is making it safe for her. There is no need for her to stay. Can you please let Pyotr Alekseevich know?”

“She’s not in danger. Why don’t you stay. I’m beginning to enjoy your company, you know,” Vanya said. “And we could really use your help here.”

“If something happens to her, it will be on my conscience,” Nikolai said. “The situation is not safe for my client. Can you please prepare a car for Natalya and me? Preferably the one without explosives. We’re taking the first flight out of here.”

“All right. I’ll call Oleg and send the car to the hotel for you,” Vanya said.

Back at the hotel suite, Nikolai quickly packed Natalya’s suitcases, threw all his stuff into his duffel bag, and headed back downstairs.

Oleg’s Lada was idling by the hotel entrance. Oleg stepped out of the car and opened the trunk.

“Leaving already?” Oleg said. “I thought you were going to stay longer.”

“Our circumstances have changed,” Nikolai said. “Pyotr Alekseevich’s office, please.”

Nikolai was not looking forward to what he knew would be an unpleasant scene with Natalya, but he had no choice. When he came into the office, Natalya was working on the computer. Pyotr Alekseevich left for the oil field in the morning and had not returned yet.

“We have to go back to Moscow,” Nikolai said. “Right now.”

“What kind of a crazy idea is that?” Natalya stopped typing and looked up at Nikolai.

“Not crazy at all. Knowing what I know now, it would be criminal for me to keep you here, and a violation of my company’s contract with your father. The situation is getting dangerous and could potentially become life-threatening for anyone who works as closely with Pyotr Alekseevich as you do.”

She huffed. “But what about Pyotr Alekseevich? Isn’t his life in danger, too, then?”

“It may be, but it’s not my job to protect him or anyone else. Just you. Vanya knows what is going on, and he will do what he needs to do to protect Pyotr Alekseevich and the others. It’s not up to me. It is up to everyone else to decide what they need to do.”

“Ok. Then I decide that I need to stay.” She turned back to her computer.

“It’s not your decision to make. My job is to protect you, so I have to make this decision for you. And my decision is to leave. Right now.”

“And what if I don’t want to leave? What are you going to do, kidnap me?”

“If I have to, I will. I could also call security and make the situation pretty embarrassing for you.”

“Fine. But you will have to explain this to my dad,” Natalya said. “And I guarantee that he will not be happy.” Reluctantly, she got up from the computer and walked towards the door.

“That’s his right,” Nikolai said. “Let’s go. The car is waiting.” He opened the office door for Natalya, and she stepped out into the hallway.