The Nine Men (A Novella)

  ‘Put her through, Anna.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘…Sergey Volodin speaking,’ he said, and then listened intently, for some time, to the person on the other end of the line.

  ‘When did this happen?…This is clearly unacceptable…Thank you for letting me know. I will deal with this personally, you have my word. For the moment I would ask you for your discretion in this matter. What did you say your name was?’

  ‘I didn’t,’ responded Viktoriya and replaced the receiver in the phone box.

  Volodin grabbed his coat off the stand and walked out of his office, closing the door behind him. He glanced at his secretary, at her desk, typing.

  ‘If you need me, Anna, I’m with Commander Tsvetaeva at the FSB headquarters. We have a problem,’ he uttered, as he left.

  Sergey Volodin exited the elevator, turned right and walked down the corridor to Commander Tsvetaeva’s office. He tapped on the door, and, not waiting for a response, walked in.

  The commander stood up from behind his desk with a look of surprise. ‘Who are you?’ he asked.

  ‘I am Sergey Volodin.’

  ‘…Yes, of course, I’m sorry, I should have known. Please sit down Mr. Volodin. What can I do for you?’

  ‘You have a very impressive track record, Commander,’ he said, scanning the numerous military pictures adorning the office walls.

  Tsvetaeva smiled and nodded his acknowledgement.

  ‘Your country is very proud of you for what you did in Afghanistan,’ Volodin added.

  ‘Thank you, sir.’

  ‘But this is not Afghanistan, Commander. Why did you strip a young, female student naked earlier today and hose her down with water?’

  The commander stiffened, not expecting the question.

  ‘I…’

  ‘If this gets out, you are finished. Your career will be over, Commander.’

  Tsvetaeva sat down again and tried to compose himself. ‘I was merely doing my job.’

  ‘DOING YOUR FUCKING JOB?’ Volodin yelled. ‘HOSING DOWN NAKED STUDENTS… That’s your job is it?’

  ‘I was getting information,’ the commander replied, tersely. ‘That’s my job!’

  ‘What kind of information, Commander?’

  ‘Information about a thief; a sewer rat that has stolen priceless artifacts from the Holy Danilov Monastery.’

  ‘And what exactly has the student girl got to do with this?’ Volodin enquired.

  ‘She helped them escape.’

  ‘Them?’

  Tsvetaeva opened a pack of cigarettes and lit one, before answering.

  ‘The rat and his girlfriend; another student from the university who shared a room with this Olga girl.’

  ‘Olga, the naked collaborator?’

  The commander slammed his fist on the desk.

  ‘My method’s work; she’s very lucky she’s still got all her fingers. I got the information I was looking for, Mr. Volodin The artifacts are priceless and our two thieves are on their way to Odessa, to sell them on the black market, as we speak. They must not be allowed to get away with it. I’m leaving for Odessa in fifteen minutes. My surveillance team is already hunting them. They won’t get far, believe me.’

  ‘And who exactly is this rat — as you like to call him?’

  The commander hesitated, ‘…A monk.’

  ‘A monk!’ Volodin laughed out loud. ‘Surely not the same monk who delivered the book to you, Commander; the book you and your team of experts failed to find?’

  ‘…Yes…him.’

  ‘That’s strange because he doesn’t strike me as a sewer rat. Do you realize that the book he personally delivered to you is far more valuable to us than a thousand fucking artifacts from a thousand fucking monasteries.’

  For a while Tsvetaeva remained tight-lipped, breathing deeply through his nostrils…finally he said:

  ‘He knew that book was too hot to handle; and he knew not to fuck with the FSB; but the fool thought he could steal from the church and get away with it.’

  ‘What exactly has he stolen from the church?’

  Tsvetaeva shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ‘I haven’t got the list from Bishop Remizov yet, but he informs me that a number of significant artifacts have gone missing.’

  ‘How many?’ Volodin pushed.

  ‘… A number — that’s all I know at the moment. What does it fucking matter anyway?’

  ‘And he is positive that they were stolen by the rat?’

  ‘YES,’ snarled Tsvetaeva.

  ‘…One last thing, Commander —what proof do you have that this, Olga girl, helped them escape?’

  ‘I know she did; it’s called instinct. It’s something a soldier needs, to survive in battle — Not that you’d know anything about that, Mr. Volodin.’

  ‘Instinct, you say?’ Volodin walked over to the window and peered out. ‘Instinct,’ he repeated as he headed for the door.

  Standing in the doorway, he turned and smiled.

  ‘Good luck in Odessa, Commander,’ he said. ‘But please remember — if you ever go near that girl again — it will be the end of the war for you.’

  The commander watched Volodin walk down the corridor and enter the lift.

  ‘The end of the war for me? I don’t think so somehow, you pompous asshole,’ he said, grinding his cigarette butt into the ashtray.

  Chapter 36

  Robert McPherson slipped into the back seat of the limo and the chauffeur closed the door behind him.

  ‘It’s good to see you again Robert, or should I call you Michael?’

  Rob laughed and the two men shook hands.

  ‘It’s good to see you, too,’ Rob said. ‘I understand Victor has taken on a very lucrative project with the Russian government. I hope he negotiated a good deal?’

  ‘Let’s just say he was very happy with the arrangements. He starts first thing in the morning. I hope he knows what he’s doing, Robert?’

  ‘He’s one of the best, if not the best authority in the world on this kind of thing. His bullshit will be very believable.’

  ‘Let’s hope so. I’m making the arrangements to get both of them out of the country, on the basis that they take up new identities. They have never lived in Russia; that’s the deal, okay? It’s Russia’s way of thanking the monk for finding and delivering the book,’ the passenger said. ‘Let’s just hope the authorities never find out the truth, my friend, because if they do, I’m dead.’

  Rob smiled broadly. ‘Don’t worry, they never will — and anyway, very soon you and I will be enjoying a cold beer watching the Washington Redskins… But right now, what about Viktoriya and Alexi, are they safe?’

  ‘Very safe; they’re in the same hotel as Victor.’

  ‘The National?’

  ‘Yeah, right under Tsvetaeva’s nose, the imbecile would never think of looking for them there. Viktoriya said you spoke to them earlier and explained the arrangements.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Rob said, ‘I just wanted to reassure them. They must be feeling pretty vulnerable at the moment; they’re only kids after all.’

  ‘I expect they’re drinking champagne and fucking each other’s brains out, as we speak.’

  Rob chuckled. ‘You’re not jealous are you?’

  The passenger laughed. ‘I presume your lot are arranging their new passports and travel arrangements?’

  Rob nodded. ‘Yes, the paperwork should be ready within the next two days.’

  ‘Let’s just hope the Frenchman does a good job tomorrow, otherwise those kid’s dreams will burst like soap bubbles,’ the passenger said, solemnly.

  ‘He will, trust me,’ Rob said.

  Chapter 37

  Victor was tingling with nervous excitement as the black limo pulled away from the hotel. As the limo sped off effortlessly, Victor turned and glanced through the back window at the National Hotel’s impressive facade.

  Breakfast had been very light: coffee, scrambled eggs and a little toast. That was all he could
manage; apart from the four cigarettes of course.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Victor asked the chauffeur but the driver raised his hands and said: ‘No speak English, sorry.’

  Soon though the limo turned off the road into a building and entered a large service elevator.

  Victor watched as they descended. When the elevator stopped a klaxon sounded and the doors in front of them opened. The limo rolled silently forward into a cavernous chamber.

  ‘Mon Dieu!’ Victor exclaimed, ‘Mon Dieu!’

  When the limo stopped Victor looked out to see Mr. Volodin, who approached and opened the back door for Victor.

  ‘Good morning, Victor,’ he said, brightly.

  ‘Good morning, Mr. Volodin.’

  ‘Please, call me Sergey — I trust you slept well?’

  ‘Very well, thank you — with a little help from a bottle of Château Margaux 2011!’

  Volodin laughed out loud. ‘Excellent! — Please follow me, Victor, we’re going on a little train ride.’ The big Russian gestured to the empty carriages.

  ‘I wasn’t expecting this, Sergey.’

  Having taken the same route as Professor Shastri, Victor and Volodin eventually arrived at the dome and were greeted by Dr. Zhukov.

  ‘My name is Dr. Anna Zhukov, I’ve heard a lot about you, Dr. Canseliet and I’m looking forward to working with you,’ she said, shaking his hand.

  ‘The pleasure is all mine,’ Victor said, doffing his hat.

  Volodin smiled, sensing the congenial atmosphere developing between them.

  ‘I’m going to leave you now, Victor. You’re in good hands with Dr. Zhukov.’

  ‘I’m sure I am, Sergey.’

  Volodin walked off and Dr. Zhukov showed Victor into the dome.

  Chapter 38

  ‘The book is in a controlled environment,’ Dr. Zhukov said, as she swiped her pass through the scanner. ‘Please go in Doctor.’

  Victor passed through an airlock before reaching the dimly lit main room. In front of him he could see the large, leather bound book on a tilted table top. Around the table a number of spot lamps illuminated the immediate area.

  The room was silent; an eerie silence; the kind a magnificent gothic cathedral, like Notre Dame, demands and imbues upon its visitors.

  The silence of respect.

  Victor approached the book and he began to tingle with excitement.

  Dr. Zhukov offered Victor a pair of thin latex gloves.

  ‘Please sit down, Doctor,’ she said and Victor settled on a stool next to the book.

  With his gloves on he started to carefully inspect the pages of script.

  Robert, you’re a genius, he thought.

  Dr. Zhukov removed the scroll from its tube and unfolded it next to Victor.

  ‘I have studied the scroll and the book,’ Zhukov said, ‘and I’m convinced the scroll is part of a key.’

  Victor studied the documents for a considerable time; examining the scripts with a large magnifying glass, like Sherlock Holmes,

  Finally, he said, ‘I totally agree with you Doctor. This scroll definitely relates to this book. But this scroll is only one of a number that would be needed to decipher the book. You see these serrations around the edges of the scroll?’

  Dr. Zhukov leaned over the scroll. ‘Yes, I see them,’ she said.

  ‘I believe this scroll is the central scroll of eight others.’ Victor grabbed a piece of plain paper and drew a square on it. Then, drawing two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, he divided the square up into nine smaller squares and pointed to the middle square. ‘That’s our scroll,’ he said, ‘because it has serrations on each of its edges…but it’s useless without the other eight. The serrations around its edges fit like a jigsaw puzzle with the other scrolls — wherever they are?’

  ‘Nine scrolls for nine books,’ commented Dr. Zhukov.

  ‘Just an educated guess, but it seems logical, doesn’t it?’

  A phone in the corner of the room started ringing.

  ‘Excuse me she said, and walked over to answer it.’

  Victor busied himself, admiring the craftsmanship of the fake book, while Dr. Zhukov chatted excitedly in Russian on the phone.

  When she returned to the desk she was exuberant. Her normally pale complexion was suddenly flushed with color.

  ‘That was the Russian Ambassador to India, Doctor… I have some very good news.’ She paused to compose herself. ‘He informed me that Dr. Shastri’s team have found another five scrolls!’

  Victor resisted a sudden urge to laugh; instead he enthused, ‘that’s wonderful news, Dr. Zhukov.’

  ‘Apparently they have unearthed another underground chamber in the region of the Badami Cave Temples in Karnataka and found the scrolls. And according to the Ambassador they’re in excellent condition.’

  Robert, how do you do it? Victor mused.

  Clearly excited, Dr. Zhukov stressed, ‘so that makes a total of six scrolls; six will make a significant difference.’

  Victor nodded enthusiastically. ‘Unfortunately, I have some business commitments, which I must honor that force me to return to Paris later this week, but I strongly suggest you and I reconvene next week, when the new scrolls have arrived here, and together, we try to break this cipher.’

  Dr. Zhukov smiled. ‘I look forward to it.’

  ‘But that is next week, as for tonight, Doctor, I have a spare ticket for the Bolshoi Ballet and I would be delighted if you would join me for what I’m sure will be a memorable performance of Swan Lake.’

  Dr. Zhukov was taken aback by Victor’s invitation and appeared defensive and uncomfortable with the situation, but gradually her demeanor softened.

  ‘…I have never been to the ballet,’ she admitted. ‘Very few Russians can afford to go.’

  Victor grinned, ‘I’ll take that as a yes then?’

  ‘…Yes, okay…why not — I would love to go to the Bolshoi with you.’

  Sorry, Mr. Volodin, but I’m sure you’ll understand, Victor thought, as the tingling returned.

  Chapter 39

  The Kremlin

  Volodin and the professor were sitting opposite each other at a large, polished table.

  Professor Shastri held a tight-lipped smirk as he listened to Volodin’s acknowledgement that the scroll was genuine and also the news that five other scrolls had been found by the professor’s team.

  ‘Well, I’m glad you have finally accepted the findings of my report.’

  ‘We have accepted the findings of Victor Canseliet, Professor.’

  Shastri’s expression hardened… ‘Well, well, Mr. Volodin; the great Victor Canseliet agrees with my humble judgment; how situations can change overnight. It would appear that I am now holding the ace card, not you.’

  ‘It would appear that way, Professor.’ Volodin agreed.

  ‘I want to be on the next flight out of this God forsaken country and I never want to come back.’

  ‘I can arranged that for you.’

  Shastri raised his eyebrows. ‘I also want my scroll back, Mr. Volodin.’

  ‘I’m afraid that won’t be possible.’

  ‘WHAT!’ Shastri thumped the table. ‘IT’S MINE, DAMN YOU… It’s useless to you without the other scrolls and you know it!’

  ‘Yes, that was explained to me by Dr. Canseliet. They should be here in a day or two though.’

  ‘Oh…no…no…I won’t allow them out of India, Mr. Volodin. They are my ace cards.’

  ‘I’m afraid they’re already on their way. Your team received the email from you instructing them to ship the scrolls by air mail to Russia for further analysis by you. You actually don’t have any ace cards, Professor.’

  Shastri froze. ‘…You bastard!’

  ‘Before you say too much more, which you might regret later, hear me out.’

  Shastri stared defiantly at the Russian. ‘What do you mean?’ he snarled.

  ‘I propose that you go back to India and find the last three scro
lls.’

  ‘Fuck you and your Russian arrogance!’

  Volodin raised his hand, ‘Please, Professor… hear me out… If you find them, we’ll buy them off you at your original asking price. After all, what you’re selling has to be fit for purpose, doesn’t it? And it seems to me, based on the latest discovery in India, your chances are very good. So… this is our very generous offer to you, Professor — Five-million US dollars for the job lot of nine scrolls.…It’s your call. — Take it or leave it.’

  Shastri tapped his fingers on the table; his eyes fixed on Volodin.

  ‘And what if we don’t find anymore scrolls?’

  ‘Then, sadly, the book may never be deciphered.’

  ‘I realize that, Mr Volodin.’

  ‘In answer to your question, Professor, it means that you will have missed out on a five-million dollar payout.’

  ‘…So it’s all or nothing then?’

  Sergey Volodin stood up and smiled. ‘As I said, — take it or leave it.’

  Chapter 40

  The National Hotel, Moscow

  ‘It’s hard to believe, Robert,’ Alexi said.

  ‘Yes, I can imagine it is, but trust me, it’s going to happen very soon. You could say your new life together has already started,’ Rob gestured to the opulent surroundings of their suite overlooking the Kremlin. ‘But have you both thought about where you want to go when you leave Moscow, because there’s no coming back, guys, this is a one-way ticket out of here. The Russians have agreed to release you but you’ll no longer hold a Russian passport. In fact you’ve never been to Russia, either of you. It’s their way of protecting themselves.’

  ‘From us?’ Viktoriya asked.

  ‘Scandal,’ Robert said, looking at Alexi.

  Alexi giggled. ‘I can assure you, Robert, the last thing I want to do is revisit my past. I’m too busy looking forward to the future.’

  ‘I’m sure that’s the case, Alexi, but the Russians want to make sure you can’t revisit your past; but at least they don’t want you dead. So… tell me, where do you want to go?’ Rob asked again.