Major Nikolai Cherdenko leafed through the documents he was holding, the realization of what he was about to do hit him like a wave, and his hands began shaking. A large glass of vodka helped him remember why he was doing this, and his hands stopped shaking. Hiding the documents in his coat, Nikolai nonchalantly walked out of his office, tipping his cap to the secretary before heading out into the cold Russian night.
Major Nikolai Cherdenko didn’t report back to his post the next morning.
[[The game is afoot->SMERSH Case File #1778]]Boris Krukov’s cup of morning tea had barely hit his desk when he received a call to the chief’s office. The chief gruffly pushed a file into Boris’ hands. “We’ve got a defector. Major Nikolai Cherdenko. Last week he defected from his post and took some important documents. He was last spotted heading towards the Vologda border. We suspect that he intends to sell these documents to someone, perhaps even the Nazis. We need you to retrieve those documents, and Cherdenko, dead or alive.”
“Pehaps even the Nazis”, Boris recalled. Cherdenko was definitely selling the dcuments to the Nazis. If he wanted to sell to rival warlords there were plenty of black markets in the Front’s own territory that could fence documents to other parts of Russia. Vologda was where one went when one specifically wanted to meet Nazis. The chief knew this as well as anyone else, doubtless he just didn’t want to acknowledge that an officer of the Front could be so unscrupulous as to trade with the Nazis. That was something for the Tsarists, or Vlasov’s gang of reactionary lowlifes, but never Communists! Never the Front! Ah well, Boris went back to his desk to finish his tea and pick who would be accompanying him to Vologda.[[Another day at the office.->Okhrana Case File #2439]]Roman Vasiliovich walked in the door of Okhrana HQ and was handed a note by the doorman. He waited until he was behind the closed door of his office to open it. The note contained nothing more than a summons to the chief’s office. Satisfied that the message contained no secret information, he disposed of the paper and did what he was told, clicking the heels of his polished boots upon coming to a stop in front of Chief Smyslovsky's mahogany desk.
“Captain Vasiliovich, I need you to form a team to retrieve something for us.” The chief handed Roman a file. “Our embedded assets in the WRRF have reported that one Major Nikolai Cerdenko has absconded with some important documents and is on his way to Vologda, doubtlessly to fence said documents to the Germans. If the Nazis are at all interested in information out of Russia, it must be the sort of information that, in the wrong hands, could be very damaging. We want those ‘wrong hands’ to be ours.”
Roman snapped off a salute, “S nami Bog.”
The chief returned the salute, “S nami Bog.”
[[Another day in His Imperial Majesty’s service.->Ivanov, the Useful Traitor]]Vologda, the neutral land between the West Russian Revolutionary Front and German-occupied Russia, or, to use a term that might have gotten Boris court-marshalled if he said it aloud, Reichskommissariat Moskowien. The “Neutral State” only existed on the mutual sufferance of the two armies it was sandwiched between. Doubtless some within the Front’s leadership would surely have loved to end that neutrality to an end and bring the ‘cowardly traitor’ Vasily Ivanov to justice. To Boris and the rest of SMERSH, however, the cover of extraterritoriality Vologda provided made it a useful tool to spy on the German occupiers. As a result, the territory was honeycombed with a network of informants. Via a process of asking the right people the right questions, Boris and his team whittled down the number of possible locations the defector could be headed for meetup to a small enough number for his team to stake out. Choosing to stake out the “Mind Traveler’s Brew House”, an overly-flowery name for a tavern, but he’d been told they had a great borscht recipe. Boris settled in and waited.
[[Dinner, and hopefully a show.->Rooting Through the Wretched Hive]]Vologda, the neutral land between the West Russian Revolutionary Front and German-occupied Russia, or, to use the term Roman considered next to blasphemous, Reichskommissariat Moskowien. Vologda’s dedication to neutrality was such that its official name was “The Neutral State of Vologda.” Roman’s scowl deepend at the thought. There was a place in Hell reserved for those who took no sides between Good and Evil, and yet, coward’s virtue though it was, Vologda’s neutrality, combined with it’s position between Nazi and Bolshevik-occupied lands, made it useful for various varieties of scum and villiany, from the various traitorous warlords spying on the Germans and each other in service to their wretched causes,to Nazi spies doing their part to keep the Teutonic boot on the Russian neck, to common criminals looking to buy and sell various forms of contraband. As a result, kidnappings, smuggling, and even murder were everyday occurances in Vologda. Roman looked forward to the day when the rightful Tsar’s banner would fly over this place once again, and he hoped to personally lead the task force charged with evicting every last one of those scoundrels and restoring the Tsar’s just order to this city! Roman felt a smile begin to form at that thought.
Snapping himself back to reality, Roman gave orders to his team to fan out and canvass the city. He may not be able to purge Vologda of filth today, but between the Okhrana’s dedication, and it’s entrenched spy network, they’d at least be able to snatch these documents from Germania’s grasping claws!
[[For justice!->Prey in the Sights]]As Boris tucked into his borscht, he compared every man that came into the tavern against the profile SMERSH had on Major Cherdenko. So far, no matches. This one’s nose was a bit too big. That one’s eyes were too far apart. None of the other agents had called in with the signal that they had found the defector. Boris had just finished his borscht when the door opened one more time. In walked a man that looked a lot like what the profile described. One discreet check confirmed it. Nikolai Cherdenko had just walked into the tavern.
The defector sat down at a corner table, just out of Boris’ earshot, next to him appeared what could only be the man’s fence, time to put that lip reading training to work.
The lip-reading confirmed Boris’ suspicions, a question about files, some ruble values, and an agreement to further discussion outside preceded a call to the waiter for a bottle of Vyatka vodka.
[[Waiter! Check please.->Caught the Scent]]The Okhrana’s spy network in Vologda wasn’t quite as well-developed as it was in neighboring Kostroma, so even after Roman and his team contacted all the informants they could about the possible whereabouts of Nikolai Cherdenko, they still had to search a wide section of the city on foot. Roman was walking down a street on the outskirts of the town, lined with taverns for thirsty workers to liquidate their hard day’s wages. Places like these would normally be considered the “bad” part of town, but applying such a term to any part of Vologda would imply that there were good parts of the city. There were no “good” and “bad” parts of Vologda, just havens for different kinds of crime. SMERSH and Abwehr preferred to play their games downtown, close to the embassies, where their bribes and threats carried more weight. Further out, the upscale neighborhoods housed many heads of the major crime families, and out here is where those with no connections or backing arranged their illicit meetups.
Speaking of which, Roman spotted Cherdenko as he slipped into the “Mind Traveler’s Brew House.” “Spotted the target.” Roman spoke into the radio, giving the coordinates of the rather pretentiously-named pub before slipping in himself to keep an eye on the target.
[[Closing in.->The Shot]]Boris headed out the door when Cherdenko and his contact had been handed their drinks. Once at a good spot to observe the tavern’s doors and the adjacent alley, Boris spoke into his radio. “This is Alpha. Stray Spark is at Mind Traveler’s Brew House. Convergence Delta. Repeat, Convergence Delta at Mind Traveler’s.” Soon after the signal went out. The target and his contact stumbled out of the tavern. Boris could tell which of the two was more experienced in covert operations. The fence was subtly leaning on Cherdenko, leading him around in such a way as to give the impression to the casual observer that the pair of them were drunker than they were. The duo continued this performance as they walked away from the road and down the alley, no doubt sobering up rather quickly in order to make the final transaction. This left Boris with a dilemma. Should he make his move now, at the risk that one or both of his targets were armed, or should he wait for backup to arrive, at risk of Cherdenko and the documents slipping permanently out of SMERSH’s grasp?
[[Move in now->The Leap (A)]]
[[Wait for backup->The Leap (B)]]As Roman observed Cherdenko and his fence as they left the restaurant, it was clear to him that they were pretending to be drunker than they actually were. Their act may have fooled the untrained observer, but Roman’s sharp eyes observed that the fence, although he appeared to be leaning on Cherdenko for support, was in fact, leading the man outside. Following them outside directly would certainly arouse their suspicion. However, perhaps there was another way Roman could continue observation. Roman got up, and went to the washroom.
Roman’s hunch was correct, inside the washroom was a painted-over window, a common sight in taverns built before indoor plumbing was common. Drawing his knife, Roman set to work unlocking the window and scraping enough paint off the glass to view the alleyway outside. As he observed Cherdenko and the fence (having dropped the drunk act), finalizing their deal, Roman was faced with a dilemma. Should he make his move now to arrest Cherdenko before the deal was done, or wait for backup, and risk having both Cherdenko and the documents slip away?
[[Move now->The Chase Ends (AA)]]
[[Wait for backup->The Chase Ends (AB)]]As Roman observed Cherdenko and his fence as they left the restaurant, it was clear to him that they were pretending to be drunker than they actually were. Their act may have fooled the untrained observer, but Roman’s sharp eyes observed that the fence, although he appeared to be leaning on Cherdenko for support, was in fact, leading the man outside. Following them outside directly would certainly arouse their suspicion. However, perhaps there was another way Roman could continue observation. Roman got up, and went to the washroom.
Roman’s hunch was correct, inside the washroom was a painted-over window, a common sight in taverns built before indoor plumbing was common. Drawing his knife, Roman set to work unlocking the window and scraping enough paint off the glass to view the alleyway outside. As he observed Cherdenko and the fence (having dropped the drunk act), finalizing their deal, Roman was faced with a dilemma. Should he make his move now to arrest Cherdenko before the deal was done, or wait for backup, and risk having both Cherdenko and the documents slip away?
[[Move Now->The Chase Ends (BA)]]
[[Wait for Backup->The Chase Ends (BB)]]As Roman Vasiliyovich drew his pistol and cracked open the window, he heard footsteps approaching rapidly down the alley. An unfamiliar figure appeared, with a Nagant M1895 revolver drawn.
“Nikolai Cherdenko, SMERSH will have you dead or alive, so you might as well hand over those files and come along with me.”
As Cherdenko and the fence both looked like they were about to surrender, Roman realized he had to act fast. Snapping his aim to the right, he fired a shot at the SMERSH agent. The shock and pain at being hit by a bullet from seemingly nowhere caused the wounded Bolshevik to fire a shot of his own as he hit the ground. His wild shot ricocheted off the wall into nothing but empty air.
“Nikolai Cherdenko, His Imperial Majesty orders you to turn yourself and those documents you’re holding over to his lawful enforcers. If you will not comply willingly, we have the authority to compel you to comply.” Roman said as he fully opened the window, Mauser trained on the delinquents. The pair, shocked and dismayed at having been saved from one interloper only to be faced with another, raised their hands.
[[Another successful case for His Majesty’s Okhrana!->Denouement (Okhrana)]]Boris Krukov drew his Nagant revolver and proceeded down the alley. “Nikolai Cherdenko, SMERSH will have you dead or alive, so you might as well hand over those files and come along with me.”
As Cherdenko and the fence assumed looks of shock and fear, a thousand thoughts flashing through their eyes in the space of a second. In the next moment, the sound of a rusty window frame creaking open directed Boris’ attention slightly upwards and to the left, and his pistol’s aim followed suit. In the next moment, Boris caught Cherdenko’s expression shift to one of undiluted rage, and in the corner of his eye, Boris spotted the defector’s hand drop the files and reach for a handle at his side. In the next moment, Boris’ pistol aimed for Cherdenko’s head, its trigger was pulled backwards.
BANG! All signs of life left Nikolai Cherdenko’s face as he fell backwards amid a bloom of blood and brain matter. “Go!” Boris told the fence, switching his aim back to the window as the black marketeer took off down the alley, living to ply his trade another day. Keeping his gun trained on the scowling man in the window, Boris scooped up the folder on the ground and, on a hunch, lifted an evelope he saw sticking out of the dead man’s pocket. Boris then left the alley, his mission accomplished.
[[Death to spies and defectors!->Denouement (SMERSH)]]Boris Krukov continued his observation. He wanted to light a cigarette, but his backup could arrive at any moment and he didn’t need the distraction. He noticed a window to the alley open by a crack. Apparently, this was also noticed by the fence, as the next thing Boris noticed was the distinctly boxy shape of a Mauser C96 in the thug’s hand, followed by its ringing rapport, and the shattering of painted-over glass.
Boris couldn’t wait any longer. A shot had been fired, the targets were spooked, and a rival agency clearly had the scent of these documents. The agent of SMERSH drew his Nagant revolver and ran towards the two lowlifes. “Nikolai Cherdenko, SMERSH will have you dead or alive, so you might as well hand over those files and come along with me!”
Nikolai turned towards the new arrival on the scene. Eyes burning with fury, the seasoned soldier reached for the weapon at his hip.
The SMERSH operative was faster though. In the space of a single breath, Boris fired two shots, and both the defector and the fence fell to the ground.
To the victor went the spoils. Boris picked up the documents, the money that would have been used to buy them, and, on a hunch, an envelope left hanging from Cherdenko’s coat pocket.
[[Death to spies and defectors!->Denouement (SMERSH)]]Roman Vasiliovich continued his observation. As the transaction he was watching from the window continued, the Okhrana operative grew increasingly antsy. He looked to the left. No one was there. He looked to the right. No one was there. He looked back to the Bolshevik scum and the thieving scoundrel conducting their vile business right in front of him. He could just open the window, and arrest them both! It would leave two fewer henchmen of the First Traitor free to prowl about Russia, sowing revolution and crime. Roman had but to draw his pistol, throw the window open, and do his duty for God and the Tsar!
But, the lowlifes were likely armed, and if Roman recklessly tried to arrest them by himself, and as a result got himself killed. That would be such a waste of a life for the Tsar. No, best to wait for that backup. They’ve got the documents and money out and look to be about to exchange!
Roman was just about to open the window when he caught the welcome figures of fellow Okhrana agents Vadim Sidorkin and Artyom Volkov at opposite ends of the alley. Roman breathed a prayer of thanks before opening the window.
“Nikolai Cherdenko, His Imperial Majesty orders you to turn yourself and those documents you’re holding over to his lawful enforcers. If you will not comply willingly, we have the authority to compel you to comply.”
The black marketeer dropped the cash in shock at the Mauser suddenly pointed at his face. Cherdenko looked to be readying to draw a pistol of his own before Artyom stuck his own piece to the revolutionary’s back.
[[Another successful case for His Majesty’s Okhrana!->Denouement (Okhrana)]] Back in his office. Boris sipped his tea as he contemplated the photo before him. He had found it in the envelope he took off of Nikolai Cherdenko’s corpse. Some research determined the subject of the photo to be one Vladimir Cherdenko, Nikolai’s older brother. Old casualty reports cited him as having fallen in battle during the last charge the Red Army made in its attempt to reclaim Moscow all those years ago. This, combined with the content of the recovered documents being the locations of the most important industrial centers in the Ukhta Military District, moved underground to hide from German bombers. Led Boris to summarize that Nikolai did what he did to get revenge on Marshal Zhukov.
Marshal Tukhachevsky had always claimed that particular attack as a shining example of why Zhukov was unfit to lead the Front. Zhukov had insisted on launching one more attempt to regain the lost capital for the Motherland, despite the Red Army’s dwindling supplies and the fact that the tide of the war had shifted and the Front was being pushed back on all fronts. Boris’ best guess was that Cherdenko, sharing the Red Bonaparte’s sentiment, seethed with rage at the fact that, while his brother lay rotting thanks to Zhukov’s incompetence, the fat fool himself got rewarded with a cushy position in charge of the largest remaining industrial base in the Red Army’s possession. His faith in the cause broken by years of this resentment eating away at his soul, Nikolai likely planned to use the money gained from selling this information to leave the Russian wastes, starting life anew while simultaneously punishing the hated Marshal Zhukov.
Boris finished his tea before placing the photo in his desk drawer. Thanks to SMERSH’s efforts, those factories in Ukhta would continue to keep the Front armed, and perhaps someday, the Red Flag would once more fly over Moscow, and Vladimir Cherdenko would truly be avenged.Roman sat across the table from Cherdenko. He had been ordered to interrogate the Red Army defector, but not too harshly, the chief reminded him, for despite being a Major in the band of red brigands that murdered Russia’s rightful rulers almost half a century ago, Cerdenko had been in the process of defecting.
“We looked through the documents you were going to sell. I presume you know what they are?”
“You mean the locations of Ukhta’s underground industrial complexes? Yeah, I knew what I was selling.”
“The Bolsheviks would surely have loved to keep this information hidden, especially from the Nazis. If they had caught you you may as well have considered yourself dead. Was any amount of money the Germans might have paid you worth taking that risk?”
“No. If it was just about the money, I would have sold weapons and small secrets under the table like all the generals in the Front. No, what made the money worth the risk entailed in obtaining it was the new life it would have bought me, and who it would hurt.”
“Who it would hurt? What made you want to hurt your own army?”
“The Front is dead, it just doesn’t have the sense to realize that yet. Any army that promotes the fat fool who wasted hundreds of good Russian lives for his own vainglory is dead!”
“‘Fat fool’, do you mean Georgy Zhukov?”
“That stupid bastard ordered the suicidal final push to retake Moscow in the West Russian War. We were surrounded, being pushed back on all fronts, and we didn’t even have enough fuel left for a full tank division! Any competent officer would have seen that an offensive was hopeless. If the Front had competent officers, my brother would still be alive.”
“Your brother? Is he the one in the photo we found when we searched you?”
Cherdenko nodded. “You’re going to pass this information onto your puppet masters in Germania aren’t you?”
Taking a deep breath to suppress the rage Roman felt at that implication, he replied, “No. In fact, we’ll be taking on the responsibility of punishing Zhukov and, God willing, we will get vengeance on the vile Nazis for him as well.”