The Beast in the Red Forest(16)

You were being watched,' explained Pekkala.

Watched?' Kirov remembered the feeling of uneasiness which had pursued him almost to the point of madness. By whom?'

From the look of them,' answered Pekkala, I'd say they were NKVD Special Operations.'

Our own people?'

Stalin knew that his best chance of catching me was if I came back to look for you. That's why he had you followed.'

Now it all began to make sense. And why every assignment I've been given since you disappeared has kept me in Moscow. He wanted to make sure you could find me.'

But Stalin grew tired of waiting. That's why he finally allowed you to leave the city, hoping you'd lead him to me.'

All this time,' Kirov muttered angrily, I have been nothing more than bait in a trap.'

There's a way around every trap,' said Pekkala, and my way around this one was Linsky. For several days, I had been shadowing the same people who were following you. They had staked out the office, your apartment, even your friend Elizaveta. But they had no one watching Linsky. I knew he would recognise who placed the order, even if I didn't leave a name. I gambled that, as soon as Linsky realised I was still alive, he'd find a way to get in touch with you, and for you to pay a visit to a tailor would not arouse the suspicions of NKVD. In the meantime, I couldn't stay in Moscow. It was too risky. So I left behind that tobacco pouch, trusting that the tanner's mark inside would lead you here to Rovno.'</ol>
 
 

 

There was one other clue, Inspector.'

Oh, yes? And what was that?'

Your pass book and your gun were found on that body at the site of the ambush, but the emerald eye was missing.'

A faint smile creased Pekkala's lips as he turned down the lapel of his coat. By the light of bombs exploding in the distance, the emerald-studded badge winked from the darkness.

I came here to find you, Inspector, but I should have known you'd track me down instead.'

As soon as news reached me of a tall, skinny NKVD officer who had just arrived by plane from Moscow, I set out to meet you. Unfortunately, I was too late to prevent what happened. Can you describe the man who opened fire in the bunker?'

It was dark,' explained Kirov. There had just been an air raid and the electricity had gone out. But I know who it must have been, even if I didn't see him pull the trigger. The nurse here told me that they recovered three bodies from the bunker. One was Andrich and the other two were partisans. The only other man in that room was a Red Army officer. With a bandage wrapped around his face, he looked as if he'd just been wounded, but I realise now that it was only a disguise. Andrich said the officer had just arrived from headquarters, so he might have been carrying forged papers as well as a stolen uniform. Inspector, do you have any idea why this happened?'

There are many blood feuds between the partisans,' answered Pekkala. It may be that you and Andrich were simply caught in the crossfire. Or it may be that Andrich himself was the target.'

But why would anyone want to murder the colonel? After all, he was negotiating a ceasefire.'

Perhaps,' answered Pekkala, because Andrich might have succeeded. He was the only man Moscow trusted who could speak to the partisans. When Andrich's division was annihilated back in '41, he took to the forest and joined the partisans, rather than surrender. Two years later, Moscow made contact with his group by dropping leaflets over the forest requesting someone who could act as a representative for the partisans. Andrich volunteered. He knew that somebody would have to speak for the partisan groups still active in this area. The partisans are sick of fighting, whether it's against the Germans or each other. They just can't find a way to stop. There is too much hatred among them.'

Why are they killing each other?' asked Kirov.

Some groups originally sided with the Germans,' explained Pekkala, who used them to hunt down other partisans or to commit atrocities against Ukrainian civilians. When the Germans began to retreat, many of those who had taken up arms against the Ukrainians became victims themselves as old scores were settled. This has been a war within a war, Kirov, more bloody than anything I've ever seen before. Andrich knew that the only way the killing would cease was if all sides learned to trust each other. It might have worked, too, if Andrich hadn't been murdered. And the fact that those two partisan leaders also died will only make the situation worse. Those men were all supposed to be under Soviet protection when the attack occurred. If Andrich was indeed the target, then the killer must have known that murdering him would destroy any hope of peace between the partisans and the Red Army. The faith which Andrich worked to build has now evaporated, just as Stalin knew it might. That's why he recently ordered a brigade of counter-intelligence troops to be transferred to the Rovno garrison.'

The Soviet Counter-Intelligence Agency, known as SMERSH, had been formed by Stalin the previous year as a specialised task force with the NKVD and was responsible for crushing any acts of rebellion in the newly reconquered territories of the Soviet union   . Ruthlessly, they sought out enemy agents who had been recruited by Germany's spy organisation, the Abwehr, under the control of Admiral Canaris, as well as those partisans, civilians and former POWs, who might have collaborated with the Germans during the years of occupation. Within six months of coming into existence, Counter-Intelligence troops had massacred tens of thousands of Russians, for crimes as vague as selling apples to German soldiers, allowing them to drink from a well or for having been captured in one of the vast encircling attacks that wiped out entire Soviet divisions in the first days of Operation Barbarossa.

The brigade that had been sent to Rovno fell under the Counter-Intelligence Agency's Anti-Partisan Directorate. This brigade had originally been led by the notorious Commander Danek, whose excesses stunned even the most hardened NKVD members. But Danek had recently been killed under suspicious circumstances. It was rumoured that he had met his end at the hands of one of his own people, although nothing had been proven. The man who took his place, Commander Yakushkin, had been Danek's right-hand man throughout the war. Since taking control of this SMERSH brigade, Yakushkin's methods had proved to be even more cold-blooded than those of his former master.

Stalin said nothing to me about SMERSH,' remarked Kirov.

Why would he?' asked Pekkala. Stalin may be hoping for peace, but he is also preparing for war. Commander Yakushkin had orders to wait and see if the partisans could be persuaded to lay down their arms peacefully. But Yakushkin knows only one thing and that is the art of butchery. Now that Andrich is dead, Yakushkin and his troops will soon begin the process of wiping out every partisan band in the whole region. The partisans may disagree with each other about many things, but even the bitterest foes among them will unite against a common enemy, especially if the alternative is annihilation. SMERSH have now become that enemy. The result will be the deaths of countless soldiers and partisans, along with any civilian who gets caught in their path. The only way to prevent it is to prove to Yakushkin that he is being drawn into a plot designed to pit him against the partisans, which would only end in their mutual destruction. Even a killer like Yakushkin doesn't want that, but first I must persuade him. To accomplish this, Major Kirov, I am going to need your help.'

Kirov opened his mouth to reply, but Pekkala cut him off before he could speak.

Think carefully before you answer. Do not forget that Stalin has a price upon my head. That's why I came here in the middle of the night, so that you can still return to Moscow if you choose, and pretend this meeting never took place.'

There's no need for that, Inspector. The situation has changed. Whatever charges Stalin laid against you have been dismissed. You are forgiven. Stalin told me so himself. He needs you back, Inspector!'

Pekkala was not convinced. One thing I have learned about Stalin is that the man does not forgive. All he does is to postpone his vengeance, but hopefully it will be long enough for me to track down this assassin.'

And of course I will help you to do it, Inspector, just as soon as I can get out of here!'

Is now soon enough?' asked Pekkala.

Now?' echoed Kirov. Well, I suppose I . . .'

Good!' Pekkala walked over to the doorway and peered down the hall. He listened carefully. Satisfied that no one was coming, he beckoned to Kirov. Hurry! There is much to be done.'

But can't this wait until morning? Why do we have to leave now?'

It's quite simple, Kirov. When the shooting started in the bunker, you were only an innocent bystander, but as soon as this assassin learns that you are intent on hunting him down, he will come back to finish what he started.'</ol>
 
 

 

I'll just put some clothes on!' whispered Kirov, as he lowering his feet uncertainly to the floor. He wasn't even sure if he could walk, but a few minutes later, dressed in his still-muddy uniform and with the canvas bag slung over his shoulder, Kirov slipped past the night duty orderly, who had fallen asleep at his desk. Making their way through the deserted kitchen, which reeked sourly of cabbage and boiled fish, the two men made their way out into an alley behind the hospital and set off towards Rovno, where fires from the air raid still painted the low-hanging clouds.

You might need this,' said Kirov, handing over a new Soviet identity book. NKVD made you a replacement, since your last one was burned to a crisp. Fortunately, your picture was still on file. It's the only one known to exist!'