Struggle. Retribution in the Twilight

man.

— He was interrogated… We ambushed him while he was being transported… He was taken

alive. I talked to him myself before I handed him over.

— Were you already a penalty officer then?

— I was.

— And how did he behave in this interrogation of yours? — The bald man smiled slightly, and it was obvious that he understood Bolotnikov's feelings, and how he could compare himself with the Jackal at this moment.

— Dignified. And a little dismissive… He answered all the questions himself… Almost like I am now…..

Baldy obviously caught that extra word "almost" very welname = "note"

— "Almost" like you are now… So what is this "almost" about?

— He didn't care. And I don't care now. But he was gloating that he was telling me things I was afraid to know. And I don't have that understanding now…

— So what did he tell you?

— He said that he was snitching on the CCC. That the world was much more multifaceted, apparently implying that although he was a hewi, he wasn't the only hewi he was fighting for. He also said that the Mountain's influence would grow so fast that he wouldn't need the Maquis, that they would only get in the way, and that he would eventually become our main threat….

Baldy shook his head negatively once, looked a little to the side and smiled slightly, then scratching his brow a little with his fingers, said:

— Yeah, it's a shame we're missing the Jackal… His brains would come in handy right now…

So what do you think about it, Major? Will the Mountain be your main threat?

— I guess not. It won't. — Bolotnikov answered calmly and continued immediately. — I think he is the most important threat to us.

The bald man smiled slightly again:

— How's your chief of staff doing?

— That bastard is doing the best… You know better than me. If you know I'm a penalty officer, you know about him too…

— Well, I'm not gonna hide it. We helped him a little to take this place… Well, just a little…

All the way, as I understand, he made his own way. The way to the throne, that lousy louse of yours… That Khmelnitsky was too soft. Such a kind grandfather. He wouldn't hang anyone for nothing, he wouldn't send anyone he didn't want to die, he'd get them out of the cauldrons whenever he could. It's amazing, how he with such qualities, and so long survived … What a phenomenon. In our country, he would have been mixed with shit like nothing to do… Did he have a secret?

Khmelnitsky? That he used such light methods and lasted so long?

— He was. One… Fighters were brothers for him, not just anyone….

— Well, it turns out not everyone's a brother…

— Well, how can I put it? They're all brothers. But there's a lot of trouble in the family. So I found one.

— So alone. — the bald man smiled. — Would he have done anything if he'd been alone?

— I'm more than sure that without him, the others wouldn't have dared. Without him, Khmelnitsky would still be commander-in-chief…..

— Well, it's not very profitable for us… All right, let's say it's understandable… And what about Gora, what can you tell me? What does he write to you? What does he ask? What does he want?

— There was one moment… He gave us an informant… But it turned out to be the wrong one… He wrote that it was unambiguous, that no one else was suitable. But it turned out to be the wrong one… We never realized whether it was a mistake or on purpose… But I think it was on purpose.

— So who did Mr. Prefect point to?

— On Ranierov.

— Who did you take?

— Listeev. Grisha Listyev… But we didn't get him — he shot himself.

— And Ranierev is not a traitor?

— No… Leafy was the traitor.

Baldy smiled again, that very satisfied and long smile, and then said slowly:

— Understand at last, Penal Major Bolotnikov… And Zubkov should have taught you this…

That there are not many traitors….

Mercenary

Kobra looked at Bolotnikov and saw before him a beaten dog. A dog that had not only lost its master, but which that master had kicked out into the street. And the dog was left at once without a master, and without a home, and without the former happiness, which it had when possessing all

this. And the main thing is that it does not happen that after living together for so many years, the owner suddenly took and threw her out. It happens that kicked out, but it is right away, after a month or two, when they see that it is not what they expected. But when they had lived together for many years, and then to kick them out — it doesn't happen like that… But it doesn't happen like that with a dog, but it worked quite well with Bolotnikov — that was his difference.

— I'm even starting to become satisfied that I left there and didn't come back. — Bolotnikov said. He looked down at the floor with sad, drooping eyes and smiled to himself occasionally, shaking his head a little.

— And really, what are you doing there? — Cobra continued for him. — There is a lot of interesting things around. And you're attached to these maquis like a leaf to your ass… Actually, what a suitable metaphor came up.

Slouchy and his commander laughed a little, and Cobra's guards didn't even blink an eye — there were the kind of people who were no longer smiling, no longer upset, but just always on guard.

— Well, there's nothing to take from you. All that you know there has long been covered with moss, and nobody writes chronicles here, you know… Your own people don't need you — nobody will pay any ransom for you… So tell me, Major, what good are you?

— No, not at all. Even after Zubrilov became chief commander, none at all. I only hindered him … A couple of times tried to waste, but it did not work … Well, it's all clear that the matter of time … He would certainly offer me forgiveness, if I refused Khmelnitsky or, perhaps, something else like that did. But he didn't even offer it. He knew I didn't need such a fucking life… So give me your bullet in my forehead, comrade commander of the Hivi, if you don't want a bullet… If you do, hang me. I'll tie the rope myself, if you'll let me….

— That's a lot of desperation you got there, Major. Desperation… — Cobra had long ago smelled what could be used as a trump card against this man to make him play by his own rules. — I don't care about bullets… It's not a problem. But you tell me first, what else could you live for if you had the chance?

— The ideals are unrealistic. Unrealistic even… People's freedom. Where can this freedom be, anyway? Even the Maquis are at war with each other… I've seen how power is shared, even when there is not much power. But they still divide it… And they don't look at who's goals are. Who has the power to achieve what. It's nothing like that. They just divide power… And people like Khmelnitsky, who gave everything for people: his health, all his strength, even gave his post with all the powers to save my life when he saw that it was the only opportunity… Such people have no place in power, because they really want and will do something good, worthwhile for everyone else… You told me yourself. You told me right. You'd have had him thrown in the shit a long time ago. Because he's not a beast and he's not a cynical asshole. That's why they would have eaten him. That's the truth of life I finally learned. I didn't want to believe it. I thought we'd never have such a thing. That Khmelnitsky unites everyone with one spirit. That's why we can win… But I got this: a butt in the back of the head, a fine chevron and I let my commander down… Fuck such a life, where even in case of our victory, we will still be ruled by scum like Zubkov….

— So if we hadn't caught you now, you'd have hanged yourself in a day or two?

— Almost. You'd get shot and that'd be it.

— Ah. Well, good… That's good… But you can spend your life more interestingly, since you don't need it so much. For a cause, so to speak.

— What? Kill Zubkov?

— No, no, no, no, no. We don't need that. He's not bothering us at all. Why kill it? Well, you could shoot more plagues, for instance. Free someone from another mine. They're not all at the Mountain. You could do a good deed. Or don't you think freeing slaves from their chains is a good deed anyway?

Bolotnikov thought about it and seemed to calm down a bit:

— No, I think it's a good deed, either way.

— So maybe it's not time to hang yourself yet.

— Maybe it's not time… So, what, you're going to let me go run one-on-one to liberate the miners in some sector?

— Not really… You think about what you're willing to do and why. And then we'll talk.

Kobra saw the change in Bolotnikov's gaze, and that he needed time to realize his immediate future, his plans, his options. In short, everything that could be related to his own understanding of the meaning of life. At least, the one he had left… Now he would think it over. He'll have interesting ideas that he'll want to realize. And then he won't have to be persuaded. Then he'll be begging to do it all himself.

— Take him to his cell. Food, water. Don't complain about life. — Cobra commanded his subordinates and removed him.

***

In his study, Cobra was drinking tea as usual. It was stronger than usual now, though it still didn't even reach the merchant. This fortress reminded him a little of the Jackal, the same elderly Jackal who had been intercepted by the Maquis not so long ago before he was taken to the place of execution.

He had known him for a long time. Jackal was 17 years older than him and had taught him a lot. To think things through, to weigh other people's decisions, not just his own. And, most importantly, to learn from other people's mistakes, not his own. "Only fools learn from their mistakes. Smart people learn from other people's." That's what he used to say. And these words Kobra remembered many times, when, guided by this rule, got himself another's experience and eventually became one of the leading commanders of the Slavic Column's khivi. On several occasions he had helped Jackal when he'd gotten into trouble with other warlords. He was too fond of playing cards, and all sorts of cards at that. He himself was trained by a very old Dog, to whom he had bet a carton of cigarettes in his youth and quit smoking on that.

It was even original that the Dog taught something to the Jackal, and the Jackal went further up the ladder. The Jackal taught the Cobra something, and the Cobra climbed even higher. And in this arrangement of careers, the younger the participant was, the higher he climbed, and the older the participant was, the less he wanted.

And yet. What was going through his head that he decided to snitch to the C.S.C. for some reason? And what was he snitching about? Raven was the only one who knew about it and, of course, didn't tell the others. Apparently, he was not afraid that he would tell someone else, but would be satisfied with his quick execution. But the question remained — what had happened in the Jackal's head that he dared to do such a thing?

It seems that something similar to what happened in Bolotnikov's head happened to him. Some ideals died, and quite abruptly. This may be what he meant by that "multifacetedness" he said.

He didn't particularly need power — the battalion commander's position suited him just fine.

The positions where his men were stationed were also nothing special. Therefore, the reasons, apparently, lie in something external, in someone external, who wanted something from him. And it was quite possible that it was the same story that was now happening to himself… Someone, perhaps, had decided to change the hand holding the Jackal's cards?

The Jackal Battalion was now fully integrated into Raven's army. That was understandable, and no one claimed it. To think that Raven himself might have been plotting something to appropriate another unit for himself personally was unlikely. The price for such a small thing could be too high. Crow has 5 divisions, and one extra battalion, even if it is quite well trained, will not do him any good. But, if it did not work out, if he was at fault, the consequences could be serious — after all, and no one is allowed to take from their own.

So maybe it was about some of Jackal's connections among the Maquis or the miners.

Someone who was in those ranks, but was still dear to him. Maybe that's why he had to snitch to the CCC. No. That's not a possibility at all. It's ridiculous to even suggest that about him. But it doesn't change the fact that he needed something from the SCK… Or from someone who competes with the SCK.

The Jackal was always thinking strategically, ahead, far ahead. And his actions may well have had something far-reaching behind them. Which means, more likely, that he was concerned with some kind of balance of power that he sought to change… Too few inputs. To understand the reasons for his actions, you'd have to dig further into the CCC, and what on the chiwi side of things you can know…

Tarantula entered the office. His eyes were still the same as before, confident and steady, but there was a new light in them. Obviously, new ideas and accomplishments, which he was preparing to realize in his field.

— Some tea, Señor Tarantula? — Cobra asked.

— Chayku, Señor Cobra. — replied Tarantula.

Cobra finished his mug, rose, poured himself and another mug of tea almost to the brim, and took it to Tarantula:

— To a dear guest from the master's hands.

Then he sat down again on his commanding chair in the presidium and looked up at the ceiling and continued:

— And what will our dear guest say about his patron's future plans now?

— Strengthen, expand. Just like it was.

— I've got an idea for a way to really expand… New sectors. Your bullet's all about what's underground. I'll take what's on the surface. Do you think he'd like that?

— To my heart's content. Of course.

Cobra unfolded the map, which was full of markings of all sorts: triangles, squares, circles, bold dots, crosses, lines.

— Here's a summary. Next to the Yekaterinoslav-Kremenchug grouping, where your patron has no influence. But there are actually 5 sectors there, including 3 mines and 2 underground metallurgical plants. And they are guarded not to say that much… Here if the Maquis captured, for example, a couple of them, we could win them back. And I have no doubt that, given the current confrontation between the SCK and the Inquisition, the former will have every chance to secure these territories as autonomies for themselves, assigning internal management to your patron, who, as I heard the other day here, has taken faith in Black Stone and, so he said, baptized all the miners there…

— It's true. He did convert all the miners to the plague faith… Nominally.

— That's what I'm really curious about… How does he do that? You know, we've been around a long time with a lot of rights and powers. Practically on par with the plagues, and lately we've been outnumbering them when it comes to serious clashes with the Maquis, but it never occurred to us. And he's basically fraternizing with the plagues. He's not a plague, but he's already like one of their own. And I'm more surprised the plagues didn't say no to that.

Tarantula grinned slightly, sipped some tea, and replied:

— Just one plague is enough to do it. Just one right plague. And that's if it's the Metropolitan, he'll definitely be enough… My patron is a great judge of character. And plagues. You may have noticed.

— How could I not notice…" Cobra waved his hands.

— And the Metropolitan who was our guest recently… Not the one who stayed on as a guest. But the one who was. Guzokh. So, he was so upset that the faith of the Chumas is dying out. That its future was in jeopardy. That the plagues had stopped believing in the Black Stone. That they don't understand the power it gives them… And that things need to change… My patron was very good at this "need to change" thing, and he came up with his own solution. Increase the number of adepts, and very loyal ones, at the expense of the miners. Guzokh couldn't refuse. After all, first of all, they are his, conditionally speaking, "parishioners"…..

— Interesting, interesting, interesting… Maybe we should practice this kind of thing too…..

— Join our club. But, you know, that's more of a disadvantage to you. They're practicing those penance weeks over there. We don't have people snitching on each other, but you, given the recent news with Bravo….

— Yes, there will be those who are willing. — grinned Cobra. — But there will be no more goodies… By the way, about the Black Stone. What does he now give the plagues? I ask everyone from time to time, and no one knows anything. They only know what it gave them before. And now? Now it turns out that no one knows.

— I'll tell you more — they don't know the plague themselves. And they ask each other about it. And nobody knows. That's where the churchmen started to have such problems, and that's where the roots of this whole conflict with BCC grow. The plagues do not see anything mystical in the Black Stone, which means that the Church is nothing and there is no need to be afraid of it. That's why they became so tinny with this inquisition and plagues like Samoh appeared, who burns his own people on the bonfires for an extra word that came out at the wrong time.

— Heard that story. — Cobra grinned. — I wish I had more details. But, however, the meaning is clear… And you're making a good point, Señor Tarantula. So you think the idea of capturing a couple of sectors and then involving the SCK is a good idea.