Ivan stretched himself until his joints creaked, exposing his face to the last warm rays of the setting sun. He breathed in deeply the scent of the nearby forest.
Such beauty Everything suits me just fine. It's just not clear why our valiant intelligence service needs us when there are such a lot of wolfhounds around! Remember yesterday, on the obstacle course, that healthy one from the fourth platoon? Both agility and stamina! How he, after ten kilometers of cross-country running, pinned Mikolaichuk to the mat! Such power! Hooking, grabbing, strangling, everything in a few seconds! And what are we?
What are we? Andrey asked, still calm. His attention was riveted to the float, which suddenly came across the still water in a gambling dance and froze again. The Cat trains us according to his special program.
Yes, the program, spat Sarmatov. Dialectology, geography, chemistry and physics. I thought I would at least shoot a bit. There isnt even a shooting gallery session on the schedule, never mind the actual shooting range. Look, look how those cadets are doing their best! Theyre so soaked, you can throw away their t-shirts tonight! And here we sit as if preparing for a school Olympiad, scribbling notes.
Andrey climbed backward up the slope, bouncing as he went along. At the same time, he pulled the line out of the water. A limp strip of duckweed nestled on the empty hook.
Thats the last time I believe anyone about fishing spots, he muttered, winding the line onto the reel and fixing it on the rod. Here, Vanya, I dont understand your displeasure. After all, as far as I remember, no one dragged you here by your ears, did they? So why are you getting snotty now? Havent changed your mind, have you?
Ivan also got up, brushed the grassy dirt off his pants, straightened his shirt.
Not really, my friend Tom. You shouldnt hold your breath for that. My father cant lure me back, even with a fattened calf. Hes so convinced what he knows about life is right, his preachy morals will make your head explode.
You are too hard on him, Skiff, he only wants the best for you.
I wish Well, its my business. And as for our training, I will confront the Cat, so to speak, and let him explain why the country needs two halfwits like us. Tonight, during our free time. Okay, let's go. Our break is just about over. Evening formation is coming soon.
The friends reeled up the rest of the fishing rods, scattered on the grass of the embankment, and headed towards the nearby forest. Behind the dark canvas of trees, it was impossible to see the high concrete wall of Special School 1.
Immediately after dinner, Ivan found the Cat, as he had promised he would, in the echoing vaulted corridors of the school and blocked his way:
Allow me to appeal to you, Comrade Major of State Security!
Kotov grinned into his mustache:
Proceed, cadet Skiff.
Cadet Fomenko and I Cadet Tom would like to clarify some aspects of our training. Do you have time for a short private conversation?
Kotov shrugged his shoulders:
Why not? Do you have any special events scheduled for the evening?
No, everything is according to the general schedule: free time until lights out.
Fine! So, come to the red corner at quarter after eight tonight, and well chat about this and that. Dismissed, cadet Skiff.
Ivan clicked his heels and, turning around smartly, went in search of Andrey. Kotov looked after him slyly. Well, at least all is well with the statutory appeals of the glorious academicians son. But how it all began
A group of newly minted cadets was jogging along the path to the top of a lonely hill on which stood some rare birches. Kotov stood in the shadow of one of them, hiding from the scorching rays of the July sun, and watched the stopwatch in his hand. When the last fighter almost crawled to the top of the hill, the major cut off the control time with a sharp wave of his hand and ordered:
Group stop! Five minutes rest.
The cadets, soaked in sweat, fell into shapeless heaps on the grass, not even bothering to throw off the rolls of their greatcoats from their shoulders. Reinforced by the bitter experience of past marches, only their submachine guns did not slip from their trembling hands.
Captain Kasatkin, responsible for the general physical training of the first-year reconnaissance cadets, grinned to himself. A ten-kilometer cross-country run in full gear was a pleasure for an already perfectly trained fighter. He could not say the same for these unfinished ones, as the captain referred to them with a combination of irony and contempt.
Obviously, this is where the board vetted the candidates by their physical condition. They gave preference to individual sportsmen in the kinds of sports that fit the profile: boxers, wrestlers, shooters, pentathletes, and other athletes. However, in the physical training of the future scout, participation in any sport was only beneficial. Yet even the athletes at first succumbed to the load that fell on them in their first month of training. The instructors did not distinguish between them and those who, in civilian life, only accepted sports in a contemplative form. From the stands of the stadiums, as it were. The reasoning at the school and not without reason was that of hard in training easy in battle and was the principle that most regularly guided this Suvorov school. As a rule, this approach was borne out by experience in the real world. In any case, with physical training, the same Captain Kasatkin held the opinion that Its better to be too naked than to be too small. The leadership was in full agreement with this and gave this sadist and fanatic, as most of the cadets considered him, carte blanche in everything.
Kotov slipped the stopwatch into the pocket of his wide riding breeches and stepped out of the shadows:
Skiff, Tom to me!
Two cadets jumped up with the speed possible after such a strenuous march and ran up to him, stretched out into the front.
Youre still three kilometers away from that hillock. Hill 236 on the map. Off you go! Clocks ticking!
The guys looked at each other, and gritting their teeth, set off in the direction indicated. Kasatkin, who arrived in time to hear this, looked mockingly at the major.
Why are you torturing those kids, Cat?
The major chuckled:
Better me than the sadists from the enemy counterintelligence Or do you disagree, Captain?
Well, Im all for it, Kasatkin said, though he was confused. Only the standards apply to everyone, and youre working this pair to death
They are not everyone, the major said nonchalantly and, having saluted the captain, set off after his soldiers. The captain shrugged.
As you say, Comrade Major, as you say Tokmo rarely escaped from death on foot
And neither from me, said Kotov, showing off his amazing hearing to his confused subordinate without turning around. Get your men on their feet and get to the hill.
It was like that about a month and a half ago. Today, such crosses are childish compared to what they had to experience and learn in such a short time. These two, undergoing special training through an accelerated course, showed amazing results in all disciplines. The major was glad that he had chosen the correct candidates. It was he who suggested recruiting not yesterday's schoolchildren or demobilized conscripts, but graduates from specialized universities who had received excellent knowledge of the disciplines necessary for their future assignments. And athletes at that, of course.
And this doctrine of choice justified itself. Skiff and Tom have already passed subjects that were taught to ordinary cadets at the end of the second and third years of the special school. Their academic higher education and the general level of erudition stood these recent Moscow students in good stead.
They had no need for actual combat experience in the upcoming assignment, despite the selection committees recent emphasis on it. They will become representatives of intelligence on a qualitatively new level intellectual, scientific, technological. The current situation posed these challenges, and they had to be met.
At a quarter after eight, both cadets showed up at the door of the red corner. Ivan glanced at Andrey and pushed the shutter aside and looked inside.
May we?
The major sat in the far corner of a vast room filled with straight rows of folding chairs, like in movie theaters. At a small stage, Kotov had set a table and settled down beside it. Two more chairs were empty, waiting for the cadets.
Come in, cadets. Come in, have a seat. As I understand it, this might be a long conversation. But as my grandmother used to say, there is no truth in ones legs.
Yesterday's students did not hesitate, taking their places opposite the major. He looked them over with a calm gaze.
Should I start, or will you explain the essence of the problem yourselves?
Ivan breathed in and started:
Comrade Major
Sergey Vladimirovich, Kotov interrupted him quietly.
What?
No ranks here, Vanya, so call me by my first name and patronymic, okay?
Yes, comrade Sergey Vladimirovich. In general, wed like to understand what moral and professional qualities separated us from millions of our compatriots? And why are we not allowed to spend most of our free time with the other cadets, instead having to sit in our rooms? Well, something along that vein
Ivan looked back at Andrey for support, but he just nodded. Kotov looked at their frowning faces and burst out laughing. The youths looked at each other again, and now Andrey asked:
Was that not the right way to put it?
Kotov shook his head, then raised his palms, soothing them.
No, not at all Everythings in order. It's just no ones ever asked that within these walls since the founding of this charitable institution. As you may have noticed, in general here, it is not customary to ask questions. But I understand you: this is the Suvorov style. Every soldier must know his own maneuver That's right, only in this case, a soldier must also think like a commander. I'm not talking about the army now, but about intelligence specifically. In our case, excessive knowledge is a burden, and therefore, our cadets learn about their assignments at the very last moment. But in your case, everything is different, and you felt it. Why?
After a pause and noting the increased attention of the cadets, the major continued:
Because you really are special. There are several reasons for this. To start with, you were the first to come here not from the army, but after graduating with university diplomas. This provided a certain intellectual starting level and set a new bar. Second, what you have to do is fundamentally different from most of the tasks that graduates of this institution usually face
The country of the language were studying, Ivan muttered. He remembered a conversation in the dean's office of his alma mater, that had suddenly seemed so long ago, as if from another life. Kotov heard this and nodded.
Youve almost guessed that right, although here only every first person becomes an illegal. But thats not the point right now. Let me try to explain it in a simpler way
Just try your best, comrade Cat We hope we are clever enough to understand, Andrey said, inserting his two cents with maximum irony and winking at his friend. The major, however, did not hold with the cadet's humorous tone.
The task the Party and the Soviet Government set before the three of us is extraordinary. Ordinary operators cant pull it off, even those with extensive experience working abroad. Ill clarify the situation as best Im able to.
He got up, tugged at his shirt, straightening its folds under the belt of the harness on his back, and went to the window. He tore open the heavy, dark-brown velvet curtains. The August evening was slowly dying behind the large glass panes.
I want to make it clear, right away, he said over his shoulder, that tonight's conversation does not fit into the framework of your training course and is purely private
Why Ivan began, but Kotov cut him off sharply:
Dont interrupt, Skiff. All in good time. I wont dwell on the details. Ill just brief you on the state of world politics and the situation surrounding the upcoming tasks. Youve already realized, Ivan, that youre going to act in Argentina. Tomorrow youll begin studying the features of this Latin American country. Its geography, climate, economy and political system. In the immediate post-war years, our intelligence mostly engaged in counter-espionage. We lost some of its positions on the world stage. In Latin America, especially, we werent always strong.
After the Second World War, the Americans firmly settled there. This is unsurprising Uncle Sam has always sought to warm his thieving paws on the wealth of others, and Latin America is oh-so-generous with its resources! However, we arent interested in these countries minerals. Were looking for certain people, war criminals, hiding something from the world that is very important and no less dangerous for us and our country if it falls into enemy hands. When we find these people, we will have to determine on the spot the importance of what they have. Based on our findings, the Center will decide what to do with them.
That much is clear
Andrey shifted impatiently on the uncomfortable wooden seat. Kotovs face showed nothing but polite attention.
Our question remains: why us?
The major was silent for a while, chewing his lips thoughtfully, as if trying out the taste and shape of his response first. Then he shook his head.
Honestly, guys, it wasnt my idea. The heads are quite a bit smarter. But in a nutshell The idea is to attract the most educated people for the work, whom a future adversary would in no way be able to connect with our intelligence agencies. That is why we based your training on individual plans with minimal contact with the other cadets and teachers.
And were alone, just like that? Ivan asked with the most innocent look. Andrey looked at him in surprise, and Kotov only grunted respectfully. But he answered:
No, young man, far from it Our intelligence would be good if we left it to chance: even or odd, hit or miss. History knows no subjunctive moods, and intelligence abhors accidents. Well, at least when we can avoid them as much as possible. Other groups are also preparing. And the most prepared contingent will go on a mission, believe me So, as the leader of the world Revolution, Comrade Lenin used to say, study, study and study again! For now, I can only say that at this stage, you are number one. The rest is up to you. Go for it
September 14, 1950
16:20
Special Object of the MGB: 101st School
Pavel Anatolyevich Sudoplatov threw open the curtains in the study and froze for a second. Fiery September came into its own outside the walls of the building. The crimson of fall enveloped the suburbs, and the forests stood in their colorful splendor, but the sun was baking with summer-like heat, and several muscular guys in shorts and t-shirts were chasing the ball on the football ground.
Sudoplatov turned around and looked at the cadets, frozen in attentive anticipation. Skiff and Tom each took a desk in the first row. Their notes were closed, it even seemed they both were holding their breaths. Sitting in the gallery the back row Kotov grinned at something through his mustache.