Struggle. Retribution in the Twilight
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Still, it was time to see what was near the sector. This time the Major moved more cautiously, and several times he spotted hives in secluded places, carefully avoided them, and continued on toward the main administration building. It was getting closer and closer. The moonlit night perfectly illuminated the outlines and some silhouettes of the moving objects around the largest structure.
Finally, he was ready to look through the binoculars with full confidence that he would find the plague, when he noticed that the binoculars were broken. On the one hand it was broken, and on the other, apparently, the lens inside was deformed, because when he tried to look through it, only darkness appeared. This is not good. It had all started to go wrong somehow, back when he'd been taken captive for a few minutes by that slouchy guy. It would be dangerous to come any closer right now – he'd be in plain sight as he approached the mesh fence that enclosed the sector from the rest of the world. And there's a way back. And all this for what? Just to see? No, it's too risky.
Bolotnikov looked a little more at the silhouettes in the distance, tried to recognize them as plagues rather than people, more inclined to believe that they were plagues. And moved back. At least there was still a bound slouch who could still tell something. At least he should know something about the plagues – are they still in the administration with Ananhr, or is it just the people led by the Mountain?
Although, of course, it should be recognized that Zubrilov was already right about something. After all, now he met first of all the hewis, not the plagues. And even if they guard only the outer perimeter, it does not cancel the fact that people are already involved in all this. The hewi are covering for the prefect. That's a fact. And there's more than enough of them around. Then it's just a question of the speed at which their relations with each other will gain momentum… The two companies that were here and ambushed the railroad trains were also eliminated by the Hiwis. And the speed with which they did it may well indicate that Gora helped them in some way… He's no longer in alliance with us. He's at best playing a part, and at worst he's actually part of the plague empire, not going to do anything about it because he's already happy with it. Here are two possibilities, and one is cooler than the other.....
Bolotnikov in such thoughts finally reached the place where he had left the bound stooped man only 30 minutes ago. Or did he think this was the place? No, it looked like that, and even there was a shoelace lying there… He came closer, bent down and there was a long shoelace from his shoe....
– You fucking ace of diamonds…" he heard from behind, and the major immediately lost consciousness.
***
– Penalty Major Bolotnikov…" he heard from somewhere far away, and the rebel opened his eyes. He felt the cold steel on his hands, and the fact that he was chained to the wall with his hands tightened behind his back. The room was quite dark, but there were two men in front of him of good visibility.
– You see, he woke up right away. – he said to the stooped man who had just stood next to
him.
–
Where did you put my debt notebook? – The slouchy one asked at once.
Bolotnikov blinked and honestly tried to remember which way he'd thrown it back after
looking at it, but failed:
– I don't remember. I threw it away.
– Fucking somewhere…" the slouching man grumbled, but it was even a little odd that he wasn't as upset as he was supposed to be at such a loss. – What do you need it for, anyway? You looked at it, saw that it was nothing interesting, and put it back… Or did you see your debts there?
– My debts are not here…" the Major replied somehow sadly.
– We know that without you… Okay, we've been talking too much… – said the first, and apparently the main one of them. – Tell us why you came to us. Did you want to kill someone? Blow up what? With what? Who else knows you're here? Where are you from?
– I came to see the plagues, that's why I'm here.
– Chumov? You know, kill whoever you want. Ananhr?
– No… Not to kill. Looked at the chums. The two chiwis laughed a little.
– There's no arguing about taste. – said the slouchy one to his commander.
– Well? Did you see it? – asked the chief.
– I don't know. It was far away… I wanted to see that they were guarding something here.
Not just the chiwis. It hurts us to think that the Mountain is no longer our ally, but the chiwis'. And the more plagues I saw, the less doubt I'd have about the Mountain… And I didn't see any plagues....
Bolotnikov began to understand the Jackal, whom he himself had interrogated. He held himself in a completely different way than he did now. He held himself firmly, confidently, without regret. Even though he told him what he knew, he did it without fearing anything. But now he was very embarrassed that he was not even under torture to tell everything like that… But he could not help it. He didn't fully feel like a Maquis anymore. Not only was he a penalty, but those Maquis who were not penalized were not his friends in most cases… On the other hand, what could he hide? He has no combat data for a long time, plans and guidelines of the Maquis command, too. The fact that Detachment 14 is now in Severodonetsk in most of its composition is probably not a secret for anyone for two months already. So what's he got to hide? Given that they all recognize him so easily, including the fact that he's a "penalty officer", it's more likely that they can tell him something new, rather than he can tell them....
– So upset, then… Is that all you came here for? – The chief asked.
– Anyway, yeah… Maybe the tongue was thinking of taking it and questioning it… Well, it didn't quite work out....
– Yeah, not really… I'd beat you up, you know, for nothing… The fact that you don't know shit is written all over your forehead. Not to mention the fact that you can be trusted with penalties… But someone wants to talk to you now, and this someone doesn't like to be tortured for no reason… When he gives the command, then we'll do it. Until then, no. – The chief waved his index finger negatively from side to side a couple of times and finished his tirade, probably because he heard the sound of footsteps from afar, which Bolotnikov now heard as well.
A moment later, the man they had been waiting for appeared. With a guard, of course. He was a very cunning-looking officer without epaulettes, with a shaved head. His eyes were definitely very intelligent, and when he looked at the major, it seemed as if he could see right through him.
– They say you interrogated the Jackal, comrade Bolotnikov. – came closer and said the bald
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.
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