Free Web NovelI was preparing to depart for the Kremlin to meet Putin.
A neat knock sounded, and Manager Ma stepped into the bedroom.
“Boss, a call from Chief of Staff Medvedev. What should I do?”
“From Medvedev? Put him through.”
I picked up the phone at my side. From the receiver came Medvedev’s calm, steady voice.
— President Kim Muhyuk.
“Chief Medvedev. We’ll be seeing each other soon at the Kremlin, yet you’ve already called.”
— That is precisely why I called. Putin wishes to meet elsewhere. He says the Kremlin isn’t the best place for such a conversation.
Uncomfortable at the Kremlin, is it. Clearly he intended something more private.
“Is that so? Then where shall I go?”
— Thank you for understanding. My men will arrive shortly. Follow them.
Before hanging up, Medvedev added in a hushed tone.
— Bring only one attendant.
“Only one?”
— Yes.
“Understood.”
— Then I’ll see you shortly.
Lowering the receiver, I turned to Manager Ma standing before me.
“Manager, call Igor.”
“Yes, understood.”
Soon Igor entered, summoned.
“Igor, have all the mercenaries take the day off.”
“What? And your security, Boss?”
“The Kremlin will send their own men. They asked I bring only one aide. I’ll take Manager Ma and go.”
Hearing there would be no guards, Igor’s face showed confusion. But since it was at the Kremlin’s request, he nodded.
As he turned to leave, I called him back.
“Igor.”
“Yes, Boss?”
“Have you made contact with the mafia bosses?”
“Apologies. No progress yet.”
Even with Black Bear’s intel team involved, they had yet to reach them—clearly a problem.
Raising a brow, I asked again.
“They’re not in Moscow?”
“No. They used to operate here, but once they realized their terror plan was exposed, they vanished. For now I left word with their men: meet and clear up the misunderstanding.”
“Is that so. What about Mogilevich’s movements?”
“He’s looking for Ivankov and Usoyan as well.”
Seems the foxes were irritated at others strutting about their turf.
I let out a faint laugh and continued issuing orders.
“Keep monitoring Mogilevich’s moves. We must make contact with them first. If Mogilevich shows signs of trying to eliminate them, then help them.”
“...Boss, that means war with half the Moscow mafia.”
“I don’t care. Do it.”
At my firm answer, Igor had no more to add.
“Understood.”
“But don’t attack Mogilevich directly. First we need to confirm whether he truly has nuclear weapons.”
“Yes, I’ll carry out your order.”
“Go, then.”
At my dismissal, Igor bowed once more and left.
I sat on the bed, removed my jacket, and laid it beside me.
“Manager, do you believe it? An individual holding nuclear weapons? It sounds absurd no matter how I think of it. If such a thing reached a terrorist group like Al-Qaeda, it would be catastrophic.”
“Perhaps it’s just a rumor, Boss?”
The weight of the word nuclear weapon carried far more than expected. I sighed and shook my head.
“Igor knows the Soviet military’s state back then better than us. If he judged so, it’s likely true.”
“Even so, could management really have been that lax?”
Under normal circumstances, impossible. But in the chaos of the Soviet collapse, entirely plausible.
“When the Soviet Union collapsed, much heavy weaponry did enter the black market. Smuggling out a few nukes wouldn’t have been hard.”
“I contacted Black Bear headquarters too. Told them to dig into it.”
“Good. For now, let’s proceed on the assumption Mogilevich does have them.”
While Manager Ma and I discussed Mogilevich, men from the Kremlin arrived.
“We’ll escort you.”
The man who greeted me was none other than the Deputy Director of the Presidential Security Service.
Smiling warmly, he extended his hand.
“The Deputy Director himself?”
“Yes. The President ordered me personally.”
After our handshake, he opened the car door for me.
Once I was inside, the door shut, and he sat in the passenger seat.
Through the window I glimpsed Manager Ma speaking with another Russian agent. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
“What about Manager Ma?”
“He’ll ride in another car.”
“Is that so. Fine.”
“Then let’s go.”
The car moved off slowly. Instead of heading into Moscow, it took the opposite direction.
“Where are we going?”
“The President is at his private villa.”
An hour’s drive later, distant lights appeared, a faint building shining through thick forest.
“That place?”
“Yes.”
As we arrived, the villa gates swung open. Past them we drove down forest paths until we finally reached the villa itself.
From another car Manager Ma got out first and opened my door.
“Go inside, Boss. I stop here.”
The Deputy Director accompanied me to the entrance and opened the door.
“Thank you. Until next time.”
Inside, Medvedev greeted me.
“President Kim.”
“Chief Medvedev.”
“Seeing you so often is a pleasure. Come, Putin awaits.”
Smiling affably, he led me to Putin’s office.
“Manager Ma will wait here. That’s all right, yes, President Kim?”
Clearly a private conversation was intended.
Manager Ma waited outside while I entered with Medvedev. Yet Putin was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is the President?”
“Ha, this way.”
He led me to a hidden door inside the office. Beyond lay a small room with a sofa, table, and bed.
Inside, Putin sat swirling a glass of vodka.
“Muhyuk, welcome.”
Spotting me, Putin stood and approached with a booming laugh.
“Yes, President. It’s been a while.”
“Between us, no need for titles. Call me Putin.”
Perhaps feeling guilty, he was unusually friendly. I smiled faintly.
Even so, I knew I could never treat him casually.
“Come, let’s talk.”
Sensing my smile, he merely patted my °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° shoulder and guided me to the sofa.
“Medvedev, from now on no interruptions unless war breaks out. Understood?”
“Yes. Call if you need anything.”
Medvedev bowed lightly and left.
“Here, a drink.”
As the door shut, Putin lifted a bottle and poured. I raised a glass.
We sipped vodka, spoke of recent matters, traded glasses several times.
When the drink warmed us, Putin broached Pyongyang.
“About that matter in Pyongyang, I apologize. Truly, I didn’t know. If I had, I’d never have allowed it.”
“Of course, I didn’t think you had known. But too dangerous an incident to simply overlook.” fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
“All involved have been sent to Berezovsky’s wing. So I hope you’ll forgive.”
If even Putin apologized, there was no reason to press.
“There’s nothing to forgive. I never thought you sought my death. Only that something happened beyond your knowledge, and that worries me.”
“Foreign Intelligence had been running an op long before. They knew you were in Pyongyang and still went ahead. You know why, don’t you?”
“Retaliation for the Ivanov case.”
Putin nodded slightly, distaste flickering across his face.
“They thought once I became President, all power was theirs. Then Ivanov died, and none dared step forward. They ground their teeth. Learning you’d be in Pyongyang, they chose that day as D-day.”
If I died, all the better. If not, it still didn’t matter. Shaking the North was their goal.
“They’ll never leave prison alive.”
“That’s enough.”
The Putin I knew never apologized to anyone. For him to do so meant he considered me a true friend.
Better not to dwell. Smiling, I raised my glass.
“A toast.”
“Good.”
Our glasses clinked.
After another sip, Putin asked:
“But why meet Mogilevich?”
“I offered him a business deal.”
“Business?”
I briefly outlined my plan.
“Ha! This is hilarious. A mafia war in Japan? The Japanese government will have headaches.”
He burst into hearty laughter.
“I even thought to involve Russian mafia. But Mogilevich refused. Said he’d profit more just selling weapons to both sides. Clever. With just a tidbit of intel I gave him, he instantly found the path to profit.”
“If only those mafia bastards here could be cut down. They hold thirty percent of Russia’s economy. That’s why I haven’t finished the war against them.”
Putin rubbed his chin, speaking of the mafia problem.
Listening, I set down my glass and asked gravely:
“Putin, does Mogilevich truly possess nuclear weapons? My Black Bear branch chief in Russia believes it likely.”
“I’ve heard the rumors too. I ordered the FSB to investigate. No proof yet, but credible. When the Union collapsed, several warheads vanished.”
The chance Mogilevich had nukes grew disturbingly real.
Even knowing Putin spoke truth, I asked again.
“You mean actual nuclear warheads disappeared?”
He downed his vodka in one gulp and nodded bitterly.
“Three warheads. And none ever recovered.”
“What... how could that be...”
Unable to finish, I faltered. Putin gave a wry smile.
“It was that chaotic. Even I had no idea what to do. Only after becoming President did I learn. I tell you because I trust you as a friend. Even in Russia, almost no one knows.”
“No wonder—it’s better this never spreads. But is there no trail? No rumor, no lead?”
“FSB and SVR scoured everything. Still nothing. At best, one warhead is suspected to have gone to North Korea. Even that is uncertain.”
The word North Korea snapped me alert.
“North Korea?”
“Yes. Evidence suggested Kim Il-sung’s slush funds flowed here then. But it proves nothing. When I asked Kim Jongil last time, he claimed ignorance. But could he truly not know? Kim Il-sung was already a puppet.”
Muttering, Putin refilled his glass.
I could think only of North Korea and those warheads.
At last, I forced words.
“If a complete warhead is in North Korean hands, this is no small matter. Developing nukes could take years, but with Soviet-made warheads already in hand...”
“Seoul would be ash.”
Putin’s flat words echoed in my ears.
