The Blood of Patriots and Traitors by James A. Scott

Author:James A. Scott [Scott, James A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

Sunday, 8 a.m.

Deputy Minister’s Office, Moscow

THE AMBUSH WAS in place for General Orlov, Zabluda’s boss, when he entered the ornate office. He arrived a few minutes early, but the three men in chairs clustered around the deputy minister’s desk had been there long enough for cigarette butts to have collected in the ashtrays at their feet. Orlov noticed a magazine spread open over the deputy’s phone console. He saw the red light that indicated the intercom was on reflected in the glass covering a photograph behind the deputy’s desk. Someone not in the room was interested and listening.

Orlov greeted the deputy with a simple, “Minister,” and sat in the empty chair. Of the other three men in the semicircle facing the deputy, two were generals and one was a civilian whom Orlov did not know and was not introduced. The generals represented the GRU—military intelligence—and the SVR—foreign intelligence.

Orlov, the FSB representative, smiled at his colleagues and observed, “GRU, SVR, and FSB. The organs of state security are assembled. Whose organs are we going after today?”

“Your humor is misplaced, General,” replied the deputy. “Your Colonel Zabluda had quite a time last night, commandeering a helicopter, bullying the highway patrol and border guards to do his bidding. Roadblocks, border crossings reenforced or closed, to what end? We have four dead highway patrolmen, five dead border guards, a patrol boat at the bottom of Lake Pskov, a border violation with the Estonians, and Maxwell Geller escaped. Tell us what happened.”

Orlov replied, “With respect, Minister, everyone here”—he looked at the unknown civilian—“almost everyone here knows that Lieutenant Colonel Zabluda is not my Colonel Zabluda. He is a GRU assassin transferred to me at the FSB for rehabilitation after missteps in the field. I was ordered to give him meaningful work and evaluate his capabilities.”

The deputy minister pressed his lips together in a gesture of impatience.

Orlov continued. “Zabluda was engaged in that meaningful work last night, as senior on-call officer. An informant observed CIA agent Maxwell Geller at an apartment in the Voykovsky District and reported the incident to FSB headquarters. Zabluda was notified and initiated those actions with the highway patrol and border guards, which were entirely appropriate.”

“Except that Geller got away,” observed the deputy minister, with a sneer.

“That is correct,” replied Orlov. “This is the second time in two years that Geller has roamed Moscow and eluded Zabluda. It appears that the GRU’s best assassin is no match for him.”

“Which brings us to the next subject. Why is Colonel Zabluda asking questions about Colonel Alexi Petrov at the Ministry of Defense?”

“He’s doing so at my direction. Colonel Petrov was frequently observed in the company of an FSB officer suspected of spying for the CIA. I directed my staff to follow up on everyone having repeated contacts with the suspect.”

The GRU general said, “Petrov is a military officer. Why didn’t you inform us?”

“There was no reason to inform the GRU,” replied Orlov. “I have no evidence that Petrov is involved in espionage. Why

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