Answering God's Call - Chapter 22

She had lived a life where even a few seconds into the future couldn’t be guaranteed, like when she had encountered the improvised explosive and grenade at Rebecca West’s house, or when mercenaries had chased after them. Still, she had always moved within a certain structured framework.

Tatyana bit down on her lip as she stared at the man trying to break that solid framework and force his way in. Meeting her gaze, Ruslan tilted his head and muttered as if to himself.

“Relax your expression. Yesterday, I even took my shirt off and showed you everything underneath, so what’s the big deal about revealing one secret?”

“….”

Should I kill him? Seriously…?

It had been like this since yesterday. Just when her anger started to rise, his ridiculous words drained all the strength out of her. His tone remained light and careless the whole time, but Tatyana couldn’t bring herself to push back with the same boldness and say fine, go ahead and try it. If she said the wrong thing, he looked like the kind of man who would happily drop his trousers and show the rest of what was underneath.

How did I end up getting involved with someone like this….

Tatyana shook her head as if she was sick of it. Suddenly, she thought that if someone really remembered everything they had seen, heard, and felt, then they would be forced to carry even the memories they wanted to forget.

That would be a bit painful.

Another question followed and brushed past her mind, but Tatyana shook her head and erased it. Her eyes sparkled again as she focused on the list of front businesses Ruslan had written down. Thanks to that, they had saved a considerable amount of time.

There was nothing more important than narrowing the gap created by those chasing them.

Comparing Ruslan’s notes and the map, Tatyana tapped the second checkpoint in Vandenberg as if marking it. After surveying the area around the checkpoint and the outskirts of Vandenberg as if looking down from a spire, she swiftly crossed out several of the circles Ruslan had drawn.

“…Not here, here, or here either.”

“Why?”

“Looking at the time Samuel Gilmore passed through the checkpoint, there’s a high chance he was moving together with Natalia.”

Using the names of dead parents that would be exposed immediately, and moving the moment Ruslan and Tatyana barely escaped the explosion as if gauging the situation… just how urgent must it have been?

“They won’t use any front businesses or safe houses currently in operation by Lytton or Lubyanka. They’re on the run from us, and if this isn’t something authorized by Lubyanka, they can’t use locations managed by Military Intelligence or the Military Intelligence Directorate.”

In that case, they might as well turn themselves in.

At Tatyana’s words, Ruslan nodded and, after refilling the ink in his fountain pen, crossed out more of the circled locations.

“Gilmore is in finance and administration, so he’ll hide himself and leave the escape to Makarov. In that case….”

Assuming they moved in the direction after passing through Checkpoint Two, excluding currently operating front businesses and safe houses, and also excluding places no longer in use but once under Military Intelligence control….

As they eliminated unlikely locations one by one, Tatyana chose a single point and tapped it.

“Here. Cherbo Laundry.”

It was one of the establishments that had shut down all at once after its identity was exposed, when Tatyana handed over Lubyanka’s list of illegal agents, front businesses, and safe houses to Military Intelligence the winter before last.

“Front businesses used as laundries by Lubyanka also had makeshift storage as well as darkrooms. This place will too. They need to develop the stolen intelligence into photographs.”

As with most agents, when they could access documents and materials but couldn’t take them out, they would photograph everything with a camera and hand over the film or printed photos.

“Are you sure?”

After checking the laundry marked on the map and its surroundings, Ruslan asked. It wasn’t that he doubted her opinion, but he seemed to want to hear more explanation. Tatyana nodded firmly and continued, tapping the laundry repeatedly.

“Whoever is leading this, if it’s something even Lubyanka doesn’t know about, then the purpose is obvious. They plan to sell it for money. The reason Mrs. Nicole Gilmore suspected her husband’s affair was because his spending suddenly increased.”

She believed the same reason applied to why the deceased Jennifer Fleming had been investigating Samuel Gilmore.

A staff member in finance, the department that manages budgets and operational funds, suddenly starts acting differently. Of course they would suspect embezzlement or treason such as leaking classified information and making illicit deals through it. So they followed him, and likely discovered something genuinely suspicious.

She hadn’t yet received the data on Samuel Gilmore’s finances and changes in his spending, but given how far things had gone, the source of that suspicious money was as obvious as its purpose.

“…They can’t hand over the goods before receiving payment, so to show even a little of what kind of classified information it is, they’ll have to develop at least a few prints. Considering everything, there’s no place more suitable than this laundry.”

Tatyana’s confident gaze sparkled as if it had caught the sunlight. Ruslan gave her face a brief glance, then checked the map before looking back at her.

“If they pass through Checkpoint Two here, they’ll be close to the capital, Birmingham. In Birmingham….”

“All the embassies of each country are gathered there.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Just as staff working in embassies and consulates walk around exercising diplomatic immunity as if they are outside the law, embassy grounds themselves are representative extraterritorial zones where, even though they are built on Lytton soil, Lytton law cannot be applied.

“If something goes wrong and they can’t get paid, or if they’re being chased by us and have nowhere left to retreat, they could go to the Lubyanka embassy and request protection. Especially if they have the classified material we suspect.”

Tatyana nodded in agreement with Ruslan’s words.

As Svetlana and Military Intelligence assumed, if they truly possessed the list of Cherkubo survivors seeking asylum and the list of Military Intelligence Directorate officials, then even if it was something done personally without government approval, Lubyanka would surely welcome it.

She truly hoped Gilmore and Makarov had that list and materials related to the Cherkubo Gulag, but she didn’t want it to fall into Lubyanka’s hands. The moment either of them stepped into an extraterritorial zone, there would be nothing Tatyana could do. Even if Lubyanka became able to intervene and Svetlana took action, there was no guarantee it would work out.

As her thoughts reached that point, this time real urgency rose in her heart. Even though they had significantly closed the gap thanks to Ruslan and his absurd memory, she couldn’t feel at ease.

As if to say this wasn’t the time, the moment she drew in a breath, Ruslan placed a hand on the table. Seeing that he was about to get up, Tatyana stood up first and motioned for him to stop moving.

“Stay seated. I’ll call Branch Chief Hawkins and have him send personnel to the Lubyanka embassy.”

If Ruslan had been in good condition, she would have sent him to the Lubyanka embassy first and headed to the laundry alone, but since an agent who had even hired mercenaries was roaming around, they had to move together. The more she thought about it, the more it felt like he had suffered injuries he didn’t need to because of her, and Tatyana, feeling uneasy, pulled the receiver away from her ear.

“Why isn’t he picking up?”

Isn’t it about time he started work? Hasn’t he come in yet, or is he out? Branch Chief Hawkins didn’t answer.

Ruslan, who had tidied up the table and checked the time, replied as if he understood, “He’s probably at the banya.”

“…The banya? A Lubyanka bathhouse?”

“Yes. I hear the Lubyanka military enjoys banyas so much they even install mobile steam baths on trains.”

“That may be, but….”

“During the Balder War, quite a few allied soldiers used banyas alongside the Lubyanka military, so it’s recently become quite popular. They say it’s good since you can sweat without exercising.”

“….”

Tatyana’s face turned stiff, at a loss for words. What nonsense. If he’s a branch chief, he should be working properly. He assigns tasks and then goes off to sweat it out. Slamming the receiver down as the call tone continued endlessly, Tatyana opened the trunk instead of calling again.

After packing two pistols and plenty of magazines, Ruslan also prepared to head out, gathering weapons and other necessary items as he followed her. Tatyana, who didn’t forget to pack first aid supplies this time, turned to look at him.

“Father, can you move?”

“I’ve been moving just fine.”

“Not just eating and walking.”

With a faint chuckle, Ruslan snapped the old trunk shut. “Don’t worry. I can handle my share.”

What do you mean don’t worry? If you move too much and the wounds I just stitched burst open and you collapse, you’ll only get in the way. Today might turn into a day just as hectic as yesterday.

“Now that we roughly know how things are unfolding, if you stop halfway because it hurts, I’ll leave you behind today.”

After packing a portable listening device, a small camera, and even a folding knife, Tatyana straightened her clothes.

As if worried she might leave first, Ruslan hurriedly finished preparing like an obedient dog and smoothed out his fascia without a crease. The cross hanging from his firm, straight neck swayed lightly with his movements.

“Our sister, you say things like that, but if I collapse, I know you’ll support me again.”

“….”

If his wounds reopen, I should stitch his mouth first. Shaking her head as if she didn’t even want to respond anymore, Tatyana strode out of the safe house. When Ruslan, holding his briefcase, hurriedly called out to her, calling “Sister,” her steps slowed.

A little, just a little.