red moscow

Chapter 2856 New Detective Direction

When the German armored forces launched an attack on the 1073rd Infantry Regiment, the two artillery battalions of the infantry brigade, in accordance with Sokov's prior deployment, provided artillery cover for friendly forces.

Since Lieutenant Artyom deployed several artillery observers in the front line, who were able to provide firing parameters to the artillery positions in the rear, the artillery battalion's shells seemed to have eyes and accurately hit the German attacking formation, causing them huge losses.

As soon as the battle ended, Karsokov received a telegram from the army headquarters. The content of the telegram was very simple, ordering Sokov to report to the headquarters immediately.

After reading the telegram, Karsokov handed it to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, this is a telegram from the Army Group Headquarters, asking you to report to the headquarters immediately."

"Let me report to the headquarters?" After reading the telegram, Sokov couldn't help feeling puzzled. He thought to himself that the results achieved today had already been reported to the army headquarters via telegram. There was no need to make another trip for him, right?

After reading the telegram, Belkin had his own unique thoughts: "Comrade Brigade Commander, this is what I think. Although we have reported today's results to the army headquarters, the commander may want to publicize this result within the army, so he ordered you to go to the headquarters and report to him in person."

Belkin's statement sounded reasonable, but Sokov thought about it carefully and felt that something was wrong. If he really wanted to hear a detailed report, he could have asked his deputy brigade commander Belkin or chief of staff Karsokov to go to the headquarters. Why did he call him by name?

Thinking of this, Sokov told Karsokov, "Chief of Staff, send a telegram back to the headquarters, saying that I have something to do and cannot leave. If the superiors want to hear our report, can they allow the deputy brigade commander or the chief of staff to go in my place?"

Karsokov did not dare to delay and immediately asked the radio operator Morozova to send a telegram, asking whether the person going to the headquarters could be replaced.

Ten minutes later, the headquarters called back.

When Sokov saw Karsokov take the telegram, he immediately asked impatiently: "Chief of Staff, what did the headquarters reply to say? Did they agree to our request?"

After quickly reading the contents of the telegram, Karsokov shook his head and replied: "The headquarters orders you to immediately hand over the command of the troops to the deputy brigade commander and then rush to the army headquarters as quickly as possible."

Sokov's expression froze for a moment, then he turned to Belkin and said, "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, since the headquarters asked me to come over, the troops are now in your hands."

"Comrade Brigade Commander, don't worry." Belkin assured Sokov, "Leave it to me!"

Sokov walked out of the tent and saw Bobrikov standing not far away. He waved to him and motioned him to come over.

Bobrikov trotted up to Sokov and asked respectfully, "Comrade Commander, what instructions do you have?"

"I have received an order from my superiors to rush to the headquarters immediately." Sokov said to Bobrikov: "Go and find Lieutenant Zhukov and Sergeant Zub, and find a few other soldiers to accompany me to the headquarters."

"Okay, Comrade Brigade Commander, arrange it immediately."

In less than half an hour, Lieutenant Zhu Kewen, Sergeant Zub, and eight soldiers from the guard company followed me in four jeeps to the location of the army headquarters.

On the way, Lieutenant Zhu Kewen, who was sitting in the co-pilot seat, turned around and asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what are we going to do at the headquarters?"

Sokov shook his head. "I don't know. My superiors only ordered me to rush to the headquarters as soon as possible, but I don't know what the specific matter is."

The convoy soon arrived at the headquarters.

When Sokov got out of the car, he said to Zhu Kewen who helped him open the door: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, you and your men wait for me here." After that, he walked up to the sentry and showed him his ID.

After checking Sokov's ID, the sentry stepped aside to make way for Sokov.

Sokov collected his documents, thanked the other party, and walked quickly into the headquarters.

The headquarters was bustling with activity. Sokov walked through the busy signalmen and staff officers and came straight to Rokossovsky and his men. He raised his hand and saluted and said, "Comrade Commander, Major Sokov, the commander of the infantry brigade, has been ordered to come here. Please give me your instructions!"

Rokossovsky, who had been standing with his back to Sokov, turned around upon hearing Sokov's voice and said with a smile: "Misha, you are here! You did a good job today. You provided powerful artillery support to General Panfilov's troops and helped his troops hold their positions. Before you came, he called me and asked me to convey his gratitude to you."

"Comrade Commander, General Panfilov and I are allies," Sokov replied with a smile, "How can I stand idly by when I see the friendly defense zone is in danger? I just provided some insignificant help, it's nothing great."

"Major Sokov, you don't have to be modest." Malinin interrupted and said, "According to the situation at the time, if the 1073rd Infantry Regiment did not receive your artillery support, it would have been difficult to stop the enemy's attack."

Sokov listened to Malinin's story quietly with a smile on his face. After the other party finished speaking, he asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, you ordered me to come to the headquarters as soon as possible. I wonder what important matter is there?"

"Misha, come with me." Rokossovsky did not answer Sokov's question immediately, but walked directly to the door of a small room next to it, then waved to Sokov: "I'll tell you after you come in."

Sokov followed Rokossovsky into the small room, where there was only a wooden bed, which took up most of the room. There was a lamp hanging near the door, illuminating the entire room. After Rokossovsky sat down on the bed, he patted the empty space next to him and beckoned Sokov to sit down: "Misha, please sit down!"

Sokov did not sit down, but turned to Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade Commander, there are only two of us here. Can you tell me what the mission is?"

"When Comrade Lobachev took Lieutenant Jegarin away from you, I'm afraid he also told you what happened in Moscow." Rokossovsky looked at Sokov and asked, "Am I right?"

"Yes." Sokov did not deny what Rokossovsky said, but nodded in agreement: "Comrade Military Commissar told me that a group of military experts were attacked by enemy agents outside the Kremlin wall, causing heavy casualties. The reason why he took Lieutenant Zhegarin away was to assist the special case team in the city to solve the case."

"Yes, that's true."

A strange idea suddenly popped up in Sokov's mind, and he couldn't help asking, "Comrade Commander, you urgently summoned me here today. Are you planning to have me return to Moscow to help solve the case?"

Rokossovsky smiled and said, "Misha, you are right. This is exactly why I called you here."

When Sokov heard this, he immediately became anxious: "Comrade Commander, I am just a military commander, not a criminal policeman. It is no problem for me to command the troops to fight the Germans; but if I am asked to go to the city to assist the criminal police in solving the case, I don't have the ability to do so." "Misha, I know that you can play a greater role if you stay at the front line." Hearing what Sokov said, Rokossovsky seemed very helpless: "But the order to transfer you back to Moscow was issued by Comrade Beria himself."

Sokov's expression froze. "What? Comrade Beria asked me to return to Moscow to assist the task force in solving the case?"

"That's right," Rokossovsky explained to Sokov. "I told Comrade Beria that you were not good at solving cases and asked him to find someone else. Guess what he said?"

"What did he say?" Sokov was very curious about this.

"Comrade Beria said that someone recommended you to him, saying that only by letting you join the special task force can the German agents who have infiltrated Moscow be eliminated in the shortest possible time." Rokossovsky said helplessly: "He has said so much, what else can I say? I have no choice but to agree to his request and let you return to Moscow as soon as possible."

Sokov knew very well that since Rokossovsky had said so much, it was impossible to ask him to take back his order. He could only say helplessly: "Comrade Commander, when will I go to Moscow?"

"It's best to leave immediately." Rokossovsky was probably worried about what Sokov might think, so he explained to him, "You know, Comrade Stalin is still in Moscow. Only by eliminating the German agents as soon as possible can we ensure his safety."

"Okay, I understand." Sokov nodded: "My car is outside, I will leave soon."

Rokossovsky handed Sokov a prepared business trip certificate and asked with concern: "Misha, are you here alone or with someone?"

"I was worried about encountering the enemy on the road, so I brought four jeeps and a dozen soldiers with me to the headquarters this time."

"Since you brought people with you, I won't arrange for additional personnel to escort you." Rokossovsky said somewhat embarrassedly: "The front line needs manpower. The troops directly under the headquarters have basically been dispatched, and the number of guards left by my side is not much."

Sokov took the business trip certificate Rokossovsky handed him and continued to ask: "Comrade Commander, where should I report after I arrive in Moscow?"

"When you arrive in Moscow, go directly to the General Police Department to see Director Romanchenko," Rokossovsky said. "He will arrange for you to meet Comrade Beria."

Knowing who he should report to after arriving in Moscow, Sokov left the headquarters.

Seeing Sokov coming out, Zhu Kewen immediately came forward and asked with a smile: "Comrade Brigade Commander, are we going back to the brigade headquarters now?"

But Sokov shook his head and said, "We will not return to the brigade headquarters for the time being. Comrade Commander has ordered me to rush to Moscow immediately."

"What, to Moscow?"

"Yes." Sokov thought that Zhukov was from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and should be familiar with the terrain of Moscow, so he told him: "Comrade Lieutenant, you will guide the driver later and tell him how to get to the General Police Headquarters."

It was about 120 kilometers from the headquarters of the army group to Moscow. If the road was clear, it would take at most two hours to get to the city.

But after setting off, they found that the road had long been a quagmire due to bombing by enemy planes and the crushing of too many vehicles. Even the jeeps with good off-road performance got stuck in the quagmire several times, and the soldiers on the vehicles had to get off and push the vehicles.

In this way, the jeep drove slowly on the road for more than four hours before entering the city of Moscow. At this time, it was already dark.

When the convoy was still one block away from the Police Headquarters, it was stopped by a patrol team.

The team leader saluted Sokov and said politely: "Comrade Major, please show me your ID!"

Sokov took out his ID and handed it to the captain along with the business trip certificate.

With the help of the flashlight, the captain checked Sokov's ID and business trip certificate, and did not make things difficult for them, so he let them pass easily.

When he arrived at the General Police Department, Sokov met Director Romanchenko smoothly.

Seeing Sokov's arrival, Romanchenko seemed very enthusiastic: "Major Sokov, your commander called me a few hours ago and said you were on the way. Why are you here only now?"

Sokov smiled bitterly and replied, "Comrade Director, the road was not easy to travel on. Our car got stuck in the mud several times. It took a lot of effort to push the car out, which delayed us and we only arrived now."

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Sokov, Romanchenko picked up the phone on the table, dialed a number and said, "This is Romanchenko. Ask Major Gerchikov to come to my office."

After hanging up the phone, Romanchenko explained to Sokov: "Major Gerchikov is the leader of the task force. He is responsible for the entire investigation."

When Sokov heard what Romanchenko said, he couldn't help but frowned slightly. He thought to himself that he was a major and the other party was also a major. If they had different opinions at work, who should have the final say?

When Gerchikov learned that Sokov had arrived, he immediately trotted to Romanchenko's office.

When he saw Sokov clearly, he couldn't help showing disappointment on his face. According to his thinking, since Sokov could get the respect of Lieutenant Zhegarin and Lieutenant Alina, he should be a senior commander, maybe in his early forties.

But when they met, he found that the major standing in front of Romanchenko was actually a young man, only in his early twenties. He couldn't imagine how the other party could become a major at such a young age. Could it be that he was promoted by his superiors based on his military exploits?

"Major Gerchikov, let me introduce him to you." Romanchenko saw Gerchikov coming and quickly introduced Sokov to him: "This is Major Sokov from the 16th Army."

After confirming Sokov's identity, Gerchikov felt a little disappointed. He secretly regretted why he had let Alina report to Beria and transferred Sokov back from the front to assist him in his work. He made up his mind to have a good talk with Sokov later to understand his true strength. If it really didn't work out, he would let him return to the front earlier.

(End of this chapter)