red moscow

Chapter 2877 He disappeared
"Misha," Rokossovsky asked over the phone, "How are those German prisoners of war?"

Sokov looked at his watch and found that Alina had been away for almost two hours. If nothing unexpected happened, the German prisoners who were deliberately released had already entered the German-occupied area with Kutsenko. "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Alina and my men have been gone for nearly two hours. If nothing unexpected happened, they have already entered the German-occupied area."

"That's good. I hope they can enter the German-occupied area smoothly. The rest has nothing to do with us." Rokossovsky asked with concern on the phone: "Misha, if you have any difficulties, you can tell me."

"Comrade Commander, our brigade has consumed a lot of ammunition after fighting for a while. I wonder if the superiors can give us some more?" Sokov knew that Rokossovsky was very busy and was worried that he would hang up at any time, so he spoke very quickly: "If there are difficulties in supply, please find a way to give us a batch of artillery shells, preferably for 122mm heavy artillery."

After listening to Sokov, Rokossovsky smiled bitterly and replied, "Misha, if I could really get the heavy artillery shells, do you think I would not supply you with them? Well, there is really no other way. The supplies given to us by our superiors are few and arrive very slowly. I cannot supply you with them for the time being. I hope you can understand."

Although he had guessed what kind of answer Rokossovsky would give him, Sokov felt disappointed when he heard that he had politely rejected his request. He chatted with the other party for a few more words, and when he was about to hang up the phone, he suddenly remembered something: "By the way, comrade commander, when do you plan to let Lieutenant Regarin return to the base?"

Unexpectedly, the other end of the line fell silent. After a long while, Rokossovsky asked in surprise: "Lieutenant Zhegarin, who is he?"

"He is a soldier under my command. He was promoted to lieutenant for his good performance. Not long ago, he was transferred to Moscow to participate in a special operation." Although Sokov was full of doubts, he had reported to Rokossovsky about Regarin's achievements. How could he forget? But he still introduced it like this: "Two days ago, I was on my way back to the front line from Moscow with him. Comrade Military Commissar said that the Supreme Commander himself would come to inspect, so Lieutenant Regarin was left at the headquarters to participate in security work. Comrade Military Commissar should be very clear about this matter. You can ask him."

"Okay, I'll ask him now." The next moment, Sokov heard Rokossovsky on the other end of the phone, asking Lobachev: "Comrade Military Commissar, Misha said that when you returned from Moscow two days ago, he asked him to leave an officer from the infantry brigade behind to participate in our security work. Is that true?"

"No, I didn't ask Major Sokov's men to participate in the headquarters' security work." Lobachev said, "Comrade Commander, give me the microphone. I will talk to Major Sokov in person."

Soon, Lobachev's voice came from the receiver: "Major Sokov? This is Lobachev."

"Hello, Comrade Military Commissioner."

"You said that two days ago when we were on our way back to the front from Moscow, you left an officer at the headquarters to help with our security work. Is that true?"

"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar, it is true." Lobachev's attitude puzzled Sokov. It was Lobachev who asked him to keep Lieutenant Regarin to assist the headquarters' guards in performing security tasks. How could he forget about it in a blink of an eye? In order to wake up his memory, Sokov said cautiously: "Lieutenant Regarin killed 75 German soldiers in a battle a few days ago, and was awarded a medal and promoted to lieutenant."

"What? What did you say?" Lobachev said in surprise, "How is it possible that one person killed 75 German soldiers? You know, in a small-scale battle, even a company of soldiers may not be able to kill so many enemies. If such a person really exists, he is not a human, but a god."

"Comrade Chief of Staff!" Lobachev turned to Malinin who was standing by the table and said, "Major Sokov of the Infantry Brigade said that a few days ago, an outstanding soldier appeared in their brigade and killed 75 German soldiers alone. Do you have similar records?"

"No, Comrade Military Commissar, definitely not." Sokov heard Malinin say loudly: "If a soldier could achieve such a great feat, I'm afraid he would directly receive the Gold Star Medal and the title of 'Hero of the Soviet Union'. But I have never seen such content in the reports I received."

If only one person said this, Sokov would think that the other person was joking, but Rokossovsky, Lobachev and Malinin all said the same thing, which shocked him. How could you say you had never seen this person before? Especially Lobachev, who had praised Lieutenant Regarin many times in front of him. How could he tell him seriously that he had never known the person he was talking about after not seeing him for two days?

The microphone returned to Rokossovsky's hands. "Misha, have you been under so much pressure recently that you are hallucinating? You know, I have never heard of the person you are talking about, not only have I never heard of the Military Commissar and the Chief of Staff. You must be mistaken."

Rokossovsky had said this, how could Sokov refute him? He could only follow his words and say, "You are right, Comrade Commander. Maybe I am under too much pressure recently, so I am hallucinating."

After Rokossovsky hung up the phone, Sokov held the receiver for a long time, thinking quickly in his mind: This is simply a ghost, Lieutenant Zhegarin clearly existed, why did Rokossovsky and others say that they had never heard of him? What was going on? What went wrong?
Seeing Sokov holding the microphone in a daze, Karsokov called him twice: "Comrade Brigade Commander, Comrade Brigade Commander!"

Sokov woke up from his thoughts and turned to look at Karsokov, wanting to hear what the other person had to say.

"Comrade Commander, I noticed you were holding the microphone in a daze." Karsokov asked cautiously, "Did the commander say something?"

Sokov recalled that the decision to promote Regarin was the result of a discussion between him, Belkin and Karsokov. Karsokov must have known who Regarin was: "I just asked the commander when Lieutenant Regarin could be allowed to return to the headquarters, but he told me that he had never heard of him. Even the military commissar who allowed Regarin to stay in the headquarters said that he had never heard of Regarin."

Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, Karsokov showed a confused expression on his face: "Comrade Brigade Commander, who is Lieutenant Zhegarin? Is he the commander of our brigade? Why have I never heard of him?"

Karsokov's words left Sokov speechless. If Rokossovsky and others could not remember the name, it was probably because they were busy with military affairs every day and could not remember the name of a grassroots officer. But Karsokov, as his chief of staff, personally participated in the discussion of promoting Regarin. How could he not know him?

Thinking of this, Sokov frowned and said unhappily: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I am talking about serious matters, please don't joke with me."

"Comrade Brigade Commander, I'm not kidding. What I said is true." Karsokov said innocently, "I really have never heard of Lieutenant Zhegarin."

Just as Sokov was about to say something else, a voice suddenly came from the door of the tent: "What are you discussing?"

Sokov didn't need to turn around to recognize that the person who spoke was the deputy brigade commander, Lieutenant Colonel Belkin. He was secretly happy because Belkin personally led people to verify Regarin's battle record. Others might not remember Regarin, but he could not have been unaware of him.

"Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, you're back!" Sokov shook hands with Belkin who walked into the tent, and then asked politely, "Is everything settled over at the Fourth Battalion?"

"Yes, Comrade Brigade Commander." Belkin nodded and replied, "After replenishing the Fourth Battalion with enough troops, the remaining troops were deployed in the forest. Even if the Fourth Battalion's position was unfortunately breached by the enemy, the troops holding on in the forest are capable of stopping the enemy." "Well done, Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander." Sokov praised him and got back to the point, "You're back just in time. I have something to ask you."

"Comrade Brigade Commander, please feel free to ask me anything."

"It's like this. There was a soldier in the brigade named Comrade Regarin who single-handedly killed 75 German soldiers. After you personally led people to verify his achievements, we promoted him to lieutenant." Sokov looked at Belkin and asked, "Do you still remember this?"

Hearing Sokov's words, Belkin turned his head to look at Karsokov, and saw that the other party spread his hands with a helpless expression. He turned back to look at Sokov, shook his head and said: "I'm sorry, Comrade Brigade Commander, I don't remember that I have ever led people to verify any battle results. You must be mistaken!"

Even if a shell exploded next to Sokov, the shock he brought to him would probably not be as great as Belkin's reply. He cried out, "How is it possible? It was you who led the soldiers of the guard company to verify the results of the battle. After confirming that it was correct, we discussed promoting Regarin and reported his achievements to the commander. How come in the blink of an eye, you have even forgotten this person?"

"I really haven't heard of it." Belkin swore: "If I had seen the Lieutenant Zhegarin you mentioned, I would definitely have an impression of him. But unfortunately, I have no impression of him at all. Maybe you remembered it wrongly."

So far, no one said they had heard of Lieutenant Regarin. Sokov was stunned. For a moment, he couldn't figure out whether this Lieutenant Regarin really existed or was just a character he had imagined in his mind because of too much pressure.

The telephone on the table rang. Karsokov picked up the receiver and listened. Then he reported to Sokov, "Comrade Brigade Commander, the Second Battalion reported that Lieutenant Alina has passed their position with the soldiers of the guard company and is heading towards the brigade headquarters."

When Sokov learned that Alina was coming, hope was rekindled in his heart. Although others did not remember Regarin, Alina should remember him. After all, not long ago, they had fought side by side in the Kremlin to eliminate the infiltrated German agents.

After Alina and Zhukov entered the tent, Sokov immediately stepped forward and shook hands with them, saying, "You've worked hard!"

"It's not hard. I'm just doing my duty." Alina replied with a smile.

"Those prisoners of war entered the German-occupied areas smoothly. Did this arouse any suspicion from the Germans?"

"I don't think so." Alina shook her head and said, "I took the soldiers you sent to chase them and kept shooting at them. In order to make the play look more realistic, I killed two prisoners of war with my own hands and injured another one."

Sokov was shocked when he heard this and asked quickly, "Did anyone accidentally hurt one of our own?"

"No." Alina shook her head and said confidently: "Our people were at the front of the team, and the prisoners killed or wounded by us were those who fell behind."

"Well, this is pretty good." Sokov nodded. "The casualties will make this prison break seem more realistic."

"Major Sokov, thank you for your cooperation this time." In front of everyone, Alina spoke in an official tone and said, "After returning to Moscow, I will give Comrade Beria a detailed report on this operation."

Seeing that Alina was about to leave, Sokov took the initiative to say, "Let me take you out."

"No, my car is right outside. I'll just drive away. You don't have to see me off."

"It's okay. I'll just take you there. By the way, I have something to ask you."

After hearing what Sokov said, Alina would no longer object and could only nod in agreement: "Well, okay then."

Sokov took Alina to the jeep parked nearby, and they both stopped.

Alina did not get in the car immediately, but turned to Sokov and asked: "Misha, what do you want to ask me?"

"Alina, I encountered a strange thing today." Sokov said with a frown: "A living person suddenly disappeared. I asked many people who had dealt with him, but they all said they had never heard of this person, let alone seen him. They even suspected that I was hallucinating because of too much pressure in my daily life, and thus fabricated a person who did not exist at all."

Alina smiled: "Misha, how could this happen? Tell me, do I know the person you said disappeared?"

"You must know each other. You fought side by side in the Kremlin a few days ago."

"Misha, who are you talking about?"

"Zhegarin, Lieutenant Zhegarin." Sokov was worried that Alina would not remember this person, so he emphasized: "He was temporarily seconded to the special task force because of his outstanding shooting skills. When the enemy sneaked into the Kremlin, he was placed on the palace wall to snipe and kill the enemy."

(End of this chapter)