red moscow

Chapter 2944

The police officer led the elderly woman into the duty room, registered her name and address, and then got straight to the point: "Madam, you said you saw two German agents wearing our military uniforms on the platform. How did you figure out their identities?"

The old lady said slowly, "I was standing right next to them and heard their conversation. I sensed something was wrong from their conversation, so I came to report to you as soon as I had the chance."

The police officer patiently asked, "Grandpa, tell me, what did they talk about?"

“The two German agents, one was wearing a regular soldier’s uniform and the other an officer’s uniform,” the old woman replied. “I heard the soldier ask the officer if he had ever encountered such a large crowd in the subway station before. The officer replied that he had encountered the same situation twice when he returned from Victory Square…” She relayed the conversation she had overheard to the police officer who was taking notes.

After listening to the old lady's haunt, the police officer frowned and said, "Grandma, I don't think there's anything wrong with their conversation. How can you be so sure they are German agents?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The old woman became a little anxious when she saw that the police officer didn't believe her: "Where is there a Victory Square in the city? The only triumphal arch in our country was built in Leningrad, and it was demolished many years ago."

Although the police officer did not agree with the old woman's opinion, since she had reported the case to him, he still had to faithfully perform his duties and continued to ask, "Did you hear them say where their destination was? Also, what were their physical characteristics?"

The old lady thought for a moment, then replied, "I heard the officer say that they were going to a café near Mayakovsky Square, where someone was waiting for them."

The police asked a few more questions and, after confirming that the old woman could not provide any more detailed information, picked up the phone on the table and called his superior to report the clues provided by the old woman.

The call was answered by a police lieutenant. Upon hearing his subordinate's report, he immediately tensed up. After all, with the evacuation order issued, many areas of the city had fallen into chaos, and it wasn't surprising that German agents had infiltrated the city. He quickly asked, "Did the old lady say where those two German agents are now?"

The police officer glanced at the old woman and continued, "They may have gone to a café near Mayakovsky Square."

"I understand," the police lieutenant said. "I'll take some men straight to the café in Mayakovsky Square and try to subdue those two. You bring the old lady over as soon as possible to identify them, understand?"

"Understood, Lieutenant." The police officer replied, "I'll take the old man there immediately."

After hanging up the phone, the police officer looked at the old lady and asked, "Madam, my superiors will be heading to the café in Mayakovsky Square soon to arrest those two suspicious people. Since none of us have seen them before, could you come with me to help us identify them so we don't arrest the wrong people?"

The old lady hesitated for a long time before finally nodding slowly and saying, "Alright, I'll go with you to the café in Mayakovsky Square and help you identify the two German agents."

Sokov and Yakov were unaware that their casual conversation on the platform had been overheard by an old woman who then reported it to the police. They were still eagerly anticipating meeting Yakov.

The subway arrived at Mayakovsky Square station. The two exited the station from the front of the train. After asking the police officer on duty for directions to the café, they headed straight for their destination.

The two entered the coffee shop, which was empty; apart from the waiters, there wasn't a single customer.

Upon seeing the two men enter, a waitress immediately stepped forward and politely asked, "Gentlemen, are you here for coffee?"

"Yes."

"Please come with me."

The waitress led the two to a table by the window and asked, "What kind of coffee would you like to drink?"

"One milk coffee, double sugar," Sokov said, then turned to Khabarov and asked, "Anton, what about you?"

"Black coffee, no sugar."

After the waitress turned and left, Khabarov asked Sokov curiously, "Misha, as far as I remember, you never seem to drink black coffee?"

“That’s right.” Sokov nodded in agreement with Khabarov’s statement: “Black coffee has a bitter taste with a hint of sourness. I’ve tried it before, but I’ve never gotten used to the taste. I usually drink instant coffee. Instant coffee probably didn’t exist in this era, so we could only drink milk coffee.”

As the two were talking, they suddenly heard the waitress at the door ask, "Soldier, how many of you are there?"

Then Sokov heard a familiar voice: "I'm here to find someone. I see my friend."

Sokov turned his head to look at the door and saw Yakov walking towards him. He quickly stood up and nodded to him: "Yasha, you've come!"

"Misha, I'm here!" Yakov walked over and shook hands with Sokov, then greeted Khabarov: "Anton, we meet again."

"Hello, Yasha, it's a pleasure to meet you." Khabarov was flattered to see Yakov greet him and quickly reached out to shake the other's hands.

After the three of them were seated, Yakov didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Misha, what's the matter that you called me out today?"

“That’s right, Yasha.” Sokov pointed at Khabarov: “Didn’t you want Anton to join the Weapons and Equipment Department last time? After some consideration, I think your suggestion is good. We should let a genius weapons designer like Anton work in the Weapons and Equipment Department instead of risking his life to stay on the front line.”

"Anton, the prototype of the new rifle you provided last time has been manufactured and has undergone numerous tests with surprisingly good results." Yakov said, looking at the two men. "Comrade Ustinov was asking me yesterday why such an excellent weapons designer doesn't join our weapons and equipment department?"

Sokov's face lit up with joy upon hearing Yakov's words. He tentatively asked, "Yasha, do you mean that Comrade Ustinov also hopes Anton will join the Armaments Department?" "Yes, that's right," Yakov nodded, answering with certainty, "As long as Anton is willing to join, I believe Comrade Ustinov will definitely be able to arrange a good position for you. If you are truly determined, I can take you to see Comrade Ustinov as soon as possible."

Sokov had initially thought it would be a complicated matter, but to his surprise, Yakov agreed as soon as he asked. He was overjoyed and quickly stood up to ask, "Can I go now?"

But Yakov waved his hand and said, "Misha, not yet. Comrade Ustinov has gone up to a meeting and won't be back until the afternoon at the earliest. I think we should go over around three or four in the afternoon; we should be able to find him then."

Sokov was somewhat disappointed to learn that he wouldn't be able to find her until three or four in the afternoon. He had originally planned to send Khabarov to the weapons and equipment department before visiting Victoria in the hospital, but this completely disrupted his plans.

Yakov noticed his unease and quickly asked tentatively, "Misha, is something bothering you?"

“I have a friend who is hospitalized in a military hospital,” Sokov said. “I had planned to visit her in the hospital after I sent Khabarov to the Armaments Department. But now it seems that the visit will have to be postponed.”

"How many more days can you stay in Moscow?" Yakov asked.

"I don't know," Sokov said, shaking his head. "I have to stay in the hotel and wait for orders from my superiors."

"I don't think your superiors will let you return to the front lines overnight, which means you'll still have time to visit your friends tomorrow."

"Well, you have a point."

After exchanging a few words with Yakov and Sokov, Yakov turned to Khabarov and asked, "Anton, your blueprint for the new rifle has received unanimous praise. Do you have any other weapon blueprints besides that one?"

“Yasha, I do have a copy.” Khabarov took the sketch out of his pocket, opened it, and pushed it in front of Yakov. “It’s just a sketch. I can only draw up the detailed design drawings after I get to the Armaments Department.”

Yakov picked up the piece of paper in front of him and carefully examined the blueprints for an RPG rocket launcher. Faced with a weapon he had never seen before, Yakov asked with some surprise, "Anton, what is this thing you drew? I've never seen it before."

"This is an anti-tank rocket launcher," Khabarov quickly explained. "It's a shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon. Soldiers on anti-tank missions can carry this weapon, hide where German tanks pass by, and launch surprise attacks to destroy them."

Upon hearing this, Yakov's face lit up with surprise: "A shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon? I wonder how powerful it is compared to existing anti-tank rifles?"

“Yasha, the two are not comparable at all,” Sokov interjected. “This rocket launcher uses armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation rounds, which can not only deal with German tanks, but also their infantry, and inflict heavy casualties on them.”

“Yes, Yasha, Misha is right,” Khabarov added. “According to my understanding, this portable anti-tank weapon demonstrates a powerful striking capability in close-range combat, and neither tanks, armored vehicles, nor fortifications can withstand its fierce attack.”

After listening to Sokov and Khabarov's words, Yakov fell into deep thought. He had originally thought that this so-called shoulder-fired rocket launcher was just an enhanced version of an anti-tank rifle, but now he realized that it was not what he had imagined at all. The power of this new anti-tank weapon should far exceed his expectations.

After a long silence, he looked up at Khabarov and asked, "Anton, can the anti-tank weapon you designed really achieve the level of power you described?"

Although Khabarov had personally experienced the power of the RPG rocket launcher in his later years, he spoke with much more humility before the weapon was even introduced: "Yasa, this is just my idea. Whether it can achieve the effect I described will only be known after testing the new weapon."

“Anton, you really know how to surprise people.” Yakov said to Khabarov with admiration, “I thought that designing a new rifle was your limit. I didn’t expect that just a few days later, you would come up with a new anti-tank weapon. I think if Ustinov sees your design, he will definitely pay more attention to you.”

After a pause, Yakov tentatively asked, "Besides this anti-tank rocket launcher, do you have any other designs?"

Khabarov, recalling what Sokov had once told him, hurriedly shook his head and said, "No. At least not in the short term, I can't design any new weapons."

“That’s a real shame,” Yakov said, shaking his head. “I heard from Comrade Ustinov that a group of weapons experts will be sent to the Far East to conduct research. You only have two new weapons, so I’m afraid you won’t be chosen.”

Khabarov was startled by Yakov's words. Fearing that he would also be sent to one of those secret cities dedicated to military research, he quickly waved his hands and said, "Even if I could successfully enter the Department of Weapons and Equipment by developing two new weapons, my qualifications are too shallow. How could I be qualified to participate in any important military research?"

“Anton, you are too modest,” Yakov said with a smile. “Although you are not qualified to go to the Far East this time, with your abilities, I believe you will be able to qualify to participate in major military research in the future.”

Khabarov broke out in a cold sweat. He couldn't help but look at Sokov, thinking that Sokov had guessed right. If he performed too well, he might really be sent to those cities in the Far East that couldn't even be found on a map, to live a life of isolation from the world. This was not what he wanted to see.

Seeing Khabarov remain silent, Yakov was about to say a few more words when suddenly a loud bang was heard. The coffee shop door was kicked open, and a group of heavily armed police officers rushed in. The next moment, the dark muzzles of guns were pointed at Sokov and his group. A police lieutenant stood at the front of the line and shouted, "Hands up!"

The police lieutenant was able to find the place so quickly because they encountered a police officer on duty when they exited the station. When the lieutenant asked if they had seen the two soldiers, the officer immediately remembered Sokov and his companion who had asked him for directions, and quickly pointed out the way to the lieutenant: "Comrade Lieutenant, they went to the coffee shop over there, and they shouldn't have left yet."

After ascertaining the whereabouts of Sokov and his companion, the police lieutenant arrived with his men to arrest them.

Facing the gun pointed at him, Yakov frowned. He stood up and said to the police lieutenant, "Lieutenant, I am Lieutenant Yakov, a staff member of the Weapons and Equipment Department. If you want to see my identification, I can show it to you."

After hearing this, the police lieutenant winked at a policeman next to him, signaling him to go and check Yakov's documents.

When Yakov saw a policeman approaching, he quickly took out his identification from his jacket pocket and handed it over: "This is my identification!"

(End of this chapter)