red moscow

Chapter 3143 Assassination Incident (Part 2)

"I'm sorry, Comrade Deputy Commander!" Upon hearing Sokov identify himself, the voice on the other end of the phone tightened noticeably, revealing barely concealed panic: "I didn't know it was you calling personally. If my words just now were offensive or inappropriate, please forgive me! I am Captain Vitaly of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and I am very happy to serve you!"

Sokov keenly caught the screeching sound of a chair leg scraping against the floor on the other end of the line, along with the other person's suddenly serious and rapid breathing—clearly, the captain had immediately risen from his seat and stood at attention the moment he learned his identity, showing respect in a military manner. He could even picture the man gripping the phone tightly in one hand and unconsciously adjusting his uniform with the other.

“Captain Vitaly,” Sokov said without wasting any words, “I would like to ask you about some things.”

"Please give your instructions, I am listening attentively." Vitaly's tone remained respectful, but with a hint of barely perceptible wariness.

“I heard there was an assassination attempt on the street today,” Sokov said calmly, but each word was clear and forceful. “A female officer was assassinated and tragically killed, and her comrade was taken away by you. Am I right?”

“Yes, that did happen.” Vitaly answered very cautiously, his words clearly reserved. “The officer who died in the line of duty was Major Sofia, who was in charge of intelligence. She was accompanied by a lieutenant named Sutulova, who was her colleague.”

"Did Lieutenant Sutulova provide any valuable clues?" Sokov continued.

A brief silence fell on the other end of the phone. When Vitaly spoke again, his tone was clearly hesitant: "Comrade Deputy Commander, although you are the Deputy Commander of the Military Region, this matter... falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to regulations, you have no authority to inquire about the specific details of the investigation."

Vitaly's reaction did not surprise Sokov. Gulia—also an NKVD officer—had recently been rebuffed when trying to inquire. Sokov coughed lightly, maintaining his calm and sincere tone:

“Captain, I understand your procedures. But I need to get some information from Lieutenant Sutulova, which might just help you solve the case faster.”

Vitaly fell silent again. Sokov could almost hear the other man's breathing as he weighed his options—should he adhere to the rules, or do this deputy commander a favor?
Seeing that the other party did not respond for a long time, Sokov changed his approach and took the initiative to back down, his voice still calm: "If you are really in a difficult position, Captain, then tell me: who should I contact? Who has the authority to allow me to intervene in this matter?"

Vitaly seemed slightly relieved, and his tone softened slightly: "Comrade Deputy Commander, if you really need to get involved in this case, I'm afraid... you can only ask Marshal Zhukov to come forward and communicate with my superiors. In that case, you might have the opportunity to personally question Lieutenant Sutulova."

"Thank you, Captain." Sokov politely expressed his gratitude, his voice slightly weak but still maintaining the composure characteristic of a soldier: "I will contact Marshal Zhukov right away."

Seeing Sokov hang up the phone, Gulia, who had been standing quietly to the side, immediately took a small step forward, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of concern and curiosity, and asked in a somewhat urgent tone, "Comrade General, are you going to call Marshal Zhukov?"

“Yes.” Sokov nodded slightly, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously as if he were organizing his thoughts. “I need to call Marshal Zhukov immediately. Only with his permission can I have a chance to participate in this case.” “Then I’ll dial for you.” Gulia quickly walked to the telephone and skillfully began to turn the dial.

Meanwhile, in his office at the General Staff Headquarters in Moscow, Marshal Zhukov was bent over his desk piled high with documents, his red and blue pencils drawing sharp lines on the battle map. When the telephone on his desk suddenly rang, he didn't even put down his pencil before grabbing the receiver, his voice as decisive as ever: "Hello! This is Zhukov!"

The adjutant's familiar voice came through the receiver: "Comrade Marshal, General Sokov is calling you from Odessa. Should we connect him?"

Zhukov frowned slightly. Sokov's sudden call while he was recuperating must have a reason. He then decisively said, "Bring him in."

When Zhukov heard Sokov's familiar voice through the receiver, a smile appeared on his resolute face: "Misha, I really didn't expect you to call me. How are you feeling?" His tone was filled with the concern of an elder.

"Comrade Marshal, thank you for your concern. My health is improving." Sokov knew Zhukov's personality and knew that he didn't like to talk too much nonsense during working hours, so he didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I called you because there is something important."

Upon hearing this, Zhukov immediately sat up straight, gently placing his pen on the document. He knew very well that Sokov, as his protégé whom he had personally trained, would never bother him during working hours without a reason; since he was calling at this hour, something important must have happened. The smile on his face gradually faded, and his expression became serious: "What important thing?"

"Comrade Marshal, a vicious assassination occurred on the streets of Odessa today. A female officer from the Ministry of Internal Affairs was unfortunately assassinated." Sokov recounted the situation to Zhukov as he knew it, and concluded by saying, "I request permission to meet with the surviving Lieutenant Sutulova. Perhaps we can obtain useful clues from her."

Zhukov frowned and pondered for a while, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, before speaking, "Misha, are you really confident you can assist the Ministry of Internal Affairs in solving this case?"

“That’s hard to say, Comrade Marshal,” Sokov said cautiously, his voice carrying the typical prudence of a soldier. “I just want to meet Lieutenant Sutulova to see if I can get any useful information from her. As for whether I can assist the Ministry of Internal Affairs in solving this case, I cannot guarantee you at this time.”

“I’ll call the NKVD in Odessa later and have you involved in the investigation.” After saying this, Zhukov suddenly remembered that Sokov was still wounded and asked hesitantly, “Misha, you’re injured, will that have any impact?”

“No, it won’t,” Sokov said confidently, his voice firm and strong despite the lingering pain from his wound. “I’m just assisting in solving the case; I don’t have to be on the front lines. This injury won’t have any impact.”

(End of this chapter)