Red Moscow

While Sokov was chatting with Lukin, he twisted his body and accidentally touched the painful spot where he had just fallen. He couldn't help but groan.

Lu Jin quickly asked with concern: "Misha, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"

Sokov rubbed the sore spot with his hand and said with a wry smile: "It's nothing. I just accidentally stepped on the ice and fell."

Hearing Sokov said that he had fallen outside, Lu Jin couldn't help but frowned and said unhappily: "What's going on with the logistics people? I specially greeted them. The main road outside the building, People need to be deployed to clear the snow in time to prevent anyone from falling. Why is there ice accumulation on the route you are walking?”

"Misha, the situation is like this." Lujin explained to Sokov: "Because the weather here is too cold, especially in winter, it snows every three days, and the snow piles on the ground, and there are more people stepping on it, so naturally it will It has turned into ice, and if you are not careful, someone will fall down. I am worried that people entering and leaving the headquarters will accidentally step on the ice and fall, so I specially ordered the logistics department to arrange special personnel to clean it 24 hours a day. The snow and ice outside the command department prevented anyone from falling. I didn’t expect that you fell down when you came to my place. This is the responsibility of the logistics department. I called them to criticize them.”

With that said, Lu Jin was about to get up and call the personnel in the logistics department to ask them why they did not faithfully carry out his orders.

"Lukin, don't call." Sokov quickly stopped him: "My fall had nothing to do with them."

"Misha, you don't have to put in a good word for them. A mistake is a mistake. If you don't criticize them, they will make similar mistakes again in the future."

"Lukin, I didn't say anything nice for your logistics department. My wrestling has nothing to do with them." Seeing that Lukin insisted on criticizing the logistics department, Sokov quickly defended others and said: "On the way here, I saw When I saw a familiar figure, I wanted to get out of the car and take a closer look, but I accidentally stepped on an ice floe and fell. "

"You didn't fall at the door, but on the way here?" Lu Jin was still dubious about Sokov's statement.

"Yes, I have already said that I saw a familiar figure on the way, so I ordered the driver to stop and wanted to get out of the car to have a clear look, but I accidentally fell."

Lujin saw that Sokov didn't seem to be covering up for the logistics department, so he turned his attention to another question: "Misha, you said you saw a familiar figure from behind, can you tell me who that person might be? ?”

According to Lukin's idea, many of the commanders and fighters who were transferred to Yakutsk to look after the prisoners of war were old subordinates who had participated in the August Storm. Maybe Sokov met one of them. Before Sokov could answer, he said confidently: "You won't see our original guard company commander. He is off today and did not come to work. Maybe the person you saw on the road is him."

"Guard company commander?" Sokov asked in confusion: "Which guard company commander?"

"It's the guard company that you led to wipe out the Japanese gendarmerie when we were in the Northeast." Lukin explained to Sokov: "When I was transferred to Yakutsk, that guard company came with me."

Hearing Lu Jin talk about last August, when he led a security company and bloodbathed a Japanese military police unit, leaving no one alive, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little proud. He said with some surprise: "I didn't expect that the guard company commander would also be transferred to Yakutsk."

"Yes, Misha, there are quite a few old subordinates who have been transferred here with me. You know many of them." Lu Jin asked again: "Could the people you met on the road be them?" Where is one of them?”

"No." Sokov answered simply.

"No?" Sokov's answer surprised Lu Jin. He asked in surprise: "Who is that?"

"Seryozha!" Sokov said seriously: "He is not only my neighbor, but also my best friend. We have been together since the town of Khimki, and I served as division commander and army commander. At that time, he successively held the positions of company commander and battalion commander in my guard force.”

After hearing this, Lu Jin couldn't help but frown again: "Misha, since this man is your friend and neighbor, and he has been serving as an officer in your security force, why have I never heard you mention him?"

"Lukin, the thing is like this." Sokov explained to Lukin: "When I was the commander of the 27th Army, I was unfortunately seriously injured due to an enemy ambush and was sent back to the military hospital in Moscow for treatment. After I was discharged from the hospital, I was sent to the Frunze Military Academy. When I returned to the front line, I was assigned a new position. , but he died in the battle.”

After Sokov finished speaking, Lukin asked cautiously: "Misha, can you really confirm that the figure you saw from behind is the Seryosha you mentioned?"

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure." Sokov said in a decisive tone: "Although he is wrapped tightly and I only see his back most of the time, I am sure that he should be the one I am familiar with. That Seryozha, he did not die, but survived."

"Misha, don't worry, I'll ask you another question."

"Excuse me."

"When you received the news of Seryosha's death, did you ask where he died?"

"It's in what is now Ukraine, I can't remember the exact location."

"No matter where it is in Ukraine." Lukin continued: "It's five or six thousand kilometers away from here. Even if Seryosha is still alive, how could he appear in such a remote place? Misha, I think it's possible for you Wrong person."

"There is no mistake." Sokov retorted: "I have been thinking about this issue on the way back. I believe my eyes and there is absolutely no mistake. As for why he appeared five years away from Ukraine, Six thousand kilometers away from Yakutsk, have you forgotten that a considerable number of our commanders and fighters were rescued from German prisoner-of-war camps and sent to Siberia for rehabilitation? Maybe Seryosha was injured and captured by the Germans. After being rescued, he was sent to Siberia.”

Sokov's remarks made Lu Jin fall into deep thought. After a long time, he said slowly: "Misha, your guess is correct. There is indeed a labor camp in Yakutsk, which houses thousands of our army's commanders and fighters who were rescued from German prisoner-of-war camps. From Since the beginning of this year, a number of people have been released one after another. Some people have returned to their hometowns, while more people have stayed in Yakutsk. If you really see Seryosha today, then he should be the choice. The ones left behind.”

Sokov stood up suddenly and asked with some urgency: "Lukin, I wonder if you can take me to the labor camp now and check their roster to see if Seryosha's name is on it."

"I'll call and ask first." After Lu Jin finished speaking, he struggled to stand up, and Sokov quickly reached out to help him.

Lukin came to the table, picked up the phone and dialed a number, and then said into the phone: "I am Lieutenant General Lukin, please help me find Lieutenant Colonel Vitali!... Lieutenant Colonel Vitali? I am Lu Jin, I would like to visit you now, is it appropriate?”

After Lukin chatted with the person on the other end of the phone for a while, he put down the phone and said to Sokov: "Misha, I have already negotiated with Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly. Let's go over to see him now."

Seeing that Lukin had some difficulty walking, Sokov wanted to persuade him to stay, but Lukin shook his head and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly is from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and is not under my jurisdiction, and his temper is not good either." Well, if you go to see him alone, maybe he will talk to you for a few words and then send you away. "

After hearing what Lu Jin said, Sokov gave up the idea of ​​letting him stay. In this strange place, without Lu Jin's help, he might run into obstacles everywhere. In front of the officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he, a general with no real power, was not taken seriously by them at all.

After nearly an hour of turbulence, the convoy arrived at the labor camp.

The labor camp, like the prisoner of war camp, was surrounded by barbed wire, and watchtowers were placed in several corners with soldiers on duty. The imprisoned officers and soldiers lived in wooden houses made of logs with heating facilities, which were slightly better than the living conditions of the German and Japanese prisoners of war.

Under the leadership of an officer, Sokov and Lukin walked into the largest wooden house, where the director of the labor camp lived.

Lieutenant Colonel Vitali was a bald middle-aged man. When he saw Sokov walking in with Lukin, he was stunned for a moment, then picked up the hat on the table, put it on his head, and then trotted over He came in front of Sokov and Lukin, raised his hands in salute, and said politely: "Two comrades, generals, you are welcome to be my guests."

"Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly, let me introduce you." Lukin pointed at Sokov and introduced him: "This is General Sokov, from Moscow. During Operation August Storm, he was Commander of the 53rd Army, I am the deputy commander."

"Oh, it turns out to be General Sokov." After figuring out Sokov's identity, Vitaly asked calmly: "Comrade General, what's the matter with coming to my place?"

"I saw a familiar figure on the road today, very similar to one of my former subordinates." Sokov said cautiously: "Legend has it that this subordinate unfortunately died on the battlefield in the later stages of the war, but from what he saw, From the moment he was captured, I suspected that the rumors might be wrong. He did not die on the battlefield, but might have become a prisoner of the Germans and was later liberated from a prisoner of war camp by our army and sent here. Come here and check the roster to see if my former subordinate is included."

After Vitaly figured out the purpose of Sokov's visit, he pretended to be embarrassed: "Comrade General, although you have a higher military rank, neither prisoners of war nor reform-through-labor personnel are under your jurisdiction. You have to come and inquire." The roster of reform-through-labor personnel, that’s not appropriate.”

As Vitaly said these words, the atmosphere in the room seemed to solidify.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Jin said: "Lieutenant Colonel Vitali, can't we make an exception?"

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant General Lukin." Vitali said in a businesslike manner: "This is a matter of principle and must not be accommodated."

Lu Jin wanted to say a few more words, but Sokov raised his hand to stop him. He knew that the other person was like a stone in the toilet, smelly and hard. If he begged him in a low voice, he would be more aggressive.

"Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly, you may not know that when I was the commander of the 27th Army, General Lunev, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was my military commissar." As Sokov expected, Vitali listened. When he heard Lunev's name, a surprised expression appeared on his face. He quickly struck while the iron was hot and took out the order jointly signed by Zhukov and Beria from his satchel. After folding the upper half, he handed it to Vitali: "Look, this is the order that Marshal Zhukov and General Beria jointly issued ten days ago."

Vitaly took a closer look and saw that it was indeed signed by Marshal Zhukov and Beria, and the date was also this month. Seeing this order, Vitaly began to wonder about Sokov's purpose: Could it be that the other party was sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for an unannounced visit?

Thinking of this, his attitude became humble: "General Sokov, I wonder if I can help you?"

"I want to see the roster of the labor camp to see if my old subordinate is there."

"Okay, Comrade General." Vitali said very cooperatively: "I will immediately order someone to bring the roster."

A call was made, and along with the roster came two second lieutenant officers.

"Comrade General," Vitaly introduced to Sokov, "these two lieutenants are the document clerks responsible for managing the archives. If you want to find someone, you only need to tell them, and they will be able to give it to you in the shortest possible time. Find out."

When Sokov heard what Vitali said, he couldn't help but feel happy. With the cooperation of these two information officers, he could find Seryosha in the shortest time.

Thinking of this, he said to the two documentaries: "Two comrades, second lieutenants, the person I am looking for is named Seryosha. He is 42 years old this year. He should have been captured by the German army on the Ukrainian battlefield in 1944..."

Unexpectedly, before Sokov finished speaking, one of the older second lieutenants said: "I'm sorry, Comrade General, there is no one you mentioned."

Sokov was stunned and then said: "Is it true that he has been released, so his name cannot be found in the labor camp's roster?"

"No, Comrade General." The older second lieutenant said in a positive tone: "As long as he has been in our labor camp, even if he is released, his name can still be found. I said no, because there is no such thing. Someone who meets those criteria you mentioned.”

"That's right, Comrade General." Another information officer also echoed: "There are about fifty people with the name Seryozha, but there are no people who meet the conditions you said. If you don't believe it, If so, I can show you the roster."

After saying that, the data clerk took out a book from the thick roster, quickly flipped through a few pages, and handed it to Sokov: "Comrade General, all Seryoshas are on this page, their ages Between the ages of 25 and 38, no one is over 40 years old; more importantly, none of these people were captured by the Germans in Ukraine."

Sokov checked the list carefully, and sure enough, none of the names matched Seryosha's situation. He couldn't help but have doubts about what he saw: "Did I see it wrong?"