Dimitri

The idea of going to New York City to run from the law seemed ridiculous but it was just the kind of place for someone like Dimitri Kerechniklov to go. Being a Russian immigrant in the southwest was too conspicuous, and in NYC there was a large Russian community, providing cover and hospitality. The Boss would not be happy with this relocation, but this decision would bring safety and many more resources for the studies that still needed completion.

Dimitri was “notorious” in Russia for his criminal activities and involvement with the Russian Mafia. He was often looked at as The Boss’s most trusted operative, that is until the accident two years ago. Dimitri was in a high-speed chase with a rival group after he recovered a flash drive from their headquarters in Moscow. He was instructed to lose the pursuers and take the flash drive directly to The Boss. The chase was not going well, and Dimitri was run off the road by another car, his car violently hit a tree and burst into flames. A man from the other car retrieved the flash drive and left Dimitri to die. He was pulled out of the car by what seemed to be a divine act. When he came to he realized that the savior was The Boss himself, and that an entire convoy of vehicles had accompanied him. He was unsure how long he had been unconscious,
The Boss spoke softly and sternly “Dimitri this is a most unfortunate situation, where is the drive?”

“It was taken from me.” Dimitri replied painfully.

“I assumed as much. For years you have been at my side and have never failed me, today on what could have been our greatest triumph, you have finally shown weakness.”

“In my greatest regret for my actions, I throw myself at your mercy.”

“Dimitri our mission has been compromised because of your shortcoming, but I will spare you because of all you have done for me. We must leave before the authorities get here.” The Boss spoke these last few words and left.

Two men came and carried Dimitri towards The Boss’s SUV, but instead put him in the back of a pickup truck. He was treated for his wounds by one of the medics in the bed of the truck, which left the convoy at a certain point. It was now driving down an empty road, and the air of the cold Russian winter had begun to get to Dimitri. He was considering asking where they were going and if he could have a coat, but the only other man in the back of the truck was the medic, who now sat with a rifle in his lap and a mean look on his face. Dimitri couldn’t wait any longer.

“Where are we going?”

The medic replied, “You will see soon enough comrade.”

Though it was not the answer he was looking for, it had at least been enough to let him know they were almost there. The only things he could see were icy fields, and the road behind him. What could they possibly be taking him out here for? The Boss must have ordered them to take him very far away and terminate him. This would be the perfect place. Just then they stopped abruptly and the soldier in the passenger side got out of the truck. He gave Dimitri an icy stare and walked in front of the truck. There was a short rustle and a yelp. How odd. Four gunshots rang out and the soldier got back into the truck while reloading his sidearm.

The truck began moving again and Dimitri could see four dead dogs on the side of the road. It was a bad day to be in the way of this truck. After almost 15 more minutes the truck stopped at a fence. The driver said something into the intercom and the gate opened. The truck passed into a very small compound, with only two buildings, one was labeled as the barracks and the other was labeled as a laboratory. As soon as the truck stopped the medic opened the tailgate and pushed Dimitri out onto the ground.

“This is where you get off, go inside the Laboratory and talk to the man named Alexei. He will have your new assignment.”

The truck returned the way it had come, and Dimitri hurried inside to speak to Alexei. When he went in the laboratory he noticed that it was a lot bigger and nicer that he had thought. It was three stories, the second two both being underground. An elderly man with an awkward gait approached him.

“I assume you are my new operative. My name is Alexei, and here my associates and I are working on a top secret project that you may know nothing of. You have been sent to be my errand boy. Your job description is this: I will frequently need mail and groceries fetched from town, you will acquire them for me. You may sleep in the barracks, I will see you in the morning, good night.”

As Dimitri slept he heard something going on outside, and it was very loud. Someone burst into the room and started yelling profanity at the men. He ordered everyone out and into the truck. When Dimitri got outside he stood next to Alexei who whispered in his ear.

“We knew this day would come, the government is here to shut us down. I cannot let my years of work go to waste, it is a shame we did not have more time to get acquainted. While I was talking I slipped a cylinder of liquid into your pocket, it is what the Boss sent you here for me to give you. You must take it back to him. Do not burst it or open it.”

Just then the soldier screamed at Alexei to quit talking. When he failed to say yes sir, the soldier kicked him in the stomach and shot him in the leg. He pointed the gum directly at Dimitri and told him to beg for mercy. Dimitri delivered a swift kick in the groin and took the soldier’s rifle. He opened fire on the rest of the soldiers and jumped into their cargo truck, which had still been running. He completely blew through the gate and was on his way back to Moscow.

His arrival back at The Boss’s Headquarters received a mixed reception. Some looked at him as unworthy of his position due to his failure the day before, others were excited by the story of his heroism at the lab. Dimitri was just glad that the worst night of his life was over. The new day had begun, and he was back in the safety of his own territory.

Upon speaking to The Boss, Dimitri learned he would be heading to Phoenix, Arizona. His mission was to learn of the American scientist’s progress on a similar project, since they no longer had that information because of the lost flash drive. If the American scientists were convinced that they had made a breakthrough that could counter the vial of liquid Dimitri had gotten from the Russian lab, he was to give himself a dose and then return to Russia with the rest at the end of the study.
Infiltration of the lab was easy enough. There were no guards, and the men inside were unarmed. Dimitri spoke to the scientists, and they were confident their serum would work. These men gave Dimitri plenty of the serum, they just wanted to keep their lives. Dimitri wanted answers. He didn’t know what he had gotten in Russia, he didn’t know why he was here now or what this serum was preventing. He asked the scientists, but they claimed to not know. They said all they were told by their government was that it was to prevent massive casualties. Dimitri knew then that he must have something awful inside that large vial he had been carrying with him. The scientists refused to tell any more, so Dimitri killed them. He was sick of this game, and decided that he must contact The Boss.

Dimitri was on his way to New York City, via train. Trains have less security to go through, and it is highly unlikely that a Russian national with a long list of crime could board a plane in America. New York City is the largest center of population in the United States, and The Boss had specifically instructed him to go there, and upon his arrival, mail the rest of the serum back to Russia.

The Boss had always been too secretive and vague. Dimitri had not even known his name, and had never seen his face. That was until several weeks ago when Dimitri had men at the headquarters talking about a plan to take down the Americans. They spoke of cleansing the world, and finishing the Cold War. That war had been over for fifteen years. When The Boss told Dimitri that flash drive had information that was “vital to his existence”, Dimitri knew he must have it. He crashed his car on purpose, and kept the drive to himself. Here on this train, his laptop would tell him everything he needed to know.

by Patrick