Destiny's Puppets. Henri Mallet

I can either agree or tell them to fuck off and refuse to play their games. Then the major is sure to find another girl as this baby’s mother and my career will be ruined. Indeed, I don’t have much of a choice – either to help KGB in their foul play or to refuse and lose everything.»

      «All right, what do I have to do?» Larisa said quietly, shut down her eyes and straightened in her chair.

      « It's nice that we agreed. I hope you understand that everything that has been said, as well as everything that will happen next, you must keep in strict confidence. You continue living the way you did, only you will have to move in with Gleb at the Burdins’ apartment. I’ll help you to do it. And then, it’s your responsibility. As you soon as you get pregnant you can stop sleeping with Gleb. We will be helping you during the pregnancy and the birth. When the fact that you are expecting a baby becomes obvious, you’ll disappear from the city. It will be announced officially that you have gone to the film set, while in fact you will stay in one of our sanatoriums till you give birth to the baby. This is the outline of our plan. Now a car will take you to the Committee. You will be in time for the evening show.»

      In response – a wave of eyelashes. Anatoly Lazarev almost physically felt how with this wave he was carried away somewhere far. He smiled, «yes, she is a brilliant actress.»

      To save time Anatoly asked the other officer from his group to take care of Larisa, while he would be busy preparing the apartment.

      «We are making a little progress,» he thought, as he was driving to Gorky Street in the center of Moscow, where the Burdins had a big apartment. There, he planned to update the previously installed listening equipment, since in the evening he was going to send Larisa there.

      Major Lazarev and two surveillance officers went up to the second floor and stopped in front a massive wooden door. One of the officers took out duplicate keys from his pocket and unlocked the doors. The men entered the apartment and silently closed the door behind them.

      «Get down to work and I’ll look around,» ordered Anatoly. They started the inspection of the apartment.

      About an hour passed, and the listening devices were installed and tested. The men still quietly left, locked the door and went down to the car. Major Lazarev told his agents to stand down. They had been covering for him in case Gleb or the Burdins decided to go home. The agents were to accurately prevent them from entering the building until Anatoly and his associates left.

      8

      The evening slowly covered the city, filled the streets and avenues, lit lights and shop windows. People hurrying after work got home long ago. Several officers specially selected by Major Lazarev for today's operation, dressed in civilian clothes and in the uniform of patrol policemen, sat in the car and waited for the actors to start leaving the theater after the performance. They talked languidly and joked.

      The performance was over; the audience was leaving the theatre. Finally, it was time for the actors to exit. Gleb Svetlov, Tatiana Roshin and several other girls went to the bus stop, but a group of loyal fans came up to them, asking for autographs.

      At that moment a bulky, well-dressed man came running to Roshin, knelt down, and, embracing her legs, began kissing them. He began wailing in a singing voice that he could not live without her, that she had to return to him because their daughter missed her mom terribly. Everybody stood still, and Tatiana nearly fell down in surprise, but the man caught her up deftly, and loyally looking into her eyes, repeated that he loved her and implored her to come back.

      «George, what are you doing here?» the shocked Roshin was nearly suffocated.

      Naturally, the witnesses of these scene, who have formed a semi-circle, were waiting for the denouement, holding their breaths.

      «Mister, who are you? What do you want? What's going on here?» The voice of Gleb Svetlov, who had overcome the first shock, finally rang out in silence, « yes, I ask you to explain what is happening here?»

      «What's going on here? Nothing special. This lady left me, her daughter-angel and does not want to return to our home, and refuses to raise her baby,» the man sobbed and kissed Roshin relish on the lips. Amazed, she sank in his arms and embraced him by the neck in order not to fall down altogether.

      To an observer they looked like lovebirds. Everybody got silent and Roshin embraced the man’s waist with her second hand and was trying to stand up, but it was not so easy, because George was pushing her slightly and she was drooping in his arms again. Everybody was rooted on the spot.

      «Citizens, make way! What’s going on here?» А command voice was heard and two sturdy policeman appeared at the scene.

      At that moment the ones that had had a little sanity left in them seemed to have lost it altogether.

      «I am asking the witnesses of the incident to stay, all the rest – away you go, immediately!» ordered one of the policeman.

      The onlookers immediately dispersed. Suddenly, everybody seemed to have some important business. Only Tatiana Roshin, the man who was embracing her, Larisa Panko, Gleb Svetlov and two patrol officers stayed.

      «What’s going on here?» оne of law enforcement officers asked.

      The man embracing Roshin, kissed her on the lips again, rolled up his eyes and said in a doleful voice, «Tatiana, this is the love of my life and the mother of our wonderful baby. Officers, please, bring her to reason and return the mother to her child!»

      «Ma’am, do you know this man?» the policemen sternly peered at Roshin, who was still in the arms of her beau.

      «Yes, this is George, but…»

      «Great! You confirm that you know him. Do you agree to go with him and take care of your child?»

      «But I am not the mother of his child. He is simply an acquaintance of mine! He has no children whatsoever!»

      «Darling, my love, let’s go home. You’ll feel better and you’ll start taking care of our precious baby and your lovely hippo,» George said with gusto, slapped himself on the belly and kissed Roshin once again.»

      «Leave me alone, now!»

      Tatiana finally regained her balance, but George was still holding her hand in his.

      «Ma’am, I have to detain you until this matter is cleared out. As well as you, George. This way, please,» said the policemen indifferently and motioned to the patrol car parked nearby.

      «Where are you taking them? She is my fiancée.» Gleb stepped forward.

      «Are you a witness, young man?» The militiaman poked his huge forefinger at Gleb’s chest with such an effort that he had even to move back.

      «I am not a witness, I’m her fiancé! There was no incident!» Gleb's voice trembled treacherously.

      «Perfect! If you are not a witness, go your own way.»

      «I’ll follow you with pleasure!» Exclaimed George, embraced Roshin by the waist and headed for the patrol car with decision. «I am sure you will save our marriage!»

      He opened the door, helped Tatiana to the back seat and then sat next to her.

      «We can go!» He shouted, «truth will triumph!»

      The policemen also got into the car and drove away.

      «Why on earth?» Were the only words Gleb could utter, blinking in amazement and ruffling his hair, «I don’t understand.»

      «It’s all very clear,» Larisa Panko joined in the game. She had been supporting Gleb by the elbow and stroking his hand tenderly all the time.

      «It’s plain as day. I think, Tatiana has a baby from this man and she kept it secret from us. Come on, I think you have to rest after this awful stress. I’ll catch a taxi.»

      One of Lazarev’s agents, disguised as a taxi driver, out from behind the corner and Larisa waved her hand invitingly at that moment. The driver pulled up to the curb dexterously and stopped next to the couple. The girl pulled Gleb by the hand, and he resignedly got into the taxi.

      When