Cargo 069. Александр Скуридин

s fields (Ukhta, Komi).

      Author of several books of prose. Recent publications: the fantastic novel “Maria. Future Visitor” (ERA, Moscow, 2014).

      In 2018 novel “Operation of “Marlboro” published by “International Union of Writers” (Moscow). In the same year, under the aegis “International Union of writers” the competition of books passed in English language. Story “Cargo 069” brought the rank of laureate and medal of V. Nabokov to the author. A book prepares to edition in London.

      This year in Moscow (publishing house “ISP”) will be published a novel it “Hunts on “Bargusin”.

      Chapter 1

      Major Archibald Gottlieb was preparing a report in his tiny office. He was in an awful mood. The commanders demanded only the highest results, but he didn’t have any. US battle mages have just started full-fledged activities against their perpetual nemesis – Russia.

      For sure, there has been some success and not just tactical one. The guys from Gottlieb’s team managed to intrude into Russia’s holy of holies – the shipyards where atomic submarines were built – and even dawdle over some novelties in submarines introduced by Russians. What happened next was a complete disaster. Antipodes of the enemy’s battle psychics team learned how to put the block and all the efforts of battle mages withered on the vine.

      Mages and psychics… such distinction of terms was introduced by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Wood, commander of a special, separate, top-secret military unit. As the Russians say, there is a small choice in rotten apples…

      A mage is a completely different category meaning the universality of the individual, his ability to blend with nature and after all, to control it. “This is a higher level than an odious psychic!” he solemnly declared at the banquet on occasion of the President’s decree on the creation of the “fighting fighters” military unit.

      “Warriors…” he snorted in anger raising his glass of champagne. “We are not some stupid infantrymen with a grenade and an assault rifle, but intellectuals, the brains of the entire army.” Here’s to us, mages!..

      This idiot Wood reckoned himself in this glorious category! He doesn’t know shit from the real sensitive job. All he can do is read information in the team, that’s all. A real sensitive or a mage for Wood is always a lone wolf. He can easily go beyond the limits of everyday life and soar, without any collective efforts to support him!

      But after one of the best mages, Harry Menvil, was killed in the astral duel, the commander issued an order: “Henceforth, you shall not get directly involved in any sensitive war with Russians without an order”. This was actually right: the battle mages never managed to find out the identity of the cool Russian psychic or even to get a bit closer to the place where the Russian astral group was based. These uneasy Russian guys were surrounded by a powerful permanent force screen, which none of the battle mages could get through.

      However, Miss Gordon promised to overcome this barrier since, as she assured, Dirty Harry energetically nourished her from the other world even after his death.

      You never know what a hysterical woman can imagine, but her capabilities have increased many times. It was not only confirmed by many battle mages, but also evidences by laboratory equipment.

      And it was the moment when Archibald Gottlieb faced a dilemma. The decision was: to let miss Gordon show herself… well, not as a lone wolf but at least as an astral she-wolf or, on the opposite, to stop the enthusiasm of the Furious Betsy (this is how they called her at the mages base).

      Think, Archi, think!..

      Chapter 2

1

      Lieutenant General Larin and Colonel Burlak were in Leonid Mikhailovich’s office. The conversation was slow and thorough.

      Officially, Sergei Petrovich came to his friend’s office early in the morning with an inspection. The commanders finally understood the significance of the unusual military unit headed by the Colonel. A security operation called BZHRK “Barguzin” was brilliantly performed and impressed even the Chief of the General Staff. There were many other astral developments among Burlak’s achievements which showed excellent results. The Main Intelligence Directorate and the General Staff, for example, now had a file where the exact routes of the US nuclear submarines were indicated. Also, they could regularly update the coordinates of submarines in the sea depths. As the famous song says, “the intelligence was accurate in reporting…” And this was done not just by intelligence (strategic or other) but the astral one!

      The battle mages team was finally transformed into a full-fledged military unit. They received their own flag, their own seal and other attributes appropriate in such cases. There appeared an economic unit, security unit, communication unit, combat maneuver unit, and a clothing department. From now on, they even had their canteen…

      Larin and Burlak walked along the corridor to the classroom where the senior group had classes. It was senior not by students’ age but by their skills. These people, in fact, were not students. They were the best military psychics ever.

      However, even they had to learn some professional tricks so that to apply them directly on the fly. This was because the techniques worked out by the predecessors – military sensitives of General Alexei Yuryevich Savin – were coming back to life. After all, the esoteric science today does not stand still…

      Burlak quietly opened the door of the senior class. Lieutenant Colonel Bystrov, head of the class, made an astonished face when he saw the Colonel and the General. But, contrary to the regulations, he did not make the mandatory commands “Stand up!..” or “Attention!..” This was discussed in an instruction issued by the office: nothing and no one should interfere with the servicemen’s trance. But if they were engaged in purely theoretical discipline, His Majesty Regulations automatically entered into effect.

      Burlak gave a sign to Bystrov with his hand: “Go on…”

      General and Colonel quietly passed through the classroom and sat down at a vacant back table. Larin carefully looked at the group.

      There was no ordinary army subordination: all of them were psychics and all of them were equal. In the difficult moment of otherworldly battle, a mutual assistance and an unconditional willingness to help a fellow man is required. There, in the astral, ranks mean nothing. What really mattered was the astral fighter’s power available, his professional skills and abilities. An important factor was the high moral component of personality, lack of selfadmiration and selfishness. All this was preliminarily checked by a special test where the aura of the tested “said” all the truth about its owner.

      Meanwhile, fourteen people sitting at the tables began to return to their normal state with the help of Lieutenant Colonel Bystrov.

      Lieutenant General peered intently at their faces and saw no confusion. As if eleven men and three women had just come from their familiar world and sat at their tables in the classroom.

      “Cadets, please describe the places you visited,” said Dmitry.

      Cadets leaned over blank sheets of paper and began to write what the head required with simple ball pens.

      “Why can’t you put computers here?” Larin asked Burlak quietly.

      “We can’t, Comrade General. Electromagnetic fields affect the ability to clairvoyance. We even have direct current lighting here. I had to install extra equipment for this.

      Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Bystrov entered test results to his mobile phone and issued the final verdict:

      “Ninety-eight percent of coincidences. This is our absolute record so far.”

      No applause, no other emotions.

      “Well done,” Larin praised the cadets. “I see that everyone is at peace with their own psyche as if they left for some time and returned again.”

      When General and Colonel got up and moved along the tables, Lieutenant Colonel said loudly:

      “Stand up!… Attention!..”

      The cadets jumped up. Dmitry Bystrov continued:

      “Comrade Lieutenant General!.. The senior training group has a practical class! Head of the group Lieutenant Colonel