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UNDERGROUND 46
For the first time, he noticed a strange glow above the boom when the workers finished changing the fourth section. He just turned in his chair to check whether there was still room in the Aqua Minerale bottle, and at that moment a beam hit his left eye through the arrow joints, which he at first mistook for a sun glare from the belvedere of the Prometheus business center "- the only building above it in the district.He tried not to think about anything because of a full bladder and therefore did not attach any importance to this, only some vague thought noted that for a glare the beam was too insistent, changeable and as if purposeful. And only when the sun completely disappeared behind the new buildings, the glow finally really interested him.It was, of course, not the lack of sunlight or the fact that the glow interfered with work. At the construction site, there are more than enough such sources. The fact was that this contraption shone at a height of one hundred and thirty mete
UNDERGROUND 47
It snowed all Sunday and Monday until late in the evening, when the temperature rose, turning the precipitation into a slush. On Tuesday morning, it suddenly froze and a blue sky opened up over Moscow, without a single cloud.- No, dad, we just left the Moscow Ring Road. We didn't even get to the bypass. Everything costs from the third ring! The man behind the wheel of the black Kia Surato grimaced, trying to outshout his sons screaming behind him. - I dont know! And don't call me yet, I'll turn off the phone.Putting away the smartphone, the man cast a sidelong glance at his wife.- Ira, don't look like that, I just forgot.“You yourself will grumble when called.- If you're talking about that terrorist attack, then ...- Listen, who calls you at all except for work?You parents...- You have already talked with your parents, and I am already here.The man ran his finger across the Samsung display. His palms were disproportionately large.Everything, airplane. Only they will get thro
UNDERGROUND 48
- There is also a traffic cop ahead. - Irina said, looking out the window from her side.– What is he doing?“Just walks between cars.Where is he looking?- He ... Down ... He looks at the numbers!- So I thought! Boris stated.- What?They are looking for someone.- Who, dad? Terrorists?Boris shook his head.A vaguely recognizable tune played. Boris heard this sound so rarely that he was surprised at its unexpected loudness.- Yes. He heard his son's voice behind him.The parents looked at each other and turned around at the same time. They completely forgot that their children use their smartphone not only for games and tik-tok.The boy handed the smartphone to his father.- You.- Is that grandpa?The son shook his head.- Who?- I do not know.Boris took his son's smartphone. The wife watched her husband in fear. Watched his face change. How the warmth leaves, how the wrinkle on the bridge of the nose reappears. As he exhales, between the short, muffled "yes" and "so sure," the
UNDERGROUND 49
Pustovalov could not understand how such huge spaces in the center of Moscow remained undeveloped. It could accommodate several shopping centers or a museum.All this bothered him, but most of all - a corpse in a suit on the stairs in a concrete glass. Judging by the severity, lead, steel, or even tungsten could have been used in the suit. The corpse's legs were hard, there must have been plates there. And those faces above, looking through the glasses of spacesuit helmets... All this led to bad thoughts.Under the measured murmur of a reasonable voice, broadcasting something about an expensive three-story mansion on Taganskaya with false windows and six-meter-thick walls, Pustovalov again began to fall asleep and floated this time through the tunnel.Pustovalov wanted to see something, at least to remain sighted in a dream, but sounds dominated here. Again water and again fear. The source of the fear was now behind him. It's your turn, the thought pounded in my head. Your turn. Pusto
UNDERGROUND 50
How did they differ?- Well, firstly, they were all older, and secondly ... - Pustovalov thought, - unusual. So I remember a guy lived in the room with me, he was three years older than me. This guy knew how to hide in a room so that it was impossible to find him. Well, simple, even if the room is two by two and there is no furniture. Then I found out that he is always behind your back, and for some reason they called him “boar”. Everyone there had such strange animal nicknames.- Everyone has? And you too?- And I have.- And what was yours?- I don't remember. Something petty.- Maybe a weasel?“Ha ha, maybe,” Pustovalov laughed, “I don’t know, there was such a man in the blue uniform of an aviation lieutenant colonel. He told me that the stronger your abilities, the bigger the beast in your nickname. Apparently my abilities were the most miserable.- And what were you doing there?- Nothing special. We played something similar to orienteering, wandered through the forest and abando
UNDERGROUND 51
The general - strong, stern and stately - as a colonel general should be, listened intently to the meow, which came alternately and exactly from different cat's throats. The falsetto of a young cat had just meowed, and now a large village cat was howling in a long way. Each meow was preceded by the click of a selector switch. After another such click, instead of meowing, there was a jerky bark. The colonel-general frowned and barked loudly into the microphone:- Swamp cat, fuck your mother!The barking was immediately replaced by the squeaking of a cat that spotted a sparrow outside the window.Boris looked at the bowed head of the general. His hair was thick and black, but with grey. His clean-shaven face looked focused. The black-eyed man in civilian clothes finally tore his eyes away from Boris, and leaning towards the general whispered something to him.“You didn’t go to work today,” said the Colonel General, raising a piercing look at Boris.Obviously, first of all, it was a ques
UNDERGROUND 52
This time Pustovalov had a peaceful dream. As he wanted, the darkness in the dream was dispelled, only water remained. He swam almost to the bottom of the reservoir. Past tall stems of umbrella-like plants, looking up at the air above. All around breathed serenity. He was out of danger, as if he were on the other side of the TV screen.But the blackness pulled him out again. Someone was arguing in the dark.- Stop whining! - Someone shouted at someone.Ten hours in a dungeon without light - anyone will go crazy.- I can't go!Pustovalov recognized the voice, remaining half asleep. But she no longer clung to his shoulder. And her voice did not sound here. Because of the acoustics of this strange place, it was hard to tell where, but not here.- There are no drafts here! There are no exits! Everything is sealed up!- We all will die?!- It's good to yell!We are going in circles!- Shut up!Where is our leader, thought Pustovalov, again falling into the bottomless pit of sleep. The voic
UNDERGROUND 53
As the black Audi made its way to the mansion on Potapovsky Lane, where Vindman learned he now had his own office, Colonel Makarov briefed him on the matter.Vindman yawned, feeling something like a “relaxation” after the stress he had experienced, while trying not to open his mouth too much, and half-heartedly listened to the boring daily routine of the introverted girl. He perked up only when Makarov handed him the keys to the official "Ford Mondeo" with the letters "EKX" on the license plate.- What about gasoline? Vindman asked, slipping the keys into his pocket.- Keep your receipts.They arrived at the mansion around the time that Boris planned to lie down after the barbecue and his father's tales on the old children's bed in order to fulfill an old dream of an afternoon nap. The mood was slightly lifted by a modern coffee machine, seen in the corridor and a general view of a spacious office in a half-empty building of the Central Administrative District, which included two wind