Page 23 - Tales Apocalyptic and Dystopian

The Republic of Tunguska
(Fantastic Transactions 2, 1997)

“Heh-heh. Did I not tell you, Sergei Samovarsity, that I would trap
this traitor in his own web?”
Sergei Vupinkov grinned at his subordinate, not with affection.
“Let us see first how tightly he is caught.”
Igor Beverich shifted, his bulky torso eliciting groans of distress
from the poorly-oiled swivel chair.
“I have received word from the last officer to leave the Tunguska
test site. Nikolai Betya, upon completing his final adjustments of the
device, will find that his cardkey permits him exit only from the
detonation chamber. He cannot leave the building, nor can he regain
access to the bomb. He will discover the shortwave radio with a note
attached, giving the frequency to which my radio here is already
tuned. We have but to wait and he will come to us begging for his
life.”
Vupinkov laced his spidery fingers together behind his back.
“And you are not considering the possibility that he has already
sabotaged the bomb, so that he has nothing to fear from it?”
Beverich wrinkled his nose and sniffed.
“Had he done that, comrade, then he would most certainly have
something to fear from us. No, we are certain of his methods, elusive
though he has been. Apparently loyal, he nevertheless exhibits
behavior that fits the profile of a spy, the little telltale signs of
concealment. Long walks in the park at night. Foreign newspapers.
Unexplained absences at scientific conferences overseas. Sabotage
would end his double life. He is in the game purely to stymie our
efforts at achieving technological superiority.”
“No unusual luxury items discovered in his flat?”
“Oh, he is much too clever for that. His reward, if monetary, must
await him in a numbered Swiss account.”
Vupinkov stroked his sparse goatee.
“You have not considered the possibility that his motivation might
be ideological?”
Igor Beverich thumped a thick dossier next to the radio.

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