Page 24 - Tales Apocalyptic and Dystopian

The Republic of Tunguska

“It has been considered. Even as a student, Nicolai Betya
expressed no interest in the West. Logic dictates that he was recruited
in Vienna; he made several trips there in the late Sixties.”
The receiver crackled and squealed. Beverich adjusted it as the two
men bent over the speaker.
“Hello, hello. This is Doctor Nicolai Betya. I am broadcasting on
the frequency indicated on a slip of paper here. I am inside the
Tunguska test site, unable to exit. The electronic access system is
malfunctioning. Hello, hello. Is anybody there?”
Igor Beverich smirked. “Now we have him!” He flipped a switch.
“Listen to me, Nicolai Ivanovich: your treachery has been discovered.
We know everything. You have not been detained by accident.”
After a few moments of static, Betya said, “Who is this? No, it
does not matter if I know you or not. You are charging me with
disloyalty to the state? With selling our nuclear secrets? Is that it?”
“Precisely,” replied Beverich. He glanced at the dossier. “It is all
completely documented. If you confess now, you will be released
from ground zero and sent for re-education. If not, then in one hour
you will be vaporized.”
Another pause. “I see. You are providing me no real alternative,
whether I am guilty or not.”
“Oh, no, comrade. We are giving you this choice precisely because
you are guilty. Only in decadent capitalist countries would you have
no way to exercise your free will in such circumstances.”
“Then I shall consider carefully my options. I will contact you
again when I have decided what to do.”
And the scientist broke off the transmission.
Vupinkov regarded his operative.
“And you do not think he would die rather than reveal his contacts
in the West?”
Beverich shook his head emphatically, setting his jowls in contrary
motion.
“Nothing in his psychological makeup points to that sort of self-
sacrifice. He will just need a few minutes to review the hopelessness
of his situation and swallow his pride.”
His superior looked at his watch, a rarely-seen imported model
guaranteed to function at the depth of Lake Baikal.

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