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– What, not even breakfast?
– No time! I’ll come back and have breakfast.
– So businesslike, – she smiled, – come on, faster there. If you don’t want to eat cold food!
– Okay, my love, – Andrey smiled back at her and kissed her on the cheek, – I’ll try to be quick. I’ll just wash up and go.
Some time later
– This is some kind of nightmare. Horror! Not only is God knows what happening, but I’m also lying to my own wife! More and more often in the last few days. I don’t like it! – Andrey was indignant, entering Captain Orlov’s office.
– Tell me about it, – Orlov smirked, – problem after problem!
– I’m serious! – Andrey sat down on a chair near the table. – I don’t like to deceive. It’s not accepted in our family!
– You don’t say. Well, tell her the truth! Like, so and so, I’m from the future, in which there is no future. Because green alien smoke killed the whole city!
– Comrade Captain…
– What?
Andrey fell silent and lowered his head:
– Everything is repeating, right? – he asked in a choked voice.
– I don’t know. I hope not. But, time cannot be stopped! Therefore…
The phone ring interrupted him.
– Orlov, listening! – he said sternly.
– Comrade Captain, permission to report, duty officer, Private Sharov.
– Report.
– The freight train that brought the special equipment yesterday is leaving back to Moscow.
– What? What are you talking about? What train?
– The one that brought the special equipment.
– So, Sharov, let’s start from the beginning and in detail. Okay? What train and what other equipment? I don’t understand anything!
– They told me during the shift change that you asked to be informed when they leave. So, I’m informing you!
– Sharov, – Orlov began to get nervous and slightly raised his tone, – I’ve forgotten a bit, can you explain properly, what are you even talking about? Please!
– Okay. Yesterday a freight train arrived and brought special equipment. Dump trucks, graders, excavators, and bulldozers. And it brought workers too.
– Is that so?
– Yes.
– For what?
– They will dig a ditch around the city on this special equipment. That is, they are already digging! As soon as they arrived, they immediately unloaded. And this morning they started work. Well, and the train left back to Moscow.
– I see! – Orlov thought. – Thank you. You’re doing an excellent job. Report all incidents in the city to me immediately!
– Yes, exactly!
– At ease!
Orlov hung up the phone.
– What happened, Comrade Captain? – Andrey asked anxiously.
– I remembered! I remembered when they dug these ditches.
– What ditches?
– In the eightieth year, a freight train brought a lot of special equipment from Moscow. They dug giant ditches around the city day and night, in two shifts. And then another freight train brought large metal pipes. Many pipes! They were so big that a KamAZ truck could easily move through them. And inside these pipes there were magnets, large, black ones. Then another freight train came and another one. In total, there were nineteen trains with such pipes. They were laid in these ditches and welded together. All these pipes, in the end, where do you think they led?
– To the Institute of Nuclear Physics?
– Exactly! There! When did we appear here, alive and well?
– A couple of days ago.
– No, Maltsev. We appeared here when that big crap was brought from Moscow. That accelerator.
– Electromagnetic accelerator of charged particles “Taiga-6”, – Andrey said in one breath.
– Exactly! – Orlov was surprised. – Wow, how accurately you said the name. You remembered it. Well done!
– Thank you. And why did you say that, about our appearance? What’s the connection here?
– I don’t know, Maltsev, but the time jump happened when the special equipment was brought. Understand?
– Not very!
– I don’t quite understand either. It’s just strange! Agree?
– Hmm. – Andrey thought.
– You know, I’ll call Moscow! – Orlov said suddenly and dialed his boss’s number on the phone disk.
– Comrade Colonel, I wish you health! Orlov bothering you.
– Hello, Petya, – a joyful voice sounded, – how are you? What happened? For the evening report, it seems, it’s still early.
– Yes, everything is fine, – Orlov smiled, – just wanted to tell you that the construction of the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Krasnosibirsk is in full swing. They brought special equipment with workers yesterday. They started work this morning. They are digging a ditch around the city.
– What ditch? – the colonel was surprised. – What are you talking about?
– Well, a ditch. Then they will lay pipes there, big ones, with magnets.
– Listen, Petya, to be honest, I’m not very interested in this! The government of our country and the KGB are overseeing this construction. I don’t interfere there. And you don’t interfere! Do your job. Guard the city from all kinds of enemies. Understood?
– Yes, exactly, Comrade Colonel, understood. But I am just doing my job! Trying to protect the city and its residents.
– From whom?
– Hard to say…
– Orlov, are you in your right mind? If the city is in danger, speak directly! And if you have nothing to say, then don’t talk nonsense! Do you have anything to say?
Orlov began to breathe heavily, his forehead covered with sweat.
– Are you going to talk or breathe into the phone?
– Comrade Colonel, – he raised his tone, – this institute is a threat to the city…
– I told you, don’t interfere there, – the colonel didn’t let him finish, – forget about it! Understood? Do you understand me?
– It’s very strange…
– I don’t want to hear anything!
– Vladislav Semyonovich, listen to me…
– I’m telling you, I don’t want to hear anything more about this institute! – the colonel interrupted with his shout. – Why did you call me? To fray my nerves? Petya, I’ve known you for many years. You are a reliable, responsible person. Therefore, I’m saying it nicely, Comrade Captain, do your job! And about this institute. Forget it!
Long beeps sounded in the receiver.
– The law of paired cases. – Orlov said quietly, looking into nowhere. And slowly hung up the phone on the hook.
– What? – Andrey asked perplexedly.
– I read yesterday in a physics magazine. Some scientist there described the law of paired cases. He claimed that sometimes it happens that the same event can happen again!
– I don’t understand you. – Andrey said frightened.
– Maltsev, we need to prepare for the events that you and I have already experienced once. The institute will be built in any case. We can’t interfere with this in any way! My leadership definitely won’t help us!
– No! Not this! Can’t anything be done?
– We’ll improvise! We already killed this green creature once. We’ll kill it again!
– If it’s repeating again, it means we didn’t kill it!
– Doesn’t matter. This time we’ll definitely kill it! Don’t worry!
– I don’t want to! No, no, no… – Andrey panicked and began to choke.
– Maltsev, Maltsev, – Orlov shouted, – calm down! Get a grip! If we don’t stop this crap, everyone will die! Understand?
Andrey broke into a cold sweat, and his hands trembled:
– I… I… I’m afraid…
– I’m afraid too, Maltsev. It’s just that, there’s no one else! Understand? No one will help us. We must stop it! Let everything go as it goes. Let this green smoke think it has won! Let it come. Let it! And we will be waiting for it. And preparing for its arrival! We will act according to the circumstances. We can. We have no other way!
Without saying a word, Andrey looked at the floor. And after a minute of thought, clenching his fists tightly, he silently nodded.
– That’s good, – Orlov smiled slightly, – live as you lived and rejoice every minute! Zaitsev will take you home. Tomorrow, we’ll call each other.
Andrey got up from the chair and slowly went to the door.
– Maltsev, – Orlov said after him, – we will cope!
Without turning around, Andrey nodded once more and went out the door.
He spent the whole day in thought and reflection. Late in the evening, kissing the children goodnight, he wished them sweet dreams. And at night, hugging his wife, he closed his eyes and, in order to fall asleep, recalled the happy and peaceful days spent with his family.
06:30 August 22, 1980
Apartment of Andrey Maltsev.
– Andrey, get up, we’re leaving! – Lyuba shouted to her husband, closing the front door behind her.
Andrey abruptly opened his eyes and shouted:
– Stop, stop, stop! – he jumped off the bed and ran to the exit. – Wait, where are you going?
– To work, – answered Lyuba.
– And the children?
– The children are with me. There’s no one to sit with them. You need to go to work too.
– What’s the date today? – he asked with bated breath.
– August 22.
Andrey froze in place.
– What’s wrong with you, dear, you’ve turned all pale! – Lyuba stroked his cheek. – Are you feeling bad?
– No! – Andrey quickly answered. – Everything is fine!
With a silly smile on his lips, he kissed the children on the tops of their heads and Lyuba on the cheek.
– Until evening, – he said, continuing to smile, and slowly closed the door behind them.
Then with large steps he proceeded to the kitchen and looked at the tear-off calendar.
After which he scurried into the hallway and dialed Captain Orlov’s home number.
There were long beeps in the receiver.
Immediately he dialed his work number:
– Orlov, listening.
– Comrade Captain, it’s, Andrey, – he said loudly, breathless with excitement.
– Maltsev, hello.
– Do you already know?
– What’s the date today?
– Yes.
– I know. The vacation passed so quickly, didn’t even have time to notice! – Orlov chuckled.
– Comrade Captain, six weeks have passed. Six! In one night!
– Yes. Time flies nowadays, can’t keep up!
– You are so calm.
– Maltsev, when day X comes and this green freak appears, be sure, I will meet him as expected! This time I will not follow the rules and regulations. For the sake of saving the city’s residents, I will do anything! I have the keys to the warehouse, and there are so many ammunition there… I can blow up this creature every day if needed! There are tanks in the bays. If necessary, I will use one of them. This smoke feeds on fear. And I, I’m tired of being afraid! Now it’s his turn! Don’t let it intimidate you. We are stronger than it! This time we will definitely kill it! Maltsev, for the sake of your family, for their salvation, you burned alive in this electric smoke. Experiencing terrible pain, you did not give up! You went to the end. You are a hero, Maltsev! I tell you exactly. And heroes are not afraid, understood?
– Understood, – answered Andrey. – So, what will we do?
– Today, we will work. Perform our daily duties. And tomorrow, we’ll see.
– Just work and that’s it? As if nothing is happening? – Andrey was surprised.
– And nothing is happening. So what, six weeks passed. Tomorrow, maybe a whole year will pass!
– What do you mean a year?
– So what? Anything is possible. I won’t be surprised by anything. Maltsev, everything is fine. We will cope!
– Well… – Andrey thought. – I’m also pretty tired of being afraid of it. You could go crazy like this!
– That’s what I’m talking about! – Orlov smiled. – Go to work, or you’ll be late.
– It’s still early for me. Besides, I haven’t had breakfast.
– Well, then bon appétit.
– Thank you.
– That’s it, Maltsev, don’t distract me from work. I’ll call if I need you.
– Okay, goodbye.
– Andrey put the receiver on the hook and thought for a couple of seconds. Then, smiling slightly, went to make himself breakfast.
19:36 August 22, 1980
Apartment of Andrey Maltsev.
– Lyuba, you surpassed yourself today, the rassolnik is just a masterpiece! – admiring, chewed Andrey.
– Glad I pleased you, – Lyuba smiled. – How was your day?
– Haven’t done physical work for a long time, it’s a bit hard out of habit.
– What do you mean, haven’t worked for a long time? The vacation ended three weeks ago! Strange… – Lyuba was surprised. – Probably, the muscles are not yet accustomed to the load. It happens, don’t worry. Over time, everything will be as before. – she stroked his shoulder.
Andrey looked at Lyuba and broke into an awkward smile:
– Yes, you’re right, dear. Well, – he abruptly began to gather, – thank you very much for the soup! I finished, let’s go to sleep?!
– Let’s go. I’ll just wash the dishes.
– No need. I’ll wash everything tomorrow morning! Let’s go.
Lyuba smiled and hugged him:
– Thank you, dear. You are so good to me! – kissed him on the lips.
When Lyuba fell asleep, Andrey lay for a long time and looked at the ceiling. He recalled the words of Captain Orlov, which he said to him this morning on the phone. These words instilled confidence in his heart and gave him strength. He smiled and, hugging Lyuba, fell fast asleep.
Captain Orlov, on the contrary, was not going to sleep at all tonight. He felt that something should happen… Until three in the morning he read books. And then, he went out onto the balcony and, taking deep breaths, enjoyed the fresh and cool summer air. Suddenly everything around froze.
The tree branches stopped swaying from gusts of wind, the birds fell silent, the clouds in the sky froze in place and stopped floating…
An oppressive dead silence pressed on the ears and caused a feeling of fear.
Orlov began to look around and tried to understand what was happening. Suddenly everything came to life at once and began to move at an incredible speed. In a matter of seconds, the sun rose and night immediately fell. Orlov watched everything happening and could not believe his eyes. Days flew by in an instant! The leaves of the trees turned yellow and fell down. Winter came. But the snow melted after a minute. Young green leaves appeared on the trees again. Fragrant grass quickly began to fill the gray lawns with its greenery. For a fraction of a second, everything froze again… but then time went on as usual. Orlov quickly glanced around and walked with quick steps to the kitchen. Turned on the radio:
– Good morning, comrades! – a cheerful female voice sounded. – Moscow time, six o’clock in the morning. May 22, 1981. Meet the new day with a smile and good mood! Get ready to perform gymnastic exercises…
06:00 May 22, 1981
Apartment of Captain of the Border Troops of the KGB of the USSR Pyotr Orlov.
Orlov clenched his teeth and went back to the balcony.
Slowly and concentratedly, he began to examine everything around.
In the house opposite, a man was doing exercises on the balcony. He lifted heavy weights and squinted from the bright rays of the sun with a smile on his face. In the yard, a young woman was walking her dog. She constantly yawned and rubbed her eyes with her hands. A janitor was sweeping the sidewalk and muttering something under his breath.
The city was slowly waking up.
Orlov smirked and silently, with an impassive expression on his face, went to the kitchen to make himself breakfast.
08:00 May 22, 1981
Apartment of Andrey Maltsev.
– Andrey, get up, we’re leaving! – Lyuba shouted to her husband, closing the front door behind her.
Slowly, he, stretching, yawned and slowly got out of bed. With a lazy gait, he went into the kitchen and looked at the tear-off calendar on the wall.
– What? – he shouted sharply. His heart began to beat wildly.
The doorbell rang.
Startled, Andrey flinched. Went to the hallway.
– Comrade Captain, you? – Andrey was surprised, opening the door.
– Me, – Orlov said calmly. – Can I come in?
– Yes, of course, come in, – Andrey stepped aside.
Orlov entered the apartment.
– Something happened? – Andrey asked, closing the door.
– And you are not aware?
– About what? Ah… – he remembered frightened. – I was about to call you, but you came yourself.
– I came! And I have a talk for you.
– Yes, I’m listening.
– Maltsev, as I said yesterday… – Orlov smirked. – Time is going faster and faster! This creature is mocking us! Understand? – he clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth in anger. – I really look forward to meeting him! I will do everything to make sure he dies this time!
– I also look forward to meeting him! – Andrey said confidently.
Orlov smiled:
– That’s the attitude I like! Well done! Due to the fact that time is accelerating, it is quite possible that already tomorrow… day X will come!
– You think?
– Anything is possible! By the way, the dormitory for scientists on the territory of the institute has already been built. And they were brought from Moscow tonight.
– And again, a time jump occurred?
– Yes! I have a plan!
– What? – Andrey became interested.
– I will carefully sneak onto the territory of the institute and talk with the professor, who is their chief there.
– I’m with you! – Andrey blurted out.
– Don’t even think about it! – Orlov objected. – It’s dangerous! I have a special task for you.
– — What?
– Here are three rubles, go buy notebooks and markers.
– What for?
– Listen to the end. Don’t interrupt!
– Sorry!
– So. You will buy notebooks and markers. You will tear sheets out of the notebooks and on each of them write this text with a red marker. – Orlov handed him a folded piece of paper.
Andrey took it in his hands and, unfolding it, read:
– Dear scientists. The electromagnetic accelerator is deadly dangerous! Because of it, the residents of this city may die. And you included! I appeal to your reason, stop the launch! Save innocent people from inevitable death!
– Wow… – Andrey exhaled admiringly. – Strong!
– Will you make leaflets? Can you?
– Yes! Of course I can. What are the deadlines? When will they be needed?
– By twelve o’clock at night! I will come for them.
– Okay. I’ll do it!
– Hm, strange! You’re not even going to say anything about your wife?
– What do you mean?
– Well, that twelve o’clock at night is late… the wife will scold!
Andrey smiled and shook his head:
– No, I won’t say that. Everything is fine, I’ll manage!
– Good, – Orlov smiled back at him. – Okay, Maltsev, I have to go!
– How will you get there? – Andrey suddenly asked.
– Where?
– To the institute.
– Why do you need to know that?
– Interesting.
Orlov smiled:
– Well listen, if you’re interested. There are guard towers at the corners of this institute. Two at the main entrance – there are Muscovites there, and the back two – there are my soldiers there. They kindly entrusted us to guard their rear! They say, the enemy won’t pass there, the taiga is deaf and all that… The enemy won’t pass, but I will! I’ll go around the entire territory of the institute and they’ll throw down a ladder from our tower. I’ll quickly climb over the fence. Well, and then depending on the circumstances. If I still can’t talk to the professor, then your leaflets will come in handy. I’ll scatter them near the scientists’ dormitory. They’ll come out, read them! So, you understand, these leaflets are very much needed! Don’t let me down, Maltsev! Do everything on time. Exactly at twelve at night I will come for them.
– I won’t let you down, Comrade Captain, be sure!
– Good, then let’s do this, so as not to wake up your family with doorbell rings, just look out the window more often. When you see my UAZ, take the leaflets and come out! You’ll give them to me and go to sleep. Deal?
– Yes! Okay.
– Well, then see you later, – Orlov said on the go and left the apartment.
– See you later, – Andrey answered and closed the front door.
– He took a couple of steps towards the kitchen when he suddenly felt a sharp dizziness.
– His heart tightened in his chest. It became difficult to breathe. Andrey fell to the floor, losing consciousness.
Orlov came out of the entrance and walked with quick, confident steps to his UAZ:
– Zaitsev, start it, – he commanded. – Let’s go… – but, without finishing, felt a sharp pain in his chest. His vision became cloudy. A drop of blood slowly flowed from his nose. Orlov stopped, grabbed his heart with his hand, staggered slightly, and collapsed unconscious to the ground.
He opened his eyes. Everything is fine, he is at home.
Lying, covered with a light blanket, on his favorite sofa. He is wearing a light blue shirt and black trousers.
– What was that? – he thought. – Did I faint? Who changed my clothes? Maltsev, or what? Or Zaitsev? Why?
The phone in the hallway rang:
– Definitely Maltsev, – he smiled. – Calling to ask how I feel.
Someone picked up the phone receiver:
Orlov tensed.
– Hello, – a pleasant female voice said. – Is it you again? What do you need? Leave me alone…
Orlov was taken aback. He recognized this voice! He was thrown into a fever, then into a cold.
– Why are you doing this, why? – the woman cried. – Don’t touch my parents. Do you hear? Leave us alone! I will do it, do you hear? Just don’t touch anyone, please! That’s it, I’m leaving him. Really, I’m leaving. Yes. Exactly! Okay, I’ll write. I’ll do everything. I’ll write, I won’t forget!
She put the receiver on the hook. And all in tears, she entered the hall, where a shocked Orlov was lying on the sofa. She passed by him and went to the table. On a piece of paper, with a trembling hand and choking with tears, she began to write a farewell letter:
– Don’t look for me! Forget me! We are breaking up! Goodbye!
– Yulia… – Orlov said barely audibly. – Is that you? You’re alive?
But the woman did not hear him. Having finished the letter, she hastily threw her things into an old brown suitcase and quickly went to the exit.
– Yulia, what’s happening? – Orlov said already loudly. – Can you hear me? Where are you going?
She silently went out the door, wiping tears with her hand that flowed incessantly from her eyes.
– Yulia! – Orlov shouted.
He jumped off the sofa and, quickly putting on his shoes, flew out of the apartment.
Running out of the entrance, he noticed how her back disappeared around the corner of the house. He rushed after her headlong, shouting on the run:
– Yulia! Stop! Wait!
Running around the house, Orlov saw her already approaching the pedestrian crossing. He rushed to her. The green light came on, and she, wiping tears with her hand, began to cross the road. Out of nowhere, a truck appeared and hit her at full speed. Without stopping, it disappeared around the nearest turn.
– Yulia! – Orlov shouted with all his might. – No!
Bystanders began to gather around the woman lying on the road.
Orlov ran to her, but suddenly crashed into something… and, falling to the ground, began to convulse. He got up and tried to approach again, but a sharp electric screech stopped him.
– Aah… it’s you, green freak! – said, gritting his teeth, smirking, Orlov. – Decided to show me how my beloved woman died? Thank you! Did me a favor. I was just at work at that moment. Didn’t see it. Very kind of you, creature! Only… why? Why did you show me this? Huh? What do you want? What do you need? – Orlov shouted furiously and ran to the road where Yulia was lying.
A bright blinding flash and crack…
Orlov fell on his back into the snow.
He quickly got to his feet, brushed himself off, and began to convulsively look around. He was surrounded by old four-story houses made of life-worn red bricks. Late evening. Silence. Not a soul. Only snow all around and a piercing cold wind. Orlov began to shiver and his teeth chattered from the cold. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to warm up, and, looking around, squinted and peered at everything that surrounded him.
– What? – he was surprised. – I remember this yard. We lived in this house with my mom when I was little. It can’t be! I’m in Moscow?
A little boy of about seven suddenly ran into the yard from the arch. He was very frightened. Five teenagers were running after him and shouting for him to stop. When they finally caught up with him, they beat him severely. And, snatching something from his coat, they immediately ran away joyfully.