I am your woman! Military&Criminal Melodrama

Chapter 1

Moscow recovered from its long sleep. The first sunbeams fell on the Baikal Hotel. It was a September Sunday in 1995, and the weather seemed to be mild that day. Andrey Malcovich lay on his bed in one of the deluxe suites, clasping the pillow with his hands and pressing it down himself, and smacked with his lips in a childish manner. When the sunbeams touched his face he opened his eyes, turned around reluctantly and looked at the digital clock. Six minutes were left till the ringing of his alarm-clock.

It was quiet in the room and outside. Andrey closed his eyes again and made an attempt to return to the magic world of his night visions. «Well, What was your name, you, night enchantress, the girl from my dream?» – he thought. Then Andrey Malcovich remembered he had fallen asleep during the TV-show dedicated to Mata Hari, the beautiful dancer from the early XX century. And his brain gave in to the television wave. This amazing image from the past penetrated into Andrey’s subconsciousness and was still there. The contours of a naked girl were wrapped around with mist. She was standing on top of a rock and stretched her arms to Andrey. He came closer without any word. Coiling around him like a snake, with all her entity, she awakened his desire. The dawn coolness was spilt in the air.

Suddenly there was no air to breathe any more… The thick mist beset him like a ring. Her lips were like fire. Andrey felt as if her heart itself had penetrated under his skin and was beating there. Just a gulp of fresh air he needed now! He tried to release himself. The girl stepped backward and vanished. Andrey was alone. That horrible silence again. And it was before. But now Malcovich felt that silence, he even heard it! The sense that he had lost something forever made his heart shrink and freeze for a while.

He could hardly make a single step forward. And then he felt himself falling down the precipice.

His strong and sunburnt body lay still and stretched on the bed. His Blanket slipped down on the floor. So Andrey woke up. It was high time for him to be off.

Half an hour later, after handing in the keys to a charming receptionist girl, Andrey inserted a plastic card into the door-slot so that to leave the floor. But behind the door he saw two ugly guys. They asked him rudely to insert the card once more and let them in.

Still imagining the young receptionist’s eyes full of innocence, Andrey went straight to the elevator. But all of a sudden the ugly guys blocked his way, and Andrey noticed one of them taking something out of his bosom harshly. «It must be a gun» – he thought. It scared Andrey. But he reacted instantly hitting the first at his jaw and right after that kicking the second’s belly with his right knee.

It was enough to overcome them. They were lying on the floor. Andrey looked under the edge of the first bully’s jacket. Well, he wasn’t mistaken: the bully had a gun on him. So Andrey took the gun, put it into the pocket of his leather jacket and without waiting for the lift coming jumped over the fallen and ran downstairs clutching the rail.

On the ground floor Andrey stopped for a while, breathed away and went up to the exit. Then as if by chance he stopped at the security guard’s desk and made a thoughtful remark:

– The last sunny days we are having! – and, squinting a bit, andrey leaned to the sentinel’s face and whispered:

– On the eighth floor I was attacked by two bastards. Tried to get in. Perhaps, they’re armed.

Before the guard could ask anything Malcovich started to the door. The automatic doors slid apart noiselessly and closed up behind his back.

The sturdy guard hurried to the telephone to call the militia.

Fifteen minutes later four militia officers convoyed those two bandits in handcuffs, and Malcovich, the former navy captain, sitting in his silvery Buick, drove away from the parking lot. He was on the way to a city where he could make a packet of money, the city that was a real gold-mine. Grozny was its name.

Chapter 2

– Well, it’s beyond my comprehension! I simply can’t understand it! There shouldn’t be any foolhardy daring of yours in our life. We’ve just married and now you are eager to leave me and commit exploits at the world’s end. Normal people marry, bear children, bring them up…

– That’s it! Bring them up as they were brought up a long time ago. And it is not a good way. If we are always hiding and being afraid of modern life whatever cruel it is just imagine who our children will become! For God’s sake, I’m going to work, not to make exploits as you say! I finished a military school. That’s my profession! You knew quite well who you’d marry.

– But it never occurred to me you would choose Chechnya!

The quarrel in the Garov family seemed to become serious. If Larisa Ivanovna, the young officer’s mother, hadn’t interfered God knows what would have happened.

– Please, Lera, do come down! Sasha* is not a little boy! He’ll just go there and see if it’s so dangerous as they say. Maybe, the devil is not so terrible as he is painted as the proverb says. Besides, he can earn a lot of money as others do. Then you’ll save money to buy a flat. Then a new car. And live happily.

– Larisa Ivanovna, my parents told me they’d begun to build a house for us! We are not so poor that Sasha should go to the world’s end to get money, are we? And risk his life! He can be killed there!

Alex* was offended by his wife’s remark. He felt uneasy that Lera’s* parents were richer than him and occupied high posts. And his mother, a simple accountant, brought him up by herself. He wished Valeria had never mentioned their poverty.

– Let’s stop it! I’ve made up my mind to go. That’s final! – said Alex abruptly and rushed out of the room shutting the door.

Larisa Ivanovna stood up from the chair with a sigh:

– It’s time to warm up the cutlets. And the ducks need some grass. – she said and left the room too.

Valeria was alone. She didn’t want to do anything, to argue with them any more. All her words are of no use. Maybe she is a square peg in the round hole here? But why on earth did he marry her? Not Katya? Not Glasha? Not someone else? He is so handsome and attractive! He could have chosen any girl he wanted. All the chicks in the street «re dreeming of him.

But Sasha preferred her, Lera Lavrova, a tutor in the kindergarten. Yes, she is not very pretty. But rather well-off, thanks to her parents. She could live as she wanted. Not worry about the future.

How wonderful their love-affair began! Lera leaned the back of her armchair and recalled how they’d met first.

It was a Sunday evening in summer. She was returning from the sea-side in her Opel. He, being a last-year cadet, was on the way home for summer holidays. So he was hitchhiking on the road, at the outskirts of Krasnodar.

Lera stopped her car beside him. Alex opened the door, flopped down onto the seat and began kidding:

– Nice to meet you! My name is Alex. Alex the Hijacker. Hijacker and car-stealer. And what’s your name, you, wonderful owner of a not less wonderful car?

– …Va-le-ria, – Lera answered in syllables, drawling the vowels, and pushed the gas and clutch pedals gently, without any fuss.

Shifting the gear she hit Alex with her elbow by chance. The latter didn’t lose his head and put his hand on hers:

– Can I help you?

Lera moved aside slightly but the guy took off his hand at once:

– Well, I only wanted to help you. Don’t think wrong of me. – Sasha said and stared at her.

Lera turned her eyes to the highway in front of her. Hardly overcoming nervous strain that seized her, she continued driving. Lera felt she was blushing and tried to break that strange, uncouth silence:

– By the way, where are you going? – she asked Sasha.

– To the stanitsa** of Dinskaya. And may I ask you a question? Where from and where to are you going now? You, such a beautiful, young and brave Amazon?

Lera was taken aback again. She tried to speak of the sea-surf, but everything mixed in her head. Alex saw it. And he was pleased. He was so pleasedwith his newly-invented image of a hijacker and seducer that suddenly he whispered right into her ear:

– Lera, dear, please relax! Or you’ll skid but I want to live…

And then Valeria suddenly pulled the brakes. At that moment she wanted only one thing – to get rid of this impudent passenger. But at the same time she was pleased with his courting.

– Please… – but Alex didn’t let her finish.

He nearly bumped against the windscreen but turned harshly and caught Lera by her shoulder, pulled her to himself and kissed. She couldn’t resist.

She remembered trying to protect her virginity: «We can’t do it! We’ve just met… know each other for a couple of minutes». But this attempt was too weak. Alex put his hand lower and lower. Her breasts betrayed her and made her moan…

*Alex, Sasha, Sanyok – diminutive for Alexander, Lera – that for Valeria.

**Stanitsa – a Cossack village.

Chapter 3

Somebody was knocking at the door and shouting:

– Comrade Major! Comrade Major! Please, open the door!

– Private Glushko, fuck off! – major Smirnov bawled from inside.

– To you… A kind of… your wife or so has come!

The door opened half. Major Smirnov, scared, wrapping his naked body with a towel mumbled:

– Did you really see her?

Glushko who was not the least frightened lost the gift of speech completely when he saw the major’s hairy chest. So he just nodded.

– And where is she?

Glushko waved his hand towards the commandant’s office:

– Th-th-ere…

– Where?! In the office? Speak out!

Then Glushko began to mutter:

– There… A car stopped… A blue one… Or not. Not know… Forgot… A woman get off. Very pretty! Good heavens! Ryzhov said: «Such pretty things’re driving to and fro in their cars in Grozny like at home». That’s what he said! And she came up to us. Ryzhov also said to me: «Big tits!».

– Shut up! Or I’ll show you! Big tits!

– Comrade major. Please don’t punish Ryzhov! He didn’t mean anything bad.

He didn’t know she’s your wife. But if you beat him He’ll guess… And he’ll kill me!

– OK, come down! But where is Svetka* now? I hope she isn’t here, is she? – Smirnov leaned over Glushko’s shoulder examining an empty corridor in one of the hostels of the Northern Airport.

– She is… Ryzhov saw her to the office. He said: «So you’ll have to wait a little. Major Smirnov is on a secret commission.

– Ugh… Well, Ryzhov’s a brick! Now Glushko, stand at the hostel door and don’t let Svetka here while I’m dressing. Clear? Repeat!

Pleased with such trust private Glushko stood straight and said distinctly: «Stand at the hostel door and not let Svetka in!».

– That’s a good boy! But Svetlana Vladimirovna for you. Go away. You’re free!

Glushko went to the exit.

– But don’t tell her it was my order!

– Yes, sir. Not tell.

– Because I know you well! – grumbled the major, closed the sauna door and entered the sweating-room. – Now dress! That’s all! Had a good time together! Wife’s come!

Ensign Lyubov Antonova said lazily:

– I heard. You go alone. I’d rather sweat out a bit.

– As you like, – Smirnov pulled up his trousers quickly.

Five minutes later Smirnov knocked at the door of one of the rooms opposite to the exit. Before anyone inside could answer, he pushed the handle and opened the door.

There was nobody inside. Smirnov came up to the window and opened it. Then he got out of the window. High and dense grass hid him up to the waist. Smirnov walked for five meters, then he bent and put his hands on the dusty road. Smirnov thrust his hands into his wet hair, tousled and sleeked it slightly.

– Now it’s alright! – he thought. Smirnov scrutinized his camouflage uniform slowly and rubbed the trousers with his dusty hands.

Major Smirnov bent around the two-storey hostel and went impetuously towards the commandant’s office. Ten meters near it, a lonely figure of private Glushko, scrawny and small.

The major cried:

– Private Glushko! Doing nothing as usual?! Go and put yourself in order at once! Wash! Wash and press your outfit! Clean your gun! Be ready by tomorrow! You’ll go with me, to follow the column to Khankala!

– Me… to Khankala?! – Glushko gasped.

While the soldier was trying to understand what to do first, Major Smirnov entered the commandant’s office, round and low.

– Wow! Svetlana? It’s you! Or am I dreaming? Where from? With whom are our children?

*Svetka – diminutive and familiar for Svetlana.

Chapter 4

Hardly had Malcovich passed Mozdok in his Buick when he was stopped. With their AKMs atilt two patrol soldiers came to the car at the distance of a stretched arm:

– Get off!

Malcovich was about to show them his inefficacious certificate of the navy captain, but those guys didn’t let him do so. Drawing a bead on him at once, one of them repeated:

– Get off!

«Oh, God, for what sins? Do help me, please!» – Malcovich thought.

– Hands on the hood! Feet astride! – one of the soldiers started probing Andrei’s jacket.

He took out his passport, certificate and wallet:

– Andrei Andreievich Malcovich. Born in 1966 in Volgograd. Single. No children. – the soldier read aloud the passport data.

Then opened the military certificate, but read it to himself. After thinking a bit the soldier said:

– Comrade Captain, excuse us for the delay. You may be free!

«Good heavens! They could have let me go before! Thanks, God!» – Malcovich thought.

And then when Malcovich sat behind the wheel and turned the ignition key the second soldier offered him as if reluctantly:

– Do you mind opening the trunk? Just a formality. Just to be sure. And you may go further.

Malcovich left his fingers on the key for a while. Slowly, with dignity he turned his head towards the car-window and asked:

– What?

– Open the trunk I said! – repeated the patrol soldier.

«Good Lord! What bad have I done?!» – a desperate thought flashed by in Andrei’s head.

Humming the tune of «There is an isle of Bad Luck in the ocean», Andrei switched off the ignition, put out the key, opened the door and said rapidly:

– Well, kids! Let’s arrange it! I’ll pay! 500 to each! I’m in a hurry you know! They stop and check me at every post! I’m exhausted to open and close it all the time! One and the same everywhere! I’ve lost half an hour here. I was to be in Vedeno yesterday. So what shall we do? – Malcovich tried to take out his wallet. The second patrol soldier got on the alert.

– Take off your money! Open!

Malcovich heaved a sigh and started opening the trunk… Yawning the patrol soldier wanted to close his mouth with his hand to be decent, but suddenly whistled out and cried to his friend:

– Oh, Vasya! Here’s an arsenal! Guns of all kinds! Just look!

While the patrol soldier was going to Andrei’s car, thoughts were whirling around in his head. Andrei was unable to concentrate on anything.

– OK, I’ll tell you though I mustn’t. These arms are for the commandant’s office of the Northern airport. You know our guys are killed and the Chechens «re grabbing our arms as a trophy. The detachment commanders are in trouble. The office lacks a whale of arms! But it’s useless to explain to those fat-assed generals in Moscow and Rostov that we are losing arms in battle. In battle I say! So I’m going to save my old friends – to refill the arsenal to cut it short!

– This tale will be good for your lawyer, Captain! In court! And then we are surprised why the militants have Russian arms! – said that Vasya and spit scornfully on the move. He convoyed Malcovich to the post cabin, to call the militia from Mozdok, «for detaining an offender».

Chapter 5

Nevertheless Lieutenant Garov, 23 years of age, left his native stanitsa. «Maybe, my wife will understand me, – he thought sitting on a pile of rolled canvas tents near a porthole of the plane „Rostov – Grozny“, – Anyway, other officers’ wives share life with their husbands. They have to travel with them and put up with their duties, don’t they?».

– Oh, young lieutenant! Flying for the first time? – a tender-hearted old man near him cried out.

– Yes, first, – Alex nodded.

– Want some water? I have some mineral water left. Have a drink?!

– No, thanks. I have myself. – Alex shouted in response and half closed his eyes as if he were dosing…

When in that Lera’s Opel he took her passionately, even violently he couldn’t imagine he would be her first man. Just think: a young lady drives along the deserted highway, then picks up a stranger and – what’s more! – is ready to give in to him… Alex wouldn’t have remembered her the next morning if he hadn’t discovered some blood on his trunks taking a shower and hadn’t compared this with Lera’s cry «Oh, it hurts!» when she lost her virginity.

– Mum! Do you know the Lavrovs?

– Of course I know! Everybody knows them! He is a market director, and she is the Chief public prosecutor.

– Oh, God! What I’ve done!

– What’s wrong, my boy? – Mother didn’t hear her son’s exclamation for the water was running in the shower cabin.

– Nothing special!.. Mum, I’m hungry! Awfully hungry!

The next evening he was waiting for Lera near the kindergarten. When she appeared the last beam of sunset fell right on his face. So he screwed his eyes a bit:

– Hello!

Suddenly Lera spoke in a manly voice:

– Kid, wake up! Wake up! We’ve just arrived. The flight is over.

Alex moved abruptly and opened his eyes. The warm-hearted old man was over him:

– We’ve come I say. Had a nap? Well, don’t hurry. We have a lot of time to disembark. They won’t take you back on board. They’ll fly back only tomorrow. With the dead. Here – with alive, back – with dead. Alive and dead. As the title of that novel. By the way, who’s the author of it? Some Russian chap… Ugh… I forgot. Slipped my mind. Oh, my cabbage head! Don’t you remember, lieutenant? – The old man was smiling.

Garov was ready to hit him at the jaw. He clinched his fists, but the old man noticed that and changed his face and tone.

– Please, don’t be angry for my words, – he said. – Neither you nor I want death and war. Neither you nor I started killing people. Others began that war – those who drive in luxurious cars and sit in cozy armchairs. They don’t see any blood, any grief, they’re just getting money. But it’s always not enough for them. They don’t care a straw who is me and who is you! Their fat life is the only thing they care! They’re not at war like Napoleon. Alas, guys like you are merely cannon fodder. Ad you’ll go to make exploits! What for? For their benefit?!

Alex couldn’t deny it. He was listening to the old man gloomily. He undid and clenched his fists.

The old man stopped speaking for some time, then continued in a quiet voice:

– I met Nino, my future wife on the 9th of May. Then it became a Victory day you know. She was just a girl. She left school and was going to enter the institute. But the war began. I was in a trench near Stalingrad in 1942 when I got a small parcel. Many soldiers got such parcels. So I opened it and saw a pair of knitted woolen socks. There was a photo and a small triangle letter in one of them… Our women in the rear gathered what they could for the parcels and sent them to the front line. It was Nino who’ d knitted the socks. Besides, she looked ahead: she would marry the man who would get those socks. She told me that later when our son was one… Then I looked at her photo – a smiling pretty girl she was. That photo touched my heartstrings. I recalled my dear home, cosy and warm. So I read her letter, learned what her name was. As it turned out, we’d lived in the same street in Grozny before the war. Strange as it may seem, the war helped me to find my love. So I answered her. We wrote to each other till the victory. In April, 45 I got wounded and was taken to hospital. Was discharged on the 1st of May, could walk on crutches only. Was sent back home. Nino came to meet me at the railway station, brought me a bouquet of tulips. In a year our son was born.

The old man paused. Then he continued his story:

– Nino died. But I live. Son died. But I live. Truly, I died too… We didn’t want to leave Grozny. But everyone left. Nino and I stayed alone. On the 2nd floor. We, old people, can’t look for a new home, wander from one flat to another. So as we thought it was high time for us to go to the better world. We had lived together for ages – so we would die together as well. As I thought. But it wasn’t so… I went away for half an hour …And it began: helicopters, fire, enemies… I saw our house crash down. It was exploded. When I was leaving Nino said: «I’ll have a rest, wait for you and then feed Vas’ka. Vas’ka is our cat. As you see she didn’t feed him.

Alex couldn’t help asking:

– And your son?

– My sonny died in the air-crash. He was a pilot. Now I’m coming back from my daughter-in-law. She lives in Rostov, with my granddaughter. She asked me to stay, but I can’t stay, Can’t live without Nino. It’s all the same for me – to die. Better to be buried near her.

– You two, get off! You can talk outside! – someone said.

Chapter 6

The officers of the commandant’s office met Sasha Garov friendly. Major Smirnov called him just Garik and offered him to follow a provision pack to Khankala.

– I’d love to! – Sasha answered with great alacrity. – When do we start?

– Oh, not so fast! Steady on! Not today but tomorrow! Major Smirnov squinting a little looked straight into Garov’s eyes.

But meeting the same sight, sharp and steady Smirnov turned aside and bawled:

– Glushko!