Srivastapol , Crimea----------
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An old, bald man stared at the television, eyes vacant.
He was Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, former General Secretary of the Soviet Union. His gaze was fixed on Andrei's speech, the applause, the confident display, the beauties flanking him. Just three days ago, it had been him in that spotlight. Now, a greenhorn had stolen everything right under his nose.
Gorvochov clenched his fist. "To think someone like him..."
Hatred and envy gnawed at him as he studied the screen. He knew the truth: there was no future for him in the Soviet Union. It was only a matter of time before his body would be found in some unknown grave. He had seen it happen before, history had a way of swallowing its servants.
A knock echoed through the room.
"Come in. The door isn't locked," Gorbachev said without looking up.
A tall, sharply dressed man entered, calm and measured.
"Mr. Gorbachev, I suggest you take your security more seriously," the man said.
Gorbachev laughed bitterly. "Don't make me laugh, Mr. Bond. There's no need to protect a dying old man. Now tell me, are you here to gloat over my misfortune?"
The man's expression remained unreadable. "You know why I'm here. I'm taking you to Britain."
Gorbachev shook his head slowly, staring out at the Black Sea. "It's useless. You could have helped me before this happened. All of this.... if only you had supported the reforms, we wouldn't be here. I was a fool to believe you."
The agent remained silent. He knew Gorbachev wasn't blaming him but the western powers that be promised him peace. What Gorbachev didn't realize "peace" meant subordination.
Bond said with quiet sincerity, "We couldn't have predicted how fast this would unfold… how a young deputy could seize the Soviet Union in just three days. We were too late. That's the truth."
Silence filled the room. Gorbachev's eyes were fixed on the waves, the horizon blurred in his mind. After a long pause, he finally said, "So… where is the car?"
"The black one. Twilight will be driving."
Gorbachev gave a faint nod, rising from his chair. The weight of history and failure pressed down on him, but at least for now, there was a way out.
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"What?"
Andrei shot up from his chair the moment the report reached him.
No, he wasn't shocked that Gorbachev escaped. He was shocked who helped him escape.
{James Bond – 007 (UK)
Loid Forger – Codename Twilight (West Germany)}
(What the actual hell? James Bond? Seriously?)
Kryuchkov, head of the KGB, stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Your Excellency, I take full responsibility. We did not anticipate two top Western operatives joining forces. This is my negligence. I apologize."
Natasha unexpectedly spoke up to cover her hated boss.
"It would've been impossible to catch them. If anything, we were lucky, they clearly weren't sent to sabotage the coup. Otherwise they could've done far worse."
The council murmured agreement. Even the old hardliners nodded.
Andrei stared at Natasha little too long. And then, with a completely straight face, he asked:
"…Did you sleep with either of them?"
"WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT—?!"
Natasha exploded. Then she stopped midway, remembering who she was yelling at the new supreme leader of the Soviet Union.
Andrei coughed, realizing he'd gone too far.
"Ahem. My apologies, Ms. Natasha. The atmosphere was getting a bit grim, so I… uh… used a terrible joke to lighten the mood."
The tension in the room disappeared, there was a low chuckle . Everyone sighs in relief. While inside Andrei vowed to make these people disappear, anyone with the slightest possibility of laying hands on his women can't be alive.
The only person who did not find it funny is Natasha herself. This incident also made her realise that Andrei really might not follow the deal after all.
Initially, their agreement was simple:
After the coup, she could leave the USSR freely. No hunting as long she kept quite.
But now, after the coup she was still here.
Not in some safe house. But inside the Kremlin.
Inside the lion's den.
Andrei was no longer the timid deputy commander she negotiated with.
He was the supreme leader.
And supreme leaders didn't honor promises they didn't need to.
She had assumed he kept her close because she knew too much.
But the more she observed him, the more she realized,
That wasn't the reason at all.
(How did I not see it? He's a teenager with absolute power dropped into his lap. Of course he'd follow his impulses…)
The moment Natasha met Andrei she was fully aware of his lustful gaze towards her. But in her mind he was a ruthless politician who manovered his way to the top. So she unrealistically believed him to be a wolf in sheep's clothing , and never treated him as someone his age.
But now…
Natasha is extremely confident about her looks and didn't hesitate to use it for her benefit. But this is the first time she doesn't know what to do in this situation. Somewhere in her heart she also felt guilty for taking advantage of someone who is much more younger than her. While Natasha was in her own world, Natalia who was on the opposite side was looking at her with a complicated gaze .
When secratery Elena saw Andrei enter the room flanked by not one, but two beautiful women…
A strange, hot feeling twisted in her chest.
Jealousy? No. Impossible.
She shook her head.
(Be professional. You're being ridiculous.)
Andrei looked at the report not knowing the storms hurricanes beside him.
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During the period of martial law, Moscow City imposed a curfew. After 7 o'clock in the evening, the bustling streets quieted down.
Occasionally, soldiers with Ak-47 rifles could be seen patrolling the streets to prevent some rioters from taking advantage of the darkness of the night. cover for sabotage.
Some buildings in Moscow have been attacked by unknown persons before, and they even burned vehicles.
At the same time, the KGB agents known as the sword and shield of the Soviet Union and the secret police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are hunting down Yeltsin's supporters throughout the city. In an attempt to cause riots, these people will push themselves on the opposite side of the public opinion.
Nikolai Ivanovich Ryzhkov, who was sitting in the car at this time, had never been in such a complicated mood as today.
He heard from the TV this morning that Gorbachev could not be the general secretary of the CPSU. News, from the news that President Yeltsin committed suicide in fear of guilt in the afternoon, to the assassination of Yanayev, by Yeltsin supporters in the evening, And the inauguration of the new General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
The mood of the Soviet people is like a roller coaster, and the little heart can't bear it.
__________________
However, Ryzhkov was still very happy to hear that Yeltsin was dead. Having been run over by the Russian president, he commented more than once in private that Yeltsin was a Soviet traitor.
The driver turned his head and said to the thoughtful Ryzhkov, "Comrade Ryzhkov, we are at the hospital."
"Oh, good." Ryzhkov, who came back to his senses, raised his head and saw that the courtyard was full of KGB agents. Those eyes that looked at him were staring at him like a suspect, making Ryzhkov feel uncomfortable. The general secretary's security level has reached the highest level, and anyone is suspicious in their eyes.
"I'm going to see General Secretary Yanayev. Let Comrade Plekhanov lead the way."
"Of course, this way." Plekhanov made a gesture of invitation.
"You are here, Comrade Ryzhkov, come and sit first." Andrei greeted Ryzhkov enthusiastically.
"Did the general secretary and the prime minister summon me for something important?" Ryzhkov asked cautiously.
"Of course." Andrei said straight to the point, "Our Politburo is going to abolish the so-called 500-day plan of Gorbachev and Yeltsin, and reuse your "Government Program". I hope we still have time to do this. things, to make up for the stupid things that Gorbachev did."
Pavlov took Andrei's words and said to Ryzhkov, "So you will take up the post of Minister of Economy of the Soviet Union to implement your plan of cautious reform. What is Comrade Ryzhkov's opinion on this?"
"You should hire someone else." Hearing what Andrei said, Ryzhkov decided to retreat and strive for more initiative. "Reform is a very risky approach, and many measures will bring unpredictable consequences. , so what I need is an absolute right to guarantee that any measures I take will not be influenced other people."
"That's it?"
"And the most important point is that I am a person with no power or position, how can I go to the central government to be in charge of the economy? Where is the minister?"
Andrei and Pavlov smiled at each other, and said in unison, "This is the unanimous decision of the members of the Politburo, and you will be the Minister of Economy."
"If you say this, will it give people a sense of security?" Ryzhkov murmured softly.
Seeing that he was still not at ease, Andrei could only promise with a wry smile, "The minister of economy is only temporary, and we will transfer you in the future. I just want to share the news with you today. Discuss another day's meeting. And I guarantee that your reform measures will be put in place. This is not the time for Gorbachev to speak. In September 1990, you watched the motherland fall into the country because of a bunch of idiots and people with ulterior motives. There is nothing you can do about the abyss, but if you are given another chance now, will you choose to save her without hesitation?"
"Of course I will."
At Anderi's words, Ryzhkov looked up at him, eyes brighter and more determined than they had been .