Gorod Zero Page #3

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I am sorry, could you take me to Perebrodino?

You need to get to the station?

Yes, I need to get to Moscow.

Two trains stop at Perebrodino: from Adler and Tbilisi.

Very good.

Has something upset you?

Upset? No...I am rather surprised.

Tell me has somebody predicted your future?

Mine? No...But I have read that French doctor Nostradamus predicted Hitler in XVI century.

Somebody is following us. They signal us to stop.

Comrade Varakin?

Yes.

I ask you to get into our car.

We have gotten new information. Some things have to be cleared up.

Do you recognize this?

It is me.

Absolutely right. The photo was found among the papers of dead cook Nikolaev.

How did he get it?

We would like to know that too.

You told me that you have never known the cook.

No...never.

So how can you explain this: "To my dear father from Makhmud."?

What, what?

It means that you are cook's son Makhmud.

What nonsense...what son, what Makhmud?

The examination has proven that your hand writing and the writing on the photograph are identical.

Listen, it is some misunderstanding. I have never seen this cook. My father is Varakin Mikhail...Alekseevich.

He has never been a cook. He is an engineer!

So how can we explain that the photograph with your writing was founded at Nikolaev's?

I don't know...

But may be you have met the cook before?

Never. I swear to you. Never!

I have to make sure you aren't going to leave.

How can it be? This is a mistake.

Don't you worry. We will solve everything.

I have to go to Moscow!

I have to make sure you aren't going to leave. But you can appeal against my actions.

Varakin Aleksey Mikhailovich?

Yes.

A public prosecutor is speaking to you...

Who?

The public prosecutor of this town. Get down, there is a car waiting for you there.

Good day, Aleksey Mikhailovich.

Hello.

Please.

Thank you.

I am familiar with the case, regarding witch you wanted to see me.

Strange case...

You see...It is some misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with that incident, I was there accidentally.

I need to go to Moscow urgently.

Aleksey Mikhailovich...have you ever wanted to commit a crime?

Why?

Just because. To commit something illegal. Well, I don't know...to steal the tape recorder?

To attack a policeman?

Why should I attack a policeman?

A policeman is just an example. Can you imagine...

I, prosecutor, am dreaming of commiting a crime?

All my life I punish the criminals and envy them inside.

Paradox, worthy to be described by the novelist.

Wouldn't it be great to commit something crazy? Which nobody expects from you.

All right...back to our case. So you want me to let you return to Moscow?

Yes!

Aleksey Mikhailovich, doesn't it seem to you that you were a witness of not suicide, but murder?

What?

Murder.

But I have seen myself when he shot himself...

The thing is that you haven't seen that. Try to remember how it all happened.

Your tea and desert.

What desert? I didn't order anything.

Don't worry, it isn't included in the bill. It's just a small present from our cook.

What's this?

Cake.

Stop! Why did jazz play?

I don't know....May be they had a rehearsal?

There is no a jazz band in the 'Dnepr' restaurant and never has been.

But they were playing.

May be this people only pretended to play? And in reality it was a record.

But why?

To prevent you from hearing the shot which was fired at that moment at the kitchen.

The first shot in this story.

I don't get it!

Even if Nikolaev was killed, why this show was needed?

First of all, I am not saying that he was killed. It's just a version.

It's true, this story looks quit strange...to find a planned murder in it .

But may be the plotters were hoping for it?

They needed to convince you, the stranger, that you were witnessing a suicide.

And they have succeeded in this.

Nikolay Ivanovich... I need to go to Moscow.

I see, you don't understand how serious Nikolaev's case is.

It concerns the state's interests.

From the times of Tartar invasion the main idea which unites us all,

the idea which so many generations of our ancestors have served is the idea of the statehood.

Powerful, great state is the ideal for witch Russian is ready to suffer for,

ready to take any hardship, to give his own life for.

This is irrational idea. This is not that pragmatic European desire to get the largest benefit for yourself.

This is the idea of the Russian spirit, which dominates and dissolves your and mine personality.

but it gives back a hundred times more.

This feeling of connection to a great organism gives the feeling of spirit, power and immortality.

'West' always wanted to compromise the idea of our statehood.

But the biggest danger for our idea is not in the West - it is in ourselves.

We ourselves grab these endless, fashionable little ideas from the West, being captivated by their clear practicality and rationality.

Not even thinking that exactly in them is hidden the destructive force.

It's all right. Our own idea in the end will be at the top.

Look for yourself - all of our revolutions in the end led not to the destruction but to the strengthening of the state.

And it will be always this way.

Not many people realize that this is one of the most critical moments of our history...

and cook Nikolaev's case, very simple at first glance, has incredibly deep meaning.

So...Aleksey Mikhailovich, you can't leave the town.

What do I have to do?

Nothing.

Just one thing...if somebody asks, don't deny that you are cook's son.

Makhmood.

Varakin?

Would you like to have some fun?

What?

My girlfriend and I are dieing of boredom, and I thought may be you want to have fun.

Who are you?

...we could make dumplings and you get the wine.

Listen, stop acting like a hooligan!

As you wish.

Who?

I am here on business.

Vasiliy Nokolaevich Chugunov, the writer, wants to see you.

Why?

This is very important for you. I have a car, we can go right now.

I won't go.

I beg you. It is your father Nikolaev we are talking about.

Aleksey Mikhailovich?

Yes.

I am glad to meet you. I am Chugunov.

Please.

I know that you were the witness of cook Nikolaev's suicide.

The thing is that Nikolaev was the first person to dance rock-n-roll in our town.

It happened in the Palace of Culture.

On May 18th 1957.

Watch...

It was usual evening for the young people...

Well, you know...they gather together, dance, have fun.

Even now It's unclear how Nikolaev got there.

He was 27 already, he was a lieutenant...One way or another he was there.

Now look - Nikolaev is walking across the room.

Watch, watch. It will start now.

Here...Do you see, waltz suddenly stops, rock-n-roll is playing. You see, everybody is confused.

Until now nobody knows who switched the records. Now look what Nikolaev does...

That was a true scandal. Our town hasn't seen anything like this since the strike of Left Social Revolutionaries.

And now take a look at this young man - Nikolay Smorodinov, the head of our town Komsomol Committee.

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