Chapter 2098 - 855: Twists and Turns (Part 5)

"Nothing."

He faced the camera and continued:

"He's the Principal."

March 28, 1998, 9 PM, London, a detention center.

Andrei sat on an iron-framed bed, staring at the closed door.

He didn't know where he was, didn't know what had happened, didn't know why these people had arrested him.

The door opened.

A person in uniform entered, holding a tablet.

"Mr. Andrei, someone sent you a video."

Andrei took the tablet and opened it.

On the screen was a man— in his fifties, unshaven, eyes red and swollen— facing the camera, said:

"Andrei, your dad is in Moscow. Your mom is lying to you. You deserve to know the truth."

He was stunned.

The man continued:

"Your father's name is Victor Petrovich. Former KGB. Kryuchkov's deputy. After the Soviet Union collapsed, he took over the KGB's overseas assets. He—"

He paused.

"He's the Principal."

The video ended.

Andrei sat there in a daze, staring at the now-dark screen.

The Principal.

That name, he had heard it before.

In the library of the London School of Economics, in that thesis about Eastern European arms smuggling, in those documents he could never borrow.

It was something he had studied for three years.

It was his father.

March 28, 1998, 10 PM, on the outskirts of Moscow, at the villa.

The boss's phone rang.

He picked it up.

"Boss, Andrei has seen the video."

The boss nodded.

"What did he say?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end.

"He didn't say anything."

The boss laughed.

Laughed softly.

"Of course he didn't say anything. He doesn't know what to say."

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside, the night in Moscow was dark and quiet.

"Tell Chechnya, Anna doesn't need to hide anymore."

The other end was taken aback.

"Not need to hide anymore?"

The boss nodded.

"Let her come out. Let her speak. Let her tell the whole world, her father is a fraud, the Mexicans are frauds, and that man named Andrei is also a fraud."

He paused.

"Let her speak for me."

The call ended.

He stood by the window, looking out into the dark night.

He knew this chess game was nearing its end.

March 28, 1998, 11 PM, Chechnya, that stone house.

The door opened.

Anna looked up.

The tall, thin man entered. He came to her, squatted down.

"Anna, you can go out now."

Anna was stunned.

"Go out?"

He nodded.

"Yes. Go out. Speak. Tell the whole world, your father is a fraud. Tell the whole world, the Mexicans are frauds. Tell the whole world—"

He paused.

"Tell the whole world, that man named Andrei is also a fraud."

Anna looked at him.

"Why should I speak?"

The man laughed.

"Because if you don't, your father will die."

Anna's hand trembled slightly.

"You're deceiving me—"

"You don't have to believe me," the man interrupted her, "but your father is in Mexico. Mexicans listen to you. If you don't speak, they will believe your father. If they believe your father, he will survive. If your father survives, you will hate him."

He stood up.

"It's your choice."

Anna looked at the open door.

Outside, it was dark and cold, nothing was visible.

But she knew, she had no choice. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

March 28, 1998, midnight, Mexico City, top floor of Feathered Serpent Temple.

Victor stood by the window, gazing at the city's brightly lit Paseo de la Reforma.

Bramo stood behind him.

"Victor, about Anna—"

"I know," Victor interrupted him.

He turned around.

"Let her speak."

Bramo was taken aback.

"Let her speak? Then—"

"Let her speak," Victor repeated, "Let her tell the whole world, her father is a fraud. Let her tell the whole world, we are frauds. Let her tell the whole world—"

He paused.

"Let her tell the whole world, that man named Andrei is also a fraud."

Bramo looked at him.

"And then?"

Victor laughed.

Laughed coldly.

"Then, the whole world will know that the Principal is anxious."

He walked back to his desk and sat down.

"Only those who are anxious make mistakes."

March 29, 1998, 1 AM, Chechnya, in front of that stone house.

Anna stood at the door, facing the camera.

The night was very dark and cold. In the distance, wolves were howling, their cries sounding like weeping.

She began to speak, her voice trembling:

"My name is Anna Voronova. My dad is Grisha Voronov. He's in Mexico. He—"

She stopped.

The tall, thin man behind the camera said:

"Continue."

She took a deep breath.

"He's a liar. He deceived the Mexicans. He deceived me. He—"

Tears fell down her face.

"He doesn't want me anymore."

The video ended.

The man put the camera away and looked at her.

"Anna, you did well."

Anna said nothing.

She just stood there, staring at the pitch-black night.

She didn't know if her dad would see the video.

She didn't know if her dad would hate her.

She only knew—

She had no choice.

2 AM, London, in a detention center.

Andrei sat on the iron bunk bed, watching the video he had just received.

On the screen, a fourteen-year-old girl stood in the night, speaking into the camera:

"My name is Anna Voronova. My dad is Grisha Voronov. He's in Mexico. He's a liar. He deceived the Mexicans. He deceived me. He doesn't want me anymore."

His hands began to tremble.

Anna.

Grisha's daughter.

The girl who claimed her dad was the principal in the video.

Now she's speaking too.

Saying she is a liar.

Saying they're all liars.

He put down the tablet and looked at the closed door.

He didn't know whom to trust.

But he knew one thing—

His dad really was the principal.

3 AM, Moscow suburbs, in that villa.

The boss sat in a large chair, holding a glass of vodka.

The fire in the fireplace was blazing, but his back was still warm.

The phone rang.

He picked it up.

"Boss, Anna's video has been released."

The boss nodded.

"I saw it."

The voice on the other end paused.

"The Mexicans over there—"

"I know." The boss interrupted him.

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside, the sky over Moscow was starting to lighten. In the distance, the Kremlin's red star was still shining, but not as brilliantly now.

"Let Andrei watch his mom's video."

The other end was stunned.

"Let him watch his mom's? Then—"

"Let him watch." The boss interrupted him, "Let him know his mom deceived him for twenty-five years. Let him know his mom is a liar. Let him know—"

He paused.

"Let him know I am the only father he has."

The call ended.

He stood by the window, looking at the sky beginning to brighten outside.

He knew the game was not yet over.

But he also knew he was close to winning.

4 AM, Mexico City, the top floor of the "Feathered Serpent Temple."

Victor stood by the window, watching the eastern horizon starting to lighten.

He hadn't slept all night.

Bramo pushed the door open and entered.

"Victor, Anna's video has been released."

Victor nodded.

"I know."

"Over in London, Andrei saw it."

Victor nodded again.

"I know."

Bramo paused.

"What do we do?"

Victor turned around.

"Let him wait."

Bramo was stunned.

"Wait?"

Victor nodded.

"Wait for him to hate his mom. Wait for him to hate his dad. Wait until he's willing to help us."

He walked back to his desk and sat down.

"The principal has a son, a daughter. We have the son, we have the daughter. When both are in our hands, let's see who can't sit still."

He paused.

"Tell Grisha, his daughter didn't betray him."

Bramo looked at him.

"Does she know?"

Victor didn't answer.

He looked out at the sky starting to lighten outside.

"She will know."

"He will know!"