It wasn’t me who said that. It was Vera. She rose from behind the boulder. Assault rifle in hands, but lowered. Standing openly, in plain sight.
— Vera, get down!
She didn’t listen.
— Remember me? Vera Sergeyevna Mikhailova. Convict of IK-7. The very one you released for safari. The one who survived.
Silence. Then laughter. Unpleasant. Croaking.
— Remember, remember. You are tenacious, Mikhailova. Like a cat.
— I’m not just tenacious. I am a witness.
— That changes nothing.
— Because we already told. Told the ranger. And he will tell someone else. And so along the chain. You can’t kill everyone, Kurganov. Truth — it’s like water. Will always find a crack.
Silence again. I saw Kurganov exchanging glances with the major. How his people shifted from foot to foot. Nervous.
— You’re lying, — said Kurganov. But uncertainty in voice.
And then happened what I didn’t expect. Major Sizov, that corrupt cop, suddenly raised his pistol and aimed it not at us. At Kurganov.
— Freeze! — he yelled. — Everyone freeze! This is an arrest!
Kurganov turned around. Face white, contorted.
— What are you doing, Sizov?
— What I should have done long ago. — Major spoke quickly, nervously. Hands shook, but held pistol firmly. — Thought I would walk under you forever? Thought I didn’t know you intended to write me off as expendable when all this comes out? I’m not a fool, Kurganov. I’m a cop. Corrupt, yes, but not an idiot. — He swallowed. — I heard what that woman said. About witnesses, about the chain. And realized: that’s it, the end. Your boat is sinking. And I don’t intend to sink with you.
Kurganov looked at him for a few seconds. Then laughed.
— Sizov, Sizov, you fool. Think this will save you? You are in deep shit, same as me. Accomplice, organization, abuse of power. Twenty years, no less.
— Maybe. But at least I’ll live to see the trial.
Kurganov turned to his people. To two policemen who came with him.
— Get him!
Then everything spun fast. Kurganov’s mercenaries, those left, didn’t understand what was happening. Someone fired. Don’t know who first. A melee began.
I saw Kurganov dart towards the all-terrain vehicle. Major Sizov ran after him. One of the mercenaries, huge, bald, raised rifle and fired a burst. Sizov fell. Didn’t get up.
Kurganov reached the car. Yanked the door. And then Alina jumped out from behind the boulder. I didn’t understand where she came from. Should have sat in cover, as I ordered. But she jumped out. With a stone in hand. And threw it at Kurganov. Hit. In the head. He swayed, grabbed his face. Blood flowed between fingers.
And then Vera. Nearby. Where she came from, how she managed — don’t know. Aimed barrel at Kurganov.
— Down. Hands behind head. Move — I kill.
He lay down. Slowly, clumsily. Blood dripped on the ground.
Mercenaries froze. No commander, no orders. Confused. Sizov’s two policemen aimed weapons at them.
— Drop the guns! — yelled one of them. — On the ground, now!
Dropped.
Blood finished. I went down. Leg twisted on a stone. Almost fell. Uglyum offered his side. Supported. Faithful dog.
Vera stood over Kurganov, not lowering the rifle. Alina nearby, breathing heavily. Hands scraped, face pale. But eyes alive, burning.
— Why did you crawl out of cover? — I asked.
— He was getting away. Couldn’t let him go. — Alina looked at me. — But didn’t die.
I wanted to say something else, and didn’t have time. Because one of the mercenaries, the one lying face down with hands behind head, suddenly lunged. Pulled a knife from boot leg. Darted towards Vera.
Uglyum reacted before everyone. He jumped. Silently, as always. Knocked mercenary off feet. Latched onto hand with knife. He screamed, tried to break free. No chance! But knife managed to slash. Along grey side. Deep.
Uglyum yelped. Briefly, pitifully. And slumped to the ground.
— No!
I rushed to him.
— Uglyum! Uglyum! Hold on!
He looked at me. Eyes already cloudy, fading. But tail twitched. Once. Last time. Said goodbye.
I hugged him. Ignoring blood. Mine, his. What difference?
— Uglyum! Brother! Don’t go! Please!
He licked my hand. Weakly, barely noticeably. And went quiet.
Gone.
Don’t know how long I sat like that. Minute, hour. Don’t remember. World narrowed to grey dog muzzle. To forever closed eyes. To fur wet with blood. Uglyum. My only, truly only companion all these years, gone. Vera approached, put hand on my shoulder, said nothing, just stood nearby. Alina cried, quietly, soundlessly, only tears flowed down cheeks, and I couldn’t. Tears — that’s for those who still have strength. I had none left.
And then a new sound. Distant, growing. Helicopter. I raised my head. In sky over hills a dot. Approaching. Fast. Whose?
Kurganov stirred, raised head, listened. On smashed face — hope.
— It’s mine, — he wheezed. — Reinforcements. You are all — corpses.
Vera aimed rifle at him…
