Gennady left, and Pavel was alone with his thoughts. He knew that the legal process could drag on for months, or even years. But it was a matter of principle to show that you couldn’t play these games with his company.
At two in the afternoon, Vera Yazvinskaya called him.
— Pavel Igorevich, I’ve been in contact with Svetlana, — the lawyer reported. — She signed the cooperation agreement. She officially undertakes to appear at the meeting, hand over the prepared documents, and give testimony about her contacts with the representatives of ‘Status-Tech.’ In return, we undertake not to file a civil suit against her. The dismissal for cause remains in effect.
— How is she? Has she broken down?
— She’s holding up, — Vera paused. — But you can tell she’s worried. She asked what will happen after her dismissal. I told her honestly: with such an entry in her work record, finding a job will be difficult. Especially in our field.
— That was her choice, — Pavel said sternly. — No one forced her to sell information.
— I understand, — Vera agreed. — It’s just… she’s still a person. And she made a mistake.
— Mistakes come in different forms, — Pavel rubbed the bridge of his nose. — Forgetting to send an email is a mistake. Knowingly stealing trade secrets and selling them to competitors is betrayal.
After talking with Vera, Pavel decided to call Kasatkin back after all. He was curious to hear what the man who would be caught stealing information in a few hours would say. He dialed the number. The call was answered after the third ring.
— Vladimir Kasatkin speaking, — a confident male voice said.
— Good afternoon, this is Pavel Chernyavsky, ‘Chernyavsky Soft.’ You called this morning.
— Ah, Pavel Igorevich! — The voice became even more cheerful. — Thanks for calling back. You see, the thing is, I’d like to meet with you and discuss a possible collaboration between our companies.
— Collaboration? — Pavel barely suppressed a smirk. — As far as I know, we’re competitors.
— Well, ‘competitors’ is a strong word, — Kasatkin laughed. — The market is big, there’s room for everyone. I think we could find some common ground. Divide spheres of influence, so to speak.
— Don’t you think? An interesting idea, — Pavel said cautiously. — What exactly are you proposing?
— Let’s meet, discuss it over a cup of coffee, — Kasatkin suggested. — Maybe this evening? I’ll be in your area.
— I can’t today, — Pavel refused. — I have important business. Maybe another time?
— A pity, — disappointment was audible in Kasatkin’s voice. — Well then, we’ll be in touch later. All the best, Pavel Igorevich.
— Goodbye.
Pavel hung up and thought. Kasatkin was clearly trying to test the waters. Perhaps they already sensed something was wrong. Or was it an attempt to distract attention before the evening meeting with Svetlana? In any case, everything would be clear in a few hours.
At five p.m., the whole team gathered in Pavel’s office. Oleg Myachin laid out a diagram of the café on the table and arranged figurines representing the participants of the operation.
— Look, — he said, pointing at the plan. — Svetlana will arrive first, take a table by the window in the back room. That’s her usual spot, they agreed on it. Kasatkin will arrive a bit later, as they arranged. Our man, Maxim from security, will sit at the next table disguised as a customer. He’ll have a directional microphone, disguised as a tablet. The camera is hanging above the bar, covering the entire room.
— And where will we be? — Vera asked.
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