Page 133

“He cleared the false medical delivery at the outer checkpoint,” Ilya says. “I found him in the garage using a disposable phone.”

“Who was he calling?”

“We don’t know yet. He ended the call when he saw us and tried to reach one of the cars.”

“Did he say anything?” Abramov asks.

“Only three words before he hung up. ‘They found Anton.’”

Dmitri turns back from the door.

“Where are they now?” I ask.

“The third is downstairs,” Ilya says. “My men are bringing the other two in. One of the guards also changed the north-gate duty list before Anton carried the photograph there.”

Petrov checks their names against the payment records. “All three received cash from the same collection office that cleared Anton’s gambling debts.”

Abramov circles the names on the personnel list.

“Four traitors inside,” Leonid says.

“Four we know about,” I reply. “We still don’t know who printed the photograph or whether there are more.”

Petrov follows the payment through the bank records, then whistles. “The customs broker sent the money to the collection office.”

He turns another page. “That office belongs to Chernov’s waste company.”

Captain Vadim Chernov controls the Volkov city-service businesses. His companies collect waste, clean buildings, and arrange repair crews. Their workers can enter loading areas and service halls without anyone asking many questions.

“What’s his company called?”

Leonid searches Chernov’s records.

“SeverMed.”

“I saw that name at Sklifosovsky,” I say. “A woman wearing it came into my room dressed as a nurse.”

Dmitri stops near the door. “Chernov chose a side.”

“Rudenko, then Chernov,” Abramov says.

Leonid looks at the names on his screen. “Both captains are moving with Belov.”

Petrov brings up another company file. “Chernov’s waste company also rents the warehouse outside Yaroslavl.”

I know the address. “The warehouse is tied to Vera’s father.”

Leonid turns his laptop toward me. “The waste company has contracts with seven hospitals and three private clinics.”

Its trucks can enter hospital loading bays. Its workers wear masks, gloves, and uniforms. They carry sealed bins through service halls, and no one stops them because removing medical waste is their job.

Vera’s hospital is on the list.

Kirill jerks upright as an alarm sounds through his headset.

“Fire at the Khimki warehouse.”

Khimki controls the northern freight routes and several of the organization’s largest cash shipments.