“Is something wrong?” Jake asked.
“Petrovich, you say?”
“Yes. The young woman’s name is Katie or Katrina. I’m not sure about her last name, but we traced the call to the apartment of Galina Petrovich. We also found an old journal that we think Katie dropped in the desert. It belonged to Dmitri Petrovich. I don’t know the connection.”
The man remained silent for a moment. “I see,” he finally spoke.
Jake gave his companion a puzzled look. “Do you know them?”
“Yes,” the older man nodded absently. “It has been many years since I’ve heard the name Dmitri Petrovich. Dmitri was a close friend.”
“Is he still living?” Jake asked excitedly.
“No,” Stefan shook his head. “He’s been gone a long time now. Galina, Dmitri’s widow, still lives here, although I haven’t spoken to her for some time. I spent a good part of my adult life at odds with the Soviet Union. When I returned from prison, I felt it was best to keep my distance from her. That family has had enough problems without being associated with a political dissident.”
“Do you know the girl?” Jake asked.
“She is Galina’s granddaughter. At least that is what the girl calls her, Baba, which means grandmother. Galina adopted her from an orphanage that she was managing near the Chinese border when the girl was maybe ten or twelve.”
“You seem to know a lot about this family,” Jake observed with concern.
Stefan shrugged. “Although I haven’t spoken to Galina in years, I keep an eye on her to make sure she is not in need. I feel that I owe it to Dmitri.”
“I don’t understand the secrecy,” Jake said. “The Soviet Union no longer exists. Surely no one cares about your past anymore. What’s the danger in speaking with them?”
“I wish it was that simple,” Stefan answered, “but the old Soviet guards have not all passed from Russia. Unemployment is soaring here and problems in the Caucasus region have raised questions about security. There are many who wish for the return of communism and the strong handedness of the Soviet Union. There are others who stand ready to capitalize on it. Because of this, you should know something. Dmitri Petrovich had powerful enemies.”
“Apparently that’s true of his granddaughter as well,” Jake sighed.
“You said that she found something in the desert…” Stefan said.
“Yes, an unmanned space capsule from the early sixties. We have no idea why it was there or why she knew to look for it. Official records say it burned up in the atmosphere. Was Dmitri involved in the early space program?”
Stefan shook his head. “No. Dmitri was a biologist.”
Jake thought for a moment. “There must be some connection. Do you know if Katie works in the aerospace business?”
“No. I have been told that she is a research assistant at the Ethnography Museum. Like Dmitri, she too is a biologist.”
“Could Dmitri have been working on some government program without your knowledge? From what I’ve read about the Soviet Union, there were a lot of secrets, even among friends.”
“No,” Stefan said firmly, shaking his head. “Dmitri Petrovich was hated by the state. He wanted the world to know that the God of the Bible was real to the letter of his word. The Soviets were trying to control the people by their atheistic philosophies. Dmitri became their target. They saw him as a threat to their livelihood.
“The Kremlin has always gotten fat at the expense of the common people. The new leaders of Russia, like the czars and the communists, are only concerned with power and wealth. If a man will kill for a few rubles, how many more will he kill to possess billions? The seat of power in this country has always come with an immense dowry.”
Jake rubbed his tired eyes. “The only reason I came here was to check on Katie,” he said, “and see if there was something I could do to help her. At the moment, that is more important to me than anything else.”
“My father asked me that question once,” Stefan replied. “We were standing outside one day, watching a thunderstorm as it approached. He asked me if I would be willing to stand unafraid in the middle of a storm with lightning flashing all about. Knowing him, I assumed it was a question concerning the teachings of the Bible. So I quoted the words from Deuteronomy that Jesus had used against Satan when he was tempted in the desert. ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Just as I said that,” Stefan smiled, “lightning struck the ground not far from us. There was a deafening thunder. I threw my arms around my father. He looked down at me and I will never forget his words. ‘I know you and I know your heart. I know that you would never put your God to the test, but what if he tests you? What if he puts you in the midst of the storm? Would you still trust him?’”
Jake allowed his words to sink in and then nodded. “Is that what I’m in for?”
Stefan reached across and gripped his shoulder. “Let me tell you something about my friend. If there was ever a man who lived his life in the midst of the storm, it was Dmitri Petrovich. His beliefs cost him every earthly thing, including his life. Before you cross that street, I want to make sure you are ready for whatever awaits you.”
20
An hour later, Jake grudgingly parted company with his new friend and proceeded to the apartment complex across the street. He had learned much about Dmitri Petrovich and about Stefan. Their adventures together were fascinating. Jake had also learned the price that each had paid for holding to their beliefs when all those around them were conforming at some level to the demands of the state. Stefan and Dmitri had become friends in the gulags of Siberia from where Dmitri had ultimately escaped, moving to Western China. As they had guessed from Cindy’s partial translation of the journal, Stefan confirmed that Dmitri Petrovich was a scientist who used his education and talents to bring the literal truth of the Bible to light. Although Stefan was unaware of what Dmitri was looking for at the time of his disappearance, the last letter from his old friend had made an indistinct reference to the origin of species. Knowing their mail was subject to inspection, Dmitri had always been vague about his work.
Jake had promised to check back with Stefan to tell him how his visit had gone. He had also invited Stefan to go to the apartment with him, but the older man had declined. Jake knew there was more to the story of why he refused to meet with Katie’s grandmother. Not wanting to press Stefan for an answer, he simply added it to his growing list of unknowns.
Like most of the older apartments in Russia, Katie’s complex showed signs of disrepair in every direction that Jake looked. The grey concrete walls were covered with a thick coat of inner-city pollution. Brown clumps of uncut grass protruded from every crack in the pavement, and trash collected against the chain-linked fence where the wind had deposited it. Children bundled in heavy coats climbed the rusted remains of a nearby gym set.
When he reached the apartment number, which corresponded to the Petrovich address, he immediately noticed that something was wrong with the door. Closer inspection showed that the strike plate to the deadbolt was bowed at an odd angle. There were also pry marks in the paint where a crowbar had creased the jamb behind it. He swallowed hard as he knocked, but there was no answer. As he reached for the knob, he found that the door swung open freely. The bolt had been sheered.
“Hello,” he called warily in Russian. “Is anyone here?”
He was hesitant to go any further, but just inside the entrance, he found that the excessive clutter and overturned furniture told him everything he needed to know.
“Stop there!” came a sudden shout.
Jake shuddered, recognizing the Russian words that came from behind him. Turning around slowly, he came face to face with a small, angry looking woman wearing a bright red headscarf. Before he could explain, she shoved the tip of an umbrella into his stomach.
“Wait,” he pleaded.
“What do you want?” she asked sternly.
A response in Russian was not coming to his mind. “Petrovich,” he finally s
aid. “Katie Petrovich. She is a friend.”
The woman gave him a hard stare but relaxed some of the force on the umbrella. “British?”
“American,” Jake answered hesitantly.
“Why are you looking for Katrina?” she asked in English.
“We met in Mongolia last week. I helped her. I came here to make sure she was safe. Does she live here?”
The woman glanced suspiciously around her. “Come with me.”
Jake followed her up two flights of stairs until they came to an apartment on the western side of the building. She removed a key from her pocket and unlocked the door.
“Galina,” she called before disappearing into the back of the apartment.
Jake listened but could only understand parts of their conversation. A few seconds later, another woman, looking very much like the first, emerged from the back of the apartment. The two women exchanged a few more words and then stood silently staring up at him.
“Mrs. Petrovich?” he asked.
“I am Galina Petrovich,” the second woman replied. There was almost no accent in her voice. Jake remembered that Katie had told him of her grandmother’s career as an English teacher.
“My name is Jacob Evers. I met your granddaughter in Mongolia last week. She was having some trouble at the time. Please tell me she is safe.”
A softened look came across the woman’s face and she wrapped her arms around him unexpectedly. “Thank you,” she said. Jake was taken aback by the suddenness of her actions. “You must be the young man she told me about. You fit her description—broad-shouldered with a kind, handsome face.”
“Oh,” Jake replied, feeling somewhat embarrassed. “Is she here…I mean, does she live here with you?”
The first woman whispered something in Russian.
“Forgive me,” Mrs. Petrovich said. “This is my friend Anechka.”
The lady in the red scarf smiled for the first time.
“How do you do?” he greeted.
“Anechka tells me you have been to our apartment. I’m usually not such a bad housekeeper. And yes, Katrina lives with me. Anechka has been kind enough to open her home to us.”
“That’s very nice of you,” he nodded at the first lady and then added uneasily, “You seem to be having some difficulty. Is there something I can do to help?”
Jake wanted to explain that he somewhat understood her dilemma based on his conversation with Stefan. Although Stefan had not asked to remain anonymous, he still felt it would be betraying the man’s trust if he shared their encounter.
“You have helped us so much already,” Galina responded. “Please, come in and sit with me. It will be good to speak English again. I used to teach it many years ago.”
“Your granddaughter told me that you were her teacher as well.”
“Katrina is a natural at languages. She even speaks a little Mandarin. She will be home with some groceries in a few minutes. I hope you can join us for dinner.”
The thought of seeing Katie again suddenly made him feel like a schoolboy. He tried to dismiss the emotion, but he actually felt butterflies in his stomach.
“That would be wonderful,” he answered. “Thank you, Mrs. Petrovich.”
“Please call me Baba,” she said. “It means grandmother. It’s what Katrina calls me. I’ve never been one for all the formality.”
“OK,” he smiled, “if you’ll call me Jake.”
When Anechka left the room, Katie’s grandmother turned to Jake and said after an awkward moment, “This must all seem strange to you.”
“My life is usually not this complicated,” Jake responded, “if that’s what you mean.”
“Katrina told me about your bravery. She was afraid that you had been killed in the encounter. She feels terribly guilty.”
“I hated to leave her,” Jake replied, “but I was injured and lost consciousness before I could make it back to her.”
“How did you survive?”
“My brother found me. That probably sounds strange,” Jake shrugged, “but my brother Sam and I work for the same company. When I didn’t return, he came looking for me.”
“It is good to have family,” Baba asserted.
“Yes ma’am,” Jake responded in agreement.
“And a loving God to watch over us.” The tone of her statement and accompanying facial expression were decidedly probing.
“I give him all the credit for saving us out there,” Jake responded. “There’s no other reason why we should be alive.”
“May I ask you a pointed question?” Her tone reminded him of Stefan.
“Yes,” Jake nodded.
“Are you a Christian?”
“I am,” he replied and in the same way he’d answered Stefan, Jake added, “very much so. There is nothing greater in my life.”
Galina closed her eyes for a moment as tears rolled down her cheeks. Jake didn’t know how to respond, but before he could speak, the door to the apartment opened.
“Baba…” It was a young woman’s voice calling.
“We’re in the sitting room,” Galina answered, wiping away her tears.
“Are we conversing in English now?” Katie asked lightheartedly as she entered the room and suddenly stopped. “Oh…”
As Jake stood to greet her, he was taken aback by her appearance. The young woman standing before him no longer had dust and tears covering her face. Her long, dark hair was tied in a ponytail that touched her shoulders, and her petite build was shapely and athletic. The most striking thing about her appearance, however, was her inviting smile. Jake found himself speechless. She was a perfect blend of Asian and Caucasian features with brown, almond-shaped eyes. In a word, Katie was beautiful—the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
“Katrina,” her grandmother spoke, “I believe you know our guest.”
“You’re alive!” she said, her voice cracking slightly.
“I am,” he replied, taking a step toward her. “And you’re OK?”
“A few bumps and bruises, but other than that…”
Galina sensed their awkwardness and guessed that some time alone was in order. “I’m going to cook some dinner,” she announced as she stood from the couch. “I hope you were able to find some beets at the market.”
“I need to help you,” Katie replied, more as a question than a statement.
“No,” Baba said raising her hand. “You two need to get caught up on things. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
Katie kissed her grandmother on the forehead as she walked past her. When they were alone, she looked up at Jake. There were tears in her eyes and her show of emotion made him ache to hold her.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said. “How on earth did you find me?”
“Satellite phone,” he shrugged. “You can’t make a call today without someone knowing where you are.”
“Sorry about that,” she shrugged.
“I’m thankful you did. Otherwise, I might not have found you.”
“I don’t know how to apologize to you. I’m so sorry you got caught up in my problems, but I wouldn’t be alive if you hadn’t saved me.”
“I was just down at your apartment. It doesn’t look like this is over for you. Tell me what I can do to help.”
“You may not feel that way when you find out what a mess I’ve gotten myself into.”
“I don’t know,” he replied with a Cheshire grin. “I’m pretty good at getting myself into messes. I found you after all.”
“Thanks a lot,” she said, giving him a playful nudge.
After a long conversation, which spilled over into dinner, Jake and Katie discussed the events that had happened to them after they had parted ways in the Gobi. Katie was as lively as he first thought, and Jake found it was the most enjoyable evening he had ever experienced. They shared many common interests from paleontology to ethnic cuisine. Katie was as intelligent as she was beautiful. Like old friends, their conversation dragged on into the night. Jake al
so learned some about her troubles in Mongolia. He could tell, however, that her statements were guarded in front of her grandmother and decided he would have to wait until they were away from the apartment to learn all the details.
“Why don’t you stay here?” she suggested when they were both showing signs of fatigue. “You can sleep on the couch.”
“It’s not going to upset your grandmother is it,” Jake asked, “or the lady who owns this place?”
“It’ll be OK. I’m an early riser so maybe we can go out for breakfast before anyone else wakes up. I’ll even throw in a nickel tour of the city.”
“That’s too good of an offer to pass up.”
Katie opened the hall closet and retrieved an old quilt and pillow.
“Sleep good, Jake. I’ve had a wonderful time.”
“Me too, Katie. And don’t worry anymore about everything that’s going on here. I’ll help you. If nothing else, I’ll get you and your grandmother out of here tomorrow.”
“Thank you again,” she said touching his hand. “You really are a Godsend.”
21
From his table at the restaurant across the street, Kirk Hoffmeyer could clearly see the faces of everyone exiting the front doors of the Astoria Hotel. He checked his Rolex watch again before downing the remains of his fifth cup of coffee. The strong Turkish blend was beginning to give him the jitters, or was it just his nerves? Regardless, he was fed up with waiting. If the little backstabber didn’t show his face soon, he would have to change his plans and go in and get him.
“Can I get you something else?” a pale waitress wearing a large nose stud asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice. She’d been serving him for over two hours now, and the tip for a cup of coffee was hardly worth her effort.
“No,” Hoffmeyer gave a detached reply, waving her away without turning from his surveillance of the hotel entrance. A large crowd was leaving, probably another tour group. They all appeared to be wearing the same fluorescent nametags.
The Genesis Conspiracy Page 10