The day he walked into Andre’s in Midtown, all he was hoping for was a brief respite from the heat and his followers. What’ll it be,” asked Andre, a formidable black man with a booming baritone voice.
“Yes, please, could I have a beer and a glass of vodka…a double please.” Andre smiled as he considered Igor. Another white customer who, after his eyes became adjusted to the dark, would probably realize this wasn’t his kind of place. Andre smiled and said, “Are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable up the street at Manny’s?”
Igor processed Andre’s question and then said, “Perhaps I could buy you and your customer a drink for any inconvenience my presence might cause?”
“Ain’t no inconvenience,” said Andre, drawing Igor’s beer. “But you could buy us a drink just to be friendly.”
“Yes, then please. I will do that,” said Igor with a slight smile.
After serving Igor, Andre served himself and Robert at the end of the bar, who was watching a baseball game on TV which had just started. They both saluted Igor as they raised their glasses and took a drink. Andre wandered back down the bar toward Igor. “Ya know, began Andre. “I’ve always wondered. When I was a young guy, I was in the army in Kansas. One day I walked into a white bar out near the base, by myself, just to see what would happen, ya know? But I had my uniform on and it was a fort town, so I guess it wasn’t a good test. Anyway, I know why I did it. Nothing happened but over the years, I’ve always wondered why a white man would walk into a bar, see that he was the only white man, because this is Midtown and people walk in here by mistake all the time, you understand, but they always always leave. Anyway, like I said, seeing that he was the only white man and decided to stay. Now, I’m Andre and this is my bar and you’re welcome here if I say you are, understand. But I was just wondering that’s all.”
“I am being followed…by white men,” said Igor. “If they come in here, I will know the nature, degree of their surveillance. If they do not, at least I can have a drink in peace.”
At that moment, two white men entered and approached the bar. “What’ll it be?” asked Andre.
“Two beers,” said the first one. “We just ran outta beer,” said Andre.
(Enjoy the music and the setting. Igor spends a lot of time at Andre's.)
~~~
 |
| Vorkuta Camp 12 within Arctic Circle Where Volchev was Held |
rising star in Soviet Intelligence.
As he studied his file, so it had seemed of Volchev. That is, until Korosten. In thirty minutes, it would be over. The need for this final debriefing seemed ridiculous. It seemed more of an administrative task. Therefore, Marco assumed that somehow, he was being tested. One could fairly say that might have accounted for his ill-temper that day. But Volchev had become something of a legend in his confinement. How he now dealt with this situation would be watched. Or, perhaps, the lesson of Volchev was being taught to him. If so, it certainly was in the nature of a warning. Two things were clear--first, he would be acquainted with both Volchev and his story; and second, if his selection for this task had any further relevance, that would remain to be seen.
It was July 1975. Igor Volchev had defended a pair of Soviet officers in an illegal trial by Ukrainian partisan rebels after World War II. Many Soviet states had rebellions following the war. The rebellion in the Ukraine began before the war ended. Mainline Soviet forces were held in reserve, waiting for the treachery the Soviets anticipated from the British and Americans.
The rebellion forces were waiting for it, too. They were forming an infrastructure to support an invasion from the west. Their reward: Independence following the break-up of the Soviet States...
~~~
Even as WWII was ending, involved countries were working to readjust after all that had happened. The Soviet Union, itself, was being attacked internally as rebellion forces began to seek a permanent separation from the Union. One of those rebellions was by partisan rebels who were taking the opportunity to seek freedom from the totalitarian government... now known as Russia.
Indeed, if you are watching the daily news, you know that Ukraine had succeeded in becoming a separate entity and is now a democratic country! With Russia still trying to recapture the parts of the Soviet Union that became independent... Because of this, the president of Russia has been declared a war criminal and fighting continues, with Russia targeting women, children and moving toward more and more violence daily.
A raid had occurred led by two Soviet Officers--a raid that took place. However, the details of what happened were to be hidden. Volchev had been told to write up what happened. He did... The Official Report - It was complete disinformation, albeit eloquent in many ways... The result: instead of being killed like others who were involved, Volchev was imprisoned in the harshest camp, Vorkuta, for life.
Time passed and men who crave power begin to look for "a story" that can be used in some way... While, at the same time, family of former military action want to learn more about their relatives and what happened to them. And so it was that a nephew, Edward, found that his uncle had been the writer of The Official Report. And the Report had been accepted as...the Truth!
Suddenly, Volchev was in the spotlight, he was sponsored by an American and brought to live in total freedom... Or so it seemed. Yet, Igor had already determined that he had followers from various agencies...
While I was reading this novel, I had a flashback to a series by James Houston Turner who had created a character called Talanov... I had such fun reading those books and loved the hero character--the link by the way is his created credentials and a short excerpt from one of the books...
I admit I had the same reaction to Volchev! While in an entirely different way. This is not an action character. Rather, he is just what exactly you would expect for having been in one prison or another for over 20 years! He's very intelligent, yet cautious, with instincts to constantly be on watch, trying to determine exactly what and why whatever was happening would involve...
He's still an attractive man even after his incarceration! In fact, he really didn't look like he had been in prison--so what happened, readers wonder. Especially, the recent widow who had sponsored Volchev's immigration to America... She watched as Volchev would daily go out for a walk--she assumed it was to acknowledge the freedom of being able to do so. He normally refused the money she offered, even though he had none. She would forced him to recognize his need to have money even to buy a cup of coffee... Yet his independence, his need to remain a loner, was fascinating to her. At that point, she didn't know that he was being followed. Nor do she know that Volchev suspected that there was a reason for his being brought to America, and it wasn't because of the appeals of his family...
Volchev was right to question exactly what was going on! Readers will learn a little more, practically on each page, but just enough to keep us reading. A little bit historical drama with lots of suspense as we gather the teasers of someone who is living through becoming among the rich and famous, while still maintaining the hesitancy, the fear, the need to be on guard, after being imprisoned for nothing more than writing exactly what he was told to write... I found myself thinking about all the lies that are coming out, even more so these days, because of our social platforms. Still, if you can build on the truth, the reality, you can begin to imagine... the why of being allowed to leave prison and travel to America...
And that's what Jack Savage has given us... Forcing us to stop, pay attention, study the background, locate the power structure and who is in control and where it might be leading... I was hooked because of the tease, the minor moves forward, only to have a complete twist come toward the end that caught me totally off guard.
And full disclosure here... I was a final unpaid proofreader and formatter of this book--not an editor. There was little to be edited since the author had covered everything so well that I became involved with the story, even reading it a second time for content and still not knowing how it would end... As you know, I love that type of book! Savage keeps our interest, and attention... but still manages to surprise us in a drama that is so very much rooted in the political environment that Russia presents to the world today!
I consider this the best of the best for the author. While the plot setting is entirely within the United States, it does reveal the real need to not under-estimate what the Russian government or its representatives is capable of doing, even if it is to just about "one" former Ukrainian Colonel who dared to tell the truth...
A unique perspective of those who are living as citizens in a totalitarian country. It is enlightening to see what happens when those who crave power are willing to move toward gaining what is wanted... It's a timely, yet an alternative drama of living within the power structure of an authoritarian, at any political level... The detail is sufficiently specific to actually feel like you are the investigator striving to solve the puzzle... A Tantalizing mystery!
Author's Note: The earlier cover selected could not be used. This cover is another of paintings by Savage...
Elder Care Tip - I've been enrolled in Walmart's online services which includes shipping, pickup or delivery. I've recently been invited to be a customer representative for this activity. I can already tell you, it has saved me a lot of heartache and worry... I have used all three options and with few problems, I have been very satisfied... If you have any suggestions or concerns, let me know and I'll try to see if my new role includes help with your issues!
