Zhena (Sample Chapters) by Michael Pennington (learn to read books TXT) 📕

Prologue:
The old bureaucrat walked through the dimly lit
halls. He didn’t know what was in the majority of
the folders he carried, nor did he care. He only
knew it was his job to put them back in their storage
space. The modern world had long since gone to
electronic records. However, no one had the time or
resources to digitize these moldy old files. Nearly
all of them still had letterhead from agencies that no
longer existed, KGB, GRU, whatever. Most of the
people he worked for neither knew, nor even cared
that he or the files existed. The one thing he did
know was, bosses were all the same. No matter
what political masters they answered to, his life
hadn’t really changed.
Whether they called themselves communists or
democrats, they were still the same corrupt fools
who took the money. At least in the old days, his
pension may have been worth something. Now,
with prices going crazy, he feared he would
probably have to work until he fell over. When he
did, it was possible no one would notice for days.
For all he knew, they would find him in some
storage room half-rotted.
Hardly anyone wanted to see the information
stored in these ancient archives anymore. He’d
heard a rumor about wanting to fill the whole
complex with concrete, similar to what had been
done in Romania. But like most things, it had
probably fallen off some higher person’s to do list.
On the other hand, maybe someone actually decided
the information could be useful someday. Although
he believed that was about as likely as being given a
dacha in the country when he retired.
No, it was more likely the records, like he, had
been forgotten. At least he still got his paycheck. He
had been there so long; no one else understood the
ancient filing system. Occasionally some fool
would request an old manuscript and they would
need him to search through rooms of cabinets
looking for the one that was needed. When they
were returned, he would generally wait until a pile
of them built up and then just make one trip. The
documents requested were always from the
unclassified section. No one was crazy enough to
request information from the classified side. If
anyone did request a classified document, he was
required to notify security personnel immediately.
“Ah, this is where most of these go,” he said,
stopping in front of a non-descript door, one of
many on this level. He started jingling through a
large ring of keys looking for the right one.
Then he noticed the light in the stairwell.
Someone was down in the lower levels, the
classified section. He himself hadn’t been down
there for years. He had no reason to go. Most of
those files were from defunct programs or agencies
that no longer existed. He didn’t even think anyone
else was in the complex. Who comes three floors
underground if they don’t have to? Maybe he
should go notify his supervisor? No, the fool would
probably not even know who the old bureaucrat
was. He would have to take hours just explaining to
him who he was and why he worked for him. The
name of his boss had changed four times in the last
eight months. Once when he tried to contact his
boss to discuss a holiday, it took him six hours just
to find the right person. He considered just walking
away and ignoring the light. No, then if something
came up missing, he would be investigated and that
was the last thing he needed. Hopefully it was just
some idiot who didn’t know the system and had
come in and gotten lost looking for a file.
The door to the stairwell was locked. However the
light being on made him certain someone was down
there. He looked through his keys and found the
right one. He passed through the door and started
trudging down the metal stairs. The sounds his feet
made as they landed on the steps seemed ominously
cold. Maybe the concrete would have been a good
idea.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs he
entered another corridor that looked identical to the
one he had left previously. He knew it was different
though. These rooms contained files dating back
over fifty years. These were files no one wanted
released, but were afraid to destroy. As he began
walking down the hall, he peered under each door
trying to see if a light was on. If he was lucky, the
person had already left and he’d be able to get back
to his lunch and forget coming down here. None of
the doors had identifying markings other than nondescript numbers. Each carried the standard
disclaimer about severe penalties and prosecution
for disclosure of state secrets.
As he turned a corner at the end of the hall, he
saw light coming from under a door. From the
moment he saw it he wished he hadn’t. He had no
idea what was in that particular room. He had only
been in there once, and it was several years ago. In
the past, someone from one of the more classified
agencies would come them self and retrieve or file
the information stored in there. Today, all the
agencies associated with that room had been
replaced or renamed and now retained their own
records. No one had come asking about the files in
that room for what, eight years, ten? The bureaucrat
had only been shown the inside of the room once in
case he had to enter in an emergency. He kept a key
to the room, but he had certainly never used it.
As he stared at the key he had never used,
contemplating what to do, someone exited the
room. He was at least thirty years younger than the
bureaucrat. He wore a nice suit and was very well
groomed. He had a non-descriptive folder in his
hand, which had no markings on it. The old man
thought he was most likely one of the new
capitalists who had recently gotten rich. The young
man was obviously surprised to see him. As he
turned around after shutting and locking the door
quietly, he almost ran into the old bureaucrat.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“What were you doing in there?”
“Oh, just gathering some old files for my boss.”
“What files?”
“I’m really not sure, he just gave me this key and
told me to come to this room and retrieve some
things.”
“I’ll need to verify this. Do you even have
clearance to go in there?”
“Of course I do, my superior, a high level official
I’m sure you’ve never heard of, wouldn’t have
given me the key if I didn’t have the proper
clearance.”
“Listen, I need authorization for anything
removed from this facility, particularly from this
floor, particularly from that room.” He said
emphasizing the last portion.
“I see. Well, I’m obviously taking valuable time
away from your lunch. If we go through all the
trouble of verifying this, neither of us will get
anything else accomplished today. My boss only
needs to see these files for a few hours. He’s a very
impatient man who hates to be kept waiting. I
promise to have them back before the end of the
day. Perhaps you could go out for lunch and let me
pay for it, as an apology for your trouble.”
As the young man said this, he held out his hand
as if he wanted the old bureaucrat to shake it. He
could see the money inside the young man’s hand.
It was more than enough to buy his lunch. It looked
to be enough to buy a month of lunches. In the old
days, he would have walked away and turned the
young man in immediately. This could be a test, or
a trap. At one time, he knew these halls were
continuously monitored. Today, most of the
cameras were broken and no one bothered to fix
them. The guard upstairs was a friend of his and
was probably asleep anyways.
“All right, but I need them back here before the
end of the day, like you promised.” He shook the
young man’s hand and quickly pocketed the money.
“Certainly, my friend. After all, we are both just
hard working employees answering to our idiotic
masters aren’t we?”
“I do understand that” said the old man sourly.
“Fine, fine. I won’t wait for you. The sooner I get
out of here, the sooner I’ll get these back.” He
quickly turned around and hurried up the stairs. The
old man watched him go with deep suspicion.
“If he’s a low level employee, I’m Vladimir
Putin,” Even if he never brought the files back, no
one had been in that room for years. He doubted
anyone even had an accurate inventory anymore.
As the young man exited the complex, the guards
questioned him. His ID immediately ceased them
from asking any further questions and let him leave.
Visitors were normally searched. He was an
exception. His car was waiting for him outside.
After getting in the back, he dialed his cell phone as
the car pulled away.
“Yes?” said a deep but powerful voice.
“It exists.”
“And do you have the information we need?”
“Yes, and it’s more than we imagined.”
“Excellent, were there any problems?”
“Possibly, I ran into some old man while leaving
the storage room. I was able to bribe him, but he
could be a liability.”
“I know this man,” pondered the deep voice.
“Perhaps it’s time for his retirement.”
“I understand. I can have it taken care of, and no
one will suspect anything.”
“Good. Make sure it is painless, he has always
been a loyal servant, despite taking bribes from
corrupt officials.”
“I don’t find that the least bit amusing,” snapped
the young man.
“Sergei, if you can’t laugh at yourself, you have
no place in this organization.”


CH 1

Susan knew someone was sneaking up behind her.
She also had a pretty good idea who it was. That
was a gift she had always seemed to have, among
others. Whenever someone entered the room, she
could almost “sense” it. She wasn’t psychic.
Instead, it seemed that no matter how quiet
someone was, they were never able to sneak up on
her.
She could hear the person slowly moving toward
her. She continued intently working on her task,
waiting until the last possible moment. Then, when
she knew they were right behind her, she struck.
She wheeled around and wrapped her arms around
the attacker.
“Mommy!!” screamed the little girl. “I almost had
you that time.”
“Yes you did” she lied. “Now what are you up to
you silly goose?”
“I