A few hours passed by. Morning became afternoon. Liu had yet to return. Nikolai had already left the office, stretching out his arms. Although his body ached and his eyes strained, he was nonetheless glad to have finished a good chunk of the work.
"Mira! I'm gonna clock out for today." She nodded, still focused on reading documents. Nikolai glanced quickly at the towering stack of completed assignments on her desk.
Damn. That's at least five times more work than I did. That much must be torture.
He grimaced at the thought of spending an entire day reading reports.
"Don't overdo it Mira! I'll see you tomorrow."
As he exited the shop, thoughts were interrupted by hunger. Nikolai had forgotten to eat breakfast that morning, partly due to the nightmare, partly due to reaching the tram station in time.
Coffee and a nice meal sounds absolutely wonderful right now.
He decided to stop by a small, quaint cafe. The warmth and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee were a comforting escape from the chill of the evening air.
Nikolai ordered a cup and took a seat by the window, allowing a moment of respite. Soft, ambient music of a nearby gramophone and the murmur of conversations around were a soothing backdrop as he sipped his coffee. Soon, an order of a small chicken cutlet with rassolnik soup and rye bread was placed upon him.
Nikolai savored each bite. The chicken was crispy and the soup was hearty, but the bread was slightly stale.
Unfortunate. Nothing beats a warm loaf of rye.
After finishing the meal and feeling somewhat reinvigorated, he left and wandered home.
Lost in his thoughts on the walk home, his feet carried him through the gray streets, the weight of the meal sitting in his gut. He barely made it a few blocks when he heard footsteps behind him, quick and light, like a hare. Before he could turn, a voice called out, familiar but unexpected.
"Nikolai! Nikolai!"
He stopped, startled, and turned to see Liu sprinting towards him, looking a bit out of breath. The boxes he'd been carrying earlier were nowhere in sight.
"Liu, are you alright? Where did the boxes go?"
"I... I... get lost!" Liu said, his grin sheepish as he caught his breath. "I not know where are. I run everywhere!"
He gestured wildly to the street behind him, looking completely out of place.
"I forget ask Mira first! Boxes heavy! I leave them back at shop!"
Nikolai couldn't help but chuckle a little at his earnestness. "You dropped them back off at the Gazette?" he said, incredulous. Liu nodded eagerly, still grinning.
"Yes! I leave them at door! Very heavy! But I run faster now!" He looked genuinely pleased with himself, despite the obvious confusion. Nikolai stared at him for a moment, trying to make sense of it.
"You ran all over the city; carrying those boxes, and then just left them outside?"
Liu nodded enthusiastically, oblivious to the absurdity of the situation.
"Yes! No problem! I strong! I run fast! But no vendor..." He waved his hands around again, as though trying to explain his reasoning with the force of his gestures. Nikolai sighed, rubbing my temple.
"Liu, that's not exactly how things are done here. You can't be leaving our supply outside, unsupervised. Theft is a big problem in the city."
"I sorry, I learn!" He said, his voice full of regret. "I go back later. Find vendors." His grin returned, wide and unapologetic. Nikolai shook his head, fighting a smile.
"Just... don't run off again without asking for directions. You'll get yourself in trouble." Liu's eyes sparkled.
"Okay! I ask next time. But later—I take you fishing, yes?" Nikolai blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in topic.
"Fishing?" Liu's smile only widened, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
"Yes! I teach you! My friend, I owe you, and is fun!" He practically bounced on his feet, his enthusiasm infectious, despite the oddity of his request. Nikolai couldn't help but laugh, the absurdity of the situation slowly melting away.
"Alright, Liu. We'll go fishing sometime. But first, you should focus on finding those vendors. Head back to the Gazette, since Mira should still be there. No more running off without asking directions, okay?" Liu gave a mock salute, as serious as a soldier.
"Yes, Nikolai! I find vendors now. No more running, promise!"
With that, he bounded off, his feet barely touching the ground as he disappeared into the misty evening. Nikolai stood there for a moment, shaking his head with a half-smile. It would be nice to destress and forget about everything for a day.
As he headed back home, the streets were slowly enveloped in a caliginous shade as afternoon crept into evening. Street vendors had packed up, and the city's bustling energy had been replaced by a more subdued quiet. The occasional passerby was a rare sight, a sense of isolation always apparent at that time of day. Approaching the building, Nikolai noticed Lukas standing outside, visibly agitated and rummaging through his pockets. Lukas seemed more on edge than usual. His frustration was palpable, and when he saw Nikolai, he didn't offer his usual nod or wave. Instead, he shot him a sharp look.
"Sakra," he muttered, slamming his hand against the doorframe. "Petrov left me high and dry again. I had to cover his ass and deal with Sokolov's mess on my own." Nikolai stepped closer, concern creeping into his voice.
"Still having trouble with Petrov?" Lukas's eyes flashed with irritation.
"You have no idea. The guy's a real piece of work. Always leaving early, leaving me to pick up the slack. And now with Sokolov gone, I'm stuck with twice the workload." He let out a frustrated sigh, continuing to fumble with his keys. "I just don't get it. How could Petrov not have shown up today? It's like he's vanished when we need him most." Nikolai nodded sympathetically.
"I can imagine it's been tough. Hopefully, things will settle down soon." Lukas grunted in response, clearly not in the mood for more conversation. He finally managed to get the door open and stepped inside. Nikolai watched him go, frustration still evident in his stiff posture. He quickly followed him in, and settled back onto his bed. It seemed like no one had taken notice or given much care about the briefcase under the desk.
Thank God.
After taking a quick shower, Nikolai heads back upstairs. Opening the door, the sounds of Lukas's frustration became more distinct. He was already inside, his voice rising as he unloaded his anger onto Tomas, who was listening with a concerned but patient expression.
"... And I can't believe Petrov had the nerve to just disappear! What does he think this is, some kind of joke? I was busting my ass all day, and he just deserts the whole team? It's not right." Tomas nodded, his demeanor calm and reassuring.
"I get it, man. It's rough when people don't pull their weight. But shouting about it won't fix things."
The last roommate, who was seated in a corner, looked up briefly but didn't say anything. He was always like that—quiet and reserved, blending into the background. Nikolai hung up his coat and flopped onto his bed, trying to stay out of the way. He began reviewing the pictures he had received that foggy evening, though his focus kept drifting back to the argument. As the hours passed, the room slowly quieted down, and Nikolai prepared to leave and meet with the officer at the pub. He packed all the documents that could be related, slung on his coat, and trudged out into the cold night.
The chill hit immediately as he stepped outside, the sharp bite of the evening air cutting through the coat. The streets were devoid of people, the lingering hum of the city replaced by a hollow silence, broken only by his footsteps echoing off the damp pavement. Nikolai couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding settling in the pit of his stomach as he made his way toward the meeting spot.
By the time Nikolai reached the door of the establishment, he was already mentally preparing for whatever conversation awaited. Pulling the door open, the gentle warmth of the pub's interior welcomed him from the cold outside. It was quiet, a few scattered patrons enjoying their drinks in the dim light. He scanned the room for the officer.
Found him.
There, at a corner table near the back, sat the officer in a long coat, no longer in his work attire. His eyes briefly flicked towards Nikolai before he stood up, speaking to the bartender.
"Victor. I'm using the backroom for an hour. Don't let anyone else in." The bartender quietly signaled his approval. He gestured towards Nikolai to follow him.
The room was completely desolate, save a few beer barrels and boxes.
"You're late," he said bluntly, voice low as he took a seat on a nearby crate. Nikolai simply nodded, giving a halfhearted apology.
"So, what was the reason you wanted to talk, and why here?"
"Gotta be a private location when I'm leaking confidential information. I'd 'disappear' if someone reported me."
"What do you mean?"
"You wanted to know more about the case, right? About the dead guy in the harbor?"
"Yeah, and?" The man leaned forward, hands clasping tightly, veins popping out of his wrists.
"I wanna make a deal. My brother Ivan's been missing for two days now. He'd always get back home in time by nine o'clock, every night."
"Alright, and why are you telling me this?"
"I want you to go and investigate where my brother is, and in return, I'll help you with your case. I have access to the documents that you couldn't dream of even touching."
"And why do you want me to do it? Wouldn't you have more to work with?"
Nikolai studied him for a moment, the tension in the air thickening as his words sank in. The officer's proposition was unexpected, but not without merit. There was something in his voice—an underlying desperation—that made him hesitate before responding.
"I can't. I'm sorry, I can't tell you why right now."
Suspicious.
"So, your brother goes missing, and you want me to find him... in exchange for information on the case?" Nikolai asked, trying to gauge the sincerity behind his offer.
He nodded, his face serious. "Yes. You need to understand, Ivan is the only family I have left, and if I don't find him soon, I'm afraid I might lose him for good." He ran a hand through his dark hair, clearly frustrated by the situation.
"And what's in it for me? Why should I trust you?" Nikolai responded, leaning against one of the barrels.
His eyes flashed, the weight of his words pressing down.
"I can give you access to files no one else can," he repeated. "Documents on the case, confidential reports, that sort of stuff. You'd have everything you need to make a real breakthrough—no questions asked."
Nikolai thought about it for a moment. His gut told him something wasn't entirely right with the officer, but at the same time, he couldn't ignore the potential lead he was offering.
"If this turns out to be some kind of trick—"
"You'll get the information, just like I promised," he interrupted, voice tightening. "I'll hold my end of the deal."
His tone shifted, each word spat out with an exasperated bitterness.
"But remember, I'm not playing games here. If you aren't gonna take the deal, then don't waste time. Ivan's not someone who disappears without a reason. And the longer you wait, the harder it'll be to find him."
Silence filled the room as Nikolai contemplated the offer.
Is this worth it? It wouldn't hurt, after all. I could publicize this as a missing persons case. But the time and energy spent on it...
"Deal," Nikolai muttered under his breath. He reached out his arm for a handshake.
"Thank you," the officer shook his hand vigorously. "Thank you so much. Now, let's discuss the terms of this agreement." He returned to his stolid expression. "Since I'm the one risking my neck, I want to make sure you take this seriously. Please find at least a lead on my brother first. Then I'll return the favor."
"Alright, that sounds fair."
"I'm glad you agree. This'll be our meeting location from now until one of us gets busted or our deal is complete."
"Ok, understood." As Nikolai rose to leave, the officer asked for one more request.
"I didn't catch your name back at the station. I'm Lieutenant Alexander Antonovich Petrov," he says, extending his hand. Nikolai took it firmly, his gaze steady.
"Nikolai. Nikolai Andreyevich Lyubimov. Pleased to make your acquaintance."