034. Three Big Figures

Chelyabinsk, Russia.
A black SUV came to a halt in the snowy parking area just outside the airport gate. The cold air bit at the face of the middle-aged man who stepped out, his neatly combed brown hair resisting the wind's attempt to muss it. His blue eyes locked onto the automatic glass gate of the airport, which rarely saw much activity during this season. Occasionally, his gaze dropped to the watch on his left wrist, a habitual check of time. Andrei Volkov was waiting for a flight from England.
Moments later, a young man with a military haircut exited the driver's side of the SUV, joining Andrei in the smoking area. When offered a cigarette, he declined with a polite shake of his head. Dmitry didn't smoke, and the events of the previous night weren't about to change that.
The airport was quiet, as few traveled to Chelyabinsk in this season. This made it easy for Andrei to spot the two figures he had been expecting as they emerged through the glass gate shortly after the plane landed. Quickly, he stubbed out his cigarette and hurried inside. A tall, fair-skinned man with thinning blond hair smiled as he walked alongside a middle-aged Southeast Asian man. Oswald and Bayu had arrived.
"Thank you for coming," Andrei greeted in English, extending his hand to each of them. His grip was firm, a reflection of both his respect and the gravity of their meeting. "This is Dmitry Utkin, the newest member of my family," he added, gesturing to the young man at his side.
Bayu's eyes flickered with recognition as he took Dmitry's hand. "Kusuma told me about you," he said, his voice carrying a warmth that contrasted with the cold around them.
"It's about time we see a new face," Oswald chimed in, his tone light as he patted Dmitry's shoulder, offering a reassuring smile.
"Are the others already in Karabash?" Bayu inquired, his gaze shifting back to Andrei.
Andrei gave a terse nod, signaling that the rest of the team was already en route to the designated location. He swiftly ushered the two men to his car and instructed Dmitry to take the wheel. They left behind the nearly deserted airport, which had seen only a handful of travelers that week.
“How could this chaos happen, Andrei?” Oswald, seated next to Bayu in the passenger cabin, broke the silence. “No one has ever slipped past OCK surveillance, especially not under your watch.”
Andrei, seated beside Dmitry, explained, “The new FSB leader wasn’t yet familiar with OCK operations. When we requested permission to search the city, they responded by deploying military forces, turning it into a battlefield.”
His frustration was palpable as he added, “Twenty-eight dead, two tanks destroyed, and a Major executed for acting without consultation. Last night, my team and eight others narrowly escaped death during another outbreak. Thankfully, Kusuma had the foresight to call for DSE and STJ assistance. We're short on medics and analysts. Even now, every Recovery Unit in Russia is working tirelessly to regain control over the situation in Karabash.”
"In any country, it’s the blasted state agencies that present the greatest hurdle for the EPCU task force," Oswald muttered. "The secrecy we maintain often backfires on us. With the right pressure and a bit of calculation, that secrecy can even be wielded as a weapon against us. Take Division 96, for instance."
“What happened to Division 96 was beyond anything any task force ever prepared for,” Andrei voiced his assumption, turning to look at Bayu. His tone carried a palpable sense of condolence. He, like every member of the EPCU task force, knew the tragic events in Indonesia. “It’s a shame the top officials of BIN didn’t provide early clarification about Division 96’s existence and the importance of their mission.”
"Those Indonesian intelligence agency leaders fulfilled their oath, Andrei," Oswald retorted. "They willingly languish in prison to keep the secrecy of Division 96."
"As you've said, as long as we have ties to state agencies, the guarded secrecy becomes a ticking time bomb that can destroy us. Due to the veiled secrecy of Division 96, not even the UN could break the coup scenario concocted by the Regime," Bayu reinforced his opinion.
"If the UN, with the EPCU behind it, refuted that alibi, the existence of its covert task force would be exposed," he continued. "The regime's scenario was so well-crafted that other countries couldn't do a single thing but condemn. Even now, the accusations against Division 96 are still an unassailable slander!"
"Perhaps you're right," Andrei acknowledged with a tone filled with frustration. "From what I've heard, fascism has firmly taken root in your country. Views contrary to President Bambang Irawan will be suppressed and eliminated instantly!"
"But Jalu keeps knocking down every member of the Regime and Party he comes across," Oswald revealed.
"Your son is a warrior by his own right, Bayu. A lone wolf just like you and your father," Andrei asserted. "Though, honestly, I disagree with his activities in the criminal world."
"Over twenty years have passed since Bayu sent that lad's birth photo. And now, out of nowhere, he's become a contract killer, causing even MI6 and the CIA to raise the alarm whenever he’s spotted entering an airport," Oswald added, a note of admiration in his voice.
"He also holds the number one spot on the FSB's surveillance list," Andrei added. "If only Jalu would accept their dirty jobs, maybe he could get some leeway. But your son never wants to collaborate with any government agency. One mistake and every country will be vying to capture him!"
"I have no right to dictate my son's life choices," Bayu revealed. "Let him be like his grandfather, who can move freely in any class of society. There will come a time when that boy's connections will be needed by us."
Andrei once again turned to look directly into Bayu's eyes, who was seated behind him. Oswald, who had also paused to look at the man, said, "Seems you've got a covert scheme up your sleeve, mate."
Bayu smiled at Oswald's remark.
"The enemy of our enemy is our friend," he quoted, invoking an ancient strategic principle. "Jalu will reopen Indonesia’s access to the world once the task force is restored. When the good path turns bad, the bad path must be forced to become good!"
Satisfied with the man's response, Andrei and Oswald turned their gaze back to the front.
"To be honest, I feel everything would be easier if all the EPCU task force didn't have to be part of the state apparatus," Bayu continued, leaving everyone in contemplation.
"I completely agree with your opinion," Andrei said firmly.
"From what I've noticed, a bit of camaraderie among the task forces does the trick to keep things ticking over," Oswald chimed in. "I'll bring up your notion at the next EPCU meeting!"
"I'll be by your side!" Andrei affirmed, then instructed Dmitry to head towards a restaurant on the outskirts of Metallurgov and park. "We should eat first. Beyond this point, it’s just forest, mining areas, and copper smelting factories."