Chapter 175 Night Summoning
It was late at night, but the heavy rain was still continuing, as if someone had poked a hole in the sky, so that the water from the sky kept flowing down, refusing to stop for a moment.
In the study of the apartment, Yuri put down the last report in his hand, rubbed his sore eyes, and relieved his fatigue.
He turned his eyes and saw a plate on the desk. The plate was prepared by Angelica for him. It was a simple midnight snack: a few honey waffles, a small plate of canned beef, two pieces of chocolate and a cup of coffee.
It was unknown how long the midnight snack had been here. Yuri had no appetite, so he pushed the plate aside and picked up the cigarette box on the table.
Light a cigarette, inhale the spicy smoke deeply into your lungs, hold your breath for a while, and then exhale, feeling the burning sensation in your chest and lungs, which seems to clear your drowsy mind in an instant.
After sitting for a long time, one always feels a pain in the waist and back. Yuri stood up, stretched hard in front of the table, and stretched his muscles. Then he walked out from behind the table and went to the floor-to-ceiling window on the south side of the study. He looked at the street downstairs through the rain-stained glass.
There are almost no lights on the streets of Moscow in the rain, only occasionally a faint yellow light shines through the heavy rain, making people believe that some people are still awake tonight.
“Dang…dang…dang…”
The sudden ringing of the bell startled Yuri, who was concentrating on looking out the window. He looked in the direction of the sound and found that it was the clock in the corner of the study that was striking three o'clock in the morning.
It was already three o'clock, and Yuri was a little surprised, but even now, he didn't feel sleepy at all.
When did he start to suffer from insomnia? Yuri tried hard to recall that it seemed to be from when he returned to Moscow and took up the post of Chief of Operations. When he was at the front, he was exhausted every day. At that time, he could not even fall asleep in bed. Even if he sat for a long time, he could still take a nap.
Everyone strives to climb to the pinnacle of power, and some even risk their lives for it. But is it really that good to be at the top? Yuri is not sure, because he has not yet reached that position. However, based on the current situation, he thinks that feeling may be very pleasant, but it will never be easy.
It seemed that I was too close to the window, and the foul air exhaled from my mouth formed a thin layer of mist on the window glass, and the scenery outside the window could no longer be seen clearly.
Yuri held a half-smoked cigarette in his hand, turned around and walked back to his desk, put out the cigarette in the ashtray, and was about to leave the study and go to the bedroom to sleep when the phone on the desk suddenly rang.
"I'm Yuri Arkhipovich," Yuri frowned as he looked at the beating phone, picked up the receiver, put it to his ear, and spoke into the microphone.
"I am Joseph," Stalin's deep voice came over the phone, "Come to the Kremlin right now. I'll be waiting for you in my office."
"Okay, Comrade Stalin, I'll be there right away." Yuri subconsciously stood up straight and spoke into the microphone.
On the phone, Stalin was silent for a while, and then seemed to think of something, and asked: "Do I need to arrange a car for you?"
"No need, Comrade Stalin, I can ask Comrade Vitim Vasilyevich Bashtsky to take me there. He happens to live here with me." Yuri had an idea and answered immediately.
"Well, hurry up." Stalin was silent for a while before speaking.
There was a busy tone on the phone soon and Stalin hung up.
Yuri held the receiver for a moment, then turned around and quickly walked out of the study.
Yuri mentioned Vitim during the call with Stalin not because he wanted to take this opportunity to promote his old comrade, nor did he have the ability to do so. He was just being frank with Stalin. Yuri could not confirm whether Stalin knew Vitim, nor whether he knew Vitim lived in his apartment. Of course, he did not know if Stalin would have any other ideas if he knew about this. Yuri just wanted to take precautions.
Working under a man like Stalin, Yuri believed that the only way he could do his best was to be frank and honest. Not leaving too much privacy was the best way to protect himself and the best way to truly win Stalin's trust.
I don't know if it's because he is too suspicious. When he heard Stalin ask if he needs a car, Yuri felt that it was a test. The reason is very simple. Usually, he has a special car waiting at the apartment 24 hours a day. Only today, Arseni drove away, and Stalin asked him if he needed a car at this time... Yuri's mind flashed, and his intuition told him that this seemed to be a test. So, there was a conversation later.
Regardless of whether he was suspicious or not, Yuri still felt that it was safer to do this.
After leaving the study, Yuri went straight upstairs and knocked on the door of the bedroom arranged for Vitim.
"What's the matter?" After a while, Vitim, who looked sleepy, opened the door and asked while yawning.
"Comrade Stalin called and asked me to go to the Kremlin," Yuri said bluntly.
"Oh?" Vitim still looked puzzled. He didn't understand what this had to do with him.
Yuri briefly told him the content of the conversation and explained that he must get dressed immediately and go to the Kremlin with him.
Vitim woke up almost instantly. He looked at himself bewilderedly, then turned around and ran back to the bedroom, opened the suitcase he brought with him, and searched for his latest military uniform.
"Hurry up, Vitim," Yuri felt funny when he saw Vitim standing in front of the bed, looking for clothes with his butt sticking out. Of course, he could also understand the feelings of his old friend.
Even though Vitim's rank is higher than his now, he is a military-level political commissar. According to the rank classification, he is equivalent to a lieutenant general. But the problem is that he is a military-level political commissar who came from the guerrillas, and his position is too weak, and there is no one above him. To be honest, once the war is over, if the troops are demobilized, senior commanders like him will probably be laid off - not to mention the commanders of their guerrillas, even the guerrilla central command has been laid off and rebuilt, rebuilt and laid off.
Such a military commissar who had slowly climbed up the ranks on the front line but had very limited strategic and tactical vision suddenly had the hope of meeting Stalin. I guess anyone would have felt extremely terrified.
After waiting for a few minutes, Vitim finally got himself ready, and the two of them trotted downstairs, not even bothering to bring rain gear. They just rushed out the door, got into Vitim's car, and Yuri acted as the driver, driving straight to the Kremlin.
Vitim seemed very nervous throughout the journey. He sat very unsteadily in the passenger seat, moving his butt to the left, then to the right. From time to time, he leaned over to look in the rearview mirror, and then he either muttered that his hair was not combed properly or complained that his beard was not shaved cleanly.
After the car finally entered the Kremlin, Vitim finally calmed down. He sat upright in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead with his eyes wide open, like a revolutionary ready to be executed.
Yuri parked the car downstairs of Office Building No. 1. Without waiting for the guard to open the car door, Vitim hurriedly put on his military cap, pushed the door and got out. As a result, because he did not lower his head enough, the brim of his cap hit the ceiling above the car door, and he almost fell down at the door.
"Vitym, don't be nervous," Yuri walked around the car and whispered to him, "Comrade Stalin may not necessarily meet you, you..."
Yuri hadn't finished speaking yet. As the two of them stepped onto the stairs in front of the building, they saw Stalin walking out of the corridor on the east side of the first floor, followed by Mikoyan and Voznesensky.
Stalin obviously also saw Yuri walking into the door. He took the pipe from his mouth and stopped.
"Comrade Stalin," Yuri hurriedly quickened his pace and went to greet Stalin first, then said to the two people behind him, "Comrade Nikolai Alexeevich, Comrade Anastas Ivanovich."
Voznesensky and Mikoyan just smiled and nodded at him without saying anything. Only Stalin asked, "Did I disturb your rest?"
"No, I'm still awake," Yuri said quickly.
"Is this Comrade Vitim Vasilyevich?" Stalin turned his gaze to Vitim behind him and asked with a kind expression, while extending his hand.
"Hello, Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin," Vitim was a little flustered, but he did not make any mistakes. He greeted Stalin, took two steps forward, and stretched out his hands to shake hands with Stalin.
"You have done a great job in Pripyat, and your work is outstanding," Stalin said with a smile, "and have made a great contribution to our war against German fascism."
"For the Soviet Union, for the motherland!" Vitim quickly stood up and saluted in a standard military manner - this was the guerrillas' routine, and he copied it.
Stalin laughed, turned to look at Yuri, and instructed : "Arrange for Comrade Vitim Vasilyevich to rest in the lounge, and then come to my office."
"Okay, Comrade Stalin," Yuri agreed quickly.
Watching Stalin and his party go upstairs, Vitim let out an unconscious sigh. It was just two short sentences, less than a minute, but he was already sweating from nervousness.
