Chapter 326 - 109: The Shadow of the KGB (2)

Chapter 326: Chapter 109: The Shadow of the KGB (2)

"This is an order from Moscow," Kuznetsov said, standing up. "Comrade Betelich, I know you might feel wronged, that you feel you aren’t trusted. But you must understand, given the current international situation, we have to ensure technological security. Western intelligence agencies are pervasive; we cannot let our guard down for a moment."

He walked to the door and glanced back at Werner. "And one more thing. If I find that you’re hiding anything or deceiving me in any way, the consequences will be severe. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Understood."

Kuznetsov nodded and left with his two assistants.

Only Werner and Gunter remained in the room. They were silent for a long time, neither one speaking.

"Fuck," Gunter finally swore, slamming his fist on the table. "These damn Russians! Who the hell do they think they are, treating us like this?"

"Because we’re the ’little brother’," Werner said with a bitter smile. "In the eyes of the Soviet Union, East Germany will always be nothing more than a vassal state. They give us technology, oil, and military protection, so they feel they have the right to monitor our every move."

"So what are you going to do?" Gunter asked, looking at him. "Are you really going to report to that Kuznetsov every week?"

"Do I have a choice?" Werner spread his hands. "If I don’t cooperate, the KGB will get suspicious. And if they really start digging, who knows what they’ll unearth."

Gunter lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. "Werner, over the years... have you done anything... shady?"

Werner turned to look at him, his gaze complex. "Gunter, do you think it’s possible to work for Koko and keep your hands completely clean?"

Gunter fell silent.

"Everyone has secrets," Werner said softly. "You, me, everyone in this room. The question is whether our secrets can withstand the KGB’s scrutiny."

"Can yours?"

Werner thought for a moment. "I’m not sure," he said. "But I’ll figure something out."

************

That evening, Werner didn’t go home. Instead, he drove to the secret villa in the suburbs.

Anna was already waiting for him.

"I heard the KGB came looking for you." Anna was sitting by the fireplace, the flames dancing across her face. "What happened?"

Werner recounted the day’s events in detail, including the missing batch of modules and Kuznetsov’s threat.

Anna listened intently, her brow furrowing deeper.

"Kuznetsov," she repeated the name. "I’ve heard of him. A senior official in the KGB’s First Chief Directorate, specializing in Eastern European affairs. He wouldn’t come to Berlin just for a batch of missing machine tool modules."

"What do you think his real goal is?"

"To control Koko," Anna said, her tone decisive. "Moscow has always wanted complete control over Koko’s foreign currency and technology deals, but Gunter is too cunning. He’s cooked the books so well even the Politburo can’t make sense of them. The KGB is trying to use you to create an opening." She paused. "And frankly, Moscow doesn’t fully trust us in the Stasi, either. They’ve always thought East Germany is too close to West Germany, too easy to infiltrate."

"Then what should I do?"

"Cooperate," Anna said. "At least, on the surface. Give Kuznetsov some information, but only things that are irrelevant. The truly sensitive stuff, he can never find out about."

"But what if he finds out I’m just placating him..."

"Then make sure he doesn’t." Anna stood up and walked over to Werner. "Werner, you’re the best there is at walking a tightrope. You navigate between East and West Germany with ease, and you’ll find a balance between the KGB and the Stasi, too."

Werner looked at her and suddenly smiled. "You have a lot of faith in me."

"Because I know you." Anna placed her hand on his. "And to be honest, in all of East Berlin right now, you’re the only one who can play games right under the KGB’s nose without getting caught."

They shared a smile.

Anna went to the table and took out a folder. "This is everything I could get on Kuznetsov. His background, his M.O., and records of some of his operations in Eastern Europe. Look it over carefully. You might find a way to deal with him."

Werner opened the folder and began flipping through the files inside.

Kuznetsov. Born in Moscow, 1926. Served in the Red Army during World War II. Joined the KGB after the war, rising through the ranks to become a First Deputy Chairman.

Cases he handled included intelligence operations during the Prague Spring, the infiltration of the Solidarity Union of Poland, and the development of spy networks in West Germany...

Every case showed him to be ruthless, efficient, and unscrupulous.

"Does he have any weaknesses?" Werner asked.

"Everyone has a weakness," Anna said. "Kuznetsov’s is overconfidence. He believes he represents Moscow, the authority of the Soviet Union itself, so he sometimes underestimates his opponents."

"Can we use that?"

"Maybe." Anna sat down next to him. "But you’ll need time. You need to observe him, to understand how he thinks. Only then will you find an opening."

Werner closed the folder and leaned back on the sofa.

The fire in the fireplace crackled, casting a warm glow. But inside, he felt a chilling cold.

The KGB’s intervention had thrown all his plans into disarray.

Before, he only had to deal with the Stasi and Von Brown. They were dangerous, but they were a manageable threat.

Now, with Kuznetsov’s arrival, the entire situation had become vastly more complex.

He had to find a balance between the KGB, the Stasi, and Western intelligence agencies. The slightest misstep, and he would be crushed by any one of them.

**********

Over the next week, Werner began playing a double game.

Every two days, he would call Kuznetsov and report on Koko’s various transactions.

He reported real information, but it was all trivial—purchasing coffee from the Netherlands, importing leather shoes from Italy, buying perfume from France... While these items required foreign currency, they held no strategic value whatsoever.

As for the truly sensitive transactions—like purchasing precision instruments from Switzerland, buying semiconductor materials from Austria, or acquiring CNC equipment from Japan—he didn’t mention a single one.

Kuznetsov seemed satisfied, praising Werner’s "proactive cooperation" on every call, but Werner knew it was only a temporary reprieve. Sooner or later, Kuznetsov would realize something was amiss.

Meanwhile, Werner was secretly investigating the missing machine tool modules.

He tracked down the workers responsible for packing, reviewed the shipping logs, and even tore the warehouse apart.

In the end, he discovered the truth: the modules weren’t missing at all.

The modules had indeed been installed at the factory in Switzerland.

But before the shipment from East Germany to Moscow, someone had removed the modules and hidden them in one of Koko’s secret warehouses.

And that person was Gunter.