Opening Moves

As usual, Beria was there. Less the norm was the presence of Deputy Chairman Bulganin and People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov, both members of the GKO.

“I can accept the reasoning behind delaying implementation of section 13 of your plan, Lavrentiy, but I see no reason not to send out a warning order to allow our men on the ground to prepare. It is not a small business after all, and we must learn the lessons of Katyn.”

A word guaranteed to make Beria recoil. Hardly the NKVD’s finest hour, when something that was supposed to be clandestine had made the world’s front pages in the middle of a world war. It was a total embarrassment to the Motherland, let alone the NKVD.

Beria folded immediately.

“As you direct Comrade General Secretary. I will send out the preparation order this evening.”

Both other men nodded sagely at the decision to liquidate thousands of helpless men.

“So, until tomorrow’s GKO meeting, comrades.”

The three departed and walked together to their respective cars.

Beria paused.

“Comrade Molotov, a word if I may.”

They took their leave of Bulganin and waited until his car pulled away.

The two men did not particularly like each other.

“Vyacheslav Mikhailovich, a word of assistance to you and your family.”

Molotov prickled but he held his peace.

“It has come to my attention that one of your line, your sister’s boy Viktor, is speaking loosely of something he should know nothing about.”

Molotov knew only too well that of which Beria spoke. He had stupidly spoken to his wife in general non-specific terms about the upcoming Kingdom39. She in turn had told his sister, who in her turn had confided in her son during his leave. The boy, using his military knowledge, had pieced together a lot more of what was to come. Viktor had spoken to him later, and received short shrift. From what Beria was saying it seemed Molotov’s anger had not made a difference.

He had never liked the boy anyway, and even more so since he tried using his Molotov’s name to attempt additional advancement within the NKVD.

“I have said nothing and will leave it to you to address. No harm is done at the moment. Unless he continues, in which case I will have to act. He is one of my men remember. “

“Thank you Lavrentiy Pavlovich. I am in your debt and I will address this. I will write to him immediately in the strongest possible terms.”

Both men knew that Molotov certainly was in Beria’s debt, but only one liked it. Beria had left unsaid the fact that it was Molotov who was most at risk for speaking loosely of Kingdom39 in the first place. In the political manoeuvrings of the Kremlin, Molotov would be crippled for some time to come in his dealings with the NKVD Marshall.

“Good night Comrade Commissar.”

“Good night to you Comrade Marshall.”

Chapter 17 – THE CANARY

The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus, his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.

Confucius

0529 hrs Monday, 16th July 1945, White Sands Bombing Range, New Mexico, USA.

The White Sands Bombing range was a desolate place and hot, so very, very hot. Of late, it had seen many visitors. Sat at the top of a one hundred foot metal tower was a gadget. Actually, The Gadget, for that was what it was called. It was a plutonium implosion device and it was there to be exploded to prove that the technology worked.

Scientists and military alike observed from positions around the site, some official and some unofficial.

Klaus Fuchs, also known as Gamayun, being on duty, watched from a proper camp some ten miles distant from the tower. A last-minute change in security procedures had left him with no opportunity to do anything harmful to the project. He hoped that the other agents within Manhattan would be more successful but his priority was his own survival.