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Part One: The Binary Code. Center Zero

Was there a civilization on Earth before ours? Some think yes, others think no, but all suspect that there are secret organizations that influence the course of our history. This book is about such a structure. The book will be of interest to fans of mysteries, exciting adventures and those who want to look behind the facade of super secrecy. It is not the real reality that is around us, yet not everyone sees it. We do not want to realize that the world and life exist in a subtle "corridor" of existence, but, discovering secret after secret, we are forced to admit it.

He who controls the past owns the future.

Chapter 1: In the beginning there was an event

It was an ordinary day, or rather, morning, and nothing unusual should have happened in it, or rather – there were no direct preconditions for it, but, as usual, something extraordinary happened. Many people believe that time is not material, that it has no physical substance, that if there is no physical component, at least one particle of atom's nucleus, there will be no time, because there is no something against which it can be measured. As we know, history teaches people that it teaches nothing, and time as an independent, independent event constantly proves it. It proves that it exists, regardless of whether there is anything else but it. And this time time has once again cracked. Its component could not withstand the artificial alteration of its course and shouted out loud: "My time has come!" This morning time cracked and the "wheel" of history rolled into another uncharted distance.

– Rutra Tigrovich Paskhov, why are you sleeping, time will not wait for you! – Captain Klimov shouted in his half-joking manner from beside his bunk.

– What happened? I was on watch," Ruthra muttered, throwing a disgruntled look at the duty officer, meaning: "How did you get in? Why didn't you warn me?"

Although Klimov was senior in rank, he did not have a security clearance level to a highly classified part of the facility.

Knowing Klimov's mannerisms, Ruthra realized that he was aware of what had happened in the country, so he thought not of that, but of why he had put it that way. Apparently, although their structure knew everything in advance, the clash of forces was so massive that the outcome was still unpredictable.

It was the morning of August 18, 1991. The further events were known to everyone, and their internal structure and the reasons that led to them are the subject of numerous disputes and conspiracy theories.

In a period when everything that could change was changing and everything that could change was being changed, when the beloved country turned into something for some and for others finally disappeared, these events began and lasted until today.

Rutra was fortunate enough to be privy to some of the secrets and especially important values of the state called the Soviet Union. Like many people who had to do with the existence of that system, he developed a certain type of personality. Many people who did not know what the strength of the system was and what it was based on could not understand these people. These people were of that category who never uttered words in vain. Every word, gesture, action, deed and even facial expression had a meaning. That's the way the system had raised them. People like them are called exes; it is said about them that "they have no exes". However, they are not the ones who are known as those who "have no exes", because if not everyone knows about them, then these people do, and nothing is known about these people. Although these people remain human beings with their human concepts of existence, especially within the social economic-political "field" on which they were raised by the system of values they were called to defend. Therefore, at the crossroads of history, which gives not only disruption and cracks to the usual way of life, but also new choices and opportunities, many people took the position that was closer to their hearts. Given the freedom to choose, people showed their true selves. It turned out that many people are not ready to sacrifice themselves – not only their lives, but also their time and lifestyle, and they want big and easy money. And for the sake of this they are ready to compromise moral and ethical taboos. Others could not overstep their conscience and tried not only not to bend moral standards, but also to earn honestly in the new world, where most people have forgotten these principles.

Many were at a crossroads. Ruthra tried to get on with his life and his friends. His friends, comrades and superiors did not forget him, nor did he forget his friends and comrades, for the business they had been trained for was not as such. Though much of the new was a risk to life and a risk to liberty, it was still close in spirit to Rutra and company.

They were people who couldn't live without it. Since there was not much to choose from, Rutra agreed to various special operations. The essence of the case was that it was necessary to travel abroad under the guise of tourists, businessmen, representatives of public or religious organizations (in a word, under someone else's documents) for contacts with various special services.

The fact is that what ordinary citizens see and hear is very different from what it really is. Special services have an unspoken agreement not to disclose the essence of their existence, even if they are opponents. And the essence of the job is for them to exist and be in power all the time. In fact – there is a myth that it is possible to come to power, so to speak, honestly. What is the question? Things seem to happen, but no one will ever be "supreme" in power without the permission of those who are already "supreme" in power. That authority should never be seen by anyone. It's logical. If you wish, you can raise a person in the right spirit from childhood, prepare him and bring him, through all procedures and intermediate links, to any level of power. Having received this power, he can create an illusion of freedom of choice. And this has already happened once and the "supreme" power did not need it.

The essence of the work was to collect, decipher, filter and systematize information obtained through visual, electronic, overt, covert, open and closed sources. The methods, objects and subjects of collection could be very different, from the usual copying, data interception and theft to fantastic non-verbal communications using hypnosis and psychotropic drugs.

However, one of the methods, by which, as if with the help of puzzles, the true picture was assembled, was the most labor-intensive, although the most reliable. An agent literally had to sit at one "point" for years and observe, with or without the use of special equipment, a secret object. It was better, of course, if the agent was embedded in the object, working in some secondary role. Even a janitor was suitable for this. A "secret" object might not be officially secret in status, but its mode, regulations, and functioning were important. For example, information obtained from the places of residence and leisure of persons who possessed scientific, commercial, military or political information could be more significant than information obtained from documents from secret facilities. Everything had to be recorded: who goes where, where they come from, daily routine, drills, repairs, start-up and shutdown times, background indicators and many other seemingly insignificant things. Right down to when a door was opened, when and where lights were turned on and off, what and how much they ate, drank, and listened to.

The use of special equipment was limited, it could itself be the cause of declassification, but in today's world, information flowing through networks and systematized in programs was akin to treasure.

There were many such "caretakers" at different sites. This was called "tacit observation". Thus, for weeks, months, years, the "caretakers" recorded in the form of fables, poems, stories everything that happened at the objects they were interested in. This formed a picture of how the object worked, how it interacted with other objects. All the information was collected in the "first circle" of analysis. In the "first circle" of analysis, a certain algorithm of what was happening was drawn up. Then the whole situation was transferred to the "second circle" of analysis, in which the most important objects, on which the work of all other objects depended, were formalized and designated in more detail.

All information from these centers was sent to an external center, which could be located in a completely different country. There, a complete picture was formed of how, for example, naval groupings functioned. Then all the data was sent to the internal center of the external center. As a result, they knew perfectly well where the subject of interest, this or that employee, officer, representative, team member was located, how the object or management functioned, who was going where, to whom, why, what supplies were coming from where, where and to whom, what developments were underway, what secret agreements had been reached, and much more. All of this was compared with data that came from other agents, or rather spies, added data that was simply bought.

It turned out that there were no secrets. All secrets were only in what and how things were programmed – codes and ciphers, for example. This was the modern world, in which options were calculated like a chess game. That is, for example, the GRU knew perfectly well the capabilities of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, the number of men, the classification of weapons, how they fired and what could be done with them. But what order would come and where would it go, what would be the tactical move? That was unknown. It was quite difficult to guess it, so all possible options were calculated.

The world map is like a chessboard. And if you add weather phenomena, random events like tsunamis, earthquakes or magnetic storms, you get a lot of possible variants. That's why it was decided to take it under control. In order to control this, tectonic weapons and weather-affecting weapons, such as HAARP, were invented.

Since the intelligence services are aware that they know everything about each other, there is an agreement on secret cooperation, but since everyone "puts a spoon in his mouth", everyone tried to hide something. For example, according to the treaty on the reduction of nuclear weapons, an intercontinental missile should have one charge, but in circumvention of this treaty several charges were placed. Naturally, the presence of systems affecting the nervous system, psyche and consciousness of a person was always concealed.

This is how Rutra, working as an analyst and then as head of the external center, spent several years. To hide it, everything was made up as business trips, errands, or just tourism. Sometimes he had to dispatch agents, to keep an eye on sites whose purpose he didn't think were important. For some reason they were important to the Center.

In fact, the bulk of information was obtained from open sources. In the West, it was easy to do this, you could even brazenly collect information under the guise of a good, professional activity. In Russia, especially in the USSR, for this, at best, you could be "sent to the zone". But there everything was simpler. For example, there was a case that Rutra was told about by his guru during his internship in the United States.

In the 1970s, law school graduate James Bamford was bored with practicing law, so he chose the profession of a reporter and worked as a detective in a private detective agency. The idea to write a book about the NSA came to the journalist in 1979, when he noticed that there are many books on the Central Intelligence Agency, but there is almost nothing about the National Security Agency.

In those days, the vast majority of Americans had no idea that such an intelligence agency existed. Nor had they heard of it at Houghton Mifflin, where Bamford approached with his proposal. However, the assertive reporter believed, gave an advance of 7,500 dollars and a term of three years. As Bamford later recalled, his legal education and experience as a detective helped him enormously in the process of writing The Palace of Mystery.

Bamford began his search by reading everything he could find about the NSA in public libraries. But that turned out to be negligible. Since data on NSA personnel and facilities were missing from official Pentagon directories, Bamford began digging up related reports and records of congressional hearings. In notes to the reports of Sen. Frank Church's committee investigating the intelligence community in the mid-1970s, Bamford found references to dozens of specific documents. These documents became the basis for his first three-page Freedom of Information Act-FOIA request to the NSA. It was immediately discovered that the NSA was almost entirely exempt from FOIA under an earlier law protecting the organization from any attempt to disclose its activities. So Bamford's first request was rejected outright.

Not the least bit embarrassed, the journalist went back to the library vaults. A comprehensive list of telephone numbers of U.S. military installations around the world gave no information as to which numbers might correspond to secret NSA radio interception posts. The Senate subcommittee reports dealing with military construction funding were carefully scrubbed clean of any reference to NSA facilities. However, the incurious Bamford noticed that when a secret base decided to build a court or basketball court, the requests were unclassified and showed up in the committee reports. By cross-referencing between military telephone directories and such requests, as well as similarly unremarkable data, Bamford was able to compile a nearly complete list of radio intercept sites in the NSA's global network.

At the same time, the journalist began searching for personal documents of employees of the U.S. radio-intelligence community.

A number of other important sources of information were found in the library.

From these documents, in particular, it was clear that the NSA, which as a foreign intelligence agency is not officially authorized to engage in eavesdropping on U.S. communications systems, does so through cooperation with foreign allies conducting radio intercepts on U.S. soil.

The NSA tried to stop Bamford's "subversive" activities and prosecute him under the Espionage Act. The journalist was accused of obtaining classified documents, but at the time the Reagan administration had not yet succeeded in passing a national security directive allowing for the reclassification of documents.

This is the kind of thing an ordinary journalist could do. It is impossible to imagine such things in the USSR, even in modern Russia. Over time, Rutra got fed up with it and decided to leave the service, as it involved risk to life and danger to freedom. The pay was not bad, but the money came and went. No serious earnings. Days and months went by like "life was a raspberry", you could walk around at your own pleasure. At the moment when he decided, so to speak, to "stop" with it, he received an offer he could not refuse. There are no exes in the system he was in, so it was impossible to just walk away. He didn't want to fulfill cheap requests; he couldn't move up the career ladder either, because he had to serve there and fulfill his assignments. There were changes in the country, and the surrounding reality promised very good prospects. So Rutra was at a crossroads. And then, out of nowhere, Alexander Ivanovich appeared.

Chapter 2: Where is zero?

Alexander Ivanovich was an old, hardened fighter with awards and wounds. He was missing one eye and had a prosthetic instead. He never told what happened to him, but his coworkers whispered that he had this eye removed voluntarily, that instead of an eye there was a special device. They said that instead of an eye he had an artificial eye, or rather, a device with the function of taking pictures, photographing, x-raying and scanning.

Alexander Ivanovich set up an informal meeting.

– We thought you were offended.

– Why all of a sudden?

– You've been illegal for a long time. Usually after a stint abroad, fighters come back and get a rank and file at headquarters.

– What's in it for me?

– You'll get lieutenant colonel ahead of schedule and classified status.

– Which one?

– Head of a think tank at a top-secret facility and access to state secrets.

Rutra had no reason not to believe Alexander Ivanovich, and he never joked, especially not like that, but Rutra was still wary. He knew that one got into such centers either by "inheritance" or for very great merit. Those who worked in special secret centers were checked from birth, and not only for themselves, but as they say, for their entire background.

– I want you to know there's a problem in the system, the system wants a new fighter, with an abstract mindset.

To this, Rutra replied that this was not news to him.

– I'm already in the system.

He knew that Alexander Ivanovich knew he was in the system.

– You know exactly what I mean. I want you to get into the first round, and I want you to get promoted.

– What circle is that?

– The one that includes the special ones. You know perfectly well there's no way out.

– Is that an "aquarium"?

– Sort of. We should take you to Center A. I already talked to the right people today. They've been watching you for a while. But be warned, you're going to the very center. I've set up an early morning meeting.

At 7:00 they were to meet Alexander Ivanovich and go to this "very-most center". In the morning, Alexander Ivanovich picked him up. There was a driver sitting behind the wheel of the company car, who looked suspiciously at Rutra. The license plates were military, series 16. They drove straight out of town and into some kind of specially protected reserve zone, which was impossible to enter, only through a checkpoint with darkened windows. There was a sign on the iron fence that said it was some kind of estate.

The car stopped in front of the gate, no one came out to them, no documents were demanded. Alexander Ivanovich called someone, and the gate opened automatically. They drove for a long time. Rutra was even surprised that some park area, some forest, was the location of a top-secret center.

They reached a miniature house that was buried in greenery on all sides. It was almost invisible. If the road didn't lead to it, they wouldn't be able to find it at all. It was a beautiful house, like a picture. Only part of its facade was visible. Rutra's careful eye determined that there were many camouflaged objects around.

– This is the lodge of the hunter of the international court, – explained Alexander Ivanovich.

– What does that mean?

– We call it that because it decides who will be free and who will be in a cage, dead or alive. Let's go.

They went into the courtyard. Alexander Ivanovich put his thumb to some device, but not on the pad side, as it usually happens, but on the nail side. The door opened.

They went into the house. The furnishings were from the 1950s. Everything was very clean, neat, but no one was there. They went into the hallway, from there into the next room, then into the hall, then into another room. In that room there was a fireplace. Alexander Ivanovich pressed a button on the remote control for the television. The fireplace moved away, and a small platform opened up.

– Stand next to me," he commanded.

Ruthra walked over. They stood on the platform. Alexander Ivanovich pressed a button, and they began to descend. It was an elevator. They descended to the room below. There was another platform there. Alexander Ivanovich pressed another button, and the platform descended to the floor below.

It was dark. He took Ruthra's hand and stepped forward. Ruthra followed. They found themselves in pitch blackness. The platform rose back up.

After a second or two, the light came on. The room was completely empty; there was only plaster on the walls, no paint, no wallpaper. Alexander Ivanovich went out into the corridor; Rutra followed him.

The corridor was illuminated by a dim light. When they reached the end of the corridor, Alexander Ivanovich raised his hand and started waving, as if he was trying to show someone something. Suddenly something clicked, and the wall that was in front of them went down. A passage opened up.

Alexander Ivanovich walked ahead, Rutra followed him. They walked a few meters, and the door closed behind them.

Instead of numbers on the code lock of the next door there were hieroglyphics. Alexander Ivanovich pressed 6 of them – the door opened. It was an elevator vestibule. They went in there, the door closed, the elevator went down. Rutra became wary.

– Where are we going?

– Right in the center.

– But not to the center of the Earth, right? – Ruthra joked.

– Not to the center of the Earth, but to the center that rotates the Earth," Aleksandr Ivanovich answered and pointed his index finger upwards.

Ruthra was silent. It wasn't customary for specialists in such services to talk much, much less joke. Every word was a chain of inferences that could be used to get a lot of information. If someone said something badly or made a joke, let alone acted, it could cost him not only his career, but also his freedom and life. You could be an ex if you had your memory erased, and since there was no such technology, as far as Ruthra knew, he realized that he might share the fate of those who "went nowhere," as the experts put it among themselves.

The elevator stopped, the door opened, and they found themselves in a new corridor, exactly the same as the previous one. Ruthra thought it was a test or some kind of trick.

They walked down the corridor to a door that was disguised as a wall. Alexander Ivanovich waved his hand again, the wall slid open, and they stepped out into another corridor. Rutra thought this was a test of courage, and even began to wonder if he had thought the elevator was only going down. He also remembered that the wall in front of which Alexander Ivanovich had waved had been before the elevator, and here it was after the corridor.

When they reached the wall at the end of the corridor, Ruthra realized something was wrong. It wasn't a wall, but a solid glass door. Either it was covered with a black film or the glass itself was black. On the door was a sign that read: "You are seen, you are not." Alexander Ivanovich put his thumb nail to the device again, something rustled, and the door opened.

Ruthra was surprised at what he saw. It was a huge, two-level room, with a huge globe spinning in the middle of it. There were dozens of computers, different devices, and hundreds of screens arranged in several levels around the perimeter. Ruthra was even taken aback. What struck him most was the globe. It was a huge glowing globe that was projected as a three-dimensional i by a device from below. It showed in detail the topography not only of the land, but also of the ocean floor. And it was moving. Looking closely, Ruthra realized that it was slowly spinning on its axis. There were airplanes flying in the "sky"; tiny satellites hurtling along in their orbits. The artificial sun clearly separated day and night.

– What's up? Let's go," said Alexander Ivanovich.

– I didn't expect this. Where have we gotten to, Alexander Ivanovich?

– I already told you. Right in the center.

– And what is this center?

– Follow me. I'm an old man and my feet hurt, so don't ask too many questions.

Alexander Ivanovich was in his 85th year, he was a bit heavy, so it was hard for him. They walked to the end of the room. No one paid any attention to them, although there was no one to do so – the chairs behind the computers were empty.

They came to the door of the office, on which hung a sign with the inscription: NGTSOI. Alexander Ivanovich knocked and did not wait for an answer. They went into the room. There sat a vivacious grandfather in his sixties.

– Good afternoon, Yuri Vasilyevich!" Alexander Ivanovich greeted him.

– Oh-oh, what people! Good afternoon, Alexander Ivanovich! I've been waiting for you, waiting for you," he said, coming up to him, and they embraced, shaking hands firmly. – Sit down.

On the wall of the office was a huge panel on which cells showed is from surveillance cameras, including the entire path that Rutra and Alexander Ivanovich had traveled, several guard posts with similar screens, and a wide variety of surface views, from offices and building facades to areas of forest, tundra, and space.

– Here, meet him," said Alexander Ivanovich and pointed at Rutra. – Rutra Tigrovich Paskhov, that's him.

Yuri Vasilyevich smiled, looked intently at Rutra and said:

– What, was it illegal?

– I was," Ruthra replied.

– Under what last name? Or did you like that one and decided to keep it? Same first name, middle name?

Ruthra was silent. He had learned a lot over the years, namely that the system he was in was not what ordinary citizens thought of it, nor what they thought of the intelligence services. He was in a system where you had to hide the truth even from yourself. Sometimes he was so into the role that it seemed to him that he was the man whose legend he wore. Yuri Vasilyevich was still a stranger to him. Besides, this whole incident could have been another test.

Ruthra made a surprised face as if he didn't know what he was talking about.

– I realize you're keeping your mouth shut for security reasons. I realize it's the name that doesn't match, I've got an eye for it. It's clear that it doesn't match your origins. But why take a middle name like that? – Yuri Vasilyevich either inquired or questioned.

Rutra was surprised.

– That's the first time I've ever heard that.

– I see, school. The fact that you're here says a lot, but I'm afraid to disappoint you. You think you're gonna do here what you did there?

– Clearly not.

– That task is no less important now.

– What did I do before? – Ruthra asked bravely, though he was afraid in his heart.

It was the same as saying that Yuri Vasilyevich was not in command of the situation. Yuri Vasilyevich had the rank of colonel, which was clear from the photograph hanging on the wall. On it he was standing in an embrace with the president, which spoke of his high status. Alexander Ivanovich defused the situation:

– Why don't we have tea, Yuri Vasilyevich? He's a little "stuck"… I'll tell you all about it later.

Yuri Vasilyevich stood up, opened the safe, disguised by a photograph, and took out a bottle of cognac with Churchill's picture on it. "To drink tea" in the circle of especially gifted specialists meant to drink something stronger.

In another photo, Yuri Vasilyevich was young. He was sitting at a table in the company of border guards. Rutra's experienced eye noticed that they were photographed against the background of a map of Transcaucasia.

Yuri Vasilyevich took out a plate of sliced sausage and pickles, olives, and several bottles of Silver Key mineral water from the refrigerator.

– What you like," he said and showed the bottles to Alexander Ivanovich.

– Was it a present from him? – Alexander Ivanovich asked.

– From himself!

Rutra did not understand who they meant, but judging by their meaningful look, the cognac was given either by Churchill himself or by the man in the photo. Yuri Vasilyevich uncorked the bottle, poured it into crystal shot glasses, raised his own and said:

– Well, just our way.

They clinked glasses and drank. "Cleanly our way" meant that they drank cognac like vodka – no one was going to be ceremonious with the glasses.

They talked about the various operations they had participated in, but Rutra knew only the name of the places and the names of foreign and domestic officials. He was knowledgeable enough to keep up a conversation, which was what the older generation liked. A lot of things were new to him, though.

After the third Alexander Ivanovich said with a smile that he had had enough and that now Rutra would drink for him. Rutra didn't know what secret meaning he put into these words, but he realized that the old man obviously didn't mean the feast.

Yuri Vasilyevich held out the bottle and said:

– Come on, dose up! One more and I'll tell you about your new role.

After thinking for a bit, Ruthra said:

– It's hard for me to know whether to accept or refuse. After all, I have been invited to serve.

He had been through so many different tests so many times that he had developed a reflex, and so he decided to act openly.

– I realize that you've been abroad for a long time. I can't forget myself when I was in that situation, but remember: if a man doesn't drink even a shot, he's either an alcoholic or a traitor," Yuri smirked. – So take your pick.

Rutra liked brandy. He raised his shot glass.

After "tea" Yuri Vasilyevich invited them to the hall. On the way, Alexander Ivanovich said to Rutra:

– I helped you because I have plans for you.

He said this very sadly; it was obvious that he was having a hard time. Judging by the fact that Alexander Ivanovich was already quite old, Rutra realized that he would need some help.

– Goodbye, I'll go," said Alexander Ivanovich.

They shook hands, hugged Yuri Vasilyevich, and he went to the door, but not the one they had entered. Rutra watched him until Yuri Vasilyevich called out to him:

– Rutra Tigrovich, since we have met, I will explain one rule adopted in the center: the head of the center can address his subordinates as "you". The staff – only "you". Among ourselves – as the relationship develops. We have to get used to the servant attitude, so as not to give ourselves away among civilians. Although we're supposed to be a civilian service, just like the CIA. I hope you know what I mean.

– It's clear," Ruthra replied calmly.

– Come on then, I'll show your post.

He took him to the upper tier, where there was one office, all glass, from which the entire hall was visible. It was higher than the hall, and from there everyone could be monitored. Ruthra noticed that the sparse screens were showing some sort of is. Mostly they had similar diagrams on them. Ruthra took a closer look. Most of the computers in the room did indeed have diagrams on them. There were a few similar screens in his office, with diagrams on them as well.

– What is it? – Ruthra asked.

– What's the point of the world right now, you know? The world is not the same anymore, and you know very well that nobody wants to kill anybody. Everybody wants peace, everybody wants to be rich, enjoy life. Everyone has realized that there is no point in bombing and destroying each other, because, firstly, it will be worse for yourself, secondly, there is no guarantee that you will destroy someone, and you will remain intact, and thirdly, no one wants to take risks. Even if there's solid intel. Fourth, even if you destroy someone, you destroy a potential client. Everyone wants to do business, go out, get drunk, enjoy life, so now the war is here! – And he poked at the monitor.

– What is it? – Ruthra asked.

– This, my dear, is the pulse of the planet.

– What's the pulse of the planet?

– This chart shows what is happening, where and when, and most importantly, for how much. This is one of the main parts of our center's purpose – to keep track of not only who, what and where is doing or intending to do what, but also what is being done. Really doing. Where and from where finances, raw materials, materials and, most importantly, intellectual capital flow. Our center receives information from all resources that collect data. All the intelligence agencies, all over the world. We're interested in everything. Including personal data of social network users, basic financial and economic indicators of firms, corporations, countries as a whole. Also the usual spy data, which has always been of interest to spies, information of special importance. As you know, of course, information of special importance should include information in the field of military, foreign policy, economic, scientific and technical, intelligence and operational and investigative activities. We are interested not only in hidden, secret transactions, but also in open ones, for example, stock exchange transactions. As you realized, there are stock exchange terminals here. Are you surprised? You thought this was some kind of secret center you imagined? That's the thing, insider information is that kind of secret information. Well, for example, let's say a ship carrying a highly toxic chemical material is hijacked by terrorists and is headed to, say, the UK. It's a three-stage operation. The first is an intelligence and counterintelligence operation, which means knowing about it in advance. The second is infiltrate and capture. But you'll be working on the third stage. That is to deal with the consequences of such events yourself.

– I don't get it," Ruthra said, raising his eyebrows upward.

– Nobody knows how they do it. I mean, some homegrown terrorists could not, for example, organize serious terrorist attacks. You understand that for the average person they can bypass our service, but only a highly organized special service can really stand up to us. And so people live, work, rest, plan something and at some point they learn that a ship has been seized and is carrying chemical weapons. Let's say the ship arrived in port today. What will start happening there when people learn that there is a threat of explosion and contamination? Fuss, panic, flight of capital, flight of people. What happens to the stock market in this country? It will start to fall, the economy will collapse. What are the consequences? The country will become poorer, will not be able, for example, to finance scientific research and, as a consequence, in ten years it will fall hopelessly behind. And if someone prepared in advance, i.e. organized to make the shares get cheaper, then he can buy up half of the country. I'm exaggerating a little bit. But you know what I mean, don't you? There used to be total opposition. If a country's power was undermined, it was by direct "undermining." Simply put, it used to be a real bomb, now it's an information bomb. Of course, I am exaggerating a bit, but the general mechanism is as follows. But the most interesting and the most secret is not this information, not how it is obtained, not even the center itself and its existence at all!

Yuri Vasilyevich fell silent and looked at Rutra carefully.

– Why? – Ruthra asked, running through a hundred options in his head.

Yuri Vasilyevich took Rutra by the edge of his collar and quietly, as if it were an incantation, said:

– All this information comes here officially, openly. We don't spy on anyone, we don't infiltrate anywhere, we don't bribe anyone, we don't break ciphers and codes, we don't steal anything. Everything is handed over to us voluntarily. This is a center for tracking those who are tracking everyone according to their structural purpose. In this center, all intelligence and intelligence agencies are united. Only they don't know it themselves. They don't know that the information they gather comes here. They do not know that there is a center where information from all the world's services is processed, whether they are secret spy services or official civilian services. As our German colleague likes to say, "from the maternity hospital to the funeral parlor." Everything, everything, everything. You see why no one can know about us? And I'll tell you something else. This will come as a surprise to you.

The colonel fell silent again.

– What?" Ruthra asked quietly.

– We are supranational. We are not subordinate to the Russian government. We are not subordinate to anyone at all and could be in any country. Everyone is subordinate to us. Our center is the control center of all significant intelligence services, globally, and through them all governments. All the top leaders of intelligence agencies and secret governments are one group. The center has many branches and representative offices. The main ones are the official secret agencies of the countries themselves. That, my friend, is how our glorious world works now. Information no longer has to be mined and stolen. You can just negotiate. And someone's already done it.

– And who is this "someone"?

– You will learn a lot more. You'll realize what kind of world we live in," Vasilyevich answered, shaking his head. – Now tell me, whose family are you going to be?

– From who?

– The information about your appointment came a long time ago, but your background is vague. I can't check it, there's no authorization. If I did it myself, it would raise suspicion. Here you have access to the deepest secrets – even the control codes of enemy satellites, or the trust accounts of the secret services, or the DNA of the president's children. But if you pry unnecessarily, the system will flag you as "suspicious. If you don't justify yourself, you're dead. No one's gonna take any chances. The latest technology, with which you will become very familiar, will make it clear that it is impossible to hide anything. Besides, everything here is mixed up. Those you thought were enemies are comrades and friends, well, or partners. Fighting, feuding, it's a contract, a performance. If everything you find out, tell anyone, they won't believe you, and if they do, the world will turn upside down. We have to live as a family here, to trust each other, otherwise – you can go crazy. The family that's out there becomes something mundane…

Vasilievich jabbed his index finger upward.

– You can't and have no right to even stutter about what you do. Forget everything you know. It's a world of its own, its own culture, its own concepts. Although your spouse has a clearance level, she's being considered for administrator. In that, you may be lucky.

Ruthra was silent, listening.

– You and your wife must have met in the system?

– Why would you say that?

– Here, as in many intelligence agencies, most marry by decree, to a "local". I got married that way the first time too, and my current wife has no idea where I go. Your spouse has been served papers on you too, which is why I'm wondering whose you're from. It's rare for that to happen.

– Whose? I don't know, I got her involved somehow. The system approved it, even though she still only has administrative clearance.

– Our service is a service of control over everything and anything, as well as planning and forecasting. That's why you don't get here by blat, by acquaintance, or for the merits of your parents.

– What are you talking about?

– I'm trying to figure out which mafia.

– Mafia?

Ruthra even smiled.

– Just kidding.

Vasilyevich's face became serious. Rutra became serious, too. He realized that this wasn't entirely a joke. The two burning gazes locked into each other, trying to siphon off all the information they could.

– What kind of mafia is there? – Ruthra asked with a smile.

– Some with a bayonet, some with a pencil.

– Who are these people?

– With bayonet – military or ex-military, the ranks here are nominal. This organization is special, the ranks here are of a special level.

– And "with a pencil"?

– These are men of science, scientists.

– Why, could they be dangerous?

Vasilievich hummed

– As for the military, you may know what they want and, more importantly, can do, but with scientists, it's always a mystery. What do they have in mind, what have they come up with? And most importantly, they can come up with something with which they can seize power over the human brain. Suddenly they have figured out how to control a person imperceptibly and make sure that the person thinks that he is free in his choice? What then?

He looked intently at Ruthra and added quietly:

– The most powerful mafia is the mafia of scientists.

Ruthra didn't know what to answer.

– I don't even know what to say to you. Consider me neutral.

– Neutrals can only be those who know the field of warfare intimately and have a high degree in the exact sciences. Do you have one of those?

Vasilievich said the last one sarcastically.

– I don't know, I mean, it's kind of a secret around here.

– All right, let's go. I'll introduce you to the center's departments, but don't forget my words. If we don't trust each other, we won't look for enemies elsewhere, we'll look for them here. We must be one family, one mafia. The basis of our work is the collection, analysis and systematization of information. Our difference from similar structures is that we are part of a special international structure, which is a supranational organization of controlling organizations. Therefore, what for others is spy-intelligence activity, for us is cooperation within the same structure. It's hard for you to understand this yet, but soon you'll understand everything. Think of us as a special service of the world government control organization.

– Just like that?

– I'll tell you what structure we integrated from when we realized that it was foolish to aim for mutual destruction. It's better to unite to control the opposing forces without them knowing. Divide and conquer, as they say. So, our center appeared after the merger of SOUD and Echelon structures.

– Are these the ones?

– Yeah. Electronic intelligence. You were part of the system of outdoor, visual surveillance and analysis of what the electronic intelligence found. And now you'll get most of your information from her, but in the open. I need to see what you know about her.

– Should I?

– Imagine, we've been waiting for you. So start your "report."

Rutra had the kind of excellent memory required of a man of his caliber, and he memorized it by heart:

– Radio-electronic reconnaissance is a discipline of intelligence gathering based on the reception and analysis of electromagnetic radiation. Radioelectronic reconnaissance uses both intercepted signals from communication channels between people and technical means, as well as signals from operating radars, REB stations and similar devices. The most important part of this system is the JIRS. SOUD, or the System of Joint Data Recording on the enemy – a classified system of information interception, created back in the days of the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries to conduct global electronic intelligence. It was controlled by the 16th KGB Directorate and the 6th GRU Directorate. SOUD united all means of electronic and space reconnaissance of the USSR, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Vietnam, Mongolia and Cuba. The collected information was sent for analysis and processing to two main computer centers. The first is still located in Moscow and the second was located in the GDR. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the Stasi computer center was taken over by the West German intelligence agency BND, depriving JICD of half of its data processing capabilities.

Ruthra fell silent, going over the technical data in his head. He had a question he couldn't help but ask.

– The Warsaw Pact apparatus, as far as I know, has been removed. Isn't that right?

– How about that. Control of the center hasn't really been lost. It's a bit of a wild-goose chase, but more on that later. I understand you have general information, within your clearance. Listen to me, then you tell me what you know, and then you ask questions. If there are any… In the 1990s, the remaining part of JIC was reorganized into a new Russian intelligence system, which at first united all the electronic intelligence complexes in Russia and some CIS countries, the Russian electronic center in Lourdes in Cuba, the radio interception base near the Cam Ranh airfield in Vietnam and special radio equipment in Russian consulates and embassies around the world. It was and is countered by the Echelon system, also known as UKUSA. "Echelon" is the common name for a global electronic intelligence system operating under the UK-USA Radio Technical and Intelligence Security Agreement. "Echelon" has the capability to intercept and analyze telephone conversations, faxes, emails and other information flows around the world by connecting to communication channels such as satellite communications, Internet networks and the like, the public telephone network, and microwave connections. Configuration and installation of the software in the US and UK was carried out by Lockheed Martin. At the time, the computer network itself was code-named "Echelon". Lockheed Martin referred to it as P415. The software was called SILKWORTH and SIRE. Not only radio surveillance stations and satellites served as means of interception. Special equipment was installed in embassies, placed on cables, including submarine cables, and many other technical means from the arsenal of intelligence services were used. Such actions are engaged in many government organizations in many countries, but the distinctive feature of "Echelon" was the global scale of the system: its action was spread over the entire globe. World War II left a legacy to the British government communications agency, which operates in parallel with the well-known services MI5 and MI6, a vast network of radio interception stations located throughout the British Empire, and powerful decoding technology. Added to these were thousands of surveillance posts set up by the US and its allies. The largest of the stations was in Eritrea, where the most sophisticated surveillance techniques were used, including the analysis of radio signals reflected from the surface of the moon. Pay special attention to this… The Echelon system, like the thermonuclear bomb, nuclear submarines and other projects of its time, was designed to gain a strategic advantage over a potential adversary. One of Echelon's greatest successes was finding codes to radio telephones in the limousines of the Soviet elite. The NSA listened to the conversations of Politburo members for several years until the KGB changed the equipment. Another NSA operation known today was the installation by submarine divers of listening devices on a military special communications cable laid on the bottom of the Sea of Okhotsk. It was discovered by accident. A fishing trawler snagged the cable and damaged it. Specialists arrived to repair the faults and discovered a wiretap on the cable, which was considered so reliable that the command of the Soviet Northern Fleet often received instructions from Moscow in unencrypted form. According to European experts, in roughly the same way the NSA tapped into the undersea cable between Europe and Africa in the Mediterranean Sea in the mid-1980s. The Echelon system is capable of reading data transmitted via satellite, radio relay, cellular and fiber-optic channels. One of the methods of intercepting information can be the installation of equipment in close proximity to routers of large fiber-optic highways, since most of the Internet traffic passes through them, and their number is relatively small. The system not only searches for and identifies terrorist bases, drug trafficking routes and political and diplomatic intelligence, which would be natural, but is also used for large-scale commercial theft, international commercial espionage and invasion of privacy using wind turbine technology developed by the German firm Enercon and speech recognition technology owned by the Belgian company Lernout & Hauspie. In 1994, Airbus lost a $6 billion contract with Saudi Arabia after the U.S. National Security Agency announced that Airbus executives had bribed Saudi officials to successfully support the contract.

Yuri Vasilyevich told the story without stopping, by heart. It was clear that it was not the first time. Rutra did not dare to interrupt, but there were many questions, and he raised his hand as if signaling that he wanted to ask a question. The chief was silent.

– I don't understand. You said it was opposed by the Echelon system," Ruthra said without a questioning tone, simply indicating his area of interest.

The lecturer thought for a moment, then answered:

– In the system of functioning of special services there is the first level, it is common knowledge, and the second level is us. The first level as it worked, so it still works, in the same spirit, for the development and control of the data received. For competition, so to speak, it is very important. The second level is unknown to the first. Unknown in the sense that they must not know that there is a secret cooperation agreement. Therefore, the second tier consists of employees of the first tier, but hides their association into a separate group. By habit they are called "Echelon 1" and "Echelon 2". Do you know how the NSA works to conceal its activities inside the country?

– You mean the NSA is not officially authorized to engage in eavesdropping on US communications systems and does so through cooperation with foreign allies conducting radio intercepts on US soil?

– Yes, that's right.

– I'm directly familiar with it.

– Here, draw conclusions. That's what we're supposed to agree on. And remember, Echelon 2 never fails. In case of detection, you're just a traitor, a spy. Echelon 1 will deal with you, as they should. It's a solid defense, with consequences. If you betray your own, disclose data about its existence, you will be identified, captured, arrested by Echelon 1 under the command of Echelon 2. Understood?

– I'm starting to realize

– All righty then. Take a look at the paperwork. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask. First of all, study this data, which you will work with directly.

He handed over a folder with a red line crossed out.

– That's all for starters. I'll be in my office, the rest of the local details will be provided by the staff directly reporting to you.

Saying the last, the chief raised his index finger upward while making a meaningful expression and left for his room.

Rutra looked around his new workplace, the operations and workroom, met his staff, returned to his office, and went over the contents of the folder. The folder contained one main document and many comments on it. Rutra began to study it. The document contained the following information: "List of computer surveillance and electronic intelligence programs by country. The list contains a list of computer surveillance and electronic intelligence programs implemented or currently being implemented by governments around the world, as well as international projects in this area.

Ruthra knew everything well, but still looked over the important ones:

International

"Echelon" is a global electronic intelligence system operating under the radio and intelligence security agreement of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, also known as UKUSA.

SOUD is a classified information interception system created by the USSR and Warsaw Pact countries to conduct global electronic reconnaissance. It is still in operation today.

National

UK

IMP is an initiative to enhance the UK government's ability to legally intercept communications and store the resulting data in a single database.

Tempora is a covert computer surveillance program launched in the fall of 2011, used by the UK Government Communications Centre in conjunction with the US National Security Agency.

The Impact Nominal Index is a computer system designed for police and other security agencies in the UK that allows them to make quick inquiries about persons of interest.

Russian Federation

SORM – a system of technical means to ensure the functions of operational-search activities. A set of technical means and measures designed to carry out operational-search activities in telephone, mobile and wireless communication and radio networks.

A distinction should be made:

SORM-1 is a system of wiretapping organized in 1996;

SORM-2 is a system for logging Internet accesses developed by a working group of representatives of the Russian State Communications Committee, the Russian Federal Security Service, the Central Research Institute of Communications and Glavvyaznadzor;

SORM-3 is a system for collecting information from all types of communications and its long-term storage.

U.S.

The U.S. Intelligence Community is a system of 16 intelligence agencies whose activities include computerized surveillance and electronic intelligence.

STRATCOM – A special cybersecurity task force in U.S. Strategic Command; integrates nuclear, space, and missile defense.

MAINWAY is an NSA database containing metadata on hundreds of billions of phone calls made through the four largest phone companies in the United States: AT&T, SBC, BellSouth, and Verizon.

Stellar Wind is an electronic communications tracking program, including monitoring email messages, phone calls, financial transactions and internet activity.

Tailored Access Operations (TAO) is a division of the NSA created in 1997 that engages in active and passive surveillance of computers, including hacking and backdoor installation. It is capable of collecting approximately 2 petabytes of network transmitted data per hour.

Boundless Informant is an NSA system for analyzing global electronic communications. It has a huge database, including 14 billion reports on Iran, 6.3 billion on India, and 2.8 billion on the United States.

PRISM is an in-depth Internet traffic surveillance program formally classified as top secret; adopted by the NSA in 2007 as a replacement for the Terrorist Surveillance Program.

DCSNet is an FBI surveillance system that can wiretap any telecommunications device located in the United States.

Main Core is a database that stores personal and financial information on millions of U.S. citizens who may pose a threat to national security. The data is sourced from the NSA, FBI, CIA, and other government sources.

Magic Lantern is a keylogger program sent by the FBI as an email attachment. When activated, it acts as a Trojan horse and allows the FBI to track the activities of an Internet user.

Narus Insight is a cluster-class supercomputer espionage system designed to sniff and analyze network traffic data on the Internet. It uses the Carnivore system as auxiliary data delivery nodes. The operator of the system in the United States is the FBI; users are all U.S. federal agencies.

Carnivore is an automated espionage system for listening to information from websites, analyzing databases on websites, and opening and analyzing emails; an analogue of the Russian SORM-2. An element of the Narus Insight total surveillance supercomputer cluster.

Terrorist Finance Tracking Program – a joint program of the CIA and the U.S. Treasury Department to gain access to the SWIFT transaction database. According to the U.S. government, efforts to counter terrorist activities were compromised after information about the existence of the program was leaked to the media.

X-Keyscore, a secret computer tracking program, is run jointly by the U.S. National Security Agency, the Australian Radio Defense Agency, and the New Zealand Government Communications Security Service. The FBI has created and is actively populating the world's largest database of biometric information on U.S. citizens, including retina, fingerprints, facial structure, scars, voice, language, facial expressions and gestures.

Israel

"Medusa-1" is a program that uses microwave radiation from cell phones to target the subcortical layer of the human brain in order to induce reactions in the brains of those being irradiated that the irradiators want.

"Medusa-2" is a program using DISP Biometric Sensing technology, which uses point detectors of infrared radiation to determine a person's location and posture. With DISP Spectroscopy, the military and gendarmes are able to analyze chemicals in any body tissue, including blood, from a distance.

"Medusa 3" is a spy analysis program.

The users of these programs are:

–Unit       8200 – Responsible for collecting and deciphering electronic intelligence;

–Unit       9900 – Responsible for collecting and deciphering photographic data from aerial and space-based media;

–504th       Division – Responsible for gathering information through agent networks and informants;

–Department of       Information Security;

–military       censorship;

–Operational Management Division      ;

–Special Operations Connection      ;

–Sayeret Matkal special unit      ; Psychological Operations Center;

–Military Intelligence Directorate      .

A special place is occupied by Unit 8200, an electronic intelligence unit, part of the Military Intelligence Directorate "AMAN", which collects and decodes electronic information. It is one of the largest such units in the world. In military documents it is listed as Central Collection Unit of the Intelligence Corps. In terms of functions performed, it is comparable to the U.S. National Security Agency.

The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad uses (semi-legally, through fake civilian firms) spying devices that record, through legal and illegal video cameras installed in public places, what is happening in major cities around the world. This is done by Verint, a classified branch of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

This and other Israeli firms have been contracted to tap the phones of citizens of the United States, Canada, European Union countries and Russia, install and maintain, under the guise of office computer programs, spyware components installed in ministries and departments, government agencies, schools, universities, hospitals, etc. All information received is analyzed by the Meduza-3 program.

Rutra looked through the data on other states without emphasizing it. He knew everything about his line of work and more.

It was enough for a start. In the evening, Ruthre was brought his new "official" documents, his security clearance cards and passes, from which he learned that he was now a researcher at a secret institute. Then he was led outside by a security officer through a chain of corridors, elevators, and labyrinths, through the "official" entrance, which was the entrance hall of the closed research institute.

Chapter 3. I can see you, but you can't see me

The next day, Rutra was personally greeted by Vasilyevich. He had a joyful face. Literally from the doorstep he began to teach Rutra.

– What's the first rule?

– Up to 80% of information can be obtained from open sources, the main thing is to be able to understand it correctly," Rutra answered boldly.

– The second one?

– If you want to hide something, put it in the most visible place.

– Third? – The examiner kept up.

– Don't get caught," Ruthra summarized, studying Vasilievich's reaction with a slanted gaze.

– You make me suspicious, though I think we understand each other. We'll work together," the colonel summarized and continued: – For example, such a situation: let's say we send our satellite to the satellite providing communication of the international information service. What do we want to know? Missile launch codes? Troop movements? The background radiation of the strategic command center? No! We want to know how they keep this whole system running. That's what we did during the Cold War when we had the doctrine of total annihilation. And when we realized we couldn't do that without damaging ourselves, we came up with the doctrine of weakening and subjugation. You know what I mean?

– I'm starting to realize

– Something like that. So now the main efforts of intelligence are aimed at finding out who, when, where and how much currency has been made. If we are a rich state, it means that we live well and can influence the world around us. We are a force to be reckoned with, we can develop new weapons. And if we are poor, no one needs our goods, we can temporarily resist with weapons, use internal propaganda, but we will still slip into poverty, dictatorship and, as a consequence, into the social abyss. However, as they say, the truth is somewhere near. The fact is that all important scientific information from all advanced institutes of the world, patent offices, research centers, certification and logging centers flows to the center. Therefore, "big brother" always knows in advance – what, who can do, can influence it. And yet it is no less important to know the banal statistics. For example, if somewhere in a third-world country there is exploration for minerals, which, due to its technological backwardness, this country can neither extract nor use, then we are interested in this, as it is not only us. The world has long been divided, everything is interconnected. Or some state will dramatically increase its consumption of rare earth metals. We calculate what it is for and what it does, in what product it is possible to use it. Therefore, all the goals have already been defined, niches are occupied. If there is a change in some market, what does it mean? That someone needs something more. Some state suddenly orders some kind of equipment for mines, for example. For what purpose? To mine something. What can it extract? All this is analyzed, the relationship is studied. What can be produced from this raw material? How much machinery is purchased? When? Service life? Capacity? This makes up the chain.

Ruthra glanced obliquely at Vasilievich. They were almost at the entrance to the central hall of Zero. Vasilievich continued nonchalantly:

– That's roughly what you were doing, except you were analyzing when, for example, the lights went on in the encryptor's office and when they went off, how to make a multi-stage chain to figure out the encryptor, to get into his social circle, to somehow launch an artificial mouse close to his post, which, after sneaking closer, would scan the contents of his machine by communicating with his smartphone through his computer mouse. That's assuming you still have to get in there, or it can be done from a satellite. From that, you concluded what and how he encrypts, when and what telegram he's working on, what's in it, who it's from, who it's addressed to. And another custodian analyzed another office of the same kind, where it came from, from which dignitary. Your next colleague analyzed who came to this person, his circle of communication, where the command came from, how it was processed, where it went, what happened afterwards. From all of this, a picture was formed of what command was communicated, what was the meaning of it, what consequences it led to and why. And if it was possible to intercept the encryption, we knew that its content was this consequence. It's roughly the same here, but it has to do with the end result of it all, with power and money. With a lot of power and a lot of money. The president of an oil-bearing country sneezed – the price of fuel went up somewhere. The president of a multinational company took a test – we should know the result… Soon civilian technology will surpass military technology. We should follow the development of laboratories by calculating the contracts for the receipt of goods and raw materials. Why? Because no one has ever abolished lying. So we can't be deceived. Control, control and control. Stocks, bonds… You'll do that too. Analyze the same thing, but from the other side. It's an important indicator of the consequences of a planned or planned event. I'm interested in everything: statistical summaries, statistical data. A lot of data will flow to you.

Rutra listened attentively and absorbed everything like a sponge, and Vasilievich kept talking:

– Now our spies are working on civilian projects. For example, new materials, technologies, computer programs are being developed in some state. We want to know how many enterprises, firms are opening, how many are closing, how many of them are engaged in wholesale, how many and what they produce, where they take it, what is their ability to reduce prices, how much the product costs them, when construction will be completed, the unemployment rate. How the science and technology sector is doing. What are the promising developments. These are the ones that are primarily used in the military sphere. Yields, climate, social sphere, their interconnection, prospects for change, first persons, and not only in politics, their contacts, family and business ties, religious, social, political preferences. Everything should interest you. Analyze everything and anything, and put it into a predictive matrix, so that you know not only what they want to do, not only what they can do, but what they will think, even if they don't think they will think it. All the information is very necessary. It makes up the picture of a country's economy, and the picture of a country's economy is its pulse. The way it beats determines how this state lives. Anyway, get started. You will have several assistants, they will analyze the information, collect and systematize. How the program works on the computer will be explained to you. It shows events in real time, and you will know what is happening on planet Earth. You will get any information, including secret information, concerning politics, military sphere, economy. Where what is being developed, where what is being extracted, in what condition the fixed assets are, what ships, trains, airplanes, automobiles are going where, when they will reach, what they are carrying. You have to calculate possible variants of changes in market conditions, new technologies, fulfillment and non-fulfillment of contractual obligations. In general, all sorts of things. You'll figure it out. Your level should correspond to your rank, but you should know that there are no ranks here, we have to join the civilian life. You will participate in many civic events, forums, exhibitions, seminars, meetings, but nowhere should anyone suspect who you really are.

Ruthra was immediately reminded of a James Bond movie. It was hard to suspect a special agent in him – a drunkard, a smoker, a boozer.

– The assistants will tell you the details, they know you in advance. There's a file on each of them in the safe. Here's the key, carry it with you at all times. Even though it's connected to the entry-exit system, you'll still be asked. And now I have a question: although our system works very well and knows what urine test you will have after the New Year, I would like to know from your mouth how you feel about Jews?

That question surprised Ruthra. It surprised him because it sounded like it was here. He made many inferences from any question and tried to choose the answer that was appropriate in this case. Ruthra answered calmly:

– I'm fine with it. But why the Jews? Are you Jewish?

– No way. You have a very serious and responsible assignment. I don't think you have your own game, the viability of the state depends on it, that is, what can be done with the system.

Having said that, Vasilyevich left. Rutra's brain was working hard. He could not understand the sacred meaning of what he had said last. What did this have to do with the secret center? How could one play his game here? Just as Ruthra sat down at his desk and tried to make sense of his office, there was a knock at the door. It was opened by a girl, tall, thin, with black hair. Rutra noticed that there were other girls behind her.

– Hello! – they said.

– Hello," Ruthra replied.

– We came to find out our mode of operation," said the first one and smiled strangely.

Ruthra replied in surprise:

– What, you get to choose? This is a restricted facility, there are regulations and shifts. Excuse me, who are you?

– Your assistants.

– Then let's get acquainted," Ruthra suggested.

– My name is Katya.

– It's a pleasure.

The girl hiding behind her said she was Yulia, the next one called herself Olesya. They smiled.

– What's so funny? – Ruthra asked.

– There's nothing funny," Katya said. – Can I come in?

– Come on in.

She came close and asked almost in a whisper:

– Did he ask you about the Jews?

Ruthra looked at her in surprise.

– Do you know what his last name is?

– No, I don't know.

– Did he scold or praise the Jews? – she asked.

– I don't know, I don't care. He just asked.

– I hope I didn't offend you.

Rutra looked at the girls and thought, "What are busty young women doing here? What kind of professionals are they?"

– No," Ruthra replied. – Let's talk about work. Tell me all about the center. I haven't been very involved. What did you do before my appointment?

– Analyzing the situation," Yulia said. – We work in Europe and the United States. You also have our senior manager Kristina, financial analyst Natalia and the administrator of the center, who is not in the staff at the moment. Or rather, this position is vacant. There are also specialists of the hall, but they are subordinate to us, according to the direction of activity. They are in another hall, there are 20 of them. The rest of the departments, of course, and their heads are directly subordinate to Yury Vasilyevich.

– What do they do?

– They are engaged in primary processing and analysis of information coming through the lines of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, GRU, SVR. They analyze everything. Not only how, for example, the serial production of memristors will affect the computing power of data centers, but also, for example, how soon the chicks will hatch in a factory in Denmark.

– What, is that a big deal, too?

– Of course. Every situation counts. You have to do all sorts of gibberish. How will the creation of the ionistor affect the consumption of energy resources and, consequently, their procurement, extraction, production, processing, delivery? How many banks with minus balances, what is changing in bankruptcy law in Liberia, for example, how many cattle will calve, how much grain will be harvested, how tobacco is growing there, the lifespan of satellites, the prospect of using unstable elements, the consumer focus group in fifty years, and so on. Who is registered offshore, which ones, why there and not others? Transfers of finances around the world, analyzing the work of stock exchanges, the reasons why quotes change depending on the time of day and weather. Everything matters.

– I understand," Rutra interrupted. – What does Yuri Vasilyevich do?

– He is exercising temporary control. He's here temporarily and is very nostalgic for his past activities. He doesn't know much about economics. He is a fighter of the invisible front, he came to us from the SVR," explained the woman who appeared in the doorway of the office. – Hello. May I come in?

– You can.

– My name is Natalia and I am a financial data processor.

– It's a pleasure," Ruthra replied.

She smiled and said:

– We're used to everything here, especially after Yuri Vasilyevich.

– To what, exactly? – Ruthra asked.

– To the fact that real first and last names, even our own, we have almost forgotten. But one still wonders why people take those particular ones.

– I didn't just ask about Jews," Katya said and added: – Do you know what his last name is?

Ruthra looked at her questioningly.

– Zhidkov," she said.

Yuri Vasilyevich's voice was heard outside the office door.

– Not at all," he said.

The girls looked at each other and quickly left. Discipline had taken its toll. Yuri Vasilyevich's age, rank, and record spoke for themselves. Zhidkov came into Rutra's office, as if he had been standing somewhere close by.

– I went abroad under the surname of Zhemchuzhin, and when I came here, my documents were still old, so they make fun of me. I worked in Palestine and Israel for a long time, so that's why I've been there. No one trusts anyone there. And how can you trust when you're going to die every day? Everyone hides behind a Janus mask to survive. In order for you to understand what happens in such a serious organization, now we will go by departments and you will get acquainted with everyone and everything.

So began Rutra's first day of work at the new place. Basically, except for the fact that Center Zero was the coordinating center between the secret services and the intelligence agencies, he knew everything else. This was not news to him, as he was aware of the capabilities of the intelligence services.

In the modern world, cynical rationality and the most absurd chaos are intertwined in the most bizarre way. The special services of the world's strongest states can easily track all the actions and movements of a law-abiding citizen, but are unable to prevent major terrorist acts. The Large Hadron Collider has brought science closer to understanding the origin of the Universe, but at the same time domestic obscurantism has reached a level that would have been marveled at even in the Middle Ages.

All this creates the most hothouse conditions for the growth of all sorts of conspiracy theories that explain everything that happens in the world as the result of deliberate actions of malicious forces or simply insidious plans of secret groups – from sects and special services to Freemasons and demons. Conspiracy theories have not ignored high technology. You bet, because it is such a tempting way to find simple explanations for the most ambiguous and new events and phenomena!

Subconsciously, most of us seriously and not without reason suspect that all these global elites, governments and big business are manipulating technology for their own interests, in an effort to maintain and increase their power and influence over ordinary people.

One of the claims of conspiracy theory adherents is that "social networks are created and operated with the participation of intelligence agencies." This is the most popular and easily provable conspiracy theory.

Special services and law enforcement agencies really enjoy taking advantage of the information that users voluntarily post on Facebook, VKontakte and other social networks.

At the same time, the press regularly reports that the management of networks directly cooperates with secret services. Take for example the recent scandal with the management of VKontakte, which was accused of links with the FSB, the K Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the notorious "former gray cardinal" Vladislav Suchkov. It is hard to say how credible such reports are, if even without contact with the owners the special services have all the technical means to monitor social networks.

Another of their claims is: "Your laptop, TV and game console are spying on you". All electronic and radio-technical devices are capable of spying on their owners: hidden microphones and cameras, as well as schemes for transmitting encrypted signals over the Internet or into the radio air have been repeatedly discovered in them. It's no secret that laptop or smartphone cameras can be activated even without your participation and without proper signaling, so knowledgeable people make sure to cover them with opaque tape.

Some companies no longer feel the need to hide their desire to spy on their customers. For example, Comcast, Google TV, Microsoft and Verizon have applied for patents on designs for TVs and DVRs that can monitor what viewers do while using them. The plan is to track all movements, sounds, food and beverage choices, nationality, mood and other information to make ads more targeted and shows more relevant to the moment.

However, the conspiracy believers claim, "We know what it's really all about!" In today's world, it is virtually impossible to hide. All electronic devices transmit encrypted information, quite legally, in all directions. They also mark all their, i.e. your, activities with markers. Everything is equipped with special markers – even a sheet of paper from a printer, or a barrel in a weapon.

Chapter 4: The world is owned by specific individuals

The next day the training continued. Yuri Vasilyevich took Rutra around the entire center, telling and showing him where everyone was sitting and what was lying around. After a couple of hours, Rutra knew not only that only a very narrow circle of people suspected the existence of Center Zero, but also that there was only one way out of here to normal civilian (and not necessarily civilian) life.

– Through death," Yuri explained in his joking manner.

He also learned that even the government and presidential administration didn't know about the center. And that all this supreme power is just one of the subdivisions of Center Zero, and the top-level clearances have only a few. Yuri Vasilievich did not speak very favorably of them.

– What did you think? You think there's no control over the president? Even Stalin couldn't personally send troops wherever he thought they needed to go. It's all a myth about his unlimited power. Everything was decided by the "rate" and the "committee", and he was in the grip of an organization like ours. It seems to the average person that everything is decided by the power, which they talk about on TV every day. In fact, the real power is always hidden, it is not in public, but deep in the bunker.

This brought an interesting thought to Ruth's mind. He thought, "How do all these people get from here to the surface? Where to? There are so many of them. Through what checkpoint or gatehouse? The same way I do? Then how can it be hidden? I mean, you have to disguise it somehow. It's not a problem, though.

He asked Vasilievich about it. He replied in his manner that this was the most interesting thing, and smiled. Indeed, the "most interesting" thing about the Zero department was that they came out through the Institute for Strategic Analysis under the President of Russia. But Rutra learned about that later.

After a week, Ruthra estimated that not everyone went upstairs in the evening. The dungeon itself was like a large anthill of corridors and rooms, and everyone had access only to their own corridor. Very rarely did anyone within a corridor have access to a neighboring room. Passes were issued in a very interesting way: an invisible bar code was put on the nail of the thumb, which had to be applied to a special scanner at the entrance. Every day the barcode was changed. At the entrance, the hand was put to a special printer, which put a special number. On the way out you had to put your hand to the scanner. After reading the number, the scanner destroyed it.

Yuri Vasilyevich was willful. He told me that he had been on assignment abroad many times, under different names, where, as he put it, he "did a lot of interesting things". In the specialized circles, it was called "combat service".

Rutra asked Yuri Vasilievich what was in the neighboring departments.

– What is it? Come on, I'll show you.

They stepped out into the corridor. All the corridors were very dark and poorly lit.

– For example, here it says "F" department. That stands for the fantasy department. That's what I call them. Are you smiling? Officially, it's the Foresight Department. It's where they fantasize about what could be! If you hear what's been fantasized recently, you'll think it's unreal. Think about it, who could have imagined fifty years ago that what happened would happen? There's the P-Division, for example. They deal with the media. More precisely, the means of mass disinformation, – having said this, he chuckled snidely. – This is the "S" department – coders. They invent and decode all possible ciphers and codes. By the way, they are engaged in a very intense and very momentous task right now. The department is working on a sudden and very important problem. Although, perhaps not sudden… If you pass the exam, you will have access to all departments. You'll be assigned to a single task.

– What task? – Ruthra asked.

– I can't tell you that yet. Even here, among ourselves, it's a very big secret. I'll introduce you to someone soon," Vasilievich said, looking intently at Ruthra.

Ruthra listened attentively. He didn't want to offend the old warrior, though he had a fair idea of such objects. He needed to really know with whom and where he would now work and live. The guide in the form of Yuri Vasilyevich gave only general information. Apparently, this was one of the components of the regime of this facility.

Ruthra noticed that many of the doors in the main corridor were labeled with complex combinations of letters. What it could mean, he couldn't figure out. Almost every abbreviation had the letter "Ts" in it. He understood that it stood for "central", for example CPN – central point or observation post. But it wasn't very clear who or what was being monitored.

– Yes, of course we come out on top, but there are instances where that happens.

And Yuri Vasilyevich told a story about a secret physicist who was the main designer of most ballistic missiles and spacecraft, whose name was unknown to society. Rutra, of course, was aware of such persons and yet was surprised that this one was completely hidden, isolated from society.

– What about his personal life? How, for example, did he go to the movies, to the theater? – he asked.

– He didn't go anywhere, it's all here.

– You got everything?

– You're not getting the big picture. There's a city within a city down here. There's even roads with stoplights. It's a huge anthill. This physicist found out he had a son when the kid turned seven.

Ruthra was shocked. He knew a great deal about the lives of the invisible front fighters, of course, but such a thing stunned him. He instantly imagined the full scale of the secrecy. Yuri Vasilyevich continued:

– Soon we'll go with you to check the Cheget system by regulation, then you'll look at the president.

Ruthra remembered being counseled about the structures of secret societies. The Center was something like that. He also remembered the sign at the entrance: "You are seen, you are not. It accurately conveyed the meaning and content of Center Zero's functioning.

– Come on, I'll give you a little tour," Yuri said and pointed to the door at the end of the hall.

They went to the door, Yuri Vasilievich put the fingernail of his thumb to the device, the door opened. It was an elevator. They entered, he pressed the button, the elevator went up. After a while it stopped, they got out.

It was a huge underground railroad station. There were tracks through tunnels in different directions. Everything was painted in yellow and white stripes. Instead of trains, there were short narrow gauge tracks. There were quite a few people in overalls who were busy unloading oddly labeled cylinders. There was an interesting emblem on the cylinders in the form of a scrawled globe with a griffin on it, one paw covering a nuclear mushroom.

– This is Metro-2," said Yuri Vasilyevich. – In the secret department you will take special literature, you must know by heart what and where it is, how it works. How it turns on, how it turns off. Communications, control stations, stockpiles. Right down to which pipe goes where, what's in it, every wire, cable, communication line, every marking. You gotta know everything! That's our law, it's not just a whim. In case of emergencies, every specialist of your level must be able to take over the management of facilities.

Vasilyevich, telling him, gestured him to the platform. They boarded the narrow gauge train and drove off. It was like a regular subway with stations, but a little simpler. There was no pompous beauty or large spaces. At each station Yuri Vasilyevich told what strategic object it was connected with, what it served. It was a city within a city. All strategically important organizations had their duplicate centers in Metro-2. Warehouses, factories, communication centers, military storage facilities were scattered over a huge area upstairs and secretly interlocked through Metro-2 downstairs.

On the wall of one of the stations hung a diagram of both subways, secret and civilian, with their adjacent communications. "Metro-2" was much larger in diameter than the regular subway.

***

On one of the usual working days, Zhidkov came to Rutra's office. It was clear from the expression on his face that Vasilievich was preoccupied with something.

– Hello, Rutra Tigrovic.

– Hello, Yuri Vasilyevich. Is something wrong?

– Almost.

– Nothing momentous, I hope?

– The fateful thing has already happened.

Ruthra didn't answer or ask any questions. He waited for the chief to continue.

– You've probably realized by now that our special treaty with those whom ordinary citizens know as opposing parties looks not like a treaty, but a conspiracy.

– Maybe. How could it be otherwise? This whole scene is played out in the way people are used to historically understand the events.

– What I'm about to say is not for us to talk about. All the more so, it is not campaigning. However, I can, by virtue of my age and record, say it. Whatever treaties are proclaimed, there is a concept of rulers and those over whom the rulers have authority.

– What are you talking about, Yuri Vasilyevich?

– You have already realized, moreover – you have access to information, that many events that have already happened and that will still happen are not a priori what ordinary people think about them.

– Well, that's what we are. People like a show with a good ending, so we make it happen.

– Yes, but who harvests the harvest?

– Reaper.

– You've certainly heard of many narratives, so it won't be news to you much of what the modern world is based on. However, don't forget that we do this sort of thing for society. Just in whose interest?

Ruthra realized that Vasilievich was preparing to resign, or rather, he was being prepared to resign, so he decided to pour his heart out. Although such organizations around the world were strictly clan-based, they recruited only those who, if they were against the system, would be de facto figures against themselves. It was a complex, hidden, shrouded in secrecy hierarchy, the existence of which was strictly concealed. It could not be otherwise. Because those who seized power also created structures inside the main controlling body of the country or countries, so that the real controlling structure was not known to anyone. Naturally, strangers were not taken there. Thus, clans were created that no one saw or heard.

Ruthra realized that Vasilievich wanted to share information from this series. He looked at the colonel silently and waited for him to continue.

– Look, Rutra, there's something similar in the The Committee of 300. Don't think it's a freelance piece of writing, because it was written by a career intelligence officer. I can't help but recount some of it to you, especially since I worked on the Echelon One program with Coleman. He makes it clear there that their goal is to enslave most of the people left on Earth after wars, disasters, and mass murder. Intelligence agents have a rule you learn well, "The best way to hide something is to put it in a conspicuous place." While secret agents were gathering intelligence, the information they were after was lying right under their noses. Often, they play out the spectacle while conspiracy-crazed cranks spend their time looking for those conspiracies in the wrong place and in the wrong direction. The most informed part of our society realizes that a conspiracy exists, this conspiracy hides under various names. Real information about the activities of the members of the invisible government is very difficult to obtain. After Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States, an important meeting was held in Washington in December 1980 under the auspices of the Club of Rome and the Socialist International. Both of these organizations are directly subordinate to the Committee. It is necessary to understand why nuclear power is so hated around the world, and why the fictitious "environmental" movement created and financed by the Club of Rome is being used to wage war against nuclear power. With the help of nuclear power to generate huge amounts of cheap electricity, third world countries would gradually become independent of US financial aid and begin to assert their sovereignty. The electricity produced by nuclear power plants is the key to bringing developing countries out of that backward state.

– So it's all about the money?

– Yes, in money and power. Or rather, power. Money can be printed, and power always gives you the opportunity to justify it. I hope you know what I mean. I'm gonna go. You think about it. You'll encounter a lot of things, you'll realize that this world is owned by specific individuals. I'll see you later.

– See you later, Yuri Vasilyevich.

The warden got up with difficulty and went to his room. "What did he mean to say? About what he knew, knows, or will find out?" – Ruthra pondered.

Chapter 5. Who is nobody?

After the last meeting, the contents of which Ruthra was still pondering, his supervisor came in on his regular work shift, after a walk through the hall and departments.

– Good afternoon, Tigrovich," Zhidkov greeted him.

– Good afternoon, Yuri Vasilyevich," Rutra said.

– Here's a new set of documents, put those aside for now," he said, holding out the package. – Documentarily, we can refer to different services. At this stage, to perform the tasks required by the last developed program, we will be referred to GUSP.

– Is this the president's office? – Rutra clarified.

– Yes," confirmed the chief. – At first it will be unusual for you that a structural unit checks and controls the center.

– Are we going to audit the administration?

– Including. Listen to the introduction. GUSP – Main Directorate of Special Programs of the President of the Russian Federation.

Zhidkov was silent for a moment, then added:

– That's the way it is. Now I'm going to start educating you on another subject. Do you have any tea, coffee? Pour. I need to get you up to speed. You'll have another line of work.

– What exactly? – Ruthra asked, shifting his eyebrows.

– Listen to the next story.

Rutra brewed coffee, opened a bar of chocolate, and poured it for Vasilievich.

– In order for you to better understand the process of Echelon-1 and Echelon-2, I will tell you about a story that you probably know from a different angle, so to speak. And the angle is as follows: the architect of the world dollar system was a secret agent of the Kremlin!

Rutra raised his eyebrows in surprise, but did not ask any questions. Vasilievich continued:

– In 1944, the famous Bretton Woods Conference of the anti-Hitler coalition countries was held in the United States, where the dollar was declared the main world currency. The Soviet delegation also voted in favor of the dollar. Nowadays it seems incredible!

Shortly before Bretton Woods, Moscow received a secret message from Washington from agent Donald Maclean. Maclean worked as the first secretary of the British Embassy in the United States! U.S. plans to dollarize the planet Stalin knew in advance. The head of the American delegation at Bretton Woods, Harry Dexter White, who developed the idea of the buck as the main world currency, was also an agent of the Kremlin.

– No way!

– The defector Oleg Gordievsky gave away that the NKVD recruited White, an employee of the U.S. Treasury Department, back in 1935-1936. Harry not only leaked secret information, but was also an active agent of influence. His first major success was the provocation of Pearl Harbor! It was White who drafted the text of the American ultimatum of November 26, 1941, with the help of which Japan was forced to make the first shot at Pearl Harbor.

– America responded by declaring war on Japan. It was difficult for the Japanese to fight the Soviet Union as well. So Hitler did not wait for Tokyo's promised attack on the USSR.

– That's right. After the war, he gave Moscow the clichés of the U.S. Treasury Department to print Allied stamps in occupied Germany. The USSR printed the equivalent of 200-400 million dollars worth of stamps in the first post-war years. Harry White is the developer of the secret Morgenthau Plan. The exact name: "Program to prevent Germany from unleashing World War III". The plan envisaged dismemberment of defeated Germany, transfer of important industrial areas under international control, liquidation of heavy industry, demilitarization, transformation of the Reich into an agrarian country. It was even proposed to cut down all the forests in the country. And to reduce the population by 25 million people!

– How?

– We can only guess… In September 1944, Churchill and Roosevelt discussed the plan in Quebec, Canada. They signed a memorandum.

– The plan was classified from Stalin. White was worried that the U.S. and England, behind the back of the USSR, began separatist negotiations for peace with Hitler. Harry. passed a highly classified document to Moscow. It made the world's press. A huge scandal erupted. Goebbels' propaganda ministry said through its media that "Jew Morgenthau" wanted to turn Germany into a potato field! Harry, together with Chief Morgenthau, had a hand in preparing the occupation directive JCS 1067, which was in force until the summer of 1947. It forbade any attempt at economic recovery in Germany. In the spirit of Morgenthau's plan and the secret document "Chancellor Act", imposed by the U.S. on the Germans.

– Informed of it. On May 21, 1949, a treaty was signed to limit the state sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany until 2099! It provides for the agreement with Washington on candidates for the post of chancellor, the provision of German territory for US and NATO military bases, the storage of gold reserves in the US, England, France and much more.

–. On November 7, 1945, Soviet spy-courier Liz Bentley turned over to the Americans almost the entire Soviet agent network across the ocean. White was number two on her list.

– Who was the first?

– U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Elger Hiss.

– Who's running all of this?

– Our organization and company you'll still have to learn about. In confidence, it's a supranational international group. The "Four Horsemen" of banking rule over the United States: Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo own Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch/Shell, BP and Chevron Texaco, BNP, Barclays and other monetary giants. One of the most important repositories of wealth for the global oligarchy that owns these bank holding companies is the US Trust Corporation, founded in 1853 and now owned by Bank of America. The creation of the Fed is also part of the global plan. JP Morgan Chase is nothing more than the operational financial instrument of the world government, namely the three families, the Morgans, Rockefellers and Rothschilds. Through it pass the funds of the Federal Reserve System (FRS) of the United States, which was invented by ten banking families in 1910 in the strictest secrecy in the hunting lodge of J. P. Morgan. JP Morgan Chase is jointly managed by the Rothschild and Rockefeller groups. Chairman James Dimon has joined the International Advisory Council for the creation and development of an international financial center in the Russian Federation under the President of the Russian Federation. The Rothschild Foundation increased its investments in Gazprom's American depositary receipts sevenfold in the first quarter of 2014. By the end of World War II, the U.S. economy accounted for more than half of the world's economy, and the U.S. itself had accumulated 70 percent of the world's gold reserves. They sold weapons, food, and equipment to the Allies for it. Other countries, fearing the Nazis, sent their own gold reserves for storage across the ocean. This is part of the result of their secret game. And, as you now know, not just theirs. There's a common control center behind it all.

Chapter 6. Red Button

One morning meeting of the Center Zero council, Yuri Vasilyevich began with an unplanned topic.

– We will soon have to make a decision on one of the components of the Perimeter system. I hope everyone has familiarized themselves with the documents? Our chief expert in this field points to the need to introduce one more, official post with a nuclear terminal. Let me remind you that, in addition to the three official ones, there are two more secret ones controlling the first three posts No. 1. An exception is the Soviet-era Perimeter system, which, in the event of the death of the country's leadership, presupposes a decision to launch a nuclear strike by a group of combat duty officers. This system is also in effect in modern Russia. The terminal stores the codes to activate the nuclear arsenal. Using the nuclear suitcase, the top official contacts the strategic missile forces and orders a nuclear strike. The President's nuclear suitcase is part of the Kazbek automated control system for strategic nuclear forces. The suitcase is set up with a special conference call that cannot be jammed or blocked. There are missile warning stations on the Russian border that monitor the situation via satellite communications. If a nuclear missile launch toward Russia is detected, the data is transmitted to a central command center where the top military commanders are on duty around the clock. Information about an attack is cross-checked through other channels. After the missile aggression is confirmed, the duty officer puts all three suitcases on alert. With this signal, the order is given to unlock the missiles, and the duty officers on the launchers press the buttons. The signal must be sent exactly from the three suitcases. Only then will the system be activated. The officers accompanying the first responders with the nuclear suitcase in their hands are called operators. The operator is required to be in close proximity to the official. I'm done. Any questions, suggestions?

Yuri Vasilyevich fell silent.

– Yes," replied the Head of the Department for Control of Censorship of Ethno-cultural and Political Information on Africa and Asia.

Vasilievich looked at her in silence.

– I suggest that this issue be left to the decision of the heads of the military and power block.

– Thank you, I understand you," replied the head of the center, paused for a moment and concluded: "This is a political decision. We will consider the decision taken. Let's move on to another topic. And it is as follows: "The consequences of the changes in the internal and foreign policy of Greece after the introduction of new canons, changes in the catechism of the Church and the corresponding ethno-cultural and moral-spiritual postulates".

***

Another morning, Vasilievich followed Rutra into the office and announced that they needed to go to a special room styled like a UN employee's office.

– There will now be a videoconference with the General Staff, the Federation Council, the United Nations Disarmament Commission and the Presidential Administration on the report of the United States Department of State on the exchange of telemetry information and the implementation of the START III Treaty. Russia's representative to the UN is reporting. According to the legend, we are employees of the UN Commission. Get used to it, but don't get used to speaking English.

– That's right," Ruthra replied jokingly.

– You give me a break with this stuff, or you'll get me a nunnery. We're on, automatic translation system is working.

Faces appeared on the screens, assistants were making connections, greetings passed.

A U.N. official began the report:

– The U.S. State Department has provided a briefing on the progress of the implementation of the U.S.-Russian Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (START-3). According to this information, Moscow had 1,492 deployed nuclear warheads at the start of the treaty, while Washington had 1,737. According to the US State Department's data on the progress of START-3 implementation, the United States has 760 nuclear warhead carriers in service, while Russia has 523. The number of warheads on deployed carriers is 1,534 for the United States and 1,645 for Russia.

After listing many details, the speaker stated.

– The report is over, thank you for your attention.

There was a moment of silence. It was obvious from the faces of the participants that they wanted to end the conference as soon as possible.

– We, as UN representatives, should ask something, clarify. Ask something," Vasilyevich whispered to Rutra.

Rutra looked at him questioningly, but he was not confused, nodded, and, after quickly reviewing the entire report, asked about the numbers that interested him because of their inconsistencies with START-3.

– Please explain the following point," Rutra began his question in English. – You said that the United States has 760 deployed nuclear warhead carriers, while Russia has 523.

– Yes, it turns out so. I note that this is according to the US State Department.

– And you said that Washington is satisfied with the way START-3 is being implemented.

– Yes, such a statement was made.

Yuri Vasilyevich stepped lightly on Rutra's heel. Rutra took the hint and said:

– Thank you, I'm all set.

– Any other questions? – asked a representative of the Presidential Administration.

Everyone was silent.

– Since there are no questions, I suggest that we work through the program to clarify data, extent, and prospects for implementation before the next meeting, which will be in six months. Notification will be sent out in advance.

– Invite a representative of the U.S. State Department to the next meeting," Yury Vasilyevich suggested unexpectedly.

– Put it in the minutes," a representative of the Presidential Administration pointed to someone. – Any other suggestions, questions?

Everyone was silent.

– I declare this regular meeting adjourned. Thank you, goodbye! – said the representative of the Presidential Administration.

– Goodbye! Goodbye! – came from the speakers.

The monitor turned off.

– Now that's the time to check out all these organizations.

– The State Department, too? – Rutra asked, smiling.

– Also," Vasilievich replied seriously.

Chapter 7.

The Doomsday Problem

Rutra became increasingly aware that the true purpose of their organization was, to put it mildly, a little different. After the assertion of the U.S. State Department vetting, this became clear. "So who will be vetting him? In what role?" – Rutra asked himself.

Vasilievich noticed this and gestured him to the corridor. They silently went there, then went into the elevator and, having gone down, came out at a small dark station. It wasn't a station as such; there were no tracks, tunnels, or locomotive cars. It was a large room with dim lighting; there was a single sliding iron door on the opposite wall from the elevator. Beside this door was a small bench on which they sat down.

Vasilievich smoked occasionally, very high quality rare cigarettes. Now he took out a cigarette. Rutra did not smoke, but he could afford to smoke "very high quality, rare cigarettes," as he put it, "once every five years," so he did not refuse the chief's offer. After the second puff, Vasilievich began the conversation in the tone of a veteran who had lived a long life:

– Did you really think that all this fuss is just to control the powerful, the smart guys who want to invent something, and their customers who want to control society with it. Analyze charts on monitors, spy on transactions, accounts, uncover hidden channels of funding and control of citizens' activities. Yes, it's very important. But there is something without which all of this loses its meaning. This is an even more important problem. The fate of the world depends on whether we can solve it or not!

– Peace?

– Yeah, you heard right. It may not surprise you anymore, but it's true. It's a doomsday issue. The whole world could die. One of the most monstrous inventions of the Cold War could completely destroy life on Earth.

Ruthra was genuinely surprised that Vasilyevich had called him here to tell him such a story. He was astonished. He decided to resort to his favorite tactic of keeping silent and letting his interlocutor open his mind. So he did – he made a surprised face and at the same time an expression of interest. Vasilievich continued:

– The authors of this name were science fiction writers. The idea itself goes back centuries, when the losers of battles preferred surrender to collective suicide. Preferably together with their enemies.

As long as the number of warheads was in the hundreds and the means of their delivery were pre-flood, both the US and the USSR believed that it was possible to win a nuclear war. You just had to strike first in time. Or you could repel the enemy's strike by shooting down airplanes and missiles and strike back. But at the same time, the risk of being a victim of the first strike and losing with a bang was so great that the idea of a terrible retaliation was born.

– Wouldn't the missiles fired in response be such retaliation?

– No, it wouldn't. First, a surprise enemy strike would disable half of the nuclear arsenal. Second, it would partially repel a retaliatory strike.

The Soviet Union was the first to do so, testing a hydrogen bomb of monstrous power, over 50 megatons, known in the West as the "Kuzkin Mother". It was pointless as a weapon of war – too powerful, too heavy to be delivered by airplane to American territory. But it was perfect as the very powder cellar that would be blown up by the last surviving defenders of the Land of the Soviets. In fiction novels there are other options, for example, super-powered hydrogen bombs were located on special space platforms. They were supposed to automatically, a few months after the defeat of the United States, drop their cargo at the poles. The monstrous explosions would not only melt the ice caps, causing a new global flood, but would also shift the Earth's axis. Predictions of sci-fi writers, as we know, sometimes come true. And sometimes interesting ideas are borrowed from them. By the way, our F department is doing the same thing. Who could have believed 50 or 60 years ago that Russia would be at war with Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and that a black man would become president of America?

By the early 1980s, the size of nuclear arsenals had reached such a scale that their use, even with the deduction of those destroyed, would lead to global radioactive contamination of the planet. In the mid-1980s, the Soviet Perimeter nuclear strike control system emerged, which was something like Skynet from Cameron's famous movie. The main part of the defensive system was the command center. It is known to the public as Kosvinsky Kamen. Deep in the Ural Mountains hides a huge bunker with a special nuclear button. In fact, it is one of the clusters of the system, and it, like all other clusters of the system, can function autonomously. The button can be pressed by only one person, a certain officer, if he receives confirmation from the "Perimeter" system that the nuclear war has begun, Moscow has been destroyed, and the government bunkers have been destroyed. And then the question of retaliation would be entirely in his hands.

Vasilievich looked carefully at Rutra.

– You have to admit, it is not an easy task to be alone when your whole country has been destroyed and in one move send the rest of the world into tatters. I am deeply convinced that the concept of the doomsday machine has done a lot of good. The threat of mutual annihilation has cooled down the hotheads a bit. It's largely responsible for World War III never starting. For now.

Ruthra nodded. He wanted to ask what Yuri Vasilyevich wanted to tell him about what he had brought him here. What the subject was, he realized, but what the story was about, he couldn't decide yet. In any case, he decided not to ask any counter-questions, so as not to prolong the story.

Vasilievich took out more cigarettes, offered them to Rutra, and continued:

– What is it? – Ruthra dared to ask.

– It's a general concept of the problem of humanity," Zhidkov replied calmly, looking at the opposite wall. – It's not just a fantasy. A thermonuclear dirty bomb could fill the atmosphere with radioactive substances, destroying all life on the planet. Sometimes a doomsday machine is also referred to as a system that is supposed to launch an automatic nuclear salvo if a nuclear attack is detected, like the Perimeter system.

– I understand. But, uh.

– So listen up. A key feature of the doomsday machine is its publicity, designed to prevent a preemptive strike that would result in the automatic destruction of all warring parties. In the movie Dr. Strangelove, the Soviets fail to announce the machine's existence in time, thus destroying all of its positive effects. Have you seen it?

– Watched it," Rutra replied a bit stretched out. – There, American General Jack Ripper, obsessed with anti-communist paranoia, initiates a nuclear attack on the USSR, which is carried out by means of strategic bombers. It is only then that Soviet ambassador Alexei Sadetsky reports the existence of a doomsday machine. Despite the joint efforts of the U.S. and USSR, and thanks to the courage and determination of the bomber crew, one plane, whose radio communications have been damaged by the Soviet air defense system, drops a bomb on the Soviet military base in Kotlas.

Vasilievich nodded in understanding and added:

– The doomsday machine works. But the movie "The One" shows a different scenario.

Ruthra looked at his superior, smiled slightly, and began to quote:

– If we have ten million megatons for each other, what difference does it make where they come from? Everyone will die! Why spend billions on missiles and control computers? As soon as we detect the first Soviet missile fired at us, we'll blow up New York, Texas and Florida. You're doomed!

Vasilievich liked the fact that Rutra was entering into a dialog. He began to talk more animatedly:

– In Chapter 11, Richard discovers the "major American secret": it turns out that American missiles have no control systems, not even engines. Only the warheads on these missiles are real, and the rest is "cardboard and paint". Their simultaneous detonation will cause a doomsday machine effect, no matter whether they explode on their own territory or on someone else's.

In the movie War Games, the term "doomsday machine" is not directly used, but a fully automatic nuclear strike response system is described. An experiment conducted showed that many missileers were not prepared to launch missiles in response to a nuclear strike. Believing that they have selected "quite reliable people" and that "the problem is not in them, but in what we require of them," the U.S. Army leadership decides to replace the people on the launchers with automatic devices. The attack is to be ordered by the president. Did you watch it?

– No," Ruthra answered honestly.

He had already realized that the chief would cite all cases that described variants of the apocalypse, and pre-programmed ones at that.

– In the movie, high school hacker David Lightman, trying to infiltrate the network of a computer game company, makes successive phone calls looking for modems with the terminal input of Joshua, an artificial personality inserted into the Crystal Palace's mainframe. Coincidentally, "Joshua" is the call sign and slang designation of the North American Joint Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD. Thinking that he has safely penetrated the company's computers, David launches the program "World Thermonuclear War", which is actually a simulated training and debugging program that creates a complete illusion of a Soviet nuclear attack on the terminals in the Crystal Palace. The military decides to hold off on launching a retaliatory strike until there is direct confirmation of the attack, i.e. the destruction of the first military base, which of course does not happen. However, Joshua is seriously carried away by the process of the "game" and intends to go through it to the end, launching real American missiles at the USSR. He manages to stop him thanks to the fact that he is a joint program, able to extend his experience gained in one area of activity to other areas. David forces Joshua to play countless games of tic-tac-toe with himself, thus leading the computer to the conclusion that some games are fundamentally impossible to win. Generalizing his newfound experience, Joshua tries it on the game "World Thermonuclear War" and, analyzing countless variations of strikes and counterstrikes, becomes convinced that in this game both sides are always destroyed. With the words "Strange game! The only winning strategy is not to play at all," Joshua abandons his original intention.

Vasilievich stopped talking, and looked at Rutra. Rutra understood what all this story was about, but he still didn't understand what it had to do with the past videoconference. The chief was silent, so he decided to ask about the essence of the story.

– Do you believe there is a realistic possibility of such a program?

– It's called Perimeter. Let's go, you must thoroughly understand the subject and know it thoroughly. It's gonna be a big job.

One could guess from the expression on Vasilievich's face that he was pleased that Rutra had asked the question.

They got up and went to the elevator, took it up and went out into the courtyard of the research institute. A service car came to pick them up. The license plates bore the code 39 – the vehicle code of the 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Its functions include control over the maintenance, development, and operation of Russia's nuclear arsenal. Everyone in the car was silent, as if that was the way it was supposed to be.

At last we arrived at Bolshaya Znamensky Lane, house No. 19.

Two junior officers met them, calmly, dryly, and led them through the gate without checking their documents. The officer on duty looked carefully at the monitor, the system beeped, then he nodded to the escorts, and everyone went through.

The guests were led into a small office where a thin man with the rank of lieutenant general sat behind a long desk.

– Fyodor Ivanovich Sukhov," he introduced himself.

– Yury V. Zhemchuzhny, Senior Inspector at the UN of the Main Department of Control and Oversight Activities of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.

Ruthra was a little taken aback that he had to come here so soon and unexpectedly, and in a role he did not know. He had already heard about Vasilievich's methods of work and yet he did not know which name to use. His boss saved him. At that, he looked sternly at Rutra.

– My deputy," he said, pointing to Rutra.

– Paskhovsky Artur Lvovich," Rutra introduced himself.

In the car, he was handed fictitious documents. Due to the rush, he was a bit disoriented, but deciphered the situation.

They said hello and settled into their chairs.

– Now my assistant will tell you a little about our department," the general said, pointing to his assistant.

The young captain, electronic pointer in hand, stood at the wall with the telepanel and began to narrate, while at the same time moving the pointer across the panel, on which various is appeared that related to his story.

– A little general information," he began. – The tasks of the 12th Main Directorate are to study the destructive factors of nuclear explosions and to develop means and methods of atomic defense for troops and the population. Nuclear munitions were assembled in the following military units. We have prepared a printout for you.

"Claimed the news," thought Ruthra.

– The number of central nuclear weapons bases doubled in the ten years following their transfer to the Department of Defense.

– Excuse me, excuse me," Zhidkov interrupted him. – All these objects need to be checked?

– According to the topic you are interested in and the way the question is posed, in any regime point, especially those related to nuclear weapons, a hidden, disguised signal source can be installed. I mean, there is a technical possibility, the facility complies with the access regime," the general explained.

Vasilievich nodded. Rutra already understood what he was talking about. The problem Vasilievich was talking about was very serious, not to mention someone who didn't trust someone. After all, clearly the problem had not arisen "today", apparently the military had made every effort to resolve it. It was clear from what was going on that they had failed, since the President's administration, as Rutra already knew, was interested in it. The assistant continued after a moment's hesitation.

– The Strategic Missile Forces established their own storage bases for interaction with the missile divisions of intercontinental missiles. The Nuclear Explosion Control Service was established as part of the 6th Directorate. In 1988, the Nuclear Safety Inspectorate was established on the basis of the NBP Operation Department in the 12th Directorate of the Defense Ministry. In addition, the Special Control Service is subordinate to us.

On the screen appeared the emblem of the Special Control Service – a circle, inside of which was a checkered globe and a lion with the head of an eagle, which with one paw covered a mushroom from a nuclear explosion.

"That's it! We didn't come down to this Metro 2 for nothing," thought Ruthra.

The General realized that the assistant's story had bored the guests a little, so he offered tea.

– If it's all right, I'd like a coffee," Vasilievich asked.

– Uh, sure. I suggest we take a smoke break.

– Fine," Vasilievich agreed.

– I invite you to my office," the general offered, pointing with his hand to the door to the next room.

Everyone went there, brought coffee, Sukhov offered his own smokes, Zhidkov politely declined, took out his own, Rutra took the general's, Vasilievich understood the move.

– Tell me quickly and simply," the general turned to his subordinate.

– You can't make it any simpler than that, Comrade General," the captain replied. – They are interested in every little thing, even closed, abandoned bases, and not only on the territory of the former USSR.

– Then give me everything you've got," the general cut him off.

Coffee was brought, everyone started to feel less tense, the atmosphere became more friendly.

The assistant continued:

– The special control service includes 11 separate laboratories, 3 radio seismic laboratories, 4 automated stations, 3 automated stations, 5 autonomous seismic stations and 10 remote groups. In total, there are 18 laboratories in the Russian Federation.

– Oh my God, so many things! – Zhidkov couldn't stand it.

– I told you to keep it short," the general rebuked his subordinate.

– A little more basic, the rest on demand," the captain replied calmly.

Vasilievich and the General smoked a second one.

It did not turn out to be brief. It was a rather long and detailed report. To everyone's delight, it came to an end.

– That's pretty much it. I'll submit the whole printout," the general's subordinate finished.

There was silence in the office. Everyone was silent. Vasilievich looked at Rutra with a concerned look. The general spoke first:

– Do you intend to inspect everything? I can provide you with the records of our inspections.

– We saw them," Zhidkov replied.

– Oh yes, how could it be otherwise! – exclaimed the general. – You can count on my comprehensive assistance.

– Thank you," Vasilyevich replied, sighed heavily and added: "I dare not interrupt you any longer. We'll go.

– Why, at any moment, Yuri Vasilyevich," Sukhov replied kindly.

Vasilievich stood up, the general behind him. Rutra followed suit. The captain handed Rutra a secret package with a crossed-out red stripe, asked him to sign it, which Rutra did, and then they said goodbye. The car took them to the "institute".

– Do you understand the program? – Vasilievich asked briefly.

– Understood," Ruthra replied just as briefly.

– Here's your assignment, research the topic, we'll discuss it tomorrow.

– The point is, we're looking for an unregistered transmitter? I take it the signal is illusory? The location of its output is constantly changing? And does it signal irregularly? – Ruthra asked.

– Good, right on target. The only thing I would add is that it interferes with the Perimeter system's data collection stations on a frequency appropriate to its purpose. It is suspected that it was camouflaged a long time ago, and it turns on on a timer or automatically. Could be cloaked anywhere. The most likely place is where something similar has been. I will also say that a conspiracy or collusion is not excluded, that is, I do not trust them either, – said Vasilievich, pointing his finger in the direction from which they came. – That's all for now.

– I understand," Ruthra replied, shook hands with his superior and went to his office.

Zhidkov left in the service car. Ruthra spent the rest of the day studying the Perimeter system and everything connected with it. His intuition told him to look where something like it had been. For some reason, its exploitation had been abandoned, though the urgency of the subject had not waned.

During the Cold War, the U.S. had its own "backup" codenamed "Mirror". Crews were constantly in the air for three decades with the mission to control the skies if control of the ground was lost due to a surprise attack. The main difference between the Mirror and the Perimeter system, which they called "dead hand", was that the Americans relied on humans to warn them of an attack.

After the Cold War, the U.S. abandoned the system, although it is still not clear who exactly controls the Soviet version. Rutra was never able to figure out who made the initial decision, as there were three other posts besides the official ones. One of them was within the structure of Center Zero, but the other two were designated by the secret code "Polygon" and the facility "Kremlin-2". No indication of the disposition of these posts he did not find. Vasilievich also strangely evaded answering, citing that he could not talk about it, even on a closed line, and added: "This is an empty designation. These posts do not exist. The secret of these posts is only this. To have spies looking for something that doesn't exist."

Such an explanation, which could not be said over the special communications telephone, raised even more questions. Ruthra didn't seem concerned by this answer, though there was certainly common sense in such a disguise. He also found out that even high-ranking military officers were careful not to speak on the subject.

General Ivashov, head of the analytical department for new types of weapons and, at the same time, head of the "P" department where Post No. 3 was located, was the only person in the center who was knowledgeable on the subject. When asked by Rutra about the structure of the system and the problem it posed, he evasively replied, "Those who know about it avoid talking about it." When asked to talk about Polygon and Kremlin-2, he replied in a way that stumped Rutra: "I can't talk about it, because I know what happens to those who try to find out.

Ruthra decided to wait until the next day and talk frankly with Vasilievich. In the meantime, he decided to study what was opposing the Perimeter system.

The U.S. system Operation Looking Glass, or "Looking Glass": air command centers of the U.S. Strategic Air Command on Boeing EC-135C aircraft. 24 hours a day, two Looking Glass aircraft are constantly in the air – one over the Atlantic and the other over the Pacific. The crews are on constant alert to assume command of strategic nuclear forces in the event that ground command centers are defeated. The VCPs are currently on duty at 4 airbases in constant readiness for takeoff.

Ruthra knew what the Perimeter system was before. But why was it the world's number one problem? Although, judging by its purpose, it very well could be.

– What do you want to know about her? – I heard General Ivashov's voice behind me.

Rutra was not confused.

– Everything. And more details," he replied, turning around in his chair. – Everything.

– And more details?

– Yes. Anything you know. It's important to me.

Rutra invited the old military specialist into his office and asked him to sit down. He began to tell everything he knew about the system without charging a price.

– The Perimeter system remains the only weapon in the world that guarantees a retaliatory nuclear strike against the enemy, even in the nightmare event that we no longer have anyone to decide on that strike. The unique system counterattacks automatically – and brutally. The Perimeter system is nicknamed "the dead hand" in the West and "the hand from the coffin" in the East. This is the control system of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Strategic Missile Forces of the Strategic Missile Forces. In documents it was named "Perimeter". The system was supposed to create such technical means and software that would allow in any conditions, even the most unfavorable, to bring the order to launch missiles directly to the launch teams. According to the idea of the creators of the system could prepare and launch missiles even if everyone died and there would be no one to give the order. This component became unofficially known as the "dead hand". That's the main thing I know about it.

– Not the main one? And what exactly is the problem?

– The problem is this: the logic of the dead hand's actions implies regular collection and processing of a huge amount of information. All sorts of information is received from all sorts of sensors. For example, about the state of communication lines with the higher command center: there is communication – no communication. On the radiation situation in the surrounding area: normal radiation level – increased radiation level. About the presence of people at the starting position: there are people – no people. About registered nuclear explosions and so on. "Dead Hand" has the ability to analyze changes in the military and political situation in the world. The system evaluates the commands received over a certain period of time, and on this basis can conclude that something is wrong in the world. When the system decides that its time has come, it will activate and launch a command to prepare for the launch of missiles. At the same time, the "dead hand" cannot start active actions in peacetime. Even if there is no communication, even if the entire combat team leaves the launch position, there are still a lot of other parameters that block the system. After the order received from the highest levels of control to a special command post, the command missile with a special head is launched, which in flight transmits launch commands to all launchers and command posts that have appropriate receivers. The command missile is the only widely known component of the system. The system is designed to guarantee the launch of silo-mounted intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles in the event that, as a result of a crushing nuclear strike by the enemy against Soviet territory, all command units capable of ordering a retaliatory strike are destroyed.

– USSR? Is it still like that? – Ruthra interrupted forcibly.

– Yes. The system's program tracks the boundaries originally put into it.

– Can't be changed?

Ivashov was silent for a moment. Rutra recognized that there was some mystery in this, and perhaps part of the "cipher" to the solution, and, to conceal it, did not inquire, though they both realized that they had said what they wanted to say to each other.

– The system is the only existing doomsday machine in the world, a weapon of guaranteed retaliation, the existence of which has been officially confirmed. There are similar systems, but they are very dependent on human error. The system is extremely classified and is still on alert to this day, so any information about it cannot be confirmed or denied. Even for military personnel with high level security clearance. In essence, the Perimeter system is an alternative command system for all branches of the military that have nuclear weapons in service. It was created as a backup system in case the key nodes of the Kazbek command system and its communication lines were destroyed in a first strike, in accordance with the U.S. concept of limited nuclear warfare. As you are of course aware, Kazbek is a device that stores the codes to activate a nuclear arsenal. To ensure guaranteed fulfillment of its role, the system was originally designed to be fully automatic. In the event of a massive attack, it is capable of making a decision to retaliate on its own, without human involvement. It is the only deterrence factor that provides real guarantees that a potential enemy will reject the concept of a preemptive crushing blow. To complete the picture, it would be good for you to find out who of the system's creators is alive, where they are, and whether it is possible to meet them.

– Most likely," Ruthra agreed, and then asked, "I take it the problem didn't come on suddenly, but was dealt with thoroughly.

– What did you think," Ivashov replied, shaking his head. – Do you realize what we are talking about, the scale and risks involved? To be frank, since we are a supranational, worldwide service, very, very influential people are interested in solving this problem.

– Yeah, I've already realized it's not an easy question. And the solution to finding the cause is likely to be unconventional. So I need to know everything about who had access to the secret.

– I was dealing with the problem itself. A signal failure. Or rather, a duplicate, unauthorized signal. It's not that simple. You realize how high this is, except, uh.

The general did not finish, he was silent, thinking about something.

– What?" asked Ruthra, staring at him intently.

– Later," he replied, rubbing his temples. – For now, I will tell you about putting the system into combat mode. The first launch of a command missile with the equivalent of a transmitter was successfully conducted on December 26, 1979. In January 1985, the complex was put on combat duty. For 10 years, the command missile complex successfully performed its important role in the defense capability of the state. Then it had to be shut down under the treaty, but it turned out that it was impossible to turn it off completely.

The general stopped speaking, looked at Rutra's desk, where there was a package with a red stripe crossed out.

– Have you been to Sukhov's? – he asked.

– Yes, we collect all the data, including the work done.

– May I know the results of their investigation?

– I think so," Ruthra said and began to open the package.

Inside were documents about the system, a description of the constituent parts.

– In general, nothing new. And nothing about the results of the investigation," summarized Ivashov.

Ruthra looked at him questioningly, as if asking: "Why?"

– You'll have to study this, because I don't remember everything by heart. You need all the details. And then I can kindly share with you some oral information that you won't find in the papers. Maybe you'll get something out of it. Maybe you'll look at the question from a different angle. Maybe you'll find where the thread from which the tangle unwinds. So, I have the honor, because finding the cause of failure is a professional necessity for me.

Ruthra was used to the fact that every statement at the center carried a hidden message, but he did not ask further questions. He thanked the head of Department P, promising to contact him after he had studied the documents. After he left, he began to go through the documents, intuitively realizing that it was just a decoration. They had been given to him as a diversion, because, judging by the level of Center Zero and the presence of Department "P" in it, everything should be there – everything that Sukhov's assistant had handed over. But they didn't know about it.

Still, Ruthra decided to go through and study the technical part of the Perimeter system. After going through the papers, he found almost everything Ivashov had told him.

He was most interested in the autonomous control and command system, a key element of the system.

Although the latter was listed as a key element of the system, there was no information about its functioning in the available sources. As promised, Rutra decided to contact Ivashov on this matter. He called him on the intercom and the latter kindly agreed to receive him in his office. Rutra went to him, thinking on the way why he was the deputy head of the center and not, for example, General Ivashov. Apparently, he did not yet know the secret meaning of the ranking list and his mission in Zero.

It was not easy to get through to Ivashov's office. He had to pass through two automated stations, the ZAS special communications station and the encryption-coding department. Rutra didn't have clearance yet, so the general came out to meet him and escorted him to his office.

As he entered his office, Ruthra noticed through the ajar door to the P station compartment that it was a sort of miniature movie theater – no rows of seats, but a huge screen and a control panel with a ball-shaped apparatus covered with oval, touch screens in the center.

– This is the central post of the Perimeter system," explained the post commander.

Whether he wanted to show that he had no secrets from Ruthra, or whether he realized that soon Ruthra would not only have clearance everywhere, but would be checking and controlling the posts, or whatever, Ruthra was not overly curious.

– I'm interested in the autonomous control and command system. There's nothing about it in the package.

– It's top secret," Ivashov replied, not seeming surprised at Rutra's reluctance to see the post itself. – Some of the information is transmitted only orally!

– Could it be? – Ruthra asked without embarrassment, trying not to offend his interlocutor.

– That's the point! At least the documents for this part are written in such a way that they don't reveal everything about it. According to the instructions created by those who created and brought the system into combat, the key controls are transmitted orally. I received them verbally, too, and will only pass them on verbally. Those are the instructions. Also, the holder of the information does not know who else has the information. I know for a fact that there are several redundant systems, but who is in them is not supposed to know. It will be up to the committee to decide to whom I will pass the information, but the other duplicators will not know about it.

– But the committee knows about it, right?

– Makes sense, but I don't know exactly.

– Who's on the committee?

– More on that later. It's a separate clearance. The Committee is no less complex than an autonomous control and command system. Some of the information there is anonymized.

– How's that?

– If you are admitted and happen to be present at the gathering, you will be very surprised. In the meantime, listen up. This is a complex expert system, equipped with multiple communication systems and sensors that monitor the combat situation. This system monitors the presence and intensity of conversations on the air on military frequencies, the receipt of telemetry signals from the posts, the level of radiation on the surface and in the vicinity, the regular occurrence of point sources of powerful ionizing and electromagnetic radiation at key coordinates, coinciding with the sources of short-term seismic disturbances in the Earth's crust, which corresponds to the pattern of multiple ground nuclear strikes, the presence of live people at the command post. Based on the correlation of these factors, the system makes a final decision on the need for a retaliatory strike. There is another variant of the system's operation. Upon receiving information about the first signs of a missile attack, the Commander-in-Chief puts the system into combat mode. After that, if within a certain time the command center of the system does not receive a signal to stop the combat algorithm, command missiles are launched. This is where the interesting part comes in. What is the combat mode?

– How's that?

– Here we go. At first, we did everything by the book. Every four hours, the codes change. The system resets the download and starts over. It's monitored by all the understudies and someone else! If any of the posts on schedule duty miss even a minute, an alarm goes off, and the codes are changed by one of the understudies, and the one who missed is classified. That is, nothing else is known about him. The most interesting thing is that in order to test the system, maintenance was once conducted under the new instructions. An emergency occurred during the maintenance. According to the instructions, the Cheget and Kazbek systems were switched off and they were de-energized. The commands came from the post of the object "Zero", that is, from us, or rather – from me, to whom all understudies are subordinated. Everything went smoothly, without fail, but after the moment of code change, which had not been changed, because the tests were in progress and the time of change was shifted, the system suddenly gave a command to the combat mode.

– Was it supposed to be different?

– You see, the autonomous control and command system was de-energized, we didn't enter a command, the system had nowhere to get an order.

– So what?

– Everyone's in shock. What do we do? Confirmation signals are coming in from all stations. The commander-in-chief is on the line: "What's the matter?" Submarines, missile sites are requesting confirmation or cancelation! My hair is standing on end! No one was really in such a situation. Although the launch training was going on in such a way that everyone was so sure of himself that he would have made a decision without hesitation. Everything was mixed up in my head. What if there was a malfunction, a mistake, a test, a drill? Time is running into seconds. I give the command to urgently shut down the phase and enter new codes. The thing is, the whole system was under routine maintenance. The decision was made at the top, that is, at the bottom. You know what I mean. There was no one to argue with.

– Why?

The general looked at Rutra surprised, not answering the question, he continued:

– Perimeter" requests "Cheget" and "Kazbek", but there is silence. We wait for a request directly to the post to confirm the presence of a person, i.e. to manually give the command "Stand down", and then it turns itself off. And the automatics records in the log that the command to disconnect was from a person. Who gave the command? At first we thought it was the understudies. We're waiting to see who will be sent to the "grave". A large gathering is announced. The question is raised: who made such a regulation? Specifically unknown. From official positions – the head of the Ministry of Defense, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and Commander-in-Chief – refer to the requirement of the developer of the system. All those who had anything to do with it, veiledly hint that it is necessary to deal with the specialists of NPO "Impulse", on whose recommendation the regulations were changed. That is with the specialists of the Zero Center, because in this situation our specialists acted under the legend of this enterprise. You should know that by the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation NPO "Impulse" was determined to be the leading organization for creation of automated control systems for the benefit of the Russian Armed Forces. Those responsible for Cheget and Kazbek report that the command came through an internal closed line. That it was coordinated and approved by the top leadership. It is not known who or what gave the command "Stand down". We had to close the case and deal with it quietly. That is, to take the blow on ourselves, declaring that there was no failure, the system worked according to its program. We appointed a guilty person for misinterpretation of the functionality of the stages of routine work, which was the reason for the fuss. Everything was settled, settled, but the questions remained. It is impossible to hide it completely. That's why "specialists" of NPO "Impulse" had to write a report about possible failures in the system due to interference from an unknown source. Admiral Hent says that after he conducts an internal investigation at the Zero facility, we will reconvene. The investigation isn't finished yet, though a reassembly is scheduled in a couple days. So time is short…

The general was silent again, thinking.

– What?" Ruthra asked warily.

A certain Admiral Hent, whom only the "veterans" of Center Zero knew, was an unknown, mythical person for Rutra. And if Vasilievich said that Zero was an international supranational organization that analyzed information flows from all intelligence services, including "hostile" ones, then who could this Hent be? His level Rutra was still imagining in the abstract.

– It would be surprising to me if you didn't have questions," the head of the "P" department finally spoke up.

– How, after your story…

– So think about it, but do not forget that at first glance this is some kind of official, let me say, vested interests, and secondly, it is a serious danger in the security system. And thirdly, it is a catastrophic situation at the world level. Do you realize what can happen if someone thinks that we do not control it or, even worse, that the control is in unknown hands? And what if it fails at all and goes off automatically?

– I can imagine," Ruthra replied quietly, and he realized the precarious ground on which the world and human existence lay. – Are you saying she can launch missiles?

– Exactly. When it happened, Hent looked like he was in first grade and they were asking him to solve an integral equation. I mean, there was no team with Zero.

– So what?

– Nothing. That's what we need to figure out now. That's where it all started.

Both were silent, staring into each other's eyes, unable to find an answer to their many questions. Ivashov covered Rutra's wrist with his palm and said in a friendlier tone:

– In this case, there is no "tug of war". You will most likely have the highest level of clearance. Believe me, everyone will help you. Everyone who knows this problem exists. Keep listening.

Ruthra didn't want to distract the general with questions, so he answered confidently:

– I'm listening.

– Officially, the automated Perimeter system is installed in the area of Kosvinsky Kamen mountain. There are four other points located in different locations that can duplicate the work in case of failure. Their main purpose is to collect, process and transmit data to the main post. The location of some may change. One of them is located here. The others are less significant.

– And where are they?

– Don't be surprised. The points whose locations may change are outside Russia. One is in Belarus, another in Ukraine, and the third in Kazakhstan.

– So how do we control them?

– How? For some people, the USSR fell apart. But for management, everything is the same. Any play can be played out, the main thing is the puppeteers. You should already realize that the power that is visible is not the power that moves the pieces on the global chessboard. Physically at these points cannot give the command to launch, only the hardware will work there to send a signal, if the signal from the head part of the command missile does not pass. But this is the most spare and most improbable scenario.

– Could it be because of them? Isn't what happened an incredible accident?

– All this has been repeatedly tested, and not only by us. You understand that the signal cannot be hidden. And if it is hidden, imagine what level it is. Imagine the depth of penetration and the breadth of possibilities that must be assumed!

Ivashov leaned slightly toward Rutra and said in a whisper:

– The signal is received from all possible sources, even seismic waves. That's not the point, the point is that the hardware accepted it as valid. And the second is that something triggered a primary, weak signal to activate a program to send a signal from any possible transmitting devices. A general anomaly was detected. All transmitting devices, in a chain, like a domino effect, began to transmit an alien, not peculiar to their functions signal, with avalanche-like amplification from the weak to the strong transmitter. That's why we can't find the original source. The instruments were shocked, as in a massive magnetic storm. It's as if the receiver was waiting for some kind of signal to start a timer. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Perimeter program, the computer program itself, which is also called that, had provided for such an option in advance. Although we have to think rationally, but I will tell you, my friend, my tenure allows me to think this way. Even during the launch of the system there were rumors that the developers were part of their closed group and did not trust the power top. Not the legal one, but people like us. After all, behind the back of the CPSU were the same secret structures.

Ruthra pulled back, looking surprised at the postmaster. He realized he was in the wrong place, so he did not pretend to reveal a secret that could have incredible consequences for him and for the logic of his assumptions.

– I can't say anything more about the general technical part. You can get acquainted with the operation of the equipment, codes, ciphers, programs from the technicians who maintain the system or from the manufacturers. In the Western press, the system is known as the "dead hand". You must understand that secret information is secret only for those who do not know that there are structures like ours. Inside our system information is freely transferred, so in search of a solution to the problem you will have access to any database – CIA, MI-6, "Mossad", NSA… The existence of such a structure as ours makes it very easy to manage the world. We know everything, while the secret services fight among themselves, thus ensuring that the world is kept in a "vise".

Rutra realized he had to leave, thanked the general politely, promised to consult him on controversial matters, and left for his room.

The next day Vasilyevich was aware of his conversation with Ivashov, which did not surprise Rutra. Zhidkov didn't emphasize it either; he was glad that Ivashov himself had shown a desire to help.

– It may have been turned on during the incident with Colonel Petrov. The story is, of course, very suspicious," he said abruptly, listening to Rutra's speculation as to the existence of possible collusion.

– Are you referring to the incident of September 26, 1983? The day our world almost died? – Ruthra asked.

– Yes. Understand, despite all the concern about global warming, the most important threat to mankind is still its vast nuclear arsenals. It's hard to suspect him, though. He had the day off and his partner was sick. Petrov was called back to duty at the last minute.

The head of the center sat down in a chair in Rutra's office and began to narrate as usual:

– On the night of September 26, 1983, Lieutenant Colonel Petrov was on operational duty at the Serpukhov-15 command post, 100 km from Moscow. At that time, the Cold War was at its peak: three and a half weeks earlier, the Soviet Union had shot down a South Korean Boeing 747 passenger plane that had violated the border twice. The command center received information from the Oko space early warning system, which had been adopted a year earlier. In the event of a missile attack, the country's leadership was immediately notified, which made a decision to retaliate. On September 26, while Petrov was on duty, the computer reported a missile launch from an American base. However, after analyzing the information that the launches were from only one location and consisted of only a few ICBMs, Lieutenant Colonel Petrov decided that this was a false alarm. Subsequent investigation determined that the cause was the illumination of the satellite's sensors by sunlight reflected from high-altitude clouds. If the cold war turned into a hot war, every second mattered. Everything depended on instantaneous decisions… I talked to him. As he tells it, it all happened suddenly. Alarm lights flashed, sirens blared. The computer said the United States had just started a war. Told how he turned pale. Cold sweat ran down his back. Yet he acted coolly. The computer was literally screaming: "Missile strike imminent!" It didn't make any sense. The computer seemed to have detected three, then four, now five missiles, but the number was still incongruously small. According to the basic tenets of Cold War doctrine, if one side launches a preemptive nuclear missile strike, it should be a mass launch of missiles of crushing power. Accordingly, it is logical that he considered it a mistake. In a friendly conversation, over a drink, he confessed to me that he decided to wait, because besides him, except for his post – the launches should have been recorded by others. The alarm on September 26, 1983 turned out to be false. It turned out that the fiction in the movie was based on the realities of human psychology, mentality, faith.

– About the boy, you mean?

– Yes. "More than twenty percent of your missileers, like this captain, refused to launch…"

– In the movie, the military decided to wait, too," Ruthra said. – Remember, you said there was a similar situation. The military decided to delay a retaliatory strike until the attack was confirmed by the destruction of the first military base, which, of course, did not happen.

– That is exactly why the high commanders in the Kremlin were terrified. However, they were afraid not so much for themselves as for the fact that reckless Ronald Reagan, not fully understanding the consequences, was preparing in Washington the first nuclear missile strike, which, of course, would have to be answered, and then the bulk of the white race would wipe itself off the face of the earth. It was 1983. And, as time showed, the next month and a half was the most dangerous period the world had experienced in its history. The fact that in 1962 the United States and the Soviet Union were on the brink of a world war, when John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev entered into a tough conflict over missiles in Cuba, is well known to everyone. Those events took place openly, in the public eye. But the crisis of 1983 unfolded behind closed doors, in a world of spies and secrets.

– Of course. "We were ready for World War III," admitted Capt. Viktor Tkachenko, who commanded the missile base at the time, and then added: "If the U.S. had unleashed it.

– Logical reasoning. Robert Gates, who was the CIA's deputy director of intelligence at the time, recalled, "We could have been on the brink of war without knowing it." In 1983, the world was living as usual, unaware of the catastrophe it was facing. I was working on Britain at the time. Margaret Thatcher had become Prime Minister for the second time and her potential successor, Cecil Parkinson, had been forced to resign after admitting that he was raising a son with his secretary, with whom he was having an affair. Two young socialist troublemakers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, become MPs for the first time. Police count the bodies of serial killer Dennis Nielsen's victims in his London apartment, and a gang of six carry off £25 million worth of gold from Brinks Mat's warehouse. Hitler's "diary" is found, which turns out to be a fake. England's soccer players fail to qualify for the European finals. Everyone sings Sting's song (Every breath you take), which has these words: "I'm watching every breath you take, every step you take". Unwittingly, Sting has very accurately summarized what we and the Americans have been doing on the international stage. Both sides have new, more powerful and more effective instruments of destruction. Reagan, who replaced Jimmy Carter, raises the stakes in this dangerous game by delivering his provocative speech in which he calls the Soviet Union an "evil empire." And then began the events that almost led to disaster. On November 2, 1983, the North Atlantic Alliance of Western countries led by the United States began a planned ten-day exercise code-named "Skillful Archer" to test its military communications systems in case of war. The exercise scenario included an invasion by the USSR using conventional weapons. The decisive moment was to come with a simulated launch of nuclear missiles. Command posts and missile bases were in full readiness, but, as was repeatedly reported to the USSR leadership, no real weapons were used. In every message our leadership was informed in huge letters that this was "only an exercise". But they, fearing Reagan's supposed recklessness, preferred not to believe these messages.

Vasilievich was meaningfully silent.

– This was the World War II generation that had always remembered how Hitler had deceived Stalin into launching the bloody Operation Barbarossa in 1941 under the pretext of conducting exercises. Gordievsky and other KGB officers around the world received urgent telegrams demanding evidence that the exercises were a cover for a real preemptive nuclear strike. Washington was completely unaware of the powerful effect Skillful Archer had on the Soviet leadership. In fact – Reagan was not preparing for war, but doing the opposite. It turns out that he was impressed by the movie he watched. This is the case when the "invisible weapon" turns out to be stronger than any thermonuclear weapon. At the end of the day, it's the brain that controls everything. Therefore, the strongest weapon is the one that affects it. At his presidential residence, Camp David, Maryland, he recently watched a television version of the sci-fi movie "The Day After," which tells the story of the aftermath of nuclear war. The former Hollywood cowboy was more impressed by the movie than all the military briefings and reports. The movie predicted the deaths of 150 million people. Reagan wrote in his diary, "It made a strong oppressive impression on me. We must do everything we can to make sure that nuclear war never happens." The old warhorse changed course and soon began trying to establish friendly relations with Moscow, which led to his first visit to the Soviet Union and the establishment of bilateral relations. But Reagan nearly missed his chance. When the exercises reached their peak, our outrage reached its highest point. During the exercise, their forces nearly fired a theoretical salvo of 350 nuclear missiles. Our military put the nuclear forces on highest alert, when all that was left to do was press the button to launch a massive retaliatory strike. The pilots of our nuclear bombers sat in the cockpits of their airplanes, engines idling, waiting for the command to take off. Three hundred intercontinental ballistic missiles were ready for launch, and 75 mobile SS-20 launchers hurriedly moved to their secret positions. Navy ships hid in shelters, anchored off the cliffs of the Baltic, and nuclear submarines with their missile arsenals cruised under the Atlantic ice and prepared for missile launches. The situation was saved by two spies, one on each side . The Americans reacted instantly, lowering the heat. Moscow took a step back from that precipice. Only later did America realize how close the world had come to the apocalypse. Greater efforts began to find ways to end the arms race. Today, America's relationship with Russia is strained. To some extent this is reality, to some extent it is a spectacle. It is clear that "Zero", meaning us, is in control of the situation. Be that as it may, the person in power, even if he is controlled, always has very great opportunities. And in this case, the risk is deadly. Now, hopefully, you understand better the essence of the mission that we are carrying, the part of it that will be entrusted to you? Some very important events, for people, unfortunately go unnoticed. Amid growing concern about nuclear proliferation, the staff of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has moved its doomsday clock forward, setting it half a minute to midnight. From here on out, you will increasingly realize the gravity and danger of the situation. I hope you pass the tests with flying colors and are invited to the big gathering.

– What kind of tests? – Ruthra asked tensely.

Zhidkov pretended to miss the question.

– Do you know what a big gathering is? – He asked, smiling, and answered: "A big gathering is when all the secret authorities come out of their skechers and onto the center deck.

"He was using a sailors' slang expression. He was among the carriers of the Chegeta," Rutra decided.

Chapter 8. "Dead Hand"

Rutra had just begun to settle into his new life when, on another visit, Vasilievich, in order to "ponder over coffee," as he liked to put it, said:

– Moving on to the next phase. Today we have legalization.

– What the hell is that?

– That's what we do legally.

– And what's that?

– You're giving a lecture to the students today. Understand?

– I understand," Ruthra replied without further question.

– Come on, I'll introduce you.

– Wait, I didn't prepare.

– It's okay, you tell them about the NSA's methods, it'll be great for them.

They went up to the upper level, went to the secret part of the university, where, under the legend of the Institute of Statistics, they were engaged in training specialists for the secret services. Vasilievich introduced Rutra to the undergraduate and graduate students as Paschovsky, a doctoral candidate at the U.S. National Defense University.

A lecturer came up to the pulpit and spoke about new methods of systematizing and analyzing information. Having finished his short speech, he introduced Rutra to the audience once more. Apparently, he had been trained at Zero as well. "So I'll probably meet him again," Rutra thought.

The lecturer stated:

– The following will be told to you by an expert who works in the United States and personally advises the NSA. Mr. Paschowski, please.

Rutra stepped up to the pulpit, looked around the audience, said hello, and, giving his speech an American accent, began to narrate:

– The US National Security Agency, the NSA, is the most powerful data collector. There is a secret agreement under which a group of the world's leading countries have agreed to give the NSA permission to analyze the data flows of their citizens and services both at home and abroad. The rest, as the NSA believes, I will tell you in confidence, you don't have to ask.

Ruthra smiled a little at the last sentence, giving his statement a joking tone that was meant to be taken as truth. The room chuckled approvingly, and Ruthra wondered if he had said more than he should have, for he now knew for certain that in the Echelon 2 system it functioned as a single system. He decided to define his position:

– It seems unbelievable, but NSA spies can use analytical data for their own or third parties' benefit, as they listen and view everything. Edward Snowden, a National Security Agency official, orchestrated the leak of classified documents detailing how the U.S. government uses information technology to spy on potential terrorists. The Secret Service collects millions of phone calls, emails, photos and videos from Google, Facebook, Microsoft and other communications giants. But what do agencies like the NSA then do with that information?

Rutra thought for a moment about how to present his position on the case, for he now knew that Echelon 2 had orchestrated the Snowden story so that Echelon 1 would realize that it would not be possible to use the information to their advantage, that there were structures beyond their control. So they were still puzzling over how that had happened. After a moment's thought, Ruthra continued:

– Data flows around the world and the rapid growth of digital information are attracting the attention of both the private sector and public services. Processing these streams is becoming a promising endeavor. How much data do you and I produce? According to recent research by IBM, humanity generates 2.5 quintillion bytes of information every day. If these bytes were visualized as flattened pennies, they would cover the entire globe in five layers. Data collection by security services relies on the basic thesis that the entire mass of data can be analyzed in such a way that it can be used to identify connections between different people. By analyzing these connections, leads can be found for investigative purposes. The main principle in data processing is to supply each fragment with a label. Based on this metadata, computer algorithms will be able to identify connections of interest to the security service. Metadata is data that describes other data. This is, for example, the names and sizes of files on your computer. In the digital world, a label affixed to a piece of data would be called a tag. Providing data with a label is a mandatory first step in data processing, because it is the label that allows the analyst or his program to classify and organize the available information for further processing and analysis. Tags allow you to manipulate data fragments without having to go into their content. This is a very important legal point in the work of the Security Service, because the US law does not allow to open the correspondence of US citizens, as well as foreigners staying in the country legally, without an appropriate warrant. Therefore, the NSA uses a special, highly sophisticated program that "tags" all collected information. These are the basis for any system that links different types of data: video files, documents, phone records. For example, a data processing system can draw the attention of investigators to a suspect who posts terrorist propaganda online, visits websites that describe the technology of making improvised explosive devices, and buys, for example, a pressure cooker. One such program is called Accumulo. It is used for surveillance in international communication systems, and it was created precisely to tag billions of disparate data fragments. It's the security service's "secret weapon." The NSA has the right to perlustrate international communication channels and collects huge amounts of data. These are trillions of fragments of various messages that people write all over the world. The agency does not hunt for criminals, terrorists or spies that are identified through its work, but simply leaks the information obtained to other government services – the Pentagon, the FBI and the CIA. The work then proceeds according to this scheme. First, one of the 11 judges of the secret FISA court accepts a request from a government agency for permission to reprocess certain data obtained by the NSA. Upon receiving authorization, the request is first forwarded to the FBI's Electronic Communications Surveillance Unit – ECSU. This move is to ensure legal correctness – FBI agents verify the request and confirm that the targets of the surveillance are not U.S. citizens. ECSU forwards the same request to the FBI's Data Interception Techniques Unit. They receive the information from the Internet servers and pass it on to the NSA to run it through their data processing programs. Many communications companies deny that their servers are open to NSA access. Federal officials, on the other hand, report evidence of such cooperation. Finally, the NSA passes the relevant information to the government agency from which the request was made.

Ruthra noticed how attentively his audience was listening. Clearly they had not expected this. Of course, the audience included employees and officials with high security clearances.

– No sooner had the public digested the information about metadata than Snowden bombarded them with a story about another area of the NSA's work, labeled US-984XN. Every search platform, every source of raw intelligence information gets its own designation and code name. The SIGAD US-984XN service is known by the oft-mentioned code name PRISM. The PRISM system is the collection of digital photographs, files stored somewhere and sent somewhere, emails, chats, videos, and video conversations. This information is being seized from nine leading internet companies. The schemes made public by Snowden show that the NSA, among other things, uses real-time surveillance tools in its operations. The agency's analysts can receive alerts when a user connects to a service or sends an email, or logs into a particular chat room. Snowden published a top-secret report that described software that could look at hundreds of different databases. It is now no longer a secret that these programs allow the lowest level analyst to interfere unchecked with other people's information sharing processes. The report gives examples such as, "My client speaks German but is in Pakistan. How do I find him?" or "My client uses Google Maps to find his targets. Can I use this information to determine his email address?" The described program allows, having asked one such question, to simultaneously search through 700 servers scattered all over the world.

Ruthra was silent for a moment and then continued. He described the various schemes of the tracking systems and gave examples.

– Among other things, the NSA itself is asking other agencies to help. So-called information-sharing cooperation. The essence is that, for example, the German intelligence agency BND, commissioned by the NSA, conducts surveillance of targets throughout Europe. Intelligence activities are carried out in accordance with a list of tens of thousands of criteria for information retrieval. These include IP addresses, phone numbers, social media accounts, and email domains.

Ruthra fell silent, then looked at the lecturer who had invited him and said:

– I'm done. Thank you for your attention.

The audience clapped approvingly. The audience tried to get through to Rutre, who was being hurried away by Zhidkov. They were followed by the lecturer, who, in English, suggested that Rutra give periodic lectures as part of the existing arrangements for the exchange of experience. Vasilievich nodded approvingly, arching his eyebrows. The latter nodded back. Rutra did not quite understand the meaning of this gesture, but he noticed that he had made an impression on everyone.

After passing through the guarded secret library, in front of which Zero's security zone was thoughtfully located (the guards wore FSO uniforms), they silently began to descend by elevator. Both of them were thinking, pondering.

The first to break the silence was the chief:

– Now, after all this information flows into our center that no one can know about. Center Zero. Why is it located in Russia? Because it is easier to create a center closed from the public in Russia than in any other civilized country.

***

A general meeting was scheduled for Monday morning. Yuri Vasilievich gave the speech.

– The reason I've gathered you here is the Perimeter system, or rather, a malfunction that was miraculously eliminated. It's lucky that we identified it at all, although, frankly speaking, there have been rumors about the system's "waywardness" for a long time. All right, esteemed employees. This is a very important part of our work, but it should not be to the detriment of other duties. That's the first thing. Second: Rutre Tigrovic is in charge of the investigation. He will do the main work. You'll gather material for him. Third: I'll introduce you to the system in general terms, the rest you'll learn on your own.

Everyone listened to the announcement in silence, glancing around, though some showed no reaction.

– So, what are we dealing with, what is the problem: the Perimeter system is known in Europe and the United States as the "dead hand". It is a complex of automatic control of a massive retaliatory nuclear strike, created in the USSR at the height of the Cold War. It is designed for guaranteed delivery of combat orders from higher levels of control to command centers and individual launchers of strategic missiles on alert, in case of emergency, when communication lines may be damaged. The Perimeter system is an alternative command system for all branches of the armed forces with nuclear weapons. It was created as a backup communications system in case key nodes of the Kazbek command system and communications lines are destroyed by a first strike in accordance with the U.S. concept of "limited nuclear warfare." Let me tell you about the Kazbek system right away. It is known to the general public thanks to the Cheget subscriber complex, or nuclear suitcase. The Cheget subscriber complex is a retaliatory strike tool. It is activated only after receiving a signal of a missile attack on Russia. First, a signal is received from the early warning system about a missile attack. It is checked by the duty general of the command center in Solnechnogorsk. Only then is the Kazbek system put into combat mode. The suitcase contains communication equipment with the General Staff and the command of the Strategic Missile Forces. Hereinafter I will use the abbreviation RVSN. Roughly speaking, it is a telephone, but the information is transmitted not by voice, but by encrypted symbols. It is impossible to block communication. There are three Chegetas on permanent duty: the Head of State, the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff. There are also duplicate ones. "The main button" in the suitcases is there – it transmits to the command centers of the Strategic Missile Forces a code authorizing the use of nuclear weapons. But missiles will be launched only if commands to do so are received from all three consoles. As I said, the total number of suitcases is more than three, the system is duplicated, but only a very narrow circle of people know about it. In addition, they are changed, checked, repaired. How many of them there are, only Department "C" knows.

Yuri Vasilyevich thought for a couple of seconds and said:

– The only time Cheget was used was on January 25, 1995, after the world's largest meteorological missile, the Black Brant XII, was launched from an island off the coast of Norway. Its flight trajectory resembled that of an American Trident ICBM fired from a submarine. Its final destination could have been a high-altitude nuclear explosion, disabling Russian missile warning radars. The Norwegians' notification of the missile launch got lost in the Foreign Ministry, and the next day Boris Yeltsin said that for the first time he used his briefcase for emergency communication with military advisers. This is a very interesting story in terms of why this happened. I will tell you about it separately, because, as one knowledgeable general said, it was a surprise only for Boris Yeltsin. By the way, I can say that if anyone thinks that such situations are funny, he is very mistaken. To give you an example, let me tell you about some of these situations. Do you remember those very radio sockets in old apartments that broadcast two programs? They were of great importance as a stand-alone, power-independent civil defense warning system in the USSR. There was a similar system in the U.S., and it was regularly tested to make sure it worked. All radio and television stations sent out test messages with alarm codes to check the operability of communications. This was and is handled by a special center at NORAD, i.e. the North American Aerospace Defense Command. At 9:33 a.m. on a February Saturday morning in 1971, a teletype operator at the National Civilian Warning Center ran an erroneous message into the system accompanied by the code Hatefulness, which meant a real emergency, not a drill. 5,000 radio stations and 800 television transmission centers received a message that read, "Attention! This is an emergency message coming directly from the President of the United States. Immediately cease normal broadcasting and begin broadcasting emergency messages beginning with the appropriate code. Stand by for further instructions." Panic broke out across the country and lasted for nearly 40 minutes until a retraction was issued.

Those gathered continued to listen intently.

– Here's another similar incident. Once at 8:50 a.m. computers in three U.S. command centers at once – in NORAD, in the Pentagon and in the Reserve Command Center in Maryland – sounded the alarm: "The United States has been subjected to a massive nuclear strike by the USSR. For the next six minutes, the fate of the world was decided. A Threat Assessment Commission consisting of senior officers from all three centers was immediately convened. ICBM launch sites received advance warning of the strike and instructions to prepare a retaliatory strike. Ten fighter-interceptors took to the air on alert, while others prepared for immediate departure. A so-called "doomsday plane" even took to the air, intended for the high command and the president, who would be able to command troops even if all ground command centers were destroyed.

The Threat Assessment Commission worked quickly and smoothly: all reports were cross-checked and data from long-range radar stations and space satellites were received, none of which confirmed the launch of even one Soviet missile. The system was rebooted and the alarm was declared false. The investigation revealed that the cause of the false alarm was a mistake by an Air Force command center officer who ran a training program simulating a full-scale Soviet attack on a computer included in the NORAD unified command system, which caused the general alarm. This possibility was later eliminated by physically separating the training and combat systems.

Yuri Vasilyevich spoke without stopping, confidently and clearly.

– Another similar case, again related to the NORAD center. One day, in the middle of the night, the computers of the Strategic Air Command and the Pentagon received messages from this center about the launch of missiles on U.S. territory. The counter of launched missiles suddenly changed its value and began to show 002 or 200 attacking missiles. The duty officers were alarmed, and an alert was declared. Pilots took their places in the bombers, the engines were started, the launching points of missiles "Minuteman" received instructions for a retaliatory strike. Minutes counted. A decision from the Risk Assessment Commission was required to launch a retaliatory attack. And the counter continued to go crazy – the "zeros" and "twos" kept changing places. This raised doubts about its serviceability. Then the control messages from the early detection stations were checked, which showed no threat. The alarm was canceled and the counter was reset. Three days later, the situation was exactly the same, and then the Commission was able to find the cause – it was a defective microchip in the computer system NORAD, costing only 46 cents, which arbitrarily changed the values of the counter because of a failure in its own electronic circuit. So a penny electronics could have destroyed the entire humanity… The point of my digression is to emphasize once again that the world is fragile, people are emotional, computer systems are imperfect.

There was another case on the subject of the nuclear suitcase. It was 1991, during Yeltsin's hunting trip to Zavidovo near Moscow. When we were sailing on a boat on the lake, one foreign guest kept looking at a black suitcase at the bottom of the boat. He thought it was nuclear. He tried to stay away from the suitcase, trying to sit on the edge of the boat. When they opened the suitcase on the island and took out two bottles of vodka and pickles, the guest laughed for a long time.

Some of the staff, hearing the story for the first time, chuckled. The colonel was silent for a moment and continued:

The F Division officer, a thin man with a shrewd eye, raised his hand, gesturing that he wanted to ask a question. The chief looked at him, nodded his head.

– So it's already been signaled to attack from us, but without us? – he asked worriedly.

– Maybe," Zhidkov replied, giving him a leering look.

– Can't you ask the supreme commander-in-chief? – he continued.

– That's the interesting part. Who is the supreme commander in chief? Where does the initial order to open the bags of pre-posted orders come from?

Ruthra realized that the chief was asking questions to which he knew the answers. "Do the others know this manner of Zhidkov's dialog?" – he thought.

– What about the signal to stop the combat algorithm? – The "F" department officer did not stop.

– Let's say it hasn't been received yet.

– What's stopping you from giving it away?

– How? Who? What if the supreme leader doesn't give the order when he should? Or if he can't? And how do we know when it's the right time? It is understandable if missiles are flying, but what if it is a regular war and we are losing? We could not, so to speak, "stop at Stalingrad"? Let's say Moscow is already surrendered. What then? Who will give the order? And who decides that it's time? You can't reveal all the parameters of the system. Everyone involved in the investigation will know their part. So, among other things, the task is to give inaccurate information, false in some places, but so that it coincides with the parameters of the truth.

Everyone in the audience was silent, listening without question.

– All information is held in detail by Rutra Tigrovic.

Ruthra nodded in agreement. He knew it all by heart.

– I will only add that many enterprises and organizations of various ministries and departments took part in the creation of the complex," Vasilyevich continued. – You will have to work closely with them. In the Western press, the system has earned the name "dead hand". No matter how much you hide it, information still leaks out. The games of professionals.

After these words, the head of department "P" could not stand it. Without asking permission, he said angrily:

– Why is it leaking if it's so official?

– Yeah, but they're not stupid, either. You don't think they'd believe it, even if it was a general. They know it for a fact," Zhidkov replied calmly, not indignant, realizing the awkwardness of the situation, and continued: – "None of the uninitiated would have known about the existence of the Perimeter if one of its developers had not fled to the United States, where he exchanged information about the system for an American passport. In October 1993, The New York Times, an influential newspaper, ran a panicked article under the headline "Russia Has a Doomsday Machine". Another of Perimeter's developers admitted that he knew of no reliable way to disable the system. The control and command system, its sensors and missiles are designed to operate under nuclear attack.

– He "escaped" on purpose," the general did not calm down.

Vasilievich pretended not to notice that he had been interrupted and continued the story:

– Remember the most important thing. In peacetime, Perimeter is in a calm state, "dozing", but it does not stop analyzing incoming information. When it goes into combat mode or receives an alarm signal, it starts monitoring the sensor network to detect signs of nuclear explosions. Don't forget the basis of the system's operation – before launching a retaliatory strike algorithm, Perimeter checks for four conditions. First, a nuclear attack has occurred. Then it checks if there is communication with the General Staff. If there is communication, the system is shut down. If the General Staff does not respond, Perimeter requests Kazbek. If there is silence there, the artificial intelligence transfers the right to make a decision to any person in the command bunker. And only after that it starts to act. That's all for understanding the essence of the problem at hand. I should add: don't forget what kind of organization we are, here, in the system we have chosen and which has chosen us, there is no traditional concept of "one's own – another's". This imposes certain difficulties, although everywhere the doors are open to us, including the "probable enemy". By the way, the "likely adversary," NATO, has called the creation of a nuclear strike system that operates without human command immoral.

Ivashov joined the dialog again, without being asked.

– They have everything immoral if they can't control it. They've forgotten that this is a retaliatory system. So they consider a first strike, from them, not immoral! Meanwhile, the US has a similar complex.

Zhidkov did not respond to this in any way, looked around at those present carefully and added:

– In general, the essence of the problem is clear. I think everyone is well aware of what can happen if the system gets out of control. It's a matter of life or death. I am not exaggerating, take it seriously and don't forget that you need to think outside the box. All possible checks, investigations have been done. I will only add that, in my intuitive experience, you need to look where there is information not publicized, even to those who directly operate the system. Keeps it running, so to speak.

Having said that, the head of the center looked at the head of the "P" department, who was going through the documents from the "Perimeter" folder. He was obviously looking for something. Zhidkov added:

– Most importantly, the weapon of assured retaliation includes not only a nuclear missile component, but also what is encoded in the word "perimeter."

Vasilievich stopped talking for a few seconds, turned a page on a tablet built into the desk, then announced that he had received an assignment to prepare public opinion for the necessity of destroying weapons of mass destruction.

– We need to prepare society. It is necessary to make people believe that a catastrophe of planetary scale may occur, one of the variants of which may be a nuclear apocalypse. The possibility of catastrophe must be presented as quite real. If they believe in it, if they associate it with weapons of mass destruction, then it is easier to prepare them for its destruction. Then those who would vehemently resist it would become markers that could possibly put us on the trail. That's one option. Such etching methods have to be resorted to because, as I said, all traditional methods have been tried. The public loves predictions, so it's not hard to prepare them.

The young ladies, who, for all their seriousness, were taking a non-serious view of what was going on, which was evident from their detached gaze, became a little animated.

– Is there something you want to ask me? – Zhidkov turned to them.

They hesitated for a moment. The situation was saved by the head of the molecular genetics department.

– And Putin? – She asked.

– Putin was familiarized with this system, which gave him the right to say: "The Americans have walled themselves off with a puddle and feel safe for nothing! A nuclear attack on Russia would be the end of the world," Zhidkov replied nonchalantly. – Any questions? I think not. Don't forget the main activity. On the agenda is an update of additional parameters on each citizen of the earth. Please continue the meeting without me. Tomorrow we'll discuss the prepared options. Rutra Tigrovich – get used to it.

Saying the last, the chief left the hall.

Chapter 9. Risks of human extinction      

– Who has thoughts, suggestions on the subject, where to look and what to look for? – Rutra asked those present.

– My assumption is that we should not look for a secret source, but an obvious one," said the F Division officer.

– More precisely.

– Yuri Vasilyevich touched on the need for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. With the current level of top-secret weapons, this is quite realistic. I do not mean physically, but as a means of defense for highly developed countries, which are the main nuclear powers. That is, they can afford it without compromising their defense capabilities. There is something to replace them with. But how? How to present it to the people? If we reveal the secret about the available means of influence on people, there is a high probability that it will be perceived that these means can be used not only against enemies. That is, against our own people as well. For example, a psychotropic bomb.

– Be specific," Ruthra asked calmly.

– The point is that the search method manual has clear instructions that are not about search methodology. It is to prepare the public opinion that the catastrophe threatening the demise of mankind is very real.

No one was friends with the "F" department, because they were withdrawn, taciturn people. Therefore, no one asked questions or entered into a discussion, which was customary at Zero meetings.

– Say what you want to say," Ruthra demanded.

– I do not want to say that we have not been told something, but I just want to suggest that, since this is required by the program of action, the following information should be disseminated in the media. Over time, people have apparently forgotten that once the apocalypse on a global scale was discussed quite seriously.

– What exactly? – Ruthra asked.

– Now. I do not insist on this particular option, I only want to suggest that such a thing should take hold of people's minds. Then, perhaps, the one who is up to something will take certain steps and make a mark. That is, we can calculate him, so to speak, by markers.

– I see your point. You think people will take this seriously?

– Depends on who's presenting it. Let me read the material, then I'll share my thoughts.

Ruthra glanced over to the staff. Some, mostly young, expressed curiosity, while the older ones, the "veteran group," expressed skepticism.

– So, listen. I think many people will be surprised that this has been discussed at a serious scientific level.

– Come on! – Ruthra couldn't take it anymore.

– Smith, in his book The End of the World Men, describes the history of how the cobalt bomb was first proposed in this way. I will cite some excerpts. "You may ask," Scillard said, anticipating his critics, "who would want to kill everyone on earth? Any country that wants to be invincible in war." "Let's suppose," he explained, "that we are engaged in a war and are on the verge of winning a war with Russia that has lasted, say, ten years. The Russians might say, 'You will not go beyond this border, or we will detonate our hydrogen bombs and kill everyone.'" Faced with that kind of threat, I don't think we can continue. I think Russia will be invincible." In a public lecture the following month, Brown told the audience that he was now convinced that there were people who were prepared to destroy all life on Earth if they did not get their way. The only ray of hope remains that "those who would want to use these weapons to kill must accept suicide as a condition of the deal."

The F employee was quiet for a moment and added:

– That's what I suggest we put on the air.

The hall was silent, digesting what they had heard.

– Any other thoughts? – Ruthra asked in his superior capacity.

The hall was silent, many were writing something down.

The head of the demography department raised her hand. At the same time, the same F department employee offered:

– If there are no objections, I can continue.

Ruthra wanted to already give the word to Madame that she had raised her hand, however, she asked politely:

– Uh, no, no. Can I go after him?

– What else you got? – Ruthra turned to the man who had suggested he continue.

– If that's the case, the logical thing to do is the following," he said. – We need to get people to think about it, to make them realize that it could happen. We need to use everything: lectures, movies, music, talk shows, politicians, scientists, military. You have to give examples and constantly scare them. I will tell you, give examples, what information and how you can use it. Attitudes toward the problem of human extinction depend largely on an individual's belief in life after death, ideas about the value of the human race. Human extinction is part of many people's belief in the sense that the end of the world means the absolute end of their earthly existence but not of their eternal soul. Some religions allow for cyclical regeneration. However, most religions do not associate the end of the world with human extinction, since the end of the world means in reality the beginning of a new way of existence, with the Christian religion saying that after the end of the world, all humans who have ever lived will live forever with their bodies, but elsewhere. However, there are the following reasons why the risk of extinction of humanity is not obvious: throughout history there have been countless predictions of human extinction. In all cases, the predicted end-of-the-world date has passed without any consequences, making subsequent warnings less frightening. There are thousands of public safety jobs dedicated to analyzing and reducing the risks of individual death. Yet there is not a single person dedicated to human extinction risks working full time, in part because there is no way to know if they are doing their job well. Pondering human extinction has become unfashionable. Denialism is a kind of negative availability heuristic that occurs when the outcome of events is so unpleasant that even the very act of thinking about them leads to a growing reluctance to believe that such a thing could happen. This leads to an underestimation of the likelihood of human extinction. In general, humanity's sense of self-preservation and intelligence is seen as a strong defense against extinction. It is believed that people will find creative solutions to overcome potential threats and will use the precautionary principle when undertaking dangerous endeavors.

The member of the "F" department, pondering something was silent, and then continued again:

– The arguments against this are as follows. First, managing potentially disruptive technologies is becoming increasingly difficult. Second, the precautionary principle is often discarded when the rewards seem to outweigh the risks. One example of the precautionary principle being discarded already exists: before the detonation of the first Trinity atomic bomb, one of the scientists involved in the project, Edward Teller, suggested that a nuclear reaction could destroy the entire state of New Mexico and perhaps even the entire world by causing a nitrogen fusion reaction in the atmosphere. Hans Bethe's calculations proved that this was impossible, but anxiety remained until the moment of testing. Various scenarios of human extinction come from science, popular culture, science fiction, and religion. Humans are probably the only species that has a conscious awareness of its future demise, likely to take steps to avoid it

Many examples could be given. I think that's enough to start with. I have no other suggestions for now.

With these words the specialist of department "F" finished his speech, listening to whom outsiders would understand why this department in "Zero" is called "the department of fantasists".

– You have something, am I reading that right? – Rutra asked the person in charge of world demography.

– May I?

– We must! – Ruthra motivated her. – Don't forget that all traditional methods have been tried.

– Can I start? – She asked.

– We are listening to you," Ruthra replied.

– I have an article.

– Familiarize us with her," Ruthra asked.

– Reporting," she said in an accent of uncertain origin.

It was clear that she had come to Zero from the security services, the SVR or some similar foreign service. Rutra did not yet have access to the initial employee profiles.

– My article touches on such a topic as World War III. It is an event that many believe cannot happen because of its fundamental insanity. But I think it is quite realistic.

What do we put into the meaning of the expression World War III? World War III is first of all a global military conflict. In case of massive use of nuclear weapons in the Third World War, most of humanity may be destroyed. According to experts of the UN Commission, the total stockpile of nuclear weapons is about 10 gigatons in TNT equivalent. According to the estimates of the international journal of the Swedish Academy of Sciences, dropping 5000 nuclear shells with a total capacity of two gigatons on the main cities of the northern hemisphere could lead to the simultaneous death of 750 million people from only one of the striking factors – the shock wave. Thus, according to scientists' estimates, the nuclear arsenal of mankind is sufficient for its complete extermination. Literature and cinematography often play up the possibility of the defense system going out of control of the country's political leadership or an irresponsible leader coming to power, which leads to mutual destruction of opponents, despite the practical senselessness of such a strategic decision. The consequences of nuclear war could theoretically lead to catastrophic changes in the climate and environmental conditions of the planet. This view has largely defined nuclear weapons as weapons of strategic deterrence of opponents from the outbreak of nuclear conflict. At the beginning of the 21st century, the main points of tension are on the borders between Pakistan and India, and Israel and Palestine. On the side of the latter is Iran. The Indo-Pakistani conflict has escalated in the early 21st century because both states have received nuclear weapons from their patrons and are actively building up their military power. Today, military supplies to Pakistan are provided by the United States, and arms supplies to India are provided by Russia, but at the same time Pakistan is showing increased interest in possible military-technical cooperation with Russia, and the United States is making attempts to oust Russia from the Indian arms market. The situation around the Arab-Israeli conflict is similar: the United States is an ally of Israel, while Arab states traditionally buy weapons from Russia. If the Arab-Israeli conflict develops to the level of war, a direct or indirect confrontation between the nuclear powers – the United States and Russia – may arise. We don't even have to make up scary stories, I think it is enough to emphasize the statements of well-known politicians on this problem. For example, the former U.S. presidential candidate, "the situation in Crimea is part of the whole scenario, that is, the scenario of the Third World War." Or the first president, "Putin could be the initiator of World War III." And one of the party leaders in Russia, who likes to shake the air, said that Russia is being prepared for a big war, as the decision to start World War III has already been made.

The very article I am proposing can be discussed on some popular forum or on an analysis program on television.

She was silent. Ruthra realized that the speech was over.

– Do you have everything? – He asked.

– Yeah, I guess so.

– Who else would like to speak? Any suggestions? – Ruthra asked the audience.

No one answered.

– Most importantly, don't forget that people do what they think and fear what they think. I think it has become clear to you that the media work is the first part of the project. There will be other parts going on in parallel. Depending on what results the first part brings, the other parts will be adjusted. If there are no further proposals, this meeting is adjourned," Rutra announced.

Chapter 10. The media as a means of mass hysteria

In the months following the Zero meeting, the airwaves were bombarded with programs on similar topics. It became fashionable to understand such issues. Speeches of experts from Russia, the United States and Israel occupied a special place, as they were broadcasted directly. Talk shows, news and speeches of different levels of specialists became the main topic of the media. Central channels tried not to stoop to the level of "occult sciences" and "great predictions", which were fantasized on the airwaves and pages of various fashionable "heralds of truth".

The propaganda and censorship department at Zero monitored all possible media. Computer programs, according to a special algorithm that could be changed depending on the requirements, marked with special markers and gave to the operators for analysis exactly those copies that were of interest to the "customer". Rutra was periodically provided with the materials, in the assessment of which the analysts' opinions differed. In contrast to all official services that monitored the content of the airwaves and the flow of information, Zero's function was to monitor these services, the quality of their work, and to shape public opinion with their help.

A number of programs were prepared. Some of them had to be watched and listened to for further recommendations. The first was a program on one of the popular channels to which a world renowned scientist had been invited. On this one, Rutra gave them a "pass".

The host began the program, and Rutra put aside his current affairs to listen more closely. The host welcomed the audience and the guest.

– Good afternoon, Alexei Norayrovich. Good afternoon, dear viewers. For those who think that global catastrophe is a fantasy of paranoiacs, I suggest that you read the lecture "Global Climate: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow", and then read the course "Historical Geology". This I mean that even without the fruits of mankind's activity, I mean negative for mankind and for the planet as a whole, there are enough options and threats to the extinction of civilization. When the atomic bomb was created in the USA, people still knew little about nuclear energy. There were different assumptions – for example, that a nuclear explosion would provoke a split and destruction of the Earth with a 30% probability. And that didn't stop the politicians. The temptation to own a new superweapon was too great. So they can't stop themselves. But if the majority of humanity speaks out against this thing, they will be stopped by a higher power. Therefore, I repeat: if you value your life and the lives of your children, contact presidents and other authorities who can and must cancel the possible upcoming suicide of our civilization.

And our guest is Alexei Sisakyan, Russian scientist in the field of elementary particle physics, theoretical and mathematical physics, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Department of Physical Sciences, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research.

– Alexei Norairovich, if we take the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva as an example of a fruit of human civilization, what could be its danger? After all, there are all sorts of assumptions, predictions and fears that the collider could be the cause of a global catastrophe.

– Indeed, concerns have existed and do exist. Whatever fears exist, science will not stand still. The Large Hadron Collider faces two fundamental tasks: the search for the so-called Higgs bosons – elementary particles responsible for the formation of mass – and the discovery of a supersymmetric world, the existence of which is still only a hypothesis.

Our Earth is, in fact, a graveyard of species: biologists estimate that about one billion species have evolved on Earth since the origin of life, and now there are only two million. Is not the mind also some hypertrophied, like body mass in dinosaurs, a function leading to inevitable death? But then the mind is just an unsuccessful invention of nature, a dead-end branch. What is the specific cause of doom? Atomic war, ecological disaster? Not likely. It is clear that with all the possible diversity of "local" conditions, the demise of different civilizations must occur for one universal reason. What is it? The universal reason for the death of mind in the Universe can be connected with the loss of its main function – the function of cognition. The forces preventing the development of the mind must be universal, independent of specific conditions. Accidents in this case can reach apocalyptic proportions. Technology is full of terrible traps, and a fatal end awaits those who enter it. Intelligent beings are able to recognize the danger, but when it is too late. Having got rid of the religious beliefs that entice the fulfillment of immediate desires, civilizations try to slow down their acceleration, but it is no longer possible.

– So should we be afraid or not? Is a global catastrophe possible?

– There has to be a scientific approach. We have to look at what the experiments show. If we know something's killing us, it doesn't make us more alive! That's it.

The presenter announced:

– Let me remind you once again that our guest was Academician Alexey Sisakyan, a Russian scientist in the field of elementary particle physics. This is the end of our program, please write to us at our e-mail address on the Internet.

***

The topic was promoted at the highest level. Recommendations and "requests" went to Russia's central channels. World agencies followed suit.

One of them reported: "The Russian Federation, represented by Arsen Kiselev, a Russian TV presenter of the program "Vesti Nedeli", said live on air about a possible nuclear strike on the territory of the United States of America by the Russian system "Perimeter". Arsen Kiselyov said on TV that Russia is the only country in the world capable of turning the United States into radioactive ash. We are talking about the so-called Russian system for controlling a massive retaliatory nuclear strike against the US called Perimeter. This is a system of a massive automatic nuclear strike by the entire nuclear arsenal of the Russian Federation against the United States of America."

After two months of daily broadcasting of information, the Perimeter system, the countries' nuclear potential, its power and possible consequences were known even in those parts of the world where television and radio were still a novelty. The primary goal was practically achieved.

When the topic was sufficiently promoted in the media, the "system" warned of the threat of nuclear war. The effect was achieved, the only thing left to do was to figure out "where the wind was blowing from. The clue was in the following: generals of the Russian Federation and the United States made a statement: "The danger of nuclear war is higher now than ever before".

It was like thunder, and not just for the public.

This statement was replicated in the media, and the following part stood out in particular: "In practice, this means that the decision to launch a retaliatory strike must be made on the basis of information received from early warning systems – from satellites and ground radars. The flight time of a strategic missile is 15 to 30 minutes. Thus, a decision on a retaliatory launch must be made in a matter of minutes. This is very dangerous, as any failure in the early warning system of a missile strike, any provocation can become a signal for the immediate start of a nuclear war. With the emergence of cyber threats, this danger increases manifold. This is why the White House and the Kremlin need to forget about confrontation and bilaterally abandon the principles of retaliatory strikes based on information from warning systems and the training of strategic nuclear forces to launch such strikes.

With this turn of events, Zero had a lot of work to do. It was necessary to send out dispatches to find out whether it was a personal initiative or a "recommendation initiative".

Chapter 11. Flight into the unknown

One morning Rutra was brewing his coffee out of habit. Chief Zhidkov came into his office and asked:

– Don't you think we're in a Groundhog Day situation?

– Why not?" said Ruthra, smiling slightly.

– Rutra Tigrovic, it's time to move on to a new phase.

– What, are we speaking at the USND? – Rutra asked jokingly, but realized that he was referring to something more important than the U.S. National Defense University, since Yuri Vasilyevich rarely addressed those younger than him by name and patronymic, much less by rank.

– No, something else. I must introduce you to one more (perhaps the last) secret.

– What is it?

– This is the station. Are you ready to visit it?

– You know, Yuri Vasilyevich, that I'm always ready.

– You need to spend at least a week on it.

– What are we going to do there? – Ruthra stared at Zhidkov questioningly.

– To be enlightened," Vasilyevich replied simply and briefly.

– Curious," Ruthra replied calmly. – What about my business trip? You told me to prepare my staff and family for a business trip of at least a week.

– And what, you got it ready?

– Oh, yeah.

– And how did the family react?

– My wife is already here, and I told the kids I'd come with presents. They are well aware that "Daddy can do it", as they say.

– Great, then let's go.

They descended to an even deeper level, the elevator doors opened at a narrow gauge, shabby station, boarded the car, and "rolled. Ruthra didn't see anything remarkable (except for the gray branches), though he was surprised at the depth of the level and the sheer number of branching routes whose names were indicated by numbers. At last the wagon came to a stop. To go on, in the other direction, it was necessary to make a change. Vasilievich was silent, and Ruthra tried not to ask unnecessary questions, waiting for the end of the journey. Again the stations began to pass before his eyes.

After a while they reached the gates of the most classified part of the tunnel. The gate opened, though Vasilievich had given no command. Rutra's curiosity was growing, peaking as they headed for the Capsule station.

– Now you're about to learn a secret that those who have been allowed into Metro 2 don't even know about.

– What's the mystery?

– There is a Metro-3. This is where you and I came down," said the colonel.

– Is there a Metro Four?" – Ruthra asked, trying not to give his question a tone of sarcasm.

– No, there's no fourth. Did you realize we went down to the third?

– Got it, just didn't think it was a subway. Although it's not clear what was where we were having a smoke break.

– It's not really a subway, there are such dead ends that even I don't know everything in so many years.

– What's a capsule station?

– You're about to find out.

They got off at this station, which was similar to the one where Vasilievich had told them about the Perimeter problem. No one was there, there was a sliding iron door on the opposite wall. Zhidkov approached it, looked into the reader's scanner, there was a click, and the door slid open. There was a huge pipe. To get into it, he had to push back another hatch, which Vasilievich did. Rutra saw a kind of capsule inside, a specially equipped place for one person.

– Sit down, or rather – lie down, you'll try it out, – said the chief.

– I hope no trickery is intended?

– How can our work be without a catch?

– Is it safe? – Ruthra asked in a firm voice.

– Trust me, absolutely. The road to heaven is always safe. This is a new installation for emergency and high-speed travel between stations.

Ruthra looked around the rig; there didn't seem to be anything dangerous in it. He climbed in, and Vasilievich slammed first the hatch of the capsule itself and then the main hatch. Rutra got a little worried, looked questioningly through the glass windows of both hatches at Vasilievich. He smiled in his pleasant way. Inside the capsule was a soft bed-chair that automatically "enveloped" him so that he was almost in a spacesuit. There were no controls of any kind. Rutra looked at the Colonel again, no sound was heard, Vasilievich was indicating something with his hands – either "no" or "don't do it". In a split second several metamorphoses occurred to Rutra – waves of anxiety, outrage, indignation, concern and uncertainty came over him all at once. He realized the meaning of Vasilievich's gesture – "goodbye." Rutra's body shook with the jerk of the "capsule," which raced, accelerating more and more, down the tube. Where was this strange machine going? Rutra did not lose his composure. Logic told him he was not going to death.

Part Two: Binary Code-2. Polygon of civilization

We often look for parallel worlds without noticing the real world around us. We want to solve a conspiracy theory without knowing the theory itself. Are there organizations running the world? From this book you'll learn about the one and only mystery. Rutra, by fate or by someone's design, has fallen into it. What awaits him? Who is his friend and who is his enemy: human or artificial intelligence? Who will come back out – him or his double? A fascinating journey into a super-secret, super-technological world hidden in the bowels of the earth awaits you.

The most powerful influence on us is a secret that is carefully hidden from us.

Chapter 1: The testing ground of civilization

The capsule was accelerating at breakneck speed, and it was dark. Ruthra was nervous, shaking violently. Suddenly there was light, the capsule was passing through the station. Ruthra noticed that this station was very similar to the one where he had boarded the tube; he saw the sign "#22" on the wall and remembered that at the beginning of the journey it had said "#21". The capsule swept through the station; pitch blackness came again. Ruthra calmed down a bit and looked around. The capsule wasn't so cramped. A holographic display lit up in front of his face, and the words "Speak" flashed on it, not very brightly. After a little thought, he asked:

– What to say and to whom?

– Good afternoon," a female voice replied.

– Who am I talking to?

– I am the central reference computer, my call sign is Knight.

Ruthra thought it was a prank at first, but the situation was too serious for jokes. The pod sped past another station, which was exactly the same as the previous two. Ruthra oriented himself: the Knight call sign indicated that the stations had official names as well. It was customary in intelligence and military circles to use secret designations for facilities, towns, villages, military units, etc.; to contact a station, you had to give the operator a secret call sign.

Where is the capsule going? Judging by what Vasilievich said, he figured that the capsule would return to where he sat in it.

– Where is the capsule going? – Ruthra asked.

– The capsule is not coming, the capsule is going," the voice replied.

– Don't be so smart, tell me where the pod is going. – Ruthra said irritably.

– The final destination is the Polygon facility. I am a computer, I answer according to the program, don't get angry.

Ruthra took a deep exhale, calmed down, determined to make contact:

– I understand you're an operator?

Although Zero had employed a similar machine capable of supporting logical dialog, he had never had a conversation with it that way.

The computer did not respond. Then Ruthra decided to emphasize the more important question:

– What's "Polygon"? We have to go back.

– Program set," the voice replied.

– Where is this located? – Ruthra was outraged, though he tried to remain calm.

– The Polygon Center is an advanced level training facility.

– What level? I've had enough of my own.

– I'm not authorized to answer that.

– Where is it located?

– The Polygon facility is located at paragraph 88.

– 88? – Ruthra asked in surprise and annoyance.

– 88," repeated a voice from the speakers.

The capsule was traveling through a very long station, and it was not like the others: high ceiling, huge tubes partially embedded in the wall running in a semicircle along the walls. Ruthra realized that they were not tubes: incredibly, they were marked with ballistic missile markings. On exiting the station, the number 36 was painted on the wall. "When will it be 88?" – he thought. After running through several options in his mind, Rutra decided to check the "interlocutor".

– Tell me all about Center Zero," he said.

– The answer requires an eight-digit tolerance code.

– All right, tell me what you're authorized to tell me.

– About what, exactly?

– Tell me about the Polygon point," Ruthra suggested.

– The Polygon Center is used to enhance individuals," the computer replied briefly.

– That's it?

– That's it for you. For more information – you must give the eight-digit authorization code.

– Where am I supposed to get it?

– You should know it if you have a security clearance.

– I guess I have clearance, but no code," Ruthra said, more to himself than to her. – Well, why do I need you as my interlocutor?

– I can answer unclassified questions and I also monitor your well-being.

– And how am I feeling? – Ruthra asked with some sarcasm.

– Your parameters are normal," the computer mind replied calmly.

– Unclassified questions – what are those for you?

– They're not for me.

It was no use getting angry, you had to ask in a way "she" understood.

– What questions are unclassified? – Ruthra asked, hoping for a precise answer.

This time the computer got it 'right', though it didn't help Ruthra. "She" said:

– I can answer any publicly available questions from open databases and some about ongoing processes.

– Can you get on the internet?

– Yeah, that's absolutely right.

– Can you put on some music?

– I can.

– How much more time is needed to reach station number 88?

– Another 32 minutes and 19 seconds," the computer replied with extreme precision.

– Is there any destination information you can give me?

– Not without an access code.

Ruthra considered it useless to dialog further.

– Turn on the Discover Trance radio station," he asked.

– I'm on it.

A dynamic melody began to play in the capsule. Ruthra decided to gather his thoughts, to analyze what was happening.

***

Soon enough, the capsule stopped. The door opened. A man in a strange jumpsuit, white gloves, and a face mask (like a doctor's) opened the capsule's hatch.

– Come out," he said with absolutely no emotion.

There was something familiar and yet mysterious in his gaze. Ruthra stepped out, looked around, and asked:

– Where am I?" cried Ruthra.

– Follow me. Don't shout," the man in overalls said calmly. – You are nobody here, only three people know that you are here.

– Who are these three men?

– The one who sent, the one who met, and the one we are going to.

– What is your rank? – Ruthra asked in a commanding voice.

– My name is Ruthra, come along," he said. – You will soon get over it.

– How!?

Ruthra looked closely at the stranger and realized that it was an exact replica of him. He looked anxiously into the eyes of the man in all white and asked quietly:

– What's going on?

There was no response. The doppelganger turned around, heading for the door on the opposite side. Ruthra saw that everything around him was white, like an operating room.

– What the hell is this all about, I demand an answer!

– Come on, I told you, it'll pass soon.

– What will pass? Who are you? Where am I? I demand communication with Center Zero! – Rutra shouted.

The doppelganger walked ahead, and Ruthra followed him, or rather, he caught up with him and tried to make him answer questions. They reached a door that blended in with the wall, like everything else here. Ruthra-2 stood in front of the scanner, a red beam appeared, and the door opened. Behind it was a large vestibule (like a freight elevator).

– Come in," the doppelganger said.

Ruthra entered and waited for the man in white to enter as well, but it never happened.

– Take your clothes off.

– Why? – Ruthra asked.

– Take your clothes off!

Rutra wanted to get out, but at that moment a spark flashed at eye level and an electric shock ran through his body. Pain shot through his body and Rutra fell down, he was slightly concussed.

– What's going on here, who are you, who's in charge? – Ruthra struggled to speak, stood up and prepared to attack his copy.

– Take off your clothes," the doppelganger repeated again.

Ruthra assessed the situation, but before he could do anything, he was shocked again. He fell, this time the shock was stronger. Ruthra struggled to speak:

– Where am I going?

– You're a reasonable man, obey orders.

– What, whose? – Ruthra asked.

– Mine," said the doppelganger. – I'm Colonel Rutra here, and now it's up to you to decide whether you or I get out of here to the center.

Ruthra began to speculate in his mind: is this a prank, a test, just plain crazy…

– Why colonel? I'm a lieutenant colonel.

– You will if you pass the exam.

Ruthra remembered that Vasilievich had promised to initiate some grand secret after he passed the exam. Besides, the chief had said that Rutra would get clearance to all departments.

– Take off your clothes," the same order followed again.

Ruthra decided to see what would happen. It was reassuring that he hadn't been killed yet. So he could hope that his life was not in danger. He stripped down to his underwear.

– Completely," the same order followed again.

A hatch in the corner opened. Ruthra had taken off his underwear after all.

– Throw your clothes over there.

Ruthra wanted to object, but he saw the look in his copy's eyes. He had to obediently follow the command, pushing the things into the hole.

– Take off the belt.

Ruthra always wore a leather belt with an electronic key to the safe where the codebooks and the dialing device for entering secret codes were kept. It was never allowed to be removed, not even in the bathroom.

– I can't take it off, the belt can only be torn or cut.

– Tear it up," the doppelganger said.

Ruthra tore the belt with difficulty and threw it into the hatch, secretly hoping that the alarm that the Zero Center should sound after this manipulation would save him. The hatch closed automatically. The doppelganger instantly slammed the door shut. Ruthra was left alone. Something clicked in the "vestibule," and several small openings opened at the bottom, top, right, and left. A stream of liquid came from everywhere, so strong that it hurt. Ruthra tried to hide his face, turning in different directions because standing in one position was painful. He waited impatiently for it to stop. The shower watered Rutra for about five minutes, the smell from the water was unpleasant, resembling a mixture of disinfectants. When the shower ended, warm air under great pressure flowed through the holes. The surface of the body became completely dry.

A recess opened in the wall to the right. It contained the same overalls as the double, socks, underwear, and shoes. Ruthra realized it was all meant for him. He dressed, then the door opened.

– Let's go," the Rutra doppelganger said in a calm, monotone voice.

– Explain what's going on!

– You'll be told everything soon enough," the doppelganger replied.

They walked to the end of the room. The doppelganger rested his forehead against the wall and froze for a few seconds. Ruthra realized it was a method of identification, and part of the wall moved away, revealing a long corridor. Everything was white – floor, ceiling, walls, furniture.

– Keep up," the doppelganger said and walked quickly forward.

Ruthra could barely keep up with him, it was a veritable white-washed maze.

– Where are we going? Why can't we go straight ahead?

– You haven't been to 51 yet.

– Where?" asked Ruthra.

– You still have a long way to go, wait for it.

– Wait for whom? – Ruthra asked, trying not to show his anger.

So they reached the room, the entrance to which the doppelganger had discovered by retinal scanning. There was nothing here (except a few oddly shaped chairs).

– To adapt, you must attend an introductory lecture," the doppelganger announced nonchalantly.

– Some other nonsense? – Ruthra asked.

There was no reply, of course. The doppelganger remained silent. Ruthra waited, curious and indignant. A minute or so passed.

– Have a seat, listen.

Ruthra sat down in the chair, and the doppelganger moved to the wall. Speech came from somewhere in the ceiling, apparently there were invisible speakers built in. A woman's voice announced:

– Information preparation. Part one. Medical professionals have learned how to beam knowledge directly into the brain. Leading scientists have made a new innovative discovery. They have created a special computer that allows you to pump information into the human brain. The unique discovery belongs to the researchers of the center HRL Laboratories, which is located in the city of Malibu, California. The authors of the project believe that in the future, when this technology can be improved, people will be able to use it to accelerate the acquisition of necessary skills, for example, to quickly learn foreign languages or learning to drive. In addition, each person will be able to create a clone: it will be possible to "print" a person using a 3D printer in just 2 hours and 47 minutes. Special lasers have been developed that can print 100 cells in a few seconds. Nanoengineering experts are studying the possibility of cloning a human heart on a 3D printer. According to them, if the technology is developed, the vital organ can be printed incredibly quickly – in 30 seconds. But that's not all – scientists have created a drug in case of nuclear war. An international group of scientists has developed a drug to combat the effects of radiation on the human body. The drug was created on the basis of the medical department of the University of Texas in the USA.

The voice was silent. Ruthra waited a moment, looked at the doppelganger, who was also silent, then asked:

– All of them?

– That's it. Let's go," the doppelganger said calmly and walked forward, constantly turning down monotonous corridors.

Ruthra followed him. When he finally lost his coordination in space, the doppelganger stopped in front of a wall and said into an invisible speaker, "It's okay." The wall slid apart a little, forming a passage. It was the door to a room.

– Come in," the doppelganger "asked.

Ruthra saw an ordinary office, with a long table with a chair and chairs in the middle, a single shelf of books along the wall, and several shelves of electronic modules, each with glowing lights. There were no windows. In the chair sat a man in his sixties, almost completely gray-haired, with a slightly elongated face, blue eyes, neither fat nor thin.

– Good afternoon," he said and smiled.

– Kind," Ruthra replied without emotion.

– Sit down, I hope you've calmed down. It's always like that at the beginning of the journey.

"So it's practiced here. What kind of place is this? In whose department?" – Ruthra pondered.

– Who are you?

The master of the office rose from his desk, approached Rutra, and held out his hand.

– Yuri Yarovitovich," he introduced himself; taking Rutra under his elbow, he motioned for him to sit down.

– Rutra Tigrovich," Rutra introduced himself in turn and sat down at the table.

– I understand you're a bit taken aback," the man said, looking intently at Rutra and then at his double.

The man nodded and walked out, the door closing automatically.

– I'll try to explain everything briefly, but don't interrupt and don't ask questions. You can write down your questions, here's a sheet of paper and a pen. What I will tell you will seem incredible, but I think that your psyche is already a little prepared after acquaintance with Center Zero, Metro-2 and Metro-3. And before that you have seen a lot of things, read special literature, including, as far as I know, radical literature.

Ruthra decided to be quiet and listen to what he would be told to make sense of the situation.

– Tell me, Ruthra, when you were on a mission, where did the orders come from?

– From my superiors," Ruthra replied grudgingly.

– Okay, which one?

– From the direct," Ruthra replied, his whole demeanor showing that he thought these questions were foolish.

– Don't jump to conclusions, listen," said Yarovitovich. – Orders, orders, instructions go from superiors to subordinates. Right?

– Okay.

– And where is the most important link, where the first order comes from, where instructions for instructions, rules for rules are written? Do you know about the existence of commands in envelopes in case of X hour?

– You mean the secret envelopes that are kept in strategic centers? Envelopes that contain orders in case a special event occurs where you have to perform an action according to an enclosed instruction?

– Yeah. What do you know about them? What are they for?

– To ensure that no one knows about the contents of a secret order or instruction before the deadline, so that it does not have to be transmitted through communication channels. The reliability of secrecy and secrecy must be virtually 100 percent," Rutra said.

– If any of those who were to execute the order knew the contents of the instruction in advance, they would have the opportunity to "betray" the secret or deliberately avoid executing the order. When submarines were captured or a group of scouts failed, the command could be given to open package number so-and-so. The one who received such an order opened the package and saw that it was necessary to shoot the coder, launch a missile with a nuclear charge, etc. Some kind of unusual, unexpected solution.

– Yeah, I know.

– You have envelopes like that at Zero, too.

– I am aware of that," Rutra replied. – Yuri Vasilyevich told me that the president has such packages, but no one knows what they contain.

– Yes, there is, and did he tell you that once there was a violation? Gorbachev, out of curiosity, opened the packages and found that in one of them was an order for nuclear bombing of major cities, capitals of NATO strategic centers, world confessional centers. Gorbachev "surrendered" this plan to the NATO, showed that he was on their side, accused the Communist Party leadership of aggressive intentions.

– And there was no control over him? – Ruthra said a little sarcastically.

– The system worked a little differently back then. It was a victim of its own omnipotence. It is information that turns position into power. This system is very complicated. For example, so that no one knows who is the most important, there must always be public figures who are positioned for the public as the supreme power. Let me say even more – the supreme power itself should not know that there is a permanent organized system that controls the change and functioning of the official supreme power.

– So then what happened to Gorbachev?

– After the scandal broke out, which, by the way, was pre-planned (it is foolish to believe that the NATO bloc did not assume that the USSR had such a plan), I reported to Gorbachev on the results of a study of the moral implications for the country. Upon receiving his post, he thought he had taken the devil by the beard. Gorbachev had no idea what structure he was talking to, assuming that I was an ordinary KGB officer.

– All right. What does this situation have to do with it, why am I being treated this way, who is this double and where did he come from?

– You may find it hard to believe what I am about to say, but that is exactly what it is. If someone has secrets and uses them to rule the state and the people, he always wants to have a guarantee that he will be in power; even when those whom he rules are dissatisfied with that power. The real power is hidden. Everyone you see is an "entertainer." There is dirt and dossiers on everyone. The situation is as follows: there must be a guarantee that no one will know or guess about the system's innermost secrets. Even if someone does guess, what they say must border on the fantastic, that is, it must be implausible. Imagine you go out there to people and tell them all this. What would they say? They'll think you're crazy. That's all. The way you're being treated, it's the optimal method, calculated in advance. You're just an ordinary person here, an apprentice. Your future and even your life depend on how you do in your training.

Rutra was a little shocked by what he heard, and in his heart he began to reassure himself that by using the word "life" Yarowitowicz had meant it philosophically, though he began to feel that his own life was in danger. It became a little frightening. Scared that if he died here, his family wouldn't even know what had happened to him. Yarovitovich's calm manner of conversation, his penetrating gaze were alarming. A slight shiver ran through his body, the hair on his arms rippled slightly, and his brain puzzled over the question, "Is this what I wanted?" He hadn't counted on his new assignment leading to this. Like a sane person – the instinct for self-preservation kicked in. Money and career took a back seat, Rutra wanted to go home to his family, his children who needed him and rarely saw him. He blamed himself for sacrificing his personal interests quite often, for choosing service, but that was the way the system had brought him up. The thought of his family never left him, and he decided to get out of here by all means.

– I'd like to know what kind of guy met me?

– That's part of the plan, too. No random people get in here, just like Center Zero. Our system works clearly and without error. At a certain level, all the links in the human-action-result chain should already be clearly known. We have big plans for you. A doppelganger is not just your twin. The technology of genetic engineering after the disclosure of the genome code has gone so far that it is possible by changing it to make any copies, even mutants – half-human-half-animal. We took your biomaterial, processed it, calculated the code, inserted it into the chromosomal chain of the object, and it gradually began to change until it became completely like you. It is necessary for you to become friends, to begin to understand each other. In the future, you'll have to work in tandem. You're probably wondering why we're so encrypted. Understand, even if there is a voluntary/unvoluntary change of power up there, it should not affect us. We should be able to get out of here, with something that is technologically, technically and intellectually much more progressive and stronger, to once again become the power for those who were dissatisfied with the previous one.

– You've got it all twisted up," said Ruthra.

– What did you think? Power is always the same, only its representatives change. Think about it, wouldn't you devise the most unbelievable ways to keep power? Why be a public figure in non-public affairs when your duty is to do the job, not PR. PR is for the weak, the vulnerable, and the vicious.

– Okay, then why do you need me? Why did you take my clothes?

– They take away everyone's clothes. There's a special regime here, sanitary. You know what I mean? They'll give it back to you. Why do we need you? What's not to understand?

– I'd like to know more specifically.

– More specifically? At the first stage of the establishment of our service, we were either in power (not the first persons, of course) or always close to it to control it. This created problems. We needed control over the controllers. The second stage was to establish our service as an underground organization; to allow those who were needed to be in power, but in such a way that they did not understand that we were the ones who decided everything for them. Now we have begun the third stage – to prepare those who will be in power, but not the one you see on TV, but the one that will be the liaison between us and them.

– It's very confusing," Rutra said.

– For example, for example, the president will suddenly "lock up", he will be stressed, he will be influenced in some way (including remotely), he will decide to take an action beyond his authority. Who will stop him?

– Control Services," Ruthra replied.

– You probably missed what I said about Sergeevich, didn't you? If we give a person power over everyone to make it easier for us to control him, there is always the possibility that he will abuse that power, that he will do something unpredictable. There must be a body that can react instantly to the situation. Do you understand?

– You mean the possession of state secrets and the command system of strategic nuclear forces?

– Everyone! You know very well that all changes happen by preliminary miscalculation – in documents, legislation, foreign and domestic policy, even school education programs.

Rutra understood what he was saying. A person saw society and its condition from his own position, and the system saw everything as a whole at once, knew even more than everyone knew about himself. All the data were entered into a special program "Mosaic", and it calculated possible variants of development of society, a particular situation, a person, etc. Then, in order to achieve the desired result, one or another impact was made. The calculation process consisted of three stages. The first was a miscalculation for the next 25 years, the second – for 75-100 years, the third – completely classified, there were rumors that the calculation was made for a thousand years ahead. To the average person it would seem incredible and even ridiculous, but nevertheless – such things happened. Ruthra was only allowed to the first stage, but even that was sometimes shocking. And how can you not be surprised when you know that an event is going to be presented as if it were a fait accompli. Nothing happens by accident, everything goes according to a script. What struck him was that someone was handing over power as a baton, otherwise – how could one plan for hundreds of years ahead. Here he began to understand – who carries it out and how. Up there, the "F" department was in charge of forecasting. Apparently, Vasilyevich had talked about this situation, saying that if he passed the exam, he would be admitted to all departments.

– All right. I'd like to know what's next. What am I going to do, what am I going to learn here? – Ruthra asked.

– The first step is you have to become a different person.

– How? What kind of person?

– You must learn to turn into a double of the person who will be easier for our colleagues to understand.

– What does that mean?

– There is a kind of "Super Spy" system. After secretly eliminating, for example, the head of the FBI, you are a trained person who has already adopted his appearance beforehand, but inside you are still yourself. You have to become a person who could look like the right person, but with your brain. Enhanced, though.

Ruthra couldn't believe his ears.

– I'm sorry, that's crazy, what doppelganger? What about my family? I'm not gonna change anything.

– First of all, calm down. Everything is pre-planned, as you've already realized. We don't want any failures, and if we're wrong about you, Vasilievich will be punished. If you don't want to change outwardly, there's a more complicated option. You have to change internally, and most importantly, in your head. It will be of special value, to protect it – you need to pass the first stage. In this phase, you will be a field soldier. Welcome to the arena. Goodbye," Yarovitovich said and pointed with his palm in the direction of the door, which automatically opened.

The doppelganger entered, exchanged a glance with Jarovitovich, then looked at Rutra.

– Please, let's go.

Ruthra realized the situation was not in his favor, there was nothing to do, he had to obey. "What is an arena, will I really have to fight someone?" – he thought. It wasn't in his plans, so resentment overcame him.

– Who do you answer to?

– He will explain everything to you, and now – please, – said the master of the office, pointing at the double.

There was nothing to do, so Ruthra stepped out into the corridor with his copy. After wandering through the labyrinth for a while, they stopped, and the duplicate said into the wall, "We're ready. The doors swung open, a huge gymnasium-like area appeared. The doppelganger turned on the television.

– Look and get dressed. Hurry up. You don't have much time, they're waiting.

– What should I wear? Who's waiting? – Ruthra asked with obvious concern.

Footage of the brutal murders appeared on the screen. A man in a camouflaged uniform with a knife alternately cut off the heads of the men, who were bound and laid on the rails. The victims begged for mercy, but the executioner slit their throats in cold blood and slowly. Ruthra looked at the doppelganger, who glanced at the uniforms and combat equipment of the Special Forces fighters. There were different weapons to choose from. Ruthra looked at his copy again, this time he pointed toward the center of the hall. The room was divided into two parts by a special laser grid, behind which stood several men in combat gear.

– They will soon begin to defend, or even attack! While they can't see you, hurry! – warned the doppelganger.

A shiver ran through Ruthra's body, as if he were scalded. He could feel the breath of death. He wanted to scream, to be outraged that they had no right to control his fate, but he knew there was no chance. "What to do?" – he thought. There was nowhere to run. By accepting the fight, he had a chance to survive, after all, he wasn't invited here just to watch a gladiatorial duel. So the organizers were on his side. He rushed to the equipment, put on a special armored vest on his bare body, which looked more like a plaster corset, quickly put on a special jumpsuit with armored pads on the legs, helmet ShU-300, connected the loop. Now he had a lot of "tricks" – night vision goggles, sensor for detecting warm-blooded objects, sensor for approaching objects, rear and top view, device for detecting poisonous gases and radiation level, communication with the central computer server, spatial orientation, forced injection in case of pressure drop and anaphylactic shock, other "assistants" (ejection of caustic paralyzing liquid, light and noise darts, etc.). From the proposed set of weapons Rutra took a gas mask, a bag for grenades and the grenades themselves (light and shrapnel grenades), a Glock 26 pistol, an ARX-160 assault rifle, an OC-14 Groza assault rifle and grenade launcher, an Akela knife, and several magazines of ammunition.

All the while, violent scenes were shown on the screen. The last scene was the stoning of a young girl who had her hands tied behind her back. The scene was horrible: she tried to turn away, but with each blow she bled, soon began to convulse and died. Chief in organizing the execution was the woman who took turns tying the girls up and throwing the first stone. "Why am I being shown this?" – Ruthra thought. The doppelganger understood his interest:

– You're about to meet them.

Ruthra put his weapons on alert, deciding to start with the ARX-160. The siren wailed, the glowing grid in the middle of the room went out, the lights and television turned off. The room went completely dark. Rutra reacted instantly, silently stepped back a couple steps, ducked and prepared to shoot. Suddenly the lights came on and there were four people in the room, three men and one woman. They were in combat gear, but unarmed. A double stood between them and Rutra.

– That's a good reaction. Do you all really think we can have a massacre here? Time's up! – shrieked the copy of Rutra.

The four men ran to the far corner of the hall and then into the next room.

– Go ahead, hunter, don't screw up, my future depends on you," the doppelganger said with a sneer.

Then he walked past Ruthra and pointed at his chest, at the area of his heart. Rutra didn't quite know what that meant. It was either "take care of your heart" or "be hearty. After a few seconds, Ruthra realized that he wasn't pointing at his heart, but at his breast pocket, and something rustled strangely. Ruthra didn't have time to check what was in there, because the lights went out.

– Hurry up, they'll get a better position now," the doppelganger said and walked out the door.

Chapter 2: Unnatural selection

Rutra was thinking hard about what "they'll take a better position" could mean. In any case, he had to hurry. He ran to the door where the fighters had gone.

Behind the door was an even more enormous room with models of houses. It was a mockup of a city street after the worst of the fighting, with destruction and other paraphernalia. Ruthra realized that his opponents had already taken up positions somewhere and were waiting for him. Suddenly, the voice of the doppelganger appeared in his helmet:

– Courage! They don't have ammunition like you, they only have small arms and knives.

– What else is needed? – Ruthra asked.

There was no response.

He pondered, "What do I have that they don't? A gas mask?" But if the fighters only have what the doppelganger said, why the gas mask? Ruthra looked at the grenades, there were no chemical grenades, but he decided not to throw the proverbial gas mask after all, even though it was in the way. "Grenades? Yeah. They don't seem to have any," he concluded and brought the stun grenade into action.

Ruthra turned on his helmet shield and threw a grenade into the center of the makeshift street. Then, calmly ducking down, he peered inside, looked around the range, and ran behind the wall of the nearest building. After assessing where they could theoretically be waiting for him, he decided it was most appropriate for real fighters to wait for Rutru in front of the entrance.

"Since I have such an advantage in weapons, why not take advantage of it," Ruthra decided. He readied his Groza grenade launcher, jumped out from behind the wall, and fired through the window opposite the entrance.

At the same second, a sharp blow threw Ruth back. His chest ached, and he struggled to regain consciousness, realizing that he had been shot in the chest. It had been fired from the side, from the far corner. They were waiting for him to come out, Rutra wasn't the only one who could think logically.

There was an explosion on the second floor. The echo sobered him, made him smell death. He was overcome by fear of the reality of death. He had to pull himself together, above all for the sake of the children. Ruthra cursed everything he could; he decided he had to get out of here at any cost and end his hated service. But how to get out? One must win! You have to think!

The shot came from the side, so the bullet didn't go straight through. That fact made Ruthra wake up quickly, hearing rustling noises. There was no time to delay. He reloaded his grenade launcher and prepared a conventional fragmentation grenade. He listened – the danger could come from anywhere. "What if they attack from both sides of the structure at once?" – Ruthra pondered.

To avoid guessing and giving them the initiative, he decided to act on his own. Abruptly throwing the grenade around the corner, Ruthra quickly ran in the opposite direction, nestled against the wall, and peered out. He was not mistaken. The fighters had tactically calculated that he would leap forward after the explosion and had decided to outflank him. Two of them were already running toward him. Time was running out in fractions of a second, firing a grenade launcher so close was deadly to himself. There was no time to switch to the ARX-160.

The Groza's variant of the machine-grenade launcher system had the added inconvenience of combining the firing functions of a machine gun and a grenade launcher in one trigger, which required additional time to switch the trigger mechanism. Rutra decided to do what his comrades had marveled at when he used the trick in a combat situation. He calculated that the attackers must be quite close, extended his arm with the Thunderbolt, threw it momentarily behind the wall, and fired it downward at the feet of the attackers. The next moment there was a deafening rumble that mingled with the screaming and shrieking of the attackers. Ruthra had forgotten to turn on the noise reduction on his helmet, and he was a bit stunned as well.

He crouched against the main wall, swapped the Thunderbolt for an ARX-160, and waited for an attack from the other side. Moans and screams could be heard on the left side for a while, but they soon stopped. It was quiet. He waited. About 10 minutes passed. Nothing happened. He decided to wait a little longer, but everything stayed the same. Then he wanted to see if he was wrong about the number of attackers. If there were three of them, then no one should be alive anymore. The one upstairs might still be alive, though. He got up, walked quietly to the wall, crept to the very edge of the structure, and peered in the direction from which he had been shot. There was a dilapidated village house. It was quiet, nothing was happening. Rutra decided to provoke the enemy. He shot towards the house and ran back, looking out from behind the wall where he had fired the grenade launcher. A gruesome sight was revealed – two men lay with their stomachs ripped open. A foul odor made it hard to breathe. Ruthra decided to check what had become of the one on the second floor. It was important.

He stepped carefully over the dead and peered around the next corner. As he stuck his head out, a bullet whizzed by. Ruthra jumped back against the wall and waited. There was no attack, though he expected it from both sides. Everything was quiet again.

Ruthra stuck his machine gun around the corner and fired a line in the direction of the shooter. There was no response, so he waited again. There was silence for about five minutes. Rutra reloaded the grenade launcher. This was the last grenade. In addition, he prepared hand grenades. There were two of them – one fragmentation and one noise grenade. I threw the noise grenade first around the corner. There was an explosion. Despite the buzzing in my ears, I ran over to the building I had first shot at and threw the fragmentation one on the second floor. There was another explosion. As soon as it subsided, I listened. Everything seemed to be quiet.

He crouched down and began to climb. When he reached the second floor, Ruthra found no one, only a trail of blood that led to another room.

The buildings were unfinished – concrete and brick – so it left a footprint, as if on sand. Ruthra peered sideways into the room. It was a dead end – no windows or doors; though Ruthra couldn't look through it completely – there might be someone around the corner. He didn't take any chances; there were few supplies left, but Ruthra fired his grenade launcher into the room where the blood trail went. There was an explosion. The noise soon died down, and moans were heard. Ruthra quietly began to make his way into the room. He squatted down near the entrance, prepared his assault rifle, turned on his thermal ir, extended his rifle arm into the room and waved it around. The thermal ir showed that someone was there. Ruthra realized that from the moans, but he needed to know where. The thermal ir showed the outline of a body lying on the floor around the corner.

Ruthra stood up, calmly checked his weapons, and prepared for the assault. He decided to check the rear and surroundings beforehand. To do so, he cautiously approached the window opening, keeping a close eye on the exit from the adjoining room. All was quiet outside. "Where could the fourth or the fourth be?" – Ruthra pondered. He looked out onto the landing, looked down to the first floor. There was no one there. So he crept to the window again, stuck out his rifle with the thermal ir on, pointed it in the direction of the cabin from which he was being fired upon. The thermal ir showed nothing.

Ruthra decided to tackle the gunman in the room, carefully approached the entrance, quickly extended his rifle arm inside the room, in the direction where the wounded man lay, and fired a burst. There was a distinctive sound of bullets hitting the body. Ruthra covered his face completely with his helmet mask, turned on his night vision and night scope, and, keeping his weapon cocked, rushed into the room.

On the right side of the wall, a man was lying on the floor. Ruthra shot him in the head for good measure. There was a muffled wheeze. There was silence again. Ruthra approached slowly, kicked the body with force. It turned on its side, and there was an unintelligible sound of something rolling. Ruthra looked carefully in the direction of the sound, it was hard to distinguish in the night vision. The next second he was pierced by a clue: it was a grenade! The dead man had slipped it under him, clutched it with his body, and waited, knowing he would not survive.

Ruthra jumped out of the room. There was an explosion as he flew through the doorway. Shrapnel struck him, one in the leg. He fell, hitting his head; he was slightly stunned and confused, trying to get over the pain and turn off the night vision. Rutra couldn't recover from the surprise, for the doppelganger had said they had no grenades! So it was a hoax. Then what else could have happened unexpectedly? Although, in principle, the doppelganger hadn't specifically talked about grenades.

His thoughts were racing through his head, and Ruthra turned off his night vision, unable to realize what was in front of him. After a moment, he realized that a fourth was running up the stairs, firing at him at the same time. Ruthra rolled over and fired a burst. She jumped aside, then down.

Ruthra didn't stop firing until he ran out of ammunition. Then, quickly reloading his clip, he tried to stand up. It wasn't easy. It had hit him. Now his arm was wounded as well, blood pouring from the wounds. In all the other places where the bullets had hit (head, feet, chest) there was unbearable pain. The defense was solid, but the pain was also terrible. The unprotected places on his body were all stitched with shrapnel. Ruthra fumbled around in his suit, looked in his gas mask bag for bandages, plasters, or tourniquets. There were no medications, but he did find ARX-160 under-barrel grenades. In his haste, Ruthra hadn't noticed them.

The fact that there were no medications was a big oversight on Rutra's part. He had neglected their importance. However, in the current situation, it didn't seem that important anymore. It was more important to concentrate and figure out where the attacker had gone.

The wounds weren't too serious for a fighter of his level, and he could shoot, especially in the heat of the moment, in the face of death, the adrenaline of the wounds no longer felt much. Ruthra stood up, leaning back against the wall. He couldn't walk (much less run), and his right arm was wounded. He jammed the rifle between his legs, loaded the underbarrel, set it to fire from his left hand, turned on the laser rangefinder and the ballistic computer for the grenade launcher. All the time he kept his eyes on the stairwell, waiting for an attack, which had not yet come. To be sure, he checked how much more ammunition he had, though he remembered exactly how much. There were three grenades for the grenade launcher, one of them in the barrel; ammunition magazines – one for the rifle and two for the Glock.

Fear, anger, and a terrible desire to survive pervaded Ruthra. As he realized the real threat, he began to realize that it was impossible to imagine it in everyday life, but here it could literally be felt! His family – his children, his wife, his mother – flashed before his eyes like a vision. His father had died early, and Ruthra did not want to share his fate. He had given his life saving the Soviet Union, which it still didn't save. Rutra wasn't going to die for a mythical idea, he didn't "sign up" for it; if someone suddenly wanted to put his life on the line, he was determined to find out and get revenge.

He was still thinking rationally, but the question remained, why the gas mask? Ruthra stood up, looked out of the window, but there was no one there, so he limped toward the stairs. There was no one on the stairs either. There was no point in waiting. Ruthra went to the landing, looked down, and, pressing himself against the wall, began to descend. Once down one flight, he readied his pistol and fired a grenade launcher into the floor of the landing in front of the exit. Without waiting for the noise to die down, he began to make his way to the exit. There he turned on the thermal ir and stuck out his rifle to analyze the situation. The thermal ir showed nothing. Ruthra looked out, looking around. He thought, "Logically, she could only be where she first fired from, where she had the best cover. But he still decided to check the place he had attacked from in the beginning.

Rutra adjusted the grenade launcher's laser rangefinder and ballistic computer to the house where he thought the enemy was hiding. When the computer made the calculation, he fired a shot so that the grenade would explode, hitting the inside wall of the house. At the same time, Ruthra waddled over to where the first two dead men lay. He crept along the wall of the building from which he had come, so that he could see all the objects at once, though Ruthra himself was also in view. Just as he reached the edge where he could see the dead, shots rang out from the house that had been hit by the grenade. Ruthra lay down instantly, rolling behind the wall where the dead lay. Without getting up, he stretched out his arm at random, orienting himself by the noise. Looking around, he noticed that the dead had no weapons. It was clear she'd taken them. So she had enough ammunition.

Ruthra loaded the last grenade, pressed himself against the outer wall of the hall so he could see a little of the terrorist's hiding place, made a ballistics calculation with the computer, and fired so that the grenade exploded after falling to the floor where the woman had fired from. There was a rumble and a squeal. "Got you, bitch!" – he rejoiced and pulled his leg up, fighting through the pain, and headed toward the house.

Ruthra walked over to where she was hiding, leaned against the wall of the house, and tried to look inside. The house was two stories high, with a balcony at the bottom and a balcony at the top. No trim, it was moulages. He peered behind the lower balcony. No one. Then stepped forward and decided to go behind the perimeter. At that minute, the "creature" popped through the first floor window opening. Her whole face was covered in blood. She pointed her AK-9 assault rifle at him and fired. Rutra, seeing her, fell down on purpose, as it would have taken a long time to run away or bounce aside in his position – a split second could cost a life.

He lay, rolled over on his back, and waited, keeping the exit from the house and the upper windows with the balcony in his sights. The attacker appeared to be in shock and wounded, confused; she was firing her assault rifle in different directions. Lying on his back, Ruthra turned his attention to the ceiling of the main room. It showed the hoods where the night vision cameras had been placed. "So they're watching the battle. Someone's watching and waiting for the outcome. Wait for me to get to you," Ruthra said to himself, and then he realized he couldn't really do anything. "The main thing is to survive," he decided.

The bastard stopped firing, probably out of magazines. Ruthra crawled, sideways, and began to move around the corner of the house. It was safe there; there were no windows or doors. He stood, waiting. His pants and sleeve were wet with blood, something was pouring down his face. Ruthra felt his left cheek, it was congealed blood with a chunk of flesh and skin. He'd been hit, and in the heat of the moment he hadn't noticed. A shrapnel or tangential shot had torn his cheek, oozing blood. Ruthra was worried that he might die from blood loss, so he decided to go for the assault. He had to cover the mask of his helmet, even though it lost his view, but the wound on his face was enough of an argument.

He walked along the outer wall of the hall to the balconies, no one was there, went further, looked through the window opening into the room, also no one. Sneaking up to the door, he shot inside, turned on the thermal ir, probed the situation inside with his usual technique, saw a red spot on the screen with his side vision. While he was looking at the i on the thermal ir, a line of bullets started coming in his direction. The bullets hit the rifle, knocking it out of his hands. Ruthra, too, dropped down to hide, and grabbed the pistol in pain.

He could feel Death approaching, and it was already drawing its scythe over him. He wanted to live. To live, if not for himself, then for his children. It gave him strength and dulled the pain. He fired a couple shots back and grabbed the rifle's belt, pulling it toward him. The electronics were messed up. Clutching the rifle tightly in his left hand, he angled it and fired a burst where the thermal ir showed a spot. Ruthra realized from the noise that the bullets had hit not only concrete and brick, but something soft.

It became quiet. Ruthra waited for groans, but there were none. "I must have killed him," he thought. After waiting a few minutes, Ruthra stood up. At that moment, shots rang out in his direction. The bullets whizzed by with a noise. They were fired from a TKB-059, its sound could not be mistaken – it was not mass-produced and was only given to top-ranking special agents on special operations. "Where is he from, why are the bandits armed so well? The doppelganger is a bastard," Ruthra thought.

Holding his weapon at the ready, he waited for the attack. His head ached terribly, and he couldn't see very well, whether he'd been hit or hit in the helmet. Ruthra felt himself weakening. He had to go for the assault. He spotted a piece of concrete nearby, picked it up with his right hand and threw it, with maximum force, on the floor of the entrance, imitating the noise of an attack. Shots rang out in response. The woman fired indiscriminately. Finally she ran out of ammunition, but Rutra was running low on ammunition, too. He crawled to the entrance and prepared to make his move again. Lying down, he reached forward with his rifle and fired in the direction from which she had fired. This time she yelled and groaned. "So much for you!" – Ruthra thought.

She kept moaning, then she said something in a language she didn't understand; it sounded like a swear word, and she hissed like a snake. Ruthra waited. Suddenly the shots rang out again. Bullets flew into the walls and ceiling, splinters and pieces of concrete raining down on him. He pressed himself against the far wall. Theoretically-she could shoot through the wall; it was hard to gauge its strength. When the shots ended, Ruthra readied his gun. This was the last chance. "Or is it possible to escape?" – He asked himself and looked out toward the center entrance from where he had entered this firing range. It was closed.

There were no options – only an assault. The blood from his cheek poured down his helmet, his neck, his chest. Everything was sticky and sore. Suddenly he heard someone calling him. It was a muffled and pitiful female voice:

– Ruthra, listen to me. Can you hear me? Can you hear me?

Ruthra didn't know how to react. She was calling him, from the room.

– Who are you? How do you know my name? – He asked excitedly.

– I'm going to tell you something. It may seem unbelievable to you, but it's true. You won, I don't care, I have no other choice, this is the last chance. Last chance for both of us," she said in a low voice, almost a whisper.

– Two? – Ruthra asked indignantly. – What are you raving about? Say goodbye to your life, you bitch! How do you know my name? Answer me! And then I'll kill you gently.

– Listen to me, please, listen to me! You've already won, listen to me, please," she moaned.

– Speak your nonsense, but hurry up, you'll live a little longer," Ruthra said sharply. – How do you know my name?

– We'll be interrupted soon, so I'll tell you quickly. If you believe me, we'll both have a chance, and if you don't believe me, you'll meet my fate," she hissed in an accent unknown to Ruthra.

He didn't question her further, but waited silently, keeping the exit in his sights.

– You were just an ordinary spy, observing objects, extracting information, then suddenly you're recruited into the top-secret Zero division. Didn't that surprise you? – she asked.

Ruthra decided to remain silent. He knew something unusual was going on, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

– They only take single, unmarried, orphans to Site Zero, and you already had a family. That didn't surprise you? Surprised? – she repeated, then stopped talking.

– It didn't surprise me," Ruthra replied, waiting for a follow-up.

– Why? Why? – she asked.

– What business is it of yours? – he answered angrily. – What's the big deal? Speak quickly! Or say goodbye to your life!

– Don't rush, you'll get there in time," she said calmly. – When I got here, they sent me to the firing range, too, and I have a child up there.

– What, you want me to feel sorry for you? You won't. When you killed, did you feel sorry for anyone? – Ruthra shouted angrily.

– I didn't kill anyone. This footage was edited on purpose," she said pleadingly.

– So I believed you, wait for manna from heaven," Ruthra said.

– You don't believe me, but you'll soon be in the same position as me," she replied pitifully.

– On what grounds should I believe you? – Ruthra asked with obvious curiosity.

– It's not the first time I've been involved in such a massacre. Accordingly, I took care of what to bring with me as evidence.

– And what kind of proof is that?

– I'm gonna throw you a card. Look what it says on it.

– Throw it faster. What I don't understand is, what's the point of all this?

– That's the thing, the point is not at all what you think it is.

– Shut up! You don't know what I think," Ruthra replied nervously.

– This training ground is a test. The strongest survives, to then send him on a field mission, a real battle; not war, but terror. It is necessary for the fighter to be tested, to be able to actually kill someone he considers an enemy to himself. He must be trained like a real warrior. I'm going to show you the document from afar now, so you won't think I'm throwing you something else, then I'll throw it to you. Read it," she explained, showing the sheet and tossing it to him.