The Imperial Revenge

Chapter 18

September 1928

Today was the day I went to Vechernyaya Moskva in Moscow. That was the local Moscow paper. They sold over seventy-eight thousand pages a day. And I was able to get an appointment with a young around the age of twenty. This should be easy. The office was rather nice and I sat across the fellow. He seemed nervous. Probably hasn't written too many articles.

He pulled out his pen and paper. "I'm going to be honest with you Mr. Savenkov, I haven't written too many articles."
I lit a cigarette and started smoking it. "I know, I can't tell. Stop shaking so much. Now, let's get down to business. What's your name?"
"Popov. John Popov."
"Alright John Popov, I need you to write an article about me."
He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why? Did you do something illegal?"
"No, nothing like that. I need you to bring fame to 'Savenkov And Loyalty Publications'. Do I make myself clear?"
"Sir, I can't really do that. This isn't exactly something...interesting."
I stood up from my chair and picked up my coat. This was my Plan B. "Thank you then. I guess you don't want three-hundred rubles. Oh well-"
Popov gasped. "Did you say...three-hundred rubles? I'm so sorry, Mr. Savenkov. Please take a seat." He pointed to his chair. Oh, the things people will do for money. I grinned and sat back down in my chair.
"Listen Popov, I needed you to write this down. Alexei Savenkov, a twenty-four-year old man from Tomsk, Siberia, Russia. A very wealthy and handsome man. Bought 'Yellow And Red Publications' to 'Savenkov And Loyalty Publications'. You can add on from that. So, when will you have it printed."
"Well, today is the fifteenth of September so probably the seventeenth of September."
I smiled again and held my hand out. "Perfect." I shook Popov's hand. I quickly reached into my coat and pulled out the white envelope of money. I slammed it on his desk.
"Please doing business with you. Feel free to take pictures of my business and me in my office tomorrow. Remember, nobody needs to know about this bribe."
He nodded and started writing.

Pictures were taken the next morning of me and my office. And the day after that, my face and company were on the third page of the paper. Not ideal but it was enough. Nearly everyone was reading about Alexei Savenkov and now whispering about me. Everything goes according to plan. It had only been a week since I left Tomsk and I was already doing so much. That's the difference between Alexei Savenkov and Alexei Romanov: Alexei Savenkov gets things done and doesn't cower to anyone. I particularly like him more than Alexei Romanov.

I laid sound asleep in my bed that night. I slept peacefully. That was until someone started to shake me awake roughly. I gasped and shot from my bed, punching the man in the face. He groaned in pain and covered his nose. I reached over and turned my lamp on. It was Rodion.
"What the hell, Alexei! My nose is bleeding!" Rodion shouted.
"Don't come in my house in the middle of the night! Jesus, you scared the living crap out of me. One more second and I was going to grab my gun and shoot you." I exhaled and stood up from my bed. He reveled his face and blood covered half of his face.
"I'm really sorry, Rodion. Come on, let's go get your cleaned up."

He sat on the toilet in the bathroom as I cleaned up his face with the washcloth. The water was warm and best for wounds. He discussed Peter Ermakov with me and what exactly he did to him. Honestly, I was very impressed.
"First, I found him at the bar. I made some small conversation with him about the Romanovs and what not. Apparently, him and his soldier friends had planned on...molesting your mother and sisters that night. But Yurovsky killed them before Ermakov got the chance. So, I got him completely blackout drunk. He took me to his house and I held him and his family at gunpoint-"
"Jesus Rodion! So then what happened?"
"They gave me all their money. Six-hundred rubles, Alexei! And then afterward, I broke three of  Ermakov's fingers on his right and left hand. Don't worry, I didn't harm his wife or kids." Rodion grinned. I smiled back at him. Honestly, I was so thankful for what he did that I could kiss his cheek. I would save my gratitude for the end.
"You need to buy a very nice suit, Rodion. And then we'll wait for Hadeon and he'll buy a nice suit."
"Why?"
"Because...we're going to have a party."