The Imperial Revenge

Chapter 21

September 1928

"Rodion, what does the letter say?" I asked him while sitting on the sofa. Hadeon sat next to me. Rodion paced around in front of us while reading the letter. The three of us had been smoking cigarettes and chatting until the housekeeper revealed a letter that had just arrived.

"Dear Savenkov Brothers,
Thank you for the party and drinks you offered two-days ago. Now, it's time I return the favor. I'm inviting you to a pub in Leningrad. There, it will be a Communist and mans party. There will be dancing and women. Of course, there will be a lot of alcohol. Come in two-days on the 22 of September. I hope you can make it.
-Grigori Nikulin.

"Jesus, he sounds like a bloody kid." I grunted.
Rodion put the letter on the table.
"So we won't go?"
"Oh no, we're going. We can get closer with them this way. We'll take a train to Leningrad. It'll take about...seven hours but it's worth it. Leningrad does have some of the best pubs. We'll go but remember, we're the Savenkov brothers. I need you both to not create any trouble. Do I make myself clear?" I stood up and pointed at each other of them. Hadeon and Rodion first exchanged looks with each other and then looked at me. They just gave quiet nods.

We boarded a train the next afternoon. The three of us sat in our seats and patiently waited. We wouldn't arrive until 20:00. Just in time to go to bed an a hotel and then tour the city and go to the pub. The train ride was rather settle.
"Remember, we hurt the men that hurt my family: not their wives or children. Especially not their children. But Hadeon, I'm giving you the job of slipping this into Medvedev's drink." I handed Hadeon the tablet. He looked at me very confused.
"What in the world is this, Alexei?" Hadeon asked.
"It's a chemical pill called Rohypnol. You slip it into people's drinks and they're completely drowsy and won't remember a thing."
"Jesus. Why Medvedev though? Yurovsky's the one you want, isn't he?"
"Yes, but there's nothing wrong with having fun with revenge. All you have to do is carefully slip it into his drink, take him outside, and mess him up a little bit. I can not wait to see him suffer."
Rodion got involved. "Listen, we want to help. But it seems Hadeon and I are the ones doing your dirty work. We took care of Ermakov and Kabanov. You have been sitting here doing work but easy money crap. When are you going to do some thing?"
I sighed and pulled out a cigarette. "I know I'm not roughing anyone up. But I'm trying to make us blend in. I'm trying to not get us bloody arrested after we do what we do. If you both don't like it, then leave. Go back to Tomsk, I do not care. But I will go through with my plan. No one can stop me." I lit my cigarette. Rodion and Hadeon just sat back in their chairs and didn't say another word.

The three of us arrived on time. We walked for another twenty-minutes to find a nicer hotel. We got two rooms: one for me and one for the other two. We said our good nights and went to our rooms. I changed into pajamas and did my nightly stretches. Afterward, I got in bed and went right to sleep.
Early the next morning, I got out of bed and changed my clothes. I went out by myself to walk the streets of Leningrad. I needed to my family's home. The Alexander Palace. What did it look like? What was it?
I found it after walking for a long time. The Alexander Palace had been turned into a Romanov Museum. At least, half of it was a Romanov Museum. The other half was an orphanage and a home for NVKD officers. I didn't go into the museum but there was a worker outside who I went and talked to.
"I'm sorry but I'm on my break-" the lady said.
"Please, I have just a few questions. Are they sure al of the Romanovs are dead?"
She shrugged. "In 1926, our government admitted to killing the Imperial family. It's not clear if Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanova is dead because of the woman who's claiming to be her. Anna Anderson. There's also a woman who claimed to be Grand Duchess Olga Romanova named Marga Boodts but that one is uncertain. No one has claimed to be Tatiana, Maria, or Alexei. Any other questions?"
For some reason, I grinned. "What belongings have been found?"
"Diaries belonging to all members of the Imperial family, some dresses, and jewelry. Oh, and faberge eggs. What else?"
"What were the Imperial's family's pets like and what happened to them?" I asked again.
"Well, their pet elephant was killed and so were their horses. Anastasia and Tatiana's dogs were killed during the Romanov execution. Alexei's dog, Joy, was saved my an officer and loved her final days in England with royal relatives."
No. No. No. I had someone kill Kabanov's dogs because I thought he killed mine. Still, he killed Ortipo and Jimmy. So maybe it's justified.
"That's all. Thank you." I said and simply walked away. I found a bar that seemed rather friendly. I came back to the hotel about an hour later. Rodion and Hadeon were in the lobby.
Rodion put his hands on my face. "Jesus Alexei, are you drunk? You're bloody drunk at 15:30! Christ!"
"G-Guys, I'm alright. I-I just needed to get away. Oh God-" I put my hand over my mouth and ran back outside. I ran to the side of the road and puked. I felt hot and for some reason, I fell to my knees. And I...I started crying. I mean, full on tears and moans crying. Rodion and Hadeon came to my side.
"Brother, you need to stay calm." Hadeon said. "You just need to get drunk tonight. You'll feel all better."
"Why did my life have to be so...crappy! My life is just full of despair! First my family, then my dog who I thought died that didn't actually die, and then Timofey! Even Timofey is dead! My God!"
Hadeon whispered in my ear. "Alexei, you're causing a scene. I promise you that we will get revenge you can be happy. But as of now, you need to pull it together."

That night, we went to the pub in Leningrad. It was very busy and full of Bolsheviks. Pictures of Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Karl Marx were everywhere. There was a dartboard with the Tsar's face on it that people were playing. There was piano player. And as Nikulin said, there'd be women. But they weren't really women, they were prostitutes.
"Alexei, Rodion, and Hadeon! I'm so satisfied you could all come tonight!" Nikulin threw his arms up in joy and then shook all of our hands.
I put my hand on Nikulin's shoulder. "You weren't joking about alcohol and women."
Nikulin laughed. "I know Russia's best prostitutes. Just have some fun tonight and sing some Communist songs. Go crazy!" He screamed as he walked away. And with that, my brothers and I sat in a booth and just talked.

I watched as Hadeon slipped the pill into Medvedev's drink. So sly and stealthy. I was impressed. It was hard for me to do anything afterward though. The music was too loud and different women were trying to get all over me. Rodion had disappeared behind the pub with one and Hadeon was guided Medvedev out the front.
"Come on, sugar. You don't want to have fun with me?" The women said in a seductive tone.
"You're tempting but no." I shouted to her.
"Why not?" She smirked.
"I'd rather not have sex with you than get the clap. It's not worth it." I replied. Her mouth hung wide open and she stood up and stormed off. It really wasn't worth it. And that's when it hit me. A much better way to mess with the killers.