Dinastiya Tested // 3rd Book of the Takaryev Trilogy

Chapter 46

They found Ravil sitting terrified in the bed where Artem had left him. 

Artem took a tentative step into the room. "Ravil?"

"Tëma," Ravil answered. "I remember everything now, all of it," 

Leopold stepped into the room beside Artem. "Mr. President-" 

Ravil's gaze met Leopold and instantly went dark. Leopold must've noticed this- he drew back.

Artem exchanged a confused glance with Leopold, and Ravil stood and left the bed, staggering once and placing a hand on the wall for support. 

"I know you, Leopold," Ravil said. "I remember you. I know what you did." 

"What the hell-" Leopold started. "He's gone insane!"

"I'm not insane!" Ravil barked. "But I remember you, and I remember what you did." 

"What did he do?" Artem asked, panic lacing his voice. 

Ravil lunged, glasses flashing. He dashed in Leopold's direction, but Artem jumped between them, taking hold of Ravil's shoulders and pushing him away from the older adviser. 

"Ravil, listen to me!" Artem pleaded. "This has to stop!" 

Ravil glanced sideways for a fleeting moment, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. 

"Just tell me what he did," Artem prompted gently. 

Ravil tried to find the words, but they were just out of his reach. "Mission report..." 

Artem glanced over his shoulder at Leopold and shot him a cold stare, mouthing the words: "Get out." 

Leopold got the message and left the room, although reluctantly. Artem heard the door click shut. 

"Ravil, talk to me, what happened?" Artem queried. 

"Leopold, I remember him, he's using a fake last name," Ravil stammered. "His last name isn't Alexandrov," 

"What's his real last name, then?" Artem asked.

"Takaryev," Ravil answered, trembling. "He's Hilarion's brother, they worked for the KGB together. Leopold had to, had to go to the Duma, the KGB...retired him, because of injuries," 

"Takaryev?" Artem was appalled. 

"Takaryev." Ravil repeated, confirming it. "I remember seeing it in the files, I swear- I remember everything now. Everything they put me through. I remember the day before they sent me to America, five years ago, Myron showed me to Alina. They had me in a solitary confinement cell, with a window in the front, and they looked at me and Myron, Myron said the words...the words, the words! I can't get them out of my head! I knew I would lose it someday, Tëma, but never thought it would be so soon..." 

"You're not going to lose it," Artem attempted to assure him. "I'll make sure you don't." 

Ravil shook his head. "You need to keep Leopold away from me. He won't leave the Kremlin, so just keep him away from me...he's bad, there's something wrong about him, get him away, keep him away...and don't. Let me. Hear. The words." 

"I won't," Artem promised him. "There's no way to fire him? Get him kicked out of all government jobs? I mean, you're the president!" 

Ravil shook his head. "If I try to get him out now, he'll take the offensive. Besides, the Duma would have to vote on it."

"So what do we do?" Artem asked. 

"Just keep Leopold away from me," Ravil said, "and don't let me hear the damn words," 

"Okay. And what did Leopold do?" Artem queried.

"He's fooling all of us," Ravil shuddered. "That's all I can say."

Artem was trying to figure out what Leopold could've possibly done, when Ravil took a step away and started muttering to himself. 

"The words," Ravil murmured feverishly. "S lyubovyu iz Rossii, s lyubovyu..."

Artem stood frozen in his shoes, terrified. He thought of what Hilarion had said to him not even an hour ago. 

You might survive, but I can promise you Ravil won't. 

A chill trickled down Artem's spine, turning his blood icy. Hilarion had always been a liar, but now Artem's worst fear was that he might've actually been telling the truth this time around.