DRAUMRS - Dreamweavers - Book Two

24 - Fulfilment

Cousin Korichenko has worked hard to establish himself as the head of security in the Russian G20 delegation. Others should have had the job as they were longer-serving and loyal. Too bad for them and very good for him that they couldn't make the trip. But, there is also good reason that he is here; he has worked hard to inspire confidence, focusing on becoming indispensable to the brute of a prime minister, who was also not the first choice to look out for Russian interests.

The prime minister's last-minute substitution for injured president Pulisin caused an outcry in Cabinet, as the PM is widely viewed as both socially inept and congenitally narrow-minded. A good mix of characteristics when carrying out the boss's orders in a precise manner; not so good in creative negotiation with the best minds other countries can put forward. But, here he is. Of course, his most-trusted security head came along.

"Not to matter much," the Red Clan cousin chuckled to himself, speaking quietly to no-one. "The image of Kutnetzov's dick has done all the work that the rest of him needs to do at this conference anyway."

Korichenko scanned the main conference room with its massive donut of a meeting table. It smelled like a funeral home. The open center space was so jammed with flowers that one side would barely be able to see the other, and God help anyone with allergies. Twenty-plus delegate countries, with a leader and a staffer for each, makes for more than 50 seats around the ring. Several additional rows of chairs made up concentric rings behind the front desks.

The curved front row desks were equipped with display screens and microphones at each position. A small nameplate in English and Mandarin identified each country. The Mandarin translation, which determined the seating position, wasn't quite alphabetic; this arrangement put his two countries of interest two desk positions apart. This was anticipated. More distance than that might have been a problem.

"Very good planning and a great set-up. This will be fine." This comment he said out loud, assuming that somewhere, someone was watching and monitoring him. I may as well compliment them. What he actually meant was: "This is a great set up for the mayhem to come".

Cousin Korichenko moved lightly through his apparent final security check. Anyone watching might think of a dancer completing an on-stage routine, if he or she were searching for a metaphor. What they are actually seeing was a routine rehearsed so thoroughly, he could complete it with his eyes closed. The cousin paused to check his digital watch, which was synched to the second with the main security station display at the back of the room and with the watches of several other people active in the area. He casually observed the seconds tick down and at the exact time selected, he nodded apparent satisfaction with his check and started out, going around the ring of the table, rather than directly away from it.

Korichenko knew that, at that exact time, for just a few moments, various distractions were happening away from center stage. A monitor was unplugged by accident, a security gate stuck closed, and the body scanner sensitivity setting went off and needed immediate attention. Elsewhere, a group of guards was called together for a last-minute briefing.

There were no 'VIPs' in the conference main room, so the atmosphere was still somewhat relaxed. For these few moments, everyone would have some small task to attend to and no-one would be observing the floor. Some distractions were created by cousins. Some were created by others due to a planted compulsive thought. No-one is suspicious; these things happen. Later, any unexpected recording of the next few moments would also be mysteriously erased.

Apparently done with his assigned tasks, Cousin Korichenko began to work his way around the ring of tables towards the exit. He was carrying a small attaché with the Russian seal on it and bold Cyrillic lettering saying PRIVATE in Russian. It appeared to be a simple file case. It was equipped with a false bottom, concealing a small compartment, just the size of a compact pistol.