Despite the development of technology and science, our spiritual development ...
GREEN CHAINS
1. Mysterious murder
The front was approaching Leningrad.
Along the railroads, along the highway, forest paths and straight through the swamps, Leningraders returned home from defense work. Refugees were walking along with them. Having abandoned their homes, they left the enemy with whole families, with young children in their arms, with huge bundles. Exhausted and dusty, they walked with bowed heads to Leningrad, hoping to find protection and shelter there.
In the other direction, towards the Germans, the military units and detachments of the people's militia were moving.
Fascist planes now and then appeared in the air, dropping bombs on the roads and pouring lead on the crowds of refugees. Hearing the growing roar of aircraft, pedestrians dashed into the forest, lay down in the ditches. And again they went forward as soon as the planes were hidden.
Three young female students walked barefoot along a dusty country road. At the halt, they were joined by two elderly men with suitcases. One of them, a one-armed invalid of the Civil War, was of a cheerful character, talkative and helpful. The other, on the contrary, frowned all the way, thought about something with concentration and did not talk to anyone. Uncle Petya, as the one-armed man called himself, continually told funny stories and anecdotes, asking the girls about their life before the war, about their studies and about Leningrad. He made evil jokes after the German pilots, calling them "sausages", and, it seemed, did not pay any attention to the mood of his companion. And that one grew more and more gloomy, the closer they got to Leningrad.
In the evening, by forest paths, they passed Siverskaya and stopped to rest.
Come with me, - said the one-armed friend, noticing his angry look.
Without looking back or repeating the invitation, he plunged into the forest.
Gloomy leaned his suitcase against a tree and reluctantly followed after his comrade. Soon, the students heard their loud voices. They could not make out the words, and they did not particularly listen to someone else's dispute. The argument suddenly ended. Ten minutes later, the gloomy one came out of the forest alone and, taking his suitcase, invited the girls to move on.
And where is Uncle Petya? one of them asked.
He will catch up with us.
We went out onto the highway, but the one-armed man did not appear. The gloomy man silently walked first in front, then lagged behind a few steps, often looking around. Darkness came quickly. Behind on the horizon could be seen glowing fires and some kind of flashes. The rumble of cannon fire was muffled. At the turn, the gloomy man left the road and shouted to the girls who were leaving ahead:
Take your time ... I will now.
The girls did not attach importance to these words and continued to walk quickly on. Suddenly there was a desperate cry. The girls heard in the darkness some kind of fuss and a hoarse male voice:
Nastya! .. Help! .. Here! .. Nastya was the name of one of the students. She was older and more determined than her friends.
This is ours! - she said. - What? Come on, girls.
All three quickly ran in the opposite direction.
The gloomy man was still alive, but he could no longer speak. He choked on his blood. Nastya managed to make out only one word: "suitcase". The knife went into his chest up to the hilt, and before the girl could feel it, it was all over. Their gloomy companion died.
Frightened, confused, they stood over the corpse, not knowing what to do next. In recent days they have seen many terrible things. They had to quickly bandage the wounded many times, and some died in their arms, but there they knew the cause of death and saw the killers on the planes. The same murder was committed for some mysterious purpose, by an unknown person.
Suitcase! He said: "suitcase" - Nastya said in thought. - Girls, look for a suitcase.
The girls searched the asphalt and the roadside near the corpse in the dark, but they did not find the suitcase. There was no time to waste looking. They left the dead man on the road and went. After walking twenty steps from the crime scene, Nastya, walking from the side of the road, stumbled over something hard and hurt her finger. She bent down and made out the outline of a suitcase in the darkness. The girlfriends who had gone ahead stopped.
I stumbled over a stone, - said Nastya loudly and lifted her suitcase.
For some reason, she thought that it was better to keep silent about her find for now. There is some kind of mystery around the suitcase, and who knows, maybe the killer is watching and listening. hiding somewhere nearby.
In complete darkness, on the asphalt warmed up during the day, three friends walked in silence, all the while speeding up their steps. One said:
Maybe Uncle Petya was also killed?
Anything is possible, - said Nastya.
He also had the same suitcase.
You are silent ...
I'm afraid of something, girls ...
The suitcase was heavy, as if there were iron, He pulled his hand, and yet Nastya patiently carried it into the city.
... All this she, very much worried, told the major of state security, sitting in front of him in a leather chair.
The major, not yet an old man with gray temples, listened attentively to the girl's story and pondered. The suitcase brought by Nastya to Leningrad and received by him last night stood near the writing table.
So you haven't seen Uncle Petya again? the major asked.
No. I'm afraid he was killed too. The major did not seem to have heard this phrase.
The murdered man also called him Uncle Petya?
I don't remember ... No! He didn’t seem to name him. In general, the killed was a strange person. He was silent all the time. At first we thought he was dumb.
What did he look like?
Who! Killed?
I already know what the murdered man looked like. I'm interested in one-armed.
He was short ... shaved ... not young already ...
How old was he, in your opinion?
I think about forty ... well, forty-five. His hair was cut short ... Oh, yes! .. There are two golden teeth in his mouth ... That seems to be all.
How did he control his hand?
Very well. We just wondered how deftly he does everything with one hand.
What was he wearing?
The suit ... is blue and doesn't seem to be new. Can you really figure it out there? Everything is in dust ...
Have you noticed his watch?
Yes they were. He looked at them often.
The major opened his desk, took out a men's pocket watch, black with a gold rim, and, slightly raising himself in his chair, put it in front of the girl.
Such? the major asked with a smile.
This is what they are. Exactly the same ... This is them.
Didn't the murdered man have a watch?
It seems not ... But I don’t remember.
On the way, in conversations with each other, did they not name any addresses?
Uncle Petya once said that he has relatives in Leningrad, but who they are and where they live, he did not say.
So. I will ask you to write everything that you told me now on paper. Try to remember all sorts of details, little things ... What did your companions eat ... Remember the color of the eyes, the hair of the disabled person ... In a word, absolutely everything that you remember.
Okay, - the girl nodded her head.
Come with me.
They left the office. At the end of the corridor, the major opened the door and motioned for Nastya to enter.
Make yourself at home. If you want to relax, here's a sofa - please don't hesitate. It's lunch here, ”the major said, pointing to the pans on the table. - If you need anything or you finish the work, call me on the phone, and most importantly - try to remember everything in as much detail as possible. “Uncle Petya” interests me very much.
The state security major returned to his office and opened the suitcase the girl had brought him. There was a map of Leningrad there. He spread it out on the table and studied the colored markings. He noticed three crosses. These were defense facilities on the Petrograd side. At the bottom was the inscription: “The first even days of the week. Second echelon. Green chains on the north side. "
In addition to the map, the suitcase contained long aluminum cartridges, shaped like hunting ones. The cartridges had bright green stripes. The major picked up the phone and dialed the number.
A few minutes later a young man in civilian clothes entered the office.
Comrade Major of State Security, at your order ...
Yes Yes. That's the point, Comrade Burakov. Take this cartridge, go out of town, unload from a German rocket launcher somewhere in the air and see what kind of pyrotechnics it is. Probably green chains.
2. Misha Alekseev
The mother did not return home. On the fourth day, Misha Alekseev went to the plant to find out what had happened to her. There he was told that the bomb had hit the shop where she worked, and she was taken away in serious condition to the hospital. The hospital reported that Maria Alekseeva died on the same day without regaining consciousness.
GREEN CHAINS
1. Mysterious murder
The front was approaching Leningrad.
Along the railroads, along the highway, forest paths and straight through the swamps, Leningraders returned home from defense work. Refugees were walking along with them. Having abandoned their homes, they left the enemy with whole families, with young children in their arms, with huge bundles. Exhausted and dusty, they walked with bowed heads to Leningrad, hoping to find protection and shelter there.
In the other direction, towards the Germans, the military units and detachments of the people's militia were moving.
Fascist planes now and then appeared in the air, dropping bombs on the roads and pouring lead on the crowds of refugees. Hearing the growing roar of aircraft, pedestrians dashed into the forest, lay down in the ditches. And again they went forward as soon as the planes were hidden.
Three young female students walked barefoot along a dusty country road. At the halt, they were joined by two elderly men with suitcases. One of them, a one-armed invalid of the Civil War, was of a cheerful character, talkative and helpful. The other, on the contrary, frowned all the way, thought about something with concentration and did not talk to anyone. Uncle Petya, as the one-armed man called himself, continually told funny stories and anecdotes, asking the girls about their life before the war, about their studies and about Leningrad. He made evil jokes after the German pilots, calling them "sausages", and, it seemed, did not pay any attention to the mood of his companion. And that one grew more and more gloomy, the closer they got to Leningrad.
In the evening, by forest paths, they passed Siverskaya and stopped to rest.
Come with me, - said the one-armed friend, noticing his angry look.
Without looking back or repeating the invitation, he plunged into the forest.
Gloomy leaned his suitcase against a tree and reluctantly followed after his comrade. Soon, the students heard their loud voices. They could not make out the words, and they did not particularly listen to someone else's dispute. The argument suddenly ended. Ten minutes later, the gloomy one came out of the forest alone and, taking his suitcase, invited the girls to move on.
And where is Uncle Petya? one of them asked.
He will catch up with us.
We went out onto the highway, but the one-armed man did not appear. The gloomy man silently walked first in front, then lagged behind a few steps, often looking around. Darkness came quickly. Behind on the horizon could be seen glowing fires and some kind of flashes. The rumble of cannon fire was muffled. At the turn, the gloomy man left the road and shouted to the girls who were leaving ahead:
Take your time ... I will now.
The girls did not attach importance to these words and continued to walk quickly on. Suddenly there was a desperate cry. The girls heard in the darkness some kind of fuss and a hoarse male voice:
Nastya! .. Help! .. Here! .. Nastya was the name of one of the students. She was older and more determined than her friends.
This is ours! - she said. - What? Come on, girls.
All three quickly ran in the opposite direction.
The gloomy man was still alive, but he could no longer speak. He choked on his blood. Nastya managed to make out only one word: "suitcase". The knife went into his chest up to the hilt, and before the girl could feel it, it was all over. Their gloomy companion died.
Frightened, confused, they stood over the corpse, not knowing what to do next. In recent days they have seen many terrible things. They had to quickly bandage the wounded many times, and some died in their arms, but there they knew the cause of death and saw the killers on the planes. The same murder was committed for some mysterious purpose, by an unknown person.
Suitcase! He said: "suitcase" - Nastya said in thought. - Girls, look for a suitcase.
The girls searched the asphalt and the roadside near the corpse in the dark, but they did not find the suitcase. There was no time to waste looking. They left the dead man on the road and went. After walking twenty steps from the crime scene, Nastya, walking from the side of the road, stumbled over something hard and hurt her finger. She bent down and made out the outline of a suitcase in the darkness. The girlfriends who had gone ahead stopped.
I stumbled over a stone, - said Nastya loudly and lifted her suitcase.
For some reason, she thought that it was better to keep silent about her find for now. There is some kind of mystery around the suitcase, and who knows, maybe the killer is watching and listening. hiding somewhere nearby.
In complete darkness, on the asphalt warmed up during the day, three friends walked in silence, all the while speeding up their steps. One said:
Maybe Uncle Petya was also killed?
Anything is possible, - said Nastya.
He also had the same suitcase.
You are silent ...
I'm afraid of something, girls ...
The suitcase was heavy, as if there were iron, He pulled his hand, and yet Nastya patiently carried it into the city.
... All this she, very much worried, told the major of state security, sitting in front of him in a leather chair.
The major, not yet an old man with gray temples, listened attentively to the girl's story and pondered. The suitcase brought by Nastya to Leningrad and received by him last night stood near the writing table.
So you haven't seen Uncle Petya again? the major asked.
No. I'm afraid he was killed too. The major did not seem to have heard this phrase.
The murdered man also called him Uncle Petya?
I don't remember ... No! He didn’t seem to name him. In general, the killed was a strange person. He was silent all the time. At first we thought he was dumb.
What did he look like?
Who! Killed?
I already know what the murdered man looked like. I'm interested in one-armed.
He was short ... shaved ... not young already ...
How old was he, in your opinion?
I think about forty ... well, forty-five. His hair was cut short ... Oh, yes! .. There are two golden teeth in his mouth ... That seems to be all.
How did he control his hand?
Very well. We just wondered how deftly he does everything with one hand.
What was he wearing?
The suit ... is blue and doesn't seem to be new. Can you really figure it out there? Everything is in dust ...
Have you noticed his watch?
Yes they were. He looked at them often.
The major opened his desk, took out a men's pocket watch, black with a gold rim, and, slightly raising himself in his chair, put it in front of the girl.
Such? the major asked with a smile.
German Ivanovich Matveev
Tarantula
© Matveev G.I., heirs, 1957
© Kochergin N.M., heirs, drawings, 1957
© Tretyakov V. N., drawings on the cover, 2010
© Series design, foreword, notes. JSC "Publishing House" Children's Literature ", 2010
All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use without the written permission of the copyright holder.
© The electronic version of the book was prepared by Litres (www.litres.ru)
About the Tarantula trilogy
More than half a century has passed since the writing of GI Matveyev's stories "Green Chains" (1945), "Secret Fight" (1948) and "Tarantula" (1957), telling about Leningrad boys who participated in counterintelligence during the Great Patriotic War. The life of our country has changed a lot since then, but from the books of that time we can get to know our history better. The opportunity to see Leningrad besieged by the Nazis through the eyes of a person who survived the blockade, to feel pride in the unprecedented feat of Leningraders who defended their city - this is the main value of this trilogy.
The first story, Green Chains, is set in the fall of 1941. Around Leningrad, the blockade ring is shrinking. Fascist invaders are trying to break through the defenses and take the city. During artillery raids, green rockets suddenly soar into the Leningrad sky, with which enemy accomplices indicate targets for bombing - important objects of the city.
The main character, Misha Alekseev, found himself without parents in these difficult conditions - his father was at the front, his mother died during the shelling, and even with his little sister in her arms. Before him there is a severe need to somehow get money for food and clothing. Out of despair, he decides to steal and ends up in the police. The major of state security instructs Misha to gather a group of reliable guys in order to find the person launching the missiles. A team of five trusted friends manages to detain one of the missile men. His capture allows you to get on the trail of a gang of saboteurs. Gradually, one by one, the Chekists arrest all members of the "one-armed circle", seize a radio transmitter, weapons, ciphers, suitcases with missiles and time mines.
The second story, The Secret Fight, is set a year later - in the fall of 1942. The besieged Leningrad all the time is subjected to bombing and systematic shelling. The enemy continues to prepare to storm the city. But in addition to the external threat, there is also an internal one: a secret network of fascist spies and saboteurs operates in the city.
Misha Alekseev became a cabin boy on a large merchant ship, anchored in the city center since the beginning of the war. And here is the new assignment of the State Security Major Ivan Vasilyevich. In an abandoned house, they accidentally find a passport and a notebook with instructions for preparing for the storming of Leningrad, written in sympathetic ink that appears in the light. Misha and his friends are tasked with keeping track of who turns up for the finds.
This man leads the Chekists to a gang of thieves, who, in addition to stealing bread and ration cards, help the Nazis organize sabotage. Misha Alekseev is being introduced into this gang under the guise of a pickpocket. Everything is going according to plan, but Misha makes a mistake that is unacceptable for a counterintelligence officer, which almost leads to the disruption of the entire operation and the death of a teenager.
In the third book, which you are now holding in your hands, Misha is waiting for Ivan Vasilyevich's new dangerous task, connected with exposing the enemy's work of the same insidious and cruel Tarantula, who managed to escape at the end of the second story.
TARANTULA
1. "FISHERMAN"
In the cold air, mist was rushing through and through an overcoat, flannel * and vest it penetrated to the very body. The dampness made the laundry feel sticky. Darkness - gouge out your eyes! Small waves slapped listlessly below.
On the boat ahead, red embers of cigarettes loomed and laughter was heard. Someone from the team came out to get some air.
But here again in the direction of Peterhof cannons flapped dully, and shells rustled overhead. Red lightning flashed in the city, and a minute later the crackle of ruptures came. Now, in response, the batteries of Leningrad gasped dully and crumpled these sounds.
The enemies fired all night today. With long interruptions, confining themselves to three or three volleys, they persistently sent shells to different parts of the city. No matter how salty they had to, they did not want to be silent. Leningrad celebrated the twenty-sixth anniversary of the October Revolution *.
“How filthy the nature of the fascists is! As a holiday, they will certainly be disgraceful, ”thought Pakhomov, who was on watch, listening to the artillery duel.
He recalled how the Nazis celebrated their anniversary last year. The aircraft hummed over the city all night. In all areas, bright lanterns-rockets were hung on parachutes and bombs were dropped with impunity. Then he was not on watch, but spent most of the night on the deck of the boat. It seemed that after such a bombing, only ruins would remain from Leningrad ...
The shooting ended, and silence fell again.
"They probably think that as soon as the shell explodes, the whole area will rush into the bomb shelter." He knew that now in many apartments parties were ending, and even he himself had two invitations from friends girls. I knew that the first toast was raised to victory. She is not yet close, but already shines brightly in Moscow fireworks *.
"And now they get it ... This is not the last year."
A minute passed, then another, and suddenly the creak of oarlocks was heard. Pakhomov became alert, turned his head and stared into the darkness.
The boats were almost at the very mouth of the river, where it flowed into the bay, and if he heard the creak of oarlocks, it means that the boat is somewhere nearby, in the middle of the Nevka.
On the other side, in a single house, lived a team of military fishermen. They stopped fishing long ago, and it is unlikely that in such weather, in the dark, they could go somewhere by boat. There was no other boat nearby.
"It seemed to me, or what?"
Straining his ears, he stood motionless for a long time, but no more sounds were heard.
“So it seemed,” Pakhomov decided firmly.
An artillery exchange of fire began again, but this time in the direction of the Moscow region.
The shift has come.
“It's damp,” Pakhomov said, handing over the watch.
GREEN CHAINS
1. Mysterious murder
The front was approaching Leningrad.
Along the railroads, along the highway, forest paths and straight through the swamps, Leningraders returned home from defense work. Refugees were walking along with them. Having abandoned their homes, they left the enemy with whole families, with young children in their arms, with huge bundles. Exhausted and dusty, they walked with bowed heads to Leningrad, hoping to find protection and shelter there.
In the other direction, towards the Germans, the military units and detachments of the people's militia were moving.
Fascist planes now and then appeared in the air, dropping bombs on the roads and pouring lead on the crowds of refugees. Hearing the growing roar of aircraft, pedestrians dashed into the forest, lay down in the ditches. And again they went forward as soon as the planes were hidden.
Three young female students walked barefoot along a dusty country road. At the halt, they were joined by two elderly men with suitcases. One of them, a one-armed invalid of the Civil War, was of a cheerful character, talkative and helpful. The other, on the contrary, frowned all the way, thought about something with concentration and did not talk to anyone. Uncle Petya, as the one-armed man called himself, continually told funny stories and anecdotes, asking the girls about their life before the war, about their studies and about Leningrad. He made evil jokes after the German pilots, calling them "sausages", and, it seemed, did not pay any attention to the mood of his companion. And that one grew more and more gloomy, the closer they got to Leningrad.
In the evening, by forest paths, they passed Siverskaya and stopped to rest.
Come with me, - said the one-armed friend, noticing his angry look.
Without looking back or repeating the invitation, he plunged into the forest.
Gloomy leaned his suitcase against a tree and reluctantly followed after his comrade. Soon, the students heard their loud voices. They could not make out the words, and they did not particularly listen to someone else's dispute. The argument suddenly ended. Ten minutes later, the gloomy one came out of the forest alone and, taking his suitcase, invited the girls to move on.
And where is Uncle Petya? one of them asked.
He will catch up with us.
We went out onto the highway, but the one-armed man did not appear. The gloomy man silently walked first in front, then lagged behind a few steps, often looking around. Darkness came quickly. Behind on the horizon could be seen glowing fires and some kind of flashes. The rumble of cannon fire was muffled. At the turn, the gloomy man left the road and shouted to the girls who were leaving ahead:
Take your time ... I will now.
The girls did not attach importance to these words and continued to walk quickly on. Suddenly there was a desperate cry. The girls heard in the darkness some kind of fuss and a hoarse male voice:
Nastya! .. Help! .. Here! .. Nastya was the name of one of the students. She was older and more determined than her friends.
This is ours! - she said. - What? Come on, girls.
All three quickly ran in the opposite direction.
The gloomy man was still alive, but he could no longer speak. He choked on his blood. Nastya managed to make out only one word: "suitcase". The knife went into his chest up to the hilt, and before the girl could feel it, it was all over. Their gloomy companion died.
Frightened, confused, they stood over the corpse, not knowing what to do next. In recent days they have seen many terrible things. They had to quickly bandage the wounded many times, and some died in their arms, but there they knew the cause of death and saw the killers on the planes. The same murder was committed for some mysterious purpose, by an unknown person.
Suitcase! He said: "suitcase" - Nastya said in thought. - Girls, look for a suitcase.
The girls searched the asphalt and the roadside near the corpse in the dark, but they did not find the suitcase. There was no time to waste looking. They left the dead man on the road and went. After walking twenty steps from the crime scene, Nastya, walking from the side of the road, stumbled over something hard and hurt her finger. She bent down and made out the outline of a suitcase in the darkness. The girlfriends who had gone ahead stopped.
I stumbled over a stone, - said Nastya loudly and lifted her suitcase.
For some reason, she thought that it was better to keep silent about her find for now. There is some kind of mystery around the suitcase, and who knows, maybe the killer is watching and listening. hiding somewhere nearby.
In complete darkness, on the asphalt warmed up during the day, three friends walked in silence, all the while speeding up their steps. One said:
Maybe Uncle Petya was also killed?
Anything is possible, - said Nastya.
He also had the same suitcase.
You are silent ...
I'm afraid of something, girls ...
The suitcase was heavy, as if there were iron, He pulled his hand, and yet Nastya patiently carried it into the city.
... All this she, very much worried, told the major of state security, sitting in front of him in a leather chair.
The major, not yet an old man with gray temples, listened attentively to the girl's story and pondered. The suitcase brought by Nastya to Leningrad and received by him last night stood near the writing table.
So you haven't seen Uncle Petya again? the major asked.
No. I'm afraid he was killed too. The major did not seem to have heard this phrase.
The murdered man also called him Uncle Petya?
I don't remember ... No! He didn’t seem to name him. In general, the killed was a strange person. He was silent all the time. At first we thought he was dumb.
What did he look like?
Who! Killed?
I already know what the murdered man looked like. I'm interested in one-armed.
He was short ... shaved ... not young already ...
How old was he, in your opinion?
I think about forty ... well, forty-five. His hair was cut short ... Oh, yes! .. There are two golden teeth in his mouth ... That seems to be all.
How did he control his hand?
Very well. We just wondered how deftly he does everything with one hand.
What was he wearing?
The suit ... is blue and doesn't seem to be new. Can you really figure it out there? Everything is in dust ...
Have you noticed his watch?
Yes they were. He looked at them often.
The major opened his desk, took out a men's pocket watch, black with a gold rim, and, slightly raising himself in his chair, put it in front of the girl.
Such? the major asked with a smile.
This is what they are. Exactly the same ... This is them.
Didn't the murdered man have a watch?
It seems not ... But I don’t remember.
On the way, in conversations with each other, did they not name any addresses?
German Ivanovich Matveev
Tarantula
© Matveev G.I., heirs, 1957
© Kochergin N.M., heirs, drawings, 1957
© Tretyakov V. N., drawings on the cover, 2010
© Series design, foreword, notes. JSC "Publishing House" Children's Literature ", 2010
All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use without the written permission of the copyright holder.
© The electronic version of the book was prepared by Litres (www.litres.ru)
About the Tarantula trilogy
More than half a century has passed since the writing of GI Matveyev's stories "Green Chains" (1945), "Secret Fight" (1948) and "Tarantula" (1957), telling about Leningrad boys who participated in counterintelligence during the Great Patriotic War. The life of our country has changed a lot since then, but from the books of that time we can get to know our history better. The opportunity to see Leningrad besieged by the Nazis through the eyes of a person who survived the blockade, to feel pride in the unprecedented feat of Leningraders who defended their city - this is the main value of this trilogy.
The first story, Green Chains, is set in the fall of 1941. Around Leningrad, the blockade ring is shrinking. Fascist invaders are trying to break through the defenses and take the city. During artillery raids, green rockets suddenly soar into the Leningrad sky, with which enemy accomplices indicate targets for bombing - important objects of the city.
The main character, Misha Alekseev, found himself without parents in these difficult conditions - his father was at the front, his mother died during the shelling, and even with his little sister in her arms. Before him there is a severe need to somehow get money for food and clothing. Out of despair, he decides to steal and ends up in the police. The major of state security instructs Misha to gather a group of reliable guys in order to find the person launching the missiles. A team of five trusted friends manages to detain one of the missile men. His capture allows you to get on the trail of a gang of saboteurs. Gradually, one by one, the Chekists arrest all members of the "one-armed circle", seize a radio transmitter, weapons, ciphers, suitcases with missiles and time mines.
The second story, The Secret Fight, is set a year later - in the fall of 1942. The besieged Leningrad all the time is subjected to bombing and systematic shelling. The enemy continues to prepare to storm the city. But in addition to the external threat, there is also an internal one: a secret network of fascist spies and saboteurs operates in the city.
Misha Alekseev became a cabin boy on a large merchant ship, anchored in the city center since the beginning of the war. And here is the new assignment of the State Security Major Ivan Vasilyevich. In an abandoned house, they accidentally find a passport and a notebook with instructions for preparing for the storming of Leningrad, written in sympathetic ink that appears in the light. Misha and his friends are tasked with keeping track of who turns up for the finds.
This man leads the Chekists to a gang of thieves, who, in addition to stealing bread and ration cards, help the Nazis organize sabotage. Misha Alekseev is being introduced into this gang under the guise of a pickpocket. Everything is going according to plan, but Misha makes a mistake that is unacceptable for a counterintelligence officer, which almost leads to the disruption of the entire operation and the death of a teenager.
In the third book, which you are now holding in your hands, Misha is waiting for Ivan Vasilyevich's new dangerous task, connected with exposing the enemy's work of the same insidious and cruel Tarantula, who managed to escape at the end of the second story.
TARANTULA
1. "FISHERMAN"
In the cold air, mist was rushing through and through an overcoat, flannel * and vest it penetrated to the very body. The dampness made the laundry feel sticky. Darkness - gouge out your eyes! Small waves slapped listlessly below.
On the boat ahead, red embers of cigarettes loomed and laughter was heard. Someone from the team came out to get some air.
But here again in the direction of Peterhof cannons flapped dully, and shells rustled overhead. Red lightning flashed in the city, and a minute later the crackle of ruptures came. Now, in response, the batteries of Leningrad gasped dully and crumpled these sounds.
The enemies fired all night today. With long interruptions, confining themselves to three or three volleys, they persistently sent shells to different parts of the city. No matter how salty they had to, they did not want to be silent. Leningrad celebrated the twenty-sixth anniversary of the October Revolution *.
“How filthy the nature of the fascists is! As a holiday, they will certainly be disgraceful, ”thought Pakhomov, who was on watch, listening to the artillery duel.
He recalled how the Nazis celebrated their anniversary last year. The aircraft hummed over the city all night. In all areas, bright lanterns-rockets were hung on parachutes and bombs were dropped with impunity. Then he was not on watch, but spent most of the night on the deck of the boat. It seemed that after such a bombing, only ruins would remain from Leningrad ...
The shooting ended, and silence fell again.
"They probably think that as soon as the shell explodes, the whole area will rush into the bomb shelter." He knew that now in many apartments parties were ending, and even he himself had two invitations from friends girls. I knew that the first toast was raised to victory. She is not yet close, but already shines brightly in Moscow fireworks *.
"And now they get it ... This is not the last year."
A minute passed, then another, and suddenly the creak of oarlocks was heard. Pakhomov became alert, turned his head and stared into the darkness.
The boats were almost at the very mouth of the river, where it flowed into the bay, and if he heard the creak of oarlocks, it means that the boat is somewhere nearby, in the middle of the Nevka.
On the other side, in a single house, lived a team of military fishermen. They stopped fishing long ago, and it is unlikely that in such weather, in the dark, they could go somewhere by boat. There was no other boat nearby.
"It seemed to me, or what?"
Straining his ears, he stood motionless for a long time, but no more sounds were heard.
“So it seemed,” Pakhomov decided firmly.
An artillery exchange of fire began again, but this time in the direction of the Moscow region.
The shift has come.
“It's damp,” Pakhomov said, handing over the watch.
- Go dry.
- Listen, Sasha. Half an hour ago, it seemed like someone rowed on a boat. The oars creaked.
- On the boat? - Kiselev was surprised. - What are you? In such weather, go boating ... at night!
“I don’t understand myself. And only so clearly was heard.
- Maybe something on the boat?
- I do not know.
Pakhomov went down to the cockpit * and soon forgot about the incident, but when four hours later he replaced Kiselev, he remembered and asked:
- Well, did you hear the boat?
- What kind of boat is there! You imagined it.
Dawn began imperceptibly. The vague outlines of a machine gun in a cover, standing on the bow of the boat, appeared. The hull of a yacht pulled ashore turned white, and a gnarled tree with a broken top stood out more and more clearly against the gray sky.
Pakhomov looked at the opposite bank. It seemed to him that there, just below their boat, the boat was turning black.
Several minutes passed, and there were no more doubts. The boat was in one place, and a fisherman was sitting in it. Where did he come from and how did he get here at night? True, among amateur fishermen you can find people obsessed with their passion who fish regardless of the weather and season.
