Smalling looked at D and said, "Are you here to find Rostovsky?" Without waiting for us to answer, he continued, "Looks like he's still alive and alive, isn't he?" I often wonder if I had done if I hadn't killed that guy, maybe that guy would be curled up in a scruffy corner of a cell now. Of course, I won't end well. ”

"How did he plot against you?" I asked.

"What else could it be?" Smalling smiled bitterly, "I have two relatives who don't make people feel at ease. Unlike me, they are always full of unrealistic idealism and romanticism. My sister likes to socialize and make all kinds of friends, which makes her mind active, and then she comes into contact with some people who don't know the sky, which makes her change. I didn't pay attention at first, after all, I wasn't always at home. She became concerned about current affairs, she became anti-war, she opposed the invasion of Afghanistan, she sympathized with the enemy, and even wanted to influence Igor, my brother, for this. So much so that later, she was even somewhat anti-government. Speaking of this, Smalling smiled bitterly, "She doesn't understand what kind of country she is in." He said, gesturing at his head, "There's a problem here." It's not a bad thing to have ideals, but you should always protect yourself first and do what you can. It's a pity that she has neither the ability to realize her ideals, nor the ability to protect herself. The result was very simple, she was secretly arrested, imprisoned on some charges that were magnified ten times and a hundred times, and there was no time for trial. After saying that, he sighed and looked disappointed, and continued: "She is actually married to a Pole. Hehe. This shows that she has not admitted her mistake until now. ”

"And you quietly helped her?" D asked.

"Yes." Smalling nodded, "It's not the ordinary police who arrested her. She didn't even know who was targeting. ”

"What do you mean? What organization did she participate in or was recruited by foreign forces? D asked.

"Nope." Smalling shook his head, "Not soon, though." He laughed and said, "One of those people who have been in regular contact with her has become a peripheral member of the Yankees." This guy is like a pimp and is in charge of picking people who can develop. And my sister was unfortunate enough to be chosen. ”

"You rescued your sister through improper means, right?" I asked.

"That's right." "At first I didn't know, if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't see her when I got home and lost contact, I wouldn't know anything. But before I could look for it, someone found me. ”

"Your own people?" I asked.

"Yes. Own. Smalling laughed, "That bastard hasn't shown up yet. But now that I think about it, maybe I've stepped into a trap by this time. He sighed and continued: "The person who found me wants to investigate me, after all, such a person in the family must be implicated." Luckily, my sister hasn't had time to do anything specific, and I really don't know anything. But some things are not so simple, nothing has happened but for now. I first found Chebkina, and I gave him a hard lesson. At this, Smalling looked guilty, "Now that I think about it, I shouldn't have done that." In my cell, I was like a rough and abusive jailer... But at the time, I was really, really angry. What she did in that country at that time would not only kill herself, but also bring me and Igor to the end. I did it and slapped her hard. I remember it was winter, it was a little cold in the room, and she was curled up in a corner of the bed in the cell. I angrily dragged her off the bed and started scolding her as I moved my hand. Her face was quickly swollen and tall, and she still had my footprints on the dark sweater and skirt she was wearing. There was fear in her eyes, fear of me, as if for a moment she didn't know me. Crying out of disappointment, fear, helplessness. With that, he took off his glasses and wiped the tears from his eyes, "I'm angry, I've never been so angry. The USSR would not tolerate such people. Her fate would be miserable, the Yankee's periphery would probably be arrested, no one would survive the interrogation, and I could not let her and her family pin their fate on a traitor or some other agent and interrogator in charge of the matter. I had to save her. As he spoke, he put his glasses back on, "You can't sit still." So I became an interrogator, and I got information from my sister about what I wanted to know, that odious demagogue. Beating and scolding, cheating, and telling lies with a clear conscience, I never thought that I would one day treat my family like this, let alone my sister. I never dreamed of it. ”

"And then? You found the man and disposed of him? D asked.

"Yes. With the man and some of his friends. Smalling admitted: "I killed them all." Fortunately, I was quick to start, and just as I was burying them separately, the actual captor came to the door. At this he smiled, "For the first time, I am glad that my own people have failed to act. It was a strange feeling. He smiled again, "I remember when I was done, I went for a drink." I don't know if it's joy or guilt, but I just got drunk myself. When I woke up the next day, I started thinking about getting Chebukina out. As I led her away, I remember the look on the face of the guy in charge of capturing her. Hehe. There was anger, disappointment, helplessness, and unwillingness in that expression. Although I have felt this way, in fact, I am the same as him, almost a difficult brother. But at the time, I thought the man was very annoying, even hateful. Seeing that face I just want to punch him twice. ”

"You've been caught because of this?" I asked.

"That's not all." Smalling shook his head, "I have a brother who is also not reassuring." He smiled a little, apparently feeling much better about his brother, "He's just as idealistic, just as unrealistic, as stupid as Chebkina." But they went to two different extremes. This younger brother of mine joined the army and went to Afghanistan. You should all know this, but what you don't know is that the platoon he was in at first had been surrounded by people for a day and a night in a small valley, and when the rescue team arrived, there were only five or six people standing. He shook his head as he spoke, "A group of young people who only have no combat experience with only blood... If it weren't for unity, unity, luck and terrain advantages, they would have died long ago. ”

"And then you transferred him away?" I asked.

"Yes. It wasn't easy to do that at the time. After all, this kind of thing has a very bad impact, everyone does this, who will go to war? There is a strong effort within the military to prohibit such things, and although it still happens from time to time, it is becoming more and more difficult. But I don't want him to die in that damn place. ”