"I can't imagine that the gypsies, who have always been lucky, will be locked up in such a place one day." The man spoke.

I couldn't help but smile when I heard this, this man spoke Russian. And this tone... Who else could it be besides Berezov?

Before I could speak, Berezov stood up and motioned for the two men behind him to pull me up from the floor of the cell, a gesture that was about to take me out of here.

"Wait." I said as I looked at Ashraf, but the two guys didn't stop, it seemed like they were only going to take me away immediately, and as for the others, they didn't care.

I strained myself to my feet and shook off one of the two men who were holding me, "I said wait. ”

Berezov stopped and said, "What's wrong?" What are you waiting for? Didn't get enough sleep here? ”

I pointed to Ashraf and Sadat who were back in the dark, "Take them with you." They are my people and must follow me. ”

Berezov turned on the flashlight again and turned back to shine on these people, "They? Your people? Have you raised your own guerrilla force in Afghanistan in the past month? You're pretty good at pulling teams. ”

I looked at Ashraf and said, "What are you doing?" Get out of here with me. ”

Ashraf immediately spoke to Sadat and the others, and Sadat and his son immediately picked up the guide and walked to my side together.

"Let's go, partisans, then. Luckily, it was a truck. Berezov turned off the flashlight again. Motioned for us to continue.

A few of us walked out of the cell together, and I looked back at Berezov and them, and standing next to him was the guy who looked like an Indian. He looked at me, walked over to me, said a word, and after saying that, he nodded to Berezov and left.

I looked at Ashraf and said, "What did he just say?" “

"He said he knew where you were. He said he had met a lot of people from your homeland, that you were not Kazakh. Ashraf said, looking at me.

A few of us followed Berezov into the truck, which took us all the way away. Sadat, his son, and the guide, they all seemed very happy, because apparently I had broken my promise, and I took them with me, and a new life awaited them.

I looked at Berezov, who was sitting in the carriage with me, "Is there any smoke?" ”

Berezov sat up straight and took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and threw it to me as if he had gotten into the car, and then leaned back into the truck bed to get ready for sleep.

I gave one to Sadat's father and son and the guide, and after taking turns to light it, I smoked it. Ashraf looked at me and said, "Why don't you give me one?" “

I took a hard puff of my cigarette, and when I exhaled the smoke, probably because I hadn't smoked in a while, I was dizzy at the moment.

I looked at Ashraf and said, "Do you smoke?" “

Ashraf shook his head and said, "I won't." I didn't smoke it again. “

I nodded, in fact, anyone could tell that Ashraf was a well-educated little fellow, and it is conceivable that his father, Ahmet, put a lot of effort into him.

"It won't be the best. Smoking is nothing good. After I finished speaking, I looked at Berezov and whispered: "Have you explained your problem clearly?" Comrade Berezov. “

Berezov moved his body, apparently he heard my question, but he didn't want to pay attention to me, he continued to maintain his posture and fake sleep there with his eyes closed.

"Hey. Comrade Berezov, I am talking to you on behalf of the organization, and I hope you will correct your attitude. Give positive cooperation. I feigned seriousness.

Berezov turned his head impatiently to me and took the cigarette and lighter he had just given me, "I don't want you to say that now, comrade partisan. ”

"Okay. So where do we go now? What happened to the others? I asked.

"Peshawar. Does Peshawar know? As for your people, the gang of partisans consisting of Chechens and Arabs and Serbs? They had already completed their mission and left Afghanistan. But your team doesn't seem to be united. Berezov said.

"Disunity? What do you mean? I asked curiously.

Berezov smiled, lit a cigarette himself, took a puff, and said: "Younis, after receiving them, asked them where you were. And then the Arabs said you are dead, and they saw it with their own eyes. Including the Afghan who said so, called... ”

"Qasim?" I asked.

"Yes. It's called that name. But the Serbs and Salim denied it, they said that you and the guide were just broken up. They didn't see your body and refused to admit that you had been beaten to death. This bothered Younis a lot, and for this, the two gangs quarreled, and the quarrel was very strong. Berezov took a puff of his cigarette and looked at me, "What the hell happened to you?" He didn't die, and he gathered so many people? Seriously, when I found out what had happened, I thought you were definitely finished, and even if you weren't, you would probably be a captive. “

"Hey... I let out a long sigh, "It's a long story... I almost died anyway. These days were like a long nightmare for me, even more terrifying than when I was in Chechnya. I said and pointed to Achraf, "If it weren't for his father, I'd be doomed." “

Berezov looked at Ashraf beside me and nodded as if he understood. I continued, "So how did the old guy decide in the end? How did you find here? “

"You can see me, of course, because Younis decided to keep looking for you. He approached your partisans and asked them carefully and repeatedly. Then he mobilizes men to enter Pakistan and asks for news of you among the various powers. Berezov said and looked at me, "Including in the Yankee prisoner of war camps." And the people of TLB. But I didn't find anyone who matched your physical characteristics. Then Younis thought that if you were still alive, you would definitely find your way to Pakistan in the mountains. Judging by the area where you were scattered at the time, you would probably be crossing the border near Balleginar, and he thought that you were very unlikely to go far, after all, you would have to take a lot of risks wherever you went, and he said that you would not be stupid enough to travel long distances, so he was sure of his own judgment. In hindsight, Younis was undoubtedly right, and very accurate. “

"Then how did you find me, do you have eyeliner here?" I asked.

"Of course. Since it's all around here, do we still expect you to take the initiative to contact us yourself? Berezov asked rhetorically.

I nodded, "yes." I'm just going to get in touch. I was arrested outside a telephone office or a post office. ”

"Huh. That's why we often say you're in luck. After we caught you today, the Pakistani who took us into the cell was one of the people that Younis had entrusted to help find someone through his connections. Berezov said with a smile, "He contacted us when he saw you. ”