Mysterious Stranger

It was a harsh winter, and it was getting late in the day. A young man named Valentin Shirokov was walking towards the homicide department in Gelendzhik, hoping to get there as soon as possible, as he was freezing cold. He opened the door of the building and entered, showing his pass, which he already had, as it was his first day at the department. Since he had a pass, he was allowed to enter. Soon, he found himself in a bustling common area. The newcomer silently looked around, trying to understand what was happening around him. Suddenly, everyone’s attention was drawn to him. — Oh, hello, boy. Who are you here to see? — Biryukov was the first to speak, slightly mocking the “boy.” — I’m here for a job, — Valentin replied uncertainly, rubbing his elbow. — Where are you going? Did you get the address wrong? — Igor continued to tease the newcomer. However, this was a common occurrence with all new employees. — Actually, I don’t think I did, — Valentin tried to maintain a more confident demeanor, despite the attack. — What’s this green salad here for? — Yurkov, the department’s most obnoxious member, interjected. — That’s not very polite, — Shirokov said, frowning at the “warm” greeting. — Where is Colonel Mishin? — He’s sitting in his office, wasting his time. Why? — Yurkov’s response was still rude and defiant. — Yurkov! — Colonel Mishin’s angry tone echoed through the room. — Oh, I’m sorry, Colonel! — Go away, useless worm! — Mishin snorted, then approached the newcomer. — Valentin, right? — Yes, that’s me. Valentin Sergeevich Shirokov. — Great. Let’s go to my office, — Mishin said, gesturing for Valentin to follow him. — We’ll deal with your paperwork first, and then you can help the others decorate the department for the New Year. — Decorate the department? Sure, no problem, — Valentin agreed, following the colonel to his office. They spent about twenty minutes going through the paperwork, and then Valentin left the office with Mishin, and they headed back to the main room. Meanwhile, Marat, our forensic expert, arrived at the department without his jacket and entered the building. He was definitely cold, but he was also cool. — Comrade Colonel, is this salad really going to work for us? — Igor persisted, pointing at Valya. Valya frowned slightly and crossed his arms over his chest. — Quiet! — the colonel barked, then turned his attention to Marat, who had just entered the room? — Oh, Marat, there you are. We have a new recruit. I’ve already assigned him to us, and he’ll be a lieutenant. Well, get to know your new colleague, and then report back to me. I have a lot of work to do — A green lieutenant, — Yurkov chuckled. Marat silently stared at Valya, scrutinizing him from head to toe with a skeptical expression. He then chuckled softly and crossed his arms over his chest. Valya looked at the colonel with a stern gaze. — Everyone’s so “friendly”, aren’t they? — Yes, they are. Well, they always are at first, but then… — Then the newcomers either pass the test of life or get kicked out, just like the others who can’t handle the pressure, — Marat said grimly, casting another skeptical glance at Valya, — Well, let’s just say that he has a small chance, but he does. — Small chance? I’ll prove it’s not, — Shirokov chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. The colonel left the room. — Poor kid, they’re going to give him a hard time, — Igor said, shaking his head. — Good luck, — Marat said as he walked to his desk and sat down. Valya followed him with his eyes, unaware of it. Suddenly, Abashev appeared from the archives. — Hey, I was here too, and I didn’t miss anything! — Listen, you. Stop talking, take the Christmas decorations and go ahead decorate our department! — Yurkov commanded. — What are you looking at? Have you forgotten that I’m the oldest of you all in rank? Except for the colonel, of course. Well, that’s great, go ahead and decorate, and I’m going to go have a smoke. — With that, Yurkov left the department. Igor angrily spat to the side and slammed his desk. — Bubububu! How annoying this damn worm is! Valentin looked around and decided to start introducing himself. He cleared his throat and stepped out into the center of the room. — So… Hello everyone. I’m Valentin. I’m new here. I’m a lieutenant. — Green, hehehe, — Biryukov chuckled sarcastically. Valya rolled his eyes and shook his head. — Please don’t be sarcastic. — I’m not being sarcastic. You’re really green, and your shirt is green. You’re young and don’t know anything. You haven’t experienced life yet! Marat, who had been on his phone the entire time, decided to pay attention to this conversation. — I can still learn. I’m a beginner, and it makes sense, — Valentin continued. — Yeah? Well, go ahead and decorate it. The road is young, and my back hurts, hehehe~ — Um, okay? No problem, — Shirokov shrugged and bent down to the box of decorations. At that moment, Yurkov appeared and noticed it. — Hey! Get your paws off! You’ll break something else! — What? But I haven’t done anything yet. — Well, don’t do anything! — Yurkov said in an authoritative tone, poking Valya in the chest and pushing him away from the box of decorations. — We can handle it on our own. We don’t need to spend money on the damage you’ve caused. — But I… — Shut up, rookie! You haven’t lived yet, so don’t bark at me, you little puppy. We’re all elders here, and it’s a sin to disobey your superiors. — Yurkov, shut your mouth, — Khaidarov said calmly, looking at the lieutenant colonel. — All you do is bark at the newcomers, never giving them a chance. You’re getting on my nerves. Valentin looked at Marat, as if searching for hope to escape this asshole. However, Yurkov brought him back to reality by grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. — Don’t even look at him. Don’t try to impress him. It won’t work. Khaidarik (Marat) is not very sociable. — Well, I see that everyone here is not very sociable, — Valya said, taking a few steps away from him and frowning. — Well, yeah. We’re not your old department where you got kicked out. It’s different here. This is life, baby, so get used to it. No one’s going to lick your ass. It’s every man for himself here! Shirokov backed up, bumping into the wall, and continued to frown as he listened to the lieutenant colonel, realizing that he had no advantage over him. — Oh, what’s the matter? You’re used to a friendly team, aren’t you? Well, here, you’ll only get a beating for your mistakes and get kicked out. So don’t get cocky, sit your ass down and watch how the grown-ups work, little boy in short pants. Valentin barely contained his anger and frustration. He simply sat down in silence, trying to avoid interfering with anyone. — We’re friendly, but only without you. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, — Marat retorted, unable to hold back his sarcasm. — Okay, I’ve had enough. Sanich (Abashev), continue decorating without me, I’m going to get some air, — Igor said, irritated, and left the department. The office was in a state of chaos. Valentin sat silently, observing the others as they moved around, carrying things and decorating. Sanich tripped over multiple times. — Damn it, Val, can you remove that damned carpet at the entrance? It’s a nuisance. — Ah? Yes, I’ll remove it, — Valentin replied, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by Yurkov. — But first, take the documents to the archives. — Okay, — Valentin said, and silently left for the archives. Marat also moved around, including stepping on the ill-fated carpet that had been promised to be removed, but he promptly fell. By this time, Valentin had returned, witnessing the scene, and covered his mouth with his hands, realizing that he had made a mistake on his first day. — Just remove that damned carpet! — exclaimed Biryukov, who had followed Marat and fallen, dropping a box of jewelry. Yurkov, on the other hand, laughed like a hyena at the situation. — Oh, Valentin, why didn’t you remove the carpet? You were asked to do it! It was your first assignment! Ha-ha-ha! — Yurkov was mocking him. He was openly mocking him. Shirokov tried to help Marat get up, but he refused, standing on his own, but ended up limping on one leg. Valya had never felt so bad in his life. Igor also stood up on his own, refusing any assistance. — I’m sorry! I thought I’d be back from the archive quickly, but… — Valya tried to justify himself, but it seemed like no one was willing to listen to him. — It’s clear that you’re a fool! You were given the simplest task, and you couldn’t even handle it! It’s a shame! — I’m sorry… — Valya finally rolled up the carpet and picked it up, — Where should I put it? — Away from here, preferably! — Oh, poor Marik. It looks like he broke his leg, — Yurkov said with feigned sympathy, shaking his head. Marat looked at him in silence, frowning, and then responded in his own way. — If I really broke my leg, I wouldn’t be able to stand on my own. Smart guy, — Khaidarov scoffed at Yurkov, limping back to his seat and sighing heavily. Valentin, meanwhile, left the room, taking the carpet with him. — Oh, well, yeah, it’s quite possible, — Yurkov said, — Well, I’m glad you didn’t break anything, old man. After a while, Valentin returned to the room. — I’ve removed the carpet… — Get out of my sight, you fool! — Biryukov shouted, standing next to Marat, — You’re the reason Marik’s limping now! — Stop arguing, — Marat said with a heavy sigh, shaking his head, — I’m not dead, after all… After that, Shirokov decided to leave the room temporarily, away from the angry employees. — Damn, guys, well, let’s not swear like that anyway, he’s new. Well, we all messed up when we were newbies, but really. Just to remember my joints when I first came, that’s wow! — Abashev stood up for the newcomer, realizing how he felt, because he himself knew what it meant to be a beginner who was being bullied from the first day. — Sanych, he didn’t fulfill a simple request, and that’s how it turned out! — Biryukov continued to bend his line, — And it could have ended even worse, you know yourself that Marik is not in the best health! — Well, it was Yurkov who cruelly framed Valya with this carpet, wake up! He put folders in his hands and said go take it! He physically couldn’t manage to do two things at the same time! — So what? The first thing he was asked to do was remove the damn carpet! What he didn’t do! — Mmm, shit, — Yurkov said softly to himself, sitting in his seat and sipping his coffee. — Have you seen this mountain of folders? Valya would not have been able to physically decompose them quickly. And put it down too! — In any case, Marat is limping now. He doesn’t have enough suffering in his life, does he? — Biryukov sighed softly, — And then there’s this rookie… Ravil (Marat’s father and the mayor of the city) finds out — he’ll rip Valentine's head off. — Oh, poor, poor Marat. Suffers being richer than Scrooge McDuck, right? You earn more than all of us here, a forensic expert… — Yurkov quipped. At that moment, Khaidarov turned his stern gaze on him. — Shut your stinking mouth, Yurkov! — Igor growled, slamming the table, — And it’s disgusting here without you! Meanwhile, Sanych turned his attention to Valya, who was standing in the aisle, but so that he was almost invisible. He approached the newcomer and led him away from the common room, into the corridor. — Listen, I saw everything. Yes, it happened, but it was an accident. I don’t blame you, Val. — Yes, but… — Valentin lost all confidence in himself after everything that happened, — The person got hurt anyway and it’s my fault. I had to get the carpet off the doorstep first.… And I… listened to this idiot.… — Listen, just when Marik is alone, come and apologize. He doesn’t hold grudges, okay? — Yes, it’s good… But it’s scary to approach him, he has such a stern look.… — Oh, pfft, he just looks harsh, — Abashev grinned, waving his hand, — In fact, he’s cute. — Yeah…? — Yeah. Just listen to your superiors and you won’t have any problems. And I’m not talking about Yurkov right now, he’s a jerk. — Good. Thank you, San Sanych — Well, that’s great, that’s how the problems were solved. Let’s go back, — Sanych went back to the common room, where they continued to decorate. Valya was still standing on the sidelines and watching, since he was initially not allowed near the decorations, and he was not going to take the initiative himself, for fear of making things worse. It was time for everyone to go home, and Marat was always the last to leave. Valya waited for his time and quietly approached him, intending to apologize. Khaidarov, sensing someone else’s presence behind him, turned around, looking at the newcomer. — Marat Ravilevich, please forgive me for what happened.… I understand that my apologies will not cure your leg, but I understand that I will be an absolute boor if I do not apologize to you and… — It’s okay, Valentine, I’m not mad. — Good… Then see you tomorrow, right? — said Valya, getting ready to leave, and immediately he touched something with his hand and it fell off Marat’s table, — Oh… I’m sorry.… I’ll go, yes — He quickly picked up the fallen object, returning it to the table and backed closer to the exit, feeling awkward in front of Khaidarov. On his way out, he managed to crash into the door, and only then left the room. Marat just raised an eyebrow, watching him and chuckled softly, shaking his head, continuing to pack. On the way home, Shirokov decided to go to the nearest store. And he did not suspect at all that Marat would go to the same store. The young lieutenant himself walked around the store and looked for at least something for himself to eat, at least for dinner and breakfast. He was looking for something he had enough money for. Meanwhile, Marat could afford almost everything, being a really rich man, since forensic experts and pathologists really earned much more in the morgue than any police department. Their work was incredibly valuable, it’s not easy for you to pick through corpses. This is a very expensive job. And such ties with his father, the mayor of Gelendzhik, have nothing to do with it at all. Marat almost never used his high-level connections and preferred to solve everything himself. But if the situation was dangerous or very difficult, then the father’s help and connections could be very useful. But back to the store. Marat bought expensive high-quality products, Christmas decorations, and all sorts of New Year’s stuff for himself, because he adored the New Year. The two hadn’t noticed each other yet. But suddenly Valentine finally noticed him and glanced at what he had put in his cart. — “Damn it, how expensive is all this… I can only decorate the Christmas tree for the new year with these cheap noodles…” — Shirokov was mentally amazed, holding in his hands some cheap fast food, which he ate almost all the time. Otherwise, Valya knew that it would be enough for him for dinner and breakfast, plus a few cheap products at a discount. Plus, there was just enough money for that, so he went to the cashier. At the same moment, Khaidarov was walking towards the same cash register and noticed him. At that moment, Valya was staring at something, but he didn’t take it and went straight to the checkout. Marat went to this very place, calculated what Valentin was looking at, took it and went to the cash register, where Shirokov was standing in front of him. — You don’t have enough money for sausages, — the cashier said nastily, putting the sausages aside. — I understand, today there are no sausages, — Valentin said with a dejected sigh, — “Rejoice, Shirokov, you could work like this at the checkout…” — Galya! We have a cancellation! — “And yell: “Galya, we have a cancellation,” — Valya was still mentally saying, crossing his arms over his chest and watching as a certain Galya walked towards the cash register, — “Well, it’s better this way than nothing at all…” — That’ll be one thousand one hundred and forty-five rubles. — Wh… How much?! But I took it at a discount, there shouldn’t be such an amount.… — Sorry, outdated information. The discounts passed a day ago As a result, Valya took only one noodle from all the products. — Cancel the rest… — Galya!!! — No need. There will be a card payment, — Marat suddenly intervened, holding out his card. Valya stared at him in amazement, — Well, what are you looking at? Go ahead and wait there. — Oh… Yeah… — Shirokov walked to the end of the cash register, looking dumbfounded in the direction of Khaidarov. — Why were you yelling here, Larisa? — The same Galya has finally arrived, — What should be canceled? — It’s not necessary anymore, Galya, our cancellation has been canceled. — That’s a fie on you, Why are you making me walk back and forth, wasting my time?… Meanwhile, Marat paid for Valentine’s purchases, beckoning him to pick up his own, after which he returned to his own. Valya quickly began to pack his purchases in an old bag that he always carried with him, and suddenly froze in a stupor when he heard… — That’ll be five thousand. — By bank card, — Khaidarov said calmly, presenting the card. — HOW MUCH? — Valentin couldn’t stand it, choking on air. He had never bought anything for such a sum in his life, especially groceries. Khaidarov looked at him calmly, paid for his purchases and began to pack them into bags. — This is the norm for me, Valentin. — Marat Ravilevich… Thank you very much, I… — Valentin quickly scribbled something in his notebook, — I will definitely repay you, I swear, as soon as I can earn at least that much.… — No need, Val. You don’t have to do that. It wasn’t difficult for me to help. — At least let me help you carry the product packaging.… — I’ll do it myself, thank you. — I’m still to blame for you, Marat Ravilevich.… — Valentine, for God’s sake, calm down. I told you: I can handle it on my own. I have a car nearby, do you think I’m weak and can’t carry the packages? — No, no, not at all! I really just wanted to help.… — Valentin, it’s okay, please calm down. Go home. —Yeah… okay. Thank you again. — You’re welcome, — Marat loaded the packages into his car, then got behind the wheel, starting it. Meanwhile, there was only a nasty nasty voice in Valetin’s head: “You’re pathetic. You couldn’t even pay for yourself. Look at yourself and look at him. Don’t even try to impress him in any way.” Shirokov shook his head, put his package in the car and got behind the wheel. He sat for a while, thinking about the situation, and watched as Marat’s car left the parking lot, driving along the road towards the elite area, after which he drove himself in a completely different direction. Almost to the slums.

***

Soon Shirokov arrived at his apartment. The house itself might look good, but the apartment he rented was in a state of disrepair, well, there was enough money for that, as they say. The neighborhood wasn’t the best, to put it mildly, but it was better than nothing. When Valya got home, the first thing he decided to do was heat up his dinner in the microwave, when suddenly the wiring gave a severe malfunction, because the equipment was very old in his apartment, and the electricity went out in the whole house. — Fuck… — Valya swore softly, — I knew this shit wouldn’t last long… — Fuck! Fucking shit! The laptop is burnt out! — The indignant voice of a neighbor was heard from the side. Yes, the audibility was like in a cardboard box in this house, almost all floors could be heard, especially in the complete silence, which just happened to be — Damn it, there were important files! Show me that fucker who caused all the wiring in the house to die! — Yes, it’s still the same! — Another neighbor 's voice was heard Valya sighed resignedly and collapsed flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The more outraged screams there were, the more he wanted to disappear somewhere. He had already covered his face with a pillow out of desperation. Morning came. Valentin got up, put himself in order, somehow had breakfast and quietly left the apartment. Suddenly, he noticed neighbors standing on the stairs, among whom was Muzychenko, who was most outraged by the lack of electricity. — “This is a twist…” — Valya said to himself, staring at Yura in surprise, but without giving any sign of his presence, — “So, he wants to strangle me…? Well, I got it… The question is, what did he himself forget in these slums…” — Is this electricity even fixable? — Muzychenko asked indignantly, tapping his foot irritably. — Yes, it’s being repaired. It’s true that all the wiring will have to be changed, — Said the electrician, digging into the wires somewhere above in the dashboard, — Say thank you, sarcastically, to those people who use old appliances and these people are greedy for money to buy new appliances, which is why the electricity in the whole house suffers. That’s the problem. — I’m going to fucking throw the fucker who caused this to happen down the stairs, damn it! — Muzychenko growled, getting very annoyed, — And I’ll shove that old technique he uses up his ass! Everything in his apartment! Valentin, upon hearing these threats, quickly retreated from the apartment, quickly going down in the elevator to the first floor and leaving the house, quickly got into the car and drove away towards the department. It turned out that he arrived at the same time with Marat. They both entered the department and immediately Yurkov rushed at Valya, pinning him to the wall. — Shirokov, I’m going to kill you, you piece of an idiot! Where did you put the fucking folders yesterday?! Did I tell you where to put them?! — Good morning to you, — Biryukov said after entering the department and looking at this scene, walking to his seat. — They’re lying under your nose, — Marat chuckled, taking a sip of his energy drink. Well, he had a bad habit of drinking energy drinks. — You don’t know, don’t get smart, Khaidarov! These are for November! And those were for October! And the part for December! You idiot, Shirokov! Fuck looking for them now! — Yurkov roughly threw Valya by the scruff of the neck in the direction of the archive, who almost fell, trying to stay on his feet. — Under the folders with the inscription November, look, you blind mole, I can see from here, — Marat snorted, pointing towards the folders, — They are lying here. And I brought them back yesterday. Put Valentine back in his place, you bastard. — Okay, thanks, — Yurkov snorted, — What? He’ll come back on his own, not a little one! — Yurkov. — Okay. Shirokov, get the fuck back! Valentin came back in silence, his eye twitched slightly on a nerve, and his nerves were about to give out, but he held on. — Bring the folders for September — I brought them, — Marat said — And I accidentally took them back, — Igor said guiltily, — Oh… — You’re… you’re…. You can… — Valentin was beginning to boil with anger, it was visible to the naked eye. As a result, he left the room so as not to snap at anyone, so that there would be no problems. Abashev followed him. As a result, they both came to the same archive. Valya took the same folders for September there. — Don’t get involved, Valentin, just do what you’re told if you don’t want any problems… — Shirokov mentally reassured himself. He turned to Abashev and gave him some of the folders, and there were quite a few of them. They went back to the common room. Marat, meanwhile, unnoticed by the others, drank some of his pills. Yurkov, meanwhile, couldn’t stand for a second not to troll the newcomer. — Oh, Valentin, don’t trip, you’re our handyman! In response, Shirokov irritably threw his stack of folders on his desk, after which he glared at Yurkov, clenching his fists. — You mess with me here, puppy! The teeth haven’t grown yet! Don’t get in the way! — Why are you fucking hitting on him at all? He didn’t do anything wrong, — Abashev stood up for Shirokov, standing next to him, — Have you forgotten that you were kicked out of Moscow as many as four times? What a shame, but we remember all your trials! — Why are you protecting him at all, Abashev? In my opinion, he showed from the very first day what a sucker he is. Shirokov couldn’t stand it and finally spoke up, slamming on the lieutenant colonel’s desk. — Oh, yes! I’m such a piece of shit! I ruined the neighbors' lives! I’ve ruined my impression of myself! Great, what else can I say?! — Ooo… a sucker, — Yurkov grinned, crossing his arms over his chest, — A sucker on all counts. — It’s like you’re not a sucker. May I remind you of how you misidentified the suspect? And then the whole department fucked with this case for a month, only then realizing that we were all like fucking suckers because of you, Yurkov! — Sanych continued to put pressure on the arrogant Yurkov. — And what? Everyone makes mistakes, — the lieutenant colonel chuckled, rolling his eyes. — And you blamed it all on Marat, not knowing who he was yet! — Should I remind you how many times you framed Marat? — Yurkov also started attacking back. — But unlike you, I still showed him respect! Valentine didn’t want to know about anyone or anything anymore. He was buried in his work computer, studying the documents and files located there. — At least I don’t live in a homeless shelter, Abashev. You know what I mean~ — Grr… — Sanych growled irritably, but mentally spat on him and called Igor over to him, — Listen, this guy is really not bad, well… he messes up, but we all messed up.… And we just ran into him on the very first day.… — I do not know, Sasha, I can not say anything yet. Let’s see how he shows himself next, — Biryukov said. — And I live in a nice house in which the walls are not covered with old newspapers, Abashev! — Yurkov still wouldn’t let up, because Sanych began to ignore him. Valentin, who was already sitting irritated, broke down again and got up from the table, looking at Yurkov. — SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY! — Ooooh! — Abashev admired, — He showed his teeth! There’s this Yurkov! — What did you say, you cheeky puppy?! — Yurkov grinned, turning towards Valentin. — What did you hear! — Shirokov barked. Abashev encouraged, — You set me up on the very first day! — Don’t be rude to your superior officer, brat! Otherwise, you will immediately go to write a report on dismissal! — Oh, please, — Shirokov snorted, — if I fail the first case, I’ll write a report. — Agreed. I’m preparing a piece of paper for you — Wipe yourself with it, you fucking bastard… — It looks like this Yurkov drove the kid… — Biryukov said quietly. Khaidarov did not like swearing, so he silently left the room. — He’s just a little boor. The psyche is weak. And if he’s also afraid of corpses, he can get out of here right away. We don’t need weaklings here. — Oooh… — Igor followed Marat out, finding him standing against the wall in the corridor with his head down, — Marat, what’s the matter with you? They’ve already finished fighting, really. — That’s not why I’m here… it’s too stuffy in there… — I understand. There’s also this nerd, Yurkov, whatever his name is. By the way, have you heard from Ravil yet? — He promised to come tomorrow. — To you or to the department? — Well, let’s say… To me and to department. — I see, — Biryukov nodded, and then looked at Marat’s leg, which he could not fully step on because of the pain, — Yeah, the new guy is finished.… — Why is that? — Well, it’s your leg. Ravil, if he finds out, uh… it won’t be good for anyone.… — What makes you think that?… — Remember what he did to the last newbie, who dropped a whole stack of heavy folders on your foot last time. It is still unknown whether he is alive or not.… — Listen, don’t worry about that, — Khaidarov assured him, speaking in a calm tone, — Especially since Yurkov is mostly to blame, not Shirokov. Did you see how he gave him these folders? He didn’t even give it to him, but threw it into his hands. And they weigh a lot. Moreover, my father will believe me, not Yurkov. — Well, that’s right. You’re right, Marik. — Okay, Igor, I’ll be right back… — Marat headed towards the toilet — Marik? Are you feeling very ill? — Well, so-so… lousy… — Khaidarov went to the toilet, — Tell the others that I’ll be back soon.… — Okay, Marat, whatever you say… — Biryukov said worriedly, after which he returned to the common room, — Guys, Marik is not well there, but he said he would be soon.… — What’s wrong, did he shit himself or something? — Yurkov quipped, as usual. — Fie on you! — Is he ill? — Valentin asked, coming closer to Biryukov, — And what are the symptoms? — He didn’t say, but I’m guessing he’s throwing up again… — It’s possible it’s poisoning, — Shirokov assured, thinking, and then left the common room. — My God, go hold his ass on the toilet there, Shirokov! — Yurkov was sarcastic again Valentin ignored Yurkov’s sarcastic words and headed towards the toilet where Khaidarov was. He went into the bathroom and saw Marat standing over the sink, breathing through his slightly open mouth, the water in the faucet was on. — Marat Ravilevich? How are you? — Valentine asked, coming a little closer to him, — How badly are you feeling? Are you feeling sick? — It’s okay… — Marat straightened up as much as his condition allowed and turned off the water. — Marik, don’t lie! — Igor, who came with Valya, intervened, — Something is obviously wrong! — The type of nausea can be different: there may be undigested foods in the contents of the stomach. Vomiting of bile or bile with foam. If it’s with foam, it’s possible that it’s poisoning with chemicals or something else, maybe even poison, — Valentin began to speculate on what could be causing the nausea and even try to determine its type. — No, but… so far everything is fine… — Marat said again, coming out of the toilet. — So, it’s food poisoning, — Shirokov suggested. — Marat, are you sure everything is fine…? — I… I haven’t eaten, — Khaidarov said softly, hugging his shoulders. — So this is also a possible reaction of the body, because the food has not entered the stomach, — Valentin said again. — AGAIN? — Biryukov was indignant, — Marat, we’ve already talked about this! And your father told you! When he arrives, I’ll tell him.… — I know… I know… I just didn’t have the time. You’ll call me in the evening and make sure I’ve eaten.… — So I’ll call you! — Is… who coming…? — Asked Shirokov — Do you even know who his father is? — Biryukov looked at Valya. — Eh… — His father is the mayor of the city. Did you get it? — And he… — He’ll be here tomorrow. — I’m not sure if I’ll live to see tomorrow at all, my neighbor threatened to kill me.… — Wow, what did you do? — I burned the wiring in the whole house… — Yeah, well, you’re a poor bastard, by God… — Biryukov shook his head. Marat listened to them in silence and looked at Valentin, hugging his shoulders, which Shirokov noticed. — Are you cold? Can I give you my jacket? — The young lieutenant asked — It’s a closed pose, — Biryukov replied. — No, thanks, — Khaidarov said, shaking his head. — Okay, I get it, — Valentine stepped back. Soon, the three of them returned to the common room. Marat entered the room and walked to his seat, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, then looked at the infuriating Yurkov, who so far had no substitute even, so everyone tolerated him. — Don’t look at that idiot, Marik. You’ve probably already had a reaction to him, — Biryukov said, helping Marik sit down — You’re making us puke, Yurkov! — Yeah, — Marat agreed, realizing that it was quite possible. As soon as Valya was about to sit down in his seat, Yurkov immediately turned on again to the fullest. — Shirokov, take the documents, — He immediately threw another stack of some documents on the table to Valya. Shirokov silently took these documents, and then threw them at Yurkov, after which he exasperatedly left the room. — What the fuck are you doing?! — I’m not going to sit in this scandal… — Marat also left the room. — I order you to sit still! You have the documents on your desk! How gentle we are! — And then what? I don’t have my documents here, smartass, — Marat snorted, and then watched as Shirokov returned, slamming Yurkov into the wall. — Get off Marat Ravilevich already! — Oh, it’s clear! You’re just one of his ass-licks, aren’t you? I don’t give a fuck. There are thirty pages. Go fill out the paperwork, Khaidarov. — I’ll fill it out myself instead! — No, he’ll do it himself, otherwise there’s too much… HAGH! — In the end, Yurkov coughed as Shirokov grabbed him by the throat in a fit of rage. At that moment Mishin came in. — Okay, Shirokov. You haven’t seen the morgue yet. That’s why you’re Khaidarov, you’re going to the morgue with Valentin, you’re going to show him everything there is in the morgue. — Yes, Pavel Andreevich, — Marat said calmly. — You’re going to need a morgue soon, you damn puppy, — Yurkov quipped, holding his throat, since he had already been released (and disgraced) by the time his superiors appeared. Meanwhile, Marat left the department and this time got on a motorbike instead of a car. Despite the fact that it was winter, he could sometimes afford to ride a motorbike, depending on the weather. There had been more or less snow, and today he was lucky, there was less snow. He rode a motorbike to the morgue, which was not too far from the department. Valentin, having found out the exact address, got into his car and drove towards the morgue.

***

— My office is here, — Marat said, showing Valentin everything that was in the morgue, showing everything that was there along the way, — There’s the main laboratory on the left, an office on the right, and a toilet a little further down the corridor. — Okay, I get it, — Valentine nodded, looking around. However, Shirokov’s clumsiness played tricks on him again. He somehow stumbled in Marat’s office and began to fall, and in order to prevent a fall, he grabbed a small shelf on which there was something. However, this did not help, and he still fell to the floor with a crash, thereby also breaking the shelf. Poor bastard, by God. Marat, who was standing by the window, silently turned around, seeing all this mayhem and a panicking Valentine, who was quickly trying to collect everything that had fallen from this shelf. — I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’ll fix it, really! Sorry! I didn’t want to cause any trouble! — You’re so clumsy, — Marat sighed softly and began to pick up everything that had fallen himself. I threw away what was no longer needed. — I’ll fix it, really… I’ll buy a new shelf.… — No need, Valentine. — I’m sorry… I’ll probably go out of harm’s way before I break something else…— Shirokov went to leave his office. — I didn’t send you away, but if you want to go, that’s fine… — Excuse me… — Meanwhile, Valentin accidentally entered the room where the fresh corpse was brought. Shirokov’s reaction was not long in coming. “boom” Marat turned at the sound from the next room and sighed heavily, heading there. He had already figured out what had happened. Fainting occurred. Khaidarov squatted down and brought ammonia to the nose of the unconscious Shirokov. He jumped up half a minute later, pale as a white sheet. — Oh my God… something’s wrong with me… My blood pressure must have dropped, I’m sorry! — And you look in that room, — Marat was checking that Shirokov was blatantly lying to him. — Haha… why? — Take a look. There. — Why? Okay, — Valya quickly glanced in the direction of that room and looked at Marat again. Absolutely innocent. — Now take a good look over there — What’s that for? Well, I looked it up. — Because it’s not low blood pressure, — Marat got up from the floor, removing the ammonia, — But if you want to lie further. Just remember: you can’t fool a forensic expert. — I’m sorry… Just don’t tell anyone about this. I beg… Khaidarov looked at him, taking a short pause, considering his request. — I won’t tell anyone — Thank you… — Valentin also got up from the floor, although he was still a little unsteady. — Follow me, — Khaidarov commanded, heading for his office. There Marat gave him a bottle of water and a chocolate bar. Valentine looked at him in surprise, and then at the candy bar, sniffing at it just in case. — It’s not poison, — Marat assured him, sitting down at his desk. — Yes, I understand, I just… Thank you… Am I really allowed to eat this? — You can After having a snack and recovering, Valentin began to watch Marat’s work. The latter did not pay any attention to his presence, being carried away by his work. However, Valentine’s phone was constantly buzzing, which he deliberately ignored. — Well, answer it already — What should I answer? Threats that my neighbor would disembowel me? You should have seen him. Recently settled in, just like me, feisty as hell, aggressive and… and covered in tattoos. And I’ve only seen him from behind this morning.… If he had seen me… I obviously wouldn’t be able to come to the department today. Oh… looks like I’ll have to sleep in the department tonight.…

***

Morning came. Valentin actually spent the night in the department, in the archive room. Everyone else soon came to the department, gathering together in one room. Almost all — Good morning, — Yurkov blurted out casually, collapsing behind his desk, — mmm, and where is the newcomer and our unsociable? The newcomer is probably licking his ass. Two lovebirds — Yurkov, by God, how are you annoying everyone… — Biryukov snorted and suddenly turned his attention to Marat, who entered the room, — Marat, how are you? Oh… you look like you haven’t slept.… — That’s right… I’ve been working all night…— replied Marat, sitting down in his seat. — You’ve been working, yes. Did Shirokov lick your ass all night by accident, huh? — I don’t go near him, — Khaidarov chuckled, sorting through the things on his desk. — Oh, yeah, you’re not right for him. You’re the unsociable one~ — Because people are stupid, Yurkov. Especially you. — Oh, of course, yeah-yeah. Apparently everyone in your environment… — At that moment Yurkov instantly shut up, because he saw Ravil in the aisle. — Well, come on. Finish it, Yurkov, — a tall man of decent age entered the room, but at the same time his hair did not have a single gray. The same Ravil Alexandrovich Khaidarov. Outwardly, he looks very much like his son, or rather, his son looks like him, but life played a cruel joke and made it so that because of bad habits like smoking and energy drinks, the son became gray-haired earlier than the father. Ravil himself had black hair, just like Marat used to have. Here he was, a handsome man who was feared by the whole city. They were both afraid and respected, because Ravil maintained order in the city, not sparing those who did not deserve it. To be continued…