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My hospital has locked doors, guards, badges, and cameras, but Belov’s men still used the ambulance bay to move wounded Bratva men and boxes of stolen medicine.
Marina noticed one of their carts. I kept questioning missing medicine and transfer records that didn’t make sense. We were getting in Chernov’s way without knowing his name.
“Print all eleven records,” I tell Artem. “Add the staff schedules, the real patient numbers, the ambulance crews, and every payment linked to Chernov.”
The printer starts. Artem collects the pages one by one without saying anything.
Alexei returns after dark. He closes the office door, takes off his jacket, and stares at the files covering his desk.
“I found the same company in seven of the files,” I tell him. “SeverMed Services. Its workers entered the ambulance bay on the days the medicine and patients disappeared.”
Alexei takes the armchair while I stay behind his desk. He reads every page without interrupting. Artem remains at the second laptop, organizing the records.
“My hospital helped them,” I say.
“People inside it helped them.”
“I should’ve seen it sooner.”
“You saw enough to make Belov afraid of you.” He sets Marina’s message beside my hand. “That may be why Belov created the Blacklist debt against you and had Marina killed.”
I pull Chernov’s dispatch sheet between us. “His people trust this route. We can use it.”
Alexei studies the sheet. “How?”
“We use the Zarya ambulance route Chernov’s men already know. We stop at the clinic first, then go to a safe apartment.” I take a blank form and start drafting the transfer request. “It lists Misha’s age, my name, and children’s medical equipment.”
Alexei pulls the draft closer. “Misha gets into the ambulance with you in the west garage. The cameras need to see him.”
I nod.
“You and I get in with him. Once the rear doors close, Yuri loops the garage camera.” He looks up at me. “Cara and Oksana take Misha back inside through the secure passage. The ambulance leaves with the covered stretcher.”
Alexei calls Maksim on the wall screen. Dmitri, Dima, Abramov, Ilya, and Kirill gather around the table in the communications room while I explain the plan.
Abramov chooses the guards. Ilya marks the road to the east. Dmitri and Dima will take the crew inside the enclosed checkpoint. Then they will drive the ambulance out. Alexei and I will ride in the back.
Kirill sends the transfer request through the same hospital channel used for the Zarya transfers.
A reply appears seconds later.
AMBULANCE ASSIGNED. PICKUP: 08:30.
“Chernov may already have the transfer request,” Maksim says. “Belov won’t be far behind.”
Alexei turns to me. “You stay with Misha after the handoff.”
“A frightened mother doesn’t send her three-year-old away with armed men.”
“We’ll give the watcher another reason.”
“They know my face, my medical bag, and how I hold him.” I point to the courtyard picture. “If I get out before the ambulance leaves, they may know he isn’t inside.”
Alexei looks toward the wall screen. At my request, Elena allows the family-suite feed onto the wall screen.
Misha sits between Elena and Cara, pushing his yellow car through Mikhail’s block city. He glances toward the door whenever someone passes outside. I want to go back, lift him into my arms, and stay there until every armed man leaves Moscow.
I close the transfer file. “Misha stays with Elena. Cara, Oksana, Sergei, and the protected guard team stay with him. I’ll come with you.”