Chapter 11 -- Interpol in Moscow
In the mid-1990s the new Russia and the EU were more at ease with each other than at any other time in recent history. The Police of Russia, is their national police force which operates under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When they received an invitation for ten police officers to visit Interpol they extended the equivalent invitation to Interpol. Russian crime gangs had become active since the fall of the USSR and the somewhat casual approach to law and order had only encouraged them.
The ten Interpol officers, all investigators, were selected to spend 3 days in Moscow to view how the Police of Russian kept the criminal gangs both under surveillance and under control. Elsa Ribbentrop was the youngest of the officers selected, and to many she was the smartest, the toughest and the one who was destined to reach the highest ranks within the force. At 27, she was also the most attractive by far. Her tall stature, slim athletic body, her blonde hair which was a buzz cut, on her left side almost in a military style and her 24a chest made her standout to all of the men she met and many of the women, of which she flirted with when not on duty. But always discreetly.
Elsa was the one Interpol turned too when the two investigators passed away within a short space in time while they were on the same job. She was the one that locked down their computers and she was the one that brought in an outside contractor to search their files and the reports from before they were handed the last job they were on.
The outside contractor was FBI Technical Analysis Kirsten Garcia, it took her less than three days after being given remote access to the two computers, to establish that the computers belonging to the two deceased Interpol Investigators were 'hacked' and that a substantial number of documents were missing. She told her friend Elsa that it will take her a lot more time to trace the hack and find the missing documents. She reminded Elsa of her old saying 'computers never forget'.
"I'll contact you as soon as I have something,"
"No hurry, I'm going to be away until the end of the week or so," She told her American friend.
They looked into their screens a little while longer than they each intended to, the silence was unintentional, and it was Kirsten who broke it. "When are you coming over to the States again?"
Elsa took a deep breath, they were very close at one stage of their lives, "I'm not sure, no plans at the moment. Unless something brings me back,"
"If you ever need a place to stay, my place is available, you know that don't you?"
"I can't think of a better place to stay," Elsa told her with a cheeky sound in her voice. "I have to go Kirsten," She told her and abruptly ended the video call. That closeness was somewhere she didn't want to return to she was certain, she didn't want to go back to that arrangement. But she was still a good friend.
Two days later Elsa landed in Moscow with her colleagues flying from Lyon direct to Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, Russia's largest airport. The Aeroflot flight took just over four and a half hours. They were quickly eased through the airport, collecting what little luggage they carried and went straight to the Metropol Hotel. An informal gathering was arranged for them that evening to officially welcome them.
She settled into her room and started to check for listening devices, she understood that the old habits of the past would be hard for the older ex KGB officers to give up. She didn't find any, but she also knew that that didn't mean they weren't there.
She ran a bath and added the desired scents and oils, and she watched as the bubbles formed on the surface of the water. The steam filled the air. She took out her phone and checked for any messages, there were none.
Turning the water off she started to remove her clothes, when she was almost naked, she started checking the mirror. She turned off the bathroom light and stood in front of the mirror in just her black panties, pretending to inspect her face and what little makeup she wore. The mirror was built into the wall, the first sign it may be a two way mirror, she withheld a smile, she got up close to the glass she pulled at her eye lid as if inspecting her contact lenses, which she doesn't wear, she couldn't see through the mirror but if the other side of the mirror was in total darkness, she wouldn't be able to tell. She kept looking and turning her head then using a fingernail, she put it up against the glass and she watched closely as it touched the surface. She took in a deep breath. It was definitely a two-way mirror.
She removed her panties and threw them on top of the pile of clothes on the floor. She slowly tested the water with her big toe and feeling it to be just right she stepped into the water slowly sinking down and she laid back. She loves having a bath, luxuriating in the hot scented water. With a film of lavender oil ensuring her body would be glistening once she was dried.
After laying there for what seemed like hours but was only twenty minutes, she pulled the plug and stood up. Running her hands over her body to get rid of the excess of water. She felt how smooth her hands on her body felt, how easily they ran over her oily body. 'Pity nobody will get to feel it tonight' she said to herself. She patted herself dry and opened her small travelling suitcase. Fishing out a pair of basic cotton panties she slipped into them and adjusted the seams to fit her legs and bum. She pulled on a fresh white sports bra, not that she needs it, but she didn't want to give any of the older men any ideas. She buttoned up a silk white blouse and put on her navy-blue pants suit. She adjusted everything added a touch of Chanel #5 to her wrist and a dab behind each ear. Slipped on her patent leather 2" heels and she was ready. Looking around the room she decided to put everything on her bed. She placed her tablet and her lap-top on the pillows and emptied her suitcase making neat piles of clothing. Her thoughts were if someone was going to come in and have a look around, I'll make it easy for them. She left the suitcase opened at the foot of her bed. She then took a single strand of hair and carefully placed it in between the top two pairs of panties. Smiling to herself she was ready for whatever the night would bring her. She didn't expect too much at all.
She rode the elevator up to the function center with several other Interpol officers, they compared verbal notes and had a bit of a laugh as they had pretty much done the same thing.
The affair was very informal, although some of the Russian dignitaries were a little over dress Elsa thought. The night would give both sets of officers and investigators a chance to chat away from the more structured tour and the hierarchy's a chance to see how the two groups would interact. Russian Champagne was served as the guests arrived. Elsa thought it was a pleasant drop, and she knew that she would have to pace herself. The Russian reputation for heavy drinking was well known and respected. She also knew that if she got caught up with some of their group then the night would end with copious amounts of vodka being consumed. She wanted to avoid the headache on their first day.
Their group and their counterparts were corralled near the entrance so they could meet everyone entering. It was going to be difficult to remember all of the names but with similar events over the years she knew who the important people and the positions the Russians held and who were there to make up the numbers.
As the room started to fill close to the allotted time, Elsa found herself in a small group of Russians discussing the drug movements coming up from Afghanistan. Who were the likely Russian culprits and who was responsible for the distribution into Europe through Ukraine and Poland.
The fact that the Russians had infiltrated the local growers and were attacking the problem not from Moscow but from Kabul. Elsa didn't show her surprise at this little gem of news, but it was simple chats like this that proved invaluable. Elsa hated standing around trying to make small talk with people she didn't know. But she also knew that this was as important as anything she would see or hear over the next few days.
The Head of Delegation [HoD] came over to her and took her by the elbow, excusing his interruption. "There is someone I want you to meet, the new Head of the FSB Achieves section, a Katerina Abramovich, it will be important we keep a close eye on her. She is on the move up the political ladder,"
"You should get someone from drugs to chat with those guys, quickly," She told the HoD. "And why me with this Katrina woman?"
