Chapter 1
1983, London.
“Sir, please listen. We can’t find anything about her. She was very private,” replied the secretary.
The man took off his hat and threw his hat on the table. You could see in his eyes that he was angry. Each of his heavy sighs made it clear that right now he could pounce on anyone. He banged on the table and shouted:
“How is that! Why are you working here?! To find all the information about her tomorrow. At least go to the past, but so that tomorrow everything is ready or change everything for yourself.”
He slammed the door and left.
1980, Pripyat.
“How long did you come to Pripyat?” asked the taxi driver.
The girl straightened her hair and answered:
“Literally for a few days. My parents live here, and I came to them.”
The taxi driver looked in the mirror that was in the car and also said:
“Your accent is visible. Are you from abroad?”
“Yes, but she was born here,” the girl replied.
The taxi driver turned right and drove to the house.
The car stopped.
“Here we are,” he said.
The girl gave the money and got out of the car.
All around the children had fun on the playground and the weather was bright and warm. Cars stand neatly near the entrance of houses, and people sit on benches and talk. The trees are blooming, and the birds are singing.
The girl headed towards one entrance, near which two women at the age of forty were sitting on a bench. She walked closer to them and asked:
“Hello, sorry to bother you. Do you happen to know if Peter lives here?”
The women looked at each other and answered:
“There are several Peters living here. Which one are you talking about?”
“I only know his name and address. He is a tall man and always wears a dark, corduroy jacket,” the girl replied.
“Well, then, this is probably Peter Kardin. He lives in the forty-first apartment,” the woman answered.
The girl thanked them for their help and went to the apartment. The girl had to go four floors and she found the forty-first apartment.
First, she knocked on the door, but no one answered. She continued to knock on the door, hoping that someone would open it. Ten minutes later, Peter opened the door for her.
“Catherine? Why are you here?” Peter asked in surprise.
“I need your help,” Catherine replied.
“Yes, of course, come on’ Catherine replied.
“Yes, of course, come in,” he said.
Catherine went to his apartment. The apartment was untidy and there was rubbish and papers everywhere. The corridor was large, as in any Soviet apartment. In total there were two rooms and a kitchen which was located right at the end of the corridor and all this was separated by an open door to the kitchen.
Catherine and Peter went to another room, where it was not so dirty. They sat down at the table, which was in the center of the room, opposite the window. The room also contained a cupboard with service and photo frames.
“What kind of help do you need?” Peter asked.
Catherine took out documents and one photo from her bag and answered:
“My brother, Derek, he’s missing.”
Peter took the documents, which say what the police wrote.
“Derek, 23 years old. Was missing March 7, 1980, in London.
Witnesses: no
Last person to see him: friend Mark, sister Katherine.
He was last seen at Leito Cafe.
Hooks: none.
... „
“Peter, please help me find him. You’re my only chance. Neither the police, nor the detectives, nor anyone can find even one lead,” Catherine said.
“I will do everything I can and even what I cannot. But first I will pack all the things I need and in the evening we can already go to London,” he replied.
Evening of the same day.
“Peter, I didn’t even know the nuclear power plant was that big,” Catherine said.
“Yes, the power plant is big. For the first time when I came here to my grandmother, I looked at the power plant at night,” he replied.
“Hey, we can all be on our way. Only it’s night and we have a long drive, so I’ll take triple the amount from you.“It suits you,” said the taxi driver.
“Yes,” they replied.
They got into a taxi and went on their flight to the airport, which was located in another city.
Catherine was looking at the starry sky, and Peter was constantly rereading the documents and thinking about what to do next and how to look for Derek. In his mind was:
“How come there’s not even one witness. Especially in such a crowded city where everyone knows everything about everything. There are two options either they are hiding something or this criminal is a real specialist or Derek left himself, but this is a bad option here his family and fiancee and his child. Maybe it’s worth reviewing all the documents on the criminals of the last fifty years, maybe one of them is at large and decided to commit crimes again. It’s not a fact that Derek is missing, also he may be in a hospital or somewhere. The first thing I will do is check all the hospitals, Derek may be in a coma or something. The second thing I will find out about the inhabitants of the city and all the criminals. Also, it is worth visiting his family and friends, Derek had many friends, someone should at least know something.”
“What are you thinking about?” Catherine asked and thus interrupted his thoughts.
Peter was a little scared, but did not give it a look. As always, he thinks a lot, so he misses some time.
“I’m thinking about our case. I think it’s worth asking all his friends, asking in hospitals and also finding out about the criminals,” replied Peter.
“I agree with you. I think the police and detectives may have missed something,” she said.
Peter dived further into his thoughts.
Six hours later they arrived at the city from which they were supposed to fly to London.
“Hello, passport control. Please give your documents for verification,” the officer replied.
Catherine gave him the documents and they let her through. They also checked everything with Peter and everything was fine with the documents.
An hour later, their plane had already flown to England.
Eight hours later...
They flew in and settled in Katherine’s apartment. Her modest apartment, after hours, turned into a whole search for Derek. On the wall were pictures of the people Derek was connected to, and a map of all of London and all of England.
“So, that’s about it. Now we need to distribute the task,” said Peter.
“Let me go and find out about Derek at the hospitals, and you can go to the police and find out about the criminals,” she replied.
Peter agreed and they all went on their assignments.
Catherine went to the first hospital that was next to her apartment.
“Hello, I would like to ask about one person. Here is his photo. Tell me, did he not apply to you?” asked Catherine.
The hospital worker carefully looked at the photo and answered:
“I don’t know such patients. But let me find out more now, maybe he came to us earlier. Please tell us his name, surname, age and describe him,” said the nurse.
" Derek Stevens, 23. He has curly, long hair, somewhere down to his shoulders. He has a sun tattoo on his arm. He also has a birthmark on his wrist. The last time I saw him, he was wearing a blue sweater and dark trousers,” Catherine replied.
“Perhaps we have such a person. Everything you described coincided, only he does not have a birthmark. Let me take you to him now,” said the nurse.
Catherine didn’t even know what to say, maybe her brother was so close to her all the time, and she didn’t even know that he was here.
