Chapter 925 Reunion of Comrades

  Sokov and Annie stayed in Lenin's library until lunch time at noon before getting up and leaving.

  Out of the library, Sokov felt a little hungry, so he turned to Annie and asked, "Annie, let's go somewhere to eat."

"Misha, come with me!" Annie took Sokov's hand actively, pulled him forward, and said, "I know a place where the baked potatoes are delicious, I'll take you go eat."

  Baked potatoes are a Russian snack. Usually, the potatoes are cleaned and dried first, and some small eyes are pricked on the surface of the potatoes with a fork, and the surface of the potatoes is smeared with corn oil and salt. Wrap the potatoes in foil and bake in the oven for an hour and a half, until soft. When ready to eat, unwrap the foil wrapping the potatoes, cut the potatoes in half with a knife, put a dollop of butter on the surface, mix well with a spoon, and serve with a vegetable salad.

  Sokov often ate this kind of baked potatoes in later generations, and naturally he liked the taste very much. Hearing Anne said that he would take him to eat baked potatoes, he couldn't help but move his index finger.

  Crossing a street, came to the famous Arbat Street. When Sokov and Annie were walking hand in hand, a patrol came in front of them. The second lieutenant officer who led the team glanced at Sokov, then stopped in front of him, raised his hand in salute, and said politely: "Comrade Colonel, please show your ID!"

  Sokov quickly let go of Anne's hand, unbuttoned the military coat, took out the military ID card from the pocket of the hoodie, and handed it to the second lieutenant officer.

  The officer took the military ID card, opened it, checked it, and asked casually, "Comrade Colonel, where is your army stationed?"

  Sokov heard this question and asked vigilantly: "Second Lieutenant, why are you asking this?"

  The second lieutenant looked up at Sokov, pointed to the epaulets on his military coat and said, "Comrade Colonel, haven't you noticed that we all wear new military ranks?"

   After being reminded by the second lieutenant, Sokov found out that the patrol next to him, from officers to ordinary soldiers, was wearing new military ranks. Their military ranks are all worn on the epaulettes, and their own military ranks are also worn on the collar patches, which seems a bit out of place.

  Sokov laughed dryly twice, and replied: "Second Lieutenant, my troops are in Stalingrad, and I was ordered to return to Moscow to perform a mission."

  Hearing that Sokov was returning to Moscow to perform a mission, the second lieutenant frowned slightly, and asked in a business-like manner: "Comrade Colonel, since you said that you were ordered to return to Moscow to perform a mission, where is your business travel certificate?"

"Sorry, I don't have a business travel permit." Sokov was temporarily recalled to Moscow, how could he have a business travel permit, so he could only bite the bullet and say, "I was temporarily recalled to perform a secret mission, and I don't have any business travel permit at all. "

   "No business travel permit?!" The second lieutenant was not affected by Sokov's much higher rank than him, and said sternly: "Comrade Colonel, since you don't have a business travel permit, I'm afraid you have to follow us."

  Hearing that the second lieutenant wanted to take Sokov away, Annie immediately stopped in front of the second lieutenant and said loudly, "Why, he is the hero who defended Stalingrad, you can't take him away."

   "Second Lieutenant," Sokov frowned slightly, and said to the second lieutenant, "Where is your superior, I want to talk to him."

"You follow me, and you will naturally meet your superior." The second lieutenant put Sokov's military ID card in his pocket, and said in an official tone: "Let's go, Comrade Colonel, after we figure out what's going on, We'll let you back."

   "What's going on, what happened here?" Just when the two sides were at a stalemate, a loud voice suddenly came from not far away: "Why did the patrol stop?"

   "Comrade Lieutenant," the second lieutenant turned and saluted in the direction where the voice came from, and replied loudly, "Here is a commander who said he came back from the front line to perform a mission, but he does not have a business trip permit."

  Sokov followed the sound and looked towards the front of the street, only to see a lieutenant in his thirties, leading two soldiers with submachine guns, walking towards his position.

  The lieutenant came to the front, and after looking at Colonel Sokov, he unexpectedly raised his hand and saluted, and said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Brigadier!"

Hearing the other party calling him brigade commander, Sokov guessed that the other party might have been his subordinate before. After looking at the other party carefully, he found that it was a strange face, so he tentatively asked: "Comrade lieutenant, were you my subordinate before?" ?”

"Yes, Comrade Brigadier." The lieutenant straightened his back and replied respectfully: "I used to be in the second battalion and the fourth company. Not long after the Battle of Stalingrad began, I was sent back to Moscow due to injuries. After it was finished, it was incorporated into the Moscow garrison."

   "So it's you, Lieutenant Cayugin." Anne on the side said in surprise, "I didn't expect to meet you here."

"Hello, Comrade Nurse." The lieutenant known as Kayudin turned his head and saw Anne next to him, nodded to her, and explained to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, I was once in the military hospital on Lenin Avenue. I have been treated for injuries, and this Nurse Anne usually takes care of me."

Sokov remembered that Tonya and Annie had mentioned last night that a group of wounded from Stalingrad had been treated in the military hospital, and the Lieutenant Kayugin in front of him should be one of them, but it was still A second lieutenant, he was incorporated into the garrison after being discharged from the hospital and was promoted to lieutenant.

   "Lieutenant Kayugin," Sokov said to his former old subordinate: "Your subordinate said that I don't have a business travel permit, and they want to take me back for review. Take a look, how should we deal with this matter?"

"Nonsense, nonsense." Kayudin walked up to the second lieutenant and said to him with a straight face: "Didn't you always want to know the one who commanded us to hold on to Mamayev Post so that the enemy could not advance even a single step?" Brigadier? Well, he's in front of you now, and you suspect him."

  The second lieutenant couldn't help being taken aback after hearing Kayugin's words, and quickly asked Sokov, "Are you Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade?"

   "Yes, when I was brigade commander, I was indeed a lieutenant colonel." Sokov nodded, and replied with a normal expression, "I was promoted to the rank of colonel after I became a division commander."

  "Brigade Commander, no, Comrade Commander." Cayugin said with a smile on his face, "I apologize to you for my subordinate's recklessness. Please forgive him for his recklessness."

   "I do not have a business travel permit," Sokov felt the need to explain to Cayugin why he did not have a business travel permit: "Because it was an urgent recall by the superior, there was no time to apply for a business travel permit."

   Cayugin firmly believed in Sokov's statement. He walked up to the second lieutenant and held out his hand to him: "Is Colonel Sokov's ID in your hand? Give it to me."

   When the second lieutenant learned that the person in front of him was Sokov whom he admired, he realized that his behavior just now was a bit reckless. Seeing that Kayugin asked him for his ID, he quickly took out Sokov's military ID from his pocket, handed it back to Sokov respectfully, and said apologetically, "Comrade Colonel, I am sorry for the inconvenience I caused you. Sorry for the inconvenience, please forgive me!"

   While the patrol continued down the street, Cayugin stood still. He asked Sokov with a smile on his face: "Comrade commander, where do you plan to go next?"

  Sokov glanced at Annie who was standing next to her, and said, "Annie and I are going to eat baked potatoes nearby. If you have something to do, go ahead and do it."

   "It's okay, Comrade Commander." Kayugin waved his hand and said, "I don't have anything to do anyway, so I will accompany you around. If there is another patrol team checking your ID, I can still say a few words for you."

  Sokov considered that Arbat Avenue is close to the Kremlin, where the patrol is the strictest, and he does not have a business travel permit, so once he is stopped, it will be very troublesome. With Cayugin, the lieutenant of the garrison, by his side, many problems can be easily solved.

   "Okay, let's go together." Sokov nodded at Kayugin and said, "It's just a good time to catch up on the past while eating."

  Seeing that Sokov agreed to let him accompany him, Kayugin couldn't help being overjoyed. He quickly said to the two soldiers behind him, "I want to accompany Colonel Sokov around, so you two don't have to follow me."

   Led by Anne, the three came to a coffee shop at the end of the street. As soon as Annie opened the door and went in, she said to the old lady standing behind the counter, "Aunt Natasha, bring us three baked potatoes."

   "Okay, Anne." The old lady called Aunt Natasha said with a smile, "Please cook for a few minutes first, the potatoes will be ready soon."

   A few minutes later, three steaming potatoes were placed in front of Sokov and the others. Natasha said with a happy face: "Annie, there are two other commanders, you eat slowly. If you want to eat after eating, I will make it for you." After she finished speaking, she turned and left.

   "Annie," Sokov looked at Annie and asked, "Do you come here often?"

   "Every time I go to Lenin's library to read a book, I will come here to eat some." Seeing that neither of them had touched their forks, Annie urged: "Eat quickly, it won't taste good if it gets cold."

"Comrade Commander," Kayudin saw that there were no other customers in the store except himself, so he asked Sokov in a low voice: "How is our army's counterattack in the Stalingrad area going? Can we defeat the enemy?" ?"

"Lieutenant, didn't you listen to the broadcast of the Soviet Intelligence Agency?" Sokov asked strangely: "Our army's counterattack in the Don River Basin went very smoothly. Paulus' troops have been surrounded by our army in Stalinger. Le area."

  Kayugin is a person who has been on the battlefield and has a certain understanding of the technical and tactical level of the German army. He frowned and asked, "Comrade commander, even if our army encircles Paulus' troops, do you think we have the ability to annihilate them?"

  Sokov knew very well that Cayugin’s worries were not unfounded. The Soviet army had encircled the German army many times before, but in the end not only did not destroy the enemy, but he suffered heavy losses. Now that Paulus's Sixth Army was encircled by the Soviet army, those who knew the combat effectiveness of the German army did not have much confidence in whether they could annihilate this enemy.

"Comrade Lieutenant," although there were some things he couldn't say, Sokov still said carefully: "If it was in the early days of the war, I think your worries are still reasonable. But what is the situation now? After a year and a half of war, they have already matured. The inability to destroy the besieged enemies before does not mean that they cannot be eliminated now. Just look at it, the Paulus troops who are encircled by our army, if they want to break out of the encirclement, it is not An easy task. Even if they resist, we will destroy them sooner or later."

  As an old subordinate of Sokov, Kayugin admired Sokov very much, and he always believed in what Sokov said. Hearing Sokov say that the besieged Paulus troops would eventually be wiped out, he couldn't help but smile: "Comrade Commander, if Paulus' troops are really wiped out, there will be one less German." A general who knows how to fight, our next battle will be much easier."

"Lieutenant Cayugin, you must not underestimate the enemy." Seeing that Kayugin tended to underestimate the enemy, Sokov reminded him, "Paulus was not considered a general who knew how to fight in the German army. Even if we wiped out the His troops captured him himself, but the next opponent was Manstein, known as the 'Conqueror of Sevastopol', who was far more powerful than Paulus."

"What's so great about that." Cayugin said carelessly: "If we can capture Paulus, then we can also capture Manstein. When the enemy's generals and marshals who can fight are captured, the Germans will They are vulnerable, and it will be much easier for us to defeat them when the time comes."

   "Misha." Taking advantage of the gap between the two of them talking, Annie interrupted and asked, "How long can you stay in Moscow?"

   "It's hard to say, it depends on how the superior arranges." Sokov replied with a wry smile: "Maybe I will stay here for ten days and a half a month, or I may return to Stalingrad tonight."

   "Comrade Commander." Hearing the conversation between Sokov and Anne, Kayudin asked in surprise: "You have returned to Moscow, who will command the troops?"

"When I am not in the army, the chief of staff and the deputy commander of the division are usually in command." Sokov replied: "Besides, in the urban area, due to the shortage of troops, it is impossible to launch a counterattack against the enemy except for defensive warfare. So even if I'm not in the army, it won't make a difference."

   "Comrade commander, I have a request." Kayudin said to Sokov with some embarrassment: "I hope to get your help."

   "Whatever, you can just say it." Sokov didn't promise Kayukin anything, but said cautiously: "As long as it is within my ability, I will definitely help you."

   "Comrade Commander, I want to go back to your unit." Kayugin summoned up his courage and said, "I wonder if you can help me?"

   "Go back to my army?" Sokov asked with some surprise: "You stayed well in the garrison, why do you want to go back to the combat army?"

   "Comrade commander, the situation is like this." Cayugin said with embarrassment: "In the garrison, although it is safer than at the front, there are fewer opportunities for meritorious deeds..."

   "Oh, so that's what happened." Before Kayugin finished speaking, Sokov understood what the other party wanted to express. For Russians who love honor, if they stay in a unit that is difficult to make meritorious deeds, it is very sad to see their comrades in arms establish meritorious deeds one after another. In order to satisfy Kayugin's wish, Sokov nodded and said, "Don't worry, Comrade Lieutenant, I will find a way to transfer you back to my army."

  (end of this chapter)