Morgan spotted the van trailing him after the third turn. He knew he was being followed and decided to find out who it was. He thought it looked like the telephone utility van that was parked on Panin’s street. He headed out of the city away from the safe house and into the countryside. The van fell back a distance after they got onto country roads, almost too far. Morgan didn’t want this person to lose him. He needed to find out what was gong on. Were they were on to Panin or was it just normal KGB curiosity? He was going to find out one way or the other.
The light started to fade and Morgan turned on the headlights. The van driver did not put his lights on. Instead, he closed the gap and used Morgan’s car to focus on the road. About ten miles out into the countryside, Morgan spotted a gravel road in a deeply wooded area off to the left and made the turn. After he turned, he slowed down to watch the rearview mirror. The gravel road seemed to wind around a small lake and had several dirt roads branching off from it. The van made the turn and was about 50 yards behind him. It was darker inside this wooded area and the van would have to close the gap or turn the lights on to keep from hitting the trees, which were very close to the roadside. The road opened up on the left to expose the lake as it snaked around to the right. It was lighter here and easier to see without lights on. He continued on and he soon came into the open area. He was now about 75 yards in front. Morgan came to an open space that seemed to be somewhat of a parking area. It was cleared and could perhaps hold 10 cars. It must be for fishermen to park and launch boats to fish the lake, he thought. This was confirmed when he saw one old rowboat that had been discarded at the edge of launching ramp near the water. It had a large hole in the side and appeared to be rotted from years of sitting there. He pulled into the open area and parked his car. He quickly turned off the lights and jumped out and ran back in the opposite direction to where the clearing first opened and worked his way into the brush behind a large tree so he could watch for the van.
Liteyny slowed the van when the car’s lights went out. He knew the man had stopped and was probably exiting the vehicle. He decided to stop the van where he was because he did not want the man to hear the gravel crunching under the van’s tires. He quickly turned the ignition off to silence the engine and removed his 9mm semi- automatic pistol made in Austria by Glock GmbH, Deutsch-Wagram. He carefully opened the door and let it stay open, as he did not want to make even the slightest noise with the door latch clicking, even if he closed it softly. Liteyny crouched down low and made his way along the tree line toward the open area where he saw the car stop. He was careful not to walk heavily and kept to the soft moss growing along the roadside.
Morgan spotted him crouch walking along the roadside with his pistol extended.
Okay, I know he’s KGB now. Curious phone company men don’t sneak through the woods carrying a gun.
Liteyny suddenly felt a terrible pain in the side of his head and found himself flying sideways into the open gravel driveway. He had not spotted Morgan hiding behind a tree on the side of the gravel drive. Morgan had given him a powerful karate kick to the side of the head. The pistol was still gripped tightly in Liteyny’s hand and out of pure reflex, he swung it to the right from where the pain had come and he squeezed off a round. The bullet struck Morgan in the right shoulder and spun him around knocking him off his feet. He landed on his stomach in the brush and groaned in pain. Liteyny’s fireplug build and his constant workouts had made him tougher than most men. He could take a hit from just about anyone and come back quickly. Although the kick to the side of the head stunned him, he was back on his feet and rushed over to where Morgan was lying. He pointed the automatic at Morgan’s head and said, “Gavaritye” (You’re through).
Morgan slowly rolled over on his good shoulder with his legs curled up as if in great pain. He grimaced and said, “Not yet, comrade.” He moved faster than he had ever done before in his life because he knew his life depended on it. His right foot sprung forward from its coiled position and caught the little Russian between the legs. Liteyny screamed in pain and doubled over just as Morgan’s right foot came back down to the ground and the left foot crashed into Liteyny’s mouth breaking seven teeth and sending him back out into the roadway again. Morgan was on his feet in a flash and took two steps forward and gave a powerful kick once again to the side of Liteyny’s head. This time it carried the full force of a soccer player’s kick and Liteyny’s neck snapped like a dry branch. He was dead instantly.
Morgan slumped down to the ground and sat there for a minute while he regained his thoughts and let his adrenaline subside. The bullet had passed right through his shoulder without hitting any bones and exited cleanly out his back. He was very lucky indeed. He knew he had to do something with this body so he dragged it with his good arm and managed to get the heavy little KGB agent to the back of the van, let the guy drop and then opened the back doors. He stuffed Liteyny into the rear of the van, closed the back doors, smashed the windows in the back doors with Liteyny’s gun, tossed it in with the little Russian and then rolled down the windows in the front. By now, his shoulder was burning with severe pain and it was with superhuman effort that he was able to get this done with only one arm. He searched for and found a large rock with which to weigh down the accelerator and got in. He started the engine and backed down the road for about 200 feet. He put the van in gear and held the brake as he put the heavy rock on the accelerator. When he let go of the brake, the van shot forward spewing gravel out the rear. He steered the van toward the lake and managed to jump out the door just as it cleared the embankment. Morgan landed on the side of the embankment and slid down