Sergei felt a hand on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes and saw the shaven-headed bodyguard Valera.

- Excuse me, Sergei Ivanovich! - boomed the guard. “The landing has already been announced.

Only now the man saw through the window the building of the railway station, dark gray from the rain.

Had he slept the whole way? Weird…

He had never before been able to sleep in a car, or on an airplane, or on a train. Generally nowhere. Only sometimes rolled something akin to oblivion.

It must be now, just the wild fatigue has affected.

Valera was the first to get out of the SUV and opened the door.

Sergei Ivanovich was in no hurry to leave.

- Put the car in the garage in Lytkarino and you can be free - he gave instructions to the driver. When you need me, I'll let you know.

- Do not worry, Sergei Ivanovich! Everything will be good! Victor took a thick, weighty folder from the seat and handed it to him. Don't forget papers.

Sergei grabbed a thick folder with documents and got out of the car into the street.

He almost forgot about where and why he was going and about this damn folder. Something strange happened to him today.

Where did the stupid feeling suddenly come from that this trip would turn his whole life upside down ?! Maybe the reason for this is the incessant rain or is it fatigue?

No, that's not good enough! We urgently need to gather our thoughts! The day after tomorrow there will be a meeting and negotiations with important people in Nikolaev. And if everything goes well, after Nikolaev, he will have a road to Dnepropetrovsk, where negotiations will continue, but already, so to speak, in an informal setting. And Sergey simply does not have the right to make a mistake and fatigue.

For the thousandth time, thinking over and calculating every moment of the upcoming meeting, mentally going through all the possible options, Sergey, accompanied by the second driver-bodyguard Valera, quickly headed to board the Moscow-Nikolaev train.

The students of the group EM-752 of the Dnepropetrovsk University of Railway Transport today had one of those rarely falling happy days when one of the teachers for some reason canceled a lecture. The main thing is that there is no replacement.

Excited to be able to leave the University two tapes early, the students dispersed along the corridors.

Two girlfriends, twirled in front of a large mirror in the hall, discussing the good news: the absence of the last two classes on the subject of "the cost of rail transportation."

Almost everyone in the group, and, perhaps, on the whole stream, could not stand this subject. And they especially couldn’t stand the old gray-haired “grandfather” teacher - as the students dubbed him behind his back.

Having finished preening, one of the girls, taller, turned to her friend and, fastening her purse, asked.

- And what about your sailor? So you don’t hear anything, you left and that’s it? Farewell love, and wither cacti?

The second girl raised her lashes in surprise.

- Lenochka, it's been two years already. Why remember? Although you know? .. I can not look at other guys. I still see Kolya in each of them. Her cheeks flushed red.

- Oh, Ir, stop it! You had nothing to do with him! She said it herself, you never even kissed! Well, just think, we walked by the hand in the evening, sat in a cafe and went to the beach together once! Lena snorted. - It would be for whom to kill! He's just not your man, that's all. You haven't met your soul mate yet. Lena sighed, straightening her scarf nervously. - And I kicked my Sasha out. Tired!

And what did he do this time? Irina asked in a colorless voice, hurt by her friend's cruel words. Although she understood, it's time to admit that Lena is right. A thousand times right!

But how to order the eyes not to look everywhere for the image of Nicholas? How to make your heart stop running faster when you see a guy in a sailor uniform?

Unaware of her friend's thoughts, Lena sighed even more bitterly and cracked her magpie:

- Yes, that's just the point, that nothing. They just sat at my house. Suddenly something came over me. I told him: “Tired! Go away!" And he got up and left. Probably, again Natasha went to the old lady. Here's the rubbish! Well, get your boyfriend! So no, on strangers, bitch, hangs! Near the house he is guarded. Draws hearts with lipstick on a car. Calls home at night. Do you know how tired I am of her antics?!

Irina shook her head sympathetically.

“Come on, don’t worry,” she tried to calm Lena. What will cheer us up?

Lena shrugged her shoulders in disbelief.

- Walk around the Center and, of course, shopping. Let's go to the tram soon, - Irina grabbed her friend by the hand and dragged her to the exit.

Lena visibly perked up and nodded:

- Let's go, I just need warm tights, - she instantly switched from one problem to another.

***

In addition to signing the contract, Sergey was entrusted with the placement of new business partners and the organization of "entertainment" events according to the interests of each.

The first half of the day flew by unnoticed in telephone conversations and traveling around the city: hotels, restaurants, casinos, brothels and so on. Fortunately, Sergey knew all the local cereal establishments and the people who “kept” them very well.

It doesn't matter that he lived in Moscow a long time ago. All his childhood passed here in Dnepropetrovsk. His parents still lived in this city.

No matter how he tried, he could not persuade them to move to him in Moscow.

Both mother and father stubbornly refused, using banal excuses about the fact that “all friends live here”, “here is work and our home” and “here we know everything, but what will we do there” ... Well, and then everything is same spirit.

- It is necessary to find time in a busy schedule and call on your parents. - Sergei did not address anyone in particular, saying this. Just thinking out loud. “There is one small issue that needs to be addressed first. So to speak, a personal character.

The man took a cell phone and dialed a number from memory.

- Hello, my sweet, - he greeted when the other end of the line picked up the phone. - Did you miss me? I have some free time... Great, then I'll wait for you at the apartment.

Sergei pressed reset and, continuing to turn the telephone in his hand, turned to the bodyguard, who simultaneously performed the duties of a driver:

- Go to Kirov. In two hours you will pick me up from the hut. Just before that, beacon on the pager. I will send this...

- Sergei Ivanovich, I know it's none of my business, but still ... - The driver turned the steering wheel, and the car managed to slip before the green light of the traffic light changed to red. - Why do you spend time every time meeting with Svetlana Alekseevna if you don’t want it?

Usually Sergei did not discuss such issues. Not with the driver, not with anyone else. But this morning everything was unusual.

I need to relax or I'll explode. And this woman is able to relax even when you do not want to. Or do you think I need to urgently look for a whore?! - Sergey angrily threw the phone on the seat. - Everything, closed the topic! And watch your mother, the road!

Sergei leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, again immersed in his thoughts.

Chapter 3

Sergei felt tired, as if someone had pulled some of his vitality out of him. This has never happened to him before.

He got rid of his "experienced" mistress in just forty-five minutes, cutting his planned date by more than half.

Svetlana, as always, tried her best, but could not achieve a result. None at all! I had to spend some time on a cold shower. For the first time, the man did not experience satisfaction, without bringing what he had begun to the finale.

Too many different thoughts wandered through his head lately: about work, about signing a contract, about parents. But most of all he was disturbed by the presentiment that had appeared in recent days of something unknown that was waiting somewhere out there, in front, already very close.

Something told me that his usual life would change drastically. And premonitions never deceived Sergei even once in his chaotic life, full of extraordinary events.

And while Mr. Alexandrov was thinking this way, sitting in his black Mercedes, the driver brought the car to Karl Marx Avenue - the main street of Dnepropetrovsk.

Through the tinted windows, Sergei carefully examined the people going about their business. Not that he was very interested in this occupation. It’s just that every time the habit of being always on the alert and keeping everything and everyone under control worked.

Suddenly, Sergey's attention was attracted by two girls waiting for a green traffic light at a pedestrian crossing. They were discussing something vigorously, while having so much fun that Sergei involuntarily smiled.