November 1907
Nagorny's eyes swept constantly across the streets of Saint Petersburg as the carriage rumbled forward, carefully watching every alley, rooftop, and passerby they passed. One hand rested near the revolver concealed beneath his coat, while the other held firmly to the rear rail of the carriage to keep himself steady against the uneven roads.
Earlier, the Tsarevich had offered him a seat inside the carriage, but Nagorny had declined without hesitation. Riding at the back gave him a clearer view of their surroundings and allowed him to respond immediately should anything suspicious occur. As far as he was concerned, it was the most practical place to be when escorting the heir to the Russian Empire through the city streets.
As they made their way halfway toward their destination, Nagorny finally allowed himself to relax slightly. He glanced toward the guards riding alongside their carriage, as well as those stationed in the carriages ahead and behind them, checking whether they remained alert to their surroundings. Seeing their eyes constantly scanning the streets and nearby buildings, he gave a small nod of satisfaction at their attentiveness.
With everything seemingly in order for the moment, he allowed his thoughts to wander. Inevitably, they drifted toward the decision he had made not to inform the Tsar about the Tsarevich's secret habit of slipping out of the palace almost every night to wander through the city unnoticed.
When the Tsarevich had first approached him about secretly wandering the city at night, Nagorny had assumed the boy was merely joking and trying to toy with him and Sednev. What he had not expected was that the Tsarevich had been entirely serious.
Both he and Sednev had tried to talk Alexei out of it, but the Tsarevich had remained adamant about going outside. He had even declared that he would leave the palace with or without their cooperation. That was when Nagorny suggested informing the Tsar and Tsarina and letting them deal with the matter themselves. But Sednev had refused, insisting that it was only a trivial issue and that they should handle it on their own instead of troubling the Emperor and Empress.
In the end, both of them reluctantly agreed to accompany the Tsarevich, though not without secretly planning to sabotage the attempt by allowing the guards to notice them before they could leave the palace grounds. They had hoped the failure would frighten the Tsarevich enough to make him abandon the idea entirely.
What they had not expected, however, was how easily the Tsarevich managed to lead both him and Sednev beyond the palace walls without a single guard noticing their departure. They had not even been given the chance to sabotage the attempt, as there were no guards nearby who could have noticed them, even if they had deliberately made noise. Worse still, the Tsarevich moved through the palace grounds with such speed and familiarity that neither Nagorny nor Sednev had any choice but to follow closely behind, fearing they might lose sight of him altogether in the darkness.
That was when Nagorny realized something was terribly wrong.
Not long after they had left the palace grounds, the Tsarevich calmly revealed to them that he had discovered a loophole in the palace security during the changing of the guards and shift rotations, and that he had been using it for quite some time already.
Both he and Sednev had been stunned by the revelation.
But that was not the worst part. The moment they followed the Tsarevich out of the palace that night, both he and Sednev had already become accomplices in the act.
If the first revelation had struck Nagorny like a revolver shot, then the second had hit him like a cannon blast.
That was when he understood just how thoroughly the Tsarevich had cornered them. Even now, Nagorny could not decide whether Alexei had blackmailed them, coerced them, or simply maneuvered them into a situation they could no longer escape from. No matter how many times he replayed the events of that night in his mind, the conclusion remained the same. He and Sednev had been doomed the moment they decided to agree to the tsarevich's whim of going out that night.
And because neither of them wished to lose the positions they valued so dearly, they ultimately chose not to tell the Tsar about what had happened. Their fates had become tied to the Tsarevich's, whether they liked it or not, and so they decided to keep his secret, at least for the time being, until the situation grew beyond their ability to control.
Even now, Nagorny could only hope they had made the right decision. And, more than anything else, he prayed that nothing disastrous would come from their choice to become accomplices in the Tsarevich's nightly wanderings through the city.
Of all the peculiarities their Tsarevich possessed, this had been the strangest of them all. Sneaking out of the palace in the middle of the night simply to walk through the city and sightsee was not something Nagorny could understand, no matter how many times he tried to make sense of it.
And that thought unsettled him the most. If the Tsarevich had managed to hide something like this from them for so long, then what else might he still be concealing? Nagorny did not even want to imagine it.
He quickly shook the thoughts from his mind as the carriages finally approached the Okhrana building, the place where the Tsarevich still underwent part of his hands-on training.
The moment they arrived, Nagorny immediately gestured for the guards accompanying them to take their positions before scanning the surrounding area. Only after confirming that everything was secure did he step toward the carriage and knock lightly against its side.
"We have arrived, Your Highness," he announced before opening the door.
The Tsarevich stepped out almost immediately and gave Nagorny a light pat on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Nagorny," Alexei said.
Nagorny bowed his head respectfully. "You are welcome, Your Highness."
Alexei gave a small nod before making his way toward the building, with Sednev following closely behind. As he passed, Sednev briefly glanced toward Nagorny, and the look alone was enough for him to understand exactly what the other man was thinking.
Watching the two disappear into the Okhrana headquarters, Nagorny could only let out a quiet sigh at the predicament they had found themselves in.
—-----
Alexei stepped into his office within the Okhrana headquarters and immediately felt the familiar warmth of the room wash over him, a welcome contrast to the cold air outside. The office itself was modest compared to the grand chambers he occupied within the palace, yet it was comfortable enough for the relatively minor work he conducted here.
The two aides assigned to assist him during his hands-on training at the Okhrana, Sokolov and Orlov, rose from their seats the moment he entered.
"Your Imperial Highness," they greeted in unison.
Alexei acknowledged them with a small nod as he removed his windbreaker and handed it to Sednev without even looking back. Sednev accepted it immediately and carefully set it aside on a nearby stand.
Alexei then made his way toward the desk at the center of the office and sat down in the chair behind it. Leaning back slightly, he could not help but let out a faint smile at the sight of the nearly empty desk before him. In truth, he had no real responsibilities here, yet. Still, he continued forcing himself to come to the Okhrana headquarters whenever he could, gathering information about the city and familiarizing himself with the Okhrana's internal affairs little by little.
After a moment, he finally looked toward the two aides standing nearby.
"So?" he asked calmly. "What news do you have for me?"
Both aides immediately took out their notes, and Orlov began first. Clearing his throat, he said, "There was a riot in the southern part of the city several days ago involving factory workers. A number of workers reportedly died during the unrest, though the exact number was not stated in the report. There is also…."
Alexei listened attentively to Orlov's report without interrupting him even once. Only after Orlov had finished speaking did he give a small nod.
"Thank you, Orlov," he said before turning his gaze toward Sokolov and gesturing for him to begin.
Seeing that, Sokolov immediately stepped forward with a document already in hand.
"This news only arrived recently, Your Highness," he began. "Several prisoners and political exiles in Siberia have escaped custody. The settlement where they had been housed was discovered abandoned when a company of soldiers stopped there for resupply. Some of the escapees have already been recaptured since the search began, but most remain at large." He paused briefly before extending a list toward Alexei. "I have here the names of those who are still missing."
Alexei accepted the document and began reading through the list. The moment he noticed a familiar name among them, his brows twitched slightly, though his expression otherwise remained calm as he continued reading.
Only after finishing did he place the document down on the desk and lift his gaze toward Sokolov.
"I want regular updates regarding everyone on this list," he said calmly. "The moment any of them are found, I want to be informed immediately. Understood?"
Sokolov nodded at once, clearly noticing the seriousness in the Tsarevich's expression. "Understood, Your Highness."
After a brief pause, he cautiously glanced toward Alexei before asking, "May I continue, Your Highness?"
Alexei, who was still frowning slightly as he looked at the list on the desk, gave a small nod at the question.
Sokolov immediately continued with his report.
But Alexei only listened half-heartedly. His thoughts remained fixed on one particular name on the list, Grigori Antonov, one of the prisoners who had escaped custody alongside several of his men. He had fully expected the man to end up hanging from one of Stolypin's neckties, just like countless other revolutionaries and criminals before him. What he had not expected was for Grigori to somehow escape.
Now, Alexei could not help but worry about the possibility of retaliation against his organization, particularly the Jackals. After all, it had been the Jackals, the public face and frontline force of his organization, who had handed Grigori Antonov over to the authorities in the first place.
For a brief moment, Alexei found himself thinking that perhaps he should have killed the man personally instead of turning him over to the government. But he quickly pushed the thought aside. Handing Grigori over had brought them favorable treatment, useful connections, and a warmer relationship with the authorities, especially the Okhrana. At the time, it had undoubtedly been the more practical decision.
Still, practicality did little to ease his current concerns. If Grigori Antonov remained at large, then revenge was no longer merely a possibility. It was only a matter of time.
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his chair as he continued listening only half-heartedly to Sokolov's report while considering the matter.
The first thing he needed to do was warn Ivan and the others. The Jackals would have to tighten security across their territory immediately. And…. and… that was it. That was precisely the problem with having an enemy at large. All they could do for now was prepare, defend, and wait for the inevitable. They had no opportunity to make the first move because they did not even know where Grigori Antonov was hiding, nor how he intended to retaliate. Until the man revealed himself, Alexei and his organization could do little beyond remaining vigilant.
Alexei let out a quiet inward sigh at yet another problem suddenly thrown onto his shoulders.
"…and lastly, Your Highness, several agitators were reportedly seen distributing illegal pamphlets near the Nevsky factories yesterday evening," Sokolov finished.
Alexei blinked once, Sokolov's final words pulling him fully back to the present. He repeated the report silently in his head for a brief moment, processing it before asking, more to maintain appearances that he had been listening attentively throughout the report than out of genuine curiosity, "And I trust these agitators have already been apprehended, Lieutenant?"
A slight smile appeared on Sokolov's face as he nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. After receiving the report, we immediately coordinated with the politsiya to conduct arrests. We believe all individuals identified as agitators were successfully apprehended."
Alexei returned the smile and gave a small nod of approval.
"Our authorities seem to be growing more efficient at apprehending agitators and revolutionaries," he remarked. "Let us hope they continue their good work for the foreseeable future."
Both lieutenants straightened slightly at the praise, pride clearly visible on their faces. Even if they had not personally carried out the reporting or the arrests themselves, they still considered themselves part of the authorities the Tsarevich had commended. After all, they belonged to the very organization responsible for most of the apprehensions and the ongoing efforts to root out agitators and revolutionaries throughout the empire.
After a brief pause, and noticing that both men were still standing attentively before his desk, Alexei thought for a moment before asking, "And, ah… have you two finished gathering information on the former Prime Minister, Count Witte?"
He had ordered them to gather every piece of information they could find regarding the count after deciding that he wanted to meet the man personally and determine whether he could be persuaded to work for him, whether openly or in secret did not matter.
Alexei needed capable people, especially those who understood finance and administration, and after conducting his own research, he had come to the conclusion that Sergei Witte was exceptionally suited for such matters.
He had even interviewed the Gibbes couple, the parents of his tutor Charles Gibbes, as possible candidates to help manage some of his financial affairs. However, after speaking with them, he quickly concluded that neither possessed the qualities he was looking for.
As a result, he had been forced to seek alternatives. Fortunately, the alternative he found happened to be much closer than he expected. And, more importantly, Count Witte currently seemed to have little meaningful work occupying him.
Still, Alexei wanted more information before making any approach. That was precisely why he had tasked his loyal "dogs", ahem, aides from the Okhrana, with gathering everything they could about the former Prime Minister.
The two lieutenants glanced at one another briefly before Sokolov answered first. "We have not finished gathering everything yet, Your Highness," he said apologetically. "Count Witte has a rather extensive record of service, so compiling all the information has taken longer than expected. I apologize, Your Highness. We will need more time."
Sokolov lowered his head slightly after speaking. Neither he nor Orlov truly understood why the Tsarevich wanted information regarding the former Prime Minister, but they understood well enough that their duty was to obey orders, not question them. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of information surrounding a man like Sergei Witte made the task far more time-consuming than usual.
Alexei nodded in understanding. A man did not rise to the position of Prime Minister without leaving behind a long and complicated history of service. He was just about to dismiss the two men so he could spend the rest of the day relaxing and doing absolutely nothing when he noticed that Orlov seemed hesitant about something.
Alexei narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked toward him.
"What is it, Lieutenant?" he asked. "Just say it. I promise I won't bite."
A faint smile appeared on his face as he relaxed his expression slightly, encouraging the man to speak.
And speak he did.
Orlov took a deep breath before beginning carefully.
"I heard this from a colleague with more authority than myself and Sokolov, Your Highness," he said cautiously.
Before continuing, he glanced around the room first. Only after confirming that the door was closed and that no one else was present besides the Tsarevich, Sednev, and Lieutenant Sokolov did he continue in a lower voice.
"It seems the higher-ups have ordered Count Witte to be placed under observation," Orlov revealed. "I do not know the full details, Your Highness, but that is what I heard."
Alexei grew thoughtful at that revelation. So the men lingering outside Count Witte's residence several nights earlier had likely been Okhrana operatives after all. For a moment, he had suspected that the former Prime Minister might have enemies secretly watching him, but it seemed the surveillance had merely come from the empire's own intelligence service.
Still, the revelation only raised another question. Why exactly had Count Witte been placed under surveillance?
Alexei considered several possibilities in silence, but after a moment, he found himself coming up empty. Eventually, he looked back toward Orlov and said, "Thank you for the information, Orlov. If you can find out why the higher-ups placed the former Prime Minister under observation, I would greatly appreciate it." A faint smile appeared on his face as he added, "And perhaps there may even be a reward waiting for you."
Encouraging capable subordinates to work harder was never a bad thing, especially when rewards were involved.
Orlov immediately brightened at the mention of a reward and nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you, Your Highness. I will do my best."
Meanwhile, beside him, Sokolov had already begun considering what useful information he might gather for the Tsarevich himself. After all, Orlov had merely shared a piece of gossip overheard from a colleague, yet it had immediately caught the Tsarevich's interest.
Surely he could do the same. Especially if rewards were involved.
The two lieutenants had already developed an unspoken understanding between themselves, a healthy competition for the Tsarevich's favor. Sokolov had no intention of sabotaging Orlov. Instead, he simply resolved to uncover information even more valuable than what his colleague had shared today.
Alexei looked at the two men with a faint smile before casually waving a hand in dismissal.
"If that is all," he said, "then the two of you may either laze around the room or continue gathering information for me. The choice is yours."
Both lieutenants bowed their heads respectfully before returning to their respective tasks.
Alexei leaned back comfortably in his chair as he watched both of his aides return to their work. The quiet scratching of pens against paper soon filled the office once more, accompanied only by the occasional turning of documents and the faint crackling of the hearth nearby.
It had not been long since Sokolov and Orlov had effectively become his tools for gathering information within the Okhrana, yet so far, Alexei found himself fairly satisfied with their performance.
True, the two men were still relatively low-ranking officers within the organization. Because of that, the information they could access remained limited. Most of what they gathered consisted of reports about local gangs, factory unrest, revolutionary agitators, criminal activities, and whatever surface-level information happened to circulate throughout Saint Petersburg.
But honestly, that was more than enough for him at the moment. After all, what use was high-level intelligence if he lacked the influence or capability to act upon it properly?
There was little point in learning state secrets or political conspiracies far beyond his current reach. For now, information regarding the city itself, its streets, criminal underworld, and the growing unrest among the population held far greater value to him.
And in that regard, both Sokolov and Orlov had performed quite well. More importantly, the two men seemed eager to earn his favor. Alexei's lips curved faintly upward at the thought.
Loyal subordinates were never easy to cultivate, especially within organizations like the Okhrana, where ambition and opportunism thrived. Still, he hoped that, over time, the two lieutenants would grow increasingly loyal to him personally rather than merely to the position he held as Tsarevich. That would make them far more useful in the future.
Leaning further back into his chair, Alexei allowed his gaze to drift lazily toward the ceiling as he began considering what exactly he should do with the rest of his day in the Okhrana.