Tenderness

A story by Yulian Semyonov from the cycle about the spy Maxim Isaev. 1928. Isaev has been in Shanghai for several years on an assignment to break down the White émigré movement from within. From his contact, he learns about permission to return to Moscow, where he hopes to find his wife—Sashenka Gavrilina, whom he hasn’t seen for five years. Gruesome anticipation of their meeting gives Isaev insomnia, and in brief moments of forgetfulness he dreams of the upcoming meeting with Sashenka. But a week before he leaves, he learns that the plans of the Center have changed…