War of the Moles

Metro 2033: War of the Moles is a novel by Ukrainian science fiction writer Alexander Shakilov. Published for the 10th anniversary of the Metro 2033 Universe, this entry was released in December 2010.

Prologue
The place of action is post-nuclear Kiev. The time of action is the year 2033. The hero is a man who is plucked from his peaceful life by a real adventure, and the peace of his home station, the lives of his loved ones and the fate of the entire Kiev metro...

Plot
Sviatoshyn Farm Station, December 31, 2032 - January 1, 2033

At the Sviatoshynsko–Brovarska line station, Sviatoshyn celebrates the New Year of 2033, but farmer Sergei, nicknamed Saigon, had no time for fun. While on his family farm, he is attacked by five cannibalistic Nigerians. During the brawl, Sergei manages to kill their leader, and the other is shot by the station's guards. After talking to his wife and son, Saigon, promising to arrive in time for the holiday, heads into the tunnel towards Nivki, hoping to catch up with the fugitives. But instead, the farmer finds a harmonica with Bob Dylan's signature and the letter "A" scratched out on the rails. Sergei realizes that such an instrument could only belong to one person - his father. Saigon, convinced that his father is now alive and in Metro, decides to find him. He goes back to Sviatoshyn  and manages to celebrate the holiday with his family. Soon, he packs his gear and leaves in search of his relative, assuring Sveta and Andrei that he will return in a couple of days. In the tunnel to Nivki, Saigon is attacked by the same Nigerians, only in two numbers. The farmer kills one, and knits the other to make bait for the patsies. After walking a bit, Saigon guesses that the bound cannibal knows something about the owner of the harmonica, since he himself dropped it when he escaped. Saving the Nigerian from the rats, Saigon becomes his partner and learns that the false cannibal's name is Lecter, who in return for saving him promises to take him to the owner of the harmonica, "the big white man".

Nivki Station and flooded tunnel, January 1-2, 2033

On their approach to the station, Saigon and Lecter trigger an alarm and are immediately spotted by a patrol of male-hating Amazon girls. Trying to somehow explain that the kims have an agreement with the Nivki, Sergei ends up achieving nothing as he and his partner are put on the platform surrounded by women. After they are forced to undress, the young girl Guilza, whom Saigon calls Barbie, develops a liking for the farmer, but he rejects her because of the latter's wife and child. At night, Guilza frees Lecter and then Saigon from solitary confinement, in exchange for taking a promise from Kim that he will take the Amazon to Beresteiska. Halfway to the station, the heroes stumble upon an anomaly where they hear children's voices, and, having passed it, a huge lake that floods half the tunnel. For an inconceivable fee, they are picked up on a raft by the carrier Charon. A little while later, the guy decides to get rid of his traveling companions by tossing Guilza, Lecter, and Saigon into the proteas-infested water. Unfortunately for the guide, the farmer manages to rescue his partners and climb back onto the raft, nearly killing Charon.

Trade outpost at Beresteiska Station, January 2, 2033

After passing through the dangerous section without further surprises, the trio arrives at Beresteiska. Guilza, surprised by the size and capabilities of the station, went to look for work there. The lecturer, however, was about to lead Saigon to the owner of the harmonica, when suddenly the Amazon, learning that she has fallen to the pimp, hits him and falls under the attention of the police. Lecter rescues the girl and, with her and the farmer, hides from the guards in a giant tent in the middle of Beresteiska. There they meet a group of four men. At the same time, policemen led by Boris run into the tent, but the group commander sends them away, reminding them of his friendship with the Empress. Learning from Lecter that the man in charge is the "great white man," Saigon throws himself at his feet and begins to weep for joy, at the same time telling him that he is his son. However, he had no idea who the farmer was talking about. He introduces himself as Fidel and explains that he is the commander of the rescue squad that was on its way to the Dnipro station, as there is still a working tunnel-breaking machine there. He offers Saigon to join the squad, later telling him about his father. Sergei, realizing that Fidel seems to know a relative of the farmer, agrees. Along with him, Lecter and Guilza are also accepted as rescuers. Then Fidel leaves to have a word with the Empress, leaving the newcomers with three of their new acquaintances: the Cossack Baida, the Rastaman Che and the "cowboy" Myshka. Some time later, Fidel returns in a hurry to report that the empress is dead and that Boris, who has proclaimed himself the new ruler of Beresteiska, has staged a coup. Noisily, the rescuers manage to escape from the station into the tunnel leading to Shuliavska.

Abandoned Shuliavska Station, January 2, 2033

The squad arrives at Shuliavska, a nearly abandoned station, where they meet two of its inhabitants, the wolf-like mutant Uncas, who is Fidel's son, and the old caretaker Aibolit. Baida, at the commander's command, gives the caretaker ammunition to defend himself while Fidel talks to Uncas. Afterwards, everyone at the station has hallucinogenic comings and goings, during which Saigon sees the station's past on Fidel's behalf, his massacre of the Shuliavska population, and saves Guilza from the clutches of a giant mutant. After the heroes come to their senses, they learn that everyone at Shuliavska sees what they must see. After saying goodbye to the residents, the group walks on. On the approach to the Polytechnic Institute, it becomes clear that the nationalists living there do not allow women in, so they smear mud on Guilza's face and put a Mishka hat on her head.

Polytechnic Institute Nationalist Station and Side Tunnel, January 3, 2033

At the post, it turns out that the nationalists are at war with an intelligent biomass, the Irja, who absorb metal. The group is allowed into the station, but soon there are problems with the travelers, as the nationalists despise all non-Ukrainians, which is what Lecter is not allowed in. They were going to hang him and sadistically torture him before, but Saigon solved the problem: he obtained an audience with the hetman of the nationalists, Bogdan Kryga, and took a promise from him that if he destroys the Irja, the nationalists will let the Lecter go. Already for the courage of Sergei, Lecter is not killed, but on the contrary - accepted into the nationalists make a Cossack. During this time, Saigon finds a way to massacre the biomass by phosphorus bullets, from which the Irja explodes. Upon learning that the mutant rust is finished, Kryga announces a feast in honor of the rescue guests. However, the squad still had to leave the station, as Saigon learns that Fidel is killing a tackler, a member of the mercenary order. While the nationalists were drinking, Fidel's group escapes from the Polytech, but they don't get far: Lecter senses that the murdered man's friends have sent a chase after them.

Covered Bandit Station, Harpy Cemetery, January 3, 2033

On the approach to Vokzalna station, the group is tied up by a bandit patrol led by Said and, chaining them up, leads them across the platform to the chambers of Lenchik Cosmos, the ringleader. It is discovered that the bandit leader is under the influence of drugs. Che, knowing Cosmos' gambling, offers to play cards with him, making a deal: if he wins, Cosmos will let the rescuers go on, but if Lenchik wins, they will all become his new slaves. At first, Rastaman was terribly unlucky, losing squad members one by one. But once it came to Fidel, Che seized the initiative. So, having played all the rescuers, Che also took Lenchiks personal ficus while he was in nirvana. On his way out of the station, Saigon gives Said Fidel's katana, taking his Turkish jacket. Having come off the high, Cosmos, finding out that he gave the rescuers his ficus, in a fit of rage, kills Said and sends berserkers in pursuit. The rescuers notice this and speed up their pace. Halfway to the University, they meet a caravan of merchants, giving them Said's jacket and Cosmos's ficus, they run on and hide in a side tunnel and hear that the berserkers who put the shuttles down are being killed by the gallopers who came up.

On the way to the scientists' station, Baida has a psychotic attack and, almost killing everyone with a machine gun, takes Guilza as a hostage before going further into the tunnel. Saigon, saving the Amazon, accidentally fires two arrows from his crossbow in the dark, hitting the Cossack. Fidel, approaching the wounded man, realizes that he is not alive and orders Baida to cover them. Having lost one member of the squad, the group moves on through an unfamiliar tunnel. Fidel, along with Che leave to scout while Saigon, Lecter, and Guilza covered their asses. Coincidentally, the trio wanders into a citadel, where they are attacked by a pack of harpy bats, during which Saigon is wounded and Guilza and Lecter lose consciousness from their bites. The "scouts" arrive just in time to rescue them.

University Station, January 3, 2033

At the University, Saigon leads the unit to a scientist he knows, Vincent Benediktovich, co-owner of the Kim and Son franchise, who allows him to rest in his tent. A little while later, Vincent, who was leaving for the station, brings tea and everyone but Saigon drinks it completely, which causes them to lose consciousness. Saigon's legs were only paralyzed, but that did not stop him from taking out the two scientists who arrived with Vincent, planning to use the squad as lab rats. Both, they take with them to the grave a prescription for Vincent's "hospitable" asthma. In exchange for the cure, a waking Fidel gives the scientist most of the tokens. After waiting in the tent for the night, the rescuers, leaving Lecter and Guilza in treatment, leave for Theater Street.

Leninskaya Communist Station, post at the station, January 4, 2033

When they arrive at the station, they see that there has been a change of power at Teatralnaya: Communists have come, returning the station to its old name of "Leninskaya," hanging red banners and beginning to expropriate currency from the population. While talking to the red commissar, Saigon meets an old man, who soon leaves for his lodgings. The rescue workers refuse to go through the station. In the evening, they visit the old man, in the course of their acquaintance they learn that his name is Pavel Terentyevich. Also learning that in the past Pavel worked in the Underground Construction, Fidel decides to take him with him. Then everyone hears that the commissar begins smashing up the houses of those who disagree with the authorities and, realizing that this is their chance, escape from Leninskaya. At the post after the station they meet a sentinel and a merchant who are guarding a bag of tokens confiscated from the residents. Fidel and Che deal with them, leaving only the peddler alive and, taking the contents, run off with the others to Khreshchatyk.

Khreshchatyk Farm Station, January 5, 2033

At the Khreshchatyk farm, while the others look around the station and buy food, Fidel bargains with a gunsmith. He buys almost the entire arsenal, thanks to the stolen tokens. The two are about to celebrate the successful deal, but Fidel kills the dealer, recognizing him to be his old enemy. There is a riot on Khreshchatyk, and the inhabitants, believing that the rescuers are subversives, start shooting poisoned arrows at them. Everyone manages to escape into the tunnel that leads to Arsenalna, but Myshka, who was covering the group's retreat, is killed by a large number of arrows plunged into him.

Arsenalna Station, abandoned as of January 5, 2033

This time Fidel and Che, who did not pass the Arsenalna the first time, manage to pass it the second time. But on the platform they were still subjected to the mental effects of burning lamps, but thanks to Saigon and Pavel Terentyevich, who did not want to go to Dnipro, they still get to post-nuclear Kiev. The destination was just a stone's throw away.

Dnipro Station captured by mutants, January 5, 2033

Once at the elevated, dilapidated "Dnipro" station, the four are attacked by a bandit who soon turns his attention to the inhabitants of the station - white mutated monkeys. They are not going to hide and begin to pursue the heroes to the very catacombs under the platform. Having successfully fought off the enemy in the tunnel, the surviving rescuers find the very tunneling complex "Marusya". Pavel, as a former subway builder, manages to drive the combine, but Fidel, upon learning that the old man refuses to dig the tunnel to the river, kills him and knocks out Saigon. It becomes clear that Fidel, along with Che, did not intend to dig new tunnels, but instead to completely flood the Metropolitan, as that is what their god Jah wants. Saigon, who has come to his senses, sees that the two rescuers are already digging their way to the Dnipro and decides to stop them. With a well-aimed shot to Che's backpack full of dynamite, he blows up the combine and with it the two of them. Monkeys descend into the catacombs at the explosion, but Saigon's wife Svetlana, accompanied by two Amazons, Lecter and Guilza, kills the mutants while saving her husband. After thanking everyone, Sergei clears the rubble and finds Fidel mutilated but still alive underneath. Before the rescuer dies, Saigon asks about the owner of the harmonica, to which Fidel replies that he is his father. After Nikolai's death, Saigon, with the help of Lecter, chops off his father's head and goes with it to Metro.

Epilogue
Everyone went back the same way they came. Stopping at the bandit and nationalists stations, Saigon provides Lyonchik and Kryga with Fidel's head as proof that he was going to flood the Metro, and at the same time convince both ringleaders to break the alliance, thereby saving the Metropolitan from a new war. At Shuliavska, they meet Uncas again with Aibolit. Saigon takes his brother with him to Sviatoshyn, and the caretaker, having learned from Saigon of his grandson's tragic fate (Fidel slaughtered all of Shuliavska and took his grandson away from Aibolit and left Uncas), commits suicide. At Beresteiska, Saigon borrows tokens from Emperor Boris to buy his son a typewriter.

Finally, back at his home station, Sergei introduces his son to his uncle Uncas. Lecter and Guiza remain there as well, becoming a couple. At night, Saigon, taking off his chemical protection suit, finds in his pocket a note from Pavel Terentyevich, which he gave to a farmer at Arsenalna. Reading it, Saigon realizes that there is another tunneling shield at the Heroiv Dnipra station.

Now Saigon and his friends have a new hope for saving the subway.

Main Characters

 * Sergei Kim, nicknamed "Saigon", is a farmer from Sviatoshyn station. He went to the Big Metro to find his father, but joined the rescue squad instead.
 * Lecter is a Nigerian companion of Saigon and Guilza, who later joined the rescue squad with them. Used to be a cannibal.
 * Guilza is a redheaded Amazon of nineteen, who escaped from the Nivki station with Saigon and Lecter and later joined the rescue squad.
 * Nikolai Kim, nicknamed "Fidel", is Saigon's father, who would not admit it until the end of the story. The main antagonist of the novel, under the guise of commander of the rescue squad dreaming of expanding the Kiev subway by drilling tunnels. Died at Dnipro Station from blood loss, not long after Saigon detonated the dynamite in Che's backpack.

Secondary Characters

 * Che is the "right-hand man" of Fidel's rescue squad and his best friend. Uncle of Saigon and Uncas, a Rastaman; likes smoking. Died at the Dnipro station from an explosion of dynamite in his backpack.
 * Uncas is Saigon's younger brother, born with disabilities after the War. Outwardly resembles a wolf, but can speak.
 * Mouse  - Fidel's rescue squad fighter. He masquerades as a cowboy. Died at the Khreshchatyk station, covering the retreat of the squad.
 * Baida  - A fighter of Fidel's rescue detachment. He speaks only Ukrainian. Suffers from a mental disorder. Died from a grenade explosion during a skirmish with the nationalists.
 * Pavel Terentyevich - a fighter in Fidel's rescue squad. Formerly worked as a subway construction worker. He cut off Fidel's tongue when he visited Teatralnaya street for the first time. Killed by him on the Dnipro when he refused to cooperate.
 * Svetlana - wife of Saigon. Saved her husband at the end, arriving at Dnipro accompanied by the Amazons, Lecter, and Guilza.
 * Bogdan Kryga is a Cossack hetman at the Polytechnic Institute station. He likes to drink.
 * Leonid Chernovetskiy, nicknamed "Cosmos", is the bandit's boss at Vokzalna station. Before the war, he was the mayor of Kiev. He likes to dabble in drugs.
 * Charon - Carrier across the lake between Nivki and Beresteiska. He transported Saigon Lecter and Guilza, who nearly died in the process. Died at the hands of the Amazons when crossing them and Svetlana tried to throw everyone into the water.
 * Boris is the emperor of the Beresteiska Station. Previously served there too, but as a policeman. Hates the parrots that inhabit the station.

Interesting Facts

 * The first anniversary (10th) book of the series.
 * The first book about another country (Ukraine).
 * The novel begins not in 2033, but on December 31, 2032.
 * There is an amateur translation into Polish.