Child 44 Chapter 42 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Rostov-on-Don, Same Day

  • Aron is a bored security officer in a boring town. His only entertainment is watching local residents file to and fro at the bus stop across the street.
  • There's a young girl sitting there now who "seemed drunk" (4.42.5). Aron watches as some guy with a briefcase approaches her—after a few words, the pair start walking in his direction.
  • Assuming that the girl is a prostitute, Aron confronts them. He probably isn't wrong, but he should actually be more worried about the guy—it's none other than Andrei the ripper.
  • Luckily for Andrei, the girl's rudeness makes her Aron's primary target. As he check's Andrei's papers, however, he finds a photo of a "Russian soldier" sitting on a tank smiling (4.42.36). That soldier is Leo.