Angel S:1 E:12 "Motherland Part II"
By G.M. Shephard
Copyright © 2013
Edited by: jeffusually
kittylover
Episode 12 "Motherland Part II"
Dear readers,
What you are about to read is an alternative history of the events that
led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. For the story, I have
moved the events to march of 1987 a full four years earlier under the
pretense that the fictitious events of the of the Icarus sparked
necessary reform changes sooner in the Soviet Union's history and that
major players came onto the scene sooner. While the events described
below have been altered, much is very similar to the actual events that
led to the fall of the Soviet Union. I hope you all enjoy. Now to
finish writing the final two episodes before the finale. Expect
everything within two weeks.
---Nikolai Mitri's Personal Suite---
"Who is she?" he asked Sergei.
"According to papers, she is Anzhela Surkov. Twenty-five, and lives in
Arkhangelsk Oblast, but clearly this is not her. She is likely a spy
or extremist who stole her identity to get close to you."
"Why me?"
"Brother, don't be naive; you are important to our country and have
much value. People kidnap you and make demands, and Government
listens."
"What does she say she wanted?" Nikolai asked.
"That she wanted to meet you."
"Is that not possible? I am a celebrity--women want me. Some girls
get crazy over celebrities. Maybe she is an American."
"That is possible," Sergei said switching to a low voice, "her Russian
is a bit strange, yet familiar."
"How so?"
"She sounds a bit like you. She use similar words to what you use, and
she speaks our dialect."
"There you have it, then. The American woman is crazy about me so
much, she studies the way I speak Russian. Do you mind?" Mitri said,
asking his brother for permission to approach. He was on his way over
when another gunshot sounded. Again the door opened. The Major didn't
bother waiting for the guard's announcement.
"Where is the detachment? I demand to be informed in one minute or you
will be stationed in Siberia." The guard closed the door and took off.
"What is happening? What is that gunfire all about?" Nikolai asked.
"We are trying to find out," Sergei said as Nikolai stood before me.
"Who are you--what do you want with me?"
Switching to English, I said, "Mitri, I am a friend, nothing more."
Just then, another shot rang out as a KGB officer burst through the
door.
"Comrade Major, the Banquet is under siege. About a dozen men have
taken the room by force and locked it down. We can't get in without
the hostages being harmed." Panic set in at the news.
"Oh shit, what have I done?" I said aloud. I tuned my hearing again
and could hear screams. Focusing, I filtered the noise as best as I
could until I locked onto a voice that sounded familiar. Megan was
screaming, terrified beyond belief. I stood up, picking the chair up
with me. The guards each pressed their hands into my shoulders and
tried pushing me back down. I squatted with their movement, while my
diamond-hard fingernails severed the chains to my cuffs more
effectively than a bolt cutter. My downward movement led the guards
into a false sense of accomplishment.
Before it registered what was happening, I reached up with my free
hands and grabbed ahold of their wrists as I dropped to my knees and
leaned forward while pulling their arms low to my midsection. Both men
lost balance, falling forward where I increased my pull on their arms,
flipping them over my shoulders. They hit the ground hard momentarily,
knocking them senseless. Sergei drew his weapon and took aim and
fired. I dodged the round and sped to the left plowing through the
wall. The suite they had brought me to was seated right next to the
grand staircase. As my indestructible body finished penetrating the
wood and plaster wall, I took flight, sailing over the balcony railing
and somersaulted mid-air, bringing my feet down and my head up in time
to see Nikolai watch me disappear down the spiral stairwell where I
landed feet first.
---
"MICHAEL, HELP!" Megan screamed at the top of her lungs. A shot rang
out and the gunman's head exploded as a round impacted his skull and
exited the other side. Blood splattered everywhere as his lifeless
body collapsed onto the fancy carpet of the banquet hall.
"You stupid fuck," Vladimir said lowering his weapon. Blood speckled
Megan's face from the messy head wound. She continued screaming as
Vladimir approached her. "You assholes, you were given instructions
not to harm the Americans, especially these two, and him," he said
pointing back at Collins. He pointed his weapon at the dead man and
fired three more rounds into him, "You disobey me, and I will send you
back to worst prison in Siberia and this time your families will join
you." He knelt before Megan handing her a handkerchief to wipe the
blood off her face.
"You will be quiet right now. If you obey me, I will let you tend to
your comrade over there. I understand you are doctor," Megan nodded
unable to speak, "He needs you, but if you don't be quiet, I will take
you out of the room and he will die. I won't even count to three--you
will be silent right now." Megan looked at Eugene who was clutching
his stomach. She sucked in her pride, swallowed her fear, and shook
her head in agreement, "Very good, this matter does not concern you and
the United States. This is a Soviet matter, and you are being used for
leverage. It is not my intention that any of you are harmed. If you
remain calm and stay out of our affairs, you will get to go home. Now
go to your comrade." He turned to two of his more trustworthy men,
"Mentyukov, get her anything she needs--this man must not die. If he
does, so do you. Penkovsky, you watch over them. They don't leave,
and no one goes near them unless I say so. Understand?" Vladimir
turned back to Megan who was still in too much fear to move. "This man
will get you anything you need."
"Sir," Collins said. Vladimir turned and saw just who had spoken up.
A couple of his men were already obeying his commands afraid of the
consequences of hurting Collins. Instead, they hovered over him, ready
to act in Vladimir's orders.
"Speak, what is on your mind."
"That is my friend over there, may I help the Doctor?"
"You may, but no tricks, understand?"
"Yes." Vladimir signaled him to move. Collins slowly got up and moved
to Megan, taking a knee before her. "Megan, snap out of it," he said
grabbing her shoulders and giving her a quick shake. "Look, Gene needs
your help. You are the only one that can help him right now. You're a
strong woman. You held us together up there--don't fall apart on us
now." Slowly she came around and looked at Eugene lying down with one
of his legs bent underneath him.
"Oh, god, Gene!" she said finally coming around. "Sean, grab a couple
table cloths, quick." She was back in doctor mode and ran over, taking
position next to Eugene. She examined the entry point where the bullet
entered his abdomen. She tried to think of the few gunshot cases she
encountered during her residency as St. John's in Dallas.
"Megan, I think I'm screwed," Eugene said, his hands trembling.
"Gene, you are going to be all right, I am going to take care of you,
just listen to me, OK?" He shook his head as Sean brought the table
cloths over, "Sean, cover him up and put one under his head," she
ordered as she took her heels and suit coat off and resumed examining
the wound.
"What else do you need?"
"I need a knife, some water, and napkins," Megan requested as Sean went
to collect the items. Vladimir handed her a folding knife from his
pocket.
"Don't be stupid with this or I will kill you. I keep it sharp; it
should do whatever you need it for."
"Thank you. I need to know what kind of round was in that gun. Can I
see one?" He retrieved the weapon from Penkovsky who was now holding
his dead comrade's weapon. Vladimir removed the magazine and ejected a
round handing it to Megan.
"Doctor, it is a 9x18mm Makarov round. Similar to western 9x19mm, but
less power. Similar to .380 ACP. This is a standard ball round."
Megan examined the bullet.
"Thank you; that helps," she said setting the bullet on the ground.
She took the knife and cut a patch off of the table cloth, allowing her
access to the wound, while keeping Gene covered. "Gene, talk to me.
How are you feeling?" He looked up at her.
"I am OK; you don't need to tranquilize me again." He stopped and
looked at her, "I wasn't afraid this time. I told you I wouldn't be
afraid again."
"That's right, you did great. You saved me, Gene, now help me save
you. I am going to have to make some cuts--I need to see something.
Gene, it's going to hurt a bit, but I need to know how much internal
damage you have."
"It's OK doc; I don't feel any pain."
"Gene, what do you mean? You can't feel anything?" She didn't wait
for him to answer. "Sean, quick, straighten his legs and take his
shoes off." Sean reacted very quickly and did what he was told. One
of the gunmen arrived with a large green pack with.
"Here, field dressing kit," the man said as he showed Collins the
contents of the bag
"Doc, what do you need out of here?" he said pouring the contents on
the floor.
"Get some gauze and plug the wound. I need to check something. Be
firm, but don't push down too hard on his stomach." She took the knife
and grabbed the sole of Gene's foot. "Gene, can you hear me?"
"He can hear you," Sean said, relaying Gene's nods.
"Gene, tell me if you can feel this," Megan poked the various parts of
his foot with the sharp clip point of the blade. There were no
reactions, no twitches. "Gene, anything?"
"No Megan, he said no, does this mean-"
"-don't talk, Sean; just apply that pressure." She looked around for
Vladimir who happened to be standing over her.
"What is story, Doctor?"
"Please, we need to get him to a hospital. He has a spinal injury and
internal bleeding. I can stabilize him, but if he doesn't get there
soon, he is going to die."
"I'm afraid there is little I can do, doctor. No one can leave at the
moment."
---
I was in a severe state of panic watching and listening to the drama
unfold beyond the doors. There were at least a dozen or more
silhouettes with weapons spread throughout the room. Had I not stopped
to think rationally, and just burst through the door, it's likely
everyone would be dead. There was simply no way, even with my
incredible speed, to take them all out without many of my friends being
killed. The recognizable sound of Vladimir was talking to Megan. I
was relieved that she was in no immediate danger and was starting to
think of a strategy when Vladimir addressed her.
"You will be quiet right now. If you obey me, I will let you tend to
your comrade over there. I understand you are doctor. He needs you,
but if you don't be quiet, I will take you out of the room and he will
die. I won't even count to three--you will be silent right now,"
Vladimir said, causing me to speculate who he was talking about. Who
was this guy and just what the hell did I get myself mixed into?
"Don't move!" a couple men said to me in Russian. I turned to face
them. They were Mitri's men and looked rather young, about my apparent
age. Several others arrived on scene and pointed their weapons at me.
One spoke into a radio.
"Comrade Major, we have her. What are your orders?" I shifted my
vision to radio and could see the waves traveling out into a wide
omnidirectional pattern spreading like ripples in a pond and
disappearing into the distance. Turning back, I saw fainter signals
originating from within banquet hall indicating that they, too, had
communication.
"Nothing; stay there. I will be right there. Give me your location."
Through the door I saw what I determined to be Vladimir's silhouette
move away from the hall and into the corridors where I had met him
before my arrest. He signaled to someone and the house audio system
squelched to life before classical music started playing throughout the
speaker system. He turned to his radio and started speaking. I
desperately tried to filter the sounds of the music out and tune into
his conversation, but the background noise was masking all but a random
words.
---
"Report," Vladimir heard his superior say over the secure radio.
"The plan worked perfectly. Major Mitri and his men reacted just as
you said they would. The woman we got was perfect. Her arrest record
showing her associating with known extremist groups made her ideal for
what we needed in a decoy. They thought she was trying to harm Nikolai
and cleared her and the Hero from the room. In a matter of seconds
they had her handcuffed, and the Major and all his anti-Party followers
cleared the room for us, thinking an attempt on Nikolai had just
occurred. If it weren't for Nikolai, I would have put a bullet in
Sergei's brain a long time ago. Once he was out of the room, away from
danger, the conscripts from the camp took the room quickly. We are now
completely in charge."
"Very good work. You may proceed and broadcast your demands on the
open channel."
"Yes, Comrade; it will be done. Before I do, you should know we do
have a situation. One of the prisoners from the camp shot and
critically injured one of the three Americans."
"One of Mitri's three? How could you let this happen?"
"The man was careless and I disposed of him. None of the men will step
out of line again. We have a doctor in the room and she is tending to
him, but I think it might turn out to be in our favor. The General
Secretary will be foolish to not comply with our demands if an American
hero will die should he delay. The US and Soviet relations would be
harshly impacted. Urge the Secretary to respond to my threats and
allow the American to receive medical attention."
"Very well; I agree. We will show him and the people just who is in
charge of this country after we dispatch the prisoners. Gorbachev will
look like a fool and will be forced to step down.
Allow video of the wounded American to leak; we will later announce to
the General Secretary that Nikolai has also been critically wounded.
This should also provoke him to concede to our demands. Proceed as
such, but no more complications."
"Understood," Vladimir said as he switched to an open radio frequency
and began communicating.
---
"You will come with us now, and no more tricks or we shoot," Sergei
said to me as I watched Vladimir through the door.
"Then shoot. Otherwise, Sergei, shut up; I am trying to listen." He
was taken aback at my use of casual speech and orders I was directing
his way. "You have to listen to me--something big is happening here.
This isn't some random hostage situation."
"What is it then?"
"I could only hear bits and pieces. They mentioned something about me
being used to get Nikolai out of the room."
"Nikolai is very important icon to Soviet Union--maybe they don't want
to hurt their cause by getting him killed."
"Makes sense, but they mentioned you and your loyal men specifically as
if they used both me and Nikolai to get rid of you. I am trying to
figure out why."
"Well I am not popular in my ranks because I don't have strong loyalty
to the Party anymore. If it weren't for my brother, I'm sure I would
be dead by now. How are you able to hear them?" he asked.
"It's not important; just know that I can hear them, barely." I
thought long and hard. "Several times the General Secretary was
mentioned."
"I do not know; that can mean anything. What else did he say?"
"Something about dispatching prisoners to show the people who's in
charge. The music got too loud and I couldn't hear the rest."
"They don't plan on killing the hostages, do they?" Sergei asked.
"No, before he spoke with Megan-"
"-Who?"
"Megan McCormack, she was a mission specialist on board the Deliverance
with your brother. Vladimir said to her that it was not their
intention to harm them. Comrade Major, I can help. I can take those
men out."
"I am sure you are quite capable, but how do I know I can trust you? I
don't even know who you are."
"Your brother here knows who I am." He turned to Nikolai and asked,
who answered by shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm afraid I don't know you."
"Nikolai, have you ever told your brother how you got home?"
"I was forbidden to talk about it--in fact, I don't even know myself
what happened."
"Nikolai, what is this she is talking about?" Sergei asked, surprised
that there was something that Nikolai had not shared with him. I
switched to English.
"My friend," I said walking over to the wall and raising my hand, "you
know a miracle brought you home safe that day. The Deliverance was
disabled--it was impossible for you to have returned home." I began
repeating the message I coded to them by knocking on the hard wood. I
wasn't sure if Mitri knew Morse code, but I could tell from the look on
his face, that he at least remembered the pattern.
"That was you?" I nodded yes as he slumped down along the wall, "and
all this time, I had thought it was a friend of mine. Instead, this
angel before me is my savior."
"Nikolai, Michael did send me to save you. He is not dead, but I don't
have time to explain to you right now," his head shot up at the news.
"What do you mean he is not dead? He is alive? Where is he?"
"Later, but now our friends need help, and I can save them. Tell your
brother here to trust me, and have his men leave the room," they
conversed in Russian and a short time later, Sergei forced everyone out
of the room.
"So, you are the reason my brother has returned to me? Hard to
believe, but based on what I have seen, maybe not hard after all. What
do you need from me?"
---Banquet---
"Let's work the problem, people," Dr. Roth said as he and a couple of
the engineers stripped a large rectangular table. One of the cameramen
was ordered to film the work the men were doing. They took a portable
folding table made of compressed wood particles and began modifying it.
Schneider used a large knife on loan from one of the gunman to start
punching holes running up and down the table. He pressed the tip of
the blade into the table while Gilmore hit the handle with a large
heavy stone statue driving the steel through the particleboard. While
they made the holes in the table, Collins cut one of the tablecloths
into long strips. He hurried and handed them over to Schneider and
Gilmore who started feeding the strips into the holes.
"OK, it's ready," Gilmore shouted as they collapsed the legs and laid
the table next to Shephard.
"OK. We have to be very careful moving him. Grab the tablecloth we
placed under him and lift slightly. You two slide the table under him.
Be very gentle and try not to move his spine too much." They quickly
lifted Eugene and placed the table under him as Megan instructed.
Eugene grunted while they moved him.
"Are you OK, Gene?" He simply nodded instead of saying anything. "OK,
good. We are going to move you; before we do, we are going to strap
you down, including your head and arms. You won't be able to move, but
don't panic; we are just doing that so you don't move and hurt yourself
even more," he reached up and touched Megan's face.
"You're an amazing woman Doc; I'm glad I met you," she took his hand
and squeezed it.
"You're quite remarkable yourself. Now don't worry, you are going to
be fine. I had to open you up a bit and look around in there, you're
in luck, that round didn't fragment. Your organs and intestines are
intact, but that bullet is lodged in your spine and I can't touch it.
Listen to me, Gene; I don't know the extent of the injury. As soon as
we can get to a hospital, we will find out. In the meantime, keep
calm. The important thing is you are alive."
"OK, are you going to stay with me?"
"Yes; they are going to let the three of us move to the kitchen," she
said as the guys carefully started lifting the table. They held it
high while Collins slid under and unlatched the legs. They set the
table down and started pulling the cloth strips through the holes,
strapping Gene in. Collins placed two rolled-up tablecloths along
Gene's legs, while Megan wrapped a shorter one around his neck. They
began tying the strips tight, locking him to their makeshift long spine
board. Vladimir came by.
"Very good work, people. How is he?"
"He will be fine if we can get him treated. He has a crude stitch job
keeping him from bleeding out, but he needs professional care."
"We are working on it; in the meantime, you and he will stay in the
kitchen under guard. No tricks, understand? I am usually not this
nice, but his well-being is in my best interests, so don't abuse my
generosity. Now hand me the knives and my men will escort you to the
kitchen."
"What about Sean?" she asked, finding it strange he was no longer being
included in the roster of people moving to the kitchen.
"Your friend stays with us. He is important to your government. He
will stay as extra security. Now go, and don't try my patience."
---
"We were able to get this for you," Sergei said handing me a radio and
headset. Our pilots use these, as do some of our soldiers. You wear
it around your throat so you can talk in a soft voice and still be
heard."
"Perfect," I said, completely familiar with the technology. Instead of
a traditional mike, the mike on these sits on your throat and absorbs
vibrations directly from the larynx. I put the radio on and ran through
a test. As he spoke back to me, I tied my long hair back and pulled
the black beanie out of my coat and pulled it over my head and down
over my face. Using my finger nails I clipped away at the wool making
a pair of eye holes.
'These things are pretty useful at times,' I thought looking at my
fingernails.
"Here," Mitri said handing me a small suppressed submachine gun.
"No thanks. I will be all right."
"What are you going to do without a weapon?"
"Comrade, I *am* a weapon, and I am about to get really bitchy."
"Very well," he said, keeping his trust in his brother.
"I am going to get you intel on the room and situation. Do you know
someone who knows international Morse code?"
"Perhaps, why?" I wrote a message down on a piece of paper and handed
it to Sergei.
"If you can find someone, get them to the sound booth of the banquet
hall. You will need to take someone out, but once you gain control,
have him create some slight feedback and keep tapping that message
until someone makes eye contact with the booth."
"Collins?" Nikolai asked with a big smile on his face.
"None other. He will hear the message and can spread the word that we
are about to take the room. Can you have someone standing by to kill
all the lights?"
"Yes, but how will you see?"
"Don't worry about that; just make sure there is no light. I need to
get moving," I said, "wait for me and I will report in soon."
---The Crimea, Faros, Ukraine---
"General Secretary, we have a situation that demands your immediate
attention," Valeriy Boldin, secretariat head to Gorbachev, said.
"Armed radicals have taken over the banquet where we are meeting with
the Americans."
"This cannot be, are you sure your facts are correct?"
"Yes Mr. Secretary. Reports say one of the American astronauts has
been critically wounded by gunfire."
"Which astronaut? Not one of *the* astronauts?"
"I am afraid so; he might not make it," the deputy chief of the Soviet
Defense Council chimed in, adding urgency to their appeal.
"Does Washington know what is happening?"
"So far we have managed to keep the situation contained, but it will
leak sooner or later, and if we don't act quickly to put an end to this
madness, all the progress we have made with the Americans will be
undone."
"What do you propose we do?"
"We agree that the best course of action is to stop this uprising. If
you declare a state of emergency, we can restore order and imprison any
conspirators who have orchestrated this hideous act."
"I can't do that, nor will I. My relations with the United States are
strong, and as you say, much progress has been made. If I issue a
state of emergency as you propose, all my reform work will be undone.
I must first and foremost think about what is good for the health of
the Soviet Union, a union with more openness and freedom for the
people."
"Mr. Secretary, has it occurred to you that maybe our people still need
regulation? Your plans to be more open with them and reform the Party
were not accepted. See, they are showing their appreciation by killing
an international hero, one who, like Mitri, is responsible for the life
they continue to live. You will be finished, and the cold war will
resume if you do not act."
"I see, the situation is indeed dire. What is it they demand?"
"They have made no expressed demands. They as far as we can tell are
trying to get attention. They refuse to allow the American to be taken
for treatment and have threatened to kill others regardless of their
status. It's worse--Nikolai Mitri is one of the hostages. If he is
killed-"
"-Mr. Secretary," Baklanov interrupted, "our intelligence says that
they have a strong network of conspirators and it's possible their
cause could spark anarchy that will quickly rage out of control. We
need to act fast and quell this situation and make mass arrests,
otherwise this country will fall. If you will not take the necessary
steps, then we demand you resign and appoint Vice President Yananyev
who will take action."
"I will do no such thing, nor will I make any rash decisions. Get me
more intelligence and find out what these people want. Until then, do
not make such demands of me."
---
"Comrade Major," the young captain said reporting in, "all
communication to the General Secretary's dacha in the Crimea has been
cut off. There are reports that there has been an increase in KGB
presence around his retreat. Additionally, there are rumors that he
has been placed under house arrest. This happened moments after a
broadcast from the terrorists. They are demanding that the people be
taken care of. They claim to be the voice of the people who are tired
of waiting in long lines for food and basic needs. They want to be
promised change or they start killing the Americans."
"Thank you Captain for your report; is there anything else?"
"Yes, Comrade Major; it appears all KGB on holiday are being called in
and armor units are being deployed. T-80s from the Tamanskaya and
Kantemirovskaya armor units have already taken position in Red Square
and are fortifying their position. Something big is happening."
"Contact headquarters and report our current situation. Find out as
much as you can about what's going on." The Captain saluted and left
just as his radio crackled to life.
"Report," Sergei said.
"Contact, two armed guards. I am going to take them out. Shephard and
the Doc have been moved to the kitchen. Can you arrange an emergency
crew to meet them out back?"
"Yes, we have a hospital nearby. I may be able to get them on the
radio. Make sure if you take them out to do so quietly."
"They won't even see me coming," the soft female voice said with
absolute confidence.
"Nikolai, this doesn't seem real. Who is she?"
"Brother, I really have no idea where she came from, but I almost
didn't come back and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have. All the
reports you have heard about the mission are false. We really didn't
do anything up there. The nukes failed and our ship was badly damaged.
All hope was lost, and the governments were never going to tell you
until the asteroid entered he atmosphere. My hero status is a sham.
This woman, this angel--whoever she is--she is the real hero. Because
of her you and I are alive. She stopped the asteroid and brought us
home. I'm sorry my dear brother for not telling you, but it was
forbidden for us to speak of it."
"That is OK; I am in the intelligence business. I know what it is like
to have secrets. What I don't understand is how you keep attracting
all the pretty girls and never introduce them to your older, wiser
brother."
---
"How are you doing, Gene?" Megan asked as she placed a wet napkin in
his mouth letting him suck on the water.
"I'm OK, just a little cold," he answered between his drinks. Two of
Vladimir's trusted men kept watch, one guarding the rear door to the
loading dock, while the other kept a close eye on the banquet hall
access door.
"You hang in there--we are going to get you out of there real soon."
"Doc, be honest with me, I'm not going to walk again, am I? I mean, I
know I can't feel anything below my stomach, but is it permanent? Am I
going to live in a chair the rest of my life?" Megan reached for his
hand that was still bound to his side.
"Gene, I really can't tell you right now. It could be the bullet
pinching the nerve, and once removed, signals from your brain will be
able to travel to your feet again. I'm not going to lie to you; there
is a chance the bullet did irreparable damage," Megan was crying harder
than Gene was.
"Don't cry for me. I can handle it."
"Gene, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. This all happened because of
me. You wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't freaked out."
"Megan, look at me. Listen very carefully, this isn't your fault. See
these guys watching us? It's their fault, not yours. We trained to go
into space to face all the dangers it has to offer. Up there, there
are a million things that could kill us, and we were prepared for that.
Still I freaked out. I didn't want to die in that small ship. You,
Megan--you have never trained to deal with a man pointing a rifle at
your face as he started to pull the trigger. I would have messed my
pants if I were you."
"Still, it doesn't make me feel any better."
"There is no need for you to eat yourself up. The more I learn about
my place in life, the more I am convinced something greater is
orchestrating it. I should be bitter right now, but for some reason,
I'm not," Eugene told her with half truth. Mostly he wanted to comfort
her and keep her from eating herself alive from self-pity. "Please, if
we get out of this, I will be OK. It's not like I was an
athlete--lately, I have been working in labs. Easily something I could
do from a sitting position." Megan was about to say something when
there was a sound outside the door. Mentyukov stepped through the
double doors to take a look. Megan heard him say something in Russian
followed by the sound of his weapon hitting the ground.
"Mentyukov, is everything all right?" Penkovsky asked. There was no
reply. He called out again, but nothing. Worried about the
ramifications of failure, he proceeded to investigate his partner's
sudden silence. He pressed his Kalishnikov through the double doors
and slowly moved forward.
Megan watched as the doors suddenly burst inward, knocking the gunman
backward and sending him flying through the room where he impacted the
metal door leading to the loading dock. A definite cracking sound
filled the kitchen as the man's head hit the door and fractured. He
slumped to the ground, his life having already left the body. Her eyes
left the gunman and turned back to the door. She saw a figure dressed
in a long black coat with a black ski mask on. She watched as the
figure took the man's gun and snapped it in half, completely destroying
the weapon.
"What's happening?" Eugene asked, unable to see anywhere but directly
above him.
---
I could see the four bodies of heat inside the kitchen. One right on
the other side of the door, the other on the far end; both were armed.
Megan and Gene were talking while the two stood watch over them.
Taking them out would be easy, but doing so in such a way that they
wouldn't discharge their weapons would be a challenge. I would have to
lure them outside to avoid any further injury.
The hallway was relatively empty with little to use. Further down, I
spotted a vase on a small table that could serve as a descent noise
distraction to lure them out. I hurried over and knocked the vase down
and sped back to the door, taking position floating just above. The
gunman walked through and the doors and they swung closed behind him.
He scanned the room looking for the source of the noise until finally
finding the vase on the floor. He was about to write it off as a fluke
accident when I dropped in behind him and entered my high-speed
movement, dilating time as I did so. First I went for the AK-47,
grabbing it by the area directly above the trigger while simultaneously
covering the man's mouth with the other. My right hand squeezed hard
on the AK crushing the metal housing of the upper receiver together
preventing the long flat hammer from reaching the firing pin. With the
weapon disabled, I pulled it from the man's hand and let it hit the
ground.
He struggled as I repositioned my right hand around his throat, placing
him into a sleeper hold. Frantically he stabbed at me with a knife
while the last of his oxygen enriched his brain. I could hear the beat
of his heart and blood flow slowing within his body until he finally
went limp, dropping the knife. I released my grip so that I wouldn't
kill him and dropped him on the ground next to the door.
"Mentyukov, is everything all right?" I heard his partner say. His
silhouette approached the door and he slowly pushed his AK through. I
reached out as his hand appeared through the door. Repeating the same
technique, I crushed the upper receiver while pulling the weapon out of
his hand. His arm was still sticking through the door when I kicked
the double doors in the opposite direction. I could hear the snap of
his arm as the doors pinched shut on his forearm before swinging
inward, knocking the disarmed gunman backwards. I watched as his body
traveled the length of the kitchen coming to a sudden stop on the other
side before going limp on the ground. With the threat neutralized, I
stepped inside while tearing the AK in half. Megan was looking at me
with a half happy-to-see-you face, and the other half showing
disappointment.
"Where the hell have you been?" she said in a very soft whisper.
"What's happening?" Eugene asked. I reached up and hit the talk button
on the radio and reported to Sergei.
"Comrade, kitchen clear. Both are safe."
"Good work--a medevac will meet you there," he said over the radio.
"Who is that?" Gene asked in frustration that no one was answering
him.
"Gene, it's OK; we are safe," Megan said. She turned to me, and in a
quiet yet angry voice started cussing, "Didn't you hear me, where the
fuck were you? What was all that shit about with the KGB?" I ignored
her and went towards the back door, lifting the body and moving him out
of the way. The door was locked, forcing me to tear the door open.
"Megan, please, talk to me, what's happening?" Gene asked in increased
anxiety.
"I don't know, Gene," she said as I finished opening the door. Several
emergency medical crew were standing on the other side. They rushed in
and made their way to the table. "Gene, help is here. We are going to
get you moved."
"What happened to him?" One of them asked me.
"Gunshot to the lower abdomen. He has a spinal injury; be careful
moving him. She is a doctor. Do either of you speak English?" Both
shook their head no. I touched the talk button on the radio. "Major,
let me speak with Nikolai," I said as I went over to the body and
grabbed his radio.
"Anzhel, how can I help you?"
"Nikolai, the Doc is heading out with the medical crew. I need you to
translate her for her. I am giving her a radio from one of the gunmen.
Find another radio yourself and tune to channel 263. Tell Sergei to
stay on this channel with me." In a moment, Nikolai's voice came
through the recovered radio.
"Doctor, this is Nikolai. Are you alright, Megan?"
"I'm fine, Nikolai."
"My new friend here wants me to translate for you. Tell me what you
need the crew to know, and I will tell them for you."
---
I finished changing into the dead man's uniform and casted his near-
naked body aside. His body odor was bothering my sensitive sense of
smell, but I ignored it as best as I could. The other man started
waking up as I dragged him into the freezer.
"Wake up," I said smacking him on the face. His eyes opened and saw me
standing before him. He instantly became aggressive upon discovering I
was female and unarmed.
"Screw you," he said as he tried to punch me. I simply caught his hand
in mid-flight, holding it in place while I grabbed him by the throat
and lifted him above my head, slamming him against the door.
"You are going to talk or I will slowly crush every bone in your body
into a fine powder." To show I was serious, I began tightening on his
closed fist cracking a few bones before releasing.
"Stop! What do you want to know?
"Who are you? What is it you are trying to do here?"
"We are just hired help--we don't really care what this is about."
"You take on a job without knowing its purpose?"
"Yes, we were prisoners in the Gulag. We were promised freedom to help
end some revolution."
"Why end the revolution? Russia would be free--don't you want that?"
"Yes, but if we don't, we go back to camps along with our families."
"How did you get out of the camps? That's impossible."
"They let us out."
"Who?"
"A colonel with the KGB. He wants to stop some major figure from
changing the Soviet Union."
"What is this colonel's name?" I said, re-applying pressure.
"Stop, I need to breathe. I will talk."
"Talk, or I will leave you in here to freeze to death."
"A Colonel Tolkachev--he's the one who released us."
"Why?"
"I don't know; I just don't want my family to go to the camps."
I started squeezing his neck again, "So you shot my friend instead, you
spineless bastard?"
"No, I didn't shoot him, the man who di...did is dead. Please, I don't
want any part of this, I-" his radio squelched to life; it was Vladimir
checking in. I picked up the radio and set him down releasing his
grip.
"Vladimir is going to kill all of you regardless of the outcome. I
heard him say so to his superiors. Now, you have two options, you can
answer this call and report everything is normal, and I will see to it
this man and those he works for can't hurt you or your family. Tell
him about me, and I will leave you naked in this freezer until you
freeze to death. What's it going to be?"
"I will help you," he said. I held his wrist tight, ready to squeeze
down if he started to squeal.
"Smart move--no games, or I will crush you before you can get a word
in." He put the radio up to his mouth and started speaking.
"Comrade, everything is secure here," he reported while I started
thinking.
"Good," I said, "Now, here's what I want you to do."
---
---
"Captain, did you reach headquarters?"
"No Comrade Major, all communication between here and the outside is
cut off. We have tried radio, but have been ordered to maintain radio
silence. We have also been told to stand down and not to attempt to
re-take the room."
"What of the reports in Red Square?"
"Armor units are increasing as is crowds of people taking to the
streets. It's almost as if they are preparing for an invasion of the
Kremlin."
"No, it is something else, but I do not know just yet. Get me as much
intel as possible," A communications officer burst through the door.
"Comrade Major, there is radio traffic that your brother has been
critically wounded inside the banquet," Sergei turned to the back of
the room where Nikolai was sitting talking on the radio.
"Simply untrue, Nikolai is right over there. They are talking about
someone else," the officer sighted Nikolai with disbelief.
"Comrade Major, they were very specific over the state radio, that it
was indeed Nikolai Mitri who was wounded. Television is also reporting
video footage from the banquet. They must have edited a tape making it
look like that woman shot Comrade Nikolai, then showed the American
being operated on by a doctor on scene but claimed it's your brother."
"Their report is false, they broadcast with misinformation. My brother
is alive and well and his two comrades are en route to the hospital,"
through the radio headset, Sergei heard a voice.
"Comrade Major, do you know a Colonel Tolkachev?"
"Indeed, he is a very high ranking KGB working close with the
Politburo."
"Do you know why he would release prisoners from Kolyma?"
"I do not, why?"
"I just forced a confession out of one of the guards, he claims him and
all the other gunmen inside holding up the banquet hall are from the
camps. They were released about two weeks ago and brought here."
"This is troubling news if true. This would mean some very high up in
my ranks are involved for some reason. You think these are the
prisoners they were talking about?"
"It would fit well with the puzzle. The prisoner mentioned they were
trying to stop some revolution. Some major political figure is trying
to change the Soviet Union. You know who he is talking about?"
"A revolution, I do not know of anyone who is causing a revolution,"
Sergei paused still holding down on the talk button. He replayed the
previous conversations in his mind and known intel on radicals that
posed a threat to the system. There was no one major working towards
change, "Anzhel, I know of no one trying to-" Sergei stopped again this
time taking his finger off the button.
"-Major, Gorbachev? What about him?" She said beating him to the
punch, "the mentioned him several times."
"Yes, very good, makes perfect sense now. He is currently under house
arrest in the Crimea. Reports have floated around that his Vice
President has seized control after Gorbachev failed to prevent Nikolai
from being wounded.
"What do you mean Nikolai is wounded? When did this happen?
"Relax, he is fine, it is a false report, but it would be effective at
turning the people against Gorbachev." Nikolai got up and rushed over
to his brother.
"Sergei, my friend is reporting their van is being stopped by KGB just
inside the gates," Nikolai said interrupting.
"Anzhel, your friends are in trouble just outside."
---
I didn't let Sergei finish before bolting out the back door and into
the loading docks. I circled around the building, finding the
ambulance trying to get out of the gate about a hundred yards away.
Several KGB with assault rifles were barking orders at the driver to
step out of the vehicle. Two more approached the back and tried to
unlock the doors.
"Come out, or we will open fire," they yelled. Megan was on the ground
next to Gene, curling up in a ball while he remained strapped to the
board. I sped over to the van coming to a stop behind the two KGB.
"Howdy boys," I said in English while removing my face mask. They
turned to see me suddenly standing behind them. They had a look of
confusion on their faces, not sure what to make of the woman speaking
English to them, while dressed in a Soviet military tactical uniform.
"Get back!" They shouted in Russian.
"Sorry, I don't understand you," I replied in English. They turned to
each other seeking the other's advice. Seizing the opportunity, I
rushed them. Before they could react, I was standing in between their
rifles, my body blocking them from training their weapons on me. I
reached up and grabbed both of their heads as they tried to back up far
enough to point their barrels at me, but it was too late. Careful not
to use too much force, I brought their heads together, where a
definitive cracking sound echoed off the brick walls surrounding the
building. Their two bodies went limp and they collapsed at my feet. A
shot sounded followed by the sound of the front door opening. I turned
the corner to see another officer pointing his Kalishnikov at the
driver as he stepped out of the vehicle. He immediately saw me and
turned the weapon on me, his enjoyment of my image rapidly fading as I
approached unafraid.
"Stop, or I will shoot." I continued to walk toward him showing no
fear. He raised the weapon and aimed with both hands and pulled the
trigger. In slow motion, I could hear the long thin hammer release and
hit the firing pin, discharging the primer of the 7.62mm round in the
chamber. As the powder ignited and the gas expanded driving the round
down the barrel, I flew upward and over the officer, twisting my body
mid flight, bringing my feet down and my head up. The bullet exited
the gun and the gas started traveling up the upper tube above the
barrel back toward the bolt, driving it back where it ejected the spent
casing, and re-cocked the hammer before sliding forward again, driving
a new round into the chamber from the magazine. By the time the weapon
had cycled once and was ready to fire a second time, I landed feet
first behind the officer and grabbed his parka with my left hand and
his upper right arm with my right. Taking a step back I pulled hard
and to the right forcing his gunfire away from the van. His vision had
just cleared from the firing of the first round and was in the middle
of processing the fact that his target was no longer there when my
strong movement pulled him off his feet and his weapon fired in a wide
arc to the right of the van. He lost his grip of the AK-47 as I
completed the movement and threw him hard. He landed twenty feet away,
impacting the pavement and breaking several bones from the hard
landing. The driver, in a state of disbelief, cowered down on the
ground.
"Get in and drive!" I yelled as another officer got the drop on me and
opened fire. It was too late and a stream of 7.62 rounds were already
heading in my direction. They impacted tearing into my clothes and
ricocheting off me. Several rounds bounced off and hit the driver's
side door. Realizing the danger my body was now posing for Megan and
Gene inside, I turned my body so that the angle would force the
ricochets away from the van while I tried to move out of the line of
fire. The officer's 30 round magazine emptied and I was still alive.
A look of horror came over his face, seeing that the only damage his
rifle did was shred my uniform. He reached for another magazine out of
his pouch and struggled to change the clip. What should have been a
fast fluid magazine change, one he had performed thousands of times in
the dark, was now a haphazard and clumsy attempt to reload his weapon
because of the fear of what he just witnessed overtaking him. I slowly
closed the gap and came within a few feet when he dropped the AK and
went for his side arm. He had the Tokarev TT-33 half drawn from his
side holster when I grabbed the pistol and crushed the metal slide and
barrel together as if it were made of modeling clay. My right hand
drove a hard, but human, punch to his abdomen, knocking the wind out of
him. He fell to the ground where I drove a hard hit to his upper back,
knocking him out. With the threats neutralized, I turned to the driver
who was still on the ground.
"Drive damn it," I yelled. He was clutching his side, his hand
covering a rapidly increasing crimson stain. The blood pooled around
his trembling finger. He looked up at me as I ran over to him.
"Let me see," I said in Russian. The driver looked up at me, his body
shaking. He tried to speak, but his life left him, leaving him in a
collapsed heap leaning against the ambulance.
"Shit, shit," I started cussing knowing it was the ricochet off my body
that resulted in his death. I pressed the talk button on the radio.
"Sergei, come in," after what seemed like an eternity, a voice called
back.
"Yes Anzhel," Anzhel, why do they keep calling me Anzhel?
"I took out the guards, but the driver was killed, and it looks like
the other is unconscious," I said, coming around to the other side and
seeing the other paramedic out cold with a large gouge in his head.
"We have trouble over here, other KGB units are surrounding the
building and have shot at some of my men trying to leave." I was in a
tough situation. Why were they shooting at their own men? I needed to
get back to the banquet hall and take out the rest of the conscripts
from the camps, but at the same time, Gene needed immediate assistance.
"Megan, are you okay?" I called out to her.
"Get us the fuck out of here damn it," I didn't have a choice, she and
Gene would have to be my first priority. Sergei and his men could take
the room or delay until I returned.
"Ok, hold on back there," I said as I ran over to the gate and tore the
long metal arm off the post clearing our exit before rushing back and
starting up the engine.
"Sergei, I need to drive them to the hospital, have someone give me
directions," I commanded as I stepped on the gas and took to the
streets. This was the first time in about a year and a half I had
driven a car. It was like riding a bike, but somehow it felt very
strange and for the first few minutes driving, my motions were very
rigid. I flipped on the lights and sirens while thinking just how
grateful I was that the Russians drove on the right side of the road.
"Make a right up ahead," Nikolai said guiding me blindly through the
radio.
---Banquet---
Sean sat on the floor in the middle of a the group. He sat close to
his wife holding her tight.
"It's going to be all right Deb, we are going to get out of this. Keep
praying. He will hear our prayers."
The house audio systems seemed to come to life for a second, then fade.
A subtle feedback persisted that was hurting his sensitive ears. At
first he didn't notice it, but there was a distinct pattern. It was a
message encoded in the noise. Once again he could hear a repeating
message in Morse code.
"Gumby, calvary coming, will signal when ready. Prepare to hit the
deck in zero visibility. Spread the word. Thumbs up that you
acknowledge."
"Sean what is it?" as he raised his thumb then used it to scratch his
head as a guard walked by. He watched as another guard left the room
minutes later one of the ones that Megan left with returned. He spoke
with the guy in charge briefly before approaching another guard.
"Start telling everyone very quietly to get ready. The lights are
going to go off, when they do, tell everyone to get down."
"Why what's going to happen?"
"Help is on the way."
"How do you know?" Deborah asked unsure how her husband came across
this bit of information.
"Long story, just do what I tell you, I think our prayers have been
answered."
---To Moscow---
I touched down on the roof; Nikolai and Sergei stood waiting for me.
They stared with disbelief as I flew unassisted.
"That is quite remarkable. How is it you can do that?" Sergei asked.
"Not entirely sure, I just can?"
"How are Eugene and Megan?"
"Fine, thank you for your directions. He is being rushed into surgery
right now and Megan will wait with him."
"She is quite a woman, we were lucky to have her with us."
"Yes," I agreed, "She is quite extraordinary." Sergei broke up the
conversation.
"We need to get Nikolai to Moscow. If the people can see that he is
alive and not hurt, then the people will know the CPSU is lying. You
can fly with someone else?"
"I think so. Are you dressed warm enough, Nikolai? It's going to get
very cold for you."
"I'm fine, what about you?"
"I will be fine as well. You trust me Nikolai?"
"With my life. Let's do it."
"You be careful with my brother, I want him back in one piece."
"Trust me, I wouldn't let anything happen to my comrade here," I turned
to Nikolai, "You ready?"
"No, not really."
"Since when are you afraid of flying?"
"I'm not, I...um. I have a little problem."
"You will overcome it, hurry, we gotta get going."
"No, it's embarrassing, but you are turning me on right now. I'm sorry,
us guys can't help these things." Of the thousands of hours of
simulator time, endless forms of distraction were programmed into the
computer to see how I could fly the shuttle under duress. They would
throw alarms, system failures, cabin de-pressurizations, etc. at me.
The good pilots, the ones calm under pressure, dealt with the
distractions while focusing on the critical phase of flight. Of all
the things that could distract this ace during a flight, I never
imagined in all my life, it would be one of my good friends' erect junk
sticking into my back.
"Don't be embarrassed, I completely understand. Make it up to me later
and buy me a few drinks when this is over. Deal? Now hop on my back
and think of Turner." He hopped up onto my back. Sergei stripped off
his gun belt as well as the one around his pants. He crudely joined
the two together and tightly secured his brother to my body.
"Sergei, you sure you can take that room?"
"Yes, we will take it. Trust me, like I am trusting you. If that
prisoner will do as he says, we only have one man to worry about."
"You have my trust my friend," I turned my head back to Nikolai, "how
about you, are you ready?"
"Turner huh, that was better than a cold shower. How do you know
Tuna?" I ignored him and slowly lifted up off the roof.
"Hold on," I said as he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, not
needing any instructions from me.
"Wow!" He shouted in amazement watching the rooftop disappear from
under us. Our altitude rapidly increased, taking us into a steep
vertical climb before leveling off at several thousand feet. Except
for Clint and Anzhela, this was my first joy ride with a passenger.
Unlike my solo flights, where I was immune to temperature, thin oxygen,
and high G's, Nikolai was vulnerable and if I didn't pay attention to
my flying, I could injure or kill him.
"You ok my friend?"
"This is...how you say? Awesome!" Mitri said with about the same level
of excitement Megan had the first time I took her up on a training
flight. I had thought she would have been afraid, but a minute into
the flight, she was howling like a teen on a roller coaster, "This is
incredible, how are you able to do this?"
"It's complicated," I yelled back to him hoping he could hear with the
wind blowing in his face, "maybe I will tell you all about it someday."
"So, you are the one? All this time, I thought it was Michael. The
morse code, the jokes, all the knowledge of our spacecraft. Instead,
it was you. So, you say Michael is alive?"
"Yes, Michael is safe. I found him adrift, on the verge of death."
"Where is he then?"
"On his way to my home."
"Where is that?"
"Only about thirty light years away."
"You mean, you are from-"
"-Yes, I'm not an angel, I'm from another planet."
"And does everyone on your planet speak good Russian like you?"
"No, I had to learn."
"Well you had a good teacher. Some minor flaws, but I can teach you.
What is your name?"
My real name is Kaaren, but mostly people call me Karen for short."
"Karen? I like Anzhel better, it suits you more than Karen. Karen is
a terrible name for a pretty woman such as you. Karen is an Armenian
Man's name."
"Hold that thought a moment," I said interrupting him, "You think you
can handle a little more speed?" I said guessing we were only doing
about a hundred knots.
"Hit me with it, I trust you."
"Ok, tell me if you can't take it anymore. Don't worry, I can hear
you. Ready?" I was already accelerating when he started to speak.
Slowly, little by little I increased speed, accelerating toward Moscow.
Below I could see an increase in traffic, especially military vehicles.
We followed along the highway flying over many Soviet tanks en route to
the city center. The cloud layer was getting thick, making visibility
difficult, but at the same time I was grateful for it gave us the
ability to approach without being seen.
"Mitri, you know of a good place we can land?" I said as I started
surveying the area in infrared looking for a spot with the fewest
people. How about that alley behind those buildings north of the
Kremlin?
"That will work, but there can be heavy foot traffic-" I didn't let him
finish, but started to rapidly descend after finding a brief window in
which there were no pedestrians.
"Sorry my friend, I had to act quick." I said in apology the moment we
touched down.
"It's okay, re-entry is worse."
We exited the alley and proceeded around the building and hurried down
the street at the end of which was the northern end of Red Square. A
large gathering of people were in the square protesting in front of a
tank column guarding the entrance to the government's headquarters.
"They all think I'm dying or dead."
"Yes I can hear them. Seems like they are calling for Gorbachev's
head. The people are fighting for you."
"Only they are fighting the wrong people."
"Got that right, their emotions are going to be their undoing. If the
CPSU regains control, their small taste of freedom will pass into
history. The Red Amy, you think we can sway them?"
"Possible, like you Americans, a lot of cosmonauts come from the
military. In many ways, we are interconnected. What do you have in
mind?"
"If I can run interference, you think you can get close to that tank,
the one over there in the center?
"I think I can, how are you going to distract them?"
"Nikolai my friend, leave that to me. Just think about what you are
going to say. When you left earth, you became a hero to the Soviet
Union. Like Yuri Gagarin, you have tremendous influence with your
people, and they will listen to you. They know you are not about
politics or part of the military. This is your day comrade, right now,
you can change history and shift the balance of power away and give it
back to the people."
"You really think it can be done?"
"Your job is easy, it's been mostly completed for you. All you have to
do is get up there."
"So what are you going to do?" I grabbed his hand and pulled him
toward the crowd. "Anzhel, what are you doing?"
----CPSU Head Quarters---
"He's escaped!"
"Who?" Colonel Tolkachev demanded.
"Nikolai. We took the building as instructed and executed any
prisoners who surrendered. After, we searched the building for Nikolai
but he was nowhere to be found. We have his brother in custody and is
en route via helicopter. According to several of his men, Nikolai went
to the roof, but after an extensive search, we turned up nothing."
"Vladimir?"
"Unknown. The prisoners caught wind that they were to be killed and
sided with the Major. Vladimir helped us capture Major Mitri, but some
time after disappeared."
"What of the Americans?"
"All safe and being treated now. Two of the three astronauts are
missing. There are reports two Americans fitting their description
have been admitted to a hospital nearby, one with a gunshot to his
midsection. Shall we investigate?"
"No, leave them alone, them missing is not my concern, if they made it
to the hospital it is just as well. Nikolai missing is bothersome. We
need him found. Have his brother brought to me as soon as he arrives."
"Yes, Comrade Colonel, it will be done," the Major said as he saluted
and turned away to follow his orders. Tolkachev thought about how
their plan was unfolding. It wasn't perfect, but the people were now
turned against the General Secretary and in a matter of days, he would
be destroyed, and replaced. Before their emotional response could calm
down, they will realize that the Party will be back in greater power,
and it was them who chose it.
---Red Square---
"Come on, let's be bold," I said, changing my mind about distracting
the tanks. Something told me, once the military saw him and positively
identified him, they would immediately stand down. We reached the rear
of the large gathering of protestors, many holding signs with various
messages written on them. Interspersed throughout the crowd were KGB
officers shouting useless threats over bullhorns, informing them that
this was an illegal demonstration. The people paid no attention to
them and kept up with their protests. I started to push my way through
while pulling Nikolai in tow.
"Izvi`nite," I said, excusing myself as we pushed on through the dense
crowd making our way toward the front of the Kremlin. It was slow
moving considering the sheer volume of Russia's people turning out in
protest. Men and women of every age group took to the streets letting
their disdain for the tragic events that may have taken the life of
this generation's beloved hero be known. The smell of burning Soviet
flags permeated the air and spoke louder than words, that the people
had had enough.
"Comrade Nikolai!" a teenage boy yelled as he spotted us in the crowd.
"It's Nikolai Mitri." Slowly, little by little, those surrounding him
turned to see what nonsense he was spouting. The older people in the
crowd recognized him first. They looked him over in disbelief
wondering if they were imagining things. Timidly they approached us
and put their hands on him, touching his shoulders.
"Comrade, is it really you?"
"Yes," I answered on his behalf, "The Great Nikolai is standing amongst
you. Help us get to the front of the crowd." At the first utterance
of my authoritative commands, the crowds complied and packed themselves
tighter so that a clear walkway formed. With an unimpeded path
clearing before us, our trek forward increased its pace. We walked by
and the people reached out to shake his hand as he walked by. Mitri,
timid at first, began working the crowd as a seasoned professional
Hollywood actor signing autographs on the way down the red carpet. A
silence rippled out from our location and traveled throughout the
massive cluster of people
---CPSU Head Quarters---
The massive helicopter touched down on the landing pad next to the CPSU
headquarters. The pilot shut down the engines as the rear door to the
passenger hold was opened. Two armed guards jumped out and helped the
handcuffed Major out. Tolkechev stood on the edge of the landing pad
and waited for his prisoner to be brought to him.
"Welcome to Moscow Comrade Major, I trust you had a good flight."
"Piss off Colonel," Sergei barked back.
"Major, we haven't even begun yet and you are already showing me
resistance. Come now comrade, we have the same training, you know this
will be useless for you. Simply tell me where your brother is," Sergei
remained silent as he was led inside and forcibly seated into a small
interrogation room. The Colonel didn't waste any time and began
striking Sergei hard in the face.
"Where is he?"
"Why, what's he to you?" You can't touch him, you know that."
"You are right. I will not kill the Great Nikolai like I will you, but
I will send him away until this passes and we have regained all that
belongs to us."
"You are a miserable piece of filth. Are you that hungry for power.
You like seeing people suffer?" Tolkechev struck him again sending a
splatter of blood across the room.
"You are a traitor to the Party, and you no longer have the privilege
of being able to hide behind your brother. I am going to enjoy
watching you suffer," Sergei sat unafraid.
"Do what you want to me, but Anzhela will find you, find all of you,
and destroy you," there was a knock at the door. With the Colonel's
permission, one of the guards opened the door to an out of breath
captain.
"Report, what do you have for me Comrade Captain?"
"Comrade Colonel, I have received reports first hand, that Nikolai is
in Red Square with that woman Vladimir hired. Somehow they were able
to escape and fly to Moscow."
"How, there was no Helicopter to meet them, everything is grounded in
that area."
"It doesn't matter, my intel is sound, he is there and making his way
through the crowd. I gave orders to stop him and arrest him on sight
as an impostor."
"Excellent work Comrade Captain. Order the helicopter to prepare for
immediate takeoff, I will be right there."
"Yes Comrade