| "Fearing For His Soul" | |||
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Sergei's Office May 12th, 2008, 1232 hours They were sitting in his office. He looked around at the walls no longer bare, filled with printouts, satellite images, maps, reconnaissance photographs� things that indicated his previous job but also explained his current one. As Commander of the RGZS he had already begun to make his mark in the world, though no one knew it. His work went unnoticed, his successes un-rewarded. Nothing he did would ever come to the attention of anyone other than those with the right security clearance, and that number was currently lower than fifteen. The people he instructed were shadows, working within the confines of the mission, leaving no trace of their existence, their faces' being remembered by none. That was the code by which they lived, a code that could not be broken. Or so it was said. He had handled Nikolai's debriefing personally, listening to how his son-in-law-to-be had executed the mission, assisted in the hit, then escaped on the next available plane with Maksim and Olesya. The boy had done well; remarkably well in fact considering he wasn't told the true nature of the people he was working with. Georgiev had been explicit on that account, and Sergei had obeyed. Once Nikolai finished giving his account of events Sergei asked him a few questions, which he answered satisfactorily, then allowed him to leave. Nikolai still sat there, his eyes betraying his thoughts ever so slightly. He could see that the boy was tense; he wasn't hiding anything in the confines of this office. When Nikolai nodded, Sergei understood the meaning and disabled the recording equipment in the office. He nodded for Nikolai to speak. "Back in Prague you said I would be given time to carryout a personal mission. I know we was in the SVR then but it should still stand for now," Nikolai told him. Sergei thought about that for a second. He had indeed said such a thing to Nikolai, but could he really let him go now? The timing wasn't great, but then it never would be. No, he had made a promise and he would have to keep it. "Are you asking me if you can go?" "Yes." "It's not as easy as that," he said. "I know." Nikolai took a breath, then began. "There is someone I need to remove, someone from my past. I didn't realise until I got close to Alexei how dangerous He could be, and I will not be able to rest until He is dead. My child will not be safe growing up in a world where people like Him exist." He thought about what his young charge had just said. Nikolai had often hinted that there were people who had wronged him back in England, and he wasn't surprised that his apprentice felt the need to kill them, but could he really sanction one of his operatives on mission of revenge which would end in the murder of a foreign civilian? The answer was no. There were too many reasons why it wouldn't be advised, yet something at the back of his mind told him not to give up. He tried to dismiss it but the thought persisted, not allowing him to make his decision just yet. He found himself thinking back over his life, over his career in the KGB, the SVR, and now the RGZS. Back when he was in the KGB he had spent some time performing `cleansing' duties; several prominent officers had died at his hand because of their desire to betray their country. He was going to tell his mind that that situation was unlike Nikolai's when his mind through up something else. When he had completed the `cleansing' he found himself with several powerful enemies within the KGB. He had killed their men and now they would kill him. He had survived three separate attempts on his life before he resolved to end things by removing those who sought to end his time on Earth. That week had been one of the longest of his career, juggling both his unsanctioned mission and his KGB work, finding that the lines between the two were not as distinguishable as he had thought, and soon he found himself descending into a world which he had only heard about through rumour and had dismissed without a second thought. His actions back then were not entirely removed from what Nikolai wanted to do now. That thought elicited a smile, only for it to disappear when he remembered how hard it been for him to get back to normal after it all, how it had taken time to adjust. And had he really adjusted? After all, he had gone out later on in his career and killed people who had hurt him, and the more he thought about it the clearer things became. "I hope you know what you're doing." "I do," Nikolai replied. "No, I'm not sure that you do. There could be consequences. I just want to know that you are sure you can deal with them." "Seryozha, I know what I am doing." Nikolai paused for a second in thought. "When I succeed I will be a better man. He has haunted me for over three years, and now it is time for me kill him and get on with my life. There is no other way. I will accept whatever consequences present themselves." "What about Yelena?" "I will explain some things to her," Nikolai told him in a sad voice. "Do what you must Kolya, I will cover things here. Good luck." He stood to embrace his friend, fearing for his soul, fearing that the man who returned would not be the man he was standing with now. "Thank you Seryozha." They broke the hold. Nikolai turned to leave, and as he reached the door he said, "I will not forget this." As the figure left his view he let out a sigh. The coming days would be trying for Nikolai, but also for Yelena and himself. Especially Yelena, he thought to himself. Return |
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