Chapter 80

Flashback – Ben – Leaving Moscow

We were headed to Oleg's house so he could use his tools to fix the trigger on the PTRD. It was a slow assed trip because we were behind Sergei in the kamaz. Oleg was driving my козел so I decided to call Yuri because I forgot to ask him something but while I dialed the call I thought of a couple more questions. Yuri answered his phone and I first asked, "Yuri, how did Jack do today?"

Yuri laughed, answered and then teased, "Ben my friend do not worry. He survived but he did not excel like you did. However, he will be able to fit into his blue uniform for his wedding ... So tell me comrade, did you like your medals?"

Hells bells, I couldn't complain too much about them otherwise Oleg would understand what I was talking about so I answered, "Yuri, you and I will have a 'serious talk' about this if I get back from this mission."

He laughed and answered, "Ben, the whole team understands 'serious talks' is your expression for kicking our asses and that is why we all decided to give you those medals. Believe me, we had to pay very many bribes to get those forged onto your record. So comrade, enjoy them in good health with all the many benefits you will discover go with them."

I wasn't getting anywhere on my complaint so I asked Yuri the question I originally called about, "Yuri, did you get the trust fund setup for the widow and her son like I requested?"

He became serious as he answered, "Yes Ben, we did and I wanted to thank you for the whole team, you were very generous. The entire team went to the widows flat and told her the 'good' news, she cried profusely and thanked everyone."

I closed the phone call with, "Thank you for taking care of this Yuri however this still does not absolve you from the trick you performed on me."

His laughter rang in my ears as I hung up the phone and furthered my resolve to kick everyone's ass when or if I got back. I looked up and was shocked! We were driving into a gordok (small village) and it appeared the whole damn village turned out. They lined the edge of the street, waved Russian flags, cheered and clapped. I looked over at Oleg and asked, "Oleg what is this?"

Oleg laughed and answered, "Comrade Captain, it is not every day we have such a hero arrive in our little village. Sergei made a call on his cell phone and we decided to honor you like the hero you are."

I was going to read him the riot act then I saw the look of respect on his face, remembered that he wasn't long for this world and came up with a great idea, "Comrade, the only way I will allow this honor is if we include all the men of the town who were in the Great Patriotic War."

Oleg coughed, I caught him as he wiped some blood from his mouth on a handkerchief, then answered, "Comrade Captain, Sergei and I are the only ones left, all the others have passed. However, we will be honored to share this occasion with you."

He began to wave at the people while I did the same and I realized two things: First I was witnessing a dying village - there were very few young people left in this village and the ones I did see sure as hell didn't look like they wanted to be standing alongside the road. Second, and even worse, the world was slowly losing all the survivors of World War II (the Great Patriotic War) along with their memories and experience.

Our two vehicle parade continued through the gordok and we reached the end of the very short main street. The kamaz stopped and Oleg said, "Excuse me Comrade Captain, I will return shortly."

It almost seemed there was more spring in his step as he walked up to the kamaz. Sergei opened the door, they began to talk, Oleg returned to my козел, opened the door and requested, "Comrade Captain, if you would not mind, we would like for you to ride on the back of our Kamaz as we travel back through our town."

I answered, "Only if you and Sergei will stand on the back of the kamaz with me."

Oleg smiled at me and once again excused himself, "Again Comrade Captain let me inform Sergei."

He attempted to run to the kamaz and it made my back ache just watching him. Sergei and Oleg had an animated conversation, I watched as Sergei pulled out his cell phone and made a call, then Oleg came back and informed me, "Comrade Captain, it would be an honor to stand beside you on the kamaz - we are waiting for my granddaughter Oksana to drive the kamaz."

As we sat around and waited, Oleg pulled out a pack of smokes and gave one to Sergei. They both lit up with matches and Oleg offered, "Cigarette Comrade Captain?"

That was one vice I never partook of because I saw what it did to both my Mother and dad. So I waved it off and answered, "No comrades, I do not smoke." My back had started to bother me so I asked, "However, since I am not working today, I wouldn't mind a shot or two of your vodka."

I no sooner asked than it appeared. I unscrewed the lid, took a big swig and remarked, "This is good vodka, but what brand is it?" I had to ask because there was no label on the bottle.

Oleg smiled and bragged, "Comrade Captain, there is no label on the bottle because it is vodka that I made. Out here in the frontier vodka is very expensive so we must be prudent and resourceful."

I continued by taking another big swig and complimented, "This is some of the best vodka I have ever had - you could sell it."

He laughed and answered, "If I did that the FSB would visit our little village and ruin what little fun we have."

Just as our own personal party got rolling Oleg's granddaughter arrived. She got out of a car which somehow looked familiar. I blinked my eyes a couple of times and finally realized where I had seen her and the car before: She was the drunken chick from last night who damn near ran me over. It took me a bit to recognize her because she looked totally different. Instead of looking like a cheap-assed whore in a dress that was too tight and too short. She looked like the girl next door who wore traditional Russian clothing for this area in Russia¹.

¹Russia spans nine time zones and in spite of typical American beliefs, it is very ethnically diverse.

She took one look at me, blushed like crazy and Oleg ordered, "Oksana, come and meet our new friend, Comrade Captain Anatoly Andreev Alexandrov."

She demurely walked over to me, kissed me on both cheeks² and whispered, "Please do not tell my Прадед (great-grandfather) about last night."

² A typical Russian greeting.

I smiled at her and whispered, "Your secret is safe with me."

She saw the bottle in my hand and asked, "I could really use a drink since I have a terrible headache."

I kept the bottle and answered in a whisper, "I would say that you deserve that headache. What the hell did you think you were doing picking up a total stranger on the road."

She gave me a wicked smile, suggestively licked her lips and answered, "Because you refused my offer, you will never know what I would have done."

Oleg finally questioned, "Are you two going to talk all day or are we going to have a parade?"

Oksana answered, "Прадед of course we will have your parade, I was just welcoming our hero."

I whispered what has become my most frequent curse to her, "Shit don't tell me you're going to start with the hero crap."

She giggled and headed to the driver's seat of the kamaz, I walked to the back of the kamaz and relatively easily climbed on the back. Oleg and Sergei came over, I gave them my hand and pulled like hell - shit they were heavier than I thought and after I got both of them on the kamaz, my back felt like shit. I opened the vodka, took a hell of a swig from it, returned it to Oleg, then he took a drink and passed it to Sergei who took a big swig.

I reached behind me, massaged my back and Sergei asked, "Comrade Captain, what is wrong."

I kept up massaging my back and complained, "Sergei, it is nothing just an old wound that sometimes bothers me."

Sergei handed me the bottle of vodka and said, "Hopefully it is nothing that some more vodka will not cure."

I laughed and answered, "There are very few things that enough vodka will not cure." I took another big swig and by now was feeling damn good - other than my back which felt like someone was beating on it with a hammer. Oksana started the kamaz with a jerk that damn near made all of us fall on our asses. Oleg swore at her like a fucking sailor, she stuck her hand out the window of the kamaz, waved and apologized, "Sorry, I am not used to this clutch."

Oleg looked at me, shook his head and sadly said, "She's a good girl and came back home to help take care of me after my wife died. But I worry for her because this is no place for a young beautiful woman."

Sergei laughed and chided, "Oleg do not be so morose, she is here because she loves you and then sometimes interesting strangers, like our Comrade Captain, find our little village. Perhaps someday her Prince will come."

Oleg looked at me, smiled and answered, "Yes Sergei that is true. In fact perhaps her Prince is already here." They both laughed and looked at me like I was the main course in an Oksana dinner.

I didn't like where this conversation had headed so I informed them, "Oleg, I am sure Oksana is a wonderful woman, however I already have a woman in Moscow."

Thank God I was saved because we headed back through town and were busy waving at the citizens. We finished the pass through town and Oksana yelled, "Прадед we need to go to the house so I can finish cooking dinner for our guest."

Oleg praised her attributes, "Did I mention Comrade Captain she is an excellent cook?"

That reminded me of the bullshit lie that Tatiana and Masha pulled on me - I was still fucking pissed off about it. I didn't respond instead I yelled my request to Oksana, "Please take me back to my козел."

She waved out of the driver's window to acknowledge she heard my request, turned the kamaz around (which took all the road and both the shoulders) and took me through the cheering villagers back to my козел again. I hopped out of the kamaz while she came around and helped me get Oleg and Sergei off the back of the kamaz. I was damn thankful for her help because helping them off the back of the kamaz was almost as bad as helping them up. By the time I was finished my back was thoroughly fucked up and unfortunately I had finished off all the vodka.

I reached back and tried my best to massage it but Oleg saw me and offered, "Comrade Captain, if you are lucky, after dinner Oksana might give you a massage. She is very good with her hands."

I replied, "Sorry Oleg, after dinner I think I just want to get some sleep."

I headed to my козел, Oksana followed me and I asked, "What do you think you are doing?"

I was shocked with her reply but that was just the beginning...

Flashback – Major M – at his hotel

I had never known a woman like Victoria in my life! Hell, if Sergeant Reynold's fiancée was even half the lover Victoria was, I understood why he wanted to marry her. But the big question I had continued to bother me: If she was even half the lover Victoria was how in the hell did the old fucker keep up with her? I was years younger than him and was exhausted!

I said to Victoria, "I need to get some sleep tonight because I have work to do tomorrow."