The Imperial Revenge

Chapter 3

July 25, 1918

A week went by slowly and the amount of medication was heavy. I didn't know half the things they were putting into my body but a lot of it made me tired and loopy. But everything was painless. I felt very...free.

Unfortunately though, I overstayed my welcome. The doctor told me that they'd give me a wheelchair and a blanket. But I was to leave that morning. I think I was still on some of the drugs they gave me. I was still tired but my goal now was to get to Aunt Ella's house. She would surely take me in. The problem was that I didn't know how I would get there before daylight. Surely not on foot.

The doctor set me in my wheelchair and folded the blanket on top of me. I kept my pants and my Romanov brooch was still in my pocket. But since my shirt was gone, I was given an old and plain white-undershirt.
"Will you be alright? There's an orphanage about twenty-five minutes west of here."
"No, I have someone who will take me in. Thank you for all of your help." I nodded at him. He and the couple nurses went back inside the hospital and shut the doors. I exhaled and went on my way. The problem was that I had no idea where in Perm Aunt Ella's house was. I might have to travel for days. If God was with me, he would help me.

"I am a poor wayfaring stranger, I'm traveling through this world of woe." I sang quietly to try and distract myself. It had been an American song that one of the Standart officers taught me. I heard several different folk songs and tales when on the yacht. The Standart was truly something. I remembered for Tatiana's sixteenth birthday, my Mama and all of my sisters danced with the officers. Anastasia kept trying to dance to every song and was obsessed. Maria was enjoying the dancing as well and was rather flattered that the officers somewhat bickered over who got to dance with her. She felt special.

I headed down the dirt path in a small wooded area. There were about fifteen men in brown and black coats. Each one of them had been carrying a large potato sack. Their hair was greasy and clothes were a bit dirty. Each of them looked very tired.
"You betray us! You know the rules!" The man yelled at another man. "Well, we can't let the police follow us. I'm sorry." The man exhaled and pulled his gun. He shot the man he was holding and then threw him into the dirt. I screamed as loud as I could, but it was only afterward when I learned how stupid that was. "Boys, get that boy in a wheelchair! Bring him!"
I tried to turn my wheelchair but it ended up getting stuck. I panicked and my heart raced. One of the men caught my wheelchair and quickly pushed me to the man who saw me.

"Please sir, do not hurt me!" I cried out. He crossed his arms at me.
"And why should we not? You've screamed so loud that people from Petrograd probably heard you. What's your name?"
"Alexei Savenkov." I lied again. The last was really started to stick. But inside, I was still Alexei Romanov.
"What are you doing out here?"
"I'm just trying to go farther into the city of Perm." The tall man started to laugh.
"The city in Perm in the other way, dumb boy."
"I am not dumb. I'm just...very lost." I grunted. Another terrible move made by me. The man gave a wan smile at me and held out his hand.
"You've got guts for speaking to me like that and I respect it. My name is Ilya Balakin and this is my crew. We're thieves from Moscow but the man you saw me shoot admitted that he told the police where we lived. Now, we must continue on our way to my parents' home in Tomsk."
"Interesting. I hope your journey goes well. I be going now-"
Ilya bent down and grabbed the handles of my wheelchair. He was right in my face.
"Not so fast, Alexei. You've seen us now. Which means you have two choices. You join our crew and go to Tomsk. There, we will continue to smuggle and steal." Ilya looked proud of his crimes and smug. Papa would be disgusted that I was even speaking to a man like him. But given the circumstances, I'm sure Papa would understand that I had no other choice.
"And what if I wish not be a thief?" I gulped.
"Then you join my friend over there." He pointed to the deadman in the dirt. The answer was obvious even though I hated it. I must stay alive for my family. That's what they would've wanted me to do. I'd hate myself for doing this dishonor. Aunt Ella was simply going to have to wait.
"Then I guess I'll join you. To Tomsk we go."
Ilya cheered and clapped his hands. "Ah excellent! Timofey, push the lad."

Timofey was a muscular and tall man. He was very handsome and looked like he may have been of Arab descent. Olga and Tatiana would've swooned over a man who looks like him. They preferred the tall and dark men over anyone else.
"Hello Alexei. How old are you?" He came behind my wheelchair and started to push me.
"I'm thirteen but I'll be fourteen on the twelfth of August. What about you?"
"I'm nineteen. But we can speak later. We, my fellow comrade, are on an adventure."