Mr. Hard Love (Re-upload)

Chapter 2: The Chase

The rumbling of a black Volga from the Soviet borders echos on the streets of east Germany. A car feared for its presence, known to take people in, but never out. Creeping through the streets, the car stops at the east German airport. The silhouette of the Soviet lieutenant walks out of the car in complete silence. His trench coat covers his entire frame as he walks towards the arrival terminal and locks eyes with receptionist

"My name is Lieutenant Yakov Ivanovich of the KGB. I am here for the arrival of an American journalist by the name of Vanessa Hartman. She was on board PanAm flight 277."

The receptionist stunned with fright, shrugged her shoulders, and pointed at the American cab services poster.

He walks towards the poster and rips it off the wall, looking at it with no expression. The poster goes into his pocket as he walks out of the airport and sits on the hood of the black Volga. A small lighter lights his cigarette while he stares at the dead empty roads, knowing that this mission won't be an easy task to complete. He goes into the car and starts it, the deafening sound of the Volgas V8 engine strikes through the silent and calm ambience of the eastern German streets as he drives off to the location of the American cab service.

At his arrival, he notices a small car park with 6 black Fords equipped with a heavy steel frame and bullet-proof windows. Next to the car park was a small shack with an American flag hung over it. He parked the car in front of the shack, switched it off, and went into the shack, hoping to get answers.

Yakov: "My name is Lieutenant Yakov Ivanovich of the KGB. I am here for the car that took an American journalist by the name of Vanessa Hartman. She is under investigation by the state."

Shack owner: "Sorry, lieutenant, but the driver already sent her to the hotel by orders from the US embassy."

Yakov, slightly frustrated, looks at the shack owner: "And, where is that driver right now?" he asked with a cold and smooth tone.

Shack owner: "I don't kno-" before he could finish his sentence, the shine of Yakovs pistol reflects into his eyes, he knows if he plays the wrong cards he'd get shot, but if he plays by Yakovs rules the driver would get shot. The shack owner sits there in silence and ponders for a moment before spitting out: "The barracks! Near the airport arrivals terminal! You'll find him there!"

Yakov smirks and walks out the shack, but as he does, he looks at the doors of his car and nods slightly. 3 Soviet officers exit the car, their trench coats cover their appearance as they walk into the shack and begin to fire 2 shots, each on the shack owner rendering his body lifeless. They carried his body to the trunk of the Volga and wrapped it tight before cleaning the mess and flipping a "Help Wanted" sign on the outside of the shack.

The first officer was a private, still in training, asks Yakov: "Comrade lieutenant, why have we done this? That shop kept was innocent!"

Yakov, holding the wheel and driving to a nearby lake, looks at the private from the back view mirror and says: "Innocence is just a mask our enemies put on. Whether they are or aren't innocent is up to their God to decide." As those words sit in the silence of the car trip, they soon arrive to the lake.

Yakov gets out and lights another cigarette while the other 3 officers carry the corpse of the shack owner and dump it into the lake.

Yakov: "Private, go check if the head is floating."

Private: "Yes, comrade lieutenant."

While the private looks for the floating head, the other, much experienced officers, walk up to Yakov. "Comrade lieutenant, the head won't float, we tied his legs with cement blocks."

Yakov pulls out his pistol and responds: "I know, it just seems wrong to leave our little shop keep all alone down there." His finger pulls the trigger as the private drops head first into the lake. Yakov holsters his pistol and looks at the other officers with a stern look. "That is the price for asking stupid questions while on duty. Let's go, we have a driver to catch."

The 2 officers nod before entering the car and driving off to the airport barracks. They arrive shortly and ask for the room of the cab drivers. The 2 officers pulled the cab driver out of his bed and dragged him in the car where Yakov was waiting for them. Impatient and frustrated, he looks in the back seat as the cab driver sits in between the 2 officers.

"My name is Lieutenant Yakov Ivanovich of the KGB. I am here for the arrival of an American journalist by the name of Vanessa Hartman, I was told you drove her to a hotel."

The cab driver, with no expression on his face, spits in the direction of Yakov and says: "You'll never find that bitch. You Russians are better off using your fancy spy planes to find her."

Yakov, unphased, looks at the driver and politely asks again: "The girl, where is she?" running out of patience, he unholsters his pistol and lays it next the passenger seat headrest.

Cab Driver: "I am not afraid of death, if I die you wont find her and as I live I won't speak a single word to you cowards!"

Yakov: "I admire your bravery." he says as he starts the car and drives to an old worn down apartment in front the barracks. "I'm sure you know this place very well." Yakov says to the driver as he is parked in front of the drivers apartment where his family is. "Your little girl just turned 7 this year, no?" Yakov says with a slight grin to the driver.

"How do you know that? Who told you?" The cab driver says with fear in his voice, almost in tears.

Yakov: "We are the KGB, we know everything about everyone in east Germany. So unless you don't want to miss your little sweethearts 8th birthday, I suggest you start speaking of the whereabouts of the American journalist." Before Yakov could finish his sentence the 2 officers get ready to leave the vehicle.

"Wait!!" The driver proclaims, "Leave my family alone and I'll guide you to the hotel the American is staying in." The driver says as he lowers his head in defeat and points at the right corner in front of them. Yakov smiles and starts the car. They ride off and follow the directions of the driver, they soon arrive at an old hotel stretching from one street to the other.

"There." The cab driver points at the hotel, "That's where I dropped her off." Yakov smirks and nods his head. The 2 officers grab the cab driver and before he could yell for help a bullet lodged itself dead center of his forehead. Silencing him forever as his blood covered the back window and the officers next to him.

Yakov: "No evidence, no witnesses, get rid of the driver while I investigate the hotel."

The 2 officers nod as they carry the body to the trunk of the Volga, once done, one of them takes the drivers seat while the other sits in the passengers seat. The black Volga drives off as Yakov stands in front of the hotel, eyeing out the windows and preparing to enter the hotel.

The little rabbit is sound asleep in her borrow while the fox sharpens his fangs and circles her home, ready to attack.