NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 18- RELIEVED

          Later that morning after the ceremony was over, the guests had dispersed and Tanya had decided to spend some time alone in a nearby chapel while Diane sat by her Father's gravestone.

"So this is the end." She muttered. "I tried to warn you didn't I? The Fedorcenkos are nothing but a bunch of rotten people but you just wouldn't listen. Why did you have to be so stubborn, dad?!"

             A tear slipped past her eyes, she lay her head low, sobbing silently. A gentle hand rested, comfortingly on her shoulder. She turned around, swiftly. It was Shadow. He came afterall but the mask was still on. Ofcourse.

"You're late." She sniffed.
"Well, forgive me."
"You wouldn't believe that bastard dared to show his face here."
"It's all over the net. I saw what you did." Shadow smiled. "That was pretty badass."
"All over the internet?" Diane gasped.
"Having second thoughts?"
"No...it's just....urgh! My reputation as a militant will be tainted."
"You plan on going back?"
"What does it matter? After that assault, I doubt the Commander will ever let me back on the team." She sighed in frustration.

              Was she wrong to have let her emotions take over her? Afterall, hadn't her father always taught her to put her emotions last place in the face of duty? Where was he now? Six feet underground. She thought, grimly.

"You seem to want to go back." Shadow said. They were both walking away from the gravestones by this point.
"I have nothing else apart from the military. It's my lifeblood but more than anything, I need to be back in the force so I can have a way to keep an eye on Russo Fedorcenko. I don't believe he'll be any different from his father. I won't let this country suffer at his hands as long as we did in his father's reign. Any wrong move and I'll have him reported to the Defense Minister."
Shadow only smiled.
"What's funny?"
"Nothing is."
"The DM has the power to bring him down from power."
"I know that but you have to be careful. You're dealing with a very powerful personality. Treachery won't be taken lightly. Not to mention he will be the Army General by then."
"Thanks, I will be careful. Don't worry about me."

THREE WEEKS PAST......

                 A few weeks after the funeral, Diane's mother had suggested she had a change of environment as living in Saint Petersburg would only further aggravate her sorrows. The city holds so many memories of her and her husband. It wasn't helping emotionally that she was still there.

               Understanding her mother's grief, Diane let her go. Tanya relocated to her hometown in the United States leaving Diane alone in Russia and as the weeks passed, she became more miserable staying away from the force.

                She had to go back and plead he let her in once again. Russo Fedorcenko had already been made Army General the past two months ago. She was starting to come to the realization that Russo might not be the worst afterall.

              Things were looking up good so far and she would be the sole loser if she kept holding onto a past grudge. Oh how it hurt her ego to return back. No doubt he would use this an opportunity to get back at her for last time. With a sigh, Diane made up her mind. Here goes nothing....

                That afternoon, Diane stood before the imposing military headquarters. A place she was more than farmiliar with. Three months away was a lot. The national flag fluttered above, held up by a long metal pole, a symbol of Russia's pride and sacrifice. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the encounter ahead.

                 As she entered, the familiar scent of polished leather and gun oil envelopes. The drilling and marching echoes through the corridors, punctuated by the occasional bark or orders. This made her realized how much she had missed being in the military.

                She approached the General's office, her heart racing with anticipation. She knocked once and received the invitation to come in from the inside. Bracing herself for the worst, she walked in and came face to face with a rather surprised Russo. There were two officers seating opposite him. General Fedorcenko sat behind his desk, his face stern and eyes narrowed.

"Who let you in here?" Came his voice, rather too cold.
"I'm not a fugitive, sir." She simply said.
"Well, in my eyes you're no better. What have you come here for? To beg for more money? If that's the case, I have no help to offer you."
How dare him address her as a pauper? Diane thought, angrily. He could see her fisted hands by her side trying to contain her anger. Well, this was fun. All he needed was one snap of her patience but instead, she let out an exhale.

"General, I've come to apologize for my actions. I realize I was wrong to have assaulted my superior in such a way. I would wish to rejoin the army, sir. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to prove myself." She said.
"Oh? And you think an apology would cut it?" Russo asked, his voice dripping with obvious distain.
She held her head low. "Forgive me, sir."
"I asked you sometime ago if you were aware of the consequences of your actions." He began. "What was your response?"
Oh shit! She cringed her eyes shut before opening them back again. "It was all a spur of the moment, forgive me, sir."
He leaned forward, his eyes piercing. "Look at me, Alvarin."
She held his gaze.
"You think you're the first to apologize? The first to beg for forgiveness? You're not special, Alvarin. Your family no longer holds any connection with the Fedorcenkos. You have no special privileges whatsoever. You're just another failed Soldier trying to redeem herself."

            His words cut deep. Diane's eyes stung with tears, but she refused to shed them. He could see she was hurting and oh did he love this moment. The two lieutenants seated, shared uneasy glances with each other. Diane felt even more humiliated.

                Silence persisted for what seemed like forever. She kept her eyes down, waiting for him to pass judgment. Send her out forever or accept her back in. The latter seemed more probable at the moment. After what seemed liked an eternity, General Fedorcenko leaned back in his chair.

"Despite your disappointing behavior, I'll give you another chance."
"Thank you. Thank you so much, sir."
"You may leave."

               It was too good to be true. And just like that, she was back in the force. She thought as she turned around and walked towards the door. Reaching for it, he called back to her.

"And Alvarin?"
"Yes sir?" She looked back.
"You've been relieved of your title."
"What?" She gasped, eyes wide in shock.
"You are no longer "Major".
"What?"
"Your title from henceforth, will now be a Sergeant (E-5)."
"You can't do that."
"This conversation is over. You may leave." Russo said before turning his attention back to the men in the room, continuing their interrupted conversation like she wasn't there.

               With fisted hands and tears stinging terribly at the back of her eyes, Diane walked out of the building. This had to be the height of humiliation. A Major being demoted to a mere Sergeant (E-5). How could the bastard do this to her? He was nothing but a stupid fuckhead and back there, she wished she could grace his face with that same slap at her father's funeral. Oh how, she was itching to do it. But that would only make this further worse, wouldn't it.

            Finally getting into her car, she could let out some of the frustration. Her life was a mess, wasn't it? She had never felt so alone in all her years.  All the more reason why she wasn't going to give up. He could keep on humiliating her all he wanted but the last thing she would do was to give up. She was going to work her way to the top, once again.

            Diane arrived back to the small bungalow in a secluded neighborhood that served as her home. Russo Fedorcenko. That bastard was clearly bent on destroying the last of the broken pieces she was trying to put back together. Broken pieces that were as a result of his doing by the way. And now even down to demoting her.

"I'll so make you pay. It may not be now but eventually."