NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 28- SETTING HER FREE

That afternoon, the prisoners were busy at the quarry working on the boulders as usual when the official military Jeep Wrangler stopped at the gate. The guards on realizing it was their superior, immediately let him in. Russo came out of the car, his imposing figure commanding attention. His eagle eyes scanned the compound. He was immediately led to the warden's office.

"Welcome, General. It's brings us immerse relief to see you well again." The head warden Petrov, saluted him. Behind him were other officers.
"Ah, General Fedorcenko." Came another's voice. "We weren't expecting you—"
Russo slammed his fist on the desk. "I don't care about protocol. I want to see the Sergeant that was brought in here two weeks ago."
Petrov nodded hastily. "Ofcourse, General. She's in Sector 4, hard labor detail."
"H-hard labor?" Russo's expression darkened. "You're punishing her like a common criminal?"
Petrov was trembling by now.
"Sir, it's standard procedure—"
"I'll show you standard procedure." Russo cut him off as he turned around and stormed out of the office.

Petrov immediately got up and ran after him. They both arrived at Sector 4. He was met with the sight of inmates laboring under the harsh sun. He looked around in a hurry and then he spotted her hauling rocks not far away. Worn out and exhausted. She looked like she would collapse any minute from now. The sight did something to his insides. Like a crushed piece of paper.

"Diane." He called.

Her eyes widened in shock as Russo approached. She took unsteady steps backwards. No. He was dead. Wasn't he? Just then another personality stepped through the door. It was Lewis and two of his men. He had rushed down immediately Felix told him to his location.
Russo glanced at a bewildered Lewis. He ignored him and turned to the Foreman Kuznetsov.
"What's going on here?"
Kuznetsov swallowed. "Hard labor, sir. She's earning her keep."

The other prisoners were on standstill now as they watched the scene unfolding in their eyes.
Russo finally focused his gaze on Lewis.

"You. You allowed this?"
"I did what any man in my position would."
"Then how about I save you all the trouble and strip you of that position."
Lewis eyes snapped open in shock and so did Diane's. What was he doing?
"I ordered you let her go seconds before I fell unconscious. You disobeyed me, Captain." Russo's voice taunted, menacingly.
"You almost died!" Lewis yelled. "She let you suffer in her stead. What sort of a comrade does that? I was only doing the military a favour by having her arrested."
"A favour? What the hell? If you must know, she was this close to letting me have the gasmask back but I ordered her not to."
"What?"
"Now what? You punish a militant for following the instructions of her Superior? A punishment would have only been befitting, had she disobeyed me and worn me the mask."
Lewis was left speechless and so was Diane. He had turned the headlines to her favour.
"Nevertheless, you were not in a proper state of health to give such an order back there, General." Said Lewis in his defense.
"Beautiful." Russo smirked, humorlessly. "And now, I believe I'm in a proper state of mind to have her released."
Diane gasped, tears clouding her vision. Russo turned to the warden. "Get those chains off her!"
"Immediately, sir." Petrov nodded as he took the keys from the foreman. The others could only stare in surprise.

Once her chains were off, Russo offered her his hand, which she took. He then brought her forward so she was facing Lewis.

"I believe you owe her an apology." He said.
Lewis fisted his hands as the humiliation washed over him. "I—"
"Don't make me repeat myself, Lewis." He frowned. "I'm only letting you keep your position because of the age long history your family has with the Fedorcenkos. Right now it depends on this apology."
"Forgive m—"
"On your knees!" Russo barked.

Lewis flashed angry eyes for a moment but that was all he could do. She watched, awestruck as Russo's authority asserted itself. The captain went on his knees.

"Head bowed." Russo added.
Diane could feel the tension and the heat of the embarrassment on behalf of this man but he deserved no less.
"My apologies, Sergeant Alvarin. I have truely wronged you and I sincerely hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." He said.
"Do you forgive him?" She heard Russo ask, behind her.
"I d—"
"It's okay to say no if you don't."
"No I—" She turned around and met his eyes. "—I forgive the Captain."
Russo nodded once. "You can get up now." He said to Lewis who was boiling with rage but trying hard to keep an expressionless face.
"We're done here." Russo said, sweeping his eyes around once more before resting them on Diane.

"Let's go."

With Russo ahead, Diane walked behind him to the parking garage where he held open the car and gestured that she got in, much to her surprise by the way.

Once they were both settled in, He set the car in motion and drove out of the building into the main road. The car ride was silent with neither of the two speaking. Russo kept his eyes on the road, manipulating the steering wheel every now and then.

While, Diane kept fumbling her fingers around the bottom part of her tattered prison short. She still looked a mess. Given, that she wasn't able to change into anything better before they left. Where are we going? She wanted to ask but the words wouldn't come through.

"I'm sorry."

She turned to look at him at the sound of his voice but his eyes were still on the road, not sparing her a glance.

"What?"
"I'm sorry for what you had to go through." He said.
"I believe this was all one big misunderstanding." Diane said but he shook his head.
"Whatever the case, I believe I also owe you an apology. The biggest one Infact. But most of all, I apologize for not regaining consciousness on time."
She looked at him like he was a dork. "You had no control over that."
Russo only shrugged. Circling his hand around the steering wheel as he tried to make a turn.
"Oh no." She suddenly realized where they were headed.
"What's wrong?" He asked, finally looking her way.
"I...no longer live in the estate."
"What do you mean? That's where the Alvarin Mansion is. Isn't it?" Russo asked, confused.