Summer Offense

Chapter One

"I haven't fought in years." I say to Oscar as I threw down my hat. "There should be some other reason..." Oscar said, trying to cheer me up. I sat down next to him on the bench. The park we were in had a small fountain and all around it were trees. I had been away from the battlefield for three years. Afterwards I had been reassigned to a base near Kaluga. The place had been in ruin for as many years, at least since 1943. I was thankful for finally being away from the Germans, but now I'm mad for a different reason.
"I'm sure there is a reason for you being promoted..." Oscar says. I shake my head. "Why should I be promoted for doing my job while people are dying at the front?" Oscar nods, I could tell he understands what I was saying. Oscar had been reassigned along with me. The reason him and I were reassigned? I have no idea. Since my reassignment I had been doing a desk job for general Zhukov. Why should I be promoted for doing paperwork while others are fighting for their lives?
"Look on the bright side..." Oscar says. "Your being promoted to a Sergeant, isn't that good?" I sigh and stuff my head in my hands. "Ankropov had almost died, he was never promoted!" I say. "Zakov and Petrokov never even got a medal for sacrificing their lives!" I was so angry at that time. If was ever going to be promoted, then do it for a better reason, like in a fight. "I'm going back to the front so they can promote me for a good reason." He shakes his head in disapproval. "Your going back there?" He says. "Yes, one way or the other." I say and stand up. I put my hat back on. "Feel free to come along if you like." He nods and stands up with me. "I will be with you all the way." He says. I look at him. "Thanks," I say. "But first, I have to see an old friend."

I hitched a ride from the town to Moscow to see Ankropov. It had been a while since I saw him, and I wanted to make it a surprise. Oscar decided to come along as well, after all, he fixed him up during Stalingrad. We took a taxi to his address (which he had mailed me so I could visit after the war.) We made it to Ankropov's apartment building. He lived in an apartment building overlooking a political office. Oscar and I stepped out of the car, and I paid the cab a good tip. He said "thank you" and drove off. I walk up the entryway stairs with Oscar. I held the address up to my face so I could see it better.
"You have the room number?" Oscar says while peeking through the glass doorway. I nod and press the room number on the room doorbell. "Hello?" I hear through the speaker. The voice I haven't heard in a very long time. "Hey Vladimir!" I yelled. I could hear Ankropov gasp through the speak, then he said, "Come on in! Room 27!" He unlocked the glass door and let us enter the apartment. The lobby was huge. There was a desk on the left side with a old woman sitting there. On the right side, there was a fireplace and a couple of chairs and a couch. Straight ahead of us were stairs, and there were no elevators.
"I've never seen you two around here..." Said the lady at the desk. She was wearing glasses that she took off when she looked at us. She stood up from behind her desk and walked over. I start speaking. "We are guests, here to see Vladimir Ank..." She spoke mid-sentence. "Vladimir? Why, he sure is charming!" I look over at Oscar. He was as confused as I was. I shrug and look back at the woman. "He's always been very kind to me." She says. "Your here to see him?" "Yes" Oscar says. "But we better get going, he's waiting for us!" She nods and walks back to her desk. Oscar and I start making our way up the staircase. When we get to Ankropov's floor, Oscar reads the room numbers aloud. "19...20...21..." He says when we pass each one. We reach room 27, then knock at the door. Ankropov answers the door. "Hey guys!" He says. He turns his head into the room. "Kayla, it's the friend I've been telling you about!" He yells.
One moment later, a blond haired woman appears in the doorway. She matched the picture Ankropov sent me a few years ago (Read "Blind Faith" for more info). She seemed very happy and cheerful, and she greeted Oscar and I. Ankropov let us sit on the couch. "Long time no see, Yuri." He says as he pours vodka for himself. He gestures to Oscar is he wanted any, but he said no. Ankropov comes back with two glasses of vodka and hands one to me. His wife makes herself some tea and sits down on the couch with us. Ankropov starts talking. "My bones have never fully healed, so they put metal filaments in the gaps." He says as he takes a sip of vodka.

"Do they work like your old bones?" Oscar says. "Not trying to get into anyone's life, I'm just curious..." Ankropov nods and says "They don't work like my bones did, but they can work." Kayla then starts speaking. "Even though he isn't the same when I married him, he seems even better!" Ankropov laughs, Oscar and I just sit there. When Ankropov stops, he notices we weren't laughing. "Old joke of ours." He says and takes another sip of vodka. "I'm going back to the front." I say randomly. Ankropov looks at me, surprised. "Why?" He says. "Why go back to the filthy place?" I look towards the ground, but then back at Ankropov and Kayla. "I'm getting promoted for just doing my job." I say. "Meanwhile people at the front are dying and not even getting a moments rest."