Into the Ether - Complete

The Winter of Our Discontent: Part 13

I was sitting on my cot bed playing solitaire. It wasn't particularly comfortable, but with less than two feet between each bed, there really wasn't anywhere else to sit. Around me were around forty men, talking, resting and arguing. The others must be showering training or cooking. One of the guys had had the forethought to bring along a dozen packs of cards and a miniature chess set. Talk about a way to make yourself popular. With not a lot else to do, and only limited opportunities to train and spar, these small diversions prevented a good deal of acrimony and fights.

Two weeks staying in a chilly, cramped, dilapidated Church with only the most rudimentary of plumbing and kitchen amenities was enough to drive any man crazy, let alone sixty men used to lots of exercise. It didn't help that we all knew we were here on a one-way trip, so tensions were understandably already running high. We didn't know how long we'd be staying here before we were finally deployed into what would undoubtedly be our final battle, so we'd quickly sorted out a roster – evenly distributing cooking, sanitary and training times to make the best use of the extremely limited facilities. But still, there were numerous falling outs and punch-ups. Every man was on edge, and it made for uncomfortable quarters for all concerned.

I was luckier than most. We were stationed outside Novosibirsk – so I was used to the frigid weather and could speak the language. And despite the circumstances, I enjoyed being back in my home country. We were trying to remain inconspicuous, but sixty Guardians ate a lot of food - so as a native speaker, and one raised far enough away that I was unlikely to run into anyone I knew - I was one of those sent to nearby farmers' markets with a truck to buy necessary supplies – no easy feat in a Siberian winter. We couldn't afford to attract attention by going to the same places too often, so myself and a couple of others would drive to different areas, scouring the city surrounds to buy the meat, fruit, and vegetables we needed. Boring - but a welcome relief from the claustrophobic confines of the Church, even though with every trip I was tempted to disobey orders and try to contact Rose.

Rose. The person who occupied my every waking thought and, apparently, my sleeping ones, too. Two days in, the other men already wanted to know who 'Roza' was. Apparently, my traitorous lips had spilled her name in my sleep. I endured their jibes but said nothing. She was so very precious to me; I wouldn't have her cheapened via discussion with men whose only interest in her was as a momentary distraction.

So I kept to myself, talking occasionally with a few men I knew from St. Basil's – training fiercely during my allocated hours each day, helping get our supplies and basically twenty-four seven thinking about the woman I loved. Which is what I was doing now as I idly played solitaire.

"Belikov?" our commander Guardian Saunders said, walking through the slim pathway between narrow military cots in the Church. "Your student's passed her Qualifier. Killed three Strigoi as well. Schoenberg wants to speak with you," he said, holding out a cell phone to me.

Every eye in the Church was watching me, and my heart was pounding so hard it was nearly leaping out of my chest. "Belikov," I said, the phone against my ear.

"Dimitri," Art greeted me. "You were right. She's phenomenal. She and Guardian Matthews arrived a couple of minutes into a major Strigoi attack here at the Badica's. There were eleven, and she took down three completely unaided, and I have no doubt she would have taken more if I hadn't directed her to another part of the house. I've passed her for her Qualifier and will write a glowing reference. That girl has big things ahead of her. They're just waiting for sun-up, and they'll head back to the Academy."

"She's there?" I gasped trying to keep my voice down to afford myself a modicum of privacy. "Did you tell her you'd be speaking with me? Did she have a message?" I sounded like a completely desperate man, and I didn't care.