Duty

Chapter 1

Cold.

That's how Tolja would describe the whiskey going down my throat, that's also how most people would describe him. The bar was a dingy place that was here before the Reformation, decorated with old wooden tables, faded photos of years long past,and a man playing the guitar in the corner on a hastily built stage. Perfect place for a drink.

A man stumbled into the bar. His frame was bulky, he had scars all over his exposed arms and face.

”Hey! What the hell are you doing here?!”, the drunken man said angrily slapping Tolja on the back. ”Enjoying a cold whiskey!”,Tolja said sarcastically. ”Don’t play games with me! You killed my buddies and now you're going to pay!” The drunk man yelled, reaching into his jacket pocket and drew a knife.Tolja grabbed the man’s arm before he could stab him and said, ”Yeah, I did. But you know what your so called buddies did, huh? During the food riots they murdered three of the honor guardsmen protecting Count Petrovich of the Rostov District. I killed them because they were a threat to society and that they were traitors to their own people when there are far worse enemies out there.” Tolja throws the man to the ground. ”Now get out of here and tell your other buddies that they'll have to get through the Iron Guard to overthrow Czar Nikitovich.”

On his way back to his seat Tolja spots a  photograph that stands out among the others it’s bright and shows a snowy field filled with husks of machinery and bodies of creatures that vaguely looked human.”Hey Alicja,when did you get that picture?” Tolja asked the barkeep. ”Hmm…”, the woman trailed off. “Can't remember.”Tolja sat down and continued to drink his whisky.”Have you heard any news from the front Alicja?”Tolja questioned.”Yes,the Iron Guard is pushing into St.Petersburg to try to reclaim survivors there and I’ve heard from a little bird that strange items are appearing in markets. The items are not of european origin.”

Alicja looked around the room to see if anyone was listening”there’s also been talk of a rebellion stirring in Warsaw.”Tolja’s eyes went wide at this statement.

”Warsaw?,that’s worrying I’ll bring this to Commander Germanovich as soon as possible,thanks for the drink Alicja and don’t hang around any boys that don't have my approval .”Tolja said sliding a few rubles onto the counter.”I won't Dad,stay safe.”Alicja said chuckling to herself.

“Feral Squad report to Federation HQ as soon as possible for briefing and a meeting with Commander Germanovich.”Tolja said into his radio before walking into the old Palace of the Republic in the Belarus provence.Tolja walked up to the main guard checkpoint,there he saw a man dressed in gray with with a patch that had a wolf’s face on it and the inscription”we are born from fire and our will is as strong as iron”the guardsman also had a medal that had two sniper rifles crossed and in the center was a crosshair.

“Name,age,and position”the security guard at the front said monotonically with a tired look on his face.”Fetisov Anatoli Yakovich,45,and leader of team Feral.”The guard’s face lit up with surprise at the statement of the man in front of him then said”you are cleared for entry sir,welcome to Federation HQ.”

40 minutes later is a side office that was converted into Feral’s quarters Feral was gathered in the center room. On a armchair Aleksander Nowak was cleaning his PK machine gun serious look in his forest green eyes and sweat in his coal black hair. Nearby the window was Iva Stejskalová sighting her old world Mosin-Nagant rifle a lazy look on her young face,but with a worried gaze behind her gray and blue eyes.In a armchair near the center of the room was Zina Stejskalová reading an old war novel recovered from a nearby library her AK74 rifle leaning on the armchair’s side cleaned and ready for battle.In the center of the room going over strategic maneuvers was Tolja his AK74 and GSh-18 sitting on the table in front of him.”Feral Squad report to the assembly hall for debriefing and prep for deployment.” Tolja’s radio squawked “alright team you heard the man get dressed in ACUs then head down. Tolja barked to his squad.

“Time to talk to the old man huh?”Iva joked.”Hey,Commander Germanovich is a good commander and you should respect him.”Aleksander said defensively.

“Just a joke,Mr.BFG”Iva shot back

“Shut it you two,just get dressed.you can work out your frustrations on the poor people we’re being sent at today.”Zina signed furious at her reading being interrupted by the argument.

“Sorry Zina” “Sorry Sis” Iva and Aleksander said simultaneously.

“Alright team if you're done bickering head down to the floor.”Tolja said the his squad

“Yes Sir”

The assembly hall was newly refurbished with oak chairs and more windows so they won't waste electricity during the day.Standing in the center was Commander Germanovich his old age seeming to take it's toll on the military representative in the council.

“Anatoli my old friend how has the leg been recently.”Germanovich exclaimed.

“it's been hurting,but I'm still good to fight sir.”Tolja said defensively

“Good we're going to need you on this mission Anatoli,Countess Yelizaveta Feodorovna Ivanova has been killed and we have lost contact with the countess’s  expeditionary force into Moscow.”Germanovich said solemnly with a sad look on his face.”Sir,if I may ask how many Iron Guard did we lose?”Aleksander said solemnly.

“We might of lost 1,500 men,but that is yet to be confirmed.That is why we are sending you in to confirm what happened to these men and how the countess died,all radio contact has ceased so you will have zero contact.Be careful and log everything you see that could led to the fate of the iron guardsmen,dismissed.”