MARIEL

4~I'm Sorry~

Moscow, Russia: June 7th, 2004:

"Pull up here."

The dark car pulled to the side of the road that overlooked the track and soccer field. Dim street lights lit the area. One flickered on and off. The secret service stepped out of the car and then opened the door for President Aleksey Petrov. He exited the car and walked towards the field. The grass rustled underneath his dress shoes as he approached the gate and unlatched it. The hinges whined as he swung it open and stepped onto the track, his eyes focused on three people in the center of the soccer field.

One was Dr. Sovonov. He held a small case with punctured holes. Another was a tall, muscular man dressed in a fitted track suit. In between them stood a small girl, no more than four years old, with a mess of blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She was also dressed in a small track suit. As soon as she saw the president, she broke free of the men holding her hands and ran towards Aleksey with arms outstretched.

"Papa," she exclaimed joyfully.

He held up a hand and she stopped. Frowning, he glanced to Dr. Sovonov and the other man. "Keep her in your care when I request you to," he said harshly.

"Come here, Tira," the track suit man said and grabbed the little girl's hand.

Aleksey looked at the doctor. "Well. Shall we get on with it?"

Dr. Sovonov nodded wearily and gestured for the track and suit man to lead the girl towards the track. "Bring her to the starting point, Sergei."

Sergei followed the doctor's instructions and led her to the start of the 100 meter line.

Dr. Sovonov looked at Aleksey. "I timed a fit four-year-old girl and boy," he said. "The girl's time was 23 seconds. The boy's time was 21. Not bad, right?'

"Get on with it."

The doctor withdrew a stopwatch from his pocket and raised it in the air. Across the track, Sergei did the same and bent down to talk to the girl. Tira nodded and knelt into start position. The light flickered as Sergei blew a whistle and the little girl was off.

Her footsteps were light and hard to hear. Aleksey watched as she sprinted with ease towards the end of the 100 meter line, her blonde hair streaming and flapping behind her. Eyebrows raised with intrigue, his head turned after she ran past him to the end. Tira slowed to a jog and slowed, breathing hard.

Aleksey looked at the doctor. In response, Dr. Sovonov said, "15.4 seconds."

"That's not possible."

"It is with her, Mr. President. And she's female. Imagine what we can do with the males."

The president took one stride towards the doctor and snatched the man's wrist forward so that he could see the stopwatch. 15.4. He glanced up and squinted towards Sergei who was now halfway down the track walking towards them. "Hey! What does your stopwatch say?"

Sergei's walk turned to a quick jog and he stopped before the president and held out the stopwatch. 15.4.

"If you gentlemen are lying, I'll-"

"Kill us and stuff us in your coatroom?" Dr. Sovonov raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Good thing you have many loyal employees."

Aleksey's face went hot, and he raised his hand to strike the doctor. On second thought, he lowered it and said, "Proceed with the other tests."

Victoriously, the doctor smiled. "Sergei, have her do the martial arts, please."

Sergei whistled for Tira and the little girl jogged towards them. He knelt and opened his arms for a hug. Beaming, she ran towards him. Sergei kept his arms open, smiling stiffly. As soon as Tira neared him, he swiftly raised his hand to strike her.