Base 2, Novaya Zemlya, Russia, the night before present.
(All dialogue were spoken in Russian)
"Pathetic", said Volkov, looking over the papers, sharply at the commander, a superiority and disgust on his face, "You people are pathetic"
He munched down a slice of watermelon and sat up, placing the paper on the table.
"870 military trained guards, 3 elite Spetsnaz forces, so much security and even two advanced AI heads", he said, shaking his head in disappointment, "And yet one man comes in and not only steals the wave sequence and goes to USA but also frees a subject whose whereabouts are still unknown."
"He.." said Zorin, "He had the R-731 facility report and blueprints-"
"Don't screw with me old hag!" he said cutting in, throwing a piece of watermelon at Zorin. It hit his face and shattered, Zorin didn't move a muscle, didn't blink, his face grave. "It was the security department's responsibility to keep it classified, which comes" – pointing at Zorin – "under your eyes! He shouldn't have gotten it in the first place!"
"There was a rat" said Zorin, "We've been looking into it"
Volkov sat back with a heavy sigh, shaking his head. He scoffed and said, "And now you come crying to me to clean up your shit, like always"
Zorin didn't say anything. They was a silence.
"Fine" said Volkov finally, "But the team and plan will be mine, and you" – pointing his finger at Zorin – "Don't you dare interfere, just go with what I decide"
"Fine" said Zorin in grave voice of no-choice.
Volkov took a bite of the watermelon and said, "Get out now", shooing his away with gesture of hands.
Zorin silently got up, adjusted his uniform, and turned to leave.
"Wait up!" called Volkov from behind, munching a watermelon, as Zorin kept his hand on the doorknob. Zorin turned.
"Get me to Professor Petrov" he said, twirling his spoon in his finger, a smirk on his face, his genius brain working behind his eyes.
Zorin, nodded and turning the door knob, left the room.
*
"Hey! Pst pst!" one Russian soldier called to other curiously, while standing at a urine pot, the other peeing in the next one.
"What's it?" said the other, slightly annoyed.
"Say" he said, "Commander Zorin is very senior of Commander Volkov right? Like senior of senior type?"
The other soldier, zipping his pants, nodded, "Mhm" leaving the pot. The other one followed.
"But I've heard he speaks disrespectfully to him, to everyone no matter their rank, he speaks as he wills" he said, as the other washed his hands.
He looked at him for a while, shaking water off his hands, and said. "You new here ain't you?"
"Y… Yes sir" said the first soldier.
The other one smiled and said, "Volkov respects no one except the president"
They walked on, him continuing, "He answers to no one and cannot be done anything to by anyone except the president, who himself gave him these special powers. While in ranking he might be lower, in reality he is above all, right under the president. He can do anything to anyone and no one can raise a voice'
"In fact he was offered the position of Minister of Defence"
"Minister of defence?! The highest rank in Russian military?"
"Yes! But he denied, saying he 'wanted to be in action and active operations than being buried in documents and paperwork, too 'boring' for him, he preferred fieldwork' "
"Damn.."
"He works to his will. Everything must go his way, and no one raises a voice against him; these are not his words, but the president's words"
"But why?"
"Because our president believes that your respect in military shouldn't be based on your rank, but your achievement, and no one in Russian military has more achievement that Volkov. We can safely say that the present glorious country of Russia is standing on the foundation laid by Volkov, the operations he did, the dead bodies he piled."
Silence.
The first soldier was severely intimidated, but still confused.
The other one scoffed, shaking his head, and said, tapping on his back, "Come, let me teach you some history"
*
Present, Rockshire Orphanage, Virginia, USA
The car stopped in front of the orphanage, and Karam opened his eyes.
He walked out as the door was opened by the man in suit. He stood there at the gate with a heavy sigh, looking at the huge orphanage building in front of him, as the car drove away.
The orphanage wasn't really a building, but more like a house, roof slanted in the middle, and was surrounded by a garden with trees and flower, a paved way from its entrance to the main gate, large and metal, where Karam stood, and tall walls lined all sides.
The guard at the gate saluted as he walked in, he nodded at him. His boot was loud on the stone pavement as he walked, on his right 3 huge busses lined up, a tall tree on his left, spanning wide and high. There were well maintained bushes of flowers around and in designs and the garden where the kids played was behind the building.
Inside, the orphanage was build of a well architecture, beautifully crafted and painted in bright colours. Entering the main door, there was a big wooden table with the centre of the hall with a huge flower vase. The huge living room with pillars holding it up the ceiling high above. Stairs went on both sides to the rooms on the upper floor and between the stairs, across the centre room, it lead to the hallway on both sides with doors to the rooms. Behind those walls were several other rooms, the classrooms for studies, the store-room, kitchen, and behind them the main gate which lead to the garden.
Karam stopped before entering the door, took a deep breath and stretched a smile across his face. He entered to an explosion of questions and big curious eyes as the little kids crowded around him, a bit older ones, the teens, standing gathered at a distance, curious but mannered.
"Where did you go?" "Who were they?" "Where did they take you?" chaos of questions erupted as they asked curiously at once, the staff trying to pull them away, 'Give him some space!" "Let go! He must be tired"
"They were just friends everyone!" he said to all smiling, holding his hand up and ruffling the hair of the young ones, "We just went for some boring official stuff! Don't mind"
After a while it all cooled down and the staff were able to take away the kids and the teens, though some of them didn't buy to his words and were doubtful, especially a girl of 15 who stood in front, they went away silently at the persuasion of the staff. But before they went, few heads turned.
After all the kids were gone, the staff gathered around him, their heads low.
His smile faded and he said with a seriousness, "is everything ready?"
"Yes sir" said one while others nodded, "We have told the kids to pack everything valuable, before going to the trip. They are ready"
"Good" said Karam, nodding, "We get one night"
"yes sir"
"Hmm" he said, waving them away, "Excuse me"
They went away and he walked around the table, through the stairs, towards the hallway. Behind the stairs, in shadow, stood a woman silently, wearing glasses and a coat, short hair and a stern expression, her eyes closed, leaned against the wall.
He stopped in front of her.
"So it's done huh" she said, looking at him, "The second phase is complete"
"Yes" he nodded, looking up at the high ceiling, "get the next phase started"
"Roger sir" she said, "But it's a pity. This place is really beautiful and… I am worried about the kids"
"They'll come around" he said, "But yeah" – heavy sigh – "What a pity"
"You should get some sleep" she said as she started to go, "it will be a long night"
He didn't say anything, just went to the halls.
He unlocked and entered a room at the end of the hall. It was a small room with a cupboard and bed, a closed window and another door to the bathroom. It didn't look like someone lived in it, there was nothing but a bed sheet and pillow on the bed and an a travel bag that wasn't unpacked, clothes and stuff inside it scrambled, laying in a corner. And there was a photo frame laying on the bed, face down.
He took off his trench coat and turtleneck and pushed them into the bag, naked waist up. His chest was unshaved and physique was muscular, ripped, a huge scar on his back and several small ones all over his body. He pulled out a towel and went in for a shower.
After a while, he came out mopping his body, face and dripping black hair, now in messy curls. He pulled out a loose shirt from his bag wore it, throwing the towel on the side of the bag.
He sat on the bed heavily, leaving out a huge sigh. Stayed like that for a while, eyes lost.
He looked to the side and brought the photo frame to him. He looked at it, and his face softened, a smile spreading on his face, eyes getting teary.
In the frame it was Maya, young, smiling.
He held the frame to his chest, hugging it tight, the farm disappearing in his huge body as he curled in. Tears rolled down his eyes.
He lay down like that on the bed, curled in, hugging the frame to his chest, tears rolling down. He closed his eyes.