“It’s not mine.”
“How predictable,” he said, chuckling.
My mechanic stepped in, stopping just inside the threshold, confusion splayed across her face. “You wanted to see me?”
The Commissar turned and held the syrette out for her to see. “What can you tell me about this?”
Klara’s eyes flickered to the needle, and her mouth hung open for a couple of heartbeats before responding. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
Petrov snickered. “I think that’s all you needed to say,” he replied. “The only thing at this point I should consider is whether or not you’re her accomplice.”
“No. She didn’t-I mean, it could be anyone’s. Alexandra’s even.” With every stumble Klara took, I could feel the graveness of the situation worsen. I’m sure she could too since she fidgeted with her hands and couldn’t find a place comfortable to stand.
“I’d considered that possibility, Klara, when I first found it,” he said. “But logically, it’s much more likely to be Nadya’s. Alexandra would have never stolen from us. And that’s why I wanted you here, so I could see your reaction. You’re as guilty as she is and will suffer the same.”
I leapt forward. “I stole it. Not her. She had nothing to do with it.”
Petrov smirked. “As if I’d believe you two lovers have any secrets between the two of you. I’m going to enjoy keeping you both alive as long as I can.”
I replied by driving the palm of my hand into his nose. A soft crunch filled the air. Blood splattered across my hand and sprayed on the ground. He stumbled back and fumbled for his pistol.
“Don’t you dare!” I yelled, drawing my own sidearm and pointing it at his chest.
“You filthy little coward,” he said. “Drop that weapon right this instant or so help me I’ll have you tortured for a month before your body gives up its ghost.”
“I’m the coward? I’m the coward!” I screamed, backing toward the exit. “I dance with Death every day while you sit behind the lines trying to be important!”
Petrov drew his weapon. I pulled the trigger. My ears rang from the blasts of two distinct shots. Smoke lingered in the air and filled my nose with the smell of gunpowder. The Commissar screamed in pain, clutching his bloody right hand with his left. His pistol laid on the ground, several paces away. Klara retreated with wide eyes and a slew of mutterings.
“You shot me!” Petrov started at me, but froze when I snapped out of my trance and leveled my revolver at his head. “You’ve only sealed your fate at this point.”
My body shook, and it was all I could do not to break out into a run. Dogfighting Luftwaffe seemed a thousand fold safer at this point, but like any fur ball, I knew I had to keep my wits about me and stay one step ahead if I was going to survive. “I’ll be the one deciding what my fate is.”
My hand cramped, and the all-too-familiar fire built in my palm and worked its way down my arm. I backed, knowing I had to get out of there before my burns betrayed me.
“Oh what I’m going to do to you,” he said, grinning. “If you had any sense, you’d turn that gun on yourself.”
I gritted my teeth. Sweat dripped into my eyes, and I kept the weapon trained on his chest as I continued to leave. “Don’t even think about moving,” I said. “I can still use it on you.”
“Nadya! Don’t make it worse!” Klara shrieked, grabbing my shoulder from the side.
I’m glad I had the sense not to turn, for as I shrugged her off, Petrov started for me. My eyes staying locked on him were the only things that kept him at bay. “Hold still, damn you!”
Petrov shifted his gaze to Klara. “Comrade Rudneva, stop this turncoat. She’s trying to kill me. She’s trying to kill us all.”
“Shut up!” I said. “You’re the only one trying to kill anyone around here. You’ve had it out for me from the start.”
Petrov ignored my words and stayed focused on Klara. “She hates the Motherland, hates us all. She’s the same as her father who fought with the White Army. Stop her now and I’ll see you’re never punished for her crimes.”
“No,” Klara said, her voice barely a whisper. “Tell me he’s lying.”
I hesitated, horrified that he’d learned my family’s past. As my shoulders fell and my jaw dropped, a wicked grin spread across his face. In that instant, I realized he’d bluffed, but it had worked.
“See, Klara, it’s true,” he said with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “She’s from a family of traitors and a traitor herself. Why else did she shoot me? What more do you need? Take that gun from her and take your place in history.”
“Klara, you know me,” I said, stepping back. My hand was cramping so badly I thought the muscles would tear themselves apart, so I shifted the pistol from my right hand to my left and hoped using it with that one wouldn’t matter at close range.
Petrov charged faster than a bull stuck with a branding iron, driving his shoulder into my chest and sending his hands after the revolver. We tumbled out of the dugout. The weapon fired once more before being knocked from my grasp.
Petrov landed on top of me. I clawed his eyes and left smears of blood on his face. He grabbed me by the hair, but his grip faltered. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a bright red bubble. Petrov fell to the side, and I scurried out from under him.
Klara was at my side before I even realized the commissar was dead. “Nadya,” she said, her eyes fixed on Petrov’s body. “What have you done?”
I caught myself on my knees and panted. “I had no choice.”
“No. No. This isn’t right,” she said. “How could you do this?”
“How could I? How could I not!” I yelled. “God, Klara! That psychotic ass was going to kill us both!”
Women and men from the entire regiment appeared, many with guns. Gridnev ran toward us as well, sidearm in hand. At that moment, I knew I’d be executed before sundown.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I sat on the straw mat in the box, rubbing my ankles. I was grateful the fetters that had been on them the first day had been removed, but my skin was still sore even though eight days had passed. Truth be told, I was surprised I was still in the box at this point and not dumped in a shallow grave, but I didn’t regret what I’d done. I was glad to have stood up to Petrov, and if I were to die, at least I’d die true to myself and not hiding. Thankfully, Klara would escape it all. I only hoped whatever was in store for me wouldn’t be visited on my parents as well.
I spent some time thinking about Alexandra’s comment about God brushing teeth as well. Even though she’d been far from a religious scholar, let alone a leader or believer, the more I turned her idea over the more it made sense to me—or at least, gave me hope. Maybe things we saw as awful were necessary for growth for reasons we’d never understand this side of life. It still wasn’t a perfect answer, but I felt it had possibilities.
I took to my feet when I heard some talk near the door. By my best guess, it was still a few hours away from whatever scraps they’d feed me for dinner, but it sounded as if the guard was debating with someone on whether or not he was allowed to let that person in. The door opened, and Zhenia walked in. On top of the flight jacket, gloves, and goggles, she wore a look of concern and helplessness.
“I’m taking Klara up for an escort soon,” she said. She kept a few paces away, though I suspected it was not by her choice. If I had to wager, she was on the verge of crushing me in a hug. “I thought you should know since she’ll be flying your plane.”