Retnikopf: Widow Of Siberia (old Version)

Chapter 4 - Innocence

Several years earlier

With everything she had, Vienna tried to steady her breathing. A gun in her hand, finger resting on the side.

Her eyes stared at the person knelt before her. A cloth bag over their head.

"Shoot Retnikopf," the commander told her, taking a step towards her.

"Give her a moment," Alexei spoke up for her, "she will, won't you."

"Shostakov, this is an exam," the commander told him forcefully, "if you're effecting her performance, you will be removed. Pull the trigger Widow 74."

"He was born, he was loved, he lives," Vienna mumbled as her hand shook.

The was a clicking sound in her right ear before she felt the metal on her scalp.

"Hey!" Alexei shouted, taking a warning step forward.

"Out Shostakov!" the commander ordered, "now and if she shoots I won't fail her."

"You have to Vienna," Alexei called as he was pushed out of the room, "just close your eyes."

Vienna took another deep breath. She closed her eyes as she placed her finger on the trigger. Her head tilted as it rested on the gun against her head.

One shot. And the target was dead.

Her breathing erratic as she tried to look everywhere but the body. The second she was allowed to leave, she stepped fast towards the door but the commander stuck out his hand to stop her.

"Hold on," he smiled evilly, "proof of pass first."

He leaned down to coat two of his fingers in the blood on the floor. With it, he drew a line down the right side of her face and another from her nose to the line.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you sir."

---

Vienna sat on a step outside the school. She could hear Alexei berated just through the door. They said he coddled her, which was true by their standard. They said that she'd never pass the final assessment with him treating her like that.

"Do you have to discipline me again?" Vienna asked as she heard the door open.

"Yes, they sent me to get you," Alexei said quietly as he went to sit next to her. "You're lucky you did so well in the other tests. Anything less than full marks and there would have been two bodies in there."

"He's a person," Vienna protested, finally looking up at him.

"He was a target," Alexei corrected her, his tone getting more distant as he prepared himself for their punishment, "I don't know where you got these ideas from but they need to stop. I don't want to have to bury you."

Alexei sighed as he watched Vienna's tears through her glare. She was his youngest, so strong willed and so fragile. He needed to get her out of there, he knew he did if he was going to be able to protect her for much longer.