A Russian Lullaby

The Past Creeps Up

Valeriya stood up to face to woman. The woman stared at her quizzically, before breaking the silence

"Where did you learn how to do that?" The woman asked Valeriya. Valeriya shrugged the question off like she did whenever she was confronted about her skills.

"Took a couple classes" she lied. The woman did not look convinced, and Valeriya stiffened. The grim reality of what just happened hit her like a brick. Valeriya's eyes went wide, and she ran to the back of the classroom. Her heart stopped as she stood over the body of Jenna. Valeriya clenched her fists, trying to keep tears from streaming down her face.

"Why did they do this?" Valeriya hissed. The woman came up behind her and Valeriya whirled around to face her. The woman eyes bore down on her, scanning every inch on her face.Valeriya pushed her emotions down, just as she was trained to do. The woman seemed to notice this and her eyes widened slightly.

"What's your name?" The woman asked her. Valeriya answered without hesitation.              "Valeriya" she said. The woman's eyes became distant but quickly returned her focus.              

"I'm going to have to bring you into headquarters." The woman said slightly grabbing a hold of Valeriya's arm. Valeriya panicked, her mind rushing back to her time in the Red Room.

The guards gripped her arms, dragging her to yet another testing room. Valeriya wanted to scream, but knew it would result in another beating. She struggled slightly but the guards just tightened their grip even more. She eventually gave in and allowed herself to be thrown into the small testing room. They tossed her into the center, she caught herself mid air and landed gracefully, hunched low to the ground. She rose up slowly and faced the mirror in front of her. She scanned to room, and shivered as she realized it was an old ballet classroom. She turned her attention back to the mirror. She knew from past experiences that it was a one way window. She walked up to the widow, imagining being face to face with her observers. 

"What do you require of me today?" She asked, her accent heavy, indicating that she was mad. She heard the crackle of the loudspeaker, then a voice answered her.

"You have been very successful, fraulein" the voice said, with no comfort in the tone.

"You are as good as your mother"

"Stop mentioning my mother" Valeriya growled. The voice only laughed.

"As you wish, princess" the voice mocked.

"Before we continue with your training, we must give you the necessary, ah, enhancements" the voice's accent struggled with the word.

"Enhancements?" Valeriya questioned. The voice did not answer. Valeriya heard a sound behind her and she whirled around. She watched as a chair moved to the center of the room, the mechanics shutting off once it rested in front of Valeriya.

"What is this?" Valeriya yelled. She wasn't given an answer, she suddenly felt more guards grabbing her arms. She screamed as they pushed her down into the chair, strapping her arms down in the process. She strained against the straps, and screamed in frustration. She stared up, to see three doctors hovering over her. Her breathing became rapid, as she watched the doctors plunge a needle into her arm. She bit down on her bottom lip, to keep from screaming.She watched as the blue liquid entered her bloodstream, and she blacked out. She woke up, still in the room. Her arms were still strapped to the chair, she began to struggle against the straps but her eyes widened as the straps ripped in half at her slightest tug. She stared at her hands, she could feel the new strength pumping through her blood. She trembled with the thought of this new power.

"What did they do to me?"

Valeriya shook out of her daze, and pushed past the woman. She busted through the door and started sprinting down the hall. Valeriya tripped over the destruction of the hallways. She ran around the corner, and stopped in her tracks. There were three men in front of her, but they were dressed differently from the men who murdered her class. She clenched her fists, and barreled at them. She flung herself forward, knocking the first guy unconscious with a well placed punch. She jumped up and wrapped her her legs around the neck of the second guys, spinning and slamming him down to the ground. She scrambled to her feet in one swift movement and turned to face the third man. She stopped dead when she felt the cool barrel of the gun press into her temple. 

"Don't move" the man said. The mans voice was commanding, but not as cruel as the men who came into her classroom. Valeriya took a deep breath, loosening the tension in her shoulders. In one swift movement, she jumped up kicking the gun out of the mans hands. She landed on her feet, with her fists next to her face. The man's eyes widened, Valeriya was about to jump at him yet again when a voice stopped her.

"Valeriya!" The woman yelled barreling down the hallway towards her. Valeriya brought her fists down to her sides, stepping away from the man slightly. Valeriya flinched as the woman stopped right in front of her.

"Успокоиться. Я не здесь, чтобы тебе больно." The woman spoke in a whisper. Valeriya's eyes widened.

"Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you" she translated under her breath. The woman smiled down at her. Valeriya looked up at the woman.

"You are Russian?" She asked. The woman tilted her head.

"I was." She responded. Valeriya didn't press. The woman helped up the man on floor, who took a shaken step away from Valeriya. She glared in his direction, and she moved toward the woman.

"You are going to have to come with me" the woman explained slowly. Valeriya stiffened, but didn't protest. The woman gently grabbed her arm, but Valeriya shrugged it off quickly. The woman sighed, but didn't try to touch Valeriya again. They ushered Valeriya out of the building, the woman walking behind her.