Dimitri

Memories

Images flashed on the screen. A little girl with dark hair running in the garden. The same little girl laughing as she was tickled by an older man. Grandpa! Wrapped warmly in a coat and hat as she walked in the snow towards the house with her grandfather. Like those in the room below him, Dimitri felt the fondness and safety in those memories. This was a long time ago when the earth was whole. Before the Great War and the scattering of the survivors and rise to power of the captains. The innocent girl in these memories was as carefree as they had all been in those days.  Unaware of what lay ahead. The death and destruction still an unknown.

The screen darkened momentarily and the images changed. It was still the dark haired little girl but the atmosphere was different. Children stood next to her and behind her in military rows. They were in a barracks and around them were soldiers. A figure addressed them. With a start Dimitri recognised the figure in the front. The General. The little dark haired girl stood immobile as the children were separated into groups. Although her face was composed, there was a terrible sadness that emanated from her. Gone was the carefree innocence.

New memories flashed onto the screens. Dimitri could see the medical staff below him move closer to Lia and adjust something on the drip that flowed into her vein. For now she lay still but Dimitri knew that the pain as her memories were released would become unbearable.

The girl on the screens was older now. Her body had changed and she was muscular and lean. She trained with a group of about 10 children. Suddenly, Vlad started next to Dimitri.  One of the boys was looking at the girl. The intensity of his gaze was noticeable but it was not that which drew Vlad's attention. The boy was Dimitri.

Dimitri realised that at the same time as the men in the room below did. A murmur filled the room.

'So they did know each other before this', Igor said triumphantly. 'And they both know the General. This girl holds the answer to many of my questions. Give her more of the truth serum,' he ordered.

Dimitri stiffened next to Vlad. Was Igor trying to kill Lia. An overdose of the serum would kill her before they saw what she knew. He clenched his fist in frustration.

Below them the images changed again. In this sequence, the children were about 16 years old. Dimitri was already muscled and lean and his fluid movements showed his skill as a fighter. The children were in the main  arena. It was Dimitri on the mat against a smaller boy. There was a tension in the air and from the images that Lia was sending to the screen, it was obvious that she was anxious. The fight ended as Dimitri had the other youth in a death lock. As the children looked up, the viewers realised that the General was also watching the fight. His face without expression he gave the kill instruction. Reaching behind him to retrieve his knife, Dimitri cut the boys throat in one fluid motion. Dark blood gushed onto the mat. Even from the screens the watchers could sense the horror in the girl as she watched the youth die below Dimitri. 

The images changed again and the children were in the snow. It was dangerously cold but they were the Generals chosen ones. In pairs the children had been dropped into remote parts of the earth. Their mission: to return to the General. The girl walked next to Dimitri. It was obvious from her body language that she was not happy with this pairing. She kept a distance from him. As night fell she made her bed slightly away from his. The snow started to fall again too as she lay in a ball to keep warm. Sleep eluded her. It was too cold. Suddenly she realised that she could freeze to death. She moved closer to the middle of the shelter they had made.

'Come here,' she heard him whisper. 'Even if you hate me, our best chance of survival is to share body heat.'

The girl realised the truth of his words. The watchers could see her reluctance as she moved closer to the boy.

New images across the screen. Dimitri and the girl surviving the snow. The General's visible pride in them. Dimitri and Lia were his favourites. Their training was now under his watch and they grew in strength.

Images of the arena filled the screens. This time the fight was Lia and another girl. It was a close fight, but Lia eventually had her pinned down. Next to Dimitri, Alexi started. This was the same way the fight between her and Lia had ended. Lia looked up for the kill command before she cut the girls throat. Dimitri could feel Alexi move next to him.  Her shock was evident on her face. The General smiled down at Lia and the watchers below could see the way Lia stiffened. The young Dimitri on the screen below also stiffened. To have the Generals favour was a dangerous thing.

The scene changed again. Lia and Dimitri training on the mats. A shared smile and a lingering touch gave away their increased awareness of each other. They were training partners but it was also obvious that they were more than that too. The love between them was a visible thing.

The figure of Lia below Dimitri, moved. Dimitri could see medical personnel rushing to see what was happening.

'Increase the truth serum,' Igor ordered.

'It's too much, Sir,' one of the medical personnel said. 'More truth serum will kill her.'

'Are you questioning my order?' Igor barked.

'No sir,' the medic responded.

'They are going to kill her,' Vlad whispered to Dimitri.

'Watch her,' Dimitri ordered. 'We can't interfere yet.'

Images flashed onto the screens again. This time it was the main arena again. The arena was full and all the General's captains were there. On the mats were Dimitri and Lia. They were fighting each other. It was a death bout. The silence in the arena was deafening. The only sound was the heavy breathing of the two combatants on the mat.

Suddenly Lia stood still. She turned to the General.

'I cede this fight to Dimitri,' she said to the General.

The General smiled down at her. The atmosphere in the arena became tight with tension.

'This is a death fight, Natalia,' the General replied. 'One of you will not leave this arena.'

Lia looked across the mat at Dimitri. His face reflected her desperation.

'It is forbidden for two recruits to have a relationship, Natalia. You know this. As does Dimitri. Both of you broke this rule and now one of you must die. It is my command.'

'Then kill me,' Dimitri demanded.

The General smiled a cold smile at him.

'I will not kill you Mitri. That is Natalia's task'.