Leon Ivanov, KGB
May 8, 1985
Moscow, USSR
Over a year has passed since Park became part of our team and we have hunted down the remains of Perseus network. But the man himself has evaded our grasps. If I wouldn't have met him myself, I would think that he doesn't even exist.
Today we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our victory over the fascists in the Great Patriotic War. A war that destroyed huge parts of our country and killed so many people. 13 Million civilians were murdered by the Nazis, while 8.7 million soldiers died defending our homeland.
(( AN: The 8.7 million is the official death count but historians have estimated as many as 14 million soldiers killed. ))
But has the world thanked us for our sacrifices? Of course not, everyone believes the war was won by the Americans alone. A disgrace to the many soviet soldiers and civilians that were killed.
I try not to think about it anymore and take my first drink at the bar while waiting for the others. Today is a day of remembrance and celebration.
"Waiting for us?" I hear a voice behind me. Turning around, I see my team. Portnova, Powers, Garcia, Vargas, Beck... and Park. My jaw nearly drops to the floor, her black dress matches her short raven hair perfectly and it hugged her body perfectly.
"I sure did. You all look great." Although we probably look all a bit overdressed, there is no shame in wearing good clothes. We drink and have a bit of small talk at the bar before heading out to watch the parade. I look over to Park. She seems to have adapted quite well into the KGB and our society. Although her russian is still a bit rusty. Over the last two years we have grown close. Maybe more closer than I would like.
"Something wrong?" I hear. It's Park, she must have noticed me staring at her. Well that is awkward.
"I'm fine. Just lost in thought and I wanted to let you know that I am happy to have you hear."
She smiles. "Here at this moment or in general?"
"Both." I clarify. "Despite everything that happened between us."
"And I am glad to have been given a second chance."
Just in that moment, a gigantic explosion goes off just down the street and then gunfire follows. The civilians all scatter into their homes or the private buildings while sirens can be heard in the distance. Me and my team take cover behind a monument. We take out our guns and are read to join in on the fight. Some goons rage havoc upon the street and start to shoot basically anything, like drunken lunatics. When the Militsiya (Police) shows up, we identify ourselves to the commanding officer and fight off the terrorists.
Although they even have machine guns, our superior training allows us to quickly get rid of them. "Who the hell where they?" Beck asks.
"Probably a bunch of fascist terrorists. Such things have sadly happened before, although they were very foolish to do this in Moscow." the Militsiya leader says.
"Or brave." Powers comment. One of the terrorist is still alive and we pull him up for interrogation. "Who are you? Who sent you?" she asks.
The man laughs in her face. "You are too late. It's already happening."
"What is happening?" Park asks but he just continues to laugh.
But I know it. "Perseus..."
The terrorist laughs even more hysterical now. "You cannot stop him."
Feeling a rising dread in me I turn to the commander. "Get us to the Kremlin right now! And secure the area around it!"
"Yes, Comrade!" he responds. He quickly drives us there, it's just across the river.
Inside it is just as I thought. Somehow Perseus agents got in and have killed everyone they saw. "They will be going for Andropov, no doubt." Portnova says and we run to save him.
He can't die. Our nation needs him.
As we approach the door to his office, we encounter the group of terrorist and I recognize one of them.
Stitch.
"Traitor!" he yells and starts shooting. We take cover behind the pillars at the die of the hallway. "You will die here, and the Soviet Union with it!"
"I'm gonna enjoy killing you, you sick fuck!" I yell back at him.
"That makes two of us." he responds and continues to shoot. Vargas makes a Molotov cocktail and throws it, setting our enemies on fire. Now vulnerable, we kill them all.
"Huh... that was less climatic than I thought." I mutter but a painful moan causes me to look towards the right. Portnova is seemingly wounded, holding her stomach in pain! "Stray bullet got me." she says
"You are wounded."
"I'll be fine. Save Andropov!" she orders us, holding her stomach and leaning against the wall.
And there he is, holding a gun at Andropovs head: Perseus. Finally
"Ah... Leon. I am glad you were able to join me on this special day." he says. We all point our guns at him but we are careful not to make a wrong move or our leader is dead.
"Perseus." I clench between my teeth. "Looks like the rat was tired of hiding."
"You have caused me a lot of trouble, I'll give you that. But in a few moment it doesn't matter anymore. Comrade Andropov here will be kindly handing out the nuclear launch codes to me."
"The hell I will." Andropov calls him out and gets hit with the gun as a result and it look like it wasn't the first time he was hit by him.
"You are making a mistake, Perseus. Just give up, there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide for you anymore."
He laughs. "YOU are the one who is making the mistake. You lack the strength to do what needs to be done."
"You're mad!"
"Just kill him, don't worry about me!" Andropov says.
"Don't you want to rebuild and shape the world as you wish?" Perseus tries to tempt me and offer me his free hand. "You can still rejoin me. I could use someone like you in this new world."
"You're forget the most important thing: You can't rebuild anything if there is nothing but ashes."
BAMM
Perseus clutches his heart and drops to the floor, dead. I turn around and see Portnova in the doorway, holding her stomach and holding up a pistol. "That's what I like about the bad guys. They always talk too much."
It's over. In that moment it hits me. Our hunt, our mission is finally over. Oh how I want to jump and celebrate right now.
"We did it. Mission complete." Portnova speaks up. Indeed, four years of searching are now finally at an end. She removes her hand from her stomach... only to reveal a massive stain of blood that quickly grows. Far too quickly. She looks at me with a shocked expression and then collapses.
I call out to her and rush to be by her side. "Yirina!"
"I can't feel my legs...." she whispers. No... No this can't be happening! The others quickly gather around us but I blend them out, only focusing on Portnova.
"Don't die, you can't die!" I yell, putting pressure on the wound to try stop the bleeding. "Doctor! We need a doctor!"
"It's alright... I knew what I was getting myself into when I joined this group..." she says with a weak voice, smiling at me.
"Don't say that, your gonna be alright!"
"He... that's the first time you lied to me." she remarks. Sadly, she is correct. The wound is fatal, no doubt about it. I cannot help but cry. We were close, she was the only one that I trusted for a long time after I was free of the brainwashing. Told her about my pain, opened up to her.
"Please... don't...."
"Shh... your gonna be alright. You're a big boy, you'll be fine without me."
"You're my friend. My closest friend..." I stutter.
"I know... I know..." she says and looks over to Park. "Helen..."
Park immediately comes to her side and helps putting pressure on the wound. "Yes?"
"Take... take care of him, will you? He is a good man." She is talking about me! God, my tears nearly obstruct my view. "And... our home. Make sure we survive. That it was worth it."
"As long as I live, the Soviet Union will not die. I promise you." I swear to her.
"Thank you... my friend."
"I promise as well!" she declares. I can see the sadness in her eyes. Portnova was not a rival to her, but a friend. "I swear on my life that I will protect Leon."
"Thank you... it's been an honor serving with you, my friends. This mission was the best thing that happened in my life..." her voice gets weaker until finally, she falls limp.
"No! Stay with me! Stay with me!" I cry and start to reanimate her. I am pushed back by my team mates and want to protest, but then I see two doctors and a few paramedics rush in and continue where I left off. But after a few painfully long minutes, they can only confirm the worst: Yirina Portnova is dead.
Park is by my side when I hear the news and she comforts me. I press my head into her shoulder, letting my emotions out. My closest friend just died, I couldn't save her. That will haunt me forever.
Two days later...
Comrade Andropov presents us our rewards. An even higher salary, a house in the outskirts of Moscow for each of us and 'Hero of the Soviet Union' medals.
"For you, comrades. You saved our way of life and, more importantly, the entire world a second time."
I'm not happy. I don't need any of these material gifts anyway and receiving this medal... it's just not the same without Portnova. "That really wasn't necessary."
Andropov nods and sighs. "I know. The prize you paid was high. Comrade Portnova was one of our bests agents and your close friend. I can only imagine how painful it must be."
"She deserves a state funeral." I say with determination, clutching the medal in my hand.
Andropov is silent for a moment and I can see he is thinking about that option. "Is that what you want?"
"Yes."
"Hm. Very well then. I will tell the public a mostly true story in how she saved me from fascist terrorists. She will be buried with full honors and her family will be taken care of. I'll sign the necessary paperwork right away."
Hearing him say that makes me feel a little bit better. "Thank you..."
As we leave, Park takes my hand. I look up to her. "I... I know I wasn't there for you after the brainwashing. When you really needed someone to be there for you. But I am here now, if you let me." she declares.
To show my gratefulness, I kiss her hand. "Thank you. And yes, I will accept your offer."
"I won't leave you out of my sight ever again." she promises. We leave the Kremlin and head home, waiting for new missions.
Because there will always be new threats to our people and our allies. And Park and me will face them, together.