An Extreme Confrontation

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

the usual suspects copyright Mr. Simon Barber.

Tatiana Bryzov waited quietly in the darkness of an early February morning. She was standing just out of detection range of a series of campfires, making certain of her decision. She knew that she was taking an extreme risk this time. She had slipped out of Songmark just after bed check, then hired the fastest water taxi she found waiting. It was a expensive hire as well, for the wolf now waited for her on the clock. If she was not back in bed before morning wake up, her dorm would gain so many demerits she would probably be a grey furred old woman before they were paid off. Still this was worth the risk, for the payoff was such a great prize as to leave her shaking. Before her was the campsite of Songmark third years. They were ‘on maneuvers’ Miss Devinski had informed Tatiana the afternoon before. Freezing their tails off was more like it the sable decided. At least she was getting a taste of what awaited her, if she was still a student at sunup.

At the moment Maria, the Italian bull of a woman, was keeping watch for her dorm. Tatiana though wasn’t fooled by what she saw. She’d paid attention as her adoptive mother Oharu had cast her strange spells, learning more than she wanted anyone to know she knew. There was a smell about that camp. A smell of things waiting, watching. Not bad things, but things that would awaken those who slept should she trigger them. Having watched her adoptive mother had given the Russian an edge. Gently she started singing, repeating a song she’d heard Oharu sing many times. Slowly those watchers noticed her, just as slowly they accepted her as a friend. For only a friend could sing that song with such a pure voice. Finally satisfied that she had calmed those who watched, the Russian slipped as noiselessly as she could down towards Maria.

Even with all her training it wasn’t noiselessly enough though, for as she slipped around a bush Tatiana found the Italian waiting for her. There was a questing look on her face, and her stance was one who would happily break the Russians back if given any reason. “I must speak with Amelia. Please” Tatiana nearly begged. “In private.”

“Whay” the Italian asked, still standing like a massive statue between Tatiana and her goal. Taking the bovine wouldn’t be easy Tatiana knew, she also knew that she could. But that the noise would wake everyone. Besides, spending weeks in hospital as her bones healed then, being a cripple for life wasn’t a very interesting future. Even with Millicent to care for her. Without another word she stepped back, reaching slowly into her civilian blouse to remove her package. From it she selected a single small pamphlet, moving forward again to carefully offer it to Maria.

Accepting the black and gold pamphlet as though it were high explosive, Maria gestured that Tatiana should remain where she was. Moving back into the firelight Maria inspected what she held, almost whistled then moved forward again. “Very impressive forgeries this is” she admitted.

“Nyet. Real. I have contact inside English Consulate. May see Amanda now Dah” the sable replied, her accent slipping back in her nervousness. “Pravda I must be in bed at reveille. Please.”

“So you have... Bit over two hours. Bit less three with fast taxi. Which?”

“Three” Tatiana admitted. “Have mothers taxi.”

“A moment then.” Turning back to the firelight Maria found the English housecat Tatiana had come to see, waking her to explain what was needed. It was a surprised Amelia who joined Tatiana a few minutes later. “How. Helen and I both placed guardians” she demanded.

“Mother is Priestess is pravda. I listen carefully. Unimportant now. Must speak with you. Private. Please. My life now on this is.”

Amelia weighed her options. That the Russian had slipped through their guardians was not at all unimportant, but as the sable said, that could wait. “Very well, lead. Maria. If I am not returned within a half hour. Wake everyone.”

A few minutes walk in the moonlight took both women far enough from the campsite to speak normally. Tatiana waited until Amelia had settled down before joining her. “You take after your mother” the English girl observed.

“Adopted yes. Amelia I be blunt. I want join your spy group.”

“My.. Spy group” Amelia echoed gently.

Before she could speak further Tatiana laid the remaining three pamphlets into the housecats lap. “Pravda Amelia. Was hard to accept what your dorm is dah. You work for Spontoon. Will work for England. I wish to work with you. I am no longer Soviet Agent. I am agent Mother Russia against Starling. All that is Starling. I return to Consulate after this meeting. They discover my words I am dead. Millicent is dead.”

Declining to answer Amelia bought time by reading the pamphlets. “English passports” she whispered. “Real?”

“Very” Tatiana answered. “From Spontoon English Consulate. Not forgery. All very legal. I have contact in Consulate now. Amelia, I offer myself, my secret contact your use. I offer my life. Please. You are only path I have now.”

Setting the passports aside Amelia tried to understand. Finally she admitted to herself that this was just too odd to understand with the little information she had. “Tatiana. You’re a Russian spy. An admitted Russian spy. Your part of Red Dorm, none of whom may be trusted. And what in the world makes you think that I work for the Spontoon government. As a spy.”

Tatiana swallowed, for what she was going to say would seriously get her killed if Amelia desired it. Then, she was already on Starlings hit list after her mistake last year, though the name wasn’t yet filled in. “You work with certain ferret” Tatiana answered. “You go special places.” Taking a deep breath the Russian fired her biggest guns. “Pravda much is guess but you suddenly unwelcome your Consulate after Forsythe vanishes. Forsythe was English Navy spy. We certain that already. You then replace Forsythe. This is obvious to even child.”

“I see. Tatiana, I am much afraid that you are much mistaken. I am not a Spontoon agent” Amelia argued.

“Nyet. You are English agent on loan Spontoon. You have built excellent closed cell. Dah, you still training but you already better most professionals I know. Amelia. Pravda. I have turned against Starling. Ask mother Oharu. She knows truth. Dah, we both know she cannot lie herself out of mud puddle. I am Communist dah. I am not socialist. Starling is cheap gangster. Gangster cheaper Molly’s father. He stole revolution. Stole country. I am loyal Mother Russia dah. Not Starling. You accept me I pledge loyalty to you. As long does not hurt Mother Russia I do what you ask. Amelia. Remember Vostokiye? I make terrible mistake there. Starling knows. Not who. Only mistake made someone. Death warrant signed, name only not known. They will find out. Week, year, ten year. Then I vanish. I share Ruth Whitehall death. Very slow.”

“Leibowitz” the housecat corrected with a shudder. “I was not aware you knew of that horror as yet. And your precious contact” Amelia asked.

“Is mine. You not meet yet. You not know who is. Important you not know who is. Very important. Maybe in future but not here. Not now. I die, mother knows contact. She tell you then. She introduce contact, you. Make all right between you both.“

“I see.” Amelia was at a loss for words. That and if these passports were real she had a way home, though the name she would travel under was less than desirable. “May I have time to think about this. To talk to my dorm?”

“You give me running head start, if decide inform Russian Consulate, or ferret?”

“A running head start. Tatiana, where would you go if I did?”

“To mother” the sable admitted. “She wants me learn be Priestess. Better than be jacket for Starlings latest cow lover. Better than take swim at night in blue clothing.”

Amelia couldn’t help a shudder at those thoughts. She and Helen had been shown those remains by that ferret. Had been forced to read Helen Whitehall’s statement. “He wouldn’t” she gasped in horror.

“Has already done so others” Tatiana corrected. “You give me running head start?”

“Tatiana, I’ll give you hours. Simply hours. Now get back to Songmark. When we have decided I will notify you. Personally.”

“Thank you” Tatiana agreed.

It was, Amelia realized, the emotion in those last two words that made her realize that the Russian was serious. Deadly serious. Carrying her little clutch of impossible passports she returned to her campsite.

Tatiana quickly returned to her waiting water taxi. Unconsciously slipping into what would normally be Oharu’s place, she allowed her thoughts to run free as her wolf pilot hurried to return her. Oharu she was certain, had not yet bothered to make the connection between certain water taxis that sported small brass tikis and the local Priestess population. Though Tatiana herself wasn’t completely certain to the why, gathering such information had required simply keeping her eyes and ears open. That though wasn’t important to her at the moment. What was important was her actions. She had just placed her neck on the block and triggered the guillotine with her own paw. Wither it struck her neck, or missed was now completely within Amelia’s paws. Within a few days she would be under Amelia’s full control, or on her way to become a jacket for Starlings latest lover. Her only other choice was to become a priestess. An interesting idea, but one that wasn’t very attractive to the adventure hungry sable. Shivering in emotional reaction she went over what had pushed her this far. Remembering.

Remembered that not much more than a week before her previous controller had been removed from her life. Her life had moved from being upon the edge, to that edge now cutting deeply into her flesh. Certain information had been discovered. Information that a Soviet agent had been turned in Vostokiye. Considering that the paranoid White Russians tended to ferret out most Red agents within weeks, it could only be a pawful of long term agents. Agents too important to compromise, yet too dangerous to ignore. At least all were already isolated from each other, so that none knew the other existed. All were in critically important positions as well. Then there was her.

“Comrade Bryzov” her controller had said as she had settled down for her weekly briefing. “I must ask you a question. You were in Vostokiye dah? December of ‘35?”

“Dah Controller. You have my reports on all events I was aware of” she admitted.

“I see. Reports are that late January information surfaced that Red Agent was successfully turned. In December of ‘35. Could that be you?”

Well trained, better trained than her politically correct, politically appointed controller it was a simple matter for the sable to fool him. “Comrade. In December 1935 I was already Songmark student. Turning me would be waste of anyone’s time. I knew then nothing of importance. I still know nothing of importance. I had no contacts. I was nothing. Even at this moment I know only my mission. Yet since you suspect me, shall we retire to interrogation room and Comrade Gadinka’s pleasant company?”

“Do not try to fool me Bryzov” her controller had snapped, though his anger was more from fear of that name rather than suspicion. “When I find proof. I will enjoy watching Comrade Gadinka turn you into garbage.”

“Dah, you would. Knowing when Moskov discovers your actions you will be next to feel Gadinka’s gentle touch. I am loyal to Mother Russia you fat simpering toad. Had I turned you would not be speaking to me. I would be in small cage, returned to Mother Russia for Glorious Commissioners party entertainment. I am tired of your threats. Any more and I will report you to Moskov myself.”

She had not stood from her chair, nor raised her voice. Yet the bear who was supposable in charge of her backed up. “You walk dangerous ground Bryzov” he warned.

Finally standing Tatiana had removed her Songmark jacket, laying it over the chairs back. “Then notify Moskov. Find new girl to be Songmark agent. Find new girl to become local Priestess daughter. Find new girl get job inside English Consulate decoding White Russian radio traffic. Find new girl to break English Consulate woman. Find new girl to make fiends with English agents. Dah. You do this. Then you explain to Moskov how successful agent is really spy for White Russia. This I wish to see. Do, or remove yourself from my life. Your constant interference severally endangers my mission.”

White under his fur the bear hurried around to the back of his overlarge desk. Opening a drawer he withdrew a revolver, pointing it at Tatiana’s chest. “You are under arrest. We will see what Comrade Gadinka learns from you.”

“Put that toy away you idiot” a new voice ordered. From another room came a rather tall direwolf. One Tatiana well knew from her NKVD training, though even now not his name. “Tatiana please sit.” He turned towards the bear, glaring at him. “You comrade. Are a fool. You are now removed now from this agents life forever. Remember that, or I will remove you from this life completely.” Turning his attention to Tatiana the huge male simply stood, devouring her body with his eyes. “Comrade Bryzov. I apologize for that ones actions. His understanding of women is limited to the bedchamber, and rarely at that. Sit, we will talk.” He turned to the bear. “You will leave now. Dah?”

When the two were alone the Direwolf walked over, locking the office door. “You will be assigned Comrade Milkin. She is not much better but keeps her nose out of agents lives. Unless instructed otherwise of course.” Walking back to the desk he turned to again study Tatiana. “Questions?”

“None Comrade” Tatiana answered.

“Good. I would not have given you my name anyway. Your Millicent. How much control have you over her.”

“Very delicate. At this moment she believes herself in love with me. I was instructed to reinforce that feeling. May I now cease? Being with a woman is uncomfortable for me.”

“Nyet. If anything you are to reinforce it further. You will marry her.”

Tatiana stood in shock. “COMRADE!”

“Be quiet. Sit. You will marry her before Mayday. That is order from top. She must believe that to you she is most import of all things. Your life belongs to Starling, not yourself. If Starling wants you marry sea slug you marry sea slug, have many slugs for Mother Russia. Be happy is only female Englander. We need way into their secrets. You are most important agent in this area. You have penetrated further than even I hoped. You will do this Tatiana, or you will join your mother. Thus says those well above me.”

“My mother?” the sable asked. “What of Oharu.”

“Not that low born slant eyed peasant trickster” the direwolf corrected. “She who bore you, who is even now comforting the guards of reeducation camp twenty-three.”

“My.. My birth mother is still alive? Mama Krasa still lives?”

That question caused the direwolf to chuckle. “You still care? I am surprised. Was it not you who announced them? What care you now. Still I would not much worry. I have recently seen her. The body is alive Tatiana Bryzov. Krasa Bryzov though died long ago. Nor is her body much beautiful anymore.” He sat behind the desk. “Your traitorous father died in the salt mines. A cave in. For him it was easy. Your traitoress mother, she survived several years until finally her mind left her. She is nothing now, only a rag to wipe ones muddy boots upon. A thin comfort on a cold lonely night. Nothing more. You did well turning in such dangerous people. If you wish, for a price I will personally see to it that her body no longer survives.”

“What price” Tatiana asked, already reaching up to the buttons of her blouse. Long knowing this direwolf she already knew what the real price would be. No matter what petty extra things he would add.

“Good. So you do still care for her. You still have a heart. You will need it. There are three things. A month after your wedding, when you return from your honeymoon in American Hawaii, a photograph of your mothers grave will be given you. You will insure your new wife believes with all her soul that you are deeply in love with her. You will of course be watched. Second. You will find a way to involve yourself in the English woman Lady Allworthy’s life. I do not care how, you will do this. Lastly. Ah sweet little Tatiana. It has been a long time since we were last together. You will now remind me of how things once were in training camp those cold winter nights.”

That had been her deciding point. Not so much the price of her body, for she had paid such many times during her training. Many times to the same direwolf. It was being reminded of what she had done to her own parents. Even though at the moment of her actions she had truly believed her parents wrong. That only her teachers were right. Had believed in her heart that her parents understood why she did what she had done, that they would return to her with only their outlook towards the government changed. Starling had done that to her. What she would do to Starling... It would take years for the foul creature to die under her paws. Many, many years. As to Amelia, had the direwolf known Tatiana’s true plans she would have died under his claws right then. For Amelia was her escape plan. Her way out of the NKVD.

Opening her eyes she looked forward, they were now by her estimate a good twenty minutes from Eastern Island even in this craft. Turning to the wolf behind her she waited until he acceded that she was staring at him. “I am doing right?” she asked.

“I not understand” the wolf admitted.

“You are mothers guardian. Yes?”

A surprised look crossed the wolfs face, followed by a low chuckle. “Like mother like daughter. Even though not related by birth. Yes. I am Priestess Oharu’s servant and Guardian.”

“Slow please, I have serious question for my mothers Guardian.”

Quickly the boat slowed until it drifted silently in the current. “You will ask what?”

Very slowly, very deliberately Tatiana explained her position, her decision and what the future held for her should she fail. If she could not trust her mothers Guardian, she knew that she could trust no one but her mother. In this even her powerful mother could not help her, for it was outside her abilities. To survive she had to be able to trust others. Finally her words ended. “Should I continue, or should I take a swim right now” she asked seriously. Waiting for an answer she was surprised when the wolf only restarted his engine, returning to his course for Eastern island. Though she waited in silence he spoke no further to her until they came to a landing at a small, out of the way dock near Songmark’s gate.

“Like your mother you have chosen a path that has but one chance for life Daughter of Oharu. I will speak with those I must. An answer will come to you.”

“Will I be given a running head start” she asked softly.

“None would harm the daughter of Oharu Wei. It will be to her to determine your fate, should that be decided. I cannot foresee her turning her eyes from you Daughter of Oharu. She could never do that. Of this I am absolutely certain. Now hurry, for soon the priestess will sing the morning song.”

Tatiana reached into a pocket, taking out several shells to pay for her expedited transport. Only to have the wolf wave her off. “You have presented me with a great puzzle. Those whom I must go to now will pay your debt. May the Gods watch over you Tatiana Wei, for now you truly need them.”

It seemed that she barely managed to slip into bed before Miss Windlesham slammed open the rooms door. “Rise and shine ladies” the feline sang. “For it is a beautiful day today. Ten mile forced march with full packs. Before breakfast. We wouldn’t want you to have stomach troubles now, would we.”

Tatiana found that for the first time she truly could not meet the eyes of her roommates.

Sometime later a certain ferret watched as a certain wolf left his office. What had been reported to him was a near disaster. A terrible disaster. So many carefully laid plans would have to be reworked. There were now new options, but were they as good as what he had spent the last two years creating, worse or better. That would have to wait for the future to decide.

“How do we survive our youth” he asked himself, remembering that some of his decisions as a teenager had not been much less of a mess. After all, Tatiana was in all truth nothing more than a teenager. A well trained teenager yes, but still a teenager. Walking out to Kjellfrid he asked the rabbit to arrange a meeting between himself, a certain greyhound and a bulldog in the English Consulate. Between them they might come up with a way out of this mess, but it was already certain that several Russian gentlemen would have to depart the land of the living. Never enough would travel on to be certain, but an attempt would be made. They had shown their cards. Tatiana had just dealt him a wild card. Now he would show them his paw.