Not sure where I'm going with this but I needed a break from Dragon Age and it's been on my laptop for a while being ignored, so here it is. Reviews would be welcome :)

Chapter 1

Standing in front of the mirror in the ladies room, I gazed into the blue eyes which were no longer mine. I had changed so much in the last few years, been so many people that I was unsure of whom I was anymore. Gone were the days of simply being Tanya, a young, willing student of the Philosophers Charm Schools. She was someone else, like a memory almost forgotten. For the last year I was known as Tatyana, a KGB Agent who had grown up in St Petersburg and was now playing triple agent for Spetznaz, Khrushchev and Colonel Volgin of the GRU. In reality though, I was something else entirely. Tatyana was a shy woman, beautiful in a girl next door kind of way. Nice proportions too. She was well known to be in a sexual relationship with Colonel Volgin, the man in charge around here. Well, relationship wouldn't have been the right word exactly. She was his lover. He used her like a play thing, his outlet for his masochistic ways. Volgin saved the gentle sex for his true lover, Major Ivan Raidenovich Raikov. All of his sadistic fantasies he carried out on Tatyana. Me, in other words. For that was the part I played in this game, and it would remain so until I completed my mission.

I threw water over my face and watched in the mirror as it dripped down off the end of my chin. My blonde hair had become damp and my eye makeup had run down my cheeks slightly. There was a fresh scorch mark on my arm where the Colonel had recently electrocuted me with the high voltage current that ran throughout his body. I tried to compose myself as the weight of my mission took over me, nagging doubts eating away at my mind then. I can't do this. I gripped the edge of the sink, willing myself to be strong, but I could feel myself slipping. Stop it! I demanded, pushing back the weak thoughts that threatened to overcome me. This is your job. I forced the self-doubt from my mind and took a few deep breaths. I reached over and grabbed some paper towels, dabbing my face dry. Taking my cosmetics from my small bag I began to touch up the makeup on my face. I then earranged the knee length green Soviet military dress which I wore so that more cleavage was showing and that it clung to my curves more efficiently. Use what you have been given, I thought, remembering the leader of the Charm School's words. Or rather, use what you had purchased, in my case. Breast implants weren't very common. It wasn't like anyone noticed the difference. Straightening up, I took one last look at myself in the mirror, then braced myself and exited the bathroom.

Colonel Volgin was standing across the room talking to one of the many GRU members who had joined his little party. It was a celebration for his birthday and all major pieces in the Spetznaz army were in attendance. Well, all those who had turned against Khrushchev and were now based in Groznyj Grad. Hard to believe they were in the middle of the giant impenetrable fortress based in the mountains with the Shagohod just downstairs. Well it was clearly not impenetrable. I am here after all, though I couldn't help but think I was an exception to the rule. If all goes to plan though, Snake would finally reach this place and do his job, leaving me a distraction to do mine.

The scientists weren't so lucky to be given the day off like the others. Dr Sokolov was working as slow as humanly possible on his invention somewhere downstairs. He clearly didn't want to finish the beast he had created, a crisis of conscience that most weapons scientists seemed to face at one stage or another. Or maybe he was waiting for rescue. Good luck to him, I thought. There's no saving any of us now. We were behind enemy lines, in way too deep for rescue. Not that I particularly wanted or needed saving. It wasn't like I had a normal life to go back to anyway. I hadn't even seen a movie in years. Besides, I can handle myself better than most.

I braced myself and walked over to Volgin's side, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek shyly.

"Good, you're back" he said, with a satisfied smile. He handed me my glass of champagne. I took it reluctantly and forced myself to smile back, as though I was having a great time despite the singed ends of my long blonde hair. I noticed the Colonel's eyes drop to my chest, taking in my slight change of appearance. He reached down, as direct as ever, and copped a feel, not caring that we were standing with others. I knew what was coming, but it still didn't prepare me for it. A giant bolt of lightening grew in Volgin's arms and surged through it, seeping into my body, shattering the glass in my hand.

"ARRRGGGHGHHHH!" I screamed. My body went into uncontrollable convulsions. Volgin's evil laugh could be heard over my screaming. Tears fell down my face and my glasses fell to the floor. Then the pain stopped. I collapsed forwards on all fours, panting for breath, knowing that every eye was on me right now.

The other soldiers and their woman companions stared at me, most uncaring or too afraid to saw anything even if they did.

"Colonel, please," I said as best as I could. The other men took in my freshly ruined appearance, breasts almost spilling out of my military uniform, my tights split revealing my bare legs. I could see in their eyes the same longing as the Colonel's. The women looked jealous at the attention I was getting. My God, were they actually serious? I would gladly give them my place. At least by Volgin's side I was given a little bit of special treatment though, enabling me to go anywhere in the fortress without question and greatly up my chances of completing my mission.

"Get up, Tatyana," Volgin growled, chuckling evilly. He grabbed me by the scruff and lifted me to my feet, placing his arm around my waist and drawing me closer beside him. We gazed into each others eyes. There was no apology in his. He was just toying with me as usual. I tried to hide my anger. Tatyana was a nice girl, calm and understanding. She would never have the guts to say to the Colonel what was on her mind. I had to remember my role time and tim again when in his company, otherwise I might have just snapped his neck and be done with it.

"Ah to be young and in love" said the oldest of the GRU soldiers. The others laughed wildly at the joke. Volgin kissed me on the lips roughly, not in an affectionate way, but in a way that made sure I knew who was boss.

"You make a nice couple" said the woman swinging on the arm of the soldier. I passed of my snort as a cough. She can't be serious. "Tell us again how you met." The others listened intently as Colonel told the story..

"I found her at Sokolov's research facility," he began. "Or rather, Ocelot did. Apparently she was Sokolov's lover. She tried to kill me with the Kiss of Death so I decided to keep her. She has spunk!"

The GRU soldiers laughed. I dropped my head shyly. The atmosphere in the room was suddenly overwhelming. I immediately had the urge for a cigarette and pulled one out of my bag. I then realized I had no matches. Before I could ask, The Boss appeared out of nowhere and lit one, holding it in front of my face.

"Thank you," I said weakly in English, having exhausted the extent of my Russian. I leaned in to light up the end then, taking a deep drag to calm myself.

"I need to borrow Tatyana," The Boss said, turning to Volgin. Only she was allowed to make such bold requests of him.

"Take her!" he said, releasing me forcefully. "Sometimes the dirty whore is more trouble than she's worth. I'm going to find Ivan."

I looked at The Boss confused. She had been watching me carefully ever since Sokolov's research facility. It unsettled me. I felt as though I knew her from somewhere but I couldn't remember where. The way she looked at me made me think she knew exactly who I was and why I was here. I was extra careful around her, fearing that she would discover I was a spy. But The Boss seemed oblivious to me. She had turned a blind eye when she caught me doing something slightly suspicious. This was the first time she had ever addressed me directly. Normally she and her Cobra Unit kept their distance from the rest of Volgin's army. It was as though they all knew something the rest of us didn't.

The Boss grabbed my arm and dragged me with her roughly. She pushed open the heavy metal door of the complex and led us outside. As soon as we were alone together she released me. I suddenly felt worried. Maybe I had been found out. Maybe she was going to kill me. The woman was the best in the business after all. I'm sure she knew a spy when she saw one, no matter how skilled they were. And I was one of the best. I waited with baited breath for her to speak, but she did not. She simply stared up into the surrounding mountainside for a few minutes. It was as though she had just meant to get me out of harm's way.

"It's a nice night," The Boss said finally, her voice losing some of the weight it held in front of others.

"Y..Yes," I replied, seeing her blue eyes scan the terrain.

"Those ruins...they would be a good place for a rendezvous."

My heart stopped. How did she know that I had been planning on using the mountaintop ruins to meet up with Snake in secret? Can she read minds, or am I that transparent? I played it cool nonetheless. My cover wasn't going to be blown that easily.

"I...suppose so," I replied, fighting to keep my voice even.

The Boss turned to me, her face impassive. We stared at each other for several seconds before she broke eye contact, seemingly having found what she was looking for in the depths of my eyes. She turned away and gazed up at the mountainside again, as my heart almost went into cardiac arrest with the anticipation of what she was going to do next. Suddenly The Boss raised her had so quickly I barely had time to flinch. An orange glow from a small flame danced in my eyes.

"Your cigarette is out," she said bluntly, as though the previous conversation never happened.

Stunned I glanced down at the half of a cigarette between my fingers and realised she was right. Trying not to shake I leaned over and lit it again, carefully avoiding looking at her.

"Thank you."

The Boss clicked the lighter closed and slipped it into a pouch on the side of her waist. I stayed silent and followed her gaze, up at the cliffs around the fortress.

"It's beautiful here," she said then, a certain serenity to her. She turned back to me, eyes full of wisdom I could only hope to one day posess. "Don't stay out here too long, Tatyana...Someone's always watching..."

With those words she turned on her heel and re-entered the party, leaving me stunned in the semi darkness that was falling over Grozny Grad. I exhaled with relief when the door finally closed and placed a hand over my chest, feeling the rapid heartbeats finally lessen. What a weird thing to say...If I wasn't stupid (and I am most definitely not!) I would have thought that The Boss was warning me or giving me some kind of advice. She trained Snake after all, made him the soldier he is today, and she knows that no one could possibly reach this fortress alone. She knows, I thought to myself, But...Why didn't she say anything?

Rather than second guess it, I counted my lucky stars that she hadn't and resigned myself to the fact that I was just being paranoid. Spend enough time undercover as a spy and it would do that to you. Sighing, I looked up at the view once more, feeling a gentle breeze caress my face. You know, despite everything, it was really beautiful here. So much so that I almost forgot to be afraid of what was to come...