Present day…
The cold December wind made the air frigid, though the mood made the temperature seem much more tolerable. Colonel Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke leaned up against Major Mio Sakamoto's shoulder as they rode in the back of a jeep bound for the Mirage. They decided since they would have to report sometime in the morning, they would just return to their rooms aboard the carrier for the night. Their well-dressed driver, a man with the rank of Major, had no problem taking the two witches to the harbor.
Both Minna and Mio had consumed a good amount of wine and were feeling a little tired. The past few days had been tedious enough.
"It was good seeing Commander Yamamoto. He seems as sharp as always." Mio said a she looked out the window at passing buildings. Minna nodded sleepily, enjoying the physical contact with the one she loved. "Did you enjoy your evening, Colonel?"
"Of course, Mio. I spent the night with you." Minna's eyes were almost shut, her lips loosened by the alcohol in her system.
"You didn't even get to dance with General Hatake." Mio said obliviously. "I'm surprised you passed on that."
"It's alright." Minna's hand lightly gripped Mio's thigh. "All I wanted was to spend time with you…"
"…do you remember that time during the Gallian Campaign when you pointed a gun at me? You said that you would do anything to prevent me from putting myself in harm's way when I was beginning to lose my abilities as a witch?" Mio sounded reflective.
"…yes, I remember." Minna said quietly.
"I don't think I ever thanked you for trying to look out for me and protect me… I wouldn't still be here without you and the other witches." Mio put her arm around Minna, who was pleasantly surprised. "Though I must apologize for remaining in the unit after my usefulness has drastically diminished…"
"Don't you dare talk like that." Minna opened her eyes and looked up at the Major. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're still a major driving force in this unit. You help us train to stay in top form. You give us motivation and lead by example. You're always the first to volunteer for things, whether you're actually able to do them or not. So don't you sit here and say things like that."
"Minna…" Mio was taken aback by the Colonel's vehement reaction.
"I would have resigned…" Minna looked to the floorboard beneath their feet.
"What?" Mio lifted Minna's chin up to look into her eyes.
"I would have resigned if you had left the unit after the Venezian Campaign… You're the reason I stayed…" Minna tried to avoid Mio's monocular gaze. "One of the reasons I was so upset about Dimitri attacking Shirley was that it could have been you getting hurt... I'm always afraid something will happen to you when we go out during a mission. You don't have the same capabilities anymore but you never stop trying. You never stop putting yourself in danger if it means you can save one more person… and I love that about you… I love you, Mio…"
Before Mio could respond, Minna pushed aside all of her doubt and kissed her. They could feel each other's face grow warmer from blushing. Minna drew back shyly once the kiss had concluded. She wasn't sure if it had been the right thing, the alcohol helping to disable her normal inhibitions.
The sound of the engine as they pulled into the harbor grew quieter, the Major in the driver's seat silent as he focused on his task instead of the talking he heard in the back. Bitter white capped waves could be heard beating a pulse against the wooden piers.
Over the sound of the waves and lowly revved engine as their transport traversed the docks, Minna heard Mio take in a deep breath. She reluctantly looked up at the Fusoan twenty-one year old.
"…you don't know how much that means to me…" Mio whispered, her eyes vacant as if she were miles away. "I dismissed a lot of things you've said and done thinking that it was just how you were with all your subordinates… but now I know…"
"We've arrived, ladies." The Major didn't mean to interrupt, but they had come to the metal ramp that led to the deck of the Mirage.
"Let's go, Colonel." Mio opened the door, letting in brisk ocean wind. She stepped out and helped Minna from the vehicle. They walked to the ramp in silence as Mio held Minna's arm to stabilize her. The alcohol and high heels were proving to be a challenge. Mio looked back to the Major at the base of the ramp. "Please be careful on your way back. We highly appreciate your service tonight. Enjoy the rest of yours, Major."
"Thank you, ma'am. Good luck to you and your team in the future." The Major saluted and then stepped back into his jeep before reversing off of the dock.
Minna walked beside Mio in silence as they walked along the windy deck of the carrier. Everyone else would be on leave for the night. They both knew Fleet Commander Anderson would return here after he left the ball. That was just how he was. Other than Chiron, they would most likely be the only ones on board until tomorrow.
They opened a hatch on the command column and stepped into the familiar warmth of the Mirage. Mio shut the hatch behind them and they started toward the lift.
Minna wasn't sure what to say, or if she should say anything at all. Mio hadn't really said anything since getting out of the jeep. The lack of further communication disheartened the Colonel.
They stepped onto the lift while Mio set it to take them to the 501st's personal level. Minna stood to the Major's side and looked to the steel floor. After the lift began to descend into the ship, Minna turned to Mio.
"I'm sorry if what I did in the jeep upset you. It wasn't appropriate…" Minna tried to find the right words to try and clear the air.
"You did nothing wrong, Colonel." Mio looked down at her kindly. Minna wondered what the woman she stood next to was thinking. There was another moment of silence as they passed several deserted levels. Mio spoke first this time. "That really is a good look for you, Minna. Hartmann did a fine job picking it for you."
"Yeah, well she practically forced me to wear it. I wasn't sure it looked good on me. I don't have the body of someone like Shirley or Marshal Rommella." Minna blushed slightly.
"Your body is just fine, Minna. Don't ever think any differently." Mio nodded once. Her face shifted a bit, as if she wasn't quite sure what to say next. "Colonel, I have something I want to tell you in light of the confession of your feelings earlier…"
Minna held her breath, her eyes lowering to Mio's neckline. Before she could tell Mio that there was no need to think about earlier, Mio pulled her body against her own.
"…Mio?" Minna looked back up as she felt Mio's arms wrap around her. Mio smiled shyly as she initiated a long, passionate kiss with the red headed Colonel. Their lips and tongues kept moving long after the lift reached their desired level. After Mio gently pulled away, she smiled. Minna could tell her face was a deep scarlet.
"I was hoping for a long time that you shared the same kind of feelings for me that I felt for you. I never really vocalized them for fear that you would react negatively…" Mio said in a low voice. "I'm glad to know you do feel the same about me, Minna…"
"Of course… I feared you would reject me… But I'm glad I was wrong." Minna's hands held the back of Mio's dress uniform as they held each other. Minna looked to the side to see that they had reached their level. "I guess we should disembark."
They reluctantly separated and stepped off the lift. They pulled the lever that would return it to the first level and proceeded down the stairs. They came into the lit dining area and kitchen as they took in the sight of the place they had called home for the last six months.
"Feels like we haven't been here for a long time." Minna sighed, feeling at home. It seemed like they hadn't been there in weeks, though it had only been a couple days. The air was stale and recycled, but it helped Minna feel comfortable.
"I know what you mean." Mio stepped forward and looked around. She could see that everything was exactly as they had left it. She was looking toward the kitchen when she felt arms snake around her waist. She felt Minna press against her back as she hugged her tightly. "Perhaps we should retire for the night?"
"Sounds good…" Minna said close to Mio's ear.
Meanwhile…
General Dimitri Hatake sat in the passenger's seat of the jeep while Colonel Anton Levos drove them down the dark street. There had been silence as they left the hospital and got into the jeep. Dimitri wasn't sure what to say to the man he hadn't seen for eight years.
So many things had changed since Wien. He wasn't the Major anymore. He wasn't the head of the 666th. He wasn't the witch killing machine he had been raised to be anymore. But he got the feeling that Levos understood and was actually pleased by those facts.
"It's been eight years since you charged through those Ostmarkian soldiers and went after that witch in the catacombs." Levos said without taking his eyes from the road. "You've gotten even taller, stronger, smarter, and most importantly, I can tell you've gotten more mature."
Dimitri said nothing, trying to find the right words. Levos had always been one of the people that helped guide him, even if it had been from a subordinate position. From what Dimitri could tell, Levos hadn't changed a bit.
"Though I must question how you've matured when it comes to dealing with women. Seems like you've got a line of them and not sure how to deal with em." Levos smiled.
"I'm pretty sure there's not a line. Just a couple that seem to like me for some reason. I'll have to dissuade them in some way before long." Dimitri shared a smile. He looked out to the sea as they continued to drive.
"Whatever you say, General. Just be careful. Dealing with women is hard. How you manage to deal with an entire unit of women, that don't even wear pants, is beyond me. I can barely deal with Marshal Rommella." Levos laughed. Dimitri smiled a bit wider. He finally looked over at the Colonel. "If only Lilith could see you now. She would be so proud… and she would probably be pissed off at me."
"Why would she be mad?" Dimitri asked, his curiosity about things concerning his mother piqued.
"Because I gave up on you… I thought you were really dead back then. I tried to keep my hopes up. I thought for so long that you were too strong to be killed so easily. But we were forced to leave without being able to bring you back." Levos turned onto a wider road as he reflected upon the past. "I led the unit back to the Orussian border and waited for any word of you from White Wash. When Mikhail came back with his unit, he said that the entrance to the catacombs had caved in… and that you were nowhere to be found…"
"That's not your fault." Dimitri shook his head.
"It was my fault that I left. I waited a few months. Then there was the story that circulated through the European newspapers that the 'Orussian Ghost' was dead, killed in Wien." Levos' eyes lowered on the road. "I asked to be transferred to another unit… Chiron had mixed feelings but eventually granted my request and stationed me in Stalingrad. I stayed there for a while doing missions on the Suoman border."
Dimitri sensed a slight discomfort from the Colonel when he finished his sentence.
"I met your mother, Lilith, on the Suoman border when she was 18. She was half Orussian, half Suoman. I first met her on a scouting trip to see how many of the war torn towns and villages were managing to recover… It was actually one of my first assignments fresh out of officer training." Levos massaged his temple with one finger as he steered with his right hand. Dimitri sat in retentive silence, taking in every word. "Said I'd make a good scout team leader, so they put us on the border. Anyway, she was doing alright. She was actually one of the people trying to defend the Suomans from the brutal way the Orussian border patrol treated them, even though she was an Orussian citizen."
"She was strong, defiant, and beautiful. I was captivated by her and her ability to keep the Orussian border patrol at bay with merely her presence. I could see it in her eyes that she would do anything she could to protect those battered women and children who lost their men and fathers to the border conflict." Levos sounded like he was still in awe. Dimitri knew she had been a good soldier, but never knew she had such capability. Chiron had always spoken highly of her, but had never told him what she did. "I spoke with her many times back then. I was the one who originally requested her transfer into the 666th after she had given birth to you. But every man feared her and what she might do to them should anything happen to someone in that village. I could not help myself from falling in love with her after several trips and several times speaking to her."
Dimitri waited for Anton to say anything else, anything at all.
"Nothing happened between us in all the years we knew each other though... I returned to the village after a bit of time away, and she said that she was a couple months pregnant so I figured she had found a man that she could see on a daily basis. She never spoke of him much, her focus on her tasks each day. I never asked too many questions. That kind of thing usually gets someone hurt if they're not careful. Remember that." Levos scratched his head, realizing he had rattled a bit. "Anyway… after I transferred from the 666th to Stalingrad, I was quickly promoted to Major and given a unit of my own. We went on regular trips to the place I met Lilith on the border. Just going there and thinking about the past for a while helped me. I kind of felt like I had failed her when I wasn't able to bring you back home… I shouldered the blame and asked for forgiveness every day…"
They pulled into the parking area next to the great marble hall. The lot had cleared out quite a bit, perhaps only a quarter of the original amount of people still there. Levos pulled the jeep up close to the entrance.
"But I'm really glad you're still with us, Dimitri. Does my heart some good." Levos set the jeep into park. Dimitri opened his mouth to ask questions but Levos stopped him. "We'll have plenty of time to talk in the next few days, trust me. If I remember correctly, I think you have some people who want to see you. Don't keep em waiting, General."
"Alright…" Dimitri slowly nodded, trusting in his countryman. He opened his door and stepped out. It was a welcome sight that many people were leaving or had already done so. Since Levos told him there would be plenty of time to talk, he decided to take some of Erica's advice. He would try to enjoy the rest of the night.
Meanwhile…
Fleet Commander Chiron Anderson walked across the windswept deck of the Mirage as he got ready to call it a night. Copenhagen during the winter nights was extremely brutal. The four stars glinting on his shoulders reflected the deck lights that illuminated the Mirage during the night.
He stopped halfway to the command column and surveyed the expansive deck. Nothing was out of place except two partial sets of footprints in the light fallen snow. He could tell by their pattern that the two that had come this way were most likely from the 501st. His transport had passed another jeep leaving the dock.
It didn't matter. They all knew he would return to the Mirage. He always wanted to spend his nights either in his office or down on the restricted base level. Sometimes he would spend countless hours down in the lowest levels talking to Lilith throughout the night, not even getting sleep. He and Dimitri were alike in the fact that they rarely slept.
With a light snow continuing to fall, Chiron ignored the prickling cold and stared off to the east, the direction of his homeland. Since taking over command of the 501st, he himself had been unable to return to Orussia. He missed the quiet out in the Siberian expanse, nestled safely in Nadym where he could carry out his plans and conduct his research without any distractions. What he wouldn't give to be back there with Dimitri, Mikhail, Anton, and Sanya as if Dimitri had never been lost at Wien eight years ago. But it was only wishful thinking.
He had plotted his next moves and set many projections as to how the other players would respond as things moved along. The one who stood out to him the most was Rommella. She was the only one currently in position to destroy everything he had worked for. But he knew that she was also one to bait and hook someone to causing their own downfall. He could tell by her tentative probing that she was prodding them just enough to see if they would in turn implode amongst themselves. But he was much smarter than that. He knew Mikhail was aware of such things through his training over the years. He didn't even question Dimitri's ability to recognize and deal with such tactics by an outsider.
Chiron thought back to his and General Howard's conversation. There was a massive Neuroi hive somewhere near the now much larger Black Sea. Whether it be in Ostmark, Bulgaria, or down in the remnants of Arabia, Howard believed that Chiron and Rommella would easily be capable of exterminating them in a cooperative venture.
Chiron knew that his own unit was capable of accomplishing such a mission alone. It was Rommella's involvement in such a key operation that could spell disaster for everything he had worked for over the years. Rommella, Levos, even that witch Marseille could all cause individual problems that could jeopardize the reins he held on this whole situation.
He ignored the accumulation of snow on his uniform as he lost himself in thought. Rommella could open Pandora's box by outing Dimitri, as could Levos should he choose to corroborate his past knowledge and personal experiences with Rommella's knowledge and Marseille's report from the battle in Ostmark. In the conference tomorrow, he would try his best to dissuade General Howard from carrying out such a plan though he knew it would have to be very subtle as to not attract unwanted attention to himself.
In seconds, his cunning mind began to run multiple trains of thought. Several projections based on possibilities, strategies being concocted to safely avoid suspicion while reestablishing distance between his proceedings on the Mirage and the rest of the AF. He nixed ideas that ended badly or with any kind of negative consequences, quickly siphoning his thoughts down to only the very few acceptable choices.
Chiron filed them away for much further reflectance as he finally started walking again. The snow fell from his hat and shoulders as he came to the command column entrance. He ducked inside and resealed the hatch behind him. He could either ascend the column and go to his office connected to the bridge, or he could descend to the lowest levels of the carrier and his personal areas.
He moved down the stairs and walked down a long hallway. His path brought him before one of the two Master Sergeants that was posted at the lift. He had given both of them permission to leave their post and attend the ball before everyone had been allowed to leave the carrier.
"Did you not attend the ball, Sergeant Yashin?" Chiron asked, knocking a small bit of melting snow from his chest.
"Nah, not really anything there for me, Commander." The Sergeant smiled as he replaced a pack of cigarettes into his pocket. "I figured I could keep watch over the ship while everyone was out having a great time. I prefer the quiet these days. This place seems much better when it's not so full of people."
"Why, it sounds like you've finally matured, Nikolai." Chiron smiled. "If I'd have known it only took six months of mindlessly standing around to do it, I would have had you done it back in basic."
"You're real funny, sir." Nikolai smiled wide. "Nine fuckin years, and that dry ass sense of humor has never changed."
Nikolai could tell Chiron hadn't come here to socialize. As he lit his cigarette, he stepped aside for the Commander.
"Another late night?" Nikolai looked down at the end of his cigarette as Chiron passed him.
"Something like that." Chiron nodded, though he didn't look at Nikolai. He stepped onto the lift and then turned to face the Sergeant. "Standard protocol. No one follows. If they need me, have them call."
"Of course, sir." Nikolai saluted. Chiron returned the salute and then hit the lever to take him to the base level. Once the lift had descended completely and Chiron was out of earshot, Nikolai took the cigarette from his mouth as he chuckled. "Watch him folks, he's dangerous…"
Meanwhile…
Captain Waltrud Krupinski lay her head on the wooden bar and sat in silence, two large vodka bottles next to her completely empty. She could feel herself on the verge between buzzed and drunk. She wondered where Dimitri could be, having taken much longer than she expected.
"Are you alright, Captain?" The Lieutenant behind the bar asked as he threw the empty bottles around her away.
"Perfect." Waltrud mumbled. She raised her head and turned around. She could see that only a very few people remained on the dance floor while there might have only been a tenth of the original number of people in the ballroom.
In her slightly blurry vision, she could see Sanya sitting at the piano with Eila beside her. The Orussian girl was playing a perfect waltz for the dwindling people. Charlotte was laying across the wooden frame of the grand piano, her eyes closed as she enjoyed Sanya's exquisite music.
The rest of the 501st had already retired for the night. Perrine and Francesca had grown tired and returned to the hospital to get some sleep. Charlotte had promised Francesca that she would not be too much longer. Yoshika and Lynnette decided to return to their rooms aboard the Mirage for some privacy. Waltrud smiled to herself as she imagined the things the two might be doing.
Waltrud saw that General Howard and Fleet Commander Yamamoto had also departed for the evening, much as Fleet Commander Anderson and Marshal Rommella had. Only a few high ranking officials still remained though they were mostly on their way out.
Waltrud still didn't see Dimitri with her worsening vision. She sighed and put her head back down.
I guess I shouldn't be so disappointed. Him and Creina were so close. I pretty much was just the little sister… Waltrud closed her eyes with her head against the polished wooden surface.
The piano music sounded beautiful. It brought back memories of teaching Dimitri how to dance. He had been so stiff and awkward at first, but with Waltrud and Creina's guidance, he quickly picked it up. The long evenings in fall where they played the piano and danced in front of the fire were as clear as they were over five years ago.
God I miss you Creina… Waltrud focused on her older sister. Creina had assumed the role of their mother after they received word of her death. And then fate would play its twisted games and throw the one responsible for their mother's death into their lives, being the one they both ultimately fell in love with.
Waltrud's intoxicated mind began to delve into things she normally wouldn't think about. When it came down to it, Dimitri had been involved in the death of both her mother and her sister. And yet, she had such deep feelings for him.
Mikhail knows the truth… It can't all be Dimitri's fault… Her sober thoughts began to try and reassert themselves in her embroiled mind.
"Give me another bottle." Waltrud fought against her better judgment as she raised a hand to the bartender without raising her head.
"I don't think so, Captain." She heard a familiar voice respond. She felt a firm grip on her wrist from a hand much larger than her own. Waltrud looked up to see a black gloved hand gently holding her wrist. "And I thought you were the hardest drinker in Karlsland, Wally."
"Demi!" Waltrud's mind emptied of everything else as she sat up and embraced the silver haired General.
"I'll take care of her, Lieutenant." Dimitri said as the man behind the bar walked over.
"Yes, sir. I was kind of starting to worry." The Lieutenant smiled as he saluted.
"She'll be alright. I'll see to it." Dimitri returned the salute briefly and then put his arms around the Karlic Captain. The Lieutenant went back down to the other end of the bar as Dimitri held Waltrud close. "You look a little unfit for duty, Captain."
"Shut up, Demi. You kept me waiting long enough." Waltrud smiled as she leaned into his chest. She looked up him, his emerald green eyes as peaceful as ever. In the light she could see a faint layer of red on his lips. She couldn't help but smile sheepishly. "Uh huh… I see, General."
"What?" Dimitri's eyebrow cocked, confused.
"Wasn't the only stop on your route tonight, was I?" Waltrud took a napkin from the bar and wiped Dimitri's lips clean of the deep red lipstick. She showed it to him and his expression changed to one of reluctant defeat. Though she was jealous, he was here now and it was really all that mattered. But she was going to toy with him for all it was worth. "Shame on you young man. You need to remember things like this if you're going to make a habit of two timing. Or however many timing you might be up to. Let me guess… Hartmann?"
"Yes, it was Lieutenant Hartmann." Dimitri could discern her toying tone through her slightly drunken feigned displeasure. "She was trying to tell me I don't listen enough. I agreed, then apparently stopped paying attention."
"Of course." Waltrud chortled as she let go of him.
"Then while I was lost in thought, she figured the best way to get my attention again was to kiss me." Dimitri shrugged.
"Then let me ask you this, did you work your way over to Trude before, or after that?" Waltrud continued to grin. "I'm sure she was an easy target, perhaps even a willing participant."
"Listen, I'm not you, Wally. I don't have an inexhaustible appetite for women." Dimitri leaned over, his face inches from her own as he still smiled.
"Coulda fooled me. You just might have a knack for this seducing women thing. But you've got a ways to go before you can compare to me." Waltrud winked and made a clicking noise.
"Oh really now? And what makes you so great?" Dimitri acted unimpressed.
"In your absence, I received an invite to spend the night with Captain Yeager should you have failed to return." Waltrud pursed her lips and poked Dimitri's cheek. "I'm pretty sure the invite is still applicable."
"Hmm, I must say that is impressive." Dimitri gently took hold of Waltrud's hand as it lowered away from his face. He drew closer and put his other arm around her back. She warmed to his touch, lacing her arm around his waist. Their bodies touched, their eyes locked. "But you're gonna have to ask Captain Yeager for a rain check."
"Sounds good, Demi…" Waltrud treasured the feel of his body against hers.
Dimitri started a gentle dancing step, directing her out to the floor. She followed his lead and shook the inebriation from her visage. Just as in the past, he held her perfectly. The hands clasp together on one side, their arms around each other on the other.
"The floor is yours, General!" Charlotte called out, whistling her approval as they danced onto the polished marble. Dimitri felt familiars activate in Charlotte's direction. He looked to the side and saw that Charlotte and Sanya had activated their familiars, materializing their animal ears and tails.
Dimitri and Waltrud could see that the remaining people in the ballroom had moved off the dance floor and watched the two of them. They looked up as the large crystal chandelier that hung above them seemed to brighten as they moved underneath it. Dimitri could see Charlotte focusing on the lights with her eyes, as if bending their illumination to her will. Sanya focus was on the harmonious notes that were emanating from the grand piano.
"Play our music, knyaginya." Dimitri called to the Orussian Lieutenant. Sanya smiled though her eyes never left the ivory keys. Dimitri returned his attention to Waltrud as they began stepping up the pace and difficulty of their movements. "I'm sure you remember back in Berlin…"
"Of course I do, Demi. They're some of my fondest memories…" Waltrud kept up with every movement as if there were no alcohol in her system. "I'm sure you miss her like I do…"
"I feel guilty for not even remembering her until I saw you in Ostmark and managed to recover those memories…" Dimitri spoke effortlessly as they continued moving in perfect synchronization. "There are still many things I do not remember…"
"I'm just happy knowing you remembered me and Creina…" Waltrud was dying to know what really happened to her older sister, but she realized trying to pressure him to remember wouldn't help.
"I loved Creina… I still love Creina. I just wish that she were still here…" Dimitri's face was emotionless, but his voice sounded pained. "And I want to know why she isn't. I'm pretty sure the memory lay inside my mind. But I will enjoy what is put in front of me while I have the chance…"
"…so where does that leave me in your heart?" Waltrud was nearly scared to ask. Their bodies were pressed together again.
Dimitri said nothing as he moved his feet. Waltrud could see the hesitation in his eyes though his body moved with the precision of a well-oiled machine. Sanya continued to play, her eyes now closed as she plucked the cords within the piano like a surgeon. Charlotte watched from her perch on top of the piano.
As the piece of music began to reach its zenith, Dimitri moved quickly putting Waltrud through her paces. Dimitri wasn't quite sure how to respond. He loved Waltrud, but he wasn't quite sure how to treat his feelings in this situation. Did he love her in the same way he loved Creina? Or was it more of a sibling relationship?
Dimitri tried to find the answer as he continued to look deep into Waltrud's eyes. She waited as he racked his brain, his feet never missing a step.
Three and a half years ago…
Captain Mikhail Breshnev kept his ears peeled as he rummaged through a black filing cabinet. He was in General Anderson's office, digging through several years' worth of top secret documents. Chiron was currently in Vladivostok, overseeing project Mirage. Chiron had given him permission to return to Nadym to check on how the 666th was coming along in their training and to see Sanya.
What Chiron didn't know, was Mikhail had his own agenda for this particular trip. For a while now, Mikhail had the feeling there were several things that Chiron was not telling him. Even though Chiron said that he was sharing everything with him since he would replace Chiron should anything ever happen to him, Mikhail knew the General better than that. There was always something he kept hidden.
Mikhail kept flipping through manila folders and banded files, scanning them with his quick eyes. He figured what he was doing could be seen as an act of treason should he get caught, but he was White Wash. He never got caught.
"Elimination of Trotsky? Garbage. A fucking space program? More garbage." Mikhail shook his head, finding nothing that would be any use to him as he sifted through the files. He had picked the lock on the cabinet with one of the skills Levos and Lilith had taught the unit years ago. He wouldn't be thanking them any time soon though. "Jet engine research? Garbage. The fuck is an ICBM? When in doubt… Garbage."
Mikhail swore as he kicked the drawer back into the cabinet. In over an hour, he had found nothing. Four locked cabinets and nothing. The only thing left was his desk. But he knew that Chiron would not leave anything potentially damning in his desk. Or would he? Would he expect people to immediately dismiss the notion of having something important in his desk?
Mikhail sat down in Chiron's plush office chair. A fourth star had been recently stitched into the fabric. He pulled himself closer to the darkly stained wooden desk. There were seven drawers total. Three on the left, one in the middle right beneath the desktop, and three on the right. He saw that the bottom drawer on each side had locks.
He started with the middle drawer. It was shallow and slid out easily. Mikhail found pens, paper clips, a small notepad, and a few other things that warranted no attention. He moved to the top left drawer. It opened easy enough and Mikhail found a few things associated with the newly formed Allied Forces. A couple reports, nothing major.
"How do you do it, Chiron? I mean really. Seems like so much wasted effort." Mikhail quietly slid the drawer closed. He dropped down a drawer and opened it. It proved a bit more difficult to open, as if it hadn't been opened in a long time.
Inside was a newspaper that was probably almost five years old. It was from Ostmark, he could tell by the language it was written in. He knew enough to make out the headline.
"The Orussian Ghost killed in Wien…" Mikhail read it aloud. He let a small smile spread across his face. "If only you had all been so lucky…"
He saw nothing else of any account in the drawer so he replaced the newspaper and closed it. He took a few of the paper clips from the middle drawer and began to pick the lock on the lowest drawer on the left. With a practiced efficiency, the tumblers in the lock gave way and the drawer opened.
"Well what do we have here?" Mikhail pulled a folded up blueprint from the deep drawer. He unfolded it a bit to see that it was the plan for the ship, the Mirage, that was currently being constructed in Vladivostok. The bottom levels on this printout were much different than the one Mikhail had been given at the start of the project. He didn't understand several of the scientific terms used in labeling many of the individual sections of the base level. "I knew there was something going on here. But I've got the feeling this isn't the major piece I'm missing…"
Mikhail folded the blueprint back up and set it on the desk top. He would be taking it with him. He pushed the drawer back in and used his paper clip to reengage the lock. He turned to the drawers on the right side. He pulled open the top drawer and found a picture frame.
"I swear he's got some problems…" Mikhail picked up the frame that held a picture of Lilith Hatake. Mikhail had to admit that it was a good picture, though how Chiron might have gotten it, he did not know. Mikhail had known Lilith longer than Chiron and could tell the picture had been taken before Chiron had ever met Lilith. He found the Orussian words for 'I'm sorry' written on the back of the frame in black ink.
After he deemed nothing else needed addressing, he put the picture frame back and closed the drawer. He pulled the second drawer open and found a few files. He went through each one, scanning for anything that might interest him. He found one was a file keeping tabs on Levos after he had left the 666th.
"That's just like you, paranoid bastard…" Mikhail knew that Chiron was only making sure Levos didn't cause problems further down the road. The last attachment to the file said that since the member nations of the AF had allowed their militaries to basically combine, Levos had gone to Karlsland.
Mikhail shook his head and threw the file back into the drawer. He shut it and then began picking the lock on the bottom drawer. It came open just as easy as the other locked drawer. The only thing sitting in the deep drawer was a very large file with bold red words written on the manila file cover.
"Project Specter." Mikhail read the red colored Orussian words. He had found exactly what he was looking for. He grabbed the thick banded file and put it on the desktop. He tore the rubber band off that held the folder closed. The folder opened itself as the rubber holding it in place snapped away. Clipped to the inside of the folder were several photographs.
He unclipped them and cycled through them. There were photos of Lilith, Dimitri, Levos, himself, Sanya, a Suoman looking woman, and then there were a few of places that he recognized. One was a town on the Orussia-Suomus border, another was the 666th's personal hangar in Moscow, while the last photograph was of the Moscow hangar, but with the floors and walls covered in blood. He strained his eyes to see the bloody mess a few feet in front of the camera.
"That must be the witch that attacked Lilith…" Mikhail studied it. He looked back over the photos, wondering just what it all could mean. He began flipping through the countless pages and reports that the file was composed of. Each page was completely covered in information. Some of it had originally been on the pages while the rest looked to be hand written on each one. He knew Chiron's handwriting when he saw it.
He came to a page that detailed Lilith's service record. It even included the stint that she did on the Suoman border. Clipped to Lilith's service record was Mikhail's early service record before he joined the 666th. Mikhail found his eyes narrowing, not liking what this information could mean.
"Records of service under suspicion of tampering." Mikhail read Chiron's handwritten note on his record. Mikhail had, in fact, had his record altered back before he had joined the 666th. He had seduced a young Captain with access to his records to allow him to get a hold of his permanent record. There were many things he had omitted and changed in his record that had allowed him to join the 666th division those years ago. "Too bad you'll never know the truth, Double Star…"
Mikhail had many secrets. And he had reason to believe that General Anderson was trying to uncover them in the process of completing this project.
Mikhail continued reading occasional excerpts. He came to a page that was written in Suoman. It had a black and white photo of the Suoman woman that he didn't recognize from the first group of photos at the top. He had to read Chiron's notes to learn anything from it.
"Operation Eden…" Mikhail looked over the scribbles. "Operation resulted in Specter's awakening just as predicted in 58% of projections…"
Wait a minute… Mikhail began to feel the full weight of these implications.
He flipped the page and found more and more notes written in Chiron's manner. The next few pages were reports Chiron had written detailing minute signs of Dimitri's latent abilities from the time he was six to the age of nine. On the next page was a report filed by the doctor that had tended Lilith when she had been brought in by Chiron after her almost fatal wound.
"…leads me to rule Major Lilith Hatake completely brain dead… her body is still alive, but the lack of oxygen to her brain caused by her injury caused far too much damage…" Mikhail read the doctor's report. Further down on the page was what looked like a weakly written note. "Operation Eden-successful. Sole operative killed by awakened Specter. Original hypothesis proven. Project Specter now in full effect."
"…he couldn't have…" Mikhail found himself leaning back away from the file. He might not have had the intelligence that Chiron, Dimitri, or Anton had, but he knew when things weren't right. The large Orussian Captain leaned back completely, trying to find any other way for all of these facts to add up. "He was in love with her just like Levos, wasn't he?"
Mikhail looked back down at the file. He read more of Chiron's notes. He saw more black and white photos. He began to see the writing on the wall.
"…Chiron had Lilith killed…"