Ingushetia isn't really known as a holiday destination.
A small country, part of the russian federation, it really isn't in a good position right now. Firstly as it is one of the most unstable, corrupt and poor countries in eastern europe. Secondly as it hasn't had the best relationships with its neighbouring countries either. Russia doesn't care for it, Chechnya wages war in it and currently everyone inside of it isn't getting along, shown by the civil war.
It would have been easier if we had landed in an iraqian war zone….
John hadn't really heard of this country before. He was rather surprised Alan had, Alan had some truly aweful grades from what his father described.
Either way they were in trouble.
Getting up his ankle hurt and he was cold but that isn't a priority right now. They needed to move, the rain didn't look like it was going to stop and something was up with the area.
Alan was starting to forage for supplies, he was hoping to find edible plants or even better water. Whatever he had pulled out of the plane wasn't going to last very long.
What he found wasn't exactly what he was expecting.
In the cold mud laid a metal egg with tell-tale strips, a grenade, with the pin still inserted. One grenade is bad but empty and bloody shotgun shells only makes it worse. The only good thing is that it points towards them being close to civilization.
Stepping away, he quickly ran back over towards John, watching his feet as he went.
He shushed John as he was about to speak and whispered "This is a combat zone, found recently used shotgun shells and a grenade, stay quiet, we don't know who is about or who saw the landing". John stared back at Alan with wide eyes. "We need to move, it isn't safe here"
Alan knew that they would have to assume that anyone they met was hostile. In eastern europe if you get involved with the wrong people and don't have the right friends you're in trouble.
Taking the bag he had saved earlier he stuffed everything he could into it. Picking up a random stick from the ground for John, it was time to go.
"Come on, we need to move away from here" Alan whispered leeding with John limping behind.
Alan felt like he was going to puke, they had walked for an hour now. His head was pounding and his body shivering, it wasn't just because it was raining. Clearly he had hit his head harder than he thought.
Using the sun to direct them north, they continued on. "North is really the only good option, Ingushetia is a russian federation country, it will be a lot easier to bypass a border compared to georgia who doesn't like to have anything to do with Russia" he explained to John.
"Can't we just go to the U.S embassy in Ingushetia? That would be a lot easier"John couldn't see why that wasn't an option, every country had an embassy.
"Did you miss the bit where I said russian federation and corrupt? The embassy is in Moscow and we can't cross the georgian border to access theirs" Alan huffed, "If we decide to ask any officials or inhabitant for help we might be kidnapped"
"How do you know anything about this in the first place? I've never heard of the country and I sure don't have a clue about eastern europe's politics" John questioned, it really doesn't seem like something you'd learn at school.
"Wharton's is a rich kids school, what do you expect? 'Training the futures elites' is their slogan. Geopolitics covered Ingushetia existence and I've got a few friends who know a little about politics" Alan explained, he has to admit they were quite lucky that they ended up in a country he had heard of. Had it been Liechtenstein he wouldn't have been much help.
The dizziness hadn't stopped, he felt like he was walking on a cloud, his feet on autopilot.
"Can we stop? My ankle is killing me, I think it needs re-wrapping" John called from behind.
Turning around, Alan decided they could stop here for a little bit. A small clearing surrounded by trees.
As John stopped in front of Alan, Alan crouched and as he leant down, his vision went.
"Haha lucky you didn't fall in the mud" John laughed thinking Alan was just being clumsy. When Alan didn't react he knew something was up "Alan? Alan?"
Turning Alan's face towards him he could see what was up. Alan's face was pale, eyes glassy and confused. It was as if no one was home. "Alan?"
Getting no response, he laid Alan on his back. Feeling around Alan's head he could feel the problem, blood. Just behind Alan's ears there was a sliver of blood from where he had obviously hit his head.
"Alan? Wakey, waley" John called "You can't sleep, I think you've got a mild concussion" Patting Alan's cheek he called once again "Come on buddy, look towards me"
Grasping Alan shoulders he got ready to give Alan a small shake. Alan sucked in a deep breath and cringed "Let go! Let go!" he nearly shouted.
John yanked his hand away "Alan" he smiled, he was back. "How are you feeling buddy?"
Alan looked up to see John's concerned eyes "Urrr I'm…. dizzy and cold?" Kinda expected with the amount of rain around them.
Alan was back with it but he felt rough. He just wanted to put his head in his hand and sleep. There was 3-4 hours of daylight left, plenty enough to make a last push towards a landmark. Their pace was very slow with John hobbling and Alan not at his best. He really didn't want to sleep in an empty forest where left and right were not distinguable.
Sitting down he removed John's bandage and re-tied it again. They had no other bandage so it would have to do. "Are you sure you can go on?" John was concerned, Alan's black out episode was clear evidence of head trauma. It might be a mild concussion but if it's more serious.. Also something else was right on with Alan's shoulder too.
"Yeah it will be fine, I haven't any choice. We can't just stay here" Alan really wishes they didn't have to but they are only getting colder out here, they need to find shelter soon.
Unsteadily Alan got up, ready to go for another hour of walking. Picking up his bag he realised something. The trees to the left were thinning, an indication that there might be a landmark.
"John the trees are thinning to the left!"
Gaining pace Alan was hoping to find anything, the last 1h30 of walking was grueling. John struggled to hobble with the pace. "Wait for me Alan!"
It took 15 minutes of walking till they saw their prize. An old shed that must have been used as an outpost. It looked dilapidated and abandoned with the wood cladding holding on by a thread.
"Застава I14538" Was plastered on the door. No one had been here recently. Entering the main room there was nothing left, overgrown and had quite a bit of wildlife inside, no point even rummaging. The 'garage', if you could even call it that, showed the building's true purpose, to supply and restock government soldiers.
For John it really hammered home the situation in ingushetia, they were at war with each other and were not scared to kill people.
Everything that was left was old fashioned, from the guns to the machines. They may have even been used in the bosnian war 15 or 16 years prior.
In the back of the 'garage' Alan found paperwork and lots of it. All in russian, sadly his russian reading was rather rusty.
"They look like strategy maps?" From the looks of it someone had spent time preparing a route to somewhere.
This someone did however leave them with a little gift. Under a tarp, covered in dust and old tools, was a car. He would recognise it anyday, a 1992 VW Golf.
How had it been sitting here so many years undiscovered? Alan felt like one of those barn find people except he was currently trying to get home and avoid hostilities.
Looking around it, it didn't seem to have much wrong with it. One flat back tire and that was it, he couldn't believe his luck.
John gave the door a sharp tug to no avail, it was locked. "Have you seen any keys?" he asked. "No and I doubt it's still got any, it's what? 16 years old maybe?" "Don't worry I'll sort it out" Alan commented, he knew what he was about to do wasn't going to go over well with John.
Looking around he found a small straight piece of metal and a small pin and got to work. He's lucky that it's an old car otherwise it would have been much harder.
With a click it was open. John stared back bug eyed at Alan "Did you just pick the locks?" he was in disbelief. John associated lock picking with criminals, not his brother.
Sitting in the front seat, he slipped under the steering column for his next magic trick.
Putting the wires together and with a cough and a splutter the engine came alive. Alan could only cringe though, 10+ years old fuel going through that engine was painful to his mechanic's heart.
"OK no, no, no I can't believe this!" John however was having a mental health crisis "My little brother can't be a criminal!"
"Where did you even learn to do that?!"
"John it's really not the time for these questions and I don't think you want the answer either" "We're low on fuel, any about?" Alan knew that if they were going to make it anywhere they would need a full tank.
Stepping out of the car, he looked around. Finding a total of full jerry cans really lifted his spirit, but also made him remember that all the fuel was originally there to wage war.
The car had been modified for long distance too with the boot being occupied by an extra gas tank. Passing a pump over to John for the tire, Alan got to work refuelling.
Alan started to contemplate their situation and why people went to war? What was the point? It always seemed to be for people to fight greed and create freedom but at the cost of peoples lives. Was it ever worth it? For the mother and daughters that are lost, for the father and sons sent to be traumatised and used as cannon fodder.
Everyone's freedom was bought through blood, not the blood of politicians or high ranking personnel. Oh no no no through the martyrs of their civilians. Why must it take force and blood for people to understand?
Whoever stocked this outpost must have learned the hard way. At the end of the day Alan felt lucky, he was born in a country where war on its own soil was years passed but he knew that everyday anywhere the U.S was involved in someone else's war.
Once the car was filled, Alan chucked a gun and some ammunition in the rear passenger seat for good measure, John didn't seem to noticed and he hoped he wasn't going to have to use it
John jumped in the front seat only to realise that it wasn't going to work "I can't drive stick" he felt like such an idiot for never bothering to learn and now it was biting him in the arse
"I'll drive" Alan answered.
John shot a look at Alan "You don't know how to drive, let alone have a learners permit? You can't drive" John stated.
Alan was due his learners permit in may next year and living on an island didn't really present many opportunities to drive
"What do you know? You don't need a learner's permit when you've got a full license" Alan gave John a smirk.
John was flabbergasted "You've got a driving licence? An actual driving licence? When? How? You're not due to get your learners till next may?"
"Easy, train in a car and take the test" He wasn't going to give John any info on that, bit too dodgy if he does say so himself.
"Anyway we need to get going"
Off for the adventure we go! Any suggestions are much appreciated and thank you for all your reviews. The John and Alan driving part is slightly inspired by Hornet's Nest by Spense. What an awesome fic!
Uni is making getting chapters sorted hard but I'm keeping up.
Bisous.