Central Germany, Leipzig Area, Safe House Near Merkwitz
September 6, 1943, 1300 hours

Vladimir was startled out of his sleep. He opened his eyes and experienced a moment of panic. He did not see the familiar walls and ceiling of Barracks 2 in Stalag 13. It took him a moment to remember where he was.

It had been less than 24 hours ago when Vladimir left Stalag 13 in the back of Oskar Schnitzer's truck. He was now heading back home to Russia with Marya and the Russian scientist, Zagoskin. If all went well, he would be back in Russia within a week. If it didn't go well ...

He preferred not to think about that.

Vladimir felt a stirring beside him. He looked over and saw Marya snuggled next to him in the cellar where they were hiding for the day. They had left Oskar's house after dark and traveled all night to get to this safe house. They would stay here during the day, while Marya determined their next destination.

Marya stirred again, nestling herself closer to Vladimir. Ah yes, Marya. I have you to thank for this little adventure. If you hadn't told Major Hochstetter about my existence at Stalag 13, I would still be there helping Colonel Hogan's team with his operation. If not for you, I would not have had to be rescued from a Gestapo truck where I had been shackled. Vladimir looked at Marya in the dim light that came through the cracks in the cellar door and sighed. But if not for you, I would not have this opportunity to travel home to see my family now, assuming you keep your word and keep me out of the gulag because I was a prisoner of war.

As if she could sense him staring at her, Marya opened her eyes and smiled at him. "You are awake," she said, more of a statement than a question.

"Da," Vladimir replied. "With all of the excitement of the past few days, I am having trouble relaxing."

Marya yawned and nestled herself even closer to Vladimir. She rested her head on his shoulder as they lay on the makeshift bed on the floor. "You should try to get some rest today," she said. "We still have a difficult journey ahead of us."

Vladimir lay still. Having Marya so close was both comforting and uncomfortable. Here was a woman who, not 3 days ago, would have killed him without a second thought. Now, they were hiding in a cellar together, sleeping in such close proximity.

"I know," he said. "But I feel that I will not relax until we reach Moscow safely."

Marya shifted herself so that she faced Vladimir, and began to caress his cheek. "I know the perfect way to relax," she said seductively.

Vladimir looked at Marya and smiled. He took her hand in both of his and said, "At another time, I would find that very relaxing." He glanced over Marya's shoulder at the sleeping form of Igor Zagoskin. "But we are not alone, Tovarish Marya, and I am going home to my wife. I could not do that to her."

Marya smiled back. After a few moments, she leaned forward and gave him a small kiss on his forehead. "Your wife is very lucky to have you," she said.

"I think I am very lucky to have her," Vladimir replied. He sat up, trying to stretch his tired muscles.

Marya sat up as well. "Does she know that you were captured?" she asked.

Vladimir shrugged. "I do not know," he said. "The officials may have reported me captured when I was with my army unit, but I had no way of contacting her from Stalag 13." He paused, thinking of what his wife must have gone through the past 2 years. "And if the officials reported me captured, they could have also sent my entire family to the gulag."

Marya nodded. She knew very well what happened to families of captured soldiers. "But imagine her sorrow if you had been reported as killed," she said softly. "She would have been thinking she is a widow since then."

Vladimir sighed. He had been avoiding that thought. "I know," he said. "It hurts to think of what my family is going through."

"I guess that is one good aspect of my situation," Marya replied frowning. "I do not have a family to worry about." She paused, lost in thought. Finally she said, "But it does get lonely sometimes without anyone to worry about me."

"You have been doing this a long time, yes?" Vladimir asked.

"Da," she replied. "I have been here since before Hitler came to power. But the last year has been the most difficult."

"Why is that?" Vladimir asked.

"Last year, the Germans arrested and executed many of our top agents. They did such a thorough job that it forced two rings in our network to cease operations," she explained. "I had been operating outside of both, so I was unaffected. The Center then asked me to organize a new network, which has been operating since late last year."

Vladimir was surprised. He knew that Marya was very well connected. That was obvious from the resources she pulled in to rescue him from Hochstetter. But now, to find out that she was actually the leader of the network in Germany impressed him greatly.

"You mean to say that you are the head of the network in Germany?" he asked her.

"Only of one major portion of it. I still take direction from The Center in Moscow," she replied. "I was able to place agents in Abwehr Headquarters and Leipzig Gestapo, as you already know. I was also able to place a few more in some key locations where they can gather other important information."

"And you want me to be a part of this organization?" he asked.

Marya nodded. "Da," she said. "Of course, it would still have to be approved by Moscow." Then Marya smiled. "But I do not believe that will be a problem. You have had experience already with this sort of work."

Now it was Vladimir's turn to smile. "I suppose I have had some experience," he replied. "Papa Bear and his band of merry men were a busy bunch." They both laughed.

"Do you know where I would go?" Vladimir asked Marya.

Marya shrugged. "It depends," she responded. "I know where I would like to have you stationed." Vladimir raised his eyebrows in question. Marya continued, "Rastenburg."

Vladimir shook his head. "I do not know where that is," he said.

"It is in East Prussia, near the Baltic Sea," she replied. "Hitler has a headquarters near there, Wolfsschanze." She spoke the last word in German. "We need another good operative in the area."

"What would be my cover?" Vladimir asked. He was curious how he would be able to pass as part of the general population in East Prussia.

"You are a tailor?" Marya asked. Vladimir nodded. "There are many Poles living in East Prussia, due to the proximity to Poland. We can work out the details later, but you can take up residence there, as a Pole, and work in a tailor shop in town."

"I do not wish to sound difficult, but what if I cannot find work in a tailor shop?" he asked.

Marya smiled at him. "As I said, we can work out the details later," she said. "We have agents already in the area, and we should be able to do something." Her smile grew wider. "And I would like you to be the head man in the area, with the other agents taking direction from you."

Vladimir was genuinely surprised. In all his time at Stalag 13, he had played a support role, never leading an operation. Kinch had always been Colonel Hogan's second-in-command. "Me?" he asked.

Before Marya could answer, Zagoskin stirred next to them and sat up yawning. "Dobroe utra," he said tiredly.

Vladimir and Marya laughed. "It's more like afternoon," Marya said. "But good morning to you too!"

Zagoskin stretched. "Sorry, the events of the past few days have left me confused," he said. He looked around the cellar. "How long are we going to be in here?" he asked.

"I don't know yet," Marya responded. "I will find out later, when they bring us down some food."

At the mention of the word food, Vladimir's stomach began growling. "I hope that will be soon," he said. "I am hungry."