The next few days the troop train headed east to the Soviet border. The end of the line was Kars. There the task force transferred to a truck convoy taking them north as far as Damal. When they arrived, they again switched modes of transportation. They mounted horses and began the trek to the border and the Soviet Union.
A week passed since the mission force first left Ankara. They had crossed Turkish-Soviet border and were now deep inside Georgian SSR territory. Large movements only happened at night and sleep was only attained when there was no immediate danger. The soldiers made their best attempt to seem like a regular Soviet patrol, but each member stayed on their guard to make sure nothing gave them away. They were at the foot of the Caucasus now, only a few more nights away until the rendezvous with the Tsarevich.
"Alright chaps, listen up!" Maj. Rossmount exclaimed, "Our goal is in sight now. Tomorrow we begin our ascent into the mountains. There we will rescue the Tsarevich, and begin our long journey home. Pitch your tents and get a good nights rest, we'll be up early tomorrow." The Major retires to his own tent. The horses are tired off as fires are lit and the men begin to set up their tents. Soon each man finished their task and began enjoying their rations, except two soldiers off to the side of the man group who were struggling to get their tent up. Oliver watched them keenly as he ate. He watched those two soldiers the whole the mission, noticing how they kept to themselves, rarely ate beside a fire, and until now always needed help putting up a tent. Since all the soldiers are preoccupied with their meals, none could assist the hapless two. Oliver gets up and walks into the Major's tent.
"Sir," he salutes, "I want to bring your attention to a matter."
"Yes Mr. Cross?" replies the Major as he stuffed tobacco in his pipe.
"There are two soldiers struggling to put a tent up. These are the same two soldiers that have been acting out of step with the rest of the troops. I'm concerned that they're spies. I would like your permission to interrogate them."
"Permission granted, please bring them here, and have Philip stand guard." Oliver leaves the tent and motions Philip to stand. Oliver walks over to the two struggling soldiers now silently arguing with each other, but go completely silent when Oliver arrives.
"Having trouble gentlemen?" he asks. Anya froze. Though her clothes hid her identity with her hair stuffed under her hat, she dared not turn around lest her eyes gave her away. She thinks for a moment, looking to Dimitri for support. He just keeps staring at the ground, trying to make sense of the tent equipment. 'Thanks a lot,' Anya muses to herself, 'Alright, think fast…'
"Uh… no, we're alright, just uh… trying to make sense of the soil," Anya says in a gruff voice muffled by her scarf. 'Please go away,' she thinks. Dimitri ducks his head and tries to hold his mirth. He couldn't help but chuckle at Anya's attempt at a man's voice. He turns his stifled laughs into a cough as if he was clearing his throat.
"Don't mind us sir, we'll have our tent pitched in no time," he says in a cheery tone. Oliver stands their unconvinced. Especially since this one soldier's moustache was lopsided. He pushes back his coat to reveal his holstered pistol and rest his hand on the grip.
"How about you two come back with me to the major's tent, I'm sure he can help." Anya and Dimitri both stop what they're doing and look at each other.
"Uh…*cough* don't you think he doesn't want to be disturbed?" asks Dimitri, trying to bail them out of this bind.
"No he won't," Oliver draws his pistol, "he's expecting you. Up." He motions with his gun for the two to stand. "Hands where I can see them please." Anya and Dimitri raise their arms. "Walk." With Oliver following, the disguised couple is marched into Maj. Rossmount's tent, who finished writing his mission log as the trio came in.
"Now then you two," he brandishes his pipe, "we've noticed you have not really been carrying your weight during the mission. Making others do your work, and not contributing to the camaraderie. Needless to say, we know you're not part of our group. We only brought 24 soldiers, you two make it 26. I thought you Soviets were a little more clandestine with your infiltrations." Anya and Dimitri exchanged glances. This did not seem to be going to a good place. "Well then, the offer is this, you hand over your weapons, become prisoners, and we may let you go when this is all over."
"I disagree sir," interjects Oliver, "with all due respect sir, we are on a top secret mission, with limited supplies that cannot be spared. These two will only slow us down. I believe is best we get rid of them in the most efficient way possible." He puts his pistol to Anya's cheek. Her eyes go wide at the touch of the cold steel of a loaded gun. Dimitri flinches, balling his fist, ready to defend his wife to the death. But Oliver continues to gloat.
"Honestly, if all Soviets are like you two, the world has nothing to fear. Can't even pinch a tent, pathetic. Looks like this'll be a mercy-" Oliver pauses mid-sentence. The stark blue eyes of one spy struck him, just like a pair in he saw in Paris. "Wait a minute." He pulls down the scarf. "Are you kidding me?" he asks in disbelief. He takes off the hat, allowing red locks to fall. Major Rossmount stands astonished.
"Your Highness! What the devil are you doing here?!"
"I was about to ask the same thing. We told you to stay in the capital! Do you realize how much danger you have put yourself in? All of us in?" Oliver is enraged as the royal's bold disregard for safety.
"Surrrrrprise?" replies Anya meekly with innocent shrug. Dimitri follows suit with a sheepish grin. The agents were not amused to say the least. Seeing their reactions, Anya mustered all the royal authority she could. "Gentlemen, put yourself in my shoes. My family as I once known it is gone. I can barely remember them. For ten years I was by myself raised as an orphan without a past or future. I have been separated from my grandmother for ten years and have just reunited with her. Now I learn that my brother, my only brother, my only living sibling, may be alive and you expect me to idly sit in my ivory tower waiting for him to come, if he ever does. No, I live too long without my family. I'm done waiting and hoping. I want my family back. How would you act in my position?" Dimitri places his hand in Anya's for reassurance.
"Trust me gentleman, when she wants something she digs in her heels till she gets it," Dimitri says in support. Oliver and Maj. Rossmount look at each other. Oliver sighs.
"Alright, it's not like we can send you back anyway. Therefore, for the rest of the mission, you will behave like soldiers as to not arouse suspicion among the other troops. We'll re-issue rations to see what we can scrounge up, but don't expect much since we weren't expecting you. You will obey our orders and you will address Maj. Rossmount and myself as sir. Is that clear?" Despite being a young man, Oliver can carry himself and create an aura of authority. It probably helps being an actor in his family's movie studio.
"Yes it is," they grumbled.
"Yes it is…"
"Yes it is, sir," Anya and Dimitri emphasize through gritted teeth. Their annoyance showed on their faces. They didn't like following orders, each had their own rebellious streak and it showed when they bicker with each other, but having to listen someone their junior was just another annoyance they were dealing with on this trip. It didn't help that Oliver couldn't stop a grin spreading on his face.
"You're dismissed," says Oliver. Anya and Dimitri turn to leave the tent.
"And I thought you got on my nerves, your grace," whispers Dimitri.
"Likewise, maestro," whispers back Anya.
"Oh by the way," asks Oliver. Anya and Dimitri stop and look back. "If you're here, where's your dog?"
"Pooka's with one of my body doubles."
"Ok, that'll be all. Philip, help these two with their tent. And not a word about their identities." Philip nods and follows the couple out. "That's a new circumstance to count now sir. But I think we'll manage." Rossmount nods reassuringly as he puffs his pipe.
"We'll just have to double our efforts of protection. I do hope everything goes well."
"Everything has so far, you just got to keep your chin up Gene, as you Brits say." Rossmount chuckles. Meanwhile outside, Anton watches Anya and Dimitri be escorted to their tent, hoping they held up their secrecy pact.
"Anton is giving us the evil eye. Probably wondering if we ratted him out or not," Dimitri muses, making sure Philip doesn't hear him.
"Well he has nothing to worry about," Anya replies. They arrive back at their tent. Philip places his rifle on the ground.
"O'right you two, 'ere's 'ow you make ah tent. O'u listen to me, and then make it o'urselves, understood?" Philip barks in thick cockney. Anya and Dimitri look at each other and roll their eyes and got to work.