Irina
"You have to do it."
Irina imperceptibly flinched at the words hissed in her ear. "Those were not our orders. We should take him in for questioning."
"These are new orders," Alexander Khasinau quickly snapped. "I'm your superior. You must do as I say." He glanced out the window to make sure no one was approaching. "Hurry up. I don't want anyone to know we're here."
She studied the man that was trembling in front of her. He was shielding his family with his own body, offering himself as a sacrificial lamb. His wife had gathered their children to her and tried to hide their faces from seeing too much. "What have you been accused of?" Irina barked.
"We do not have time for this!"
"I have been accused of distributing materials that speak out against the Kremlin." His voice cracked but he didn't care that he was crying. Maybe it would save his life. "But it's not true. Please, Comrade."
"Do we have any proof of this?" Irina asked. She was flirting with a dangerous line by openly defying her superior.
Khasinau shook his head and stalked towards her. Placing his gun against the back of her head, he pulled the hammer back. Its sound was unmistakable and threatening. "You're a promising student, Irina, but I will not hesitate to put a bullet through your skull. Either kill this traitor or you die with him. It's your choice."
Irina knew that Khasinau wasn't bluffing and quickly raised her gun. She watched as fear ran rampant across the man's face and she hoped her eyes conveyed the sorrow she felt. "I survived without my father. I'm sure your children will be fine."
Pulling the trigger, Irina watched as the man jerked and fell to the floor, completely still. His wife screamed and ran to the lifeless body, desperately trying to wake him up. She threw the gun to the ground with disgust. "It's done," she said, looking at Khasinau. "I hope there's no longer any doubt of my allegiance and devotion to this country." Her voice seemed different. It was flat and stoic, completely void of emotion.
Khasinau smiled with satisfaction. "Well done but you must never hesitate like that again. The next time it happens, you won't be given a warning. Do you understand?"
Irina nodded and silently walked out of the room. As her stomach churned violently, Irina felt empty and cold, like she had just lost any touch of humanity. She made it around the corner of the building before throwing up and she prayed Khasinau couldn't hear her. This was the last time that she could afford to show weakness.