I couldn't tell anyone. Of this I was absolutely sure.

But I owed him an explanation before I left. Him and only him, whether I was allowed to or not. I couldn't just up and leave.

I finished packing early, and snuck out of my room past curfew (less chance of someone seeing me and hearing the coming conversation), and made my way to Mikhail's. I softly rapped on the door.

"Pssst, Mikhail… It's me, Rinka".

Almost instantly the door creaked open and I slipped in. He yawned

"What is it, Rinka? It's really late. Have you come to maybe, I don't know, spend the night with me?" He did his signature grin and winked. He honestly meant no harm, I knew this. He just couldn't help himself.

I pinched his arm.

"No, you pervert. I came to talk," I bit my bottom lip lightly "about something important".

Mikhail tilted his head in curiosity, "Alright".

He picked me up and sat me on his lap as he sat on his bed. I didn't mind this.

Men loved to hold me and pick me up. I wasn't big at all, relatively short and only 110lbs, it was easy for them. Not that I liked it…but theydid. I guess you could say the attention was sort of nice, though…at times.

"Well, Mikhail—I'm being transferred… to a different establishment". I looked down at our feet. Mine atop his, and twitching nervously.

"Katarinka…" He sighed out.

I was amazed. He never called me by my full name… Mikhail was serious. It was blatant.

"Katarinka… Why? Where?"

"I—I don't know where. But it seems that they want me there because of…you know". I touched the tip of his nose and some frost formed. He wiped it off and smiled a hurting smile.

"I see".

"And the other thing…"

"Oh…you mean," he pointed to his head, and then his eyes.

"Uh huh…"

I could tell he was in pain. But then he looked at me with an expression of ease, of happiness.

"I'm glad for you, Katarinka," he ran his fingers through my long black hair; "you'll finally be appreciated and not shunned away for the special talents you have. I just wish…that you could stay," he cupped my face in his hands, "here with me".

I sat there, on his lap, staring into his eyes, and unbeknownst to me—blushing. Mikhail leaned in and kissed me meaningfully.

"I've always loved you, Katarinka. …I've just never the courage to tell you so". He chuckled to himself half-heartedly. "Figures that only now, when you're about to leave me forever, that I finally have the strength to tell you how I feel".

He held me tightly and started to sob.

"Mikhail…please, don't cry." I moved my hands to my neck and removed a little necklace with my mother's wedding ring hanging from it and placed it around his neck.

"Here, I want you to have this. So we're never apart, and we'll never forget each other".

"But, Rinka, this is a keepsake! From your mother!"

"It's alright, Mikhail. I want to do this".

He looked around almost like people were watching. He took a ring off his finger and gingerly took my hand and slid it onto my ring finger.

"If this is going to work, you need something of mine, too".

"Mikhail, this is your identification ring; don't you need this?"

"It's okay, Rinka. They'll give me another one, 's no problem".

I looked at the ring on my finger now. It had his identification code and initials engraved around it. A special trinket I would treasure and cherish always.

"Thank you, Mikhail. This means a lot to me". I hugged him more.

"No no no, I'm the one who should be saying that".

"Oh, Mikhail, just shut-up already!"

I squeezed him jokingly and he leaned back onto the bed and positioned so we were on our sides facing each other. He bore into my eyes with his soul, grinning—but not in his usual way.

"I love you".

"I know". I smiled again and yawned.

"Now go to sleep".

I leaned in this time and pecked him on the lips. He blushed terribly.

"Fine". I cuddled to him and slept against his chest.

In the morning, everything I once knew would vanish, yet again.

Sunrise came all but too quickly.

I had gone back to my quarters and gotten properly dressed in more comfortable attire. I took one final look around my room, sighed and walked out. Mikhail was waiting for me…to walk me out, I suppose.

"Mikhail, you can't be here, they don't know you know!"

"Oh! I—I'm sorry! I just thought that maybe—"

"It's alright. Just stay around the corner and see me off, okay?"

"Sure".

He went down the hall and hid behind the corner, making sure to peek his head around. He gave me the thumbs-up and I returned the gesture happily.

Just then, an officer, not belonging to our base, came up to me.

"Judging by your looks, you must be, Katarinka Morozova. Correct?"

"Correct".

"Come with me".

I followed him down the adjacent hall from where Mikhail was, and eventually reached the exit of the base.

I looked behind me and still saw Mikhail peeking around.

He saluted me.

Then blew a kiss.

I did the same; a lightness in my heart. …Maybe there was something between us, afterall.

That will have to wait, though, I thought to myself.

Goodbye, Mikhail… 'Till we meet again…

The officer led me to a chopper with another officer already inside, and of course, the pilot. He hopped right in, but me being small, I struggled a bit. He didn't help.

I see that they were trained to possess impeccable manners… I thought sarcastically.

I finally got in after some hassling from them both and sat down between them. They were armed and all.

The trip was long and arduous, and two, what could best be described as statues; frightening, cold statues, as accompaniment wasn't all that great for travel companions.

It took a great many hours to reach our destination, but we did arrive. We got off when the chopper landed, me with more difficulty than them, but I managed.

We walked for a ways until we arrived at the entranceway to a grand-scale military establishment. It went on further in all directions than I could see. There were different sections, floors and all. I stared in awe around myself.

"Heavens behold…"

"Hurry up!"

One of the guards pulled me by the arm; I guess I stayed dazed for a moment too long. I didn't reply—not wanting to make the man any more irate.

Finally, we stopped walking. The two officers saluted and stood so straight, looked ahead so stiffly, that I thought any small shove would snap them in two. Their eyes faltered absolutely none.

"Sir!" They kept their salute until they were signaled otherwise.

Lost in thought again and looking down, as I often did when walking or standing, I noticed the two sets of feet in front of me and slowly looked up.

"U-um, uh, S-Sir!" I saluted as best I could.

Two men, one young and the other looking considerably older, but not old himself, stood before me. The younger one, looking anywhere from 18-21. He was lean-framed, with short blonde hair, icy blue-gray eyes and defined, chiseled features. Yet there was a…hard elegance to his face. Add this to his slightly boyish charm that he wouldn't lose until later in life, and he was a very handsome man indeed. Mikhail would've been jealous.

But the man beside him, what a different story…

The boyish one looked around 5' 11", compared to my 5' 4". But the other one, he easily made 6' 5"—6' 6". He was giant in comparison to me, and not just in height, but in size, too.

It was clear to see that he was immensely strong. He looked so muscular… Such a broad chest, such strong, thick arms and legs—and not a strip of fat on him; it…it was amazing, to say the least. His face was similar to the young man's': defined and solid. Yet his was also mature…and fierce. His hair was short as well, a light blonde; and his eyes…his sharp, golden eyes. Behind them sat emotion I couldn't understand in the slightest. Though power, I saw power and control in his eyes. It radiated off him in crushing torrents.

My hairs stood on end; he emitted something…but what, I just didn't know.

…I was terrified.

The young man spoke first.

"Colonel Volgin, her? You put up a fuss over her? She's hardly anything! Look at her! Small and fragile; what use will she be?!"

I gulped. I could tell I was shaking, and I could tell they did, too.

"Are you questioning my reasons, Ocelot?" The Colonel gave him a cold, steely glare.

"N-No, Sir. I'm just simply stating that one such as herself will serve no use. Not in development nor battle!" Ocelot looked peeved.

"Look here, she's a skilled medic and has other…skills that interest me and could serve very useful, Major! Don't tell me as if you're in my position". The Colonel looked from Ocelot to me. A grin on his face unlike any I had ever seen. It was beyond unsettling.

"Mind telling me more about it then, Colonel?" Ocelot pressed, but the Colonel was not divulging anything just yet.

"You'll know in time,"

Ocelot grunted at this.

"Now," the Colonel was still looking at me "your name?"

"U-um, Katarinka Afonovna Morozova, S-Sir!"

Volgin chuckled at this.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" I gulped again.

"Come, Ocelot. We have matters to attend to".

"Yes, Colonel…" Is all he muttered as he followed Volgin elsewhere; Volgin shouted an order to the officers beside me as he departed.

"Show her to her room. You should know which".

"Yes, Sir!" They said in unison, as they led me into the base for the first time.