"Why are we going to Riga?" Nikolai asked.
"Because Kristoff has friends there. They might know where we should look for him." Anna said coldly, turning from Nikolai.
"But..."
"If you don't want to go, give me my ammunition back and leave. You can keep the rifle, I don't need the weight."
Nikolai sighed. She had him by the balls. He needed this job.
"Alright. Let's go. I'll lead."
"How chivalrous." Anna said sarcastically.
"Don't mock me, Anna. I'm helping you." Nikolai scolded. "You are asking for quite a lot. It's quite a journey to Riga."
"We can make it in half a day if we're quick." she said. "So let's go!"
Nikolai shook his head in disbelief.
"Alright."
The next hour was spent in silence as the pair trudged towards Riga.
"Nikolai, have you ever been to the surface?" Anna asked. "I mean, after the missiles flew."
"Once. After I left Riga, I went to the wreckage my father found me under. It's not a place I want to visit again."
"Did you see the stars?"
"Nyet. I've only heard of stars in books and tales."
"I saw them once. I hear that before the war, it was hard to see the stars in Moscow, because there were so many other lights. But I saw them clearly. They were beautiful."
"How did you get to go to the surface? I'd have thought your father would have kept you from going."
"Kristoff took me there."
"How romantic." Nikolai droned sarcastically.
Anna smiled.
"It was."