"Долго его ещё ждать? (rash: How long will it take?)" The soldier grumbled, tapping his foot nervously.
"Ну, подожди ты, прошло всего 7 минут. Сказал же, что идет, а ему до нас минут 20 идти. (rash: Well, you wait, it's only been 7 minutes. He said he was coming here, and he was going to get to us in about 20 minutes)," the second man replied wearily.
"Может без него начнем? (rash: Can we start without him?)"
"Чтобы потом автоматами по башке прилетело? (rash: So that we can get hit in the head with a machine gun later?)" the second one quipped.
The soldiers continued their fight, but Artemis was no longer listening to them. The girl looked around the dimly lit room again, probably 12 times in those seven minutes. In the center was a rickety wooden table with a small stack of papers. The yellow light on the ceiling kept blinking. Yes, two incomprehensible objects that look like stools. By the way, they were tied to them, but somehow sluggishly. That's all the decoration. Although, there was also a door.
The soldiers continued to bicker. Artemis looked at them with a bored expression. Both were in their early twenties, quite tall: about 80 meters, dressed in a dark green military uniform of the Soviet Union. The similarities ended there. The first one was blond, his uniform was half unbuttoned, and his cap was askew, almost covering his eye, a bruise was spreading on his left cheekbone. The second, on the contrary, is dark-haired and neatly dressed. They continued to argue.
Artemis looked at her brother. Apollo felt her gaze and turned around. He shook his head at the soldiers, and Artemis rolled her eyes.
"Мальчишки (rash: Boys)," she said soundlessly.
Apollo grinned, but immediately winced in pain - after all, the black eye hurt a lot. When the blond man grabbed her arm, Apollo punched him. He gave his brother a black eye. Artemis kicked the soldier in the leg. The second guy, recovering from the shock, broke up the fight that had begun. Then they were pinned down and dragged behind a checkpoint to a concrete box. That's where they were waiting for someone now.
"Ну, имена хотя бы узнать можно. (rash: Well, can I at least find out the names?)"
"Хорошо, можно. (rash: Okay, you can)," the brunette finally gave up. "Сань, только по-нормальному. Без всяких твоих фокусов. (Sanya, let's talk normally. Without any of your tricks.)"
"Хорошо. (rash: Good)," said the blond man, now known as Sanya. He jumped up, limping slightly, to the table and grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil from there. Apparently, this table could withstand something else besides paper.
"Так-так (rash: Well, well)," said Sanya, "Давайте, диктуете как звать. (rash: Come on, dictate the name)." The twins looked at each other and looked at the blond man, both were silent.
"Ау! Я со стеной что ли говорю? Или вы по-нашему не понимаете? Фашисты небось. (rash: Ow! Am I talking to the wall? Or don't you understand our language? Fascists, I suppose?!)"
"Сань, не ори. (rash: Sanya, don't yell.)"
"Вадим, заткнись, а? Я тут допрос провожу. (rash: Vadim, shut up, huh? I'm conducting an interrogation here.)"
"Из тебя такой же следователь, так из меня повар. То есть никакой. (rash: You're as much an investigator as I am a cook. That is, none.)"
Artemis chuckled with laughter, but immediately fell silent when two pairs of eyes turned to her.
"Значит понимаем речь русскую. (rash: So, you understand Russian speech)," the blond man drawled, looking into her eyes. The girl was silent. "Чего молчим? (rash: Why are you silent then?)"
"А зачем говорить, если свои же подозревают (rash: Why And it makes sense to talk if they suspect their own people)," the girl quipped and rolled her eyes.
"Ладно, извини. Да и как не подозревать, если этот (rash: Okay, I'm sorry. But how can I not suspect if this one)," he pointed a finger at Apollo, "мне синяк поставил (rash: gave me a bruise)," and touched his cheek, "Ай! Болит. А ты вообще по ноге врезала. (rash: Ah! It hurts. And you actually kicked me in the leg.)"
"Это была самооборона. Откуда мне было знать, что ты делать с нами собрался. И он меня защищал, хоть я в этом не нуждаюсь. (rash: It was self-defense. How was I supposed to know that you were going with us? And he protected me, even though I don't need it)," Artemis said dryly.
"Ха! Девчонка-то с характером. А кто он тебе раз защищать лезет? Парень или уже жених? (rash: Ha! A girl with a temper. And who is he to you, beauty, if he tries to protect you? Boyfriend or fiance already?)"
"Брат( Brother)," Apollo said gloomily.
"Значит ты свободна (So you're free)," he rejoiced. Apollo drilled the soldier with his eyes, trying to burn a hole in him.
"Саня, хватит. Потом клеиться будешь. (Sanya, that's enough. Then you'll be glued)," Vadim said sternly and turned to the twins. Sanya frowned and stuck out his tongue at his friend, who was standing behind his back. Artemis looked at him coldly, which made Sanya shudder and jump back a little. Vadim did not notice this, or skillfully pretended to, and continued, "Но даже если вы знаете русский и говорите без акцента, подозрений это не снимает. (But if you know Russian and even speak without an accent, this does not remove suspicion from you.)"
"Да, разумеется. (Well, yes, of course!)" Sanya agreed. "На чем мы остановились? Пх, да! Как звать тебя, валькирия рыжеволосая? (So, where were we? Oh, yes! What's your name, red-haired Valkyrie?)"
"Еще раз так назовешь, мало не покажется. ?If you call it that again, it won't seem enough.)" The girl growled. But then another problem arose, we need to think quickly.
"Лита я (I'm Lita)," she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. And the first name that came to mind was her mother's name, Leto. But in Russian, "leto" is the time of the year, it's summer. She will be considered a Nazi. Yes, and she said it somehow quickly, so it turned out Lita.
"Лита, Лита… Так и записать? (Lita, Lita… Should I write it down like that?)" Sanya asked.
"Нужно полное имя писать, болван (You need to write your full name, you idiot)," Vadim groaned. "Лита - это сокращение от Елизавета. Так и пиши. (Lita is short for Elizabeth. Write it down.)"
"Ты Елизавета? (Are you Elizabeth?)" The blond man was surprised. Artemis didn't know what to say, so she just nodded. "А почему Лита, а не Лиза? (And why Lita and not Lisa?)"
"Мама так называла. (That's what Mom called it)," Artemis snapped.
"Хорошо, хорошо, не кипятись. Как брат а зовут? (Okay, okay, don't get all worked up. What's your brother's name?)" He looked at Apollo.
"Тимофей Миронов (Timofey Mironov)," he replied, continuing to scowl at the soldier with his eyes.
The door creaked. A tall, overweight man of about 35 years old appeared on the breed, with a thick but short black beard and wearing an officer's cap. He stepped heavily over the high threshold and saluted.
"Извините, опоздал. (Sorry, I was late.)"
The soldiers repeated his action, touching the pilots. The man narrowed his eyes and looked at the piece of paper in the blond man's hands.
"Товарищ Перов, товарищ Комарин (Comrade Perov, Comrade Komarin)," the officer spoke loudly, "я ясно дал понять, что без меня не предпринимать никаких действий! (I made it clear that no action would be taken without me!)" The man sighed heavily and looked wearily at the guys. "Вадим, почему на остановил его? (Vadim, why didn't you stop him?)"
"В его защиту скажу, что он пытался. (In his defense, he tried)," Apollo said.
"Да и следователи из них никакие (Yes, and none of them are investigators)," Artemis supported her brother, "они только имена наши узнали, и то когда этого (they only found out the names, and even when this one)," she pointed her head at the blond man, "остановили. А то до сих пор флиртовал бы. (was stopped. Otherwise I'd still be flirting.)"
"Перов, что ты к девушке полез? Да ещё при парне её (Perov, what are you doing to the girl? And even with her boyfriend)," the man scolded the soldier. "Ты уж прости его. Понравилась ты ему просто. (You'll have to forgive him. He just liked you.)"
"Она моя сестра! (She's my sister!)" Apollo exclaimed, "Надоели уже. (We are already tired of it.)"
"Хорошо, хорошо. Не похожи вы просто. (All right, all right. You just don't look alike.)" the officer turned to the soldiers, "Ну что, следователи, что выяснили? )Well, the investigators, what have they found out?"
"Это, товарищ Демильянов, Елизавета и Тимофей Мироновы. (This, Comrade Demilianov, is Elizabeth and Timofey Mironov.)"
"Тим и Лиза значит… (Tim and Lisa means…)"
"Она Лита, а не Лиза (She's Lita, not Lisa)," Sanya muttered softly.
"Хорошо, буду знать. Теперь у меня вопрос к вам обоим. Вы че, совсем ку-ку? Говорят такие: тут из леса двое вышли, мы их в плен взяли! Я со всех ног помчался, уж думал: фашистов схватили, молодцы ребята! А вы не просто своих повязали, сразу понятно же, что наши, так ещё и детей! Да им не больше 16-ти. Совсем в головах пустота?! (Okay, I'll know. Now I have a question for both of you. Are you really peek-a-boo? They say that: Two people came out of the forest here, we captured them! I ran as fast as I could, I thought: the fascists were captured, well done guys! And you didn't just tie up your own, it's immediately clear that ours, so also the children! They can't be more than 16. Is there a void in your head at all?!)" by the end, Demilianov had already started shouting. As he chastised his subordinates, his eyes became redder and even began to glow. The goddess saw this only in the children of Ares, or Mars, not the point. Clearly, she overreacted. Tyche doesn't hate them that much. The guys slowly backed away, trembling with fear. Demilianov took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After a minute, they returned to their former black color.
"Извините, переборщил (Sorry, I overdid it,)" he said calmly, "парни либо выйдите, пожалуйста, либо молча встали к стене. Я сам их нормально обо всем расспрошу. (the guys either come out, please, or silently stood against the wall.)
Vadim and Alexander nodded and stepped back.
"Что в лесу делали-то? What were you doing in the forest?" the officer asked, but then turned around, "Парни, раз уж вы все равно решили стену подпирать, развяжите ребят. (Guys, since you decided to prop up the wall anyway, untie the guys.)"
"Меня не надо. Я сама! (Don't need me, I'll do it myself!)" Artemis blurted out, jumping to her feet and throwing the rope to the floor.
"Да что ж это за солдаты такие. Даже связать нормально не могут (What kind of soldiers are they? They can't even tie you up properly)," Demilianov rattled under his breath.
"А я бы от помощи не отказался, руки никак не развязать (And I would not refuse help, there is no way to untie my hands)," Apollo also stood up, stretching his arms forward.
"Саш, помоги ему (Sasha, help him)," the officer asked. Perov walked up to the guy, limping a little on his bad leg, and untied the knots. Apollo nodded gratefully.
"Перов, стоять (Perov, stop)," the officer said. "Ты чего это хромаешь? А ну, повернись. (Why are you limping? Come on, turn around.)"
"Подрался, значит (You got into a fight, then)," Demilianov drawled, examining the bruise, "и судя по всему с Тимофеем. (and apparently with Timofey.)"
"Он мою сестру схватил! (He grabbed my sister!)"
"Я сама в состоянии постоять за себя. И да, хромает он из-за меня (I'm able to take care of myself. And yes, he limps because of me)," the girl said proudly.
"Молодец, Литка. Не пропадешь. В лесу-то что делали? А то вы не ответили. (Well done, Litka. You won't be lost. What were you doing in the forest? Because you didn't answer.)"
"Мы сбежали (We ran away)," the girl said softly and hugged herself by the shoulders, lowering her eyes to the floor. Since this is a situation, you need to get out of it in any way. And play to be believed. Apollo apparently understood her plan and approached her, gently hugging her:
"Фашисты пришли. Отца с сестрой расстреляли. Мама бежать велела, пока ещё можем. Мы хотели её с собой забрать, но она отказалась (The fascists have come. My father and sister were shot. Mom told me to run while we still can. We wanted to take her with us, but she refused)," he sighed heavily. "Два дня уже прошло. И её, наверное, тоже убили. (Two days have already passed. And she was probably killed too.)"
"Соболезную (I'm sorry)," the officer said sadly.
No wonder Apollo is the god of arts. At least it came in handy somewhere. But in her humble opinion, he still outplayed it. Although, apparently, they believed it.
"Сергей Михайлович, может мы их к себе возьмем? Лита ловкая, вот как веревку развязала лихо. Нам такие нужны. Да и бьет сильно (Sergey Mikhailovich, can we take them in? Lita is clever, that's how she untied the rope famously. We need them. Yes, and she hits hard)," Sanya said the last part in a whisper.
"Хорошая идея (It's a good idea)," Sergei agreed, "лазутчицей будет. Тимофей, ты что делать умеешь? (you will be a spy. Timofey, what can you do?)"
"Я медик. (I'm a medic.)"
"Такой молодой, а уже медик? (So young, but already a medic?)" Vadim asked suspiciously.
"Родители врачами были (Our parents were doctors)," Artemis stood up for her brother, "Я тоже в медицине понимаю, но не так хорошо как Тим. (I also understand medicine, but not as well as Tim.)"
"Тогда решили (Then we decided)," Demilianov clapped his hands.
Then the translator just got tired. So let's imagine that they speak Russian.
"How much longer?"
"Timofey, will you shut up today? You're whining all the way," Artemis hissed, glaring at her brother.
"Don't grumble like that. The guy is nervous, that's all," Sergei said and pushed aside a particularly large branch, "a couple of minutes left. Be patient for a while."
Apollo groaned. Artemis just sighed heavily, sometimes she was very angry that he was her brother. In situations like this, you want a calm and reasonable person around, not this whiner. But that doesn't mean she needs another one. She won't give up hers, even if he's a jerk.
They had been walking for 15 minutes through the monotonous Christmas trees and pieces of iron scattered on the ground. Needles crunched underfoot every now and then. When they came out of the stone box, which Vadim proudly called the interrogation point, dawn had already begun to gather. Sergey led the whole company further into the forest. After five minutes, the girl began to feel that they were lost. Or they and their brother are being led somewhere into the thicket so that they get lost there and soon die. Such cases were not uncommon.
Artemis began to panic. She tried her best to memorize the route, to find some landmarks. Apollo, on the contrary, was calm, just whining all the time. It didn't help that Perov, or, as the girl dubbed him, an idiot, tried to hug, flirt and the like. But after a fist to the nose and a knee to the stomach, for some reason he stopped. Strange. Vadim shook his head and told her for the hundredth time not to mess with her, and Sergey laughed:
"Yes, it's a good shot. The girl will not be lost in the war. If it comes up again, shut it up, don't be shy. And the moment I saw you, the last of my brains flew out. If they were there before, of course. "
Sanya deflated, but didn't bother anymore.
An incomprehensible structure appeared from behind the Christmas trees. Sergei parted the last branches. They came out into an open area, there was a stone building with 3 floors in front. After all, they were not mistaken for Nazis. There was no one on the street. But it's understandable, it's barely 6 o'clock in the morning.
"Oh, you!" Demilianov exclaimed, waved his hand towards the building and walked forward with a heavy sigh.
"Oh! Hello, Comrade Demilianov!" a boy with brown hair, who looked no older than 18, came out of the building and ran up to them.
"Oh, Sidorov, you are not good fighters…"
"Why is that, Comrade Demilianov?" The boy was surprised.
"Yes, how come? And if the fascists had come instead of us? They're lying on their beds, snoring, and they don't even care," Sergei replied, "So they'll come and shoot everyone, and they won't even notice! "
"Well, Comrade Demilianov!" He drawled.
"I have been Demilianov for 37 years. That's it, let's go," Sergei said sternly, "Vasya, Kostya and the squad left 5 hours ago. They probably came while I was walking back and forth. Well, what is it?"
"Sergey Mikhailovich, no, of course not," Vasya shook his head negatively.
"What are they doing there for so long? The task was not difficult. It would have been easy to manage in three hours," Vadim was surprised.
"Oh, Vadya, it's great!" Sidorov was delighted, "Mikha told me that you two were captured. Well, what? Tell me about it."
"So here they are," Sanya said, pointing to the twins, who were silently watching this farce.
"Are these the ones?" Vasya was surprised. Artemis exchanged glances with her brother and rolled her eyes. "Why are they not connected?"
"They are not connected, because some people do not know how to knit knots properly," the girl quipped. Vasya raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Have you tied up our guys?"
"They are ours, ours," the whole company turned to Demilianov who came up, "Meet, Vasya, these are Elizabeth and Timofey Mironov. New members of our platoon. Children of doctors. Okay, talk there, I'll go check on the other blockheads." and went into the building.
"Well, hello, Lizonka," Vasya smiled.
"I'm Lita," the girl said dryly, not even looking at the guy.
"Okay. Why are you so sad, Lita?" He walked over to her and put his hand on the girl's waist. Artemis looked at the guy threateningly and threw off her hand, pulling sharply at the same time.
"Hey!" He was indignant.
"I'll see how cheerful you'll be when your family is shot," the girl hissed. That wasn't the reason for her anger, of course. No one shot her family, they are safe in America. But this boy. How dare he touch her at all! It's not enough for her to have an idiot, so now there's another one, idiot No. 2.
"Sorry, I didn't know," mumbled Vasya. "Look, I have absolutely no idea how to make amends. I'm sorry again. If you want, I'll show you everything here. "
"Vasya, take it easy! This is my woman," Sanya kicked Sidorov in the ribs. PTSD! Apollo hit the guy on the head, causing him to bend in half.
"Thank you, Tim," Artemis thanked her brother, "but how many times do I have to remind you that I don't need protection. And yet," the girl turned to Perov, coldly looking into his eyes, "I am not a thing to belong to anyone. Vadim, please show me everything here. You're the only normal person here."
Komarin nodded in surprise and headed towards the building, signaling to follow. They were halfway there when they heard a scream:
"A doctor! Urgently!"
The girl turned around. Four people were running towards the building with an improvised stretcher made of some kind of ropes and sticks. They rushed past and ran inside. There was a young guy lying on a stretcher, still just a boy. Artemis didn't have time to see him. The girl froze in shock.
"To the infirmary! Now!" Apollo shouted to Vadim.
"What?" He didn't understand.
"Run!"
Vadim shuddered and, finally recovering from the shock, ran into the building. The brother and sister rushed after him. The girl, jumping over the steps, flew through the door. Artemis turned her head. Vadim ran into the right corridor, the girl followed him. The inside of the building was covered with plaster, which had already collapsed in some places. The floor was covered with gray tiles. They turned a corner, ran around another bend, and stopped at the iron doors.
Apollo pushed Vadim away and ran inside. Artemis flew in after him. It was a small but well-lit room with five bunks against the left wall. On the other side was a metal cabinet with glass doors. It was almost empty. There is an iron table and a lamp in front. A man was lying on it, and two men in dressing gowns were standing next to him. The guy was moaning and writhing in pain. One man was holding the guy, the second, judging by his own, was examining the damage.
Artemis stood by the door, watching her brother. Apollo grabbed a robe from a chair and, pulling it on, flew to the table.
"Gloves," he commanded.
"Wh-what, I'm sorry," said the man in the bathrobe.
"I said gloves. Quickly!" The man in the bathrobe was taken aback, but handed Apollo a pair of rubber gloves.
"Who are you anyway?" The second one exclaimed.
"I'm a doctor. So far, that's all you need to know. Apollo said sternly." Prepare the instruments and give the guy anesthesia. I'll do the inspection for now.
Her brother could be serious when needed. More often - when someone's life depends on it.
The first turned to the closet and pulled out a metal bowl with a scalpel, scissors, forceps and something else that Artemis could not distinguish. He took out cotton wool and alcohol and began to process the tools with quick and precise movements. The second one was rummaging through a drawer. Soon he pulled out a piece of gauze and a bottle of clear liquid from there. Ether. He put a couple of drops on the gauze and held it up to the guy's face. The guy twitched harder, but after a couple of seconds he calmed down.
"A scalpel," Apollo commanded, and held out his hand. It was immediately handed to him. Apollo grabbed the instrument and was already leaning towards the guy when he suddenly turned around and looked at his sister:
"Lita, come out," the girl stood in place and stared at her brother, stupidly blinking her eyes.
"Lita, go away, please." The blue eyes stared straight at her. But Artemis couldn't budge.
"Let's go, Lita," Vadim said and pulled her out the door.
They found themselves in a dim hallway. The girl jerked and looked at Vadim:
"Who is this?" she asked.
"Nikita Gerasimov," Vadim answered, walking forward, "He is 15. He forged documents and fled to the front. "
"Why did you run away?" Artemis was surprised, catching up with the soldier.
"So he has no one left," he turned to the right, towards the stairs.
"He's from Leningrad. They brought me from the city about a week ago," Komarin continued, rising, "my father was called up in early July, and my grandmother and brother died in the bombing on the 8th. "
"And the mother?" They went out into the corridor. There were living rooms here.
"As far as I know, my mother is ill from the Spanish flu. "
"Oh," Artemis quieted down, and then asked, "How do you know so much about him?"
"There's nothing to do in the evenings. So we tell you about our life," Vadim went to one of the rooms and pushed the door.
"This is for you and your brother, make yourself comfortable. There are not many people here, only 22 with you, but there are not many rooms either. This is Nikitina. He lived alone, but now he will have company," he turned away and added in a whisper, but Artemis heard anyway, "But he is unlikely to return here. "
Vadim left, and the girl was left alone. A room is like a room. Two bunk beds, two chairs: one in the corner, and the other near the table under the window. Not much, but she wasn't used to luxury either. She has lived in the forest for thousands of years. Having a bed is already good.
But it was the guy's room. The room next to which the other guys' rooms were located. She's a girl. A young 16-year-old girl who, as Artemis has already noticed, attracts the attention of guys.
Artemis shook her head. She can stand up for herself, but fear has involuntarily crept in, making her heart beat faster. She hoped that no one would get to her, because her brother was next to her. As they say, only two things are inviolable in war: food and doctors. The girl could only hope that the fact that she was a doctor's sister would play into her hands.
Artemis plopped down on the nearest cot and stared up. She didn't know how long she had been lying there. Maybe she fell asleep, or maybe she didn't. But the silence was broken by Sanya, who ran into the room and almost knocked the door off its hinges.
"Litka, your brother is something!" He exclaimed. The girl sat down, preparing for an explanation.
"He put Nikita back together piece by piece. I pulled the guy out of the other world. The hero saved the hero!"
"What do you mean? "
"Well, Timofey saved Nikita's life, so he's a hero," Sanya explained, "and Gerasimov, a small idiot, covered the grenade with himself. The guy saved four of them. "
"Wait. Wait, don't talk. What the hell kind of grenade?!"
"Five were sent on a mission. When they were coming back, they were ambushed. The pin was ripped off and a grenade was thrown at his feet. Nikita, a smart kid, shouted to run, and he fell from above." Perov explained, "And then the ho-o-ow grenade exploded! Miraculously, it didn't tear apart. A tough guy: he made it to the infirmary, and Timofey was already there. A messenger from heaven, by God!"
"Can I see him?" Artemis asked.
"Who? Nikita? " Sanya got confused.
"The Messenger of heaven, concurrently, my brother. "
"Ah... no question. I'll take you right away. He's in the dining room. Listen, this," Sanya scratched the back of his head, "do you want to have dinner together? I'll take you to the roof, let's watch the sunset. "
"No," the girl replied sternly, leaving the room. Her eyes widened, but, fortunately, the guy did not notice it. They came here in the morning, it's dinner time, so the operation lasted almost all day! Oh, Apollo is incredibly tired. Now, probably, he is being bombarded with questions and is not allowed to eat in peace. I need to help my brother out.
"Right now I want only one thing: to see Timofey. And that's it." Artemis said, walking towards the stairs.
"If not today, then let's do it tomorrow. I'll prepare everything. Lit, you'll like it, honestly," Sanya whined, running up to her. The girl stopped and glared at the soldier.
"If I said no, it means no. If you come to me again, I'll tell my brother. Timothy, as you put it yourself, is a messenger from heaven. And this messenger loves his sister very much," the girl was walking down the stairs. Perov trailed behind, "I'm not hinting at anything, but it's just that next time you might be on the operating table." Artemis turned around. "And I strongly doubt that you will survive in such a situation. "
"I understand," Sanya said softly, "the dining room is there." And he strode down the corridor. Artemis just grunted triumphantly and followed.
* There are no Mr. and Ms. type of addresses in Russian. Therefore, in a respectful way, people communicate with each other by first name and patronymic. The patronymic is the name of the father, which is given to the child instead of the second name, as is customary in Europe and America.
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