Emily left Svetlana’s. The cold night air did not distract her as her mind replayed the conversation. Svetlana definitely spent the conversation fishing for information. Emily tried to give minimal answers.
She thought about calling Candace Dare. Probably not, she reasoned. There was nothing to say. Emily felt that maybe she was a little freaked out about Svetlana being Russian. Of course, Svetlana explained that her family escaped the revolution and found their way to America.
Svetlana told Emily how she hated the communists and how they ruined Russia, not that she was there to see it firsthand. The revolution was before Svetlana was born.
Emily thought it best to stay away for Svetlana’s for a while.
***
Svetlana watched Emily leave. Foolish child, she thought. I will soon find about your secret.
She sent a message marked “Top Priority” to her commander, Colonel Andrei Segoyan, head of her section of the GRU. Svetlana, whose real name was Major Iliana Skorchital, requested all the resources available to deal with this mystery.
Major Skorchital explained that this child may hold the key of the United States’ modifying of a human. Research was needed to make sure that a whole new breed of Americans did not have a greater capacity that that of the average Soviet citizen.
***
Emily spent the next couple of weeks with her work and helping out at the lab with Clifford. Emily must have helped their relationship, since Clifford always tried to leave earlier to be with Nadia. Once Clifford brought up the subject of finding a ring for Nadia, Emily knew she would have to find a “connection” in the diamond business. She felt she could put that off until after Christmas, maybe before spring break, she could find a source by then. Her schedule was intense, she hoped it would settle down soon.
***
The coffee shop was closed when the three men banged on the door. They were admitted by Svetlana’s staff. They headed directly to the office in the back, nobody dared stop them.
Svetlana looked up at the sound of the knock. Before she could respond the door opened and the three men walked in. she recognized the older one. She jumped to her feet.
“Comrade Colonel Segoyan, it is a great honor,” Svetlana stammered. The Colonel rarely made trips to the US. He mostly worked out of Canada, with occasional “diplomatic” trips to the United Nations.
“Major Skorchital, I assure you, the honor is all mine,” Andrei Segoyan said taking Svetlana’s hand.
“What can I do for you, Comrade Colonel?”
The Colonel nodded. One of the men went outside and closed the door, the other stood with the door at his back. The Colonel indicated that Svetlana should sit. She did so, he joined her.
“You have stumble across something that possible may be more important than the nuclear bomb, dear Iliana. This ‘Green Girl’ has some amazing possibilities.”
“Really, she seemed so sweet. I can’t imagine she would more important than the bomb.”
“What little we found, and the Americans are very tight on this one, is that she was affected by an accident.”
“Yes, that is possible,” Svetlana agreed. “How is this important?”
“This process that the little girl underwent was meant for a full division of special fighters.”
“A whole division? How can that be?”
“The Americans were working on a substance that would create a ‘Super Soldier’ and we think she was infected with the whole sample.”
“How did you find this out?”
“It is not a very good practice for the American Army to send disobedient soldiers to the Aleutian Islands. We have ways of finding out why.”
Svetlana nodded, knowing full well about the “ways.”
The Colonel continued, “We have a mission for you, Major Skorchital. A very important mission indeed.”
“And that is…”
“Our scientists will need to examine her, in our laboratories. It is possible that with blood and tissue samples we can determine what makes this young woman special. We can also assess things that she might do. If the Americans can make an army of Super Soldiers, we have to have our own, ready to protect the Motherland.”
“You want me to deliver her to Moscow?”
“No, perhaps elsewhere in Europe. Young women often see romance in Paris. Perhaps Austria, Venice is nice in the summer. We can take in from there.”
“Will that not raise suspicion? Is there not someone from the government watching over her?”
‘Yes. Thank you for reminding me,” the Colonel said. He looked to the soldier by the door and nodded. The young man reached into his coat and pulled out a file. The Colonel took it.
“The woman’s name is Lieutenant Colonel Candace Dare. She has just been assigned to a secret weapons planning department. Here is hat we have on her. Burn this file when you have it memorized,”
Segoyan said.
Svetlana took the file. “How do you suppose I can trick her in going to Europe?”
The Colonel smiled, “Do what you do best, Major.”
The Colonel stood to leave. Svetlana stood with him. An idea hit her.
She looked to the young man by the door. “What is your name, Comrade?”
The Colonel chuckled, “I told you, Gregov. I told you she would snatch you up.”
