Red Sniper

Once they had finished, they gathered their gear. Vaska picked up his hunting rifle and kissed his wife. She would explain his absence by saying that he was on a long hunt, which he was known to do. She would say that he had left two days before the escape.

None of them felt the excitement that they had the night before. Nobody wanted to say it, but the plan was flimsy to begin with. The delay made it feel like tissue paper. They had come a long way to rely on the Russian girl distracting a guard.

Honaker said, “If she doesn’t come through tonight, I’m going to knife the guard and tie a goddamn scarf to the gate. I can’t take much more of this sitting around in that packing crate behind the chimney.”

For once, Cole agreed with Honaker. If Inna didn’t deliver tonight, it might be time to try a different approach. The more time that they remained in the village increased the chance that someone would spot them, and then the gig would be up. They would find themselves imprisoned in the Gulag alongside Whitlock—if the Russians didn’t shoot them outright.

“We go tonight, one way or another,” Cole agreed.

Outside, Cole sniffed the air. It smelled clean and fresh—and felt vaguely damp on his cheeks. Out of the south. Cold as it was, that meant snow. He looked up and couldn’t see any stars.

He looked at Vaska. “Smells like snow.”

The old man nodded. “Yes, the first snow is coming. Maybe tonight. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Got to get out ahead of it,” Cole said. “If we leave tracks for these Ruskie sons of bitches to follow, we ain’t got a prayer.”

CHAPTER 20

Inna shivered as much from fear as from the cold. It was almost midnight as she approached the gate, hoping against hope that she would find Dmitri on duty tonight. She had a rapport with him. He was young and naive—which was important for the success of her plan. The guard last night had called him a virgin. Even better.

She felt a spark of relief when she saw his familiar figure.

He greeted her with a smile. In the dim light, she could see that he was heavily bundled against the late autumn chill. He really wasn’t a bad-looking boy, and not unkind. She felt bad about what she was going to do to him, but then pushed the thought from her mind. If this plan was going to succeed, she needed to be single-minded of purpose.

“Inna,” he said, obviously glad to see her.

As she stepped closer, she could smell the vodka on his breath, but he didn’t seem to be drunk. It was likely that he’d been taking a few nips to stay warm. Out here, who could blame him?

“You were not here last night,” she said.

He shrugged. “I was in the guard tower. You were on another mission of mercy?”

“Anna Korkovna is expecting and she is having a difficult time.”

“You are good to the people of the village,” Dmitri said. “I hope that they appreciate you.”

“They do,” she said. She produced a flask of vodka from her coat pocket. She knew, from observing him, that his own coat pocket held the key to the gate. “One of them gave me this in thanks, but I do not care for vodka. Let me give it to you for the many times you have opened the gate for me.”

He took the vodka gladly. “This will keep me warm tonight,” he said.

“I know something else that will keep you warm,” she said, stepping closer. “Dmitri, I do not know how to say this…”

“What is it?”

“Leave your post for a few minutes,” she said, touching his arm. “You look so cold. Let me warm you up a bit.”

Dmitri grinned. He could not seem to believe his good luck. “You want me to go with you? Right now?”

“I was hoping you could.” Inna stood quite close to him as she said it, smiling up at him.

“I suppose one will notice if I am gone for just a few minutes,” he said, as if reassuring himself.

“Come on,” she said. She slipped her arm around his waist. “I know just the place where we can go.”

Dmitri needed no more encouragement. Inna had planned this next step carefully. She led him to the infirmary, then inside to one of the supply rooms. She kissed him deeply, which sent the boy reeling.

“Inna!” he said in surprise.

“Hurry,” she said. She tugged at his coat. “We don’t have much time.”

Getting undressed was no small matter. There were coats, scarves, belt buckles, trousers, boots—

Mostly, Inna helped him get out of all that while only tugging perfunctorily at her own clothes. In between, when they could, they kissed. Virgin or not, he seemed to have a good grasp of kissing. Soon enough, there was a pile of clothes on the floor, and Dmitri stood in just his undershorts, with his anticipation of a passionate interlude made all too clear.

Inna, trying not to stare, put a finger to her lips. “Shh! I think I hear someone in the hall. Wait here. I will send them away.”