The Hotel

Chapter Eight

As they dressed, not a word was shared between them, Sarah looked sheepish, and Marta was awkward around her. It took a hurried cup of thick army coffee and a twice-baked bread roll before Srah plucked up enough courage to broach the subject,

"Marta, please... please let's just talk," She urged as and pulled her to one side of the mess hall tent, looking over her shoulder to ensure no one could overhear them.

"Are you and my colonel sleeping together, are you not? "Her words were icy, her loyalty and her unexpected sexual desire for Srah clashing like a tidal wave inside her.

"Yes, we have slept together once," Sarah admitted," and I have feelings for him,"

"Then have I not betrayed my Colonel?" Marta scowled at Sarah, "As have you,?"

"Marta, neither of us betrayed anyone. I miss your Colonel very much, and last night, we just needed one another, to feel safe and share a special moment and I ..." Sarah's voice faltered, and Marta picked up her sudden indecision,

"And...?" Marta pressed her, she stepped forward, her curiosity peaked,

"I need you to be strong, Marta. I need you to be able to be around these men, even the men who mistreated you so badly and hold it together. We are friends now, good friends who have shared something so special and intimate with each other. I need the confident, able and disciplined Marta back here and to have my back!" She lowered her voice, to a harsh whisper, " I want to destabilise this whole thing!"

With Marta in tow, Sarah led her off to the deserted sections of the damaged and burnt-out buildings ducked through one of the empty shells and crouched down with Marta.

"I want to destabilise the whole scheme; I want to find out who's in all this evil plan to reinvent Kirov as a 'liberator' and derail his instalment as a 'peace-keeping' force for this new government!" Her words hissed as a snake and Marta's face broke into a smile.

"You mean...." She began,

"I would bet good money that Kirov is brokering a deal to save his hairy ass, and not told many, if any of his troops that they will be decimated and the rest will be removed from the region, by their former colleagues at the point of a gun!" She smiled back at her friend, who now felt suddenly more buoyant with the chance that she might be able to deal a blow to the hated Kirov.

"So, we start asking questions, pretending to interview them and then use it how?" Marta was fully committed to this plan, even though the details were not planned out.

"If we are careful, we might be able to discover who is in and more importantly who is out of the loop! Also, I want to know who, in the provisional government, is brokering the deal and who exactly they want to remove from their commands?" Sarah looked at Marta, who immediately worked out who might suffer first.

"The Colonel! He had many enemies in the old government, but he helped to secure the new President in power! Why would they want him out of the way?" Marta froze and looked around, something had disturbed the quiet and she held her finger to Sarah's lips,

"Shhh.." Marta turned her head and heard the crunch of a boot. She looked back at Sarah, "Someone's coming!" As Sarah looked around and as a scruffy-looking sergeant scrambled noisily over the demolished wall, he found Marta and Sarah kissing lovingly,

"Ah! I have been sent to find you, my Podpolkóvnik, my Colonel has been asking for you," His unshaven face opened into a salacious grin, and stepped back. Sarah and Marta stood, looking shamefaced and embarrassed, hoping their subterfuge was convincing enough.

After being led to the command tent, Marta and Sarah were surprised to find a bespoke-suited civilian being served a shot glass of what Sarah assumed was vodka. The man glanced over and scrutinised the two women but showed little real interest and no recognition.

"Ah Miss Harding, this is Minister Kuznetsov, of the Interior Ministry and this..." Kirov was all smiles and polite charm, "is Sarah Harding, the celebrated war correspondent for Associated World Press who has agreed to report on my liberation operation here with the world," He laboured the suggestion of her celebrated status and then looked over at Marta but didn't say anything.

Immediately, Sarah interjected with a clear voice, "And this my interpreter, Miss Marta Koroveshi who is ensuring the truth of what is said, and report to my editor in London," She smiled at the Minister who stood and then reached out a hand for her to shake, she decided to withhold the detail that Kirov was still withholding her laptop and Sat phone.

"Miss Harding, I remember giving you permission to accompany Colonel Chenyy, did I not?" He glanced back to Mart and then back to Sarah,

"I believe so, but since the Lieutenant-Colonel liberated this region, I have been interviewing the returning civilian population and now beginning to start on the Colonel's troops, is that right Lieutenant-Colonel?" As soon as Kirov heard the words, his face changed and then crossed over to the Minister and Sarah. Sarah was very careful in using his military rank, to impress the suggestion that he was the one in command and any imminent disasters, would hopefully be traced back to his orders.

"Miss Harding has agreed to make a series of reports on our activities here, "He gathered the Minister's shoulder and took him back to his seat, drawing any unwanted attention away from Sarah.

"If that's all Lieutenant-Colonel Kirov, I have arranged to speak to three of your NCOs" Sarah added and then as she turned to walk away, she added, "Oh Colonel, would I have my communication equipment back now, as you were so kind as to have it serviced and repaired?" Her smile was appealing and she hoped it hid the utter contempt she felt for him.

"Of course," Kirov turned to a lieutenant at the table and pointed to the black duffle back and he hurried to pick it up, rushed over to Sarah, and then handed it to her.

"Thank you so much, Colonel, "She turned to the minister and smiled warmly, "It was a great pleasure to meet you, "She paused and then added mischievously, "I will send you my report, my first draft even before the Colonel, I think you should see it as soon as possible, don't you?" She glanced at Kirov and then back to Minister Kuznetsov.

"I eagerly anticipate your report!" Kuznetsov replied with genuine eagerness.

"One week, Minister, I promise!" Sarah shouted as she left the command tent.

As the two women hurried over to the hotel, they shared a sly smile and congratulated themselves on the first part of their plan. However, as they rushed up the stairs and barricaded themselves in the room, with a chair as a door brace, the realisation was that they had pulled the black bear's tail hard, and Kirov wouldn't forgive them easily.

"Keep a lookout, "Sarah pointed to the window and fished out the Sat phone. She inputted her code into the device and set the phone to acquire a signal. Within three rings, it connected with Maxwell's twin phone and he answered,

"Sarah! Where the fucking hell have you been? Where the fucking hell are you?" Maxwell's eloquence belied a sentimentality for Sarah and her good health in the region he had sent her to report on.

"Maxwell, I'm okay. Listen, I don't have long. Kirov, the penal battalion commander who invaded the country months ago, has occupied the region and set up in the hotel. He's doing a dirty deal with the new government here, to legitimise his command under their flag. I don't think everyone is in the loop and I just saw that slimy bugger Interior Minister Kuznetsov drinking with the bastard. I think he's the backer to bring in Kirov as his private army to back him and remove anyone who could challenge the new government! Did you get all that?" Sarah breathed and glanced at Marta, who was diligently keeping a lookout.

"Fucking hell! "Maxie's breath was taken away, "Can you prove any of this?" He gathered himself and answered.

"I think so, I'm going to talk to the NCOs and even some of the officers, I wonder if they know what Kirov has planned. I am certain he can't take the entire Company with him, there are too many shit stains for him to whitewash!" Sarah slowed as her words tumbled down the phone connection.

"That's a fucking dangerous game you're playing, and I realise that I cannot get you out!" Maxwell swore for the last time, "But I will do everything I can at this end, put as much pressure on the government as I can!" Maxwell was heard shouting at someone in the distance and then settled back on the phone, "Sarah, you will try and look after yourself and promise me you'll stay alive!"

"I'll do my best! Listen, if you get through to anyone in the government, you must insist that you provided me with an interpreter, a former corporal called Marta Koroveshi and she was seconded to me for the duration." She hurried as Marta snapped her fingers and she looked over to see her face.

"They come!" She hissed. Srah garbled a hurried goodbye and ended the call. She input her old personal code and inputted a new personal code, disabling the phone, lest it be confiscated again, which was almost certain.

"Who?" Sarah quickly grabbed her laptop and switched it on, luckily finding the battery had 60%, enough for her to connect to the internet, through her Sat phone, a recent application added to her laptop. She typed in her password and managed to connect to the government website, clicked on the Interior Ministry site, activated the video call and prayed there would be enough time. Marta craned her head and recognised the soldiers marching into the hotel.

"The Lieutenant and two NCOs!" She called out.

"Good, if I can just connect the video call, we'll be okay!" She tapped the refresh button, as the coloured circle whirled round and round awaiting the connection, "Come on you piece of shit!" She muttered. Marta moved over to the door and released the chair. There was no advantage to holding them up. A few tense seconds later, a firm knock at the door and the Lieutenant barged straight in and stopped as Sarah sat in front of a deputy of the Interior Ministry on a video call.

Sarah looked over her shoulder, " Hello Lieutenant, I wasn't expecting you. I'm just speaking to this deputy from the Interior Ministry, is there something you want to say?" Sarah watched his face pale, and then he shook his head and retreated out of the door.

"Thank you, Deputy Petrov, I would like to make an appointment with the Minister at his first convenience, I'm available anytime." Sarah smiled at the screen and the deputy then glanced away and then back to Sarah.

"The Minister is not available at the moment but I will pass the message on." The deputy ended the call.

Sarah looked over at Marta, "Well the Lieutenant knows what's being planned, otherwise he would have ignored the deputy on the call. So that must mean Kirov has hand-picked the men he wants to take with him and then abandon whom he doesn't believe the Ministry will accept!" she smirked," That's a lot of piss-off armed men!"

End of Chapter Eight