The pathways inside the complex are intentionally confusing. A large hallway divides the integrated area into two, wide enough for five people to run together side by side. Infiltrating such a place is no tough nut, but it wouldn’t be anywhere as simple to get the enemy to catch a escaping runaway inside these series of turns and branching paths.

To the east of the hallway are important areas such as the large dining hall facing the arduous battlefield in the south. Higher-up’s offices, like Dzyuba’s, are further behind a few deliberately designed intersections. To the west, there are as many blind turns, but unlike the east side, this place was mostly used to store weapons and medicine or other supplies. My room is located near the medicine room, away from important storehouses and the armory. You don’t get any of the good stuff over here, but it’s less guarded. You can’t have the best of both worlds.

I know the directions like the palm of my hand, so getting out of here undetected won’t be that impossible.

I slide into a narrow hallway, kicking the dead soldier at my feet. He’s part of the three-man gang sent to get the stretcher, and I had to make sure to eliminate them as quietly as possible: sneaky hits around the back before breaking their necks.

I scan the surroundings. I’m sure Dzyuba and Smolov have given instructions to guard the hallways, but the small turns will work to my advantage. Besides, it’d be embarrassing if I let them knock me out.

When I’m sure that no one’s there, I tap my feet on the ground. Upon receiving the signal, the girl snuggles up her cumbersome dress and tiptoes in a relaxed manner towards me as if she’s on a picnic. As she walks, she looks up at me then to the men on the ground.

“Did you knock them unconscious?” she mouths.

I just nod as I ask, “Are you really bringing the book with you?”

“I cannot leave it behind. I need to know if Mr. Vronsky would persist despite Ms. Karenina’s refusal.” She moves in, getting in front of me.

I tap on her forehead. “Duck. You’re covering my vision.”

“I can spot whatever it is you want me to.”

“You’re as good as blind, so I have to grow an extra pair of eyes.”

She lets out a ‘hmph’, but ducks anyway. I scan the whole place in an instant, then wave for us to go on. We rush to the end of the narrow corridor and reach an intersection. I choose the longest path—creeping through many intersections—under the assumption that the obvious path will be heavily guarded.

I suppose my choice was correct because up to now we still haven’t run into anyone apart from the three men I left sprawled out behind us.

By the end of the third hallway, we stop and press ourselves close to the wall on the left. I signal for her to keep her dress close to her body. When I press my ears to the wall, I detect clattering footsteps.

Someone is walking through the left corridor. I’ll just wait until he’s gone then.

As soon as the thought flashes in my mind, another footstep rings out from the opposite direction. I retreat into the hallway I’m in, cursing beneath my breath.

Another person showing up is the worst thing that can happen now. I can’t just hide on one side of the wall because the one from the opposite direction would see, and I might not be able to subdue one of them without alerting the other one.

At least they only come in a pair.

The sound of footsteps coming from the right side suddenly disappears after trotting through a quarter of the corridor. By then, I’ve already worked out a plan in my head, and another back-up plan involving gunshots.

I have to kill them. I am no longer their comrade. We have never been comrades.

“Back!” I nudge the woman behind me. “Don’t go anywhere until I give the order.” She nods.

I follow every single sound on the left of the corridor. As soon as he sticks so much of his first strand of hair into view, I pounce on him, grabbing on his neck.

He tries to cry out, but I’ve already strangled his airway. I thrust a knee into his dick. He drops his gun. The noises escaping his mouth are as squeaky as a chittering rat.

His sweltering veins transmit heat to me, and I can even see the steam from his head evaporating.

“Hey!” Comes the yell from the other side of the corridor, before the sound of a rifle being cocked. He’s going to shoot.

You don’t want to do that, idiot. You don’t want to do that, you don’t want to do that, you don’t—

I waltz a one-eighty degree like a compass. The sound of crisp gunfire resounds, bouncing off the corners like train whistles howling inside a tunnel. Then comes the sound of bullets ripping into human skin. Then I drop the guy I’m strangling—my human shield. Good that this one’s wearing body armor. He took all three bullets and is now choking out his own blood.

I warned you.

I return fire with a single bullet. It hits his chest. The guy drops dead on the floor.

I turn to Alice, knowing she’s seen everything.

She stares at the corpse lying on the floor as crimson liquid begins to drip from both sides of his chest. It will soon form into a puddle like a damp pothole after a heavy rain. Her face muscles freeze, her mouth gapes open and her eyes go wide, in a hollow stare.

I have seen her afraid many times, but never once did she look so disgusted.

“Let’s go,” I whisper.

“B-b-b—”

“Yes. Blood. It’s red. It stinks. Let’s go.”

I hear more footsteps. Heavy, urgent footsteps.

We only have minutes left. And she’s still here stuttering the word ‘blood’.

“It’s war. There will be bloodshed. Now follow me, soldier.” I grab her hand and tug her along. I need to force her to run at my pace. “Hush it when bullets fly past.”

She clutches her dress and drags it along agonizingly slowly.

She huffs, “Alexei . . . Did you just kill—”

“Hush it. Save your energy for your feet.”

The two of us creep through abandoned warehouses, stabbing from the front door to the back door, through intersection after intersection, to tail off those who would chase us. The sound of footsteps is at times miles away, at times inches behind, but not for a second do they run in our direction. Everything goes smoothly to the point of suspicion.

And we safely reach the main hallway.

Ah yes, the main hallway. Where all the headache arises.