Hazel

Hazel was holding back tears when they watched the KGB carrying her unconscious mother out of the clinic. Her hands were shaking. She’d just given her mother to people who would likely to torture and kill her. The doctor put his hands on her shoulders.

“Shh. Its over. The adrenaline will pass. You were told to run if she showed up. Why didn’t you?”

“She had a gun and I thought she was going to kill you.”

“Very smart to dial the KGB first. I’m glad you were here. You were just too big for her.”

Hazel nodded. She knew for a fact that her mother would have put her down if it was a real fight.

“Are you okay to continue working Greta?”

“Yes, people need to see you, I’ll be okay.”

Dr. Popov nodded.

“Good, good.”

*****

It was after dark, everyone else was asleep in the apartment. Hazel disabled the holo-web and hooked up to the micro fusion charger, along with her mother’s holo-phone and her holo-tablet. She clutched the bag to herself and could smell her mother on it. Her scent always calmed her nerves. She didn’t know if humans were like this or not, or if it was her wolf half that found comfort in familiar scents.

She took a deep breath and reached into the pack and pulled out the beacon scanner and hooked it up to her mom’s holo-phone and unlocked it with the code her mother had made her memorize. She noticed her mother was several hundred kilometers away and not moving. She started rifling through Olga’s books and found one with a map. She looked at it and the spot on the map of Siberia was blank. Her mother’s phone was only showing the Russian Federation Glacier. She scanned the map with her wrist and then a dot appeared in the spot. Former USSR Black Site, Excavated 2832. She quirked her head to the side. She had no idea what a black site meant. It seemed that was the Gulag her mother had mentioned.

She absently started stuffing her Atlantean Armor into the pack, then pulled one of the chocolate bars her mother always hand handing it and started munching on it. It made her feel better and calmed her nerves.

*****

A couple of weeks went by thusly. Hazel working in the clinic as a receptionist. At night she would study Cyrillic. Her holo-tablet was starting to translate it. She decided to cheat and pull out a pair of her contact lenses to put in her eyes that would sync to her holo-tablet. She could watch movies, read other languages, whatever she needed in holographic augmented reality. There were glasses too, but the images would be visible to outsiders the contacts concealed it much better.

She had used the contacts for her classes in the 29th century. Eyre had freaked out when she had discovered them, calling it the easy way out. Lecturing Hazel on the benefits of learning the languages instead of depending on technology. Hazel just wasn’t as good with languages as the rest of her family. She also didn’t have eternity to learn them. She was just better with her hands then her mind. She’d missed having a heads-up display that would tell her if someone’s lying, armed, or just nervous. She had started wearing her mother’s holo-phone instead of her tablet. It had a way better processor and actually had medical diagnostics built in, she’d taken to putting the holo-web on her mother’s medical scanner and putting it on the desk. She could tell what was ailing most people when they came in, making Dr. Popov kind of redundant if she thought about it, but sometimes the medical diagnostic app built into her mother’s phone just couldn’t figure it out, which is she supposed where her mother’s medical training used to come in. It helped her pass the time and helped her learn about more about medical science.

She was settling in with the doctor and his wife nicely over the weeks. She was learning to cook borscht and other eastern European favorites. She was manning the desk on a Tuesday when one of the KGB agents who she first met the day she’d gotten to town came in. She had visited once or twice a week to check up on Hazel, or Greta as she called her. She had told Hazel to call her Surnina, Hazel knew her last name to be Yanovna. She was probably about what Hazel’s physical age should be. Hazel had first thought she was a rather severe woman. But it turned out she wasn’t all that bad once you got past the tough KGB agent act she put on. Hazel Smiled at her and she smiled back. She put a white box on the desk and pulled off her gloves. It was a mild day today, only minus twenty with windchill, so the thick mittens weren’t necessary. She also went and poured out two cups of hot water from the coffee, making two cups of tea while Hazel filled in some notes in Russian Cyrillic the doctor had asked her to finish. Surnina glanced down at her neat handwriting and smiled. She hung her coat on the back of a chair and pulled it to the desk.

“Your handwriting is getting better. You really are quick.”

Hazel shrugged. She glanced at the box, trying to conceal her excitement. The last three times Surnina had visited she’d brought treats from the bakery. These ones smelled sweet.

“I’d say adaptable.”

Surnina noticed her glance at the box and smiled.

“Go ahead Greta. These are called pirog’s they’re filled with honey.”

Hazel slowly lifted the lid and pulled out one of the browned stuffed buns and took a bite and she made and mmm sound.

“That is so good.”

Surnina laughed and pushed a cup of tea towards Hazel.

“I brought two each, where is Dr. Popov?”

“Picking up meds from the base.”

Surnina nodded.

“The silo has been a boon here, easier to land planes at to ship in goods. How is the outbreak going?”

“Oh, just need more antibiotics. I guess they cleaned out the pipes at the veteran’s league, so just need to help those who are sick. We ran out, so did the hospital.”

“I’m sure Dr. Popov has been glad to have you with the rush.”

“Yes.”

“You went there a few times with the Doctor and his wife did you not? Did you get sick?”

“No, I really don’t get sick often. Guess it’s all the wild living.”

Surnina laughed.

“I wish we were all that lucky. Been fighting a cold for a few days now, sorry I missed our Friday visit.”

Hazel looked over Surnina and did notice some congestion and the start of some pneumonia.

“You should probably take some antibiotics too. I heard you cough, didn’t sound right.”

“Oh, are you a doctor now?”

“Oh no, just good hearing.”

Hazel sipped her tea and finished the last piece of her honey pirog. Surnina held up her finger and whipped her hands down then reached into her coats inside pocket and pulled out an envelope.

“I almost forgot; I have a letter for you. Do you want me to read it for you?”

Hazel shook her head and reached out her hand.

“If I run into anything I need help with I’ll ask. Do you know what it’s about?”

Surnina shook her head.

“It came from the Kremlin address directly to you, I try not to open other people’s letters.”

Hazel licked her fingers and wiped them on her skirt then used a letter opener to open the envelope. She was getting used to this strange concept of paper mail, took her a few tries at first to figure out what they were. The doctor received a lot of mail, and it was her job to sort through it. She pulled a thick piece of paper on it and unfolded it. It had the official seal of the Soviet Premier’s office and the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. She scanned the page, her contact lenses providing an overlay in English and Latin. She still wasn’t super good at reading English. It was typed-written.

Comrade Greta,

Word has reached my office of your brave and selfless act in defense of the Soviet Union of her people. Not many girls your age would have the strength or straight-headedness to act in the way you did. While I cannot go into details on what her crimes were I must tell you she was a very dangerous woman.

The KGB office in Oymyakon has informed me that the woman was armed with a gun, and you had only your wits. I want to assure you that she will never cross paths with you again.

I am told you come from a family that had a great distrust of the government. I am glad to see that did not make you slow to act in the defense of your fellow Russians. I want to also assure you that your parents were a product of a period in our history that will not be repeated. Terrible tragedies have occurred in the past on the road to our current period of prosperity. I also want to reassure you that your upbringing will not color your future with your country.

You have been declared a Hero of the Soviet Union, and are to be inducted into the Order of Lenin for your valiant defense of two war heroes and the capture of a wanted foreign agent. The woman you rescued was a bomber pilot in the 588th Night Bomber Regiment. And a Major who was instrumental in the Defense of Stalingrad. They have both been awarded the highest honors Mother Russia can give. We would very much like for you to come to Moscow and receive the award in person. I have arranged your travel here on a military transport on February 22, 1965 and you will be staying with Olga Popov, who has graciously volunteered to host you.

Thank you for your service to the Soviet Union. We look forward to seeing what your future with us holds.

She folded the letter and blinked at it. Sounded important, so she offered it to Surnina.

“I don’t think there was anything private in there.”

Surnina took the letter and blinked at Hazel afterwards. She offered it back to Hazel who took it. Hazel checked the date on her desk calendar, and she was supposed to leave in a week. She marked the day off. Surnina took her second pirog and bit into it. She was silent while she finished it then took another drink of her tea.

“The woman must have been very dangerous; The Order of Lenin is very prestigious. And Hero of the Soviet Union. All by the age of sixteen. I expect they will be trying to set up in the KGB or Army at this rate.”

“I cannot got to Moscow, I have no papers yet.”

“Ah yes, the other piece of mail.”

Surnina reached into her other coat pocket and passed another envelope to Hazel.

“These are your papers; Your birth certificate and I suppose your passport so you can enter Moscow.”

Hazel opened it and looked through them then back to Surnina.

“I’m starting to wonder if this was why you were spending so much time with me.”

Surnina shrugged.

“I had to be sure you were who you said you were, I have no doubts you are who you say you are now, so mostly, its just so I can keep you company. You seemed lonely. And the Popovs while great people, are neither young, nor in tune with our generation. I hope you don’t mind?”

Hazel shrugged.

“It is your job; I won’t fault you for doing it. And the company has been nice.”

“Most people aren’t so calm about the KGB paying attention to them. I even catch my boyfriends being cautious. Yet you, no defensive body language, always calm, like we’ve been friends for years. Why is that?”

“Truth be told, I don’t believe I’ve done anything wrong, so I have no reason to be worried. Besides you bring me treats.”

Hazel smiled and Surnina laughed.

“I’ve been at this too long, everything makes me suspicious, but I guess a clean conscious speaks for itself.”

“My conscious isn’t clean, I feel bad for getting that woman caught, I’m pretty sure she is being tortured as we speak and I don’t abide that.”

Surnina nodded.

“I believe you are probably right, but she killed twenty people, injured fifteen more. Destroyed something very important to the government. She brought it on herself. So do not feel guilty, you saved three lives and who knows how many more.”

Hazel nodded, though knowing her mother was being tortured and she was eating pastries and drinking tea in a cozy office didn’t sit well with her, but her mother had told her, just go with the flow and fit in. She was doing her best, and she figured having a KGB agent on her side and at ease around her wouldn’t hurt her.

“Thank you Surnina. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me so far.”

Surnina smiled and blushed a bit.

“It has been a pleasure to know you, Greta. I hope we can continue to be friends.”

The phone rang and Hazel held up her finger to Greta and helped the woman on the other end schedule an appointment for her newborn. She bid her caller farewell and hung up the phone. Surnina smiled at Hazel again.

“You are very good with people. I did not expect that when we first met, you seemed, gruff.”

“My social skills were out of practice.”

“Very true, you have impressed my superiors with your progress. Me as well. Keep it up. I suspect you will receive your invitation to join us soon.”

Hazel smiled. Internally she dreaded that day. When her mother said just go with the flow she doubted she had meant to join the establishment proper as a spy. Surnina glanced at her watch and sighed.

“Well duty calls Greta, make sure the doctor gets his honey pirogs, hmm?”

“I will. Thanks for stopping by.”

Surnina pulled on her heavy coat and tugged on her gloves and waved. Leaving Hazel staring at the sweet pastries. She gave a heavy sigh and closed the box then cleaned up the cups and went back to transcribing the doctor’s notes into neat writing and adding them to the patient records. She was amazed people used so much paper in the past. She was fairly sure should have done this a thousand times faster with a holo-comp. But it would do the doctor no good once she left. Dr. Popov returned with a box under his arm, he hung his coat, scarf and hat up.

“Anything come up for this afternoon?”

“No. Had to add an appointment for Mrs. Tarasonova for her baby for tomorrow morning though, I called Mr. Yoshovic and he agreed to move his appointment to ten thirty.”

“Thank you, Hazel.”

He noticed the white box on the desk and the envelopes.

“I see Surnina was by again. She does seem to be visiting a lot.”

“She had my papers, and a letter from the Premier’s office.”

“Good news?”

Hazel nodded and handed the letter to Dr. Popov. He read it over and patted Hazel on the shoulder.

“Moscow? Not everyone gets to visit there. And you’ll be staying with Olga. We’ll make sure to send you with some things for her, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind. Will you be okay with me gone for a week?”

The doctor laughed.

“My wife and I did just fine for twenty years before you came along, Greta. Go enjoy the rewards of your bravery. Probably went a long way to speeding along your papers. It can take a year to get them normally bureaucracy being what it is.”

Hazel lifted up the box of pastries and offered it to the doctor. He took it.

“Almost done the note transcribing?”

“Yes.”

He lifted up the official file notes and compared them to his.

“Excellent penmanship. You’re coming along great. I can actually ready this, not sure how you can read mine.”

“It took a lot of practice.”

He picked the box of antibiotics up and placed them on the corner of Hazel’s desk. Then put a file folder down on top of it.

“After you finish the notes, please bottle these as prescribed, then deliver them, won’t you?”

“Of course, Dr. Popov.”

“Usually, I’d have to hire a courier for that, so I guess we will miss you.”

He went into his office and put down the pastry box then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet then put some Soviet rubles down.

“Feel free to get yourself a treat. After you finish deliveries rest of the day is yours to explore. Supper is at 6 pm sharp.”

Hazel smiled at him and nodded. She put the bills into her pocket. Thing was her mother had about two hundred thousand of them in her pack. She really didn’t need money, but it would be suspicious if she didn’t take it, so she did.

“Thank you.”

She finished her note taking, then with gloved hands counted out the pills which was easy because she had the contacts which would give her a running count per bottle. She didn’t need the list of addresses; She’d scanned it with the contacts and her mother’s holo-phone even without the 29th century equivalent to GPS had already planned the most efficient route as she’d wandered around town a few times. She just followed the directions on her heads-up display and managed to finish in what would have been record time. She had gotten used to the cold so with the coat, hat, scarf and mittens she was fine. Finally, she got to Misha’s house, her real name was Mishneva Denisovna who was the woman she’d rescued from her mother’s apparent near rampage. She knocked on the door. She wasn’t sick, but she needed medication for her blood pressure. Misha’s eyes lit up when she saw the young teenager.

“Oh my, if it isn’t my young hero.”

“Hello Misha, I have your medication, Dr. Popov asked me to deliver it.”

“Oh pish, I could have picked it up from the office he treats me like I’m made of glass.”

Hazel smiled.

“I just do what I’m told.”

“Come in come in, you look frozen to the bone, have some tea and cookies would you?”

Hazel hesitated for a moment, but then relented when she looked through the woman’s thick glasses at her lonely eyes.

“I can’t stay long, I was hoping to go dress shopping.”

“Oh, someone special?”

Hazel blushed, thinking of her boyfriend back home and wondering what Miles was up to briefly.

“No, no, just a big event.”

Hazel went inside and started pulling off her winter boots, coat and other assorted outdoor clothes. Misha waved her further inside. Hazel knew her to be a widow with eleven children who all lived in Moscow or further west. None came to visit often. Misha put the kettle on the stove and started pulling cookies out of a tin and putting them on a plate. She also placed a couple of cups down.

“So, tell me about this big event.”

“Well apparently I rescued a couple of war heroes from a crazy woman, so they want to give me an award in Moscow.”

“Wonderful. You deserve it. In my prime I would have tackled her myself, but I probably would have broken a hip these days.”

Hazel smiled as the older woman poured out the tea. Hazel stirred in some cream and some sugar and took one of the cookies and nibbled on the edge.

“So, I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, but what did you do in the war, the letter said something about a bomber?”

“Oh, I was part of an all women squadron, we bombed the Germans at night. Very dangerous work, but worth it.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“You know, women can still be pilots.”

“Oh, I’m too big for that. Much better on land too.”

“True, you probably could fit two of me in the same plane.”

Hazel chuckled.

“So, Dr. Popov has you doing deliveries too now? I’m starting to wonder if didn’t take you in for free labor.”

Hazel shrugged.

“They gave me clothes, a place to stay, I’m learning how to cook all kinds of things, teaching me to read. I owe them a lot, and it’s nice to go for a walk.”

Misha reached across the table and patted Hazel’s hand.

“Good on you. Just make sure they don’t abuse your good nature hmm?”

Hazel nodded.

“So, when do you leave for Moscow? Are we getting you back?”

“I hope so. I think a week should cover it right?”

“You never know with the Kremlin.”

Hazel shrugged.

“I’m just a teenage girl, not like anyone gives me a say in things anyway.”

Misha laughed.

“Or just a woman. I heard some KGB agents talking about you, the ignore me I’m an old woman, no one expects me to hear anymore, they were saying at first they were concerned about you but the way you protected the Doctor and myself, they now think you’re alright. This is good news. And with the Kremlin rewarding you, you are set Greta. You can go places here now. From such humble beginnings.”

Hazel smiled and took another cookie Misha laughed at her and motioned with her hands.

“Eat, eat, I put them out because I knew you would.”

Hazel blushed.

“I’m sorry, I’m so hungry all the time.”

“Don’t apologize, most girls your age eat half a cookie and feel guilty. It is nice to see a normal teenager for once.”

Hazel finished off the cookie and her tea, there was only a mouthful left.

“I really need to get going, I’m so sorry for eating and running.”

“No, no it is alright. Looking your best will be very important.”

Hazel smiled at her and Misha shook her head.

“Your eyes are so full of life. Oh to be your age again.”

Hazel smiled back again and started pulling on her coat.

“Thank you again for the tea and cookies. Misha.”

Misha waved to Hazel. Hazel waved back and Misha closed the door behind her. Hazel trudged towards the KGB headquarters and went inside. She was met by a severe looking woman at the front desk. Probably put there to put the fear of the KGB boogeymen into visitors. Keep up the illusion they were always watching. When she saw Hazel’s face a smile slipped into eyes and onto her lips.

“Greta, how can I help you?”

“I was hoping to catch Surnina before she left.”

“Let me call her desk for you.”

The woman put pressed a button on her phone then dialed a number and spoke quietly. She held the phone to the shoulder of her uniform.

“She’s just about to get changed out of her uniform to head out of the day, is this official business.”

Hazel blushed.

“Well I’m not…good with clothes, I was hoping she could help me..shop, I mean Mrs. Popov is great, but she…doesn’t like modern clothes.”

The woman smiled and nodded then spoke quietly into the phone again.

“She’ll be a few minutes, would you like a tour of the office? Last time you were here were different circumstances.”

Hazel shrugged.

“I don’t want to put anyone out.”

“Nonsense, for a Hero of the Soviet Union no one would complain.”

Hazel blushed again.

“Oh, you heard about that did you?”

“Surnina has told everyone. We kind of feel like we adopted you when we pushed to get your papers.”

The woman whose name still escaped Hazel pressed a button under her desk and the door buzzed and she motioned Hazel inside.

“Come inside. Look around, who knows could be working here in a few years right?”

Hazel smiled and walked inside.