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In a world with angels, aliens, killer AIs, werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural or paranormal phenomena, anything could happen.
Sounds like something the true culprit would say!
Seems awfully convenient for a former KGB agent to be around just as Olga's investigating the matter. Guess we just have to wait and see how this will unfold.
Really enjoyed the opening to this update, nice to see Anne properly (not counting the Annionaverse or COS Anne) again after so long. Hope to see more of her again in the future.
Since its April Fools today, do you think you could write out that Ryukyuan Marine Copypasta you mentioned in the Ryukyu/Japan update? This might be a good joke for April Fools.
Since its April Fools today, do you think you could write out that Ryukyuan Marine Copypasta you mentioned in the Ryukyu/Japan update? This might be a good joke for April Fools.
We will see more of Anne to come. I have an entire arc dedicated to her coming up, as well as one or two flashbacks in other arcs.Really enjoyed the opening to this update, nice to see Anne properly (not counting the Annionaverse or COS Anne) again after so long. Hope to see more of her again in the future.
Honestly, I don't know how to write it. I'm pretty burned out of April Fools' jokes after what happened the last couple times I tried them, and I think it's better to leave the copypasta to the imagination anyways.Since its April Fools today, do you think you could write out that Ryukyuan Marine Copypasta you mentioned in the Ryukyu/Japan update? This might be a good joke for April Fools.
Loose Ends, Part 2
East Berlin - July 3, 1963, 11:00 AM
Tatiana turned left and arrived at Checkpoint Karl. Ahead, Roman and Soviet soldiers, both armed with machine guns, sat behind opposing rows of sandbags and barbed wire fences, checking the papers and trunks of each person and car passing through.
“Didn’t think there’d be that many people heading to the east,” Tatiana said.
She looked to her side. Anne had her wallet out and was looking at a photo of a baby. Her smile temporarily broke the bleak mood of the setting.
“Your kid?” she said.
“Yeah,” Anne said, “She’s seven months old. Her name’s Diana.”
“That’s sweet,” Tatiana said, “Nice name.”
“And you?” Anne said.
“Boris and I are trying,” Tatiana said, “But we’ll probably wait until this blows over first.”
“Probably for the best,” Anne said, “Wouldn’t want them to grow up without their parents.”
“Especially in times like these,” Tatiana said.
“You’re Russian, right?” Anne said.
“Tsarist,” Tatiana said, “Just to remind you.”
“Do the Soviets love their children?” Anne said. “I don’t mean this the wrong way. I’m just wondering how they can do that while they do all this. Walls, barbed wire, machine guns…how can they hate and love at the same time?”
“They’re people, Anne,” Tatiana said, “They’re just like us. They just live under a dictatorship. I’m sure they love their children as much as we do. It’s their leaders doing the hating. It can happen anywhere.”
“Of course,” Anne said, “I…I’m sorry for asking that. Must’ve sounded really stupid.”
“Can I ask why you’re asking this?” Tatiana said.
“About seven years ago, I was in Budapest, when it went down,” Anne said.
“Oh, I remember,” Tatiana said, “I saw your picture in the newspaper, standing in front of all those tanks. Inspired me to join up.”
“I was there to save people,” Anne said, “But I couldn’t save everybody. I watched the Soviet tanks rolling into downtown, shooting everyone they saw. I saw the soldiers walking around, beating people up for almost no reason at all. And when the city fell…it burned. There were dead families thrown in piles of bodies on the street. More were loaded into trucks and sent away to Yavdi. And the soldiers I saw…it was like a normal day for them. They smoked cigarettes and cracked jokes while casually shooting little kids. They walked around and set buildings on fire just as a prank. They took pictures of the dead and their belongings to send home as souvenirs. I almost forgot how bad the Angeloi were. How could they do this?”
“I don’t know,” Tatiana said, “I can’t give you the answers.”
They finally reached Checkpoint Karl. A Soviet soldier knocked on Tatiana’s window. She rolled it down.
“Papers, please,” he said.
Tatiana handed him their papers. They were extremely detailed forged identities, specifically designed for their undercover mission. The Athanatoi had gone the extra step of putting the identities into as many databases as they could so the Soviets couldn’t tell they were fake. But Anne knew she was a problem. Too many people knew what she looked like. There was only so much a forged ID could do for her. Maybe a low-level soldier wouldn’t recognize her as easily?
The soldier handed Tatiana back the papers. “Proceed.”
Tatiana rolled up the window and drove through the checkpoint, past the wall and fortifications.
“Looks like they didn’t recognize me,” Anne said, “The one time I’m glad that happened.”
“I guess you can thank Diana,” Tatiana said.
Anne glared at her.
“Sorry,” Tatiana said.
Anne immediately noticed a change in the city. The buildings became more drab and plain, most of them extremely similar apartment or office blocks made of gray concrete. The cars became much older, dirtier, and beaten up. There were fewer people on the sidewalks, and those who were still there wore tattered faded clothes and had their heads looking down at the sidewalk. DDR and Soviet flags hung from the taller buildings, while equalist slogans hung on signs and banners in plain sight.
“Where’s our contact?” Tatiana said.
“Erica should be waiting at Alexanderplatz,” Anne said, “Be careful. The Stasi’s watching.”
“I know,” Tatiana said, “This isn’t my first mission.”
Anne looked at her again.
“Okay, it’s my second,” she said.
“You have a lot to learn, don’t you?” Anne said.
“I don’t know why they assigned me to this mission,” Tatiana said, “I’ll only slow you down…”
“No,” Anne said, “They must’ve had a good reason to bring you all the way from Scandinavia to help me. Just relax and do your best.”
Tatiana took a deep breath. “Alright.”
She arrived at Alexanderplatz and parked at the curb. Anne and Tatiana got out and walked over to a bench where Erica Erstein, one of Anne’s wartime friends, waited for them, wearing a straw hat and a black dress. They sat behind her, not making eye contact.
“Hey,” Anne said.
“Morning,” Erica said, “Sorry about this. Dead drop was too dangerous. I see you brought the new kid.”
“Hello?” Tatiana said. “Who are you calling a new kid?”
“My bad,” Erica said, “Anyways, I’ve jammed the Stasi’s bugs in the area. We have about ten minutes before they realize. Their machines are just that bad.”
“Where is the subject?” Anne said.
“The subject is currently at Stasi headquarters,” Erica said, “We’ll meet up when the lunch break begins in half an hour.”
She reached into her boot and took out a folded slip of paper, which she pushed through the gaps in the bench to Anne.
“This is what you need to know about him,” Erica said.
Anne unfolded the paper.
“World War II veteran, Soviet Air Force,” she read, “Early forties. Unmarried, no surviving family other than a distant relative in the retired wartime marshal Mikhail and a nephew in the Soviet Army, Lev. Assigned to East Berlin to oversee the Stasi.”
She reached the bottom of the paper.
“That’s it?” she said. “No name?”
“The rest is classified,” Erica said.
“By who?” Tatiana said. “The KGB or Athanatoi?”
“That isn’t our concern,” Erica said, “Our mission is to meet up with the subject at noon and then head back to the checkpoint. I have credentials ready for him.”
“Okay,” Anne said, “New kid, get the car ready. We’re heading to Lichtenberg.”
Tatiana sighed and walked back to the car.
“This mission…” Erica said. “You know, I never liked extraction missions.”
“I know, they’re difficult,” Anne said.
“Not that,” Erica said, “Sometimes we don’t know who we’re extracting. All we know is they want to defect.”
“The Athanatoi vets every potential defector,” Anne said, “That way we can be sure we’re not welcoming a double agent.”
“Not even that,” Erica said, “Yes, the Athanatoi probably vetted our subject. But we barely know anything about him.”
“I’m sure there’s a good reason,” Anne said, “Maybe they’ll tell us when we return to base.”
Anne looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Tatiana at the wheel, having started the engine.
“Well, new kid’s waiting for us,” she said, “Let’s go.”
X-Division - March 12, 2015, 5:30 PM
“Are you sure this is safe?” Jessica said.
“It’s the basement of the Athanatoi headquarters,” Olga said, “If that isn’t safe, nothing is.”
“I heard the Frankfurt office was slaughtered two years ago,” Jessica said.
“I was there,” Olga said, “I’d rather not talk about it.”
Olga and Jessica rushed into the office just as Angela, Anders, and Diana were packing up.
“The killer came after you?” Diana said.
“Yeah,” Olga said.
“Hey, Jessica,” Diana said.
“Uh, hi,” Jessica said.
“Here we go again,” Anders muttered.
“Anyways, we barely escaped,” Olga said.
“It’s kind of obvious,” Diana said.
“Where were you attacked?” Angela said.
“Five minutes out from the airport,” Olga said.
“Did you see the killer?” Diana said.
“Just a dark figure with a sniper rifle,” Olga said, “Nothing else. Definitely military training.”
“You should’ve known better, Olga,” Diana said.
“Yes, thank you for reminding me,” Olga said.
“What about the bulletproof car?” Diana said.
“I know, I know, Di,” Olga said.
“We’ll pull surveillance footage from the area,” Anders said, typing on his computer.
“How did he know?” Jessica said. “How did he know we were coming from the airport?”
“The only other people who knew are in this room, and I told them in person,” Olga said, “Did you call anybody other than me before your flight?”
“Uh, no,” Jessica said.
“I may have an idea,” Anders said, “The killer might be tapping our phones.”
“Impossible,” Olga said, “I’ve secured my phone against all civilian encryption methods.”
“Did you consider military-grade wiretap equipment?” Anders said.
“Your husband has a point,” Jessica said.
Olga blushed in embarrassment, while Anders cursed and Angela and Diana snickered. She wanted to either punch Anders or glare at Jessica, but she couldn’t.
“That narrows down our search,” Diana said, “In order to eavesdrop on Jessica’s call, he must’ve had sophisticated wiretapping equipment. Military-grade most likely. So he must’ve specialized in that role in…”
“The KGB,” Anders said.
“Wait, just let me—” Diana said.
“A communications specialist,” Olga said, “But the only one I know is—”
“Yuri,” Angela said.
“Just wait a moment!” Diana said.
“The only communications specialist in the group,” Jessica said, “It has to be him.”
“It’s not him, because he freaking died on an oil rig fifteen years ago!” Diana said.
“He was working a case with me and Anders,” Olga said.
“Oh, that’s sweet,” Jessica said, “The two of you working together on—”
“Anyways,” Olga interrupted, “This is a problem. Only a communications specialist could’ve listened in on my call. But the only communications specialist in the suspect pool is dead.”
“Obviously it’s not a communications specialist,” Diana said.
“Maybe the killer obtained the wiretapping equipment from Yuri or someone else?” Anders said.
“Oh, great,” Angela said, “We have to check all of Yuri’s contacts now?”
“No, you won’t,” Diana said, “Olga?”
“I can save you the trouble,” Olga said, “The only other people Yuri was in close contact with before his death were other resettled KGB agents. You have them all in custody, right?”
“Yeah,” Angela said, “We’re questioning them right now, but I really think we should track down his family and friends.”
“His family died in the war,” Olga said, “He had no friends outside of the agency.”
“Sounds like he didn’t have a life,” Diana said.
“Believe me, he didn’t,” Jessica said, “Unlike you, Olga, I’m surprised you actually got—”
“Anyways, who do you think is the killer, then?” Olga said.
She looked at Diana, who saw the desperation in her eyes, like a cry for help.
“If he’s not Yuri, and he didn’t get his equipment from Yuri, who could he be?” Angela said.
“We can conclude that he is not a KGB agent,” Diana said.
“We’re assuming he’s one because that’s the common factor between the victims,” Jessica said, “But the victims all had another common factor.”
“The Athanatoi agents resettling them,” Olga realized.
“The killer is an Athanatos,” Anders said, “Like Robert Hanssen. The spy who exposed KGB agents working for the Reich.”
“No relation to me, obviously,” Angela said.
Diana picked up a file and tossed it at Anders.
“Okay, assemble a list of all Athanatoi agents who resettled this group,” Diana said, “Check their backgrounds and see if anybody had motivation to kill the KGB agents.”
“Wait, what about you?” Anders said.
“I have a hunch,” Diana said.
“I may have a better idea,” Olga said, “If the killer’s listening in on Jessica’s calls, I might be able to lure him into a trap.”
I'm torn between wanting someone to point out Jessica's mistake to her, and to let see how this bit plays out.
With all these flashbacks to Anne and Tatiana in the Cold War, I wonder how a Red Sun elseworld story would go for Uberman in TTL, particulary how it would portray Deromanization and WW3? Given how Superman kills Stalin in OTL Red Sun after finding the Gulags, something tells me Uberman would not approve of Valentin's actions in Prague and Budapest at all, through I imagine he might continue Mololtov's Deromanization campaign, only more diplomatically.
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I'm also wondering why Olga hasn't pointed it out yet...
I guess he would eventually overthrow Valentin and install himself as the new General Secretary but then try to reform the CSSR along the lines of what Marx originally intended, using his powers to enforce full equality and remove the need for the Party itself.
Loose Ends, Part 3
Stasi headquarters, East Berlin - April 3, 1963, 12:05 PM
Tatiana and Erica waited in the car while Anne casually walked into the building.
“Does she usually do this?” Tatiana said. “Casually walk into the enemy’s headquarters?”
“It’s second nature to her,” Erica said.
“You’ve known her since the war, right?” Tatiana said. “Do you know what she was like?”
“She was always driven,” Erica said, “Driven to make a better life for herself and her friends. She went through so much pain and suffering at such a young age, losing her parents and a lot of her friends in the war. I was one of the few survivors of our little group. I guess that’s why she became who she was.”
“Why are you all still doing this?” Tatiana said. “That war ended almost twenty years ago.”
“Not all of us are still doing it,” Erica said, “Just me, Anne, and a couple others. The rest retired and went back to their lives long ago. But the rest of us…resistance was the only life we knew, so when we won, the closest thing to that was serving in the Athanatoi. To protect our country against its enemies, to defend our friends and family, to spare them what we suffered in the war. If only it was still that simple.”
“What do you mean?” Tatiana said.
Erica handed Tatiana a file.
“I didn’t tell Anne about this,” she said, “But I got my hands on the declassified file. What you’re looking at is unredacted information on our subject, Colonel Fyodor Tukhachevsky.”
“Why should I care about that?” Tatiana said.
“Because he was the Soviet Air Force pilot who dropped the first atomic bomb on Warsaw on July 18, 1944,” Erica said, “Two hundred thousand Romans were killed that day. My sister was one of them.”
“We’re extracting him?” Tatiana said, shocked by the revelation.
“My thoughts exactly,” Erica said.
Tatiana blinked and shook her head, still trying to process the new information.
“My gods,” she said, “This is why they kept the details classified. Because they knew we wouldn’t like it.”
“They shouldn’t have approved this mission to begin with,” Erica said, “I don’t care how much intel he’s gathered. He’s a war criminal. He shouldn’t be given a new life, given a second chance like those Angeloi with Paperclip.”
“There has to be a reason for this,” Tatiana said, “There has to be a reason he wants to defect. We should at least hear him out.”
“But should we take up his offer?” Erica said. “It’s not going to change the past.”
“Why don’t we talk about this later?” Tatiana said. “We complete the mission, extract him, and then figure out what to do with him?”
Erica thought for a moment. She looked outside and saw Anne coming back, walking with a man in a Stasi uniform. This seemed to be Fyodor Tukhachevsky. Tatiana was a little surprised Fyodor was a middle-aged man with no defining qualities. He kept his head down and his expression plain. His Stasi uniform was wrinkled and a little too large, with dust on the edges. For the man who destroyed Warsaw, he didn’t look like a diabolical villain. He looked perfectly normal and maybe even a little worried.
“You’re right,” Erica said, “I’m thinking too much about this. Focus on the mission first.”
Anne and Fyodor reached the car and got in. Tatiana started the engine and drove off. Erica took out a modified metal detector and waved it in front of Fyodor.
“To disable any bugs, both known and not,” she said, “Can’t take the risk.”
“I agree,” Fyodor said in accented German, “The Stasi have no shame. They are the most paranoid men I have ever known. They don’t think twice about bugging us Russians too.”
“Well, by the end of the day, you won’t have to worry about them anymore,” Anne said.
“A new life, a second chance,” Tatiana said.
“Yes, a second chance,” Fyodor said, “I’ve been waiting for one for the last twenty years.”
“Must’ve been something regretful,” Tatiana said.
“You have no idea,” Fyodor said, “But perhaps it is for the best.”
They approached Checkpoint Karl. The westbound line was far longer than the eastbound one, and security was tightened on this side of the wall. There were more soldiers manning the machine gun turrets, while a tank sat off to the side and even more soldiers walked up and down the line, checking if there was any contraband heading for the Reich.
“Are you sure about this?” Fyodor said.
“Our papers say we are escorting you to the west for a high-level meeting between the Party and certain cabinet officials,” Anne said, “The negotiations are for a proposed nuclear test ban.”
“A nuclear test ban?” Fyodor said. “The Party would never agree to that.”
“Well, it’s better than nothing,” Erica said, “And we’ve already put the details in databases on both sides.”
They rolled up to the checkpoint, and a sentry approached them.
“Papers, please,” he said.
Fyodor rolled down his window, trying to hide his nervousness.
“Afternoon, comrade,” he said, handing the sentry the papers.
“Greetings, comrade,” the sentry replied, “May I ask what the purpose of your transit is?”
“I am attending a meeting in the west,” Fyodor said, “The exact details are classified, but you can ask the Stasi headquarters to confirm its existence.”
The sentry inspected the papers. Then he walked back to the checkpoint and shared the papers with the other soldiers, one of whom grabbed his rifle. The sentry picked up a phone and dialed a number, talking quickly with someone on the other end. Anne covertly reached under her seat for the pistol she hid there. Hanging up, the sentry walked back to the car, two soldiers behind him gripping their rifles, and studied Fyodor and the others intently. Tatiana’s eyes darted between the soldiers and the bottom of her seat, where she also had a pistol hidden. She calculated how long it would take for the soldiers to open fire versus for her to grab the gun and shoot them.
The sentry handed the papers back to Fyodor and waved him through.
“May the meeting be productive, Comrade Tukhachevsky,” he said.
“Thank you, Comrade,” Fyodor said.
Tatiana drove past the checkpoint and the sign reading “Attention: You are now entering West Berlin” in German, Greek, and Russian. She sighed in relief.
“We did it,” she said.
“That was easier than I expected,” Anne said, “But first, Tukhachevsky?”
“I’ll explain at my debriefing,” Fyodor said.
“Well, let’s not dawdle any longer,” Erica said, “Let’s go to the office and start debriefing.”
One of Olga’s safe houses - March 12, 2015, 6:00 PM
After making the call, Olga casually waited on the couch, munching on a bag of sunflower seeds Anders had given her while she watched a hockey game on TV. It was only when she was halfway through the bag she realized she was doing the same thing Anders did. She probably did it because Jessica thought they were still married, but she was still doing it. Diana must’ve been laughing her head off. Olga should really tell Jessica the truth once she caught the killer. But she wasn’t in a hurry. Nobody was in danger, except possibly the killer himself.
Right on cue, there was a knock on the door.
“It’s unlocked,” Olga said, “Make yourself at home.”
The door opened, and a figure in dark clothes, wearing a ski mask and a voice synthesizer, entered the house. He began searching the house.
“I was going to decommission this safe house anyways,” Olga said, “Di found asbestos somewhere in the roof. I swear, she makes everything less exciting these days.”
“Where is she?” the killer demanded, his voice disguised.
“Where’s who?” Olga casually said, reclining on the couch.
“Don’t play coy with me, Agent Kirova,” the killer said, “Where is Jessica? Or should I say the assassin Yulia Ilyushina, responsible for war crimes at—”
“She’s not here,” Olga said, “Don’t bother searching. She’s in protective custody already. I’m going to give her and the other agents new identities and addresses. You’ll never find them.”
The killer drew a silenced pistol and aimed at Olga.
“Oh, are you really going to try that?” Olga said. “On me?”
“Yeah, I just might,” the killer said.
“We both know you’re not an idiot,” Olga said, “As Agent Yakov can tell us. Or not.”
“You equalists have no place here,” the killer said, “You take our land, torture our people, hate everything we stand for, and the late Director gives you a new life here? For what? Mercy? Why should we give mercy to the enemies who would stop at nothing to kill us and destroy our entire way of life?”
“Please, I’ve heard this before,” Olga said, “Especially when they’re referring to us Russians. If I wanted to hear this, I’d turn on the news. So can we please get to the shooting and fighting?”
“You, of all people, should not lecture me,” the killer said, “You almost killed the late Director multiple times and then captured her. You perpetrated multiple war crimes during and after the first Battle of Vienna. And that’s not talking about what you did before the war…”
“Wait a minute, how do you know all this?” Olga said. “Did you read my file?”
“Yes, I did,” the killer said.
“How did you get access?” Olga said. “Only a handful of people have access. You must have high clearance to find it. Was it leaked with the other RSB files?”
“Why do you care?” the killer said. “I’m about to kill you.”
“You’re not the first one to tell me that,” Olga said, “And by the way, even if you got access to my old file, there’s no way you can prove I did all that. The other records were expunged. So don’t try to blackmail me.”
“I don’t want to blackmail you, I want to kill you!” the killer said, frustrated.
“Oh, here we go again,” Olga said, “Are you serious? Huh? Do you really want to kill me? Then why are you still in the hallway attempting to stand menacingly? Because you’re doing a terrible job. And Di said I’m not going to die tonight, so I don’t give a yebat.”
The killer let out a shout and then charged at Olga, his gun blazing. The bullets, though, impacted a pane of bulletproof glass Olga put up at the end of the hallway. She casually got up, turned off the TV, and tapped her remote control. All of the doors opening into the hallway slammed shut and locked, trapping the killer in. The killer continued shooting at the bulletproof glass, but he only spent the last of his ammunition. As he reloaded, Olga opened the barrier, stepped inside, closed the barrier again, and then punched him in the face once, knocking him to the floor. She kicked the gun out of his hands and punched him once more in the stomach.
“Are you even trying?” she said. “I was at least expecting a fight.”
The killer groaned and cursed. Olga knelt and restrained his arms and legs with handcuffs.
“Now let’s see what you really look like,” she said.
She took off the ski mask, revealing the killer was actually a gray-haired woman in her late fifties or early sixties. The killer coughed and struggled, but Olga put her foot on her stomach to keep her down.
“Okay, you’re going to tell me everything about yourself,” she said, “Starting with your name.”
X-Division - 6:05 PM
“Let’s go,” Diana said.
“Let’s go?” Angela said.
“I have a hunch Olga may have found our killer,” she said.
“Well, I’ve found her identity, I hope,” Anders said.
“Let me see,” Diana said.
She picked up Anders’ file.
“I know this agent, and she fits the MO,” she said.
“Who is she?” Angela said.
Diana showed them a picture of a black and gray-haired woman in her late fifties or early sixties.
“Her name’s..” Diana began.
At that moment, her phone rang.
“Yeah?” Diana said.
“I got the killer,” Olga said, “You probably already know who she is.”
“Yes,” Diana said.
“GODSDAMNIT!” Olga said.
Them being upset makes sense, but Fyodor wanting to defect is equally understandable. He's lived with some unimaginable guilt for a long time, for a cause he's seen fail and lie to its people.
I got this feeling the old woman is Erica. Although it's been quite a while since I've read the previous chapters on which she appeared so I could be wrong.
Ironic that Olga chatizes the murder´s monologues here, when she herself had her fair share of monologues when she was still a villain in the End of History updates, a bit hypocritical if you ask me.
Then again, we do still have one more update to go, so we could be wrong. We’ll wait and see which way it goes.
On another note, Fyodor was an HOI3 callback I wasn’t expecting. Kind of forgot about him till this update, but it’s still a nice reference regardless. Almost worthy of invoking that prequel meme that we’ve turned into a catchphrase, the one involving surprises to be exact.
Truth be told, I have the same feeling as well, especially when you consider her reaction to Fyodor. No offense to Zen, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t obvious.
Then again, we do still have one more update to go, so we could be wrong. We’ll wait and see which way it goes.
On another note, Fyodor was an HOI3 callback I wasn’t expecting. Kind of forgot about him till this update, but it’s still a nice reference regardless. Almost worthy of invoking that prequel meme that we’ve turned into a catchphrase, the one involving surprises to be exact.
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Actually pushing the button that directly wipes out thousands of people in an instant in a way he can immediately see messed with his mind. In that moment, he realized everything his country was built on was a lie, and it was no better or worse than any other country. To prevent such unnecessary tragedy from happening again, he decided the best thing to do was defect and hopefully make amends for his actions.
If anything, I think it shows her growth since the 1980s. She's no longer the monologuing villain she was during the war, but a completely different person now. Meanwhile, the killer is still rooted in a similar black and white mindset, which reminds Olga of her younger self.Ironic that Olga chatizes the murder´s monologues here, when she herself had her fair share of monologues when she was still a villain in the End of History updates, a bit hypocritical if you ask me.
Erica died in Prague in 1972 (Tatiana's last mission), and even if she survived Prague, she'd be in her 80s or 90s, so...Truth be told, I have the same feeling as well, especially when you consider her reaction to Fyodor. No offense to Zen, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t obvious.
Then again, we do still have one more update to go, so we could be wrong. We’ll wait and see which way it goes.
These character arcs are a good place to follow up on minor characters from previous arcs and see where they end up, or flesh out events discussed in older updates more. Adds more depth to the world and makes it more alive, I feel.On another note, Fyodor was an HOI3 callback I wasn’t expecting. Kind of forgot about him till this update, but it’s still a nice reference regardless. Almost worthy of invoking that prequel meme that we’ve turned into a catchphrase, the one involving surprises to be exact.
Loose Ends, Part 4
Athanatoi field office, West Berlin - April 3, 1963, 3:00 PM
Anne, Tatiana, and Erica stepped inside a holding room, where Section Chief Jonson had finished questioning Fyodor. Fyodor took a watch off his wrist and handed it to Jonson.
“That watch contains every piece of information I gathered with the Stasi,” he said, “You can verify it with your sources. I hope it helps you.”
“Thank you, Colonel,” Jonson said, “I can’t imagine how hard it was to make the decision.”
“Oh, it was actually very easy to make,” Fyodor said.
“Sir, I’d like to debrief the Colonel now,” Anne said, “Before we fly him out of here.”
Jonson nodded and left the room.
“Now, Colonel Tukhachevsky, I want to know,” Erica said, “Was it really you at Warsaw?”
Anne looked at Erica, confused.
“What?” she said.
“Did you drop the bomb?” Erica said. “Did you destroy that city?”
“Are you trying to say this Tukhachevsky is—” Anne said.
“Yes,” Tatiana said.
Anne looked at Tatiana now, even more shocked.
“You knew?” she said.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Tatiana said, “She told me a couple hours ago. I was going to tell you.”
“Fair enough,” Anne said.
“Yes, I did it,” Fyodor said, “I was the pilot who dropped the bomb.”
“So you admit it,” Erica said.
“I am ashamed of what I did,” Fyodor said, “They did not tell me what it was. They said it was an experimental bomb with double the destructive power. But when I saw that mushroom cloud over Warsaw, I knew something far worse had happened.”
“Because of you, two hundred thousand Romans, most of them civilians, died that day,” Erica said, “You killed them.”
“I was just following orders,” Fyodor said, “I did not know what kind of weapon I had.”
“You could’ve asked them for details,” Erica said, “That’s how I found out about you.”
“I did not live in the Reich!” Fyodor said. “Just questioning orders could get me sent to a gulag or shot! I had no choice!”
“Wrong,” Erica said, “You had a choice. If you made a mistake and did not correct it, you just made another mistake!”
“Erica, enough,” Anne said.
“No, you are just as bad as the rest of the equalists,” Erica said, “Maybe even worse. Because you were the one who pushed that button. You dropped the bomb. You killed those people. You killed my sister. Why should you get a second chance?”
“Because I realized what I did was wrong,” Fyodor said, “I knew I committed a terrible crime. I knew innocent lives were lost because of what I did. And nothing will change that. I have made my peace with that. You do not have to forgive me for killing your sister. I don’t expect it. But I truly regret what I have done. I wanted to defect to the Reich because of it, to prevent more cities from suffering Warsaw’s fate,. To prevent more people like you from losing loved ones. To prevent more men like me from having to push the same button.”
“You know you could’ve defected sooner,” Erica said.
“It’s never that simple!” Fyodor said. “Why can’t you understand this?!”
“Erica, enough!” Anne said.
She and Tatiana pushed Erica outside and slammed the door.
“What has gotten into you?!” Anne demanded.
“I wanted the truth,” Erica said, “I wanted to know who he really is.”
“No, it looked you just wanted to pursue a vendetta,” Tatiana said.
“What do you expect?” Erica said. “He killed two hundred thousand of our people! Resistance fighters too! What would you do it was your sister who died there?”
“This man isn’t a monster,” Tatiana said, “I mean, he wants to defect. He genuinely shows remorse for what he did. He wants to redeem himself.”
“How can he redeem himself?” Erica said. “He’s not going to bring the two hundred thousand back to life.”
“Nobody can!” Anne said.
“But he can stop more people from suffering their fate,” Tatiana said, “That’s why he’s giving us this information.”
“And for that, we just give him a new life?” Erica said. “Let him go like that?”
“He deserves that, at least,” Tatiana said, “After what he’s gone through.”
“You don’t know anything about what he’s gone through,” Erica said, “Or what I’ve gone through either.”
“Erica, please,” Anne said, “What’s done is done. Let him go. He’s no harm to us now.”
Erica sighed. Then she stormed away.
“I’m sorry, Tatiana,” Anne said, “She’s not usually like this.”
“I understand,” Tatiana said.
They walked to one of the break rooms. Anne poured two cups of coffee.
“Coffee?” she said.
“Sure,” Tatiana said, taking one.
“She’s always been troubled since Warsaw,” Anne said, “Her sister’s entire cell was wiped out by the bomb. There wasn’t even a body left to bury. It took a toll on Erica. But it drove her to work harder at the Athanatoi, to avenge her death. I’ve known her for twenty years. She’ll eventually get over this.”
“How did you put up with her for the last twenty years?” Tatiana said.
“I was patient,” Anne said, “And I forgave her when I needed to. She’s a good agent. The Athanatoi needs her at her best.”
“No,” Tatiana said, “It’s because she’s one of your few friends.”
“That’s another reason,” Anne said.
“You can’t let go of her,” Tatiana said, “Because then you’d be alone.”
“I’ve always been alone,” Anne said, “Ever since my parents were killed. Until this year, when Diana came along, all I had were my old friends and my sister. Being alone for that long…it takes a toll on you.”
“You have a family now,” Tatiana said, “You’re not alone. Not anymore.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Anne said. “It’s terrifying. This is a dangerous job. Every day is a struggle to get home to my daughter. I don’t want her to grow up without her parents, the way I did. I don’t want her to be alone, like I was.”
“You also have me,” Tatiana said, “I’m here for you. That’s why we work here, right? To ensure our children live in peace, free from suffering. We’ll make sure they don’t have to fight each other in the future we build.”
Section Chief Jonson rushed into the room.
“It’s an emergency,” he said, “Get a medic!”
“What happened?” Anne said.
“No time!” Jonson said.
They followed Jonson to the holding cell, where Fyodor lay motionlessly on the floor, his skin pale and foam frothing at his mouth. Anne felt for a pulse but found none.
“He’s dead,” she said, “Cyanide tablet. Standard issue among Stasi agents. Seen this plenty of times before.”
“We checked him,” Jonson said, “The debriefing turned up nothing. How did he get his hands on cyanide?”
“He must’ve snuck it through the debriefing,” Anne said, pointing at his uniform, “Probably in that cracked button there.”
“Why would he do such a thing?” Jonson said. “Didn’t he want to defect?”
“Maybe he couldn’t live with the knowledge he caused untold suffering on countless innocents,” Tatiana said, “That many men, women, and children suffered because of what he did. So after he gave us everything he knew, he ended his life.”
“Are we sure about that?” Anne said.
Agents had begun crowding outside the holding cell, watching them. Anne looked up and saw Erica among them. They locked eyes. Anne knew what she had done, and she knew Erica knew how she would react. And she hated that she couldn’t change that. She didn’t want to be alone.
One of Olga’s safe houses - March 12, 2015, 6:30 PM
Diana, Angela, and Anders entered the house, finding Olga had tied the killer to a chair.
“Oh, about time,” Olga said, “This is Emily Erstein.”
“Daughter of Erica Erstein,” Diana said, “One of Mom’s friends. Killed at Prague.”
“Why didn’t you show up sooner, Di?” Olga said.
“I…I don’t know,” Diana said.
“I was getting bored,” Olga said.
“As was I,” Emily said.
“Come on,” Olga said, “Everything you said was predictable. Not original. A little like what Di’s been saying lately.”
“But it’s the truth,” Emily said, “Equalists like you shouldn’t be given a second chance.”
“Who are you to judge?” Diana said.
Emily looked at her.
“Ah, Diana Frank,” she said, “The princess. Never had to try hard. Always destined for greatness because of her mother. She was friends with mine, of course.”
“Tell that to my face again,” Diana said, “I know about 1963.”
“And yet she couldn’t bring herself to cast my mom out,” Emily said, “That was always her flaw. She couldn’t let go of her friends. Even when she had to.”
“What your mother did was wrong,” Angela said.
“Wrong?” Emily said. “You weren’t there. You don’t get to decide what is wrong. That makes you just as bad as the equalists. They consider everything they disagree with wrong.”
“That’s not true,” Olga said, “Fyodor Tukhachevsky may have dropped the bomb on Warsaw, but he wasn’t told how powerful that bomb was. He wasn’t given a choice to disobey. And most importantly he tried to make up for it in the only way he could…by defecting and giving the Reich everything he knew. He wanted redemption. And your mother denied him that.”
“She avenged her sister,” Emily said.
“Vengeance,” Olga said, “I remembered when I wanted to avenge my parents. I was driven by my rage. I was easily shaped, directed at a target. It clouded my judgment. I didn’t think about right or wrong. I just wanted to avenge them.”
“But you failed,” Emily said, “I read your file. I know why you wanted to kill the late Director. Wasn’t that your life’s goal? Why give that up?”
“Because I started thinking for myself,” Olga said, “I expanded my horizons. I learned more about what happened. And then I chose my destiny. I chose not to be limited or defined by that. You should be open to the same thing.”
“No,” Emily said, “It was simple. Equalism almost destroyed the Reich. Your people wanted to kill us and destroy our way of life, to impose a corrupt and tyrannical society on us. We shouldn’t be giving you and your KGB friends a new life here. Look at what Schröder tried. The leaks said as much. That’s why I decided to finish what my mother started.”
“Agent Erstein, the war ended three decades ago,” Anders said, “Russia is no longer our enemy. The KGB is long gone. Its agents surrendered. Like Tukhachevsky, they want to adopt our way of life. They want to help us avoid future chaos and suffering, to make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes they did. And you’re repeating the mistake your mother made: not letting them atone for their sins.”
Emily sighed.
“You don’t understand,” she said, “There are some sins you can’t be forgiven for. Would you forgive Gandhi for the Holocaust? Angelos?”
“Those are different cases—” Angela said.
“You’re dodging the question,” Emily said, “It’s a simple yes or no. Agent Kirova, you and your fellow agents are war criminals. And if they haven’t committed as many war crimes as the others, they still committed war crimes and aided and abetted the others. Vijayangara showed we should’ve put them all in court and brought them to justice, instead of whatever this is or the travesty that was Operation Paperclip. If you don’t fix the mistakes you made, you’re just going to make more mistakes. Something my mother always told me.”
Two police officers entered the house and took out handcuffs.
“You’re going to put me in jail now, huh?” Emily said.
“That’s right,” Olga said, “Unless you got anything else to say.”
“Unlike the CSSR, this is a free country, and I have the right to remain silent,” Emily said, “I intend to use it.”
After Olga untied Emily, the officers handcuffed her and led her away.
“So what happens now?” Angela said.
Olga watched Emily get into a waiting police car.
“Justice, I hope,” she said.
Adenauer Center - March 13, 2015, 3:00 PM
A black violin case in her arm, hidden under her long jacket, Jessica headed up the steps to the main entrance. A voice called out behind her, and she stopped. She turned and saw Olga running up to her.
“Olga,” she said, “How are you?”
“Just wanted to let you know we caught the killer,” Olga said, “You’re safe now.”
“And the resettlement?” Jessica said.
“You don’t have to do it anymore, if you don’t want to,” Olga said, “I mean, Jessica’s a great name for you.”
“I agree,” Jessica said, “Was that why you showed up here? To tell me I’m safe?”
“Not all,” Olga said, “If you need to stay in the city any longer, just call me. I’ve got plenty more houses to spare.”
“That’s nice to know,” Jessica said.
“Also, good luck,” Olga said, “I hope they like you. I’ll be rooting for you.”
Jessica smiled.
“Thanks,” she said.
She turned and continued up the stairs.
“Oh, by the way, I have one more question,” Jessica said.
“Go ahead,” Olga said.
“Are you and Anders really married?” Jessica said.
Olga thought for a moment.
“Uh…yeah, you could say that,” she replied.
Frankfurt - April 7, 1963, 10:00 AM
Tatiana waited on a bench outside the gate to her flight. Her uniform had been recently cleaned and ironed out. The belongings she brought with her from Scandinavia were all packed in an old brown suitcase with her name tag on it. Her Tsarist passport lay in her lap.
She heard somebody approaching her, accompanied by the fussing of a baby. She looked to her side and saw Anne walking over, carrying a baby girl in her arms.
“Hey,” she said, “Just wanted to drop by before you went home.”
“Uh, that’s nice to know,” Tatiana said, “And this is?”
“Her name’s Diana,” Anne said, “Say hi, Anna!”
Diana only waved her hands around and started crying.
“Sorry,” Anne said, “She’s always so fussy.”
“How old is she?” Tatiana said.
“A few months,” Anne said, “She was born a few days before Beck was shot.”
Tatiana looked at Diana, who stared back at her.
“She’s cute,” Tatiana said, “Looks just like you.”
“So I’m told,” Anne said, “I’m not seeing it. At least not yet.”
“Say, uh, thanks for visiting,” Tatiana said, “After what happened in Berlin.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Anne said, “The paperwork was annoying, but I think we can move past it.”
“Agent Erstein wasn’t charged,” Tatiana said, “You protected her.”
“There’s no way I can prove Erica did it, anyways,” Anne said, “I know, it’s tough, especially on one of your first missions, but we got other things to worry about now.”
On cue, Diana wailed again. Anne took out a bottle of milk and gave it to Diana, who happily drank it up. The intercom announced a flight was boarding now.
“That’s my flight,” Tatiana said, “Thanks for coming to visit. I understand, Berlin was rough, but I guess that’s our job, isn’t it?”
“Right,” Anne said.
Tatiana got up and headed for the gate.
“If you ever visit Stockholm, just ask for me,” Tatiana said, “Boris and I can always make room for you and Diana. We’re building a nursery anyways for the future, which would be perfect for little Diana here.”
“Same if you ever come back to Frankfurt,” Anne said, “I have a feeling you will.”
“So do I,” Tatiana said.
Anne shifted Diana to one arm and shook Tatiana’s hand with the other.
“I’ll see you next time, then,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Tatiana said.
Guess I was right about Erica being a killer, just not the killer I thought she was, tho she is indirectly responsible for all the murders her daughter carried out.
I understand where the Ersteins are coming from, but executing every last KGB agent and their families doesn’t sound particularly just to me either. I think Reich was ultimately justified in giving those agents a second chance, as opposed to brutally crushing everyone who served the CSSR. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Eristeins agree with the Cartels’ method of punishing equalists given how black and white their world view is.
I understand where the Ersteins are coming from, but executing every last KGB agent and their families doesn’t sound particularly just to me either. I think Reich was ultimately justified in giving those agents a second chance, as opposed to brutally crushing everyone who served the CSSR. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Eristeins agree with the Cartels’ method of punishing equalists given how black and white their world view is.
Guess you are then.Guess I was right about Erica being a killer, just not the killer I thought she was, tho she is indirectly responsible for all the murders her daughter carried out.
Somewhere along the way, Erica's quest to avenge her sister was warped by both her and her daughter into a general hatred for equalists. What started as a legitimate reaction to the Warsaw nuking led decades later to Emily slaughtering innocents who have tried for a long time to shed their bloody pasts, just as Fyodor tried. In a sense, Erica and Emily made sure the former spies never get the chance to redeem themselves, and the cycle of hatred and revenge continues, even generations later.I understand where the Ersteins are coming from, but executing every last KGB agent and their families doesn’t sound particularly just to me either. I think Reich was ultimately justified in giving those agents a second chance, as opposed to brutally crushing everyone who served the CSSR. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Eristeins agree with the Cartels’ method of punishing equalists given how black and white their world view is.