Krueger insists that he personally bring me home

“Last night was… interesting.” Krueger tells me, rubbing his head.

“It certainly was.” I say to him.

“Are you hung over?”

“Maybe a little bit.”

“But, you enjoyed it, right?”

“I did.”

“So did I.” Krueger tells me. “I should probably take you home.”

“It’s okay. You can just walk me out.”

“I couldn’t do that, I can’t make you walk.”

“It’s good, I can stretch my sore legs.” I joke.

“I insist. A gentleman would bring you home.”

“How about you just take me to the other side of town.”

“Nonsense.”

“Please.”

“Why wouldn’t you want me to take you home?”

“Because my mother would kill me if I came home with… one of you. She’ll probably kill me anyways for being out all night.”

“Look. I can talk to her. I can get her to let you off easy.”

“I think you overestimate yourself.”

“Nonsense, just get your coat and come along.”

I’m unable to sway Krueger, and he offers his arm to lead me outside. Hopefully, I can convince him to stop short of Lyudmila’s house. My mind is racing with hypotheticals. Maybe I can lie and have him take me to a different house.

Krueger opens the door to his car for me, and closes it before jogging around the front and sitting in the driver’s seat. We start out, and he briefly talks to the gate guards before we leave. I direct him in the general direction of Luda’s, while my mind races to come up with a plan.

“This is good enough.” I tell him when we are close by.

“I don’t think you know what ‘insist’ means.”

“And I don’t think you know what ‘Tatyana’s mother is going to kill her, and then you’ means!”

“Just give me a chance.”

“Okay, okay. Here.” I tell Krueger, directing him to a different house.

“Okay, perfect, thank you!” I say, quickly getting out of the car and scurrying for the door.

“Wait!” Krueger yells, getting out of his car to chase me.

The door swings open in my face. “Who the fuck are you?” The crusty occupant asks me angrily.

“Come on!” Krueger pulls me back to the car, then turns over his shoulder and yells “Sorry!” He runs around, gets back in, and closes the door hard.

“Don’t you ever lie to me again.” He growls at me, pulling back onto the road. “Now where is your house?”

“Please.”

“Where?”

“Okay. Here. But please just drop me off at the driveway.”

“No. I’m taking you in there and that’s final.”

My worst fear has been realized. My heart thumps in my chest as we turn the corner. I know that we’re about to come right into the sights of our guards, which is not a good place to be when you’re in a German military car.

Thinking quickly, I stand up and stretch my arms out high in the air to alert them. I pray inside my head that they don’t shoot.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Krueger asks me.

“Just stretching.” I say nervously.

“Look, Tatyana. You need to stop worrying about your mother and what she thinks. You’re a grown woman.”

Krueger halts the car in front of Lyudmila’s house and steps out.

“Come on!” He urges me, and I follow him towards the door.

The door swings open, Lyudmila comes outside with a broom, and slams the door shut behind her.

“What are you doing with one of them?” She asks furiously.

“Look, ma’am.” Krueger says, approaching her and gesturing for her to calm down. “It’s okay. I just want to talk to you.”

“Hey!” Krueger yells when Luda clobbers him over the head with her broom. “Stop!” He yells when she hits him again.

Luda does not relent, beating him with her broom. “Get the hell out of here and stay away from my daughter!” She shouts, then swings the broom again even harder. Krueger throws his hands up to cover his face and the broomstick shatters across his wrists.

“Go! Run!” Luda shouts, threatening Krueger with the sharp piece of broomstick left in her hand.

“Okay! Okay!” Krueger yells out in a panic, turning and running for his car. He hastily starts it up and shifts it into gear while Luda hurls profanities at him. Krueger leaves in a hurry.

I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” I gasp.

“It’s okay.” Luda comforts me. “Come inside.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Clarke asks me, waiting on the other side of the door with Hobbs. They have their weapons ready. “Why the hell would you bring him HERE!”

“He didn’t give me a choice!”

“You could have blown the whole mission and gotten us all killed!”

“But she didn’t.” Lyudmila interjects, defending me.

“But it couldn’t have been closer. She’s lucky she isn’t burying her little Fritz right now!”

“Hey!” I snarl. “Do you think I wanted to spend the night with him? I did this for you! I risked my life!”

“First time?” He asks me. “I jumped out of a fucking plane to be here! Welcome to the club!”

“I hate to interject.” Hobbs interjects. “But did she plant the device? I couldn’t understand any of that.”

“I plant.” I tell him. “Just like you tell me.”

“Perfect. Where did you put it?”

“On bottom of shelf behind book. Nobody see there.”

“Look.” Hobbs says to Clarke. “The job is done, and Krueger didn’t see any of us. I think you should take it easy on her.”

“Okay smartass.” Clarke snaps back at him. “Maybe if you kiss her feet some more she’ll let you ‘shag’ her.”

“Maybe I’ll let you watch, you bloody wanker!”

“Come here motherfucker!” Clarke yells out at him and the two start to grapple each other. “Tatya’s mine!”

“Enough!” I bark. They turn to look at me. “Stop all bullshit now! Maybe I pick both of you, maybe I pick none, but I not going to deal with you bullshit! We all on same side. You stop and you be friend. Now.”

“Okay.” “Alright.” They sigh.

“I’m sorry buddy.”

“Me too.”

They shake hands and pat each other on the back.