Sign the dotted line

I think about what this means as I watch Sasha take the pen from Fedorov's hand. I'm joining a military organization. I'll be bound to follow orders. My life will be a lot different. I'll be a target for the enemy, should they ever get to me they'll surely kill me if I am in uniform. They haven't been so kind to me when I wasn't, either. Regardless, they're coming. I have the choice to run or fight, and I don't have anywhere left to run. I'll have a decent job, in a bunker, and I'll be able to do important work for my country and my people. I make my decision.

After hesitating, Sasha signs her name on her form and passes me the pen. Fedorov raises his eyebrows and pushes my form across the desk. I take the pen and I sign.

Tatyana Romanovna Kulikova.

Fedorov looks at me with a grin and cocked eyebrows as he pulls the forms back across the desk.

"Welcome to my command, comrades Baranova, and Kulikova." he says to us. "I'll arrange for you to get uniforms and quarters after I take you to your stations.

"Thank you, comrade commissar." I answer. I remember Dadonov calling him comrade commissar.

"Here." He says, standing up. "Come with me."

He grunts and groans as he gets out of his chair and adjusts his pants, before shuffling around the desk and to the door. We follow him and he opens the door for us. Sasha goes through first. As I walk through the door he looks deeply into my eyes with his own, his yellowed, bloodshot eyes. I see something in them that makes me feel uncomfortable.

A partisan passes by in the hallway.

"You!" Federov barks.

"Yes, comrade commissar?" he asks nervously.

"Take this girl to the infirmary, and introduce her to the doctor." Fedorov orders before pointing to Sasha. "You. Go with him."

Sasha looks back at me as they walk away. I give her a reassuring look, before turning to Fedorov.

"Now it's just us." He says to me. "Come, I'll bring you to the communications room where you can meet Lieutenant Kozlov, a member of my staff. He'll teach you everything you need to know."

We walk along for a moment before he turns to me again.

"How did a girl like you end up in a place like this?" He asks as we near the communications room. We stop outside the door.

"It's a long story, comrade commissar." I tell him.

"You'll have plenty of time to tell me, Tatyana." He says, placing his hand on my shoulder. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "The two of us will be working very closely together."

He follows me into the communications room, where a few men sit at radios wearing headphones. A young officer leaning over a table stands up when he sees us. The first thing I notice is how tall he is, and that he is wearing a pair of round framed glasses.

"Good evening, comrade commissar." He says.

"Lieutenant Kozlov." Fedorov says. "I would like you to meet Private Kulikova, the newest member of our staff. She is trained in German and in English."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Kozlov says to me with a smile. He's a young man with blonde hair and a long face.

"The pleasure is mine." I say.

"Lieutenant. You are to train her in not only her job, but also in the rules and regulations." Fedorov orders. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, comrade commissar." Kozlov responds.

"Good." Fedorov says to him, before turning to me.

"I'll be seeing you around." He says, giving me that look with his eyebrow cocked and the corner of his mustache turned up. He quickly eyes me up and down one more time before leaving.