People turning up at all hours is hardly unusual. People turning up with things needing translating also isn't out of the ordinary. This is a field-office near the border with China, in a city that also houses the Eastern Military District headquarters.
Natasha stands facing one of the filing cabinets, and tries not let her hands shake. If she drops the folder, she's going to have to sort it all over again, which will be a bitch and a half, and...
And.
Alex?
"Are we pretending we're not here?" Izmaylov calls out from the back, and Natasha slams shut the drawer.
"No!" she manages, and starts to walk towards the door. She stretches out her hand and closes it again as she moves, and she's far, far too pleased that it only takes on go to unlock the door.
He looks the same. Exactly the same, and even through the shock, she files that away.
"Depends on which languages," Lieutenant Shostakova says, as if she'd never seen him before in her life.
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Natasha stands facing one of the filing cabinets, and tries not let her hands shake. If she drops the folder, she's going to have to sort it all over again, which will be a bitch and a half, and...
And.
Alex?
"Are we pretending we're not here?" Izmaylov calls out from the back, and Natasha slams shut the drawer.
"No!" she manages, and starts to walk towards the door. She stretches out her hand and closes it again as she moves, and she's far, far too pleased that it only takes on go to unlock the door.
He looks the same. Exactly the same, and even through the shock, she files that away.
"Depends on which languages," Lieutenant Shostakova says, as if she'd never seen him before in her life.