Chris’ consciousness came back to him slowly. He was upside down in a tree, hanging from the strings of his parachute. It was still night time. He felt something dripping down his face and tasted something metallic. Blood? He wiped his hand across his mouth and looked at it. Yes; it was blood.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWpxYNXe7y
Suddenly he remembered the crash. He remembered hitting the ejection button and screaming for it to work, but having nothing happen. And then suddenly, right before impact, the seat fired and he hit his head against the canopy, rendering him unconscious.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXizrKK5hh5
And here he was now, hanging upside down in a tree. He reached for his knife and cut one of his feet free. He freed the other and fell six feet. He yelped as his head hit the ground.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9sQj4exuU
He stood slowly, almost falling when a sudden pain seized his right leg. He looked down. There was a deep gash that went along his shin, covered in blood. He must have hit it sometime when he fell.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo0kM4GUAZ
Suddenly he became aware of a throbbing in his head, and he felt dizzy and his ears were ringing. He sat back down to keep from falling and took out a small mirror and flashlight he had in his pocket. He shone the light in his face, though not directly at his eyes, and looked into the mirror. His right eye seemed more dilated than the other. He knew he had a concussion. He held his head in his hands for a few minutes, then decided that he had to get moving before daylight and before the Russians sent soldiers out to look for him.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQrZ6pSMkr
He stood and found himself a walking stick. The plane must not be too far from here. But in which direction? Chris swore in frustration. He took out a small radio and tried to contact someone with it, but it wasn’t working. He shoved it back in his pocket and stood trying to think for a moment. His mind was confused, and he knew it.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wgHoaNX7I
He looked around, peering through the thick trees, hoping to find a hint as to where his plane might be. There, off to his left, he saw the glint of something not to far off through the trees. He went after it cautiously, trying to keep the pressure off of his leg.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWfhREValX
Sure enough, it was his plane. He ran toward it as best he could. It had landed right side up, to his amazement. He climbed up into the cockpit.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuMg9fBVer
Sitting there, he tried to recall how to turn the radio on. He cursed himself for his forgetfulness, knowing that it was because of the concussion. Finally he found the avionics switch. He flipped it on and all the avionics came on. He started messing with the radio and keyed the mike.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqeSt7Seq7
“Can anyone hear me? Hello? Is there anybody out there who can hear me?”248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFCJxIQxts
No reply.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKPEptREni
After several failed attempts at communication, Chris turned the avionics off. He took out the rifle from the rack in the cockpit and shoved all the ammunition in his pockets. All the pilots in his squadron were required to carry rifles with them in the cockpit in the event that something like this were to happen. He checked that his Beretta was fully loaded as well. He also took the small bomb and set it for one minute, though he did not plan on arming it until he had to. The squadron was also required to have a small bomb in each cockpit, that way they could destroy the plane before the enemy had a chance to study its technology. Of course, if the pilot couldn’t find the plane to destroy it, there was a backup built into the plane’s systems that would cause it to self-destruct in twenty four hours.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrNcLrM75K
Chris looked up at the sky. The stars shone brightly. There were no trees above him to block his view because the plane had leveled them when it crashed. Chris thought about what to do next, but nothing came to mind. Finally he decided to stay there until daylight, and then when the enemy’s search party came to find him, he would detonate the bomb and try to get away.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnAgIxoiWq
He looked down at his watch. It read 0437. There was still about another hour and a half until sunrise. Chris wanted to go to sleep until then, but he knew he had to keep himself awake, not only to hear the enemy coming, but because of his concussion. He did not want to be found unconscious by the Russians.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3uMneVlSW
Chris sat there and thought about what he was going to do and about what was going on at the base. Would they send a rescue party after him? Probably not. There was too much air defense. He didn’t expect them to send one in.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pB5Jmhpgg
So what do I do now?248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2DYID67mk
He thought about his childhood in Russia. How he had loved it! He had loved the language, the culture, and the people. He had loved spending part of his childhood in Russia. It was almost as much of a homeland to him as Germany. But now he was fighting against it.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLaCGGGgbQ
He sighed. His feeling had been right. He should not have flown this mission. But, like he told John, he could not just abandon his job because he felt afraid.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQsX566WMR
John. What was he thinking right now? Chris remembered the fear and worry he had seen in John’s eyes as they said goodbye. Would he ever see John again? Would he even be able to make it out of Russia alive? He didn’t know.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauoclulKba
He thought about the letter on the corner of his desk. Had John opened it yet? Probably. John would be in charge of the squadron now, at least until Chris got back. If he got back. How deep into Russia was he anyway? He couldn’t remember. But he knew that to get out, he would need to go southwest. He took out his compass to see which direction that would be, and laughed quietly to himself as he realized that he had just crosschecked the one in the cockpit out of habit. He checked his watch. 0455. It hadn’t even been thirty minutes.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa62P0tBedG
He sat there fighting to stay awake for a while before finally dozing off. He woke suddenly with a jerk. He checked his watch again. He had only been asleep for three minutes.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMLHlUD6wR
He listened silently. Something had woke him, but what was it? Then he heard faint orders shouted in Russian. He looked toward where they were coming from and saw waving flashlights. The Russians were already out to find him.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfn1BNuWoJ
He grabbed his rifle, cocked it, and took it off safety. Quietly, he placed the bomb on the cockpit panel, unarmed, and climbed over the side of the cockpit. There he waited quietly until he saw the shadows of the soldiers coming for him. They stopped on the other side of the plane, looking up at the cockpit, but not seeing Chris.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfH54ixl3Jh
Slowly Chris reached over and armed the small bomb, then slowly and quietly made his way down. Once his feet were on the ground, he used his stick to stable himself, then took off running.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YlDVfoixc
“Vzyat’ yego!” he heard one of the soldiers yell. He knew what that meant: Get him!248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWESITo10GC
Chris looked back and at that instant the bomb went off. The bright light blinded him. The force sent him flying off his feet. He landed on his face.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw9DmqNZXA
After a moment he looked up. He let his eyes readjust to the darkness, then looked back. His plane was in flames. Flaming dead bodies were scattered here and there.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxoOsv6OJv
He tried standing, but his ankle suddenly began to hurt. He swore. It was the same side as his hurt leg. He felt around the ankle. It wasn’t broken; it must have been sprained.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVuZPhNNRw
He thought for a moment. The Russians would be sending out another search party, not only for him, but for their previous one as well. They had probably seen the big explosion the tiny bomb had made, and it would not be long before they sent another force after him.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7ib1yTaMa
He pushed himself up with the stick and grabbed his rifle. Looking at his compass, he started heading southwest. He stumbled over rocks and fallen branches, each time hurting his leg and ankle, but each time forcing himself to get back up and keep going. He was starting to feel tired now. He looked up at the sky, barely able to tell that it wasn’t black. The sun would be up not long from now. He looked at his watch. 0512.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiEvw0Ax1U
Fear swept over him again, stronger this time. His breath caught and his vision blurred, and he fell. What is wrong with me? He thought. Get a hold of yourself!248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfx1uP4gnGG
He pushed himself back up and kept running, fighting to ignore the pain in his head, leg, and ankle, fighting to keep from falling, fighting to push himself back up when he did. Every now and then he would check his compass.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9LKjSQ58d
Finally he heard voices again. He looked back. The Russians were coming. Verdammt! How can they be so fast? I must be near Voronezh.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAwyvMCvWi
He pushed himself harder, though there was not much more he could do. He was quickly becoming tired, and he was still losing blood from his leg.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6X6kKCiBr
Finally he found himself able to go no further. Tears fell down his face, caused by the pain in his leg. He hid himself among the bushes, lying prone with his rifle ready to fire.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GTnTSIt4Z
He watched as the soldiers began advancing up the path. He laid his sights on the head of one and pulled the trigger. The rifle left his ears ringing more than they already were.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTgvnyt6j2
Some of the other soldiers ran over to the other when he fell, as if they might still be able to help him. Others began looking around, whispering amongst themselves and frantically trying to find where the shot had been fired from. Chris shot another one in the chest. The soldier fell with a short cry of pain, dead before he hit the ground.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiakZyAiU0B
The leader yelled something, though it was not audible to Chris. He set his sights on the leader and fired. The leader moved just in time, and the bullet hit him in the arm rather than his chest. He swore in Russian and looked right at Chris’ location. Chris froze, hoping the leader hadn’t seen him.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAbtQe2Kb7
The leader made several arm motions. “Razlozhite i poisk oblast’! Privedite yego ko mne zhivym!” Spread out and search the area! Bring him to me alive!248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu20JJJlTQD
Chris clutched his rifle tightly. Gott, hilf mir! he prayed silently.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZ76v0Xzi9
The soldiers were getting close to his location. He knew he was not going to be able to hide forever. He felt the brush behind him move. He looked back slowly. One of the soldiers was standing not five inches away from him. Chris tensed, readying himself to jump up and shoot if the soldier stepped on him.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO2ChDE1t6
He felt a sudden pressure on his bad ankle. He yelped and jumped up, knocking the soldier off of him. He shot the soldier several times, and the soldier fell dead. Chris turned to the others and began to shoot. He ran, trying to keep low, but a bullet hit him in the leg, right where he had been cut. He fell and screamed in pain. He rolled over on his back, shooting anyone who came close enough.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpkeMoGmFY
Finally there was only one soldier left; the leader. He walked up to Chris calmly.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoDgnZfipq
Chris aimed his rifle right at the leader’s head and fired.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfdFagg0HD
Click! Click! Click!248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73lOYbFpau
Fear came over Chris. He reached for his Beretta, but it was too late. The leader hit the weapon out of Chris’ hands and knelt down beside him. “You come with me.”248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxq4ICG9I0X
Chris pulled out his knife and cut the Russian across the arm. The Russian swore and yanked the knife from Chris’ hand, putting it against his throat.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl6LikXJCu
“I should kill you!” the Russian said angrily.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjX0ql4fJH
Chris swore at him in Russian. The Russian’s eyes widened in surprise, and Chris felt the knife press harder against his throat. “You do not talk to me like that!” The Russian slapped him across the face and jerked him up by the arm. The movement sent pain throughout Chris’ injured leg, and he would have fallen had it not been for the angry Russian holding him up.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZQrgTiIly
Chris kicked the soldier, making him stumble for a moment. The Russian swore and hit Chris in the head. Chris’ eyes flickered, then he fell unconscious.248Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbtqcvnPff
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