Hide and Seek Ch. 01

"Please kill me..." She spoke softly when the sound of his zipper being re-zipped hit her ears. Aleksandar came around the tree in front of her and stared down at her small form.

"What did you say?" He asked softly, bending to stroke the side of her face. Emily did not bother to look at him, she simply repeated her request and Aleksandar smiled.

"Oh no, no no no, my new little pet...I would never do that...No...I'm going to wake you up now...and when I am finished..." Aleksandar furnished a whip that Emily had not seen before from his belt and showed it to her. "When I am finished, you will get down on your knees, and you will kiss my boots, and thank me for giving you such attention...now wont you?" He asked quietly. Emily lifted her eyes finally to stare at him...and spit into his face.

"Fuck you!" She growled through gritted teeth. Aleksandar straightened and smiled.

"We'll see about that pet." He chuckled and moved back around behind her. Emily tried to ignore the tears now streaming down her cheeks and what felt and probably was blood rolling down her thighs.

"He'll kill me eventually...just go somewhere else Emily...."De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine, exaudi vocem meam...."

Part 2.

October 15, 2011

Diary,

I was worried for nothing...staring at him as he sleeps...it all makes sense...

It was dark before he came, so confusing and just...meaningless... but he makes the difference now.

He's so special. I don't know how I am going to be able to step back on that C-130 again in a few weeks. I never used to hate the military, but that was before they had decided to send me on another useless mission. I'll be sitting there giving speeches about something no one is listening to me about, or doing paperwork that doesn't really need to be done, well my little boy is here. Quietly tucked away, nice and safe, right were I want him...right were I want to be.

I wonder if he'll know me when I come home.

He's going to be staying with his son of a bitch father Viktor. It's the only choice I have. I don't have time to make friends and I don't have siblings, so what else is there to do. But I swear...and I told him this in great detail...that if I come home and my Uri has just one hair out of place...one scratch...

I don't feel like going through that again...I really wish I didn't have to leave him...

Emily

"Where am I..." She thought to herself, realizing to late that she had spoken it out-loud. Her throat was on fire, but so wasn't everything else.

"Stay still." The strict snarl was enough to jolt her out of her daze, and Emily realized she was on her stomach, on some sort of a cot. Her eyes darted around Aleksandar's tent, noticing that, if possible, the tent was somehow sealed up like a convent.

"I said stay still, Emily." Aleksandar...it was Aleksandar, she realized this as his hand came down hard, but not as hard as she assumed it could have, on her ass. "You fell unconscious after I struck you the fifth time. I stopped then, but next time you lie to me I will keep going...unconscious or not." She felt his strong hands move down her sides gently, checking to see that the bandages he had just put there were properly placed, she assumed.

Emily dropped her head onto the cot and sighed. "What is the sigh for Major?" Aleksandar cooed the question as he stroked her matter hair.

"I did not lie to you Aleksandar." Emily voice was barely above a whisper, but she knew Aleksandar would hear her.

He was quiet for a few long and uncomfortable seconds before he said anything else. Emily felt herself tensing slowly...waiting for this man to lash out at her once more, but instead...she felt his breath on her ear. "For your sake...I hope not...I can be cruel Emily...to those who deserve it," Emily lifted her eyes to his and a slow smile played on his lips, "and to those who need it..." he added softly. "But your...Father...Vitya Mihailov...well, he taught me many things. I do not expect, that he will be very pleased to know that some stupid, American slut is claiming to be such a renowned man's daughter." Aleksandar let his fingers trace a path down toward her shoulder blades as he spoke, his eyes watching her's intently.

"You best hope, when he arrives here today, that he knows your face Emily." Aleksandar stood then, grabbing his coat from the chair he had been sitting in and throwing it over his shoulders. "A girl named Ana will be here in a few hours to bath you and help you dress. The clothes she will bring have been very specifically and carefully chosen for you. I do not expect any arguments...ponyal?" He spoke in a business like manner as he made his way to the exit of the tent. Emily simply nodded.

He had one foot out of the tent when he stopped and turned, and she saw in his eyes that he was thinking about something. It was only when that cruel light lit his eyes as he looked back to her once more that fear began to race through every fiber of her being. "I hope you are not lying Emily..." His hand slipped into his pocket, and Emily watched as he brought out the small picture that had been tucked safely away in her diary...the diary having been tucked safely away in the pocket of her uniform.

"No..." She whimpered, fresh tears coming into her eyes. "No, no, no, no, no....leave him out of it!" She screamed, attempting to push herself up and off of the cot.

"Uri...a good Russian name for a son..." Emily reached frantically to her side, deliriously looking for her side arm on her now naked hip.

"You've nothing to worry about Emily...if you are not lying, then Uri can come to my home with us, but if you are lying...I do not think it would be best that you have privilege of ever seeing him again...that sounds like a fair punishment, does it not pet?" His words slithered through the air towards her as a snake would.

"I fucking hate you." She screamed, falling to the floor off of the cot and crawling to reach the small table across the tent where she had hoped would be some kind of a knife.

He chuckled and made his way quickly towards her, stopping only when his shiny black boots where just under her chin. Emily froze, lifting her eyes slowly up his body and to his eyes. He shook his head when they're eyes locked, the smile slowly disappearing from his face. "You will learn your place, Emily...in Russia...you command no one. In Russia, you are the subservient...and in Russia...you belong to me now." He growled, and pointed at the floor. "Drop your eyes little slut. Kiss my boot and thank me for the beating I gave you."

Emily glared at him and did not move until he lifted her chin with the steel toe end of his boot. "Or...I could take you back out there and let my men have a their way with you tied to that tree...your choice." He shrugged, dropping his boot.

She felt her heart jump painfully into her throat then and dropped her eyes to his boot. She kissed it quickly and murmured a barely audible, "Thank you." but when she felt his fingers dig into her hair and shove her face back down against it, she knew it had not been enough.

"You will show respect properly Emily, if you hope to gain any mercy from me. My mercy is something you want, I promise you...I can make your life heaven...or I could continue making it hell...make your choice." Aleksandar snarled, shoving her face into his boot once more before freeing his hand from her hair.

The tears came suddenly once again, but she dropped her lips to his boot and voiced as loud as she could manage with her raw throat. "Thank you for beating me..."

"Thank you for beating me...what?" He coaxed, crossing his arms across his chest as he stared down at her.

Emily could feel his eyes burning into her as the word slipped from her lips unbidden. "Sir." She heard a soft, "Mhmm." of approval, and flinched hard when Aleksandar's arms came carefully around her, lifting her into the air and bringing her back to the cot. He had taken only two or three steps...she hadn't gotten as far as she had thought she had when she had began traveling across the floor the first time.

He laid her gently on her stomach again. "You will stay there. Ponyal?" He asked quietly, pushing a stray strand of hair from her face as she nodded. "Good girl." He cooed and made his way to the exit, this time not saying anything at all.

Emily was not sure how long she had been asleep when Ana woke her with a feather light shake of her shoulder. She was not quite sure that she had fallen asleep at all really. Ana lightly rubbed Emily's arm as she stared down at her. Emily's green eyes meeting icy blue ones. Ana was beautiful in her opinion. Her long blond hair hung down of her shoulders, framing her innocent porcelain face and curvy yet skinny body. She was dressed expensively, but all in black.

"Your Ana." Emily stated and the girl smiled and nodded. She could not have been much older then 18.

"It's time to get up now Miss Emily...Aleksandar does not like to be kept waiting and I have very little time to get you ready as I have been instructed. I do not know what he expects me to do in these sort of conditions. To have a girl, prisoner or not out in such conditions is just..." Ana had helped Emily to her feet with surprising strength, and much to Emily's surprise, Ana was taller. Ana did not seemed to be focused on that though.

Her eyes set on Emily's bruised face and body and her breath caught. "W...what did you do to make Aleksandar so angry Emily?" She whispered, setting her hand gently under Emily's chin. She did not answer. She didn't have to she supposed. Prisoner's of war did not feel vulnerable...or violated after being hit by their captor who just happened to be man...it didn't work like that.

A large brass tub had been brought into the tub containing steaming hot water. Emily focused her attention on this and sighed. Ana, thankfully, seemed to understand and lead Emily over to it. "Be careful when you step in...it hurts badly right after a beating of any kind...just do it slowly." Ana instructed, as Emily lifted her foot slowly to step in.

"You sound like you have experience." Emily winced as she said this and Ana smiled.

"Aleksandar graciously took me into his home when I was very young...I was...very rebellious, and still can be sometimes...his discipline is swift, but fair." She giggled as Emily attempted to sink into the water slowly before setting her other foot in.

"You say young? How young?" She groaned in pain as her other foot hit the bottom of the tub and Ana gripped her arm to keep her from slipping in. Emily spoke more out of an attempt to keep her mind off of how hot the water was...but she was genuinely curious about Ana.

"I was eight..almost nine." Ana said proudly, moving behind Emily to hold her under her arms as she sank down into the water.

"What?" Emily choked. She had known he was a sick fuck...but children?

"No! No! Not what you are thinking," Ana giggled as Emily finally sat down in the water. "No, he took me away from the man my father had sold me too. He has never...and probably will never view me as one of his...girls. He will never touch me that way. My responsibilities are to do very well in the University he has sent me too and to call him Father in his presence. He wants only the best for me."

Emily stared up at her as Ana moved around her with a soft sponge and soap. "Aleksandar is a very good man...in his own way. Just do not be disrespectful, just obey, and you will be perfectly fine. He is treating you better then the others already." Ana moved the sponge over her shoulders and arms, and smiled when she caught the glance Emily had given her.

"The other girls, Emily, would have been left out in the cold, tied to that tree. He would not have been the one to bandage them...He would not have flown me all the way out here to come and help you bath and dress...he would have had his men do it..." Emily stared at Ana in horror and Ana nodded. "Be grateful, Emily. It will be what saves your life now."

Emily stared at the naïve girl in disbelief. "He killed my men Ana...I will never be grateful to him."

The rest of the bath continued in silence, and as Ana helped her step from the tub, Emily murmured "Thank you for your help..." and Ana simply smiled and nodded, continuing to dry Emily off.

"Aleksandar has given his permission to fore go a dress of some kind. It is far too cold out tonight, so I bought these for you." Ana said happily, as she laid a pair of leggings, black fur mid-calf boots, a long black V neck shirt dress, and a necklace with a small emerald pendant. Emily let her eyes drift up, and noticed Ana had the same one.

"Black...is for the untouchable girl's in his life. The one's that if a man did lay a hand on, Aleksandar would make their death...slow...and painful...He is very protective of us." Ana explained as Emily began to dress into the perfectly fitting clothes. Emily rolled her eyes at that and Ana reached out and to her surprise slapped her face gently. "Be grateful." She snapped.

Emily froze and stared at the young girl. "Slap me again, and see what I do..." Ana simply nodded.

Emily dressed quickly, avoiding much more talk with Ana now as she did. "Aleksandar prefers hair to be left down at all times." Ana whispered as she slipped the brush for the last time through Emily's hair. She set the necklace around Emily's neck a moment later, and together they stared at the transformation in the small mirror Ana held up for them. "He's going to be very happy when he sees you...and so wont your father..."

Part 3.

The snow was falling softly when Ana and Emily exited the tent, almost as though it were trying not to offend the very fiend who held control over her whole world at that moment. It tiptoed quietly around them, setting like a crown a top her hair.

Her eyes wandered along the tree line, slowly trailing there way to a fat guard rubbing his hands together against the cold before bringing a cigarette to his lips.

Under normal circumstances, it may not have taken much for her to pry the man's handgun from him and make her escape, but she was weak...she felt it, and was certain that her friend Aleksandar had wanted to keep it that way.

Aleksandar...perhaps if she ran...the cold would kill her...he would never be able to touch her...or she could wait and kill him...

"You have the eyes of a wolf...just like Aleksandar..." Ana's sweet voice broke into her bitter thoughts like the shattering of glass.

"He has already sent for your son, Emily...I do not think it would be wise of you, as soldier or mother to run now. He would never hurt Uri of course...but the winter would kill you and he would never see you again." Ana set her hand on Emily's arm as they continued walking through the maze of tents.

"Please don't talk about my son Ana." Emily replied coldly.

The tent that they made there way towards was very large, spilling light through it's various openings onto the snow in front of the two women.

It was not filled with the drunken laughter Emily had become so accustomed to hearing at night in the other tents, just the distant sound of a small crackling fire and voice's speaking in hushed tones.

"Wait here, I will go and see if they are ready to see you yet." Ana instructed and Emily rolled her eyes. As if she had anywhere else that she had to be that night.

Ana disappeared behind the flap of the large tent and Emily crossed her arms and turned back towards the forest.

"Go southwest...Vyborg...find Vitya Mihailov, safe house...set up...sorry..."

Jason...

He could not have known that Vitya Mihailov was her father, and she wondered if Aleksandar knew that this man he claimed to be his mentor was in fact that one that Jason informed her would keep her safe from Aleksandar.

Emily had not see her biological father since their very first meeting on her sixteenth birthday.

Her adoptive parents had made it very clear in their will that if anything should happen to them, then Emily's real father was to be contacted.

The day after their death's, a car accident, Vitya made his way into the house Emily had been raised in and did not say a word to her.

Emily attempted to keep herself calm, remembering that it seemed as though he refused to even look at her.

Was she that much a disgrace to him? That much of a mistake? He spoke only to the lawyer taking care of the lose ends of the will...she was last lose end.

"Saint Teresa's school for Girls, in Gloucester, Massachusetts. All she needs will be taking care of, including her transportation there. All I ask you to do, is to make sure that she makes it to the front door so my driver can pick her up."

"If there are any problems, call this number." Her father handed a business card to the lawyer and left as swiftly as he had come.

"Emily...Emily..." Ana took Emily's arm, gently pulling Emily out of herself.

"Come...they're ready for you."

The tent was bright, giving it an almost fake aura of warmth about it. Emily did not find anything about the whole situation warm at all.

There was a long table set up on the opposite side of the tent where only the two men where busy eating and talking quietly over the impossibly large feast set over the table in front of them.

Aleksandar's face was freshly shaven, and was dressed in neat, expensive looking black suit that would seem very out of place for such an environment.

The man sitting beside him had stopped eating the moment the two girls stepped back in the tent.

Vitya looked to Emily to be in his late fifties as he sat at the table. His hair was gray and tidy upon his head and his eyes as icy blue, stern and judgmental as she had remembered them.

He also wore a black suit...just as she remembered him. His jaw was set tight, with a slight tick as they traveled over her, accessing her carefully.

"Do you see why I would have had my daughter attend a University instead of joining a bunch of men where women do not belong, Emily?" He sighed, lifting his glass to his lips to take a sip, "Would it have been so hard for you to just obey me?"

Emily crossed her arms as the two girls stopped just a few feet away from the table.

"Nice to see you too, Papa." Emily said coldly.

Something crossed over Aleksandar's face out of the corner of Emily's eye, but it was gone before she had a chance to figure out what it had been.

"So, she is your daughter then, Vitya?" Aleksandar asked softly, the respect he held for this man evident in the tone of his voice.

"Oh yes, this is my Emily..." Vitya stated, turning back to Aleksandar and obviously excusing Emily.

"Well that's lovely then. Now that you two have that cleared up you can send me back to the US." Emily stepped forward before Ana could grab her, the Aleksandar and her Father's talk ceasing quickly as both their eyes turned to her.

Aleksandar's face held a very clear warning, but her father almost looked as though he was going to start laughing.

"Oh...I do not think so Emily. Look at what my allowing you to stay in America has brought you so far, and the fact that you left my grandson with that piece of filth excuse for a father well you came over here to pretend to be a man...No...no...I think other arrangements must be made." Her father held his hand out across the table to her.

Emily tried to quell the sick feeling rising in her stomach. He was going to win, and they both seemed intent on using Uri against her. She lifted a shaking hand and set it in her Father's, allowing him to pull her closer to the table.

"It has become obvious to me, Emily...that you are not capable of being without a...guiding hand, if you will." Vitya explained, and from the corner of her eye, Aleksandar was trying desperately to hide the triumphant smile now beginning to cross his face.