Katrin's Journey Ch. 04

"You are right Zogrov. We must proceed to the meeting. However, we shall depart very shortly after we hand over the prisoners. Rachov will be punished and that bitch is gone from my cabin forever. To the barracks; or maybe you want her Zogrov. She is very attractive."

"I am more than happy with my German woman."

"You soft bastard!" Milkov laughed, his mood briefly lifting. "You always fall for the girl you choose. You like this one Zorgov? Even though you can't talk to her."

"We communicate. She's nice. She teaches me some German," the Sergeant replied, with Milkov knowing he was playing down his true feelings.

"Well you keep your skinny whore Zogrov. Mine is going to the barracks, where the soldiers will be ordered to show her no mercy."

Milkov hated rejection. In his mind his mother had rejected him and his siblings, when she became a whore. It was no matter to Milkov that she had to put food on the table. Sabine had rejected him on that first day in Camp and she had to pay a price. Now, in Milkov's mind, his blonde concubine had rejected him. Again, it was no matter to Milkov that Rachov might have been forcing himself upon her.

The party trudged on and soon spotted vehicles and men where their trail met the road. Some were in Bulgarian military uniform; others in civilian clothing.

"Fuck'n Stassi," Captain Milkov swore softly.

Despite swearing about them, Milkov was largely unconcerned about the Stassi being present. They were always waiting alongside the Bulgarian troops, at the exchange point. He knew they'd not be happy about Andreas having been beaten, but at least they'd get him alive.

Milkov greeted those waiting, but soon sensed all was not right. The commanding officer, a Major, called him aside. Milkov stood with the Major and two Germans walked over.

"All is well at the Camp, Captain?" the Major began.

"Yes Sir, very good Sir. We didn't have the men available to bring out all prisoners, but will do so within a week."

"You are sure all is well Captain? Our German friends here are not so sure," the Major said, indicating the Stassi officers.

Milkov merely frowned and said nothing. One of the Stassi stepped forward and spoke.

"This morning Corporal Elgin Koleva contacted his mother and said goodbye to her," the German said, in excellent Bulgarian.

"He did... I didn't know he could... that he would... why would he say Goodbye... and how do you know such a thing?"

"Why indeed Captain?" the Major replied, ignoring the question about how the Stassi knew. "We have attempted to find out, but there is no reply to our attempts to contact the camp."

"What does this mean?" Milkov pondered, his mind racing. "Young Elgin. My homosexual Corporal. Always so dependable. A man I have taken into my confidence many a time. What is his game?"

"I must get back there and see what is happening," Milkov announced.

"No!" came the curt reply from the Major. "You and Sergeant Zogrov will remain here. Your soldiers will lead Captain Gochov and his men back to check on your camp. They leave immediately."

A picture of a naked Katrin came into Milkov's mind. Right at that moment he was desperate to be back in his cabin, his cock wedged in her ass.

However, right at that moment the woman in question was experiencing a moment of pure exhilaration.

"Freedom!" she yelled out loud, as her group of four walked away from the final wire and into Turkey.

Elgin had led them Indian file, through the mines to the real border. There he had shorted the electricity; cut the fence, and led them through. Now they were a kilometer on. Katrin could not hide her elation.

"All I've done to get here. What I have survived," she thought.

Suddenly there was the crack of rifle fire and bullets flew through the trees above their heads. They dived to the snow. Elgin called out something, in what Katrin surmised was Turkish. An answer soon came. A shouted discussion followed, before Elgin turned to them.

"Hands high and walk slowly toward them, so they can see all four of us," he said. "Let's hope they do not shoot us."

The quartet were not shot. Instead, they were led to a military camp, not unlike the one they had left earlier in the day, except Katrin noted a road leading into this camp. Elgin was spoken to and then marched away. He turned to look at Katrin and she smiled broadly at him.

"What a hero he has been," she thought. "Surely the nicest man I have ever known."

In a room on the Bulgarian side of the border sat Captain Milkov and Sergeant Zogrov. Some hours had passed. The door opened and the Major walked in.

"Captain Gochov has arrived at your camp, Captain. He has discovered why your Corporal bid farewell to his mother. It seems he has taken three East Germans and fled the camp; presumably to Turkey. Gochov has found two other German women in your camp. These women are in poor condition and have a torrid tale to tell Captain Milkov. Your older, experienced soldiers there are describing how you went first with these women and then encouraged your soldiers. They also say you took the pick of the women as your own concubine. A woman who you mistreated; throwing in the snow when she upset you. What do you say Milkov?"

Captain Milkov didn't answer. He could not believe the veterans, who he'd treated as friends; spent much time hunting, drinking and conversing with; would throw him to the wolves. When Milkov didn't answer the Major looked to Sergeant Zogrov. There was no hesitation.

"All this is true," Zogrov replied bluntly, standing to physically distance himself from his Captain. "He abused the two German women himself, before sending them to the barracks. Captain Milkov is moody and erratic. He has not been a good leader in any manner."

Milkov looked toward Zogrov, mouth open, lost for words. He was completely aghast that a man he saw as his friend could betray him so readily.

"Have I no genuine friends?" he thought, as the Major continued.

"Using the Camp as a personal brothel is of no consequence to us. However, one of the soldiers under your command, leading prisoners to the West is of great consequence. It appears he and the woman you kept in your cabin were lovers Captain. The soldier Rachov says he saw them, and also confirms that he took this woman as a lover. He was very descriptive about how she reacted to his touch.

"Has everyone in the Camp been fucking my woman," Milkov thought, barely able to comprehend what he'd just been told, the surprise on his face obvious.

"Ahhh, I see," the Major continued. "You weren't aware that while you drank yourself stupid in the camp mess each day, the rest of the camp was enjoying your woman. You are a disgrace Captain! You were given a second chance, following the killing of your mother. Now you've disgraced the great Bulgarian Army. What do we do with you now Captain Milkov?" the Major asked.

A long silence ensued, before Asen Milkov gathered himself together enough to be able to reply.

"Fuck you and fuck your army," Milkov spat back at him.

Captain Milkov was led to another room and a guard posted outside. Night fell and he drifted off to sleep. His dreams were torrid, with visions of his mother; the mother of his three children, the German woman in the forest. They were laughing at him. Then Katrin entered the dream; a bullet hole in the middle of her forehead. Milkov was pleased to see this; but then the German woman raised a hand to her forehead and wiped the bullet hole away. She also laughed at him and Milkov woke in a cold sweat.

Later that night, the order came from the Bulgarian High Command. Asen Milkov was led outside, into the light of the trucks. There, with Zogrov and Stassi watching on, a soldier raised his pistol and shot him once through the temple. As he lay bleeding in the snow, diplomatic signals were already flying back and forth between Bulgaria and Turkey.

After two days at the Turkish border camp, Katrin, Marion and Thomas were loaded into a jeep and transported twenty kilometers down the unsealed road to a small town. They were taken to the town's only Hotel, where a smartly dressed German introduced himself.

"Herr Snell from the West German Embassy in Ankara," he said extending his hand. "You are now free of the communist regime in the East and will be well cared for."

They were briefly interviewed together, with Katrin doing most of the talking for the trio. Thomas was then taken from the room, so the adult women might describe what occurred to them in the Bulgarian Camp. Katrin was explicit in telling of Captain Milkov demanding fellatio from the first day; of regularly sodomizing her and detailing his other sexual perversions. She noted Herr Snell move about in his chair and wondered if she should have been so vivid in her description. By contrast Marion was guarded, merely telling of her and the Sergeant making love, three or four times every night.

Herr Snell ordered his adjunct to show Marion to the small bedroom. He proceeded to give Katrin an extended speech about corruption in the East and freedom in the West. Katrin, relaxed, thinking what a breath of fresh air this handsome man was, compared to men behind the Iron Curtain.

"You are the smart one Fraulein Katrin. The leader of this small group; I can see that. So; now there are two things I require of you, in order to rapidly process your papers, and fly you to West Germany via Ankara within days."

"I am happy to do anything," Katrin said, feeling genuinely free for the first time in her life.

"Good! The first is simple. You merely need to make a statement that the young Bulgarian Corporal Koleva, who accompanied you to Turkey, was abusive toward you."

"What?" Katrin replied, in disbelief.

"You heard me. The Bulgarians do not care about three Germans escaping to the West. What they are concerned about is the repercussions in their ranks, if one of their own is seen as having successfully fled. Others will likely look to emulate the Corporal. So your statement will read Koleva came to the cabin daily and forced himself upon you, just as the Captain did. If you say this is so, as a rapist and sodomizer, he is not welcome in Turkey, and is immediately returned to Bulgaria. If not, remains here near the border, until this diplomatic incident is cleared up. It could take months, and you and your friends remain here with him," Herr Snell explained, still smiling.

Katrin's mind raced. Elgin had risked his life to free them. He was a man of honor who would never have touched her, had she not encouraged this. He was young and intelligent. He had hopes and dreams, just like Katrin.

"He's in love with me. He thinks we have a future together," Katrin pleaded.

"But now he's become an impediment," came the blunt reply.

Another long silence ensued, during which Katrin calmed herself and began to evaluate her situation, just as she had done from the beginning. She made her decision.

"Yes! He was abusive. I will sign," Katrin said, callously consigning Elgin to what she knew would be certain death.

"Very good Fraulein. A wise decision. I will have a document drawn up for you to sign."

"And the second thing?"

"Ah yes; the second thing. You like the young Corporal, so that decision was not easy for you. But the second thing I require is far more pleasant. We must stay here another two nights Fraulein, while arrangements are made. There is a small single room for your skinny friend and a broom cupboard for your brother, but no room for you, I'm afraid. So I offer you my room to sleep in for the next two nights. This is acceptable to you Katrin?"

"In your room... You mean...?" Katrin replied, not fully able to believe what Herr Snell had just proposed.

"Yes that's exactly what I mean Fraulein. If you wish to have matters moved along you will share my bed for two nights. I think you will enjoy it. The alternative is you go to the broom cupboard with your brother, where there is no bed and where you will remain for many weeks."

Katrin sat there in despair at first, barely comprehending how this could be in the West. At first her heart sank low.

"I had such high hopes that things would be different for a young woman in the West. It seems that it is not so different in so far as men and women are concerned," she mulled.

Despite this setback, the steely resolve that had carried Katrin this far returned. She looked up and nodded.

"I'm sure the bed will be very comfortable. I accept your offer Herr Snell. Thank you."