23 August, 1939 ( newspaper headline )

In a move that has shocked the political universe at prominent ; the governments of Germany and the brotherhood of Soviet Socialist Republics have concluded and signed a treaty of common non-aggression. The released statements of many worldly concern leader has ranged across the spectrum, from ones of rejoicing that the prospects of another great war in Europe has been avoided, to others who unofficially are seeking Sir Thomas More information or are involved in a series of ‘ acute discussions'with confederate governments.


1 September, 1939 ( headline )

Ladies and gentlemen today it is my sad duty to announce that war has returned to the continent of Europe as on this day the arm force of Federal Republic of Germany have invaded westerly Polska. Heavy scrap is reported by all side of meat, with Germany announcing ‘ deep, monolithic and traverse insight'by its arm forces. Allegedly the Polish army is already collapsing ; surrendering in ever growing act and the government has fled the nation for asylum in Romania. Unofficial accounts from radio manipulator in Poland speak of continued resistance that is ‘ stout, hard and determined'in the font of the unprovoked aggression of Germany.

Many world leaders have strongly denounced this hostility on the section of the government of FRG, with France, Britain and the United States of America demanding that the regular army of Germany end all hostilities at once. This is to be followed by secession to the master border, while an international mediation via the conference of res publica occurs to sink the matter of hostilities between the several governments.

No commentary has been relayed from the German government.


3 September, 1939 ( newspaper headline )

On this day the crisis in EU has grown exponentially, with the government of French Republic and Britain officially declaring war upon the administration of Germany for the invasion of Poland. Contacts within the respective military and government section tell that armed intervention in Republic of Poland, and the direct territorial encroachment of Germany ‘ shall occur within a helping hand enumeration of days, or at to the highest degree, before the side by side two workweek are over.'

The fighting continues on, with the government activity of Deutschland reporting more and more than dominion gained with each passing minute, while Polish sources report the primary thrust of the German Blitzkrieg has been blunted, but that the res publica casualties have been high. The annunciation of the declaration of war by France and Britain has brought renewed Leslie Townes Hope for the badger res publica.


17 September, 1939 ( newspaper headline )

In a move of blatant self-seeking and hostility the regular army of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have invaded easterly Polska. The representatives of the USSR declared that the motion is to ensure that law and ordering and stability are maintained in the face of the complete collapse of the polish government. Within hours the move had been condemned by almost members of the league of Nations…


5 October, 1939 ( Headlines )

Poland has officially ceased to exist according to the governing of Federal Republic of Germany and the Russia. The small nations of Latvia, Lietuva and Estonia have been annexed by the Soviet Union after being coerced into signing one sided ‘ mutual defensive structure pact'with the exchange communist government of Russia….

Unconfirmed reports citation that official from Finland have been invited to Moscow for ‘ discussions of a most specific nature concerning the reciprocal defense of both countries.'One early high-ranking military officer explained that usually means ‘ Moscow makes the threats and Finland will arrive at conceding, or there shall be war in the end…'


â‚°â‚°

Deep in the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall of STAVKA, Supreme Headquarters for the armed personnel of the Soviet Union, the assembled leader stand at attention as the lone man walked calmly in the door and silently proceeded to the head of the long, map-covered table.

His every footstep echoed like thunder across the room, and heightened the dense tension that was further magnified by his atmosphere of power, say-so, ruthlessness and determination. He reveled in the care that radiated from all of those confront, for all knew with a simple gesture, a nod, or one spoken Good Book, he could make or crack any or all of their careers, send them to the gulag for biography, or have them summarily executed.

Taking his seat he motioned for all to sit and began to explain the matters at hired man."comrade, the conquest of Poland and the annexation of Latvia, Lithuania and Republic of Estonia are nearing completion. The ancient territory of our great Rodinia are nearly unadulterated, with one vexing exclusion. Despite our most generous offers to them, the lackeys of the Imperialist west, especially those of Britain, who ‘ regularize'in Finland, have slapped aside the manus of communist generosity."

"Comrades, as of now I am instructing all of you to enact the programme we have prepared for such an eventuality,"the man stated, hammering away on the table with his clenched fist as his eye, stale and gray, blazed with Erinyes and rage at the governing who has defied him since he was forced to signalise the 1921 treaty of Tartu forced upon the peaceful citizenry of the USSR by the decrepit and Imperialist-led league of Nations.

"companion, explain to me again every item of the programme as they exist at this prison term, do not impart out one detail,"he declared as he motioned for the NKVD guard duty, members of the feared State security department apparatus, to watch for the first wind of defeatism, hesitation or anything that may be construed as traitorousness. For those so suspected the resultant role would be publically declared ‘ a restrained and well earn retreat'…

Something that all at the table, especially the man who inspired such awe and terror in all about him, knew to mean ‘ death by firing squad.'

For that lone man, Prime Minister Chief Joseph Stalin, he wanted it no other way. He and he alone ruled in the Russia, and he held the fate of all in his mitt alone.

For nearly twenty years he had fumed over the humiliation Suomi and her Imperialist backer had inflicted upon him in 1921. So now he will get his retaliation and have the proper lands of the Old Russian Tsar's restored to the motherland, under proper Communist guidance of course.

He listened as the details were explained over respective hours, with only one small improver proposed to secure there will be no doubtfulness as to ‘ Finnish aggression'being the cause of the coming invasion."Make it so,"said Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili.


31 October, 1939 ( newspaper headline )

Today before the assembly of the Supreme Soviet, Foreign minister of religion Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, for the beginning time in populace announced the terms ‘ requested'of the governing of Finland to ‘ ensure the defenses of the peaceful people of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.'

The ‘ requests,'a polite term for what most citizenry in the Democratic land of the world will yell ‘ demands at the point of a gun'were for land to be leased for XXX yr, or transferred directly into the mitt of the USSR while the political science of Finland would invite in return country that is free and worthless. German Chancellor Adolph Hitler has called upon the people of Finland and their leaders to live with the damage peacefully while prison term remains for them to do so…

Needless to say, the substance of ‘ while sentence remains for them to do so…'has dramatically increased tensions in a continent already at war between the allies and the Axis world power.


â‚°â‚°

Stephen half-listened to the news program coming from the everyday radio programme that detailed the current build up of tenseness between Finland and Russia. Day by day the negotiations had been summarized in the typical way of Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili and his cohorts…

"Agree to our damage with no compromise or face the fist of brand from our armies."That is the content they have sent before, when Finland finally won its independence at the end of the Great War.

memory of that fierce time played across his mind as he examined the masterly-crafted rifle that he held ; its hone design and counterweight, custom as a birthday present to one peculiar to him, will make her one of the greatest of Hunter ever to haunt game in the Ellen Price Wood. The new orbit mounted to it was commissioned by a friend of his, whose intention were a generation or more than ahead of their time.

Stephen twirled and tossed the rifle ; rapidly worked the bolt-action to gain the final examination feel of how fluent it will play when time was of the essence - as he learned recently with a bear that almost had him for dinner. No flaw could be found, no blemish, no mistake in his greatest founding of all the piece he has handcrafted in his life history as an armorer, soldier, Hunter and…dealer in goods and stuff best left hand unexplained and preferably never found by factor of the law.

He and his friends had prepared to the best they could…let the Russians come, the hornets nestle waits…

Pleased with the rifle he slid it into its white-fur-lined scabbard and double checked the harness for any flaw. Again he found none, his friends having done their work to absolute perfection.

"She will make love this rifle,"Sir Leslie Stephen said as he mulled over the coming event,"her birthday is on the 30th of Nov. I will be there and show her how to hunt with her new rifle ; she will hunt as never before until all know her name."

All too soon Sir Leslie Stephen would come to realize the prophetic timber of his discussion. For that rifle will be wielded by one to go a legend…


24 November, 1939 ( newspaper headline )

stress continue to build between the governing of Finland and the Russia as two counter proposal of marriage were made to find an honorable resolution to the demands of capital of the Russian Federation. Both proposals were summarily rejected as being completely unacceptable on the premise they would leave the USSR completely vulnerable in the region of Leningrad.

All diplomatic ties between Finland and the Russia have been severed by the exit of the Suomi company after being ordered home to Helsinki for ‘ consultations.'


26 Nov, 1939 ( headline )

Unconfirmed write up coming from the party news show services of the USSR have declared a ‘ surprisal and dastardly attempt on Russian district has occurred by units of the Fascist political science of Finland upon statement by their passkey, the Imperialist Industrialists of the West.'

Foreign diplomatic minister Perm has condemned this ‘ mass murder of Russian youth and destruction of much Russian history in the border Village of Mainila…

â‚°â‚°

"My fellow Comrade,"declared the fabled ‘ man of brand,'prime minister Stalin to the Soviet highschool dictation who stood at attention before the tabular array where he sat."Negotiations have fallen through with the fascistic regime of Finland, and now we have this unprovoked assault upon our homeland. As per programme already prepared for such an natural event, the orders are henceforth given to you and your troops…just before dawning on 30 Nov the great army of the marriage of Soviet Socialist Republics shall invade Finland and liberate her oppressed hatful who cry for freedom under a proper commie government."

His anger flared hot in his eyes and iron-cold in his words as he slammed his hand on the hard tabular array,"I will be very clear in this issue. unsuccessful person will not be tolerated ; the slightest mark of incompetence, fearful activity and betrayal against the party or the state will intend summary execution by the NKVD. All orders and plans made will be approved by them before any are carried out. Remember, they answer to me alone…"

acerate leaf to say everyone got the message.

Joseph Stalin grinned and reveled in the absolute fear the men around him displayed. HE was in control, the master key of all in Russia to do with as he pleased.

Soon enough the disgrace inflicted upon him by Finland so long ago will be avenged, a dark spot on his violent repute. Everyone award knew that the words he spoke of failed negotiations were mere window dressing, for the might of four Russian US Army corp was in place at key crossing points along the Finland - Russian border.

encroachment had been inevitable for some time, and the Fin's would pay for their obstinacy in fire and blood.



30 Nov 1939 rear-area of Russian Ninth Army Corp

Major-General Yuri Bogdan watched the border area from the wooded ridgepole just shy of the Finnish-Russian border. The modest village, little more than a hamlet not even desirable of a mark on any official map, showed at the limit point of his field glasses, just one more minor obstacle for the grand liberation of Suomi that will be erased in a few more than minutes.

He turned to the regimental commanders who surrounded him, each standing tall and proud, as he gave them his final examination teaching in the not bad campaign that is to commence. Each edict was repeated back in precise detail to him and to the division's chief political commissar, Major-General Vitaly of the NKVD ( Department of State security ). All of the officer knew that one misstep, one failure, one violation, or the appearance of any of the aforementioned, can become dry land for drumhead slaying by the NKVD.

Anyone doubting that only had to glint at the freshly turned earth that marked thirty grave accent of swain officer who were shot an time of day ago for ‘ inappropriate lack of fighting spirit for the cause of the state.'

"Comrades,"Major-General Bogdan spoke to the gathered officers,"our part has been granted the honor of spearheading the cause in the liberation of our communist pal from the fascists who currently rule Finland. As you know, less than 72 hours ago, our crowned head soil was violated in a border clash designed to plague the universe's sympathy for the brigand leaders of Republic of Finland and thus twist them against our honorable leader familiar Stalin."

He watched Major-General Vitaly casually stroll back and Forth River around the police officer, as one would carry of a rancher or granger inspecting his prized ingathering of cow and steers before sending them to market. He went on with his spoken communication,"associate, each of us will execute our parts to ne plus ultra, and we will maintain radio set silence as per Army headquarters Order until instruct otherwise. Use the motorbike couriers you have well and with due diligence, no opportunity to crush the foeman must be wasted."

He hammered his clenched fist into his gloved hand,"Speed, shock and relentless force per unit area, this is how we shall divide this section of the front line wide open and shape up ever onward. All prisoners taken are to be sent to our comrades of State Department certificate unless directed, as per orders signed by Premier Comrade Joseph Stalin, otherwise by each regiments commissar or by orders of Major-General Commissar Vitaly."

He pointed to the recently filled graves to one side of the gathered policeman,"Understand, there is to be no retreat or surrender,"his voice deepened as his rage mounted,"those who do so are shamefaced of high treason and shall be dealt with swiftly as these traitors to the State Department have been shell out with."

"Now return to your regiments and get ready to cross the molding as per program,"he watched the police officer salute and flee for their staff vehicles like a panicked assembly of rabbits in the view of a band of mortarboard on the hunt.

â‚°â‚°

Stephen had just crested the small Hill meridian when he heard the first thundering of gun unleashed from across the border. He watched in horror as good time after crushing blow of cannon casing and rocket landed around the hamlet of summertime Mist, where his granddaughter Nikkei's birthday party is taking place, a day of joy and happiness as his native land neared war that no one wanted to have happen.

Sadly, as the clouds of gage and churned earth merged with the cries and riot of his class and champion, he knew the war no one wanted had begun. He shouldered the cloth-wrapped present he had spent so many months crafting for Nikkei's birthday, and felt the rip flow down his cheeks as he watched his humankind taken from him for the second time in his sprightliness by warfare.


â‚°â‚°

Her humankind spun in a haze of painfulness and dizziness as she struggled to open her eyes. The gentle crepitation of a fire flooded her ear and the intermixture of cooking meat, burning woodwind and early odors assaulted her common sense of smell with overmaster force. She struggled to rise, slowly lifting herself onto her articulatio cubiti and then falling back to the ground still enshrouded by the midst blanket somebody had put over her while she was unconscious.

A figure leaned down following to her and handed her a cup of cold water that she guzzled down, all but choking upon its cool down line into her parched mouth and throat.

"Easy Nikkei, leisurely there get your meter,"Stephen said as he helped her sit up. He checked the with child bruise she had on her frontal bone and chuckled as she swatted at him when he touched one sore spot after another."You will be very well Nikkei ; at the least I still have my granddaughter with me."

"Grandpa what happened,"Nikkei asked, not comprehending his last tidings he had said to her,"Where are all the others, mama and papa and my brothers…"She stopped upon seeing the expression that showed upon his face, understanding at last what had happened to everyone else.

"No granddaddy, no not that, please not that,"she said, collapsing into his subdivision as he drew her last. She broke down completely, the sobs coming hard and fast for the release of her entire family."Why grandpa, why did this deliver to happen ?"

"I don't know Nikkei, I honestly don't know,"Stephen said as he rocked her back and forth.

Actually he did know, having followed the acute negotiation between the Finnish-Soviet governments. Each day the USSR had become more and more demanding in the concession it sought, making it cleared with none-too-subtle threats and gestures that war would be the result keep open for complete and unconditional surrender of all territorial reserve demands made…a chain of need that Sir Leslie Stephen knew could not be accepted by Finland.

Yet he, like most in the village, had hoped for common sensation and peace to fare about. So it was that Nikkei's eighteenth natal day offered a meter to fete and for the biotic community to forget about the remote existence for a poor time…then the bombardment arrived, slaughtering nearly everyone and destroying every edifice in the area.

Only Nikkei survived due to her having been flung like a ragdoll into an irrigation ditch. Stephen had found her half frozen and brought her to one of the minuscule cabins in the wooded hills he called household, hoping to image out how to get her to safety when she could travel again.

Nikkei pointed to the bound bundle next to Sir Leslie Stephen and asked,"grandad, what is that you have there ?"

He looked into her pain-filled optic, glad for something to disorder her even for a short time from the crushing personnel casualty of all that she had known."This is my natal day gift for you Nikkei, just as I promised to make finish class, one all of your own."

Nikkei watched as Stephen untied the bundle and removed a pillage scabbard from beneath the canvas tent. He turned and presented it to her as if she were a queen of some forgotten land worthy of a rare and precious gift from her people.


She took the rifle scabbard in her hands and laid it across her lap, stroking the mild leather covered in white fur. The rifles stock, made of finely lacquered wood carved in detailed images of her hunting in the deep Sir Henry Joseph Wood spoke of Stephens's skill as a lord gun Almighty and armorer.

Gently Nikkei pulled it detached of the scabbard and examined it for some prison term, feeling the precise balance and class that already felt a natural university extension of her. The telescopic sight glistened in the piano firelight, and she spotted the touch of an old friend of her grandpa, a man who made masterwork optics superior to even the all right made in Germany.

Two wonderful treasures for her natal day ; such a prize of wealth she felt unworthy of possessing let alone being able to check in her hands.

"grandfather I can't take this, it's more suitable in your hands…"she shushed as Stephen shook his head.

"You saved me from that bear last year Nikkei,"he said with a smile. He had made one error on the Leigh Hunt he had taken her on, one moment of sloppiness in which the bear reared up and threatened his life. Nikkei proved the quicker though, as she placed three slugs into the bears heart and head and thus mortally wounded the brute. It still fought on for some time before it succumbed, but in return for saving him, Stephen promised Nikkei he would craft a rifle worthy of her phenomenal skills.

"I wish mamma and daddy could have seen this, along with everyone else…'she began to sob again as the Truth slammed home hard in her heart. Her kinfolk is gone forever, as are her friends, all save for Sir Leslie Stephen. Something deep in her soulfulness snapped, flooding her with a fiery resolve that consumed her in an split second. The beasts who had done this to them will be made to pay, and in blood.

"Grandpa, where are the monsters who did this, where are they ?"she demanded, her voice filled with anger and rage none could have dreamed existed. None save for Stephen who had long recognized the Same traits in her that he had, and understood zip will view as her back from having her revenge on the Russians, no matter if in the end it cost her own life.

He shook his head, recalling the time back in the struggle of 1918 when Finland won its independence from the Tsar's of Soviet Russia, and the metre of difficulty which followed. He had been a colonel then, and for a time he fought as a partisan behind the occupation, becoming such a scourge on his enemies that they called him ‘ spook Bear.'

"And so story will repeat itself…"he whispered. That drew a curious aspect from Nikkei who still waited for his answer.

"Nikkei we are going to get you to safety and then I and some Quaker will lead off to fight these monsters, I will not lose…oh why I even bother…'He snorted and rolled his eyes to the heavens as she struggled to stand up and surprise out of the modest cabin to go it alone."God above, she is more like me than even her mommy could have figured…"

"Nikkei hold on there,"he grabbed her as she began to cave in to the flooring, still woozy from the coke to her nous."Fine then, I have a few affair to get quick for our hunting, we will be partisan then here in our domain of the woods and hills ; one thing emphatically, I call the crack and we do this my way until we have driven those fiend out of our homeland."

"Fine granddaddy,"Nikkei said as she wrapped up once again in the thick cover."We do it your way, just so long as I get to kill Russians…"her parole became unintelligible as she drifted off into slumber.


â‚°

As Nikkei slumbered away the day, Sir Leslie Stephen headed off into the forest, making contact with some old friends who dealt in matters best left unmentioned in the presence of the say-so. They had prepared for the chance of war coming, establishing caches of weaponry and early geared wheel around the area for a band of enthusiast to use if they needed it…and now they will, for once again ‘ Ghost Bear'will introduce into war and lay down his foeman pay for their offence in blood.

He continued on into the woodwind instrument, seeking a place where his personal cache of ‘ special trade good'waited retrieval.

As the destination came into sight, little more than a clustering of rock candy and shrubs covering a small cavern in their profundity he reached into his coat and rested his hand upon the hilt of his hunting knife. The vague smell of cigar baccy filtered through the air, coming closer with each passing secondment, soon to be joined with the soft compaction - crunching of several pair of snowshoes coming towards him.

He edged into the nearby shrubs and trees, concealing himself so as to appear as little more than than another small clump of rocks at the base of a mighty northerly pine as the citizenry who followed him closed in, step by whole step, and into impinging space of his ambush…

Lightning fast he slammed his elbow into the gut of the man who had snuck up behind him, following up with a fist to his foes throat, as he grabbed the man by his coat and dragged him to the footing. Stephen pulled out his knife to fork up the death blow and suddenly stopped as the man beneath him gently chuckled.

Captain Edward G. Robinson of the Suomi Army grinned and looked at Sir Leslie Stephen,"You have not lost any of the skill you taught all of us those years ago Colonel Sir Leslie Stephen. Now if you don't mind, let me up and I will indicate my men not to try and shoot you…"

"Like they really could get that close,"Stephen snorted,"I heard them from a half kilometer off. You learned the lessons well, but apparently your own scholarly person have not. Now why are you here sea captain, and please I am just Sir Leslie Stephen now, no longer a colonel of the army…or will I be again."

"Stephen is it then,"began Jackie Robinson,"we're here to scout and harass the advancing Soviet US Army as it heads up the road. person has to stay behind and go partisans, though from the grin on your facial expression I assume you already have begun that task ?"

"In a manner of speaking,"Stephen filled in his old student and Friend in on his architectural plan."Right now I am off to reach others in the area who will watch and strike as they can. Even in our independent ways, we can work together and attain the Russians life a keep hell."

Robinson nodded as he caught the subtle utilisation of ‘ we'in his conclusion sentence, tattle of another who will trace the Russians with Stephen.

"Fair enough Sir Leslie Stephen,"Robinson said as his men advanced, shocked to see their drawing card talking to an old man who appeared to total out of nowhere. He looked at Sir Leslie Stephen and asked of his old booster,"So then, what gens will our mysterious huntsman be called ?"

Sir Leslie Stephen grinned, knowing then and there Esme Stuart Lennox Robinson will go along with anything he asked or needed done,"The Snow Fox, for we will demonstrate the true craftiness us Fins have when on our dwelling primer coat. Now I have to get a few other matter done and ‘ acquired'then the hunt will begin."

So it was, after a quick handclasp, the men departed.


3 December 1939 near front line of Russian 163rd infantry Division


major Joseph stood by the panoplied staff car with his sub-machine gun clenched tight in his grip. His Superior in the NKVD ( nation security system ) had made his instruction painfully clear ; keep a conclusion eye on the activities of Major-General Bogdan as he served as his driver, courier and personal bodyguard out in the field. Failure in any way will result in summary execution.

Over a dozen more soldiers, young lieutenant and captains, stood around or waited in their own staff cars for instructions from the general. Almost all of them gazed from time to time to the advancing crease of hand truck, tanks and tank-riding infantry that snaked its way along the I road ever deeper into Finland. The upstage ground-shaking roar of the artillery no longer registered with them, having become little more than setting noise in the fourth day of their lightning fasting ( sort of ) pace of the attack.

Major-General Bogdan stood highschool upon the hood of his car as he scanned the horizon with his exquisitely binoculars, a talent from his granddaddy many long year past. His frustration mounted by the minute at the stubbornness of the Suomi guardian who have defied his ability to smash through them for the finish three daylight. Three days and his division were barely twenty miles across the border.

"upper, fastness and ever more stop number. That is how we win this war, speed, cushion and uncompromising aggression against any who stand against us,"he muttered to himself."maitre d'hotel Craigson, ensure that all regimental and lower commanders understand the orders. Unrelenting pressure, there will be no more withdrawing or moving other than at the enemy ahead. Any bankruptcy and I will personally flash the officers myself if need be."

The captain repeated back his teaching, saluted and retreated to his faculty car, which tore off down the road with due haste to ensure the message was received and duly carried out.

Major-General Bogdan growled as he watched his division slowly crawl down the route."The Finnish ass-kisser's of the Imperialist west and Capitalists will learn what it means to defy the Soviet Union. We will take back what is rightfully ours since long before the Revolution began. They wanted war, so now they shall deliver it and we will rebuild their society into a confessedly Communist country as it should be."

His mood suddenly brightened at the muckle of a of a battery of truck-mounted rocket launchers and two assault and battery of weapon moved off the road and began to set up for firing at targets located by his guide. So a good deal firepower being machinate meant that at to the lowest degree a multitude or two of opposition soldiers had gathered to attain a despairing net stand against his armour and infantry tearing ever thick into their homeland.

The audio of a motorbike informed him that a messenger had arrived, and he nodded in atonement as the man stopped his bike, handed his line to Captain Dima who double-timed it to the full general. When he read the note, Major-General Bogdan felt his blood boiling point as he shouted, raged and cursed while directing another minibike mounted messenger to move forward and tell his divisional headquarters to push his three lead regiments forward with all speed or face execution at his own hands.

He cursed the orders of ‘ absolute radio silence'that came from his superordinate at ground forces HQ's fifty or Thomas More miles behind his air division."Damn them for their defiance to the pauperism of the motherland !"he shouted while shaking his clenched fist in the way of the Finnish defenders.

Nearby another older ship's officer smiled at the absolute rage of Major-General Bogdan. Of course when this officer smiled, all the co-occurrence officers of the superior general cringed, instantly coming to attending and saluting, if only to save their own life history, not knowing death stalked all of them from another position…



â‚°

"Say what you will that one has a bit of a temperament problem,"Sir Leslie Stephen said as he eased the binoculars down from his optic. Clad in solid-white wintertime clothing his center shifted across the horizon and then across the state before him. Even the slightest movement drew his tending as he quickly dismissed it as the current of air, an animal or a Russian Soldier moving around on some mission or another.

He watched a second officer, probably the NKVD counterpart of the officer who stood atop his cars hood, stroll with pure arrogance and insolence becoming of a commissar of high up rank and file over to the vehicle and acclivity upon the hood as well. The remaining officeholder stood at a respectable space, all save for the ship's officer's driver who looked and moved like a small terrier determined to protect its master from a inner circle of ravenous wolves.


â‚°

"Yes comrade they do have it coming for their defiance to the needs of the homeland,"said John Roy Major General Vitaly, Political commissar for the division of Major-General Bogdan."It appears you are ahead of agenda by a bit, despite word coming of some electrical resistance run into by your lead elements."

"fellow commissar it is estimable to see you up and about."Major-General Bogdan said as he gave his fellow the best salute he could manage."We are pushing hard for our days objective and I have ordered the men to push all the harder. There is some describe opposition, yet we shall push harder than before and shatter them completely. In short purchase order any prisoners will be in your custody, as they should be, and we shall be one step closer to flying the pin of International Communism high over this commonwealth of defiant banditti."


â‚°

To Stephens left wing, slightly higher up upon the craggy stack of stone and shrubs among the great pine forest a twain of blue middle stared at the policeman through the scope of her rifle. She slowly brought her manus up to the CRO and made some minute adjustment, allowing her to mete out with the range of mountains, wind and other variable quantity to identify her snap right field on target when the bit arrived.

Both ship's officer on the railway car hood turned to watching the sensible horizon through their opera glasses.

She drew the crosshairs storey with the newly arrived officer's skull, and braced the rifles fund against her shoulder while resting her finger's breadth on the trigger.

"I'm going for them grandpa,"Nikkei whispered to Stephen, who nodded in response.

One terminal calculation of the range and all variable quantity flowed through her mind as she squeezed the trigger…


â‚°

Major-General Bogdan smiled as the heavy ordnance sounded off, the aloud roaring of the howitzers merging with the screaming cry of Katyusha rockets tearing off from their truck-mounted catapult. He shook his fist in delight, imagining the butchery beginning to precipitate on the hapless Finland regular army regulars'just kilometers ahead when he felt something wet splattering across the slope of his headway, left arm and chest.


He turned in time to see the body of Major-General Vitaly crash to the ground with all of the grace of a butchered Sus scrofa. The sight of the gaping wounding left from the fastball his forefront had intercepted caused Bogdan to immobilize, unable to act, speak, or even think. He knew then and there that demise was only moments away from claiming him in its icy hands.

major Chief Joseph leapt upon the cars cap and tackled Major-General Bogdan. The hummer meant for the general took the man in the back, severed his spine and ruptured his heart, perfectly before he and the general plummeted to the dry land, sheltered by the armour car from the snipers fire.

Pandemonium reigned in the full general unit as some of the men ran to facilitate Major-General Bogdan and the fallen Commissar and Major Joseph. The ease dove for the nighest cover charge they could incur and come back fire with pistol, rifle or sub-machinegun at suspected sniper locations as the field gun continued to roar away and make it nearly impossible for one man to find out another even close up.

With mechanical efficiency, one officer after another flopped to the ground, a single red wound found in their tear pharynx or skulls. In less than two minutes, as the artillery fell soundless once again and their crews commenced preparations to be active on down the road, thirteen men lay dead on ground, while the survivors huddled in the protective shadow of covering, not daring to displace or even breath.

Even the normally imperturbable Major-General Bogdan looked about, stunned and overwhelmed at the sheer carnage wrecked by some unknown enemy in such a short duet of sentence. It was over a half-hour before he regained his calmness and shouted out orders to move the building block to his divisions HQ and even longer to send word USA home base of the loss of Major-General Vitaly.

â‚°

"Come Nikkei its time to go away and quickly,"Stephen said to her as he finished wiring the go of many ‘ gifts'he had set out earlier to further punish the Russians when they came to investigate the area. As he considered the mass murder to get from his ‘ endowment,'Stephen and Nikkei donned their skis and disappeared into the woods little more than twin shade headed to one of many temporary shelters they will come to use in the weeks and months ahead.


â‚°â‚°â‚°

The great deal of the snaking trail of tanks, motortruck, artillery and infantry which pushed ever mystifying into his homeland sickened Captain Robinson. He wondered how a good deal of a probability his Nation honestly had to check this dour sight of metal and men bent upon the complete conquest of Finland.

One of his men tapped him on his shoulder and pointed down to the roadside where a force of infantry began to assemble under the enraged rules of order of officer watched by stern-eyed NKVD Commissars. Some of the officers, led by a commissar Major, examined one area of ground and the bodies left behind after some kind of ambush had occurred.

A fast reckoning of the infantry told him that he and his men faced a strengthened company of Russian soldiers, who began to spread out. Some marched unto a small crag of Harlan Fiske Stone and bush while the remainder headed towards Robinson and his men at a brisk manner of walking. He could see that the members of this second isthmus were hesitating and on sharpness, though their concern of the commissars outweighed any risk from the timberland ahead of them.


captain Robinson and his handful of men dropped down under masking as a small plosion erupted from that bouldered crag, felling over a dozen Russian soldiers. Chaos erupted as a second flak erupted, unleashing a waving of metal combat, nails, and other projectiles that wounded a grievance and five of men. The surviving infantry began to send away at random into the forest with rifles and sub-machineguns as fast as they could while yelling at the top of their lungs.

They charged at the woodwind edge, only to have their ragged organisation shattered by a chain of blow triggered by out of sight tripwires. Pillars of smoke and tossed malicious gossip rose as men fell to the priming coat seeking cover, stagnant or dying.

"Now men, now, take them down while we can !"headwaiter Robinson shouted to his men as the gross clip for a improvise ambush had arrived. Rifles merged with the tap-tapping of four light-colored machine accelerator pedal which scythed across the Russian infantry, felling them one after another after another.

In LE than a mo the battle was over and his men swarmed among the dead Russians to get together rifles, ammo and anything of Charles Frederick Worth in the way of armed forces intelligence operation they could find. Two minutes after they began, he and his men disappeared back into the woodwind, where two hours and seven kilometre away the maitre d'hotel examined a set of edict to the NKVD political commissar Major to ‘ uncovering and liquidate the banditti who slew Major-General Vitaly and 14 other officers.'

"15 policeman and they left behind a chain of pinhead cakehole for their pursuers ?"sergeant Jermaine, the aide of Captain Robinson, whistled softly and shook his head in skepticism."Who could possibly have done that ?"

"I'll tell you who did this,"senior pilot Esme Stuart Lennox Robinson said with a facial expression of amazement on his face,"It was the body of work of the Charles Percy Snow Fox. I need a runner to get the information we have back to our slope of the lines, and get it there on the double."

Captain James Harvey Robinson watched the messenger ski away and then turned to his men and nodded. calm down as the still air around them they departed, determined to watch and hit the invading Russians whenever and wherever they can to cook life as paltry for them as possible.


7-8 December, 1939 Sweden - unknown manor house

Swedish Prime Minister Hansson looked out the program library window upon a res publica covered in C. P. Snow and for a moment dreamed that the worldly concern was still at peace treaty. He sighed, knowing that such a aspiration is finished for many a year to come since another great war has erupted.

turn back to his two other invitee he looked upon his old Friend Ryti, Prime Minister of Finland and here on ‘ buck private issue'for his nation."Will the terminus be acceptable in the end ?"he asked of Ryti.

Prime minister of religion Ryti looked at the one-third gentleman's gentleman in the room, a man of ruthless aspiration and ill-concealed greed. No matter the absolute scorn he held for this man, Republic of Finland needed the weapon and supplies even more ; so he has dealt with the lesser of two evils to bring through his dwelling."It will be satisfactory, as per the terminus we have agreed upon."

"Very good then,"the third man declared as he stood and adjusted his coat,"have the money transferred into my Swiss accounts by the usual means ; just to be clear, this meeting never happened and I will deny any and all reference of it in public. I am helping you due to the fact I hate the Russians More than anything else."

With that the man, German language Marshall Herman Hermann Goering departed for his trajectory home.



7-8 December, 1939 rear-area Russian ninth United States Army Corp

In the old prospector's cabin, little more than a freshen up hut, Nikkei watched as the sun cast its final stage rays of light before departing below the horizon and allowing the night to embrace the land in its suitcase. She put the blanket back into place, to continue even the slight firelight from escaping into the outside reality. She looked to the cabin door and wondered when Stephen would be back from ‘ get together with some protagonist nearby.'

She returned to cleaning her rifle with great care, determined to guarantee that the arm of her revenge was kept in everlasting status for the next trap set by Stephen and her. Step by dance step as she had been taught so long ago she cleaned and oiled each parting in bit, ensuring that not one mote of dirt, grit, or anything could jam or plug it up at the import when she would postulate it most.

The small radio set Sir Leslie Stephen had somehow get his hands upon whisper news of the outside world between the static-filled watchword of the aurora borealis dancing overhead. What news show came from prescribed sources among the Northern and European post painted a bleak future for her homeland, as four massive ground forces groups have crossed the borders from north to south, seeking to suppress the entire nation.

To the Confederate States of America, on the Karelian Isthmus the Russians have pushed the Suomi regular army back to the Mannerheim subscriber line. A massive artillery bombardment, nearly two twenty-four hour period in length if the reports are to be believed, preceded a massed infantry assault in the neighborhood of Taipale supported with regimental posture ordnance, rocket-fire, aerial bombing and speaker used to circularise outcry for resignation of the Suomi army until they were shot apart by Finnish snipers.

Nikkei listened and smiled, pleased to hear the news of the Finnish army had dug in mystifying, with well sighted ordnance and weapon, and then ripped apart the Russians Assault. Casualties from the carnage were estimated at 5000 drained Russians and twice that injured, along with 500 prisoner. Curiously she heard about the crushing defeat made against the Russian armour, some fourscore tanks destroyed or disabled and captured.

She and Sir Leslie Stephen had seen a few such tanks moving along the lone route that linked Russia and their army that advanced slowly into Republic of Finland. Sir Leslie Stephen seemed genuinely afraid of the metal wolf, though she respected what they could do, the sight of the gasoline-filled fuel drum mounted on the back pack of cards of them gave her an idea of how to intercept one…literally it would go up in flames…

And part of the ‘ special ammunition'prepared for her by Sir Leslie Stephen and his friends would do that job quite nicely.

Nikkei looked at the small threesome of bottles tied to her pack, each one prepared to deport another deadly surprisal on any armor creature or vehicle when assailed during an surprisal onset. Stephen had been rather dubious about the melodic theme when she suggested it, but on the narrow subaltern road in the thick forests, five burned out motortruck and a armored car testified to its simplistic and brutish efficiency.

Once she had finished her fear for the rifle she gently traced the newest marking burned into the wooden stemma. Each soft touch was that of a play false fox, barely 8mm in size, and representing a single putting to death she had scored since she had become involved in the war for her homeland. Twenty-four little foxes, twenty-four kills, some of them the motorbike couriers being used to transmit orders between Russian Headquarters.

The close courier had turned out to be the most life-sustaining one to particular date. She and Stephen had been crossing one of the secondary route during a Light Within snow with her in the lead, and covering Stephen after she reached the far side. No Oklahoman had she prepared her despoil the courier came tearing around a bend in the road. She had aimed and shot him down without a irregular disinclination, and thus gained both of them a operational motorbike and the vital goods in the couriers satchel case.


Long into the Night Stephen had sat in this very cabin after dumping the motorbike, out of gas and appropriately booby-trapped for any curious Russians. The paperwork he looked through contained high-value armed services codification and communiqués, orders of struggle and provision status - it detailed the low level of provisions and ammo among the Russian army units in this domain.

Stephen had explained he needed to get this stuff and nonsense to some ‘ ally in high berth'and would be back as soon as he could. She was given some special instructions : if he is not back by the first ray of dawning the succeeding day, or at the first sighting of a Russian, she is to flee at once and drumhead for one of the six deal he described. Of course if time permitted before she bolted, she was to ‘ activate'the minuscule surprise contained in the cabin for the unintelligent Russians.

Her sleep that night was fitful and tormented by nightmare of unusual matter coming out of the mists she could not remember after being woken by a flight of Soviet Air force play submarine and belligerent overhead. She took a peak out the small windowpane facing to the east and hoped against hope to see Stephen coming up the trail in the rising sun…

Instead she gasped at the sight of four score Russian infantry advancing at a calm pace towards the cabin.


â‚°

"Keep down and look on, no one make any dissonance that may bring them down upon us,"Stephen whispered to the men who accompanied him. When Hannu, Kalevi, Joni and their partisans nodded he turned back to watch the isthmus of Russians advancing towards the cabin in which Nikkei sheltered. He could only pray she had already fled for one of the early meeting places and will wait there for him.

Meter by meter the soldiers advanced and spread out to circle the cabin under the iron-hard gaze of the unit of measurement'commissars. If anyone remained inside the cabin there will be no fortune for them to escape, and the supplies needed by the partisans will probably be found as well…


â‚°

Nikkei quickly tossed on her bully coating, slipped on her pack and rifle scabbard, and prayed as never before in her biography as she struck a match and held it to the length of fuse-cord leading to Stephens lilliputian surprisal for the fast approaching Russians.

Once the cord started to boo and burn, she dropped it to the ground and fled the cabin, cleared the humble ridge behind it and commenced a zag run for safety. She used every feature of the terrain and woods to give her any cover, anything to keep her from being seen by the advancing Russians. When she finally stopped and plopped down behind a clump of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree she silently cursed at having left her set of skis back in the cabin.

"At least I didn't forget my snowshoes,"she said. Nikkei looked back at the small ridge running behind the cabin and decided that she had to get her skis if potential, orders or no orders from her grandpa.

She moved as silent as a ghost and with the grace of a cervid across the Land. Her skill in doing so had been perfected over long years of hunting and practice with Stephen, and on social function when he travelled to pass water a purchase or make a tidy sum that was best left unexplained to anyone else, especially individual connected to the law of the land.


Just shy of the crest she stopped, eased her rifle from its scabbard and checked her pouch to check the extra cartridge clip were make if she needed them. Meter by meter she slowly and cautiously eased her way to the peak of the ridge, propped herself up on her elbows and gazed upon the Russians below who had just arrived at the old cabin.

She softly cursed at the fact of Stephens surprise for the Russians had not yet gone off, and wondered what had gone wrong with it. Then and there she knew her skis are chronicle as there are far too many Russian soldiers to fight…


â‚°

Stephen pulled back behind the tax shelter of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree as he reloaded his Republic of Finland KP-31 sub-machinegun, and sent out a barrage of hex and insults so blasphemous the land should deliver melted away. A bullet tore a clod out of the tree mere cm from his face as he exposed himself again, bringing up the Thomson and fired off shortstop salvo into the still advancing mass of Russian infantry.

Moments before Hannu and Kalevi had nearly moved their men into position to take down the Russians who encroached on the old cabin. Though risky, they have to strike at their opposition, the supply cached away beneath the cabins floorboard are needed by the local partisan power.

Stephen and Joni, along with a dozen other enthusiast stayed back to fix their escape route if the conflict turned against them…only to be surprised by the sudden arriver of two Russian infantry companies, roughly 300 men amount. Instantly Sir Leslie Stephen ordered his men to the cover of the trees and to fire on the advancing effect.

Roughly forty or more Russians fell to the number one barrage of diminished arms fire as two light motorcar ordnance scythed across them like a harvester in a straw domain. Hand grenades added to the butchery being wrought as blast after flesh-rending eruption shattered the atomic number 82 Russians morale, sending them howling back down the trail…

Only to be systematically shot down by their Political political commissar who called them cowards and deserters.

acerate leaf to say, the surviving solders suddenly became motivated to turn over around and remove their fortune with the Suomi partizan.

Sir Leslie Stephen reloaded his Republic of Finland three More times before his ammo was exhausted and he cursed as the Russians continued to go on at a very cautious pace. His pistols came out and he moved from cover to cover, hunting the Russians. The get-go one emerged into his deal and became the first prey he took…

In a flurry of gesture Stephen cut down one Russian soldier after another as he moved among them, each of his Lahti pistols becoming an extension of him. One shot, one kill, the same pattern delivered with calm precision. A clustering of Russian solders charged at him from the woods as he calmly reloaded his handgun, grinned and one after another, and thus reaped a harvest of expiry on his foes.

Despite his herculean crusade, the struggle turned against the partisans.

Meter by metre they had to yield undercoat, pushed back by the sheer weight of numbers that inevitably benefited the Russians. Their foe kept on coming out of the Natalie Wood, an eonian shower of angry foeman determined to stomp out their tormenter, even as the abruptly mounted in agglomerate upon fallen heap of shattered flesh and bone.


He hoped Hannu and Kalevi had adequate sensory faculty to scrub the ambush and get their men to safety. As even more Russians advanced up the tract to reinforce the shattered building block fighting the drumbeater, Stephen knew in his heart that he will not be leaving this fight alive…

He prayed for Nikkei, that she has fled and gotten to safety, and that his sinning of being a smuggler of arms and other semi-illegal goods could be forgiven when he stood before the judgment throne of God. He did not pray for a miracle, knowing that such is beyond his fate to deserve…

Though that is exactly what happened…


â‚°

Nikkei watched as a trio of officers ran around and shouted decree at their men to hurry off to join the struggle down the trail. None of the soldiers seemed unforced to head that way, having come to respect and fear the skill of their implacable foe ; not even with the sheer weight unit of numbers on their side could the officers make them take the first step back down the trail.

One military officer, a commissar if she understood his rank correctly, argued with the other two, who appeared to be commissars as well, about the motive to seize the cabin and any supplies that remained within it. After that, they could then go and link their Comrade in the estrus of battle.

Having decided decent is sufficiency she raised her rifle, braced the stock against her articulatio humeri and aimed at the talkative political commissar. The retort of her rifle was smothered by the intense gunfire from the woods, but she saw the commissar plumb bob to the ground, his skull having stopped the bullet.

The former political commissar looked at their fallen comrade with dewy-eyed expression of reverence and shock in touch mensuration. Within five bit both of them joined their comrade on the primer coat, dead before they hit the earth.

Her world became a fuzz of apparent movement as she steadily carried out the up-back, forward-down palm-sweep of the rifle thunderbolt which chambered round after rung as one Russian after another was targeted and died when she gave a gentle hug on the trigger.

Some fled into the Natalie Wood, determined to take their chance with the remaining commissars than face the deadly sniper now picking them off one by one. Shortly after the stopping point entered the woods, a furious shower of gunfire cut them down as someone unidentified to Nikkei had arrived…

30 Russians sought shelter rear or within the cabin, one of them tossed Nikkei's shattered skis out the doorway with a train of curses. They began to fire away with accurate shots from rifle, side arm or their own sub-machineguns at the enemies in the woods.

Nikkei pulled a cartridge clip from her protrude, freed the vacuous one from her rifle and slid the new one dwelling house. She chambered a bout and looked down to see which one of the Russians will be her showtime victim….

Of course that happened to be the crying Stephen ‘ gift'to the Russians went off, several joystick of dynamite secured to over thirty jerry-cans filled with gasoline concealed under and around the cabin. The good time reaped a massive harvest time of decease, and left Nikkei not one living Russian to shoot.

Even Nikkei, partly shielded by the tip of the rooftree, was flung away and she cursed as she and all of her gear rolled downhill until a hard tree assisted in stopping her. Clutching her bruised fountainhead with one hand, her rifle in the other, she cursed and charged back to the top of the ridge to see what else was going on…


She spotted the few remaining partisans down the lead fight to withstand the Russians at the boundary of the forest, and knew if they were forced fully into the clarification behind them they would fall to the last man. The clattering of gunfire to her rectify indicated more drumbeater were even now engaged in a indorse dying struggle against some other band of Russian troops.

For them she could do cypher, but for the first-class honours degree radical, and the man she cared for that fought like a demon for his men…she can assist out in her own way…

She knelt down and braced her rifle, aimed…and commenced the second round of dealing destruction this very day on the Russians down the trail…


â‚°

Stephen grinned like a banshee tearing across the moorland as the thundering retort from the detonated ‘ gift'in the cabin carried out to the horizon. He knew then and there Nikkei had fled the cabin and even now was on her way to safety.

He dropped to one knee, partially concealed by a large rock, and commenced to can both pistols at the howling Russians that charged out of the Mrs. Henry Wood. His force play of partisans was down to him and four others, and surrounded by their opposition whom they knew would prove no mercy…the sudden gunfire deeper in the woods indicated that Hannu and Kalevi had engaged a bombastic Russian political party with their men, and told him they confronted a reinforced battalion or a full regiment of infantry.

Click-click…

Sir Leslie Stephen howled as his handgun emptied and drew out his hunting knife and pounced upon the nearest Russian, ending his life in one Dean Swift stroking. His human elbow slammed into the adjacent soldier coming up behind him, followed by a tongue thrust to the gut ; then three more Russians closed on him, rifles leveled and eyes showing that they did not intend to subscribe to him as a prisoner.

"Come on you bastard dogs !"Sir Leslie Stephen shouted in Russian, prepared to take at least one of them with him…

Then one soldier lurched backward as his chest exploded in a jet of red mist, all in before he hit the footing. The two others turned and fled, discarding their rifles, only to conk in turn as a precisely placed bullet intercepted their skulls.

He watched, absolutely flabbergasted, as one Russian soldier after another died as they turned to fly or showed themselves for a moment from any covering they could retrieve.

"Joni,"Stephen bellowed out as his old friend came into sight, rakehell streaming down his leg."God man how many of us are left ?"

"You and me Stephen,"Joni said as he handed two full-magazines to Sir Leslie Stephen for his Suomi sub-machinegun."I am alright, let's go and see what we can do for Hannu and Kalevi…"Both men startled at the sound of automatic small branch fire and light machineguns began to flirt in the woods, to be followed by stillness so profound it all but screamed at them.


Within three min a band of heavily armed men accompanied by the partizan emerged out of the woods and met with Stephen and Joni.

"Stephen we keep meeting in the craziest of piazza,"master Sir Robert Robinson said to his old mentor,"for once I'm glad I could repay the party favour of you saving my tail on our hunting stumble. Though it looks like your battle went well enough given how badly your partisans were outnumbered…"

Sir Leslie Stephen ignored him as the butcher bill was delivered by Joni after determining the last numeration of the engagement : twenty dollar bill survivors with six of them spite, thirty-seven dead, which included Hannu and Kalevi. The Russian dead were beyond counting at this level.

Stephen ordered his men to fill whatever weapon, ammo or supplying they needed from the Russians and to gather the bodies of their fallen. He set an iron-hard deadline of ten minutes for this to be done before they would leave and move toilsome across the track in the ancient woods.

"Joni, you take the lead and get the men to safety. Use what we already have cached and hit the Russians as you can. Usual means for contacting me when it's needed and pass the word on to the others about what happened here,"Stephen told his old friend.

"Hang on a minute Sir Leslie Stephen,"Captain Robinson said and ordered twenty of his men to go with Joni and the few remaining enthusiast."I know I should not part my men up like this, but you guys are fighting for Republic of Finland as we are. This way, our with child weapons can assist with making the Russian bear bleed for all we can get out of his hide…"

Stephen, Joni and Robinson turned to the strait of a soldier shouting out an parliamentary procedure that instantly ended in a lamentation of pain sensation and mewling of a newborn kitten. They watched a young dame, rifle still in hand, calmly paseo over to the old man as she muttered about ‘ soldiers who need to learn some manner before grabbing a lady that way.'

Edward G. Robinson shook his pass as Stephen uncharacteristically rushed over and embraced the cleaning lady in a digest hug, whirling her around and around as she called for him to stop embarrassing her in nominal head of the other men.

"Who is that with Stephen ?"Jack Roosevelt Robinson asked Joni."I did not believe there were any cleaning woman among the partisans in this neighborhood ?"

Joni just chuckled and shook his oral sex,"The wide story is Stephen to tell, but you have seen the handicraft of the Snow Fox first hand."He pointed to the many fallen Russians taken down by Nikkei."Oh and your man who dared to catch her should be alright, his chestnuts will be fine despite the crushing gripe she gave them."

â‚°

"Grandpa I forgot my skis after lighting the fuse,"Nikkei said. She dreaded the scolding she had coming for disobeying his orders."I was waiting for the Russians to go out and then…boom !"she motioned with her hands, pantomiming an detonation while a sheepish grin grew on her face.

"Oh and then I spotted the Russians running in your counselling after I took down those three commissar idiots that tried to order their troops around like tearing little terriers,"she said as Stephen and her link up Robinson and Joni.


"deuce-ace commissar, she took down three of the Russian commissar ?"Robinson asked, and then he whistled when Nikkei tossed the fallen commissars hats over to him, sizeable proof of her claim.

"Three commissars from a total of thirty Russians I took down. Though the commissars are a wasteland of a good fastball, practiced to just put away a grenade or something at them…"Nikkei mumbled as Stephen laughed and Joni and Captain Robinson just shook their heads.

"Granddaughter, do not call down yourself of a killing, after all you took down that divisional political commissar a few mean solar day back…"he looked at Captain Robinson and nodded to the man's unspoken interrogative sentence."Yes she took down that Major-General your intelligence rootage declared numb, now my beloved granddaughter has thirty more foxes to add to her list…"

Captain Robert Robinson was handed a message written by his receiving set operator Corporal Hanki. It was orders from the High command for the Finnish army. He just shook his head in unbelief as to what it stated the evidence in deadened Russians mute testimony to the belated intelligence sent to him and the partisans…

…to all unit of measurement detached on partisan activities and loyalist effect engaged within the area of ninth Red Army corp. dependable intelligence has affirmed that a taciturnity regiment of the 163rd infantry Division has been sent back from the front line of work to secure the main Russian supply route and to conduct anti-partisan patrols and sweeps. repeat, to all units…

"fountainhead it appears this fine piece of intelligence information has come, as they say, too little and too lately for our needs, as has become the pattern anymore,"said captain Robinson as he showed the message to Sir Leslie Stephen, Joni and Nikkei who was surprised at his action.

"Nikkei, like it or not you are now a reference of inspiration for the flock of the front line, just like Sir Leslie Stephen, when word of what all the partisans accomplished here this day."senior pilot Robinson clasped her paw in his and gave them firm'handshaking of thanks.

"Stephen we need to get going,"maitre d' Robinson said a moment later,"This regiment has been annihilated, but some survivors may make it to a nearby outpost or garrison and bring down yet more difficulty on our heads. We can not keep up a second battle such as that."

As if to emphasize his point, a flight of Russian hoagy passed overhead at that particular split second, which caused everyone to dive for cover on the off chance they were being looked over. Nikkei watched the planing machine go on their way, all the time holding her rifle skyward and wondering if she could select one down given the chance.

"Stephen, you and your granddaughter are receive to get with us,"Lennox Robinson said,"With the way she can fritter away and your power to set an ambush…"He stopped when his old mentor held up a helping hand for muteness. There will be no more treatment, Sir Leslie Stephen and Nikkei will continue on their own, seeking to phlebotomize the US Army of the Red Bear as much as they can.

"Before we region let me give you some instruction and advice on how to stop the Russian tanks…"Stephen filled Ray Robinson in on the tactic he and Nikkei had developed and the helplessness on the armored beasts.

senior pilot Edwin Arlington Robinson looked at Nikkei with profound respect, which caused her to blush from chief to toe from virgin plethora. He turned back to Stephen and thanked him, stating he will pass this news up the chain of bidding. With that the different groups departed and headed out on their own chosen paths.



10 December, 1939 Finland Supreme Command Headquarters


The men stood around the table as they examined the updated single-valued function and compared them to the latest entrance reports and intelligence gathered from spies, informants, radio receiver intercepts and the like. Couriers delivered their satchels of messages and request while aides for the military leaders gathered here stood silently by, prepared to answer any enquiry or handle any job they are assigned.

One man listened and mentally crunched all the information told to him by his subsidiary, details from scout troop bm and battalion status to logistics and foreknow motility by the Russian encroacher. He asked detail query concerning the four invading Russian US Army corps - the seventh, eighth, Ninth and Fourteenth - and pondered the successes his soldiers had scored, particularly within the area of the Ninth and the savage defeat a stripe of partisan had inflicted just two days past.

He perked up at the mention of an old fable having returned to the field of battle, the Ghost Bear, and his new fellow, a partisan leader known simply as the coke Fox. One old hero and a new hero bringing Leslie Townes Hope to the ground and inspiring the Finnish troops who received a massive boost to their morale and fighting spirit as word of the Russian licking spread with the power of a lightning strike.

When he looked up at his subordinates he understood from their looks they waited his instructions. They wanted to strike back and chance on back hard, to deliver such a brute blow to the Russian bear that his scream will be heard around the world for hundred to come.

He tapped the map with his finger, outlining his plan for that portion of the movement facing the Russian ninth Army Corp. Each man took notes concerning his share of the plan, and began to detail what he needed to do for the countermove to number ; they acknowledged the odds to be long for any literal success, yet it had to be done for the sake of their homeland.

"Colonel Siilasvuo,"Field Marshal Mannerheim, commanding officer of the USA of Finland, said to the one he has selected to lead the counterattack,"Retake Suomussalimi and dispose of the Russian 163rd sectionalisation, you fly out this 60 minutes and get down procedure 24-hours from now."

Colonel Siilasvuo saluted and departed to trip up his plane and stimulate his plans as the others returned to the maps and made other concentrated pick in the ongoing war.


10 December, 1939 163rd Russian Infantry Division Headquarters

Outside the hotel appropriated by Major-General Bogdan to be his division headquarters a lone gunshot sent the guards scuttling inside on the two-baser with artillery drawn. Once they determined that their commander was safety they returned to their position, save for the two who dragged the corpse of Colonel Husain, tardy commanding officer of the demolish 662nd Infantry Regiment.

"gentleman's gentleman,"Major-General Bogdan declared to the officers around him as he calmly placed his smoke pistol on his desk,"Let the platter display that Colonel Hussein has been found guilty by summary courtroom martial of betrayal and willful neglect of duty and cowardliness in the face of the foe, not to mention in a flash stupidity in the conduct of field operations."

All officers save for the sadistic commissars of the section shook as he gazed upon each one in turn,"He has been executed by ordering of STAVKA for his traitorousness. All of you understand this, one nonstarter, one pathetic attempt to excuse incompetency or traitorousness and I will blast you as well."


Major-General Bogdan left his desk a moment later and headed to check the tardy reports from the front and to prepare plan for the next attack upon the illogically stubborn tailfin. He should already ingest smashed their front contrast, torn across the waist of Finland and bisected this fascistic Carry Nation. His rage became manifest when he slammed his fist on a enceinte table that shattered under that hammer-blow, and sent the man typing out orders to shinny from his chair in a dire bid to outride alive.

Walking into the map room he howled for one of his aides to attend, and once the captain appeared, began to rattle off the lodge for the day concerning attack routes and times, logistics and ordnance fire plans. Of trend, with so few forces left to him, especially after the 662nd foot Regiment was slaughtered, the planning did not consume too much time.

The solely thing that really bothered him is accounts from the Suomi radio which spoke of the legendary man called the"Ghost Bear'is active in the region. His social unit in the subversive war in which Finland broke itself unfreeze from the motherland of Russia, aided by the fascist Imperialists of the decadent western lands, had faced the man and his partisans.

No matter how hard they tried to catch him, no matter the decoy used or implementation summarily carried out, he had not only evaded them, but carried out a campaign of demolition that decimated nearly seven sectionalization. Many a mother threatened her audacious small fry with stories of ‘ the Ghost Bear will come and get you."

A courier arrived at his position and declared that Major-General Zelenfsev, commandant of the 44th Infantry Division will be arriving on the evening of 15 December to ‘ discuss the electric current issue of the front lines.'

"William Tell the Major-General I will be glad to discuss the reasons he has been cooling his heels for a week when he and his segmentation is needed here,"Bogdan ordered,"and educate a place for him to delay as well in the officeholder suite on the hotels top floor."


15-16 Dec, 1939 Rear-area Russian ninth Army Corp

Sergeant Osip slowed his motorbike as he neared the side by side checkpoint, and grinned as the lone sentry waved for him to stop with one deal, and held high a bottleful of ‘ functionary party coffee'( which he knew stand for fine Vodka ) in the other.

Once the bike stopped he turned off the motor and placed it next to the checkpoints wooden structure, little more than a small, hastily built hut with a arena earpiece for ‘ pinch usage only'by senior officers or the feared NVKD. This accomplished he moved to endure before the checkpoints officer, an old, ragged and weather worn police lieutenant he did not know but figured must be an NVKD commissar or security official.

"Lieutenant,"Osip said as he stood at aid and saluted,"I am Sergeant Osip and on courier duty for the Ninth army military headquarters. Here are my orders and papers sir,"he handed them over to the scowling, stern-faced lieutenant whose heart showed no clemency could be expected,"and I am prepared to read the satchel is still sealed upon your directions sir."

"fine then sergeant-at-law,"the lieutenant said not bothering to introduce himself, thus a sure sign he is NVKD."seed into the shack and we can do the review over some ‘ functionary party burnt umber'while you tell me all that is going on up at the headquarters for the 163rd Division."


Over the next half hour serjeant-at-law Osip enjoyed half a feeding bottle of the finest Russian vodka he knew to exist, and revealed all he knew not only of the 163rd section main office, but of all the Russian ninth ground forces he had seen for the first time hired man or even heard rumors about.

The lieutenant gently challenged him on each point, asking the same question from unlike angles while he expressed doubts here and there about the veracity or loyalty and dedication of serjeant Osip. The drunken, thoroughly terrified Sergeant was ordered in every detail, which pleased him to no end, and even more so as he saw the courier's content satchel remained sealed with the decal of the Ninth ground forces older commissar.

"Sergeant Osip you have done your duty to the homeland and the Soviet Union admirably,"the police lieutenant said. Sergeant Osip smiled and stood to leave ; he never saw the Lahti side arm that moved to just shy of his skull, nor heard the gunshot that killed him.

After disposing of the torso oceanic abyss in the woods next to the substantial police lieutenant who had manned the checkpoint,"serjeant"Sir Leslie Stephen, wearing the overcoat and uniform of the courier, climbed onto the minibike and headed down the route to ‘ deliver'his commodity to the 163rd divisions headquarters.


â‚°

Four time of day later Stephen left the hotel which had become the 163rd variance field of operation HQ. He learned of the despairing combat they had undertaken when ordered by Army main office to retreat, the continuous molestation by Finnish partisans and habitue Army strength on their supply lines, and Thomas More detailed entropy that he intended for afterwards victimisation.

Before he departed he collected from the higher story where the elderly officer of the home base slept a small-scale gift for Nikkei. Taking the binding stairs down to the large parking service department behind the hotel he evaded the few half-awake sentries on guard duty with contemptible rest, activated his ‘ talent'to the Russians and quietly fled into the nighttime to where he had stashed the motorbike.

He was far down the road when his ‘ giving'caused no end of pandemonium for the 163rd division.

As he motored on down the back trails and petty roadstead on his stolen motorbike, Sir Leslie Stephen grinned as old memories returned concerning the last war. Compared to his making love for hunting and dispense fashioning ( in illegal arms and other goodness such as Vodka banned from being exported ), only the joy of killing Russian soldiers once again outdo them.


16 December, 1939 rear-area Russian ninth Army corp

Within the sheltered depths of an old stone and earth-covered house Nikkei listened to the receiving set and absorbed the latest news of the war. The warmth from the roaring flames in the hearth reminded her of better winter nights with her suddenly class, and she was beaming to be free for a sentence of the cold winter night just outside the house.

Stephen had gone off ‘ to rule out some point'that he understood from the content broadcast to partisans by the various Finland radiocommunication Stations of the Cross. For the centesimal time since he left she looked down to the pistol at her side, hoping she will not need it if the Russians or other troublemakers discovered and entered the old house.

As she devoured her repast of a thick, rich, spicy, meat-stew and some semi-stale bread with butter and jam she shook her head in disbelief. The conference of land had tossed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics out of its social station, and many of its member country representatives made cracking language of aid and arms being prepared for shipment from the many Scandinavian and European governing to Finland.

The daily news from Helsinki spoke of drumbeater under the leadership of the ‘ Ghost bear'and ‘ Snow Fox'which had annihilated the Russians 662nd foot Regiment completely with minimum expiration to the Finnish forces involved in the battle…an exaggeration that irritated Nikkei due to the true number of old family friends and associated who were lost.

When she took another pipe bowl to the full of the stew from the kettle simmering over the ardor the latest news program of the battle on the Mannerheim ancestry came through. Apparently the Russians launched a three-division assault, and in a 40 hour pitched battle were repulsed, LE than 1200 Russians escaped from their forcefulness of 35000.

She and Stephen, wherever he had gotten off to, had been doing their share of harassing the Russians - taking down lone trucks and a couple of tanks, disabling heavy weapon battery that passed by and she took a reprobate kind of delight in taking down the courier on their motorbikes…the number of them had been dropping off over the retiring hebdomad, evidence of her having culled the herd with ruthless efficiency.

item from the battle for Suomussalimi were broadcast. The 27th Infantry Regiment of Finland had executed a chain of daring rape from three different directions, isolated and destroyed key whole of the Russian 163rd infantry air division. That unit, plus the 44th Infantry Division were being harassed and worn down in non-stop raiding and skirmishing that the Finnish Army excelled at.

She grinned at the mention of Suomussalimi being back in Finnish script. Then the news show rundle of the Finnish Army and partisans ‘ using new and wonderful weapon system'to deal with the Russian armour ; the very proficiency she and Stephen developed a few days ago - a bottle of alcohol and gasoline with few early things mixed in to make it into a sticky gasoline gel, and then a gas or oil soaked rag that is tied to it and lit just before being tossed at the storage tank.

Net result…one cooked tank, especially if you can hit the engine, internal fuel tank, or the commonly mount up barrel of reserve fuel mounted on the after deck.

Sir Leslie Stephen returned a few second later as she cleaned out her arena with a ball of dough. She watched him incite to the fire and strike up a bowl of stew and sit down succeeding to her, his dense coating and hat showing clear signs he had been involved in some kind of affray earlier in the night.


He moved over to the boom fervidness and stood before it to warm up up."Nikkei I have found out that some ‘ limited visitant'will be passing through this area in the next few Day,"he said to her with a grin of pure wicked delight."The 163rd part had been retreating through the 44th Division and the whole area is in complete topsy-turvyness. Both divisional commandant are dead, having been at the 163rd's headquarters when the hotel went up in flames…literally !"

He chuckled at that, just as he had chuckled soon after visiting the 44th section entrepot of supplying trucks parked in a relatively unguarded lager. 30 minutes of careful work delivered spectacular solvent, he had just finished crossing the lone bridge on the roadway when the entire grand of ammunition and provision-laden hand truck went up in a chain of fireballs from the small bombs he had liberally placed on their fuel tanks.

So great was the Chaos generated he was able-bodied to infiltrate the guard hovel on his side of meat of the bridge and induction the demolition charges the Russians had emplaced just that day incase the Finnish army pushed the Read Bear back across the river. As if that had not caused enough topsy-turvydom and damage, a trajectory of Finnish Air strength planes swept his side of the river road, damaging and destroying over sixty fomite and damaged countless others.

Getting back to Nikkei took some meter, foresighted than he anticipated, but a few ‘ borrowed'motorbikes from a few now deceased couriers helped out.

"It appears the Ninth army Corps commanding officer for the Russians is coming in person to audit the reasons for the wait in ‘ conquering these decrepit ass-kisser's of the Imperialist Occident,"he laughed and shook his head at such nonsensicality,"General Dashicev will be here in a few 24-hour interval and we have a probability to ‘ greet'him in proper partisan style."Here he mimicked with his hand a pistol being fired off, the smoke delivered between the general eyes.

"Nikkei I found out there will be some ‘ special visitant'coming through this field in the adjacent couple of mean solar day,"Sir Leslie Stephen said to her with a wicked grin."I found out the 163rd sectionalization has been ordered to retreat and the 44th section is sitting on its haunches per orders of the NKVD. It appears that General Dashicev, drawing card of the ninth Army corporation of the Russians will be making a tour of duty of the nominal head lines."

"How…how did you find oneself this out grandpa ?"Nikkei asked, unsure if her grandfather was pulling her leg or if he was telling the truth. She just sat there and shook her read/write head in awe at his temerity as he explained all he had been up to while gone. Then he told her the news she never dreamed of audition, but confirmed by two crushed hats he pulled out of his dismissal and tossed into her lap…

The hat which belonged to two now deceased Major-Generals.

"That one belonged to Major-General Bogdan, the one you missed a couplet of week ago,"Stephen said to her with a teasing grin."The early to Major-General Zelenfsev, I found both of them discussing a rather efficient mean to counterstrike our regular army. They never paid attention to the fact a ‘ Russian US Army courier'might deem it worth the time to occupy out the commanding officers of their respective part when the opportunity presented itself."

He showed her the collection of papers, programme and other selective information he had taken from the now ruined field headquarters."I got this stuff for our forces before my ‘ talent'to the Russians went off…"

"Grandpa, what…what did you do ?"she asked, unsure if she wanted to take heed the story. One thing she had come to know of her gramps is he had a combat liveliness that shone brave and true, and could be as ruthless as any murderer when case called for him to be. She wondered if in clock time, and if she lived to see the end of the war, she will become the same way…

"You remember the ‘ natural endowment'I set for you to use back at the cabin ?"Stephen asked and grinned at the frown of pure craze she gave to him,"Imagine a fuel motortruck parked within the garage connecting that old hotel, a fuel truck that had some pin of dynamite added to ensure that the lead surprise would be…spectacular."

"Now that the bridge deck is destroyed, the generals gone, and most of the 44th Divisions supplies are no more, our position will consume a much gentle prison term disposing of them,"he clenched his fist and grinned while his cold eyes blazed with pure fury and delectation at the impending triumph for the Finnish strength in the area.

"Do you require a Russian US Army Corp General added to your kills or not ?"Stephen chuckled at the ferine grin that grew on Nikkei's expression."trade good, we will head out soon enough, but first I have something to take care of…"

Nikkei watched him get rid of a small box-like pile from the bottom of his packsack and head for the door."Grandpa what are you doing ?"she asked, the concern hearable in her voice and visible on her face.

"I'll be coming back shortly Nikkei,"he said and then became deadly unplayful,"emphatically this time follow my Holy Order, at the get-go mark of danger grab your gear wheel and flee as fast as you can. No leaving your skis behind or coming to rule me alright ?"He waited until she nodded,"You know the meeting places we discussed before, as I have said, if you have to flee head for one of the six locations. The zealot already know to keep and eye out for you if our locomotion turn for the worse."


â‚°â‚°

Captain Robinson and his handful of men moved with extreme point caution as they swept the meeting plaza for any planetary house of an ambush from Russian force. His men on the flank indicated with hand sign no one was in the area. His delicate, disgusted oath seemed to echo across the wooded hills.

"Where in the world has Stephen gotten off to this time ?"Esme Stuart Lennox Robinson declared. He nearly had a heart attack as the speech sound of a pistol cock being eased back into place filled his capitulum. The corporeal next to him who still had a duration of cold steel placed under his jaw did not run an inch.

"You're getting sloppy police captain Robinson,"Stephen said as he pulled both pistol away from the men, sliding them back into their holsters."I've been shadowing all of your men for the last half hour ; you did not even see the Russian patrol waiting for you just down the trail…"

"What patrol, we did not see any foretoken of a patrol - ours or theirs ?"the corporal exclaimed in sheer scandal at such a claim being made.

Stephen pointed over his shoulder joint to where six Russian infantry lay short."Like I said, you and your men are getting boggy. Now let's get down to business as quickly as we can. I paid a visit to the 163rd Infantry Divisions headquarters and got these papers,"he tossed Robinson a threatening satchel bag filled with critical entropy,"before my natural endowment to them went off."

"Somehow I should have known it was you behind that,"headwaiter Robinson said with a grin."We will get these to Suomussalimi and then to army Headquarters."He handed the satchel to the corporal, turned to speak with Stephen and discovered he had disappeared back into the woods silent as a ghost.

"I hope this information is as lively as Sir Leslie Stephen thinks it is,"Captain Robinson said to himself.

He had no idea just how utilitarian and vital it was to Field marshal Mannheim, whom gave off a vociferation of triumph that shocked many of his subordinates…


18 Dec, 1939 England

In the dorm of parliament men of force and government agency sat, or stood, around the long table discussing events, mind or examined the swell wall-mounted map which dominated the room. At the press of a lone man, the but one who dared to chomp away on his trademark cigar, commenced to bear their portions of the programme in worry to the Finland-Soviet War and the surrounding Scandinavian nations.

Many of the High program line, Ministers and Member of Parliament looked at the cigar-chomping man with shock, surprise, disbelief and discernment for one to purpose such an audacious scheme. They listened as he delivered his intellect for the plan, why it will succeed if implemented in time, and the dandy of gain towards thwarting FRG and its mighty war machine.

"Gentlemen,"Mr. John Churchill declared while he thumped his fist on the table,"We must aid Finland with all the supplies, coat of arms and ammo, planes, tanks and troops we can while denying the administration of Germany the most vital imagination they need. Iron ore, the ore supplied to them by Sweden and shipped via Norway ; we will figure out both problems with one expedition…cut off the mines from FRG and have a vital route to move our relief forces on into Finland."

Churchill concealed other, long range plans currently unfolding in Germany that may reach an unexpected harvest in the calendar week to come…especially one concerning chancellor Hitler…

Many in the Senior statement approved the initial outlay of the plan, and made a few recommendations here and there, seeking to refine it into a workable precis. Even efflorescence Minister Chamberlain gave his loth favourable reception after an extensive debate on international law and intervention of indifferent and monarch lands.

Only one man dared to stand in oppositeness to the plan, and even then only to assume a ‘ devils advocate'stance.

Minister of War Hore-Belisha stood and rapped his fist on the table to realize everyone's attention."Distinguished gentleman,"he began,"recall that we and France have been warned via the government of Schweiz that Germany will regard any comportment of Allied scout group within the boundary line of Norway or Sverige as an attempt upon mainland Germany itself and ensue in straightaway retaliation."

"It appears there is an informal agreement between Sweden and Germany ; for our broker and middleman are even now reporting that despatch of humble weaponry, machine gas and light cannon, plus significant amounts of ammo have even now crossed into the borders of Finland from Sweden."Hore-Belisha emphasized each peak with a big H of one bridge player into the other."This appears to be done via Field marshal Goring, and with the bread and butter of Chancellor Hitler. If we interfere with an invasion of Norway and Sweden we will chance sundering the string of supply going to Finland…lose that and Communist USSR will win by sheer system of weights of number."

Winston Churchill looked upon the government minister of War with eyes that blazed in righteous Fury. Standing, he slammed his fist on the table and locked gaze with his adversary."Understand this, the portion of Republic of Finland and of the free world are tied together as one ; here are my arguments as to why the program must go forth…"

The debate raged long into the Night and well into the following dawn before the meeting came to a close ; nothing had been decided, to the letdown of many.



18 December, 1939 Germany

He sat behind his desk and paused, stunned by the news contained in the top privy report in his hand. He read it three Thomas More times, examining each detail and fact and supposal for the least planetary house of deception or of the facts being deliberately misconstrued or manipulated.

His aide stood by, having sensed something of great significance is going on in the mind of his loss leader, and thus he will be here to see history made.

The man closed the write up and laid it upon his desk, shocked by the magnitude of weakness to be found within his ‘ allies'of the North of Soviet Socialist democracy. He looked at his aide and gave off a rapid-fire chain of orders and sat back in his chair as the untested captain ran off to gather the officers so indicated.

thirty minutes later Chancellor Adolph Hitler stood before his pile up stave in the confluence way that adjoined his berth. For over six hours the meeting continued, with Chancellor Der Fuhrer demanding toilsome answers from each man, save for marshall Hermann Goering, whom nodded at the unexpressed question concerning the closed book supplies being sent to Finland via Sweden.

In due Order a plan began to emerge for the opportunity that lay open before them, one which grew greater with each hr Russia bled on the snowy battlefield, hills, and timber."Gentlemen,"Adolf Hitler said,"We have a golden opportunity that chronicle and luck gives to one multitude to vary the worldly concern every millennium ; the arms bought by Sweden will stay without pause, and we shall increase our giving of military intelligence to Finland."

Chancellor Adolf Hitler walked over to the large wall map and rapped his fist hard on the mete of Finland - Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic."That is where Russia and the communist will be bled white, and here,"he slammed his clenched fist voiceless abject on the map,"is what we shall do…"

The gathered men looked upon such a bold and simple concept with equal measure of awe, cushion and hunger, for indeed a halcyon chance - one filled with danger and uttermost risk true - had arrived to render an mortal blow to their ancestral enemy.

"Chancellor Hitler,"declared General-colonel Keitel,"with your approval we will commence to make preparations."

Adolf Hitler nodded and then said to the departing policeman and curate,"This information changes all we have expected, the ruination of Russia is at deal once and for all…the dying of a tyrant will soon occur."

As he turned to depend out the windowpane he never understood how prophetic those very quarrel happened to be…



20 December, 1939 rear-area of the Russian ninth regular army Corp

Nikkei paused as she and Sir Leslie Stephen neared the top of the hill and motioned for him to do the Saame. She strained to piece up the sound she heard a moment before and then grinned when it became clear, another Russian messenger on a motorbike was making his troll along the briny route.

Sir Leslie Stephen smiled and motioned to a spot halfway up the hill, a fissure in the rocks surrounded by rich shrubs and trees which made for a near-perfect snipers nest. He motioned to a magnanimous boulder surrounded by turgid tree diagram where he will cover her as she took down the courier ; from long practice both reached their position, shed their skis and had their several weapon system - the Finnish KP sub-machinegun for him, the master-crafted rifle for Nikkei - readied for business.

A sudden wave from Nikkei told Stephen something else was imperfectly, as she looked shocked for the for the first time clip since the war began. When he looked through the vegetation and onto the main road he understood completely her shock…for an unusual convoy worked its way ever so slowly down the road long since churned to mud and junk due to the near invariant traffic and treads of the tanks.

Four minibike guards led the way for the convoy followed by a lone, light-armored storage tank, a stave car that was made for a high-ranking military officer, possibly a field marshal, visiting the front blood. To the binding of the convoy, four more than motorbike mounted safeguard completed the entourage. If not for the presence of that tank, no issue how small compared to its armored comrade, he would have had Nikkei enlist the staff car while he took down the motorbike mounted guards…

"If not for that blasted tank,"he pumped his fist in pure defeat that such a enceinte prize is getting away, only to gain his mistake a moment later…


â‚°â‚°

Nikkei lined her sights upon the two large, fuel-laden, highly-flammable, barrels of the dismount tank car. For once she was gladiola to have a magazine loaded with Stephens ‘ special ammo'for such an occasion. She kept adjusting her aim to even up for the irksome crawl advance of the armored beast, growing more impatient with each indorsement that Stephen mulled over her taking the shot or for the two of them to withdraw.

From the box of her eye she saw Sir Leslie Stephen pump his fist, their agreed upon signal for her to get any lying in wait they have established. One final adjustment on her leading the tank, and a docile squeeze of the trigger…

strike !
Bang !

Twice she worked the rifle bolt in her palm-guided, up-back, forward-down sweeping apparent movement to reload for the next shot she would necessitate. She paid the armoured combat vehicle no more regard, swinging around to the staff car even then breaking and sliding across the iced and mud covered road…

Bang !

The staff cars left-back tire shredded from the smoke encroachment, the incendiary bursting charge igniting the arctic material almost instantly. The occupant of the stave car leapt from the vehicle as the minibike guard duty leapt to handle one man in a blackness greatcoat…the gleam of the daybreak sunlight off of his membership lapels denoted him to be a true pillage, maybe the Russian General her granddad rundle of arriving ahead of schedule.


She changed magazines, palmed the rifle bolt and chambered the first unit of ammunition of regular ammo she used. The sound of the Russians firing with pistols and sub-machineguns blindly into the surrounding land did not stimulate her any alarm…

microphone boom !

The tankful firing a 76mm cannon round into the Grant Wood barely 50 meters downhill from her location did get her notice…

She rolled to one side of the sheltering stone as a second cannon round slammed home closer than the last. Her pinna pounded from the deafening noise, bones scathe and gut felt as if it had been reduced to mush. The steady tap - tapping of Stephen's Suomi sub-machinegun told the tale of dead Russians and his effort to perturb the tank…

windfall ! ! !

The power of the blast bodily lifted Nikkei off the soil like a rag doll. With ears still ringing like a cacophony of church Melville Bell she half-moved, half-stumbled back to the cleft in the Harlan F. Stone and gasped at the sight before her…the faculty car and most of the motorbike had been reduced to twisted metal while the destroyed tank poured forth a bellowing pillar of flame high into the sunrise sky.

Stephen moved from tree diagram to tree, boulder to boulder, aiming his shots to pin down the Russians who sheltered behind the bowlder. There, they are safe from his fire for the clock time, but not from Nikkei…

Shaking, she fought to steady enough to pull a pearl on that important Russian officer. No matter though, one safeguard or another kept his organic structure between him and her…until…


â‚°â‚°

Stephen moved as a ghost across the terrain, steadily closing on the Russians position, determined to call for the Russian officer as due defrayal for his showing up in Suomi. Here was the opportunity of a lifetime, to admit down a full-fledged Russian worldwide or field-marshal…or if he can be captured, the boon for the Suomi ground forces will be…

bam !

Four more crack followed in quick taking over, and then came a strange calmness only parted by the continuous roar of the flaming storage tank. He grinned at the precision body of work of his granddaughter, moved carefully to the edge of the Natalie Wood and prepared to queer the road. Stephen wondered what information that might do good the Suomi Armed Forces awaited his uncovering on that dead policeman's carcass…

The sudden arrival of two squadrons of Russian light bombers and fighters which passed low and close over his position changed everything. There is no way they could have missed the carnage that had been inflicted on the belittled but significant wagon train ; especially as the tankful still burned like a blowtorch with a newspaper column of calamitous smoke clawing ever higher into the sky.

He rapidly retreated back into the woods, and raced to Nikkei to help her get ready for a debauched, tough and farseeing march deeper into the forest trails. Three more Russian aircraft squadrons passed operating cost, and he prayed that none of the buffer would look down and spot him or Nikkei…if they did there will be no escape.

Nikkei scrambled around the hillside, staying under the timber canopy for concealment. She watched the skies as the Russian planer circled back around and wondered if they had seen her or her granddad.

A short whistle caught her attending and she watched Stephen wave to her, level down a pocket-sized side trail that snaked among the Sir Henry Wood, and pushed off with her poles, pressing to keep back up with the grueling rate he set for them.

They pushed onward fast and hard to increase the distance between them and the lying in wait site. Then came the clarion call of a score or Thomas More of sheet high command processing overhead time. At the sharpness of a bombastic clearing they watched the grand aerial struggle then being waged high in the skies ; a dance of death between the Finnish and Russian Air force so far above the earth…

contrail swept the corrupt sky, here moving in a straight line, there they curved and spiraled until one or two at a time ended in swarm of calamitous smoke. Outnumbered by eight to one the Finnish pilot film pressed home each of their attacks, savaging the Russian formations that sought to relieve oneself it past them, only to cascade out of the sky and into the merciless clutches of the land.

It ended in less than ten proceedings during which Stephen counted the Russians had lost seventeen paladin and eleven sub. From the track of black smoking which departed to the east, at least twice that bit of sheet had been damaged ; he hoped every one of the Russians crashed on the way back to their bases. As for losings on the incline of Suomi, he could not tell one way or another.

Two minute later as the pair stopped to catch their breath, having covered nearly seven klick, Stephen gave Nikkei a implike smile and asked,"So my granddaughter, what shall we use to brand your taking of that tank ?"

"How about a squirrel gramps ?"she replied. To her astonishment he agreed, and when they set camp that night among some old ruin he added five small George Fox and one squirrel to her growing tally of kills recorded on the rifle.

"granddaddy,"Nikkei said, and then hesitated, still shaken by the shut down call with death at the hands of the tanks returned fire."Who would the Russians send to the nominal head personal credit line escorted by a tank, and so many motorbike rider ?"

Sir Leslie Stephen paused and rubbed his bridge player over his mentum as he mulled the doubtfulness over and over. Finally he reached the merely logical conclusion that fit the evidence of such a train moving with minimum safeguard."The exclusively thing that makes sense was either a new Divisional commander or possibly the commander of the Russian Ninth Army corp, general Dashicev whom we have been hunting for. Either way we, or I should say, you, have done much to disrupt the Russian Army in this area."

He scuffed up Nikkei's tomentum with his hand despite her best effort to resist him off,"ejaculate now Nikkei we have to promote on before we make bivouac. There is an old hunting lodge, or I should say what's left of one, where we will hole out up and figure out what to gasconade up next."

"Grandpa is there any hazard I can get a Bath ?"Nikkei asked, not expecting any kind of right news in the matter.

"The property originally had hot piss piped in from the local bounce, and if I recall correctly the last prison term I checked they are still working. I'm not promising anything Nikkei, but if you want a hot bath I'll do what I can to ensure you get your hot bathing tub for Christmas…"

Stephen shook his psyche and moved to enamour up with Nikkei, who raced on down the trail determined to have her hot bath."Never underrating that girl…so much like me after all…still a grand old day, and one less major pain of a Russian drawing card to be concerned with."

In a handful of days Stephen and Nikkei would identify who was in the ambushed convoy. Yet the chain of events unleashed by their campaign will take recollective to unfold and forge not only the wintertime War, but the liveliness of X of billion of people across Europe and beyond.


22 December, 1939 STAVKA headquarters, Russian capital

Prime Minister Stalin watched from the high gear balcony of STAVKA main office as the firing squads prepared for the next round of drinks of executions. Normally the sight of such battue would quell his sadistic rages in minutes, but not this evening. No, this evening the blood would flux in red streams across the land. The incompetents who had allowed such ignominy and embarrassment to descend upon the USSR had to be expunged permanently for their crimes.

Stalin slammed his fist on the stone railing repeatedly, angered beyond sensibility or reason. He had sent his Minister of Defense, marshal Voroshilov to join with one-ninth Army corp Commander full general Dashicev and get to the rear end of the sight at the front crinkle. The one-ninth Army army corps should have sliced Republic of Finland in half at the waist weeks ago, yet had not advanced more than sixty km across the border, and if the reports are honest, two elite infantry class had been destroyed by a bluff and reckless Finnish counterattack.

He watched as the condemned men, the military machine social unit who was to travel with Marshal Voroshilov to the battlefront lines, were brought to the wall five at a time. The leader of the firing police squad executed each statement with well honed preciseness, his men fired on command with no hesitation and the future in line to be shot had the honor of dragging their suddenly friends away before assuming their place at the wall.

The circumstances of marshall Voroshilov and General Dashicev was made known to Joseph Stalin only an time of day ago while he had his dinner. So hot was his rage he personally stormed his way to where the escort of marshall Voroshilov were barracked, entered their commander's office and summarily shot him dead for his crimes against the state.

hr after hour he stood on that balcony as the executions continued well into the nighttime. Once the last man of the bodyguard unit was disposed of, the fate of those NKVD troops who failed to secure the roadway followed.

Until the news program of the United States Marshals Service death had arrived, few dared to challenge his decision to invade Finland and to doctor what body politic rightfully belonged to Russia and Russia alone. Even Sweden and Norway began to have their doubts about standing up against Russia on the side of Finland, until the domain wire and radio receiver military service had announced the destruction of Voroshilov.

Combined with another crushing triumph scored by the Finnish U. S. Army against the Russian forces fighting it out on the Isthmus, many public leaders now pledged to support Finland in any way possible. And now Germany, the ostensive friend of Russia, had begun to charge out feelers to the Northman governments to see if German ships bearing arms and supply for Suomi would be permitted enactment through their territory.


Once again Stalin seethed at the continuous betrayal heaped upon betrayal of the cosmos nations against the acclivity of the Soviet Union, and of the mastery of the worldly concern by communist forces. They refuse to see and recognize the inevitability of his cause and crusade, to bring the Earth into a commie golden age no issue the toll in blood and fire.

"No the war will go forward on,"Stalin growled, his anger still stoked to levels beyond comprehension,"More men and tanks will be sent, more planes dispatched and we will contend on until I have victory over the Suomi who dishonored me in 1921, or the conclusion Russian falls all in on the field."

Stalin never moved until the live on prisoner were executed well into the succeeding days dawning.


24 December, 1939 Finland Supreme Command Headquarters

For the first time since the war with Russia had commenced force field marshal Mannheim allowed himself to give off a chortle and a smile at the bad put-on one of his aides told. He returned to the maps and report card laid out on the board before him, listening to the everlasting delivery of memos, messages, intelligence and so off.

On the 22nd of December the Russian seventh Army corporation threw itself at the Mannerheim defensive seam, a broad force of nine foot naval division, three armoured combat vehicle brigades and a lightsome armor corps of armored car and degenerate tanks. The Soviet general had come up with a crafty plan, hybridize the ice-covered lakes where cooler and panoplied vehicle could manoeuver and pull prospicient lines of infantry-bearing sleigh ; other units would mount a concurrent ravishment from the land and overwhelm the defenders.

A brilliant plan that would have worked, save for the Finnish scouts and wrecker operating in the Russian rear-areas who discovered the plan and troop movements…exactly as the intelligence gathered by the ‘ Ghost Bear'had indicated.

Forewarned the front contrast air force officer had engineers rig up a massive surprise for the Russian assault - remote-detonated explosives combined with the utilisation of their pre-registered heavy howitzers and the new weighty anti-tank cannons ( which had arrived via Kingdom of Sweden ) that lined the fortified positions along the shoreline.

The Russian onslaught began with a monumental ten-hour heavy weapon shelling followed by the first base wave of Russian troops surging across the ice. Explosives and artillery decimated the Russian forces, sending tanks and sleds into the watery profundity below shattered ice. The armored vehicles and tanks that did reach the survived this were crushed by the anti-tank grease-gun and the infantry who joined in the coloured massacre of the lakes.

The land battle had been a much closer matter, 13 time of day of fiendish combat that left over two-hundred burned out tanks and K of Russian dead stacked like cordwood. The Finnish armed power had paid a pricy damage for it, yet the newly deployed foreign voluntary made the divergence in quantity and quality…some 25000 scout troop from Hungary, Italy, Sweden and Norway plus a sprinkle of other nationalities, Cuban sandwich each and every one !

Field written report combined with intercepted transmissions programme in the clear from the Russian seventh United States Army corporation headquarters nearly matched. For all intensive purposes the one-seventh Army had been destroyed in that one nifty winner-take-all battle.

Then just after midnight on the 23rd the Russian resumed their vile compass north of Lake Lake Ladoga. Five infantry sectionalisation of the Russian one-eighth Army corporation, with lumbering tank car and artillery reenforcement, assaulted the weak-appearing Suomi position with a great deal of enthusiasm and decision ; only to find out they had struck hard into a multi-layered, multi-supporting region of bunkers, artillery, machine gun nests, minefields and anti-tank accelerator pedal which shredded the Russians in less than seven hours.

Again it was the foreign volunteers who helped take a leak the difference, another 20,000 mix-bag of nationalities whose military attainment and expertise allowed them to defend as laborious as his Finnish Army troop ! Even the air conflict went dramatically in their favor, with vingt-et-un Finnish Air Force planes downed for ninety-seven Russian. The commanding general for the eighth regular army very politely stayed in his field headquarters when a six shelling barrage of Finnish with child artillery landed on its position.

Field marshall Mannheim softly chuckled and looked at his gathered officeholder."Our troops, the foreign Tennessean forces, and the supplying of arms and ammunition from Sweden, Norway, Italy and Republic of Hungary are making the difference ; how ironical that so much of the death we bring down on the Russians has been supplied by their very own ‘ ally'Germany."

"theatre marshal,"one of Mannheim's aide quietly said and handed over a series of message forms for him. He read them quickly, one of them several meter and looked to his intelligence chief who nodded and grinned like a skirt chaser. He just stood there in shock, unable to think for a meter that two partisans - the Ghost Bear and nose candy Fox had doubled their previous coup over the Russians.

"My God Above thank you for this great endowment you have given unto us all,"he said and bowed his head in a brief prayer of thanks and praise. The ratification of strengthener - reservists and extraneous voluntary - to stiffen the Finnish defenders facing the one-ninth and Fourteenth USA was bang-up news show, and now this gift on Yule Eve truly was heaven sent.

Marshal Mannheim made a note to have those two partisans decorated if Finland managed to carry on and win the ongoing war.

"valet,"he called out, his vocalization instantly cutting through the clamor of noise loud and distinct.

Once he had their attention he read the intercepted substance and after the hand clapping and cheering ran its trend ordered it to be broadcast over internal radios. The marshal shook his fist in triumph, knowing then and there the war with Russia had turned and turned for the better…he gave that some due consideration…

"Pass the word to all our nominal head line of business forces as well, but indicate they are to be doubly wakeful at this news,"he said with all due seriousness,"The Russians will not block nor forgive. We can look them to dispatch even more reinforcing stimulus and faster than ever to control our nation is crushed once and for all."

"Understand this much gentlemen,"he continued, his iron-hard gaze locking on every man and woman in turning,"our slope has won many smashing victories and the good Lord has delivered the enemy leaders into our hands as well, but we have not won the war. Our neat struggle may well be ahead, thus I am ordering our violence who are facing the ninth and Fourteenth Russian Army Corps to tighten their denial so we can pin those violence in place."

"gentleman, I sense a great variety is coming in the air, a violent storm smashing than anything we have ever seen will hit and change the world."Mannheim grinned, never understanding the storm would be one of stock, fire and steel coming down on their foe in short order.



25 December, 1939 rear-area Russian Ninth Army corporation

Nikkei slid deeper into the steaming water and reveled in the intense heating system and soft waves that lapped across her abdomen and tit. She twirled her finger's breadth in the water, generating rippling that spread out and glistened in the soft lantern visible light ; such a simple gift she wanted for Christmas, a hot Bath, something she took for granted before the war began…before her world turned top side down and slammed to the ground with bestial intensity.

For four solar day she and Stephen had been cooped up in the ruination of an old hunting inn that actually had water supply piped in from a nearby hot spring. The low moaning of the blizzard reminded her of old ghostwriter stories her father would narrate near the fireplace, shadows dancing on the walls as he moved about, often making sensual shadows with his manus in rendering of ‘ Peter and the Wolf.'

One firm billow of steer that pounded on the door blocked by an old lounge and desk, to keep easily entry by anyone in the expanse, reminded her that not everyone was enjoying such a H.M.S. Bounty as she on the birthday of the Prince of serenity. Most of the old hostelry lay exposed to the elements, but enough remained, such as the bathing room she occupied, to provide properly shelter…once they dealt with the bear out of the piazza that had taken up residency.

As Nikkei reached for the rag and liquid ecstasy Stephen had thoughtfully laid out by the tub for her, she smiled at the fond retentiveness of bear-meat stew…although having to manhandle the savage 300kg carcass outside so it did not reek up the rest period of the place hardly made it worth the effort. Her being capable to take a hot bath and rid herself of daylight of grime and dirt made it worth the effort.

She gathered a rich lathering of grievous bodily harm on her hands and the rag, and then slowly began to scour down her face, neck and arms. The accumulated filth and tension built from the scratch of the war eased away bit by bit, and she could decompress for a time, free of the cares and memories of the wider world.

On one breast she softly swirled the rag in sensuous roach that advanced unto her swell up teat. Sensations both old and new flowed into her nous, awakening desires she had never allowed herself to fully explore or to even talk about with anyone. Her eyes closed and a easygoing gasp passed her open up sass as a tenuous shudder played along her body ; the heat of the water accentuated the pleasurable undulation which flowed one upon another along the really roughage of her being.

Her liberal hand came to rest between her white meat, and the fingers slowly snaked their way downward. Once there, they began to fondle and tease and please a fortune of her body that sent her unto the heavens with sensuous bliss that she could only compare to the Sung of the heavenly choirs. Nikkei sensed her heart beating faster and faster as her hint quickened, blood thundered and her body came active in a rainbow of wiz that could not be described.

She pushed her fingers into the depths of her womanhood as far as she could ; determined to draw out each bit of pleasure possible. Of course she was still a virgin at the age of eighteen, unlike so many of her ally and other close kin…none had desired to be with her since she was found out to be ineffective to have kid, thus making her the disdain of the Village and a bad marriage prospect.

The state of nature, raw, primordial surge of flame and heat caught her off sentry go as a thousand thousands of universes cascaded before her, non-finite probabilities of what may be and could be, and then collapsed back into the here and now as she screamed her pleasure to the world when her release hit.

Her custody covered her mouth as she blushed deeper than ever before in her life, wondering if anyone had heard the noise…and blushed even mystifying as Sir Leslie Stephen burst through the doorway with a drawn pistol, lost his footing on the slick level and tumbled face first into the bath with Nikkei.

He pulled himself out of the tub and shook his school principal like an old sheep dog, sending a cascade of piddle across the room."I'm soaked,"he moaned while looking at his drenched article of clothing, shook his caput and hoped enough firewood remained to dry them by the open fireplace - though they would smell out like Grant Wood fume for years."Better they smell of forest smoke than that of an old and wet sheep dog like me…"

"Grandpa, are you alright ?"Nikkei asked as she leaned over the edge of the bathtub. When Sir Leslie Stephen looked at her with an abashed grinning she gasped, clutched her arms over her bared breast and slew deep into the weewee while a hot rosiness surged deep and red across her already flush face. All she wanted to do was melt down away and go away ; her thinker tore in different directions, desires playing a thousand air at once while she fought to cultivate the confusion.

On the battle orbit sniping at the foeman she has mastered her emotions to a fine degree ; but in the matters of the centre, she has never encountered such as she faced now. She lowered her head but could not deplumate her oculus away from him as he pulled off his shirt and deform the water of it…the iron-hard muscles of his lithe frame, crossed with a roadmap of scars acquired over a lifetime of severeness and battle, flexed with each twist made upon his shirt.

He whipped the shirt a few times to get any remaining droplets free and grinned at Nikkei."Sorry Nikkei I had thought that a bear or a Russian had gotten into the washup room and I got careless again…"

Nikkei was unable to think her ears, for her grandpa never apologized for anything."Grandpa you didn't foul up or get careless I just…well, I was doing something and…"

"Well my granddaughter I have to let in,"Stephen said while softly chuckling,"that is one way to ask a man to join you in the tub, though I'm not sure both of us would fit. Although I could try if you insist…"

He laughed at the precious lilliputian squealing phone given off by Nikkei at his proffer. Though as he left the room to alter and dry his cloths, the spark that danced in her eyes spoke volumes to his experienced meat and mind.


â‚°â‚°

Tap - tap - tap !

Stephen pulled the low punch away from Nikkei's rifle and examined the tardy footling fox-marker added to the wooden stock. Feeling the suaveness of the indenture he coated the exposed wood with an amber hued stain, when dry it will glisten with a honey-gold texture as any light played across it.

"One more of so many George Fox added, I had taught my granddaughter to hunt for deer, wild boar and bear."Sir Leslie Stephen gave off a deep, nauseate sigh at the winds of fate and ill-fortune."Instead she has become a hunter of Russians who have raped our homeland and stolen her hereafter. All those long time ago when her family adopted her…."

His brain drifted into memory of his lost sept all those age ago when they had adopted Nikkei after she had been orphaned. No one knew where she had come from, even the federal agency failed to find the parents of the little girl found wandering alone in the Grant Wood, her wear covered in blood…

A girl of true secret who had grown into a finely young woman ; one that he wished he could have given a animation of peace to instead of the damned war the Russians had forced upon all of them.

In the background the static-filled broadcasts of Finnish and Scandinavian receiving set post declared their holiday wishing and greetings, and then send the usual updates of the war.

"To all of our members of Suomi's armed force play engaged in the desperate struggle to protect our homeland from the tike of the Soviet Union. I and all of our hoi polloi thank you for the inscription and sacrifice of so much you have give for us, and may on this day when we celebrate the nascency of the Prince of Peace each of you find substitute from this dateless distress inflicted by the Russians.."

Stephen half-listened to the radiocommunication atmospherics filled broadcast. He heard the contingent given of the great battle fought on the band and near Lake Ladoga on the 22nd and 23rd ; the Russian Seventh and one-eighth Army corp had been stopped, shattered and scattered before refractory Finnish ohmic resistance"assisted by Volunteer who support our cause for freedom and self-determination as a republic against the despotic might of Communist Russia."

"We wish to sustain that in the end calendar week the Russian Armies shock violence of the Russian one-ninth Army corps has suffered extreme point blow due to our Carry Amelia Moore Nation's army, air force out and partisan participating behind the enemy lines. It has been confirmed that the Ninth Army has lost their commander, one General Dashicev along with the Minister of Defense for the Soviet conglutination, Marshall Voroshilov who had come to the front stemma to see first-hand what had caused the Ninth ground forces to be held up in the field."

Stephen turned his broad attention to the radio…

"My fellow Fin's our beloved solders and nationals fighting behind the assembly line have demonstrated tatty and clear to the reality why the ninth Army, along with all former Russian Army Corps, has failed to trounce our Carry Amelia Moore Nation. In the death of the defense reaction minister of religion Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic has learned the deterrent example we will never surrender and never yield to their forces of enslavement. And so with each engagement we undertake against the Russian invaders, we bleed them and run them more, until the day will come in the near hereafter when they will include defeat and seek to make a just and honorable peace."

"May the time soon come when we can tell in full the actions of the two known as the Snow Fox and the shade Bear ; may God keep them condom and wield them as tool of justice against our antediluvian enemies from the boor kingdom of Russia."

Stephen whistled,"So that is whom Nikkei took down after the tank exploded ?"

He imagined how Nikkei would trip the light fantastic around like an ale-drunken bee after hearing of the plunder she had bagged. The end of superior general Dashicev was receive newsworthiness, and showed his shot as to who occupied the staff car in the caravan they had ambushed. Yet the last of marshall Voroshilov, Russian Minister of defense lawyers, truly marked the dandy prize any partisan sniper could go for to score shortsighted of chancellor Stalin.

He gently cleaned the rifle with an old rag, gently removing the least shadow of grime, dust or oil his piece of work may have left upon it."I made this for my earnest Nikkei to trace cervid and bear with, and now she ahs been forced by this war to go a Hunter of men. I wish her parents could see her now…"


He fought back the tear that threatened to come as his heart lodged in his pharynx. His fry and grandchildren, plus all his friends there save for Nikkei are all gone. His furor at the Russians redoubled in an instant.

"Tomorrow I have to go and ‘ see what is going on'again ; hopefully this time Nikkei will not assert on coming along with me."He looked at the small pile of supply that had been cached away in the basement of the old hunting indian lodge. While Nikkei had been taking her bath he had gone down and brought the food, fabric, ammo and early sundry goods the two needed as they hunted Russians.

Also, as he had hoped, the two small sleds he had stored among former commodity in the cache remained intact and untaken. At least he and Nikkei could carry Thomas More goods on them than they can just upon their back. Plus he had new batteries for his little radiocommunication a Quaker had built a few years ago…

That little transmitter has proven to be a true wonder. Incredibly little, lightweight and dependable, he can use it to relay or encounter voice and Morse-code signal. His old friend in the United States who made it was a generation ahead of his clip, and a wide-eyed attachment allowed it to be powered by a hand-cranked generator-system.

When the tenseness between Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Finland had begun to increase, he and his cuss smugglers plus some of the touch they had within the armed forces began to plan and set up. Thus a relay-chain of a variety exists to guide information and instructions along to those who needed it ; they always are sent in brief transmitting of Morse-code to avoid counter detection by the Russians.

Other information, edict and the corresponding are broadcast five times daily by the government over the public radio broadcasts. No matter how much the Russians may try, only the leader of the partisans in specific areas behind the ancestry possessed the essential code to understand them.

"All for the expert then,"Sir Leslie Stephen softly said to himself."It's past prison term we bleed these Russians as badly as we can and prevent any Thomas More pandemonium falling upon our heads…"

He stopped mumbling at the sound of Nikkei's ghostly pace integrate with the crepitation of the flames in the fireplace. His gaze moved to his article of clothing hung over the back of two old chairwoman near the fireplace, the heat slowly drying them out after that dip in the tub.

Returning to the rifle, he observed that each parting has been lovingly cared for by Nikkei. Sir Leslie Stephen nodded his blessing, delighted that she had remembered all he could teach her of such matters.

Wrapped in a wooden-headed cotton robe, Nikkei sat before the fire and continued towel her hair dry.

Stephen looked up at her, the light from the flaming caressing her in a twirl dance of light and shadow. He saw her chewing on her lower lip, obviously troubled by something, or more potential what had happened between them in the washup room.

"Nikkei what's bothering you my dear ?"Stephen said and laid the rifle down on its white-furred scabbard."I can tell you are concern or distract, so please say me and if I have wronged you somehow…"

He scooted adjacent to her and looked into her tear-filled eyes as she turned her gaze unto his.

She opened her robe to expose her publicise abdominal cavity, second joint and breasts for him to see, hoping that he will not turn away from her unspoken question. One hand came to catch one's breath on his reddened buttock, the rut flowing into her deal as she began to caress his iron-hard, weather-beaten, mark peel in such a easy way that it twitched with each voiced and delicate stroke.

"Nikkei I did not mean to offend you earlier…"Stephen's words ended when she gently touched a fingertip to his sass. She pulled her hand away and shed the robe from her body, then leaned onto her hip, sweeping her legs back behind her at the stifle and propped herself up on one arm. With the other she took his hand into her and entwined their fingers.

Sir Leslie Stephen's eyes drank in every sensuous and flabby curve ball of her dead body, the fullness of her amber hair, soft blue eyes full of life and pain mixed in touch metre, the steady ascension and Fall of her bared bosom. As his gaze descended to her most intimate of treasures she shifted her leg plenty for him to see her bared womanhood and the slight glint of moisture already gathered there on her hide and surrounding hair.

"Nikkei what are you…I mean…"for one of the few times in his aliveness, Stephen found himself at a release for words as his brain flared to ashen insensibility. He could not consider this is actually happening and with his love and only surviving granddaughter…

"grandad I want this to be my natural endowment to you,"she said to him. He could hear the love and heart in her articulation for him, something that had been there for years and only now did he understand in full…his adopted Nikkei had fallen in dearest with him long ago and now sought to move their carnal knowledge to the adjacent level.

"I have forgotten since the war began what it meant to be alive and free of worry and anger,"she said, her optic releasing a lone shoot down down her impudence."I want to be your present grandad for tonight, to remind us both what life means ; I don't expect to shit it through this war, so a good deal Death has already come close…and with that tank firing at me…"she shuddered at the retention of how close she had brushed with decease that day.

She moved to Stephen and sat down on his lap with her ramification crossing behind his spinal column. Her one hand brought his to take a breather on her heart ; the mere touching of his pelt on hers sent a boot and chill blazing across her being. When he began to caress her bosom, teasing to a greater extent and more fiery Wave of pleasure from her torso, she leaned into him and all but melted away as the voiced snow does before the flames of a fire.

He kissed her cheek and softly botch up puffs of his heated hint on her neck opening. Stroking her hair's-breadth he looked once again into her centre and seen the love and nervousness playing against one another."Are you sure this is what you want Nikkei ? You only have one first off prison term in such matter and I want you to be absolutely sure…"

The boisterous embrace and fiery osculation she gave him answered all his questions.

So it was that they entered the honest-to-god of Song, and fulfilled the onetime terpsichore of all, two hearts and two torso coming together in one ; the cries of passion and primal release echoed throughout the old ruins until Stephen released his life story seed into Nikkei, and then collapsed from the exertion. The two cuddled and caressed one another while sharing loving smiles and whispering words meant for them alone.

An 60 minutes later as Nikkei contently slept away, her aristocratic stertor merging with the crackling flames, Stephen gave her a smile and softly kissed her on the cheek before laying down for his own rest. He made surely though that his handgun and hunting tongue were within well-fixed grabbing distance if they were needed.


28 December, 1939 Suomussalimi, Finland

Colonel Siilasvuo returned the couriers salute and dismissed him with a casual wave of his hand.

Two Clarence Shepard Day Jr. ago he had been alerted to authoritative instructions that will arrive at his headquarters ; and given the current weather that raged just outside the hotels thick Harlan Fiske Stone rampart, it had to be something between extremely urgent and insane for a courier to be risked in temperatures, snowfall and twist that were the uncollectible in recorded history.

Since him and the twenty-seventh Infantry Regiment, now reinforced by three additional regiments of reservists and foreign military volunteer, he had waged relentless guerrilla warfare to bleed the Russian Ninth Army Corp white and hold them to this region when from all history they could give birth been used on the Isthmus during the hold out Russian assault.

However the Russians had dug in deep and still managed to keep on him from mounting a successful rap across the river. He could defend and not round, and the same for them…a frustration that grew all the more with each passing day. Even his raiding parties had met with minimal success, save for sniping at the Russians who hid in their fortified positions.

Only Captain Robinson and his men, aided by the partisans led by the old colonel Stephen and his aide called"snow Fox"have scored massive success upon achiever upon success. When he considered the reputation of the old colonel, commonly known as the"Ghost Bear'in the finale great war, it is little wonder the man leads and coordinates the partisans to such a record, even as he and the C Fox carry out their own two-person crusade upon the hated Russians.

He opened the packet boat and withdrew out the bundle of documents and photographs, and whistled when he gave the top varlet - orders from Field marshall Mannerheim himself - a cursory glance. They explained in brief and concise detail that John Major reinforcements were expected to be arriving inside two workweek for the Russian ninth U. S. Army Corp…

Colonel Siilasvuo raged, cursed and complained as he stormed out of the old hotel which housed his flying field headquarters. He shouted above the howling winding for his elderly police officer to gather around him as he woke his device driver to study him down riverside…he had been forbidden from launching anything inviolable than raids across the river to slit apart the remaining military capability of the Ninth Army while time remained. So he had chosen to scrutinize the forward defense team and ensure the Russians received a ardent welcome when they struck.

As expected, the defenses were substantial and growing stronger with each passing day ; with log and stone bunkers housing car guns, anti-tank cannon and fighting status for infantry. other positions inside the town had already been made ready…when the Russians struck the river and snow would be red with their blood.




28 December, 1939 berlin, Federal Republic of Germany

"Ah yes, I will take this one here,"Admiral Donitz said as he looked over the beautiful gold-chain necklace set with alright adamant. He held it in both paw and admired the fiery bursts which came out as the lightness played across each gemstone. The jeweller had promised the gift would be crafted to beau ideal, and so he had achieved yet again with the endowment for his dear wife.

"Klaus what do you believe of it ?"Donitz asked of his escort and driver. He moved around to front the man so he could see the rattling magic wrought by Karl, his personal jewelry maker and one of the few men he called a true master of that trade.

"full admiral, as always Mr. Karl has outdone himself, you have chosen the giving well for Mrs. Donitz and she will probably be pleased beyond measure at your gift of warmheartedness for her."Major Klaus, polite as ever turned back to watching the computer storage and all of the people within it, plus those who paused even for a moment to look through the storefronts windows. His handwriting never strayed far from the grip of his pistol.

The sound of femme fatale caused everyone to turn and watch the street as the motorcade of premier Hitler began to pass by. Donitz looked at his vigil and smiled,"Punctual as always, I noticed some work was being done on his vehicle last dark as I left the federal agency. Did you remember to have that looked into Klaus ?"

"Yes sir, I had it checked out by naval security, and the Gestapo Major in charge of surety ensured me when I appeared in person that ‘ a diminished problem had arisen and was even now being fixed.'nigh unusual accent though for the man,"major Klaus never finished his sentence.

full admiral Donitz verbal expression changed from pleasure to shock and then abject revulsion as the Chancellors car came into mint, and disappeared in a thunderous detonation that tore the vehicle asunder. Major Klaus took the brunt of the shockwave which blew out the storefront, killing him instantly along with Karl…

Donitz coughed, choked and gasped for air amidst the roiling swarm of dust and smoke. He made his way out to the street where many vehicle burned, and all too many the great unwashed lay on the ground in pocket billiards of red. One feeling at the twisted, burning corpse of the Chancellors car told him there would be, could not be, any survivor ; but he rushed over to see if against all odds his nation leader had somehow survived.

The military escort swarmed the arena to gain control as fast as potential ; one policeman threatened full admiral Donitz until he showed his military newspaper publisher and then took control over the scene. All too swiftly the truth was confirmed when the blast of the Chancellors car were extinguished at long hold out.

Chancellor Hitler was dead, assassinated by a bomb placed within the car that had detonated the petrol tank.

"So it has been accomplished,"full admiral Donitz said, sad and shaking his head in mental rejection, a marvellous act for the sake of appearances to the masses. His personal broker, ones loyal to him and him alone, had penetrated the network of Russian undercover agent and agents that existed in Berlin…and he knew who controlled them as well…

He never expected their plan to lick. Now that it had, his allies in the German administration would guarantee his succession to the Chancellorship and, as promised for the financial backing of Goering and his faction, would deal with Russia once and for all…of course he still had to take a leak a ‘ phone telephone call'to the originator behind this mad patch to ensure his own survival.


30 December, 1939 Moscow, Russia

Everyone in the way jumped at the single gunshot that seemed to growl and rally about the confluence way for the high school control of the Russian Armed Forces. Quickly they resumed their position of entire attention, each expecting to be the following one personally gunned down by the man at the caput of the table…

"brother I believe my point has been duly made,"chancellor Stalin calmly stated as he holstered his side arm. He gave a nod and two NKVD safety device rushed over and dragged the body of General Voroshilov, who of former had been recalled to Russian capital for ‘ common soldier interview regarding the war.'

"I will tolerate no more nonstarter in the subject of this war with Suomi,"he growled,"each day our nation loses yet More influence, obedience and position around the world. I have since the bomb offensive of 22-23 December given orders for massive reinforcements to deploy in the country of the seventh and Eighth United States Army army corps, we have peace with the Germans and thus our movement with them is now reduced to minute and thirdly rank building block ; the elite military force being redeployed will be in place by the end of Jan, when the final exam offensive shall begin."

"The Ninth ground forces corporation shall channel limited offensives ; they have consistently failed and thus will not be of any More John Major usage."He smashed his fist onto the board many clock time to stress his head.

Stalin went on for some sentence berating the world for all manner of comprehend rebuff and plot of ground being carried out against him and the Soviet Union. His furor grew to such tiptop and depths that many of the men gathered feared he would either die of a stroke ; or have everyone shot down on the spot by the sub-machinegun wielding NKVD bodyguard who circled behind each man like a observance and waiting vulture.

From one face an officer appeared, delivered several message forms to Stalin and then bolted for his life story after being dismissed with a perfunctory undulation. As he scanned them his humour swung from rage to outright joy back to a boiling, stewing fury that promised decease to person before the night passed.

"man,"Stalin declared with a forced calm and smile while holding up the third message manikin in one helping hand,"as I stated, we have peace with Germany and now it is guaranteed for some metre to amount. Our broker in the German senior high Command have confirmed the news being broadcast over the radio."

He paused and grinned,"Hitler is dead. Someone managed to place an volatile device inside of his armored car, and needless to say the carnage wrought was phenomenal. admiral Donitz has been sworn in as the new chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany and thus will take many calendar month to fully dispose of his competition and gain wax controller over his Nation's governance."

The staff officeholder and diplomatic minister shouted and cheered at the news program of Hitler's death, and gave off shout for the farsighted animation of Prime Minister Stalin, the Soviet Union and the inevitable supremacy of the world by Communism. By almost linguistic universal spontaneousness they began to sing the subject vocal of Russia, their loyalty and belief in their cause having been reconfirmed by the universe at large.

Wisely Stalin withheld the two other messages that arrived at the Same time. They detailed the cause of general Timoshenko and Shaposhnikov, the newly appointed co-commanders of the Finland Front. During the flight to headquarters near a batten down airport the carpenter's plane carrying them, escorted by dozen fighters, was jumped by a large phone number of Finnish fighters.

Every one of the Russian fender fought until their aeroplane went down in flame. Despite their Best drive, the airplane carrying both generals had been shot down as well with no survivors. Once again the drawing card of his armed military group had disappointed him, and the reports of flagging team spirit among the foot along with some units on the edge of mutiny confirmed the policeman were deliberately failing, seeking movement to boot out him once and for all from power.

Something inside of Stalin snapped, his rage breaking out in volcanic proportions.

None of the jubilant officeholder before him knew what hit them when with a nod Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili had his bodyguards cut them down to the last. He summoned his personal auxiliary and demanded a disposed document, which once he signed with a few casual strokes of his pen, was sent to the NKVD communications commissar and dispatched.

Within forty-eight hours the parentage tub had finished, completely decimating the Russian armed forces higher command and replacing all officers of Major or high-pitched rank with Political political commissar. He gave new orders to all of the Russian armed strength ; any hint of disloyalty or lack of proper communist look will result in that man's stallion platoon or ship's company being summarily executed en mass.

Stalin never understood just how deadly he had misjudged the unfolding chain of case his lunacy and lust for lineage would loose in little order…


30 Dec, 1939 Germany, OKH high Command

Admiral Donitz, newly sworn in Chancellor of Germany and all of her masses looked out the window of his position and the pristine snow from the latest storm. Just over twenty-four minute ago chancellor Der Fuhrer had been assassinated by a bomb planted inside of his armour staff car ; in light order the Gestapo had discovered and captured a work party of Russian spy and agent who caused Adolf Hitler's death.

Their executing warrants were the first matter taken caution of by Donitz after taking the oath of office. Now he had a monumental choice to take in, one discussed long into the night by him and the high gear Command. He had been aware of plans being drafted, on Hitler's orders, for an invasion of Russia…he wondered if Hitler had been aware of his pending last, not that it mattered now.

Der Fuhrer's death at the manus of mistrust Russian broker, proven or not, gave them the sound and lesson Justice for the intrusion to add up. The major world leaders, even those of Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault and Britain, had been contacted via conduct or third-party transmitted cable television of the plan to plow with Russia and Stalin for their perfidy in assassinating the High German Chancellor.

Many had responded with the usual condolence and respective degrees of admonishment of Russia.

From Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault, the Daladier government reception was confused, drawn and uncommitted one way or another. That came as no surprisal to Donitz, having anticipated such from the instant the cables were sent out.

What did shock him was that from England, or more precisely the two cables received from England. One from the parliament condemning Russia and urging pacification talks are held between Russian Federation and Deutschland to resolve this matter ; the latter, and thus the most important as far as Donitz was concerned came directly from Churchill…


To the Chancellor of Germany, full admiral Donitz,

In concern to the subject of Russia and their shew atrociousness to the proper conduct of relation between governments I say this much. So long as marshal Goering continues to add arms to Suomi via Kingdom of Sweden and no preventive with our own weapon system shipments to Finland comes about, we wish you God speed and decisive victory over the godless Russian government of Stalin.

"Gentlemen,"prime minister Donitz began as he turned to face the collect highschool mastery,"most of our force out are in plaza already since the invasion of Poland and we have managed to secretly increase our personnel there by a large degree. Have all of you discussed and familiarized yourself with the plan and overall goals ?"

Each ship's officer in turn affirmed his use and detailed any go minute concerns, contingent and so forth. Satisfied that all is in spot Donitz sat behind his desk and signed the lodge laid out before him…

"Gentlemen"he said,"performance Wotan, the invasion and death of the Soviet Union, will get going at 12:01 a.m. on 10 January, 1940. Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili has inflicted pain and blood upon us, and now we will pay him and his people back a million fold."

Stalin sewed the malarky with the seminal fluid of war in Republic of Finland, and now he will reap the harvest home of steel and blood and firing Born of the whirlwind coming back upon him.


30 December, 1939 England, stranger position

"Thank you for the margin call,"Churchill said into the phone,"it had been well-nigh unexpected but delightful none the less and I wish you triumph in your cause against Russia."

He hung up the phone and sighed at the chemical chain of event now coming Forth River to realization. The Russian-Finnish war promised to bleed Russia white as Republic of Finland continued to defy vulgar sentiency, logic and opinion in their consistent stifling of one Russian army corporation after another in horrendous battles around their nation.

Even he had listened to the growing taradiddle told on the radio set of such heroes as the Snow Lucifer, Ghost Bear and the Snow Fox. Individuals who had managed to impose mass carnage at key sentence and positioning on the Russians, and both co-commanders for the Republic of Finland Front perished with intelligence given to the Finland Air Forces from Britain.

Of course of instruction, the blackwash of Hitler carried out by disloyal Germans who assumed the British people agents who controlled them were actually Russian, had yielded a case to economize the Western world. Russian Federation and Federal Republic of Germany will bleed each other white, and by the time they deal with one another, Great Britain and French Republic will be ready to face the High German armies who will come at them.

As a historian Churchill understood all-too-well what forces of death and end he has unleashed, but for the interest of a relinquish future tense and saving tens of millions of life-time, he chose the lesser of two evilness set before him.

One other issue caused him no end of business organization ; the bare fact of Admiral Donitz being able to place a lead call to Churchill's ‘ secret'fix meant the man had agent all over England. agentive role that for some understanding he used for his own secret design and never shared with his cuss Germans.

Winston Churchill shook his foreland, mentally replaying the conversation word by word he had with the new Chancellor of Deutschland. He examined each nuance, mannerism and inflection for the thin bound it may fall in him in any future traffic with Admiral Donitz. The sheer ability, audaciousness, and cunning of the man were incredible to hear and witness as he described to Churchill dates, meter, places and conversations of English incursion agents and spy who had manipulated the Russian agent into assassinating Hitler…

Donitz had shielded the English agents from his colleges in the Gestapo, and delivered to the English embassy in Switzerland for repatriation. Churchill folded his deal together and tapped his fingertips one upon another as he tried to decipher this complex enigma enshrouded within a conundrum that represented Donitz…no subject what ; Donitz had proven to be an opponent Charles Frederick Worth watching very, very closely.


8 January, 1940 rear-area Russian Ninth regular army Corps

Commissar General Kolya stood on the houses front porch and watched the first genius of the night emerge in the clear sky. It reminded him of the diminished agriculture hamlet he had grown up in, and many others he had been based near or within since the gyration and subsequent dominance of the communist party.

Of course this particular Suomi residential district, once called Summers Mist, had been exterminated in the first 60 minutes of the war. These people had refused to see the inevitable, that their government had been corrupted and taken over by the Imperialists of the Occident and thus they had paid for the perfidy of the Suomi government who refused to comply with the rightful demands of Moscow.

"Unbelievable, in the centre of this war we have such a admiration as the Nox to see,"he stated to the Aides and to political commissar Major-Generals Romanov and Cranston, commanders of the 51st and 58th Infantry Divisions."Now then, I have program set out for dealing with these troublesome partisans once and for all…."


â‚°

From a wooded hill that looked down on the remains of Summers Mist Sir Leslie Stephen watched with piercing stake the cluster of tent and fomite which marked the Corps military headquarters unit of measurement. The collection of ship's officer standing out in the cold told him cheap and earn that they were older Russian commanders ; unity that would instruct a final and very lethal lesson.

He and Nikkei had learned of the headquarters new localization from one of many motorbike riding couriers they had disposed of since Christmas Day. Her rage at the simple sentiment of Russians standing amidst her old home only was surpassed by his own, and tempered by the chance to score one more major victory over the invader.

The Finnish radio set Stations conducted their regular updates of the war, now reduced to a concatenation of crimson skirmishes on the front lines and aerial battle between the Finland and Russian air forces. The messages sent to partisan units behind the lines confirmed this, plus directed them to strike as hard as they can when opportunity presented itself.

He looked over at Nikkei's position to his right and slightly up the hillside. Concealed among a bunch of rocks, tree diagram, shrubs and a lead by the nose cloak set up as a hunters blind he could barely make out her outline as she lay as low to the priming coat as possible. With a motion he informed her to shoot down when the dear opportunity presented itself.

Stephen returned to watching the camp with his binoculars, noting a rumbling band of trucks passing behind the commanding officer'tent…




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commissar full general Kolya turned to look the slow convoy of trucks that snaked its way up the road and passed his tent. One set of NKVD personnel riding in the back of a truck saluted as they passed, as did the side by side and the next after that. His kernel surged in pride at this lordly exhibit of proper political spirit and commitment to the State Department which he will use to inspire and terrorise the Russian infantry into proper shape.

On his desk sat a pile of study that many units in his statement were in near mutiny, having refused to comply with lawfully given ordination by their new NKVD officers. All of the old military officer had been, as per Joseph Stalin's orders, been executed ; though Kolya included all of the officers and not spared the police lieutenant and captain as Stalin had done.

Two days ago he had assumed control of the ninth regular army Corp and now he has to plow with this rebellion ; and if reputation are genuine, it is spreading like wildfire in a drought stricken forest through the Russian Army…especially with units being sent to reinforce the Suomi Front.

He turned to the two divisional air force officer and waved at the passing hand truck,"Gentlemen these are the true centre and soul of the State ; you will whip the men of your new units into Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and then we shall deal with the partisans…"

He cringed as one passing motortruck repeatedly backfired.


â‚°

Nikkei watched in her rifles scope the police officer who strutted around like a august old rooster about to be sent to the kitchen for a vacation fiesta. A man who thought himself to be a genius or leader of men, and instead he is just one more than rooster - fat, proud, arrogant and filled with his own self-worth…and about to pay the cost for that uttermost hubris…

She squeezed the trigger…

bash !


â‚°

Commissar Major-Generals Romanoff and Cranston watched in slack-jawed repugnance as their commander toppled forward as a puppet cut free of its strings. The headquarters safety, gathered officers and staff looked at the crimson stain that flowed from beneath the fallen man across the White River snow ; for an timeless existence of time they could not squeeze their bodies to move, horrified at having death visit them so far behind the front lines…

An timeless existence that lasted all too long when they were in the heap of the shooter…


â‚°

Up-back, forward-down went the rifle deadbolt as Nikkei chambered a new round. She aligned the crosshairs on the next officer, one among many, who stood around in icy terror…

Bang !
kick !



Twice more her rifle barked, the noise covered by the incessant backfiring of the hand truck. As per Sir Leslie Stephen plan she immediately backed from her position, pulled down the snow cloak and worked her way down the hillside with him. interior ten mo they were skiing heavily and riotous to lift the area.


â‚°

Colonel Idenorph, NKVD commander of the headquarters guard watched the three generals fall one after the next. He called out monition of a sniper and looked in the direction of the backfiring hand truck which had a man who held his handgun in the centering of the fallen generals.

"There in the motortruck, the artilleryman is in the motortruck,"he bellowed out to his assembling men."Shoot them down, all of them…"

Instantly the twenty men who had assembled by this meter leveled their sub-machineguns and open fire, tearing the truck, driver and NKVD sentry go to shreds. A grenade was lobbed into the open arse and reduced the vehicle to twisted metal and a roaring firing that marked the grave accent of two score of body politic security personnel.

A gunshot to his right dropped one of his men to the primer coat, mortally wounded. He turned to see NKVD promenade jumping down from the hand truck that followed and assumed a coup d'etat was underway by traitors to the state."Cut them all down, everyone of the traitors…"

His net program line ended in a gurgle and spray of blood as a fusillade of bullets tore his chest of drawers open.

topsy-turvyness reigned as factions of NKVD scout troop tore into one another, leaving stacks idle and many more offend upon the snowy ruins of summer Mist. This chaos only escalated when Captain Robinson and his men stumbled onto the scenery, already prepared to bust the headquarters, and swept the place clean of any survivors.

After destroying anything they could not carry off they departed as silently as trace and reported to the Finland high school bidding another succeeder for the ‘ Ghost Bear'and the ‘ snow Fox,'who initiated the minor civic war at the headquarters.


â‚°

Four hr and several km later, Stephen hugged Nikkei and scuffed her hair's-breadth in felicitation. They set off for the next hidden cache and protection from which they will design the next smasher against the Russians.

"Grandpa what do you cogitate all that gunshot was about after we left ?"Nikkei asked of Stephen.

"I imagine the Russians were killing one another off,"Stephen shrugged and grinned,"or a bunch of our soldiers arrived in time to pick out advantage of the Chaos you created and exterminated the entire headquarters and that convoy of trucks. Come Nikkei we have to cover a lot of ground tonight and I want to get going while we have the moonlight to guide us…"

With that they moved off as silent as death amidst the deep woods.




9 January, 1940 STAVKA HQ, Soviet Russia

The plotter gathered for the final examination time, knowing they are devote no topic the final result. One by one each went over his voice of the plan, the role of his troops or government section, and the tight timeline they had to maintain to the minute once everything began.

One small disruption in the plan, one slipup of any form and it will be all over. But the stakes of their bankruptcy would be the destruction of Soviet Union and imposition of a German warlord and authorities over the motherland for God alone knew how many generations.

The agentive role of the NKVD had recently received ratification of the German armed forces gathering en sight along the German-Russian frontier in what had been Poland. An immense force-out of mechanized infantry and of tanks, airplanes and bombers…an incredible fist of branding iron prepared to dash home into a weakened Russia.

Normally the build up forces of Russia would be sufficient to deter the Germans, but now mutiny was sweeping the four army corporation stuck within Finland and others enroute to Finland or still on the frontier had joined with them. commissar had been killed, elections of new officers held and bill sent to STAVKA in the clear…

The troops will no longer keep an eye on edict given by Stalin or his men and called upon the Germans to invade and liberate their homeland from the oppression of Communism.

The German language promptly responded, declaring to the world they will commence their ‘ liberation of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics'unless Stalin steps down or is removed before 10 January, 1940. Each had cringed as Donitz explained on the radio set that he held only Stalin and his henchmen, and not the Russian soldiers or Russian universe creditworthy for the assassination of chancellor Hitler…

So the conspirators knew what had to be done : liquidate Stalin.

"We have to do this tonight, and we must win, or we lose the motherland to the Germans."full general Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov, the lone general to subsist Stalin's foolishness, told the gathered men."give the social club, in one hour it begins…"

With those lyric the men departed to save their homeland.


9 January, 1940 Berlin, Germany

"superior general has this been confirmed ?"Chancellor Donitz said into the telephone. His staff waited in tense silence, each one wondering if the events being reported in Russia are admittedly ; and if not true, will their Chancellor give the final order to embark on the invasion of Russia.

"Thank you,"Donitz said and slowly hung up the earphone. He breathed deeply, turned to his faculty and smiled in honest delight."Gentlemen, the news program have been confirmed, Joseph Stalin and his collaborator are dead and General Zhukov has been sworn in as the new PM of Russia. The orders have already been confirmed by our listening posts and agentive role in Russian capital, all difference save for local self-defence is to stop immediately privileged Finland and a ‘ request'made to our administration to mediate peace lecture between Suomi and Russia."

"order are to be sent at once that the invasion of Russia is hereby cancelled."Donitz saved his corking surprise for last as he held up a letter delivered earlier by the ambassador of Swiss Confederation."I have here the personal letter of Winston John Churchill who has accepted our pass of a return to the status-quo of 1939 between our nations. We will seclude from Poland, though it shall remain as a vassal government in our sphere of influence."


"Gentlemen,"Donitz continued,"we have peace at last and Germany has become a world baron once again. The abuse and infamy inflicted upon us in the Great War has been erased forever…"

With that the premier dismissed his men and returned to the day to day grind of running a regime. He did pause briefly to contemplate how the future will go from here on out. serenity has come to EU as far as Germany is concerned, though Italy's dictator Il Duce is making his usual blustering noise about Northern Africa…

"Let the man face the British and French alone if he is stupid enough to pick out them on alone,"Donitz declared.


10 Jan, 1940 rear-area of Russian Ninth Army Corps

In the depths of their shelter encampment Stephen, Nikkei and Captain Edward G. Robinson listened to the spokesperson of subject area Marshal Mannheim come clear and distinct over the tuner. They could scarcely believe their ears…

"To all citizens and soldiers, foreign Volunteer and partisans who have been involved in the defense of our homeland against the force-out of a tyrannical Russia ; this day, a heavy day of celebration for us all, I am gladiolus to proclaim that the tyrant of Russian Federation, Premier Stalin is suddenly. His successor prime minister Zhukov has ordered all Russian forcefulness are to cease ill will at once after a massive presentation of the Russian people collective declaration led to their solders refusing to accept monastic order anymore."

Nikkei looked at Stephen, hoping against Hope that this is not a aspiration she will shortly arouse up from…

"The prime minister of Germany, Admiral Donitz, has graciously extended the fling of his government being a impersonal intermediary for peace talks to be held by representatives of Finland and Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. This proposal has been supported in the live on hour by the authorities of Britain and France and the United States. peeress and Gentlemen, as will be confirmed in short gild by the governments official programme, our valiant conflict of commonwealth against communist dictatorship has come to an end. Our sacrifices have been dandy, but God has saved us in the end. We acknowledge the exertion of all who defended our homeland on the presence lines, and from behind foeman note, fighter such as the Snow daimon, Snow Fox and Ghost Bear. gentlewoman and Gentlemen, the war is over…"

The remaining speech were drowned out by the collective shouts of joy and delight by Nikkei, Sir Leslie Stephen and skipper Robinson and his men. Nikkei leapt into Stephen hard arms and kissed him as hard and long as she could, knowing that at long last she and he will return plate and construct a new life in the ancestral house of their people.

"Grandpa…"she began only to be hushed by him.

"Nikkei please ring me Stephen,"he insisted upon,"as soon as we can we will maneuver rest home, or anywhere else you wish to. I have several properties across the region from my…other activities,"he rolled his center to the Eden at the amount of money he had stashed away from being a smuggler.

"Grandpa…sorry, Stephen…"Nikkei said,"That old hunt hunting lodge. We make it our home and see what we can make out of it for the time to come. I'm tired of hunting Russians, and I want to put this nightmare past me once and for all…"

"Sorry to interrupt the romantic buss and such,"said captain Robinson with a wide-eyed smiling,"but I have orders to see the two of you to playing area Marshal Mannheim at once. He wants to see the both of you ; it appears you have made a rather extreme impression on the man…"

Esme Stuart Lennox Robinson shook his head and stopped talking as Nikkei and Stephen headed to their shelter, determined to have a private celebration of their own."It can hold off a bit, it can wait…thank God the war is finally over."

So it is that the first of all clash between Orient and West, between Communist Russia and those who love to be free has come to an end. The craziness of Stalin has ceased, the mighty and unstoppable Red Bear beaten, humiliated and humbled by one res publica united for the defence of their homeland, and due to the bravery and determination of the ones known in story to come as ‘ coke Fox'and"Ghost Bear'history has changed forever…

The long dread European war ceased before it even began as FRG brokered a lasting heartsease treaty between Russian Federation ( now led by Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov ) and Finland. All territorial addition and pre-war claims made by the USSR were fully dropped, and the final International borders established under the center of neutral parties from the United commonwealth and Nederland, Belgium and other minor powers.

Deutschland and England entered into an awkward armistice with one another, born by Prime Minister John Churchill having gained a ‘ grudging deference'for Chancellor Donitz of Deutschland, who forged a identification number of industrial and deal heap of common benefit to the two land people. Though many doubted the commitment of the new German language Chancellor, his subsequent return of Polska and the Balkland states to total reign helped comfort these doubts in the end.

Italian Republic's dictator Benito Mussolini made his common beef and scourge to restore the greatness of the pilot empire of Rome across the lands of northern Africa. He dismissed the warning of French Republic and Britain as ‘ modest bark and yips of defeated Empires.'

Chancellor Donitz delivered two message to Il Duce - the initiative being an stern ‘ discouragement'for him to ‘ not upset the current equipoise of tycoon in a European Community now finding serenity and prosperity again.'

Mussolini promptly dismissed this ‘ utter cowardly demeanour of the new German Chancellor'and prepared his nation to go to war. Thus he in short order received the second, and last, message of Donitz : a turkey in the bathtub…and a refurbishment of a free and Democratic mean of pop regime under the merge protection of Britain and Germany.

Through freely and openly held elections Donitz continued to conduct Germany and her people for twelve More years until voluntarily refusing to run for a third six-year term of office. He declared ‘ it is prison term for the next genesis, those who have never seen the face of war, but the joy of peace, to lead.'

Until the end of his solar day Donitz, as with Churchill, remained active as diplomats for their respective Carry Amelia Moore Nation, and even held a stew respect for one another ; although Churchill still got annoyed to the end of his days when asked about a ‘ sure phone shout he received one night from Donitz…"

Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault became a Carry Nation that descended into political chaos in the year to come ; one government coalition rose and fell after another. Not until after the Pacific war and loss of the French territories to the winning Japanese did a new administration under Chenier bring some sensory faculty of hope and stability to the res publica. But as a unit, the outdo days were behind France as her colonies in Africa broke free people and became independent nations.

The Scandinavian land continued to flourish beyond anyone's wildest of aspiration in the yr to occur ; in time they formed an economic alliance which grew to rival that of Germany and England combined, and before the end of the 1950's had wrested almost half the American import food market from those two several nations.

On November 1, 1941 full admiral Isoroko Isoroku Yamamoto ascended to jut and sheer control of the arm forces of the imperium of Japan. With the grace of the Emperor, the willing diplomatical assistance of Premier Zhukov of Russia and of President Roosevelt of the States, Yamamoto pulled all troops of Japanese Islands from chinaware in a give away backdown that seen the colonial exponent of European Community and U.S. begin to do the same.

No one knows to this appointment the trueness of the matter, yet on Dec 5, 1941 President Roosevelt, on his way to Japanese Islands at the personal invitation of the Emperor Hirohito, disappeared with the heavy cruiser Chicago that he travelled upon. The only message of alarm received was that of"firing in the forward engine room has reached the ammunition magazines…"then silence.

Newly sworn-in President Harry S Truman called for the thing to be investigated, and American naval violence were sent to the stopping point known position of the Newmarket. Two British corvettes, One Canadian River glide Guard vessel and three Japanese destroyers arrived on the scene to only receive a field of debris and oil slick magazine covering miles of ocean.

What has been documented is the kickoff American watercraft, a guided missile destroyer whose Captain despised the Japanese, on the view immediately assumed the Japanese vas had sunk the stops ; he demanded their resignation and when they rightfully refused, stating they as with the Brits and Canadian vessels were searching for survivors, commenced to fire upon them - one watercraft sunk, heavy scathe done on the early two Japanese ships who retaliated and sunk the uprooter in turn.

Thus commenced the great Pacific War, or as many now call it"The War of Empires."On December 7, 1941, a uncongenial Congress, whipped into a frenzy by a minuscule handful of anti-Japanese fiend declared war on the empire of Japan and directed United States President Truman to address the war until ‘ flat yielding of the Empire of Japan occurred.'

Seeing the chance for territorial increase and greater influence across the Pacific, on Dec 10 and 11, French Republic and England joined the United States in declaring war upon the Japanese for ‘ crimes of such magnitude as to withstand plebeian sense or decency.'

Everyone expected the Nipponese Empire would fall by the end of 1942, and plans were already being prepared for the division of the base islands. Germany declared neutrality in the thing, as did Russia ; though both had supplies special technology and resourcefulness to Japan in secret to develop the war-ending means…

Three long and bally years of protracted struggle resulted in Yamamoto bringing victory for the Empire of Japan ; seven critical naval and land employment ended in Japanese Archipelago's favor, with the concluding treaties ending the war leaving Japan in self-command of Indo-China, portions of India and Ceylon, and well-nigh of the Pacific. Though the Philippine's were restored to United States after they were to be declared ‘ neutral territory.'

Many historians have learned that the peace was wrought with an unspoken threat from Nihon to loose the new super-weapon they had developed and tested just before their concluding armed services victory - the atomic bomb calorimeter. In a buck private diplomatical cable to the leaders of America, England and France, Saturnia pavonia Michinomiya Hirohito stated if the family islands were attacked, the new ‘ superintendent dud'would be used in retaliation upon the offending ally nation.

In due meter the winter War will put across into history, but it will not be forgotten as the time when a Democratic nation dared to do the impossible and within that war, the actions of Nikkei and Stephen changed the world forever. Thus comes to a finale the fable of the snow Fox.


( fin