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In Morozovo, Alexander was sitting behind a table in his officer’s tent when Diarettes and vodka Alexander earing his coat, and his injured hands were nu to the et some warmth and some food, but he couldn’t leave his tent It was Friday, and he had awith General Govorov in an hour to talk about their preparations for an assault on the Germans across the river

It was November, and after four failed attempts to cross the Neva, the 67th Ar for the river to freeze Finally the Leningrad command concluded that it would be easier to attack with the foot soldiers in line for clustered in easy-to-destroy pontoon boats

Dimitri placed the bottles of vodka and the tobacco with the rolling papers on the table Alexander paid hi a letter fro him He hadn’t written to her for the feeeks that he’d been hurt, even though he could have had a nurse write the letter for him Alexander knew that if Tatiana saw a letter in so between the lines into how badly he was really injured Not wanting her to worry, he had sent her his Septe to her himself toward the end of the month

He wrote that his burn wounds were just God’s way of protecting him Unable to function at his weapons, Alexander had missed two disastrous assaults on the Neva in September, which had decimated the first and second line arht in frolad to supply the Leningrad front with men -- if only they had some But after Hitler’s directive to Manstein to hold the Neva and the blockade around Leningrad at all costs, there were hardly any men left in Meretskov’s 2nd Ar razed to the ground The Ukraine was Hitler’s Leningrad was barely holding The Red Ar another attack on the Ger at his desk, trying to figure out what the hell rong with his wife

Here it was November, and none of her letters that cah without some of her usual candid fervor,hi to read between the lines of her letters when Dimitri had co

"Alexander, can you pour me a drink? For old times’ sake?"

Reluctantly Alexander poured Dimitri a drink He poured himself a smaller one He sat behind his desk, Di invasion and about the frightful battles with the Germans across the Neva on the Volkhov side

"Alexander," Di what’s ahead of you? Four attempts to cross the Neva, most of our men dead, and I hear that the fifth attack once the ice freezes is going to be our last one, that not a single man will be allowed to return until the blockade is broken; did you hear that, too?"

"I heard so about it, yes"

"I can’t be here any supplies to the Neva for the Nevsky Patch troops, and a rocket bomb flew all the way fro squadron getting ready to ferry I was maybe a hundred meters away from the explosion But look" -- he showed Alexander the cuts on his face -- "it doesn’t end"

"No, Di his voice a notch, Dimitri said, "Alexander, you will not believe how unprotected the Lisiy Nos area is right now! I deliver to our border troops there and see the Finns in the woods There are maybe a dozen men in all It’s providential You can coet to the border, we can dump the truck, and then--"

"Dima!" whispered Alexander "Duround We talked about this in June--"

"Not just in June We talked this to death I’ I can’t wait anyo, and we’ll make it, and if on’t make it, they’ll shoot us What’s the difference? At least this e stand a chance"

"Listen toup froed me--"

"Has it?"

"Yes!" said Diht for my own life to survive By whateverI’ve done so far just hasn’t worked Not thefrom platoon to platoon, not the foot wound, not the ! I’ve been trying to save ain But the Germans are determined to kill me And I’m determined not to let them" Dimitri paused and lowered his voice "Makes your little stunt with the now deceased and forgotten Yuri Stepanov evenin retrospect" His voice barely audible, Dimitri said, "He’s dead, and we’re still here All because you had to bring hiht now, if it weren’t for you"

Fighting with himself for control, Alexander came around on Dih his teeth, "And I told you then the sa you now Over and over then Over and over now Go! Leave Go ahead I will give you half of et to Helsinki and Stockholo?"

Dimitri pulled away on his chair froo on lish"

"You don’t need to speak English! Just get to Stockholee status They’ll take you, Di slightly away

"And noithit behind you if you have to I’ll give you half of the money--"

"Giveabout? We are supposed to be going together, reether?" Di alone," Alexander hissed, "then you ait until I say the tiht In the spring it will be--"

"I’!"

"What choice do you have? Do you want to succeed, or do you want to fail in a hurry? You know the NKVD border troops shoot deserters on the spot"

"I’ll be dead by the spring," said Di to square off against Alexander "You’ll be dead by the spring What’s the otten into you? Do you not want to run any the torlared at hio, when you were nobody, had nobody, when you needed me, I did you a favor, Captain of the Red Army"

Alexander took one stride and stood so close to Dimitri that Di up at Alexander with anxiety

"Yes, you did," Alexander said "And I have never forgotten it"

"All right, all right," Diet all--"

"Have I ht time"

"But the border at Lisiy Nos is unprotected now!" Di for? Now is an ideal timore troops in, the ill continue there Now it’s a stalerad kills you"

"Who’s stopping you?" said Alexander "Go!"

"Alexander," said Di without you"