The wind was cold. A cold, biting, Russian wind that was making it troublesome for Ekaterina Dragunova to line up her shot. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Her eyes shot open - blue, fierce, and focused. The target filled the scope; a black dot, on a white card, eleven hundred meters away. Her finger grazed the trigger. She took another breath. Halfway through the exhale, she squeezed the trigger. A cloud of powdered snow erupted from around the muzzle as the rifled jolted in her arms. The crack of the shot had hardly dissipated from her ears when the bullet struck the target, dead center. 

"Amazing, senior sergeant!" Her partner, Private Yuri, lay beside her, peering through a spotting scope. "It's another bull's eye! If only we could all shoot like you..."

Ekaterina rolled her eyes. Of course it was a bull's eye. *She* was the one who had taken the shot, after all. Empty flattery left a bad taste in her mouth. Ekaterina grunted, but did not voice her thoughts. 

"Shall we aim for a farther target?" Yuri asked, expectantly. His earnest eyes annoyed her, and the young soldier's eagerness to please was only matched by his mediocre shooting.

"I think not, private." She unloaded her rifle, and put it on safe. "I am more interested in seeing you *try*."

Yuri's smiled quickly faded. "senior sergeant?"

"Let's see if you've been practicing as you claim. Go ahead, shoot for the same target." Ekaterina gestured down range. 

"Senior sergeant, I-"

"Or, perhaps you have been spending you extra practice time drinking in town with the others?"

In her eyes, much to the dismay of her command, free meant more time to train. 

Yuri swallowed, and shouldered his rifle. Ekaterina glanced at his form and sniffed, before peering back down her own scope. Seconds ticked away as she waited for the shot, she glanced at the over-sized face of her digital watch. "Anytime now, Private Yuri." 

She listened for his breathing, the regular in and out as he tried to slow his heart rate. At least, that's what he should have been doing. Instead, his breaths were ragged and unsteady. Yuri's finger had not touched the trigger, but she could already picture how he would do. 

The rifle's report cracked across the range. She watched the target through her own scope. The round didn't even impact the target paper, taking a chunk from the target stand instead.

"You've been drinking, then." Ekaterina glared at her subordinate. "Private Yuri, you will stay out here, until there is a group the size of an egg on the paper." She got to her feet, her voice a barely restrained growl. "Am I clear?" She got to her feet.

"Yes, senior sergeant." He settled back down into his position. "...bitch."

Ekaterina's head whipped around. "What was that, *private*?"

"I will make you proud, senior sergeant!" Yuri yelled, pressing his cheek back to his rifle. 

Ekaterina paused, considering giving him a further dressing down. Bah, what good would it do? Yuri was a lost cause. She turned, and began to make her way back to their ATV.

"Where are you going, senior sergeant?" Yuri asked from his spot. "Are you coming back for me?"
 
She hopped on the ATV. "I will be back after you are finished. I am going for some hot tea. I expect remarkable results, private."

The sound of the small motor drowned out his protests as she took off down the trail.
___

"Senior Sergeant Dragunova!" The Lieutenant's agitated voice boomed across the gym in her ear-drums, despite the music blaring through her ear buds. She sighed, and set the bar back on the squat rack. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Do not 'Yes, Lieutenant?' me, senior sergeant." He growled. "I have received yet *another* complaint from your subordinates." He towered over her by nearly a foot, but she showed no sign of being intimidated. "Leaving your partner in the cold? Again? Goddammit, Dragunova, you can *not* keep doing this!" He took a deep breath, and sighed. "This is not the way to train your troops, you know this."

Ekaterina crossed her arms. "I have taught him everything I can. It is not my fault he won't learn, or train on his own time. He is simply a bad shooter."

The Lieutenant threw his arms up. "Dragunova, not everyone is going to meet your perfectionist expectations. Even *I* can't out-shoot you, for God's sake." He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. 

Ekaterina arched her eyebrow. 

"Finish your workout, senior sergeant. I'll handle the private. But this is the absolute *last* time, you understand? I know you are talented, and I know that Command, but even I can't protect you if you piss of the wrong person." He turned, and headed towards the exit. Before walking out the door, he looked back over his shoulder. She had not moved from her spot. "Try to enjoy your weekend, Dragunova. Maybe go out with the other troops. Make friends, for heaven's sake." With that, he stepped through the door.

She watched as the door shut, before putting her ear buds back in and stepping back to the squat rack. The woman decided she was surrounded by fools.
___
"There she is! There's our Princess Sergeant! Senior Sergeant Dragunova, over here!" 

Ekaterina glanced in the direction of the annoying calls, but didn't stop jogging. A small group of men and women 
mingled near the barracks area. Ugh, they never stopped bugging her. She tried to ignore them. She still had four miles to go on her run, and needed to finish before her afternoon training. 

"Dragunova! Hold up for a minute! We want to talk."

She looked over her shoulder. One of the men was running after her. Boris Petrov, if she remembered correctly. The thought of speeding up crossed her mind, but the lieutenant's words ran through her head again. Fine, she'd try and spend some time with the others. Slowing to a walk, she waited for Boris to catch up.

"Whew! Dragunova, you're a hard one to keep up with!" He gasped through his laughter. Surely he couldn't be that out of shape, she wondered.

"What can I help you with, Senior Sergeant Petrov?" 

"Please, call me Boris." He grinned. Ekaterina did not like that grin. "We have been noticing that you never seem to ever go out, or have any fun with the rest of us. How about joining me a few of the others. We can have a good time tonight, yeah?"

Her fierce, blue eyes bore into him. Perhaps if she made an effort to mingle more, they'd quit complaining about her?

"Dragunova?" 

She checked her watch. "Fine. What time will we be assembling?"

The large man laughed. "Assembling? Haw! You are a funny one, Princess. We will be meeting at the pub in town about eight. Can I trust we'll see you there?"

Ekaterina sighed. "Yes. Yes, I will be there. I am going to finish my run now."

"You are an odd one, Dragunova." He laughed again. "I'll see you this evening!" He waved, and walked back to the rest of his group.

She was already beginning to regret this decision. 
___
"I'm telling you, she was into me!" Boris insisted above his comrades laughter. "Didn't you see how see looked at me?"

"Please, Boris, even from a distance it was obvious she trying to kill you with that weird stare." Patricia Kabinov gave him a playful shove. 

"Oh? Is that so?" He rose his hands defensively. "Then why did she agree to join us?"

"To make you leave her alone, obviously." Artem Chesnov took a drag from his cigarette, and stomping his boots in the snow. "It was definitely not your charm. You don't have any." Another roar or laughter rose from the small group.

"Bah, you'll see. I'll have her hanging off my arm by the end of the night!" Boris flexed.

"Perhaps the ice princess will warm up a bit for us?" Katya Strelok rubbed her arms, and leaned against Artem. "I hope she gets here soon, it's cold."

"Of course it's cold, it's winter, you silly girl." Artem wrapped his arm around her.

"I wouldn't mind having her open up to me." Patricia giggled. "Maybe she'll leave on my arm, instead of yours, hmmm?" She  gave Boris another playful shove. 

"Hah! Not this time, you sly bitch." Boris grinned at the woman. "I won't let you steal yet *another* girl from me!"

Patricia clicked her tongue, and wagged her finger under his nose. "Boris, dear, you are much too brutish! It's no wonder all the woman run from you, into my waiting bosom." She winked.

"Let's make a bet of it." Artem suggested. "The loser pays for the winner's hotel room and drinks for the night." 

Boris and Pratricia grinned at one another. "Deal."

"Hey," Katya interrupted. "Is that her coming up in the taxi?" The small group turned to the direction she was pointing. A small cab stopped at the curb, a few meters away. A pair of brown, knee-length white boots swung from the open door. Ekaterina exited the cab, gracefully stepping up to the sidewalk. Simple, but classy, black leather pants covered her legs, held up by a leather belt that matched her boots. Her long, platinum blonde hair fluttered behind her as she began to walk towards them. She jammed her hands in the pockets of her deep crimson biker jacket as she made her way to the group.

"I may have to join in that bet as well." Artem murmured. 

Shooting him an angry look, Katya slugged him in the arm. "Like hell, you will!"
___
Ekaterina spotted the group as soon as the cab stopped. She glanced at her watch; she wasn't late, it seemed. Everyone else must have decided to show up early.  She paid the driver, then stepped out into the night. 

It was cold. Nowhere near as cold as the forests and steppes of Russia, where she could be training and honing her skills, but cold none-the-less. She made her way to the others, who seemed to be whispering among themselves as they watched her approach. They were talking about her, most assuredly. Had she dressed inappropriately? Her eyes shot to each of her associates. It couldn't be that. There was the one woman, Katya, was it? She was wearing too little clothing, if anything. Her skirt was ridiculous in this weather, even with thigh boots. She also recognized Patricia. Ekaterina remembered meeting the woman a few times before. She seemed to be at the gym nearly every time Ekaterina was. Patricia was also showing off too much cleavage. Ekaterina sniffed. The other women she worked with were so impractical. She glanced down at herself. Her maroon jacket was nice and warm. Styled after older biker jackets, it had been a gift from her little sister, Elena. Under that, she wore a plain, white turtle neck sweater, to keep the chill off her neck. Her pants, while somewhat tight, were admittedly comfortable. Her  sister had insisted Ekaterina wear them during their video call earlier.  Elena had always been more knowledgeable in all things fashion, an area of expertise that had eluded herself.

Patricia caught her attention. "Ekaterina! You made it!"

Ekaterina nodded. "Yes. Boris said eight. I tried to get here a little early. I see I was still at a bit late." 

"Nonsense! We got an early start, is all. You just have a few drinks to catch up on." Boris laughed. 

Her gaze drifted to the other two in the group. "Good evening, Sargeant Chesnov, Private Strelok."

Artem nodded, along with Katya, who smiling meekly. 

"Bah! None of that! We are all friends here, Ekaterina!" Boris held out his arm. "Allow me to be a gentleman, and walk you inside." 

She looked at his arm, then at his face. ...Very well." She hooked her arm into his. Patricia appeared on her opposite side. "It's going to be a good night, I think!" The other woman smiled. "Now let's go inside where it's warm."

At least the bar was quite, Ekaterina decided. A small jukebox in the corner quietly played some pop song that was popular on the radio. She immediately noticed the seven other patrons inside. They kept to themselves, only one even acknowledging their entrance with a glance. 

"Don't mind the lack of people. It's usually like this, this time of night." Boris apologized. He guided the group to a table near the bar. "First, let's get some drinks for the ice princess!" He waved to the waitress. "Six shots of your best vodka for our friend, here. And beer for the rest of us!" The waitress nodded, heading off to gather their drinks.

"So, Ekaternia" Patricia squeezed next to the blonde woman, opposite of Boris. "We all know you are the great sniper of the 45th, but we know almost nothing about yourself." She smiled, resting her chin on her hands. "Rumor has it you are escaping a life of ease and wealth, you know?" Ekaterina gave her a confused look.

"I've heard you came from a farm, in the Urals. They say you grew up hunting bears and wolves that attacked your family's livestock." Boris added. 

Ekaterina arched her brow. "Excuse me?"

"You both are stupid." Artem chuckled, stubbing out his cigarette. Pulling out another, he looked to Ekaterina. "You were an Olympic marksman, correct? I remember seeing your name in the news, years ago."

Ekaterina eyed the smoking man, and nodded. "That's is mostly correct. I trained many years, before joining the army."

"Oh?" Patricia sat back. "What made you leave that life? Surely it must have been better than the glamorous life in the army?"

Ekaterina looked down at her hands. Patricia wasn't *completely* wrong. The army wasn't exactly the easiest life she could have chosen.

"It wasn't my life, it was my mothers. I wanted to choose my own destiny, and I wanted a challenge. My performance during my initial conscription was excellent, and I took up an offer for the battalion sniper school."

The waitress arrived as Ekaternia  finished, setting their drinks on the table. She passed out the beers around the table, then put six shot glasses of vodka in front of Ekaternia. Boris thanked the woman as she walked away, asking her to make sure their glasses stayed full through the night. 

"Now then!" Boris clapped his hands together. "A toast to new friends!" He held up his glass, and the others followed suit. Ekaterina hesitated for a heartbeat, then followed suit.

"And to thawing out our ice princess!" Patricia declared. The small group cheered, taking long drafts of their beers. Ekaterina rolled her eyes, then downed her shot, followed by the next, then next, and the next, till all six glasses were empty. The burning sensation from the liquor felt good to her chilled body.

"Another surprise from Dragunova!" Boris laughed. "More vodka for our friend, here!" He called to waitress. "And leave the bottle!"
____
"I drank too much." Katya's flat statement was answer with laugher from the others. 

"You're such a light-weight!" Patricia giggled. Katya blew a raspberry at the busty woman, and hugged against Artem's arm. 

"There, there, my little drinker, I'll protect you from the mean Patricia." Artem grinned, sending a knowing wink to Boris. "I think I'll take this one to bed. I'll bid the rest of you goodnight." He touched the brim of his hat before guiding Katya down the sidewalk.

The remaining three bid them farewell, watching as they rounded the corner. 

"Well then!" Boris clapped his hands together. "What shall the three of us get up too? More drinking?"

Ekaterina shook her head. "I think not. Tonight has been, eventful..." 

"Hah! Don't tell me you are a light-weight as well, Princess!" Boris threw his head back, guffawing. "Stay out with me for a bit! It takes two to stay warm, no?" He wrapped his arm around Ekaterina's shoulder, pulling her close.

"Eh, no." The smaller woman tried to push him back. Boris pulled her tighter against his side. "I really need to go get some rest." 

Boris ignored her protests, dragging her down the sidewalk. "The night is still young! I'm sure there are many adventures for us to have, no?"

"No." Ekaterina managed to slip from his grasp. She backed away, defensively. "I think it's time for me to go. You are drunk." Her voice was low, even, and defensive.

Boris took an unsteady step in her direction. "Don't be like that, Princess. We're just having a good time, yeah?"

Ekaterina didn't like the look in his eyes. "Perhaps you are. I am done." She took another step back. 

Boris' eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "So this is how you repay a friend for a good time?" He took another drunken step towards her, towering over her. "I should teach you a lesson in manners, "Princess"." His voice was low and dangerous.

Ekaterina clenched her fists, preparing for a fight. With his size, there was no way she could beat him outright, but she hoped she could at least throw him off balance enough to run away. Boris prepared to lunge at Ekaterina, then froze. She realized his face changed. Boris' eyes crossed, and he grimaced pain. She looked down, and saw Patricia's boot was jammed deep into his groin.  

Patricia grabbed the smaller woman's wrist. "Come on, let's ditch his drunk ass!" She drug her comrade away from the howling man as he writhed on the snow covered sidewalk. They ran for several hundred meters, dipping through alleys, turning this way and that, but they finally slowed to a walking pace again.

"I apologize for the big gorilla." Patricia panted, Her breath came out in thick white clouds. "He can sometimes get, aggressive, when he's drunk."

"I see..." Ekaterina looked back over her shoulder. 

"So, shall I walk you back?" Patricia offered her arm to the other woman, giving her a warm smile. 

Ekaterina eyed Patricia, then the arm. "Sure." She cautiously accepted, hooking her own arm through her comrades. 

"This way!" Patricia giggled. The couple staggered through the snow, their drunken stumbling slowing their progress. 

"I don't think this is the way..." Ekaterina glanced around. The area wasn't unfamiliar; they were still close to the base, at least. 

"My apartment is closer." Patricia giggled again. She pressed her flushed cheek to Ekaterina's face. 

"You're too close." Ekaterina shivered, but didn't push the other woman off. The alcohol, combined with their earlier exertions left her feeling much more tired than she realized.

"Do not worry, Princess Sargent." Patricia guided them to a grey brick apartment building. "I will treat you like royalty tonight. We'll get a good, hot shower, and then into a big warm bed, yeah?" 

"Ekaterina thought something sounded odd in Patricia's voice, but the words "hot shower" and "warm bed" overcame any apprehension.
____

"Welcome to my home!" Patricia swung her door open with a drunken flourish. Ekaternia leaned in, cautiously. 

"It's, spacious."

"One of the best in town!" Patricia beamed. "It's a perk when you know the people I know!" She gently pushed Ekaternia through the threshold. "Don't just stand there, go on in! Let me take your coat."

"I really shouldn't stay." Ekaterina protested, but Patricia was already sliding the garment from her shoulders. 

"Nonsense! I must insist, especially after Boris' behavior." Patricia tutted. "We'll have to give him another good walloping after he sobers up."

"Perhaps more than that..." Ekaterina muttered.

"There there, Eka." Patricia rubbed the other womans shoulders and purred into her ear. "Don't let big dumb Boris ruin a fun night." 

Ekaterina grunted, still standing stiffly. Patricia grinned, moving her hands around Ekaterina's front, pressing her chest into the woman's back. 

"What are you doing?" Ekaterina remained still, confused.

"Just giving my new friend some affection." The taller girl giggled. The alcohol on her breath was making Ekaterina woozy again. 

Roaming hands found their way to the edge of the blonde woman's shirt, and slowly began to pull it up.

"Wait." Ekaterina grabbed Patricia's wrists in protest. "What are you doing?" She asked again, more forcefully. 

Patricia squeezed her arms tight, hugging the small girl close. "What say we have a little girl time, you and me?"

Ekaterina reacted when Patricia nipped her ear. Driving, her elbow into the woman's side, she attempted to twist out of the larger woman's grasp, but Patricia held fast. She threw her weight into Ekaterina's back, pushing her to the floor. 

"Get off me!" Ekatrina cried, trying to roll over, but the larger woman's weight held her fast. Panic coursed through her. Everything was spinning. She felt Patricia's hand slip under her belt, and realization hit. With all her remaining strength, she pushed up, throwing Patricia back. Scrambling to her feet, she bolted towards the door. Her fingers grazed the handled and she felt Patricia grasping her ankle. She jammed her free foot back, and hit something soft. Patricia cried out, and released her boot.

She had to run; she needed to get as far away as she could. Leaping through the door, she ran down the hall, and didn't look back. Her head was on fire, and her stomach churned. Outside, down the road, she didn't stop. Her lungs burned. Buildings flashed passed her peripheral, but she couldn't stop. The surrounding became unfamiliar, but still, she couldn't stop. Every muscle screamed as she pushed herself. Finally, after an eternity, she collapsed against a light pole. The streets were empty. Ekaterina gasped, filling her lungs with the cold, winter air, and fell to her knees. What the *fuck* just happened. The next gasp came as a ragged sob. Why? "Why?" She asked aloud, hot tears she hadn't noticed before were streaming down her face. Leaning back against the the post, Ekaterina let her tears flow.

____
Ekaterina blinked as the alarm from her watch beeped. The sharp, shrill tones goaded her to roll out of the small bed to cut them off. She glanced at the face, and sighed. It was a bulky, heavy thing, with a thick white band. A gift from her sister. Elena had insisted that it would blend in with the snow, despite the fact that half the time she trained in the mud. Her thoughts drifted of home as she strapped it to her wrist. She missed her sister, dearly. Blinking away fresh tears, she began her morning routine. 

After finally stumbling back to her small barracks room, Ekaterina had spent over two hours sitting in the shower, letting the hot water run over her. It didn't help. The dirty, used feeling wouldn't wash away. She spend the rest of the weekend locked in her room, eating microwave meals, and staring at the ceiling from her bed. Sunday she had decided never again. Her path would be her own, and no one else's. No Boris, no Patricia, no-one. She had slipped, and let her guard down, and the cut went deep. Giving herself a once over in the mirror, Ekaterina left the small room more resolute than she had ever been in her life. Sargent Ekaterina Dragunova would be the best, and everyone would know it.

____
The incident was never spoken of again. Patricia's nose had been misshapen the last time Ekaterina saw her, but the group had pretended the sniper didn't exist. Good. It was better that way, and if they *had* tried to confront her about it, she was more than willing to deal with them. 

Two months went by without further incident, and the sniper busied herself with training. When she wasn't shooting, she was at the gym, or practicing combatives. She noticed that other soldiers seemed to actively avoid her now. The lieutenant was more distant than before. Well, it was of no concern to her, they were only obstacles now. 

After one such day of personal training, the Lieutenant called her to his office once more. Perhaps someone had finally come forward to accuse her for Patricia's injuries? Ekaterina steeled herself at his door, and knocked sharply.

"Senior Sergeant Dragunova reporting!"

"Come in, Ekaterina." 

What awaited her on the other side was nothing like she was expecting. The Lieutenant was standing next to his desk, and in his seat was another figure. A woman. A woman in a green sweater vest, with an emblem that she had never seen before. Long, blonde hair cascaded from her head, and down her back. The woman's eyes immediately locked with Ekaterina's. 

"Good morning, Sergeant." English? A man she hadn't noticed before was standing on the other side of the desk. "I'm Central Officer Bradford, and we're from XCOM."

Ekaterina stared, dumbfounded.

"We've heard much about you, Sergeant." The woman smiled. It was a beautiful smile, but Ekaterina immediately recognized something else behind it. She gestured to a plate on the desk. "Would you like a cookie, dear?"