The Traitor

“He’s down.” Sergeant Makarov whispered as he watched the German soldier drop to the ground.

Private Nikolai Balashniko had always admired his Sergeant’s sniper shots. There was something about them that made it look easy.
It was 27th of July, 1942. Nikolai’s birthday. He should have been spending it with his family, but the Axis powers had invaded the city on the 17th. Nikolai was a member of the Red Army, but was on leave when the first tanks rolled through in to the city.

The bombings had started a few days earlier, and the city was in ruins. Now the snipers had taken over the battle field, the derelict buildings making perfect hiding spots. Nikolai, being an impressive sniper, was drafted to stay in the city while his family was evacuated to safety.
Nikolai now followed Makarov in silence along the top floor of an apartment block. They were on a mission to assassinate A German officer who had great influence on the battle. He was due to be meeting with another German officer in a once Russian police station, now turned in to a German command post.

As they turned a corner, they found that the stairs to the building that gave a greater view of the police station had collapsed during an air raid.
“What can we do now?” Nikolai asked, looking towards Makarov. He seemed deep in thought.
“Hmm…” Makarov looked at his watch.
“Come on, Makarov, there can’t be that long left until the meeting will be over. We need to hurry.” Nikolai said urgently.

“There is a way I know of.”
“Then we must go.”
“It is risky…You see that building over there?” Makarov replied, pointing the barrel of his sniper towards a post office.
“Yes.”
“That is where we must go. From the roof, there is a clear shot towards the police station. The risk is, it involves running over the plaza. There is bound to be snipers lurking in the shadows.”

Nikolai looked out of the window, and he could see what Makarov was saying.
It was about one hundred meters clear sprint to the safety of the post office, but the plaza was surrounded on all sides by buildings, with any number of holes where the barrel of a gun could be sticking out of right now, without anyone being able to see it.
“We must chance it.” Makarov said, interrupting Nikolai’s thoughts. He started heading for the stairs.

Nikolai knew better than to challenge Makarov’s decision. He was more experienced than him, and seeing as Makarov was a higher rank than Nikolai, it was an order.
Nikolai followed Makarov, breaking into a jog to keep up. He sprinted down the stairs, watching for any lurking German snipers out of the windows on each floor they passed. They reached the ground floor, and found the front door, with a clear view of the post office. Makarov approached the window to the side of the door. Crouching, he glanced round.
“You go first. I will stay here and spot you. Go now!” Makarov hissed.

Without needing anymore instructions, Nikolai set of at a sprint towards the post office. He kept on telling himself in his head that he would make it. He opened his eyes, and the post office door was only a few bounds away. Without stopping, he burst in to the post office door, and went down behind a desk, attempting to catch his breath.

He waited a few seconds before returning to the door. He could see Makarov crouching at the door, making hand signals to Nikolai. He was saying that it was clear, and that he needed to stay and spot Makarov across the expanse area of ground.

Nikolai watched the buildings around them as Makarov sprinted towards him. He was almost at the door when Nikolai saw the reflection of a scope at one of the windows. He turned and shot, but it was too late. He had killed the sniper, but not before he had shot Makarov in the leg. There was a cry of pain as Makarov fell to the floor.

Nikolai rushed out and dragged Makarov the last few meters in to the post office. He was still breathing, but the pain must have made him pass out.

There was no time. He quickly picked up Makarov and moved him up the stairs to the roof where he could keep an eye on him. Glancing out of the window, he could see the German officer talking to his friend. He was saying goodbye, and was heading for a car.

Nikolai needed to act quickly. He aimed his scope at the head of the German and held his breath. Just as he was about to press the trigger, he heard a click behind him. Spinning round, Makarov was on the floor pointing his pistol at Nikolai.

Nikolai dropped to the floor, and a shot rang out. It missed. He quickly got up and kicked the gun out of Makarovs hand.
“They..They…told me to kill you. The Germans. They said they would protect my family.” Makarov muttered.

Nikolai had to act fast.
Two shots echoed around the plaza. The German officer, who was in the middle of turning the ignition key, rested his head on the dashboard of the car, blood pouring out of a wound to the neck.

The other German officer called to his soldiers to check the area. They went to the post office. There they found a Russian with a leg wound and a bullet to his head. They knew Russian snipers travelled in pairs. They set to look for the other, but Nikolai was already a ghost in the distance.