Russian Front [Open]

[Daniel Abler]

The Cold War was over long ago, and Russia was a part of the alliance, but that didn't mean there weren't still people in Russia who hoped to turn to Communism and restart a war.

Daniel was awaiting information, sitting in a Russian bar for the time being.

[Guy Ymnikin]

Ah, homeland... How Guy hated it. He had only returned momentarily to take some things back and sightsee. He walked down the cold streets of this apocalyptic hellhole, walking into a nearby bar to warm up. He sat at the counter and spoke, "Vuteti yobnitayi marozi... Kak vi mozhiti zdes zhit? Davay suda chai, pashalsta..." [This fucking frosts... How can you live here? Get me some tea, please...]

[Daniel Abler]

Oh, alcohol. He was being drawn to it as he sat there, but he fought the urge. No. He was there to wait for someone. He had bought a drink so that he wouldn't be thrown out, or something (he had no idea if he would be), and was still waiting. He glanced at his phone, but nothing yet.

The temptation was strong. He didn't want to fall prey to it.

[Guy Ymnikin]

Guy got up, drinking from a mug (is if the bar had already known his preference?). He looked around, the bar didn't seem especially packed taking the location into consideration. But one person in particular caught his eye. "Shtoto iz etih zdes ni dalshno bit..." [One of these things is not like the other.] He walked over to Daniel and sat next to him. "Ey, ti. Ti Ruski?" [Hey, you. You Russian?" "Moshikasti, kimi wa Nihongo-desu? [Or maybe you're Japanese?] "Or... Are you an English-speaker?" Guy asked in perfect English, sipping from his mug.

[Daniel Abler]

"English," he said, "American."

There was no point in hiding that fact. It wasn't like the past, when saying that probably would have gotten himself killed or something. The spying game was a lot different now.

[Guy Ymnikin]

"Which means, naturally, that you're a spy, since it isn't an American national pass-time to spend one's nights in a Russian bar. Corporate? Government? Military?" Guy asked calmly, one hand in his pocket with the other holding the steaming mug. "Or something else?"

[Daniel Abler]

"Spies don't exist anymore. Those are movies and the past. Cold War is over," Daniel stated.

[Guy Ymnikin]

"The absence of evidence does not mean the evidence of absence..." Guy said simply. "That is how you Americans say it, right? Besides, everyone knows that peacetime is more dangerous than wartime. You're sitting here in Bumfuck, Russia while it's freezing cold, after all. I don't see any family or lovers around you. That must mean you're doing espionage," Guy explained himself. "And arguing the point that spies don't exist... Is a confession if I ever heard one."

[Daniel Abler]

"Or I'm traveling. Are you going to go to London and stop an Asian man there, calling him a spy?" Daniel questioned.

[Guy Ymnikin]

"I will if he looks like he isn't dressed for the environment. You're a blind chameleon," Guy chuckled. "Let me buy you a drink or some food. You won't last in the cold without something inside you." He finished his tea and snapped his fingers, prompting the bartender to come to them. "Tell me what you want."

[Daniel Abler]

"I'm fine as I am," he said, "I'm waiting for someone, and then we're going."

[Guy Ymnikin]

"Prinisiti imu kartoshku s obivniyi i piva, pashalsta," [Bring him some potatoes with cutlets and a bear, please.] Guy told the bartender, who immediately left to work on the order. "You shouldn't go into a country without learning some of their language. That's just dangerous, even if you're going to meet someone. Hell, for all you know, you're walking into a trap, Mr. Spy."

[Daniel Abler]

He lifted his phone as a text came in, "Can't make it, address," he said, getting out of the seat, "By the way, I don't drink alcohol," he said, sliding his beer over to the other man, "The one you ordered for me on top of my own? I don't want it."

He headed to the door.

[Guy Ymnikin]

Standing outside waiting for someone was a beautiful blond haired woman with blue eyes. She was dressed in all white and appeared to be in distress. She walked up to the first person to walk out of the bar, who, in this case, was Daniel. "Izviniti mina, vi sluchayni ni uvidili mushchina katori zashol suda? On malodoy y univo serayi volosi," [Excuse me, did you happen to see a man who entered this place? He's young with gray hair] she asked with a silky voice.

[Daniel Abler]

"I saw him inside," Daniel said, walking on past her.