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CHAPTER 13
1918 AFTERMATH
The truck trundled over the bumpy cobbles, and every now and then Johan could hear a low groan being emitted from one or other of his seriously injured passengers, but he dare not hurry lest he raise suspicion. At last he drew the truck to a halt outside the Baoudin house, and Baoudin, his wife Aimi and their assistant Heinrich Kleibenzetl hurried out to rescue the precious load. Anastasia was deeply unconscious, but Alexei came to as they lifted him indoors and carried him to a cellar containing two makeshift beds.
"No! Please ... let me die..."
"You're not going to die, you're going to be all right, Alexei." assured Baoudin. "My wife is a trained nurse."
"Don't want to .. live ... cannot live ... now ..." His cheeks were wet with tears as he lapsed into unconsciousness again.
Aimi Baoudin went about cleaning the wounds of the victims. Johan's bullet had creased Alexei's skull but had not fractured it. He had lost a lot of blood from both his side and his head. Aimi fought to staunch the flow. Anastasia was very seriously injured, with stab wounds to her right foot and a head wound where a ricocheting bullet had dug a deep furrow behind her right ear. Her jaw was broken from blows by rifle butts, and she had several broken and missing teeth. Although unconscious she was emitting low, whimpering sounds.
As daylight lit the sky the rescuers could hear the march of booted feet approaching.
"Quick," ordered Baoudin. "Cover them up - make sure they don't make a sound, or we're all dead!"
The sounds of the Red Guards pounding on every door came to their ears. If the occupants did not answer quickly enough they broke the door down and ransacked the house, in search of Anastasia.
"I'll head them off." said Johan, quickly climbing the wooden cellar steps and concealing the entrance hatch under a carpet. The truck, still containing Krov's body, was parked outside. The approaching guards could not fail to notice it. He flung the door open. Yurovsky, commanding the guard, saw him come out of a local house, adjusting his clothing, and roared "Soldier! What is your business here?"
Johan appeared to be confused and embarrassed. "Sir, I - I had to pay an urgent call ..."
"Why this house?" Yurovsky was angry and impatient.
"Sir, the lady ..."
"You are not in this army to screw every local woman. What is in that truck?"
"A body, sir - one of the traitors you shot. I was detailed to take it to the mine for disposal."
"You are on report, soldier. Return to the House immediately. Gospov -" he indicated a private standing beside him - "Take the body to the mine and dispose of it. The rest of you - search this house!"
When they burst into the house, Yurovsky found Aimi, hair tousled and wearing a dressing gown over her nightdress. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?" she demanded, while two soldiers opened the bedroom door and the back door respectively. The bed was rumpled. Below, in the cellar, Baoudin and Kleinbenzetl listened anxiously, their hands over Anastasia's and Alexei's mouths to stifle any moans. "No-one else here, sir." reported one of the soldiers.
"Damn! Quick, you fools, search the next house!" ordered Yurovsky.
Downstairs in the cellar, Kleinbenzetl relaxed too soon and raised his hand from Anastasia's mouth. She whimpered.
"What was that noise?" Yurovsky demanded, immediately suspicious.
Thinking fast, Aimi said "It is my kitten - you have frightened her!"
"Kitten? I see no kitten!"
"She is hiding. Look, there she is."
From under a low chair, two green eyes peered out. The commander aimed a kick between the kitten's eyes but it scampered away unharmed and bolted out of the door, a frightened flash of white fur.
"Agh!" Yurovsky roared in frustration. "Soldiers - continue your search!"
---oo0oo---
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