It was a cold morning in siberia or it's always been like this. 

A Siberian polar bear reluctantly raised her head and looked towards the dimming sun. As if to look back at the glory of the past years. 

A shill gust of cold wind passes by as she retreated. 

Now she's old and unable to wait for the death sentence that will sure to come. Just like her motherland , her bones will grind to dust by the tide of change. 

Her childrens have the illusions of heaven. She wanted to believe that too but deep down she knew that she has lot of blood in her paws. 

She'll surely go to hell . Just as the crumbling red empire it's up to fate whether she'll be consumed by the devil or be under the shadow of some greater evil. 

 In the end, she knew in this freezing cold land there is no heaven for the defeated. 

-------------------------------------------

Moscow_ August 16, 1991

_________________

At seven o'clock in the evening, the old bronze bell engraved with wrinkles on the Kremlin's clock tower had just struck the seventh time. 

The street was already sparsely populated and could be described as desolate. 

The empire built on this long and twilight land is like this gradually thinning sunset, with the last ray of light dissipating, it exudes a silent but desolate sigh.

At this time for Andrei , who was holding a goblet at the banquet, had an air of melancholy surrounded him. 

He looked at the dissolute red squire from the window and then he looked at the young and hopeful faces at the banquet, who were full of vision for reform and the future and hope.

Andrei understood that his negative emotions at this time were not suitable for a happy banquet. But he can't forget the those young hungry faces that'll sure to happen just like his previous life. 

He stood up slowly, and the laughing crowd immediately stopped chatting. Due to bureaucratic rules, everyone was ready to stand up with him, but Andrei firmly stopped this behavior. He picked up the wine glass and said slowly, under the puzzled gazes of the audience,

"Gentleman as you know , our motherland is undergoing various crisis and tests. As you can see, not everyone understands and supports us. 

But for the sake of her and for the people we must Unite. Her brilliance still shines on each of us, guiding us forward, forever."

Clap.clap.clap...Clap.clap.clap.. 

When he finished speaking, there was applause from the audience, which was like a mechanical machine.

 Andrei knew that these were just perfunctory, even if they spoke from the heart. So he chose to close his eyes and did not speak.

It's been four months that he came here. But even now he couldn't decide what he wanted. 

(Is this my destiny? ) 

Andrei questioned himself in his mind. 

He wasn't the real Andrei Ivanov. He has no horse in the race . He wasn't even a Russian. He has no problem about the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

He was just a dirt poor reporter of a poor third world country. 

(Why I'm doing this? As a red prince I can go to America and live a comfortable life.) 

(Was it to stop the fall of a sitty idea like communism ? Was it for idealistic fantasy? Was that I cared about the common people? Or is this for world peace or crap like that? ) 

Andrei didn't know. But deep down he knew exactly what is the answer, 

"So, in the end I am just a another basterd who couldn't control himself."

Andrei had a cruel smile on the corner of his mouth. 

(Finally I became just like them.) As a reporter Andrei saw the true face of this world. 

He despised the ruling class but now he became a fellow member of the ruling class. It was quiet a ironic change. 

... 

As someone spoke his thoughts were cut off . 

"Comrade Andrei, can you announce what you want to say now? It seems you also invited comrade Pavlov, Yanayev and Pugo. 

I called all the members of Alpha according to your instructions, although I don't know what you are thinking about."

Next to him was a middle-aged man with a Mediterranean hairstyle, wearing thick black-rimmed glasses, he looked like an amiable intellectual, but those who knew his identity immediately came to mind when they saw that face.

The speaker was Vladimir Alexandrovich Kryuchkov, who held the infamous position of Chairman and Head of the First General Directorate of the KGB.

It seems he was confused. Though he knew that Andrei was a red prince. He couldn't understand how can a small deputy commander can invite so many heavyweights and rising stars at the same time in such a luxurious banquet. 

What more this is a crucial time but he didn't know anything about it. Kryuchkov was alarmed. 

"Of course, Comrade Kryuchkov. In fact, I will assure you that it will be a wonderful speech." Andrei smiled mysteriously at Kryuchkov, and took a gulp from his glass.

Kryuchkov didn't smile. 

Andrei walked to the group with a glass of wine. He asked softly, "Do you believe in democracy? Do you believe that freedom can save the Soviets?"

　　In an instant, everyone's breath became like walking on thin ice. Although these people were also discussing democracy and freedom in private, and criticizing the centralization and dictatorship of the Soviet Union. But in front of country's top leaders openly talk to them about democracy, which is not a good thing. 

The members of Alpha and the Vympel looked at each other in dismay. They dared not answer this question casually. Yes or not, they may ruin their future. To put it bluntly, they may even threaten their lives.

... 

 Andrei didn't expect this group of people to answer his questions. 

He said to himself, "Democracy, democracy, I'm sorry that democracy doesn't grow overnight. And to the disappointment of everyone here, for nearly a hundred years, Americans have tried to make democracy take root in other countries by shock and awe but it has never been successful. 

Instead, they have built up a lot of third country dictators, Ngo Tingyan, Syngman Rhee, Saddam, Pahlavi. These countries It doesn't even have the most basic conditions needed to establish democracy. 

What makes you think that we are different?"

One of them answered feblely , "Those are just Asians or Africans. You can't compare the blue blooded Europeans like us to them. "

(These fucking racists!) He held his tongue. 

He continued, "Do you really think that current soviet people need fundamental rights and principles? 

Do you think a few bombs are thrown and a dictator will establish democracy? Wrong, the people don't care about Constitution. They need life security, they need rules and regulations, they need someone to defend them against foreign invaders. They just want a full meal and a smile in the face of their family. 

A democracy can't exist on empty stomach. Do you even thought about a little what would happen after soviet Union collapse? Can you even imagine the devastating effects? Everyone? "

Andrei was too involved in his speech. He wanted these idiots know the pain of the common people. He wanted them to know how their fantasy will destroy so many people's lives. 

It wasn't Idealistic dreams of these people thinks but it was rants of a ordinary man that he witnessed in the streets of Moscow. He witnessed the the horror show that happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Parents selling their children, families separated and all around violence. 

He sivered at those memories. He looked at the poor creatures with pity.

 It was this group of people who were thought democracy and freedom will solve every problem. These are the ones who refused to carry out the mission of assassinating Yeltsin in the attack on the White House the day after tomorrow, which led to the subsequent failure of a series of dominoes to collapse. 

He didn't know if they would regret not agreeing to the request of the top Soviet leaders in 1991 when they were also in the Kremlin against Yeltsin's bombardment of the White House two years later.

(Sigh.... What the hell I am thinking. Isn't this to be expected? Who am I to judge morality? After this I am going to be one of them. )  

Andrei calmed himself . 

The atmosphere of the banquet fell to freezing point, no one dared to say a word, and no one even dared to answer . That's the scary thing about power, it can turn even an unarmed coward into a supreme king in an instant. His eyes swept across everyone's faces, and then slowly asked, 

"If I give you a task tonight, and ask you to assassinate Yeltsin, will you go?"

This was Andrei's last request, and he hoped that someone would stand up, instead of all Alpha soldiers put down their military IDs, shaking their heads and refusing to execute orders, as was the case in history.

　　"No, I won't agree." Sure enough, the first voice of resistance sounded. Although it was weak, it slammed into Andrei's heart like a heavy hammer, like the last straw was broken. His only hope. Then someone followed the words of the previous person and made requests to refuse one after another. "Never agree."

The flame of hope in Andrei's eyes quickly dimmed. In fact, he never had hope in the first place. He has given these people a chance, but they just didn't cherish it. The Alpha member's answer even brought him a sigh of relief. 

Andrei smiled and took a few steps back. He retreated to a safe enough distance to raise the glass that was empty of wine. He toasted them and said,

 "Very well, this is a tribute to your freedom, and... The sacrifice of freedom."

Then Andrei let go of his hand, and in full view, the exquisite crystal wine glass fell to the ground at the speed of free fall, 

""Chang""

It shattered and made a crisp sound. This is a secret code that only Andrei and Arora knew, and even Kliuchkov, the vice-chairman of the KGB, who is sitting on the stage, had a confused expression.

　　The masked people who were ambush outside the house rushed up, and according to the script that had been laid out, they took out a submachine gun from the jacket and aimed it at the crowd at the banquet.

RAT-A-TAT-A-TAT-A-TATA-TRAT-A-TAT

The sound of screams and gunfire filled the seene.