<div style="text-indent:1em;">Vera jumped involuntarily upon hearing the first shot. She waited for the familiar pain of a bullet in the back, but it didn't come. One of the guards released her arm, and two more shots rang out.  Something was very wrong. Or was it?</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">As she started to struggle away from the other guards grip, three more shots rang out. His chest exploded and he fell to the ground. Vera turned to see the fourth guard collecting rifles and ammo from the others, that lay very dead in the hallway.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">The guard looked up, worry and panic in his face. <span style="font-weight: bold">THE</span> face. The same expression as it held 12 years ago. <span style="color: #40BFFF">â€œDonâ€™t worry, you will survive this day.â€</span> , he had said. <span style="color: #40BFFF">"Remember my name, miss, for it is Vasiliev.â€ </span> But why was he in a guards uniform? None of it made sense to her at the moment, but there would be time later to figure it out. This moment called for swift action. She wasn't sure if this man could be trusted, but three dead soldiers in a school building was a bit much for some type of ruse, even for the Tsar and his cronies.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;"><span style="color: #40BFFF">"We must leave, now!"</span> he was saying. <span style="color: #40BFFF">"You must trust me and follow all of my commands. Do you understand?"</span> All of her emotions seemed to be fighting for dominance. Confusion, anger, resentment, joy.. She wasn't exactly sure how she should feel at the moment. She stared at Vasiliev and replied "You leave me little choice comrade. Wait here."</div><br/>Heads were peeking out half open doors up and down the hallway. She ran back into her classroom and told the children everything would be alright if they just stayed in there seats. She grabbed her coat and purse. She took the knife he had given her from from the pocket of her skirt and stuffed it into her coat pocket.  She hurried back down the hallway. "Lets go!" she said, not slowing down.