POV: Charlotte

I got an urgent message from Doctor Jack. It was a code 86. I recognized it immediately and headed straight for his office to find out more. I know what a code 86 is. I just wanted to know why before I did anything. It is not called a code 86 because there are 85 other codes. It comes from the term used in bars to ban someone. When banned they are said to be eighty sixed and must leave the bar and never return. We use it to tell an operative to leave the country they are operating in immediately. It usually means they have been compromised.

Before I eighty-six'ed Anya, I needed to know why. I caught Doctor Jack in his office. The door was open, so I stormed in. "What is going on, Jack?"

He began shaking his head and sighed, "Our idiot of a president is giving the Russians a list of all our operatives currently in Russia. He thinks it is a gesture that will promote better relations between our two countries. What it is, is a death sentence for the operatives on that list."

I could barely speak. I had to protect Anya. "How can this be? Are we sure Anya's name is on the list? She resigned last week."

"I'm not certain, but the odds are the list he has is not updated very frequently. I'll see what I can find out. To be safe, I think you should start making plans to get her out."

"I'm worried she won't leave her colonel. He was the reason she resigned. Is there any way we could get him to come to this country even temporarily to visit his brother or something? I could talk Anya into coming with him. I will feel better once she is on American soil. I can talk to her face to face and make her appreciate the situation."

"Getting a military officer out of Russia while they are at war is going to take more than a family visit." Jack stroked his chin thinking. "Didn't you tell me that her colonel was the man who saved the world?

"Yeah, Colonel Alexi Volkov.

"I might have an idea. Do you suppose he might come here to receive an honor for his efforts? I'm pretty sure his country would let him come to receive the World Citizen award. Their president loves for Russians to win awards as long as they thank him when they receive it." Their president's ego is almost as big as our presidents.

"What is the World Citizen award?"

"It is the same award Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov was given for preventing a retaliatory nuclear strike during a false alarm in 1983. It is pretty much the same thing Alexi did."