The thunder boomed as the dark clouds that had threatened a downpour made good on their promise. Alexi sat in his Lada and muttered to himself about his miserable fate as he waited for the light to turn green. He hated the rain.
He hated the way it obscured his vision and the various accessories that you had to bring with you in order to stay dry and look presentable. If it weren’t for the fact that he had a meeting with Sister Mary over at St. Catherine’s Orphanage he wouldn’t have bothered. Yet, as things stood he had been informed that it was absolutely necessary that he look as good as he could.
There wasn’t much Alexi could do to really improve his appearance. He was a middle age man with a little more than the appropriate girth around his waist. His dark hair had thinned considerably over the years as well yet, instead of shaving it all off like many of his generation had taken to doing he’d turned to combs and various jells in order to hide his encroaching age. He sighed quietly and looked at the woman who sat next to him, Olivia, who hummed to herself quietly as she watched the cars go by.
She was without question his opposite. Where he was fat she was rail thin. While he was pale she had a rosy hue in her cheeks and had mounds of dark curly hair. Alexi thought this was unfair. Why should some have so much when nature had robbed him of the one feature he’d been proud to show off? He also didn’t care much for her style of dress but, that wasn’t his call even though he’d noted that before they got in the car that morning that she’d looked like a pencil in her bright yellow business suit.
“Just remember Alexi,” said Olivia as they pulled away from the light, “we’re a happy couple. Those nuns will want to see that before they let us see the children.”
“I know,” responded Alexi with a sigh as he made a right.
Olivia looked down at her lap and then back out the window. “Nobody expects you to get over what happened just like that. Gregory was,” she paused as she searched for the right words, “It was just as hard on me as it was you. You know that don’t you?”
Alexi snorted derisively but didn’t look at her until they hit another light. He sighed and said, “He said he’d be out back. We’d just gotten done talking about the nationals and….”
“I know,” said Olivia quietly, “Then you heard something from behind the house and found him lying in the snow.”
Alexi’s gaze shifted back to the street. She couldn’t understand what it was like to watch a killer escape while you tried to revive someone. She wasn’t the one who’d had the same dream every night for a year, replaying the same events with the same results followed by mornings filled with reports, questions and files but, never any real hope. “You weren’t there Olivia,” he muttered as they pulled away from the light, “It’s always different when you’re there.”
The rest of the drive remained silent until they pulled into the orphanage’s parking lot. It was a large square building with a high pointed roof. The large windows were old and dull allowing light in but not much more. If it weren’t for the large stone cross near the front and the sign over the small parking most would have just assumed was just an old converted office building.
Olivia sighed quietly as she looked up at the large gray building, “Do you need to go over the files one more time?”
Alexi looked over at her and shook his head and for the first time since they’d arrived in town he offered a feeble smile. “No, I think I’ve had enough of files. If things don’t work out here well, we’ll just keep looking.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“As you said before Olivia, we’re a happy couple. They don’t need to know otherwise.”
“This is true,” said Olivia as she reached for her small umbrella and opened her door, “You have your tie, yes?”
Alexi nodded, “Yes, I have two in my pocket to be safe. You go ahead a bit. I’ll catch up.”
Alexi watched as Olivia hurried toward the front door under her umbrella. His pulse quickened as he watched her walk up the stairs. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his newly forming nerves. “If not here some place,” he muttered to himself.
****
It was a barren office in a nondescript building. The usual cubby holes and files sat behind the old nun. The chatter between Olivia and Sister Mary had proceeded as he’d figured. The usual questions about income, stability of the family, and previous criminal history were asked and answered. Alexi mostly kept quiet as he looked down at the small cup of water that sat in front of him.
Early in the conversation Olivia had reached for his hand and he’d taken it to show unity. They’d smiled and even managed to make their way through the first two questions before Alexi had asked for the water so he could take one of his pills for his nerves. He wondered quietly if he should have taken another sip or if that would seem out of place or if taking the medication had made him seem unworthy in the eyes of the nun. As he gazed at the water cup the faint sound of somebody practicing Chopsticks wound its way through the office above the din of the two ladies discussion.
Alexi perked up as he heard the unmistakable tune being played. “Excuse me but I thought you said that the children were in class with Sister Abigail,” said Alexi interrupting.
Sister Mary’s wrinkled face slowly turned to Alexi, “That’s probably Annika. She tends to scoot away from the others. I can close the door if it is going to be a distraction.”
“Annika,” asked Alexi, “Her name is Annika?”
“Well yes. That was the name the with the papers she’d had,” said Sister Mary, “It was an odd name for a girl such as her but, it was her name nonetheless.”
“What do you mean odd,” asked Olivia.
“Well, she’s one of the ones who came through the gate, or at least is related to them.”
Alexi remembered the gate incident. Twenty years ago a series of portals opened up across Eastern Europe. Initially there was concern that this was some sort of invasion. In uncharacteristically quick fashion the United Nations sent forces to monitor those gates and when some rather small equine looking creatures came through nobody knew what to make of it.
At first, they were regarded as livestock, but as the language barrier quickly broke down it became clear there was something more to it. They were inquisitive, knowledgeable about various sciences and even understood concepts similar to that of humans. After fifteen years of debate they were granted status above typical livestock which was quick as far as politicians were concerned.
There were still issues and debates to work out. The particulars as to what was legal and ethical regarding their treatment was still up in the air. Voting rights had yet to be established. However, when it came to criminal matters it was determined that they were just as culpable as any person. It was a fact that Alexi found odd but, not entirely surprising either. Alexi bit his lower lip before asking, “What’s her last name?”
“Petrovski.”
Alexi’s eyes darted back and forth as he ran the name through his mind. It was one of the names from the file he was sent and he’d figured it was as good a time as any to speak with her. “You two keep speaking. I wish to meet this Annika Petrovski,” said Alexi as he stood and walked out the door, “Perhaps I can convince her to return to her class.”
Sister Mary issued the slightest of protests as Alexi left, but he’d ceased listening. Down the barren hall, the large man walked following the sounds of Chopsticks. It wasn’t long before he rounded a corner and came to a small room with a piano in it, its player still clanging away on the keys.
She was a small orange pegasus with a short purple mane. She had the smallest wings he’d ever seen on one of these gate comers. It went without saying that in this large drab building she was the brightest thing in it. Alexi held his breath and allowed the small pegasus to continue clanging away on the piano. “Te võite sisestada, kui soovite,“ said the small pegasus, “Mul pole selle vastu midagi.“
“Kas sa räägid inglise keelt?“
“Enough to get by,“ replied the pegasus, “The keys are too small. I only play this part of this song.“
Alexi walked up to the piano and smiled politely to the little pegasus, “May I?“
She scooted over and Alexi sat down. He nodded for her to start the song while he chimed in with the more complex portions of the waltz. It wasn’t perfect. Her hooves were entirely too large and she tended to hit more than one key at a time while he was painfully out of practice but, they made a grand racket that echoed throughout the building and led to several doors audibly closing before they were done.
Once completed he looked down at the little pegasus who beamed up at him. He returned the smile and said, “My name is Alexi Mikhailov. What is your name?“
“Annika Petrovski.“
“That’s an interesting name. How did you come to have this name?“
“The first people who took me in were the Petrovskis.“
Alexi nodded as he idly tapped a couple of the piano keys. “Did things not work out with them? What of your biological parents?“
Annika sighed and stared at the piano keys as a cloud of sadness slowly covered her face. Alexi almost regretted asking the question before she finally answered. “The Petrovskis died in a fire. I do not know what happened to my actual parents. They were with me at the gate and then....“
“They were just gone right?“
Annika nodded.
“I understand,“ said Alexi, “I lost Gregory a year ago.“
“Your son? How?“
“An accident.“
“I am sorry.“
“It’s not your fault,“ replied Alexi, “Sometimes things just happen.“
Over the next twenty minutes the pair discussed many topics from sports to music. Alexi nodded along as she chimed in eagerly. He feigned interest in her insights. She was quite learned when it came to the various topics. When it came to sports she knew of various athletes that played well before her stated age of eleven. It was similarly true with music and any other topic they happened to discuss. “I have to say Annika you are an original.”
“Yes I am an original. No one is like me,” she said beaming proudly, “So why are you here? Are you looking to adopt? I know there are plenty of them here who would suit you quite well.”
Alexi nodded slowly, “My wife feels that we should try and extend our family once more. She thinks that we shouldn’t live in the past and move on and that tragedy is no reason to not live life.”
“She is right. I am sure you will find who you are looking for.”
Alexi nodded, “I think I might have.”
Annika cocked her head, “Oh? Who might that be?”
Alexi smirked and tapped her on the shoulder, “I know it would be a challenge but, if you’d like to give us a chance I think we could make it work.”
Annika beamed again, “Do you mean it? One piano tune and you want me?”
“I am sure of it but,” said Alexi with a pause, “Maybe we could give you a new name. Something that might help us forget our old, sad pasts.”
Annika quirked her brow at the unusual request, “Well, what were you thinking of calling me?”
“How about,” said Alexi as he took one of the filly’s hooves in his hand, “Scootaloo?”
As he said the name Annika’s eyes widened and she blanched. Alexi noted the change in demeanor. He could feel her slowly trying to pull her foreleg away but he maintained his hold firmly. “I do not like that name,” she said as she began to jerk her hoof away from him, “Let me go! I do not like this! It hurts!”
“No,” asked Alexi, “Then you’re really going to hate this.” In one deft motion he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of zip tie cuffs and slid them over her forelegs tightening them immediately.
Annika shouted in Estonian demanding to know what was going on as she tried to kick Alexi. Still, the older heavier man was able to pull grab both of the little pegasus’ back legs and zip tied them as well. “What is this,” she finally yelled in English, “You have no right to do this!”
“Scootaloo, I’m with INTERPOL. We’ve been trying to find you for years. You’ve been charged in absentia for numerous crimes including murder, arson and selling your own parents to a Tijuana pony show where they were forced to juggle balls for hours on end to amuse eight year olds. You’re notorious across nine countries including this one.”
“Th-that is not true! Annika is orphan! Annika is orphan!”
“She was,” replied Alexi quietly, “as was Daniella Markoff, Svetlana Kiralenko, Bianca Mitchell, and many others. Others that you did away with and assumed their identities so you could evade us.”
“It’s a lie!”
“In fact, you’re not even a child. You’re a thirty four year old dwarf pegasus who immigrated to Estonia through one of those gates twenty years ago. I know because I’ve seen the records. When we finally found your parents they confirmed that the information was true.”
Scootaloo laid on her side as her face twisted in anger as she struggled against her bindings. Alexi knelt over her, “The real kicker though is the fact that I wouldn’t know what you looked like if I hadn’t seen you running from that house after you killed Gregory with that blow to the temple. If you’d just stayed put on that roof we probably would have missed you. ”
“Persse!”
“Now there’s no need for language like that,” said Alexi as he called the local police, “You’ve pretended to be a child for years; it’s time you learned to act like an adult. You’ll certainly be punished like one.”
