The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

married?”“I wonder whose side those soldiers are on. I counted about thirty armored vehiclesin just one column,” one of the operatives muttered.“Who cares whose side? Undoubtedly they will spill a lot of blood on both sides,”came a nervous response.Valery very quietly, as if speaking to himself, said, “But where are Victor and Yuri?”Everybody heard him though.Valery’s partner, the experienced officer who was supposed to go into the city withhim, jumped up and quickly ran out into the corridor, eyes leading his feet, silently. Valerynoticed that his face was mortally pale and his eyes dull, motionless.Soon the resident summoned Valery into his office.“How are you?” Osadchiy asked him in an insinuating tone. The resident consideredValery to be his friend. He was closer to him than to other officers from the KabulResidence.“I’m fine,” Valery replied cautiously.“Well, it appears your partner has suddenly fallen ill. Must be his blood pressure. Hewent to the clinic. I’m not sure who to team you up with now. Maybe you shouldn’t go thereat all.”Valery remained silent out of deference to his superior.“Okay, go on, we’ll figure something out,” concluded Osadchiy.Valery returned to the common room, considering the sudden illness of hiscolleague and the conversation that he had just had with the resident. He wasoverwhelmed by conflicting feelings. On the one hand he feared being killed, or worse,54