Red Moscow

Sokov and Belkin hurried back to the command post.

As soon as he entered the door, Sokov saw Second Lieutenant Samoilov talking to Vanya in a low voice with the door behind his back. As he walked forward quickly, he asked loudly, "Captain Vanya, what happened?"

Hearing Sokov's voice, Vanya and Samoilov quickly stopped talking and turned to face Sokov.

"What happened?" Sokov asked again.

"Mr. Commander," said Vanya without answering, and it was Samoilov who answered: "Look, what did we find in the sewer?"

After Samoilov finished speaking, he immediately moved two steps to the side, revealing the position covered by him. "What did you find..." Sokov had just finished speaking when he saw four children beside Samoilov: three boys and one girl, the oldest boy was at most six or seven years old, and the little girl looked like Three or four years old.

Seeing these four wearing ill-fitting military uniforms, holding two half-eaten slices of bread in their hands, and there were still stains on their faces that had not been wiped off in time, Sokov asked with some difficulty: "These children, are they Where did it come from?"

"Report to the commander!" Samoilov quickly replied: "We found it in the sewer. When I first heard the movement, I thought it was the Germans, and quickly ordered the soldiers to get ready for battle. Just as I was getting ready When giving the order to shoot, I suddenly heard the voice of a little girl, and quickly ordered the soldiers to stop, and then followed the voice to find the children."

Sokov knelt down in front of the little girl, and asked amiably, "Little girl, what's your name, and how old are you?"

"My name is Lilia!" The little girl replied softly, "I am three and a half years old."

"Where's your mother?" Sokov's first reaction was that such a small child was hiding in the sewer, that her family members had suffered misfortune, so he asked, "Why isn't she by your side?"

"Mom is dead." Lilia lowered her head when she heard Sokov's question, tears streaming down her cheeks, "She was killed by a German plane."

Looking at Lilia's pitiful appearance, the softest part of Sokov's heart was touched. He felt his nose sore, and his eyes seemed to have sand in them, and something was about to flow out. In order not to lose his composure in public, he deliberately diverted his attention, looked at the other three boys and asked, "What about you, what's your name again, and how old are you this year?"

"My name is Daniel and I am five years old."

"My name is Vajim and I am four years old."

"My name is Anton, and I am seven years old." The oldest boy said, "Our mothers were killed by the Germans."

"Anton!" After the children reported their names and ages, Sokov stood up, put his hands on each other's shoulders, and asked softly, "Did you take them to hide in the sewer?"

Seeing the amiable attitude of the officer who asked the question, Anton was not afraid at all, so he nodded and replied affirmatively: "Yes."

For a seven-year-old child who survived a war-torn city with three other younger children, Sokov felt that this was an amazing thing, and he continued: "I want to ask you, How did you survive?"

"We usually hide in the sewers." Anton replied: "When it gets dark, we come out of the sewers and search the dead people's bags or rucksacks. There will be some food in them. Sometimes we find more food , everyone will be full; if there is no harvest, everyone will only be hungry..."

"Captain Vanya," Sokov saw that the bread slices in the children's hands had all been stuffed into their mouths when they were talking, and knowing that they must be starving, he ordered Vanya: "Find more bread for the children." Order something to eat, and pour a cup of hot tea by the way."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff. The children have been hungry for too long, and if you feed them too much, they will collapse." Belgin called to Vanya, who was about to find food, "give them some food." A cup of hot tea is here, I believe they haven't had anything hot for a long time."

Four cups of black tea with honey were served quickly. The four children took the teacups and drank the tea quickly while blowing on the hot air.

"Misha!" Belgin pulled Sokov aside and asked in a low voice, "I want to ask you, how do these children settle down? You know, we are at war here, and it is not safe for the children to stay here .”

How to resettle these orphans who lost their parents in the war, Sokov also felt a headache. If they were not accompanied by adults, even if they were sent to the ferry, they would not be able to board the boat. And even if they managed to get on the boat, what would they do when they got to the other side of the river? Who would take care of them?

"Comrade Commander," said Samoilov, who brought the children to the command post, seeing Sokov's helpless expression, "I think we can take them back to Mamayev Post and hand them over to Assia. They will take care of them. When the time is right, send someone to send them out of the city."

Regarding Samoilov's suggestion, Sokov felt that it was quite reliable. Although there was also a war on Mamayev, the children were in no danger as long as they stayed in the tunnels. What's more, they can still get the care of the female hygienists including Asiya, which is much better than them staying in the sewer to fend for themselves.

Thinking of this, Sokov nodded and said, "Okay, when we return to Mamayev Gang, let's take them back together."

"Misha." Belkin waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and then took the initiative to say: "The battle situation here will not change much in a short period of time. You should return to Mamayev Post as soon as possible. Anyway , you are the leader of the first division, you can’t leave your command post all the time.”

"Second Lieutenant Samoilov," Sukov thought, thinking that he had sent Samoilov to take the small team of the downsizing regiment to the sewer to survey the terrain. If he followed him back to Mamayev Post, would he It had an adverse effect on Belkin and his team's work, so he asked, "Have you finished your terrain survey?"

"Report to Comrade Division Commander," Vanya replied first, "The survey work led by Second Lieutenant Samoilov has been completed." He picked up a sketch on the table and introduced it to Sokov, "This is the The sketch of the sewer provided to me by Comrade Lieutenant."

Seeing that Samoilov had already finished all the work that should be done, and Belkin and Vanya could also command troops to guard the archives building, Sokov felt that there was no need for him to stay any longer, so he nodded and said : "Okay, as soon as it gets dark, we will return to Mamayev Post immediately."

Hearing that Sokov was going to return to Mamayev Post, everyone, whether it was Belgin, Vanya or Samoilov, was relieved in unison. They thought to themselves: As long as the division commander returns to Mamayev Yevgang, then his safety can be guaranteed to the greatest extent, and he doesn't have to be as worried as he is now. .

But Sokov thought in his heart: Judging from the situation just observed, the underwater pontoon bridge should have been completed. When he returns to the division headquarters, he can call Cuikov and ask when the troops on the other side can enter the city.