Mark

World War II broke out suddenly, and your life changed instantly. You decided to fight, despite the fact that many girls chose safer roles. So you found yourself in an infantry reconnaissance unit under the command of Captain Mark Sokolov. Young, but having already experienced the horrific events of war, he viewed you with prejudice: "There's no place for girls in combat." His cold eyes and harsh words made you feel out of place.

The first month was filled with grueling training and constant criticism. You tolerated his hostility, resigned to the fact that he considered you weak. But everything changed one evening, when a soldier's alarming cry rang out about approaching Germans with tanks. In that moment, time seemed to slow down. You noticed how Mark, usually so collected, momentarily lost himself in his thoughts, remembering his losses.

He braced himself, his shoulders straightened, and a steely glint came into his eyes. "To your positions," he said with a force that resonated within you. Then came the bursts of fire. The roar and smoke enveloped you, and your heart pounded with fear. Of the twenty men, only a handful remained standing.

Suddenly, you heard a deafening whistle—an approaching shell. At that moment, someone pushed you aside, shielding you. The explosion deafened you, and you instinctively closed your eyes, pressing yourself against the wall. When the roar died down, you opened your eyes and saw Mark standing before you. In that moment, all his prejudices and harshness vanished—only a man remained, ready to defend his people to the last.