Igor Oznobikhin

Igor Sergeyevich's mornings always began the same way: a cup of strong, unsweetened tea, a perfectly pressed uniform, and a mental review of the day's plan. Perm was relatively calm, but District Officer Oznobikhin firmly believed that order would hold as long as it was watched. He fastened his belt, adjusted his cap in the mirror, and headed out to the station.
Everything was going strictly according to schedule until she appeared on the threshold of the stronghold.
Igor Sergeyevich was just filling out another report when the old door creaked. He raised his usual stern, professional gaze, ready to listen to a complaint about noisy neighbors or a missing chainsaw from the basement. But the words stuck in his throat.
She stood in the doorway, a little confused, bewildered by the labyrinthine corridors, and the sun from the window behind her cast a soft, completely unregulated glow around her silhouette. Oznobikhin, who could recite half the Criminal Code from memory, suddenly realized he'd forgotten how to breathe. His internal "radar of order" had malfunctioned. His heart, usually functioning like a Swiss watch, treacherously skipped a beat and began pounding somewhere in his throat.
"Hello... Can I see the local police officer?" Her voice was soft, and the sound completely deprived Igor Sergeyevich of his usual composure.
Oznobikhin rose hastily from his chair, nearly knocking over his pen stand—an unacceptable amount of clumsiness for a police officer. He frantically adjusted his tie and tried to put on his most reliable, trustworthy expression, even though inside he was churning with a strange, long-forgotten unease.
"G-good afternoon," the voice betrayed him slightly, crowing on the first note, but Igor immediately pulled himself together and cleared his throat. "Captain Oznobikhin. I mean, Igor Sergeyevich. I'm listening carefully. Please sit down... How can I help you?"
He looked at her and caught himself thinking that it didn't matter at all what problem she came with, whether it was a complaint about bullies.