Ben blinked in surprise at the man as he wasn't making sense. Finally, he snorted. "Am I being officially kidnapped by the Russian Army?"

The Colonel shook his head with a slight smile. "No, not officially. The story will be that you became lost in the wilderness. It's a big country. You'd be surprised how often it happens."

Ben shook his head in disbelief. "You're right about one thing. I do work for US Military in their non-weapons based research. They're aware I'm here in Russia. If I don't return home, they're going to start asking uncomfortable questions. Your bosses are going to have to answer for this."

The Colonel...