[ WP ] You 're an American sniper in Berlin during the Cold War . Your task is to eliminate Soviet officials ; they continue to evade and you continue to follow , until then one perfect shot .

'Paper's citizen.' The little agent standing below me said. I did not take my eye from the scope but I heard the shuffling as the man reached into his coat and handed across identity. More shuffling as the agent inspected them. 
 
'All in order.' Krugachek tapped his foot impatiently and then walked away. The citizen he had questioned followed, his foot steps slower, obviously hoping to put some distance between him and the KGB agent. So Krugachek had caught my trail again. For me the cold war was becoming hot. Too hot. Twice before he had almost caught me. Mina had saved me the last time, yelling a warning while Krugachek and his goons had waited in our apartment. I'd heard her scream of pain and then nothing more. It did not matter. I had one more kill to make. One more shot and, whatever happened then, my work was done. If Holtz had showed his face while Krugachek had been standing below me I would have fired regardless. 
 
 Holtz was the last name on my list. Assassins were the front line troops of the cold war. My left leg started to go to sleep and I wriggled it as much as I could without disturbing my rifle. At five hundred yards, especially with this old peasant's rifle, I could n't afford even a hair's movement. I had walked the distance from the brothel to this flat and with each step thought of Holtz, thought of finishing a mission that had began twenty years ago in the Dardanelles. Back then I was only a private who was considered the best shot in the regiment. Holtz had been my seargent. Betrayal in war time I could have understood. Defection in peacetime, after all we had been through together, I could not. 
 
 The clock struck and I sighed. I had given the man time to appear but now curfew was in effect. Holtz would stay the night in the brothel. I hope it cost him dearly. I lowered my rifle and rolled my shoulders to ease tension. I pillowed my head on my arm, wrapped my coat tighter, and slept. 
 
'What is this?' I asked, holding the small vial in my palm. 
 
'Poison.' 
 
'I know.' I replied sourly,'What's it doing in my supplies.' 
 
'Poison has been used by assassins-' I waved Smythe silent and shook my head,'When I came to you and offered my services I told you I want to do it my way.' 
 
 The effeminate British man tweaked an end of his moustache uneasily,'I was hesitant about this when you volunteered and I am starting to reconsider sending you. The war is over.' 
 
 I laughed coldly,'If the war is over then what is it were doing here?' 
 
'You know exactly what I mean. With the surrender of Japan-' 
 
'-Russia became the new enemy.' I felt suddenly tired. I stood up,'No poisons, no bombs, nothing. It'll be easier for me to get in that way anyway. If I am stopped what will they find on me but papers, clothes and the like.' 
 
'Using a rifle is madness. You're not a sniper now.' 
 
'I was n't then.' I growled and stormed out of his office. 
 
 I awoke with the memory still fresh in my mind. The chill of the German air seeped through me. Deep in my lungs I felt the rattle of pneumonia. I looked up at the half moon. It was about midnight. I went back to sleep. 
 
'Take the shot.' Holtz ordered. I looked up at him and shook my head. 
 
'Shoot her god damn it.' He snapped. 
 
'I've killed a woman and I ai n't about to start.' I growled at him. He stared down at me, his attire impeccable. The man never lost the sheen of his Yale professorship no matter how bad the situation became. He seemed on edge now. 
 
'There are bigger things at stake, Vince.' Holtz cried,'If she gets back to the Germans they'll know the 1st is moving toward their right flank. Those men will be exposed. Shoot the bitch. She's a traitor anyway. A goddamned French girl who had sold herself to the enemy.' 
 
 I swallowed. I had liked the vivacious village girl who had shown up in the camp. That she was a spy no one would have guessed. She had her reasons for supporting the Nazis, I suppose. 
 
'Shoot her and that's an order.' Holtz yelled. I ignored him. 
 
'Shoot her or I'll shoot you.' He said this softly, drawing his side arm methodically and pointing it at my head. 
 
 I swallowed, staring into his eyes. He would do it. My life or hers. I lifted the scope to my eye and centred my sights on the fleeing girl. I fired. The back of her head exploded, blood ripping into her streaming hair. 
 
'I am sorry Vince. What she supported, what she stood for.' He sighed,'What we're fighting for is something more than the freedom of Europe. Its the freedom of mankind, of the human soul. You know I'm right.' 
 
 I woke again. Dawn was upon me. I shook my head to clear the memory but the woman's exploding head I saw again and again. If freedom of the soul was so important, Holtz, why did you sell it out? Why did you turn your back on the freedom you valued, that you made me kill my own soul over? 
 
 I stretched out lazily and then picked up my rifle again. I settled into position, my scope fixed on the door. The door opened. It was so unexpected I almost fired prematurely. Holtz stood in the doorway, I started to squeeze the trigger but a whore was standing behind him. If I fired I risked killing her too. One perfect shot and I could not take it. I willed her to move but she seemed content to stand there and Holtz content to stand in the doorway. My lungs were burning. I had held my breath to steady the rifle and had forgotten to exhale. 
 
'Good morning, comrade.' Krugachek was right behind me. Holtz was still in my sights, and the whore too. 
 
'Lower the rifle. You've led me a merry chase, as the English say, but I have caught you now.' 
 
 I would never have another chance. I needed to stall. I exhaled and then took a grateful breath. I heard Krugachek move beside me. 
 
'What became of Mina?' 
 
'She loved you very much.' He said conversationally,'She endured much for you.' 
 
 The whore moved back inside. I had my shot. 
 
'She died for you.' He continued,'Her heart was weaker than we expected.' 
 
 Holtz started to walk down the steps. I could still blow off the top of his head. I lowered the rifle. 
 
 I looked up at Krugachek standing over me, his Luger pointed at me. 
 
'Let us make a deal.' I muttered,'I have much you want to know.' I pushed the rifle far away and sat back. 
 
'What would you offer that I will not get anyway?' 
 
'Nothing.' I replied and dove for him. He fired. We crashed together and tumbled over the roof. It was then I felt the pain in my chest from where he had shot me. I pictured the French girl again, through my scope, and this time she turned to me and I saw Mina's face.
