- No need, Lieutenant. “Sergeant Berentseva,” the major turned to the girl. - According to your report, there is also little information about this hare. And regarding the incident after returning, almost nothing has been written at all. Explain yourself.

Sofia, hesitantly fiddling with her fingertips, began her answer, trying to give it the necessary seriousness and importance:

- Comrade Major, the hare appeared in our mission by accident. I just liked this animal. We found it by chance and decided to take it with us. Before the incident with the skinless creature, I didn't even think about its significance. When we began to descend into the enemy's lair, I left him at a safe distance, because he was just a cute animal.

There was a note of regret in Sofia's voice. She continued, recalling that critical moment:

“But when the situation became critical, when we were on the verge of death, the hare suddenly appeared and attacked the creature. It was absolutely incredible, but his actions distracted the monster, giving us a chance. Ivan was able to deliver the decisive blow. Without the hare's intervention... I'm not sure we would have made it.

Sofia took a deep breath, a feeling of gratitude towards this unusual animal flashed in her eyes. She continued her story, her voice was quiet but confident:

- And after that, we had time left and we decided to explore the ruins, where we found a gift that was transferred to the second department. We were very happy about the find and let our guard down. In the ruins was the lair of the Hellhounds. And while we were examining the gift, one of the creatures attacked us from behind, but the hare protected us. He took the attack upon himself.

The major, at first surprised and then more and more interested, rose from his chair.

- How did he take the attack on himself? - his voice was full of disbelief.

Sofia replied:

- He created a shield similar to the one Ivan uses, which bought us time to counterattack.

The major finally rose from his seat and did not hide his surprise.

- This is extraordinary. A hare with such abilities...

Sofia continued:

“After we completed the task, I couldn’t just leave him in Grani.” This hare saved us, and I felt responsible for him. So I decided to take him with me. I wrapped him in my soul, thinking that he would sit there until we returned to the Edge again. But then events happened that I don’t remember. And in the end, he found himself in the real world.

The major walked up to the chair on which the hare lay and looked around at those present in the room with a heavy look. His voice sounded muffled and trembled a little with suppressed anger. His hand is light on the holster:

- You brought into our world a creature that is clearly intelligent and has abilities. To a military facility?! - in his voice there was not only a threat, but also bewilderment. A pistol appeared in the major’s hands, the muzzle of which, like an ominous warning, was aimed at the defenseless hare.

The colonel, abruptly rising from his seat, loudly and authoritatively called out to the major:

- Major! - his voice reflected all the severity and seriousness of the moment. He stood like an unshakable rock, demonstrating power and control over the situation.

Sofia, alarmed and momentarily paralyzed with horror, quickly intervened:

- Comrade Major, please don’t do this! He is not the enemy, he saved us. He is part of our team!

The colonel, remaining calm, repeated his command more firmly:

- Major, lower your weapon. We must look into this and act wisely.

As soon as the hare woke up, his world narrowed to one single point - the barrel of a pistol, pointed straight at his face. At this moment, time seemed to stand still, and Alexander, realizing that he was on the edge of life and death, decided to act. He concentrated, calling on all the power of his soul, only pulled the strings of his soul, and in the next moment, icy claws burst out of his paws, which with cold precision and inhuman speed cut the pistol into pieces.

The metal, instantly shrouded in frost, scattered across the floor with a ringing sound, like crystals on thin ice. Silence fell in the room, broken only by the sound of metal fragments falling to the floor.

- Bead! - Sofia exclaimed, but her words seemed to be beyond reality for Alexander. He was no longer just a hare, he was a creature caught in the very center of danger. Realizing that every second could be decisive, he rushed to the floor, quickly and deftly breaking through it with blows of his icy claws. The animal seemed to turn into lightning, cutting through the space of the room and leaving behind only a whirlwind of air and the stunned looks of the officers.

Having gone down to the floor below, he found himself in a corridor where girls, peacefully going about their business, suddenly found themselves drawn into an atmosphere of unexpected chaos. But for Alexander this was just a background, he was already looking for a way to salvation, his instincts told him that the only way to survive was to disappear from the sight of those who saw him as a threat.

He flashed past the stunned girls, leaving behind only a shadow and bewilderment. His movements were fast and purposeful, like the wind that could not be caught.

In the room, meanwhile, the tense atmosphere reached its climax when the major, overwhelmed by the sudden fervor of the commanding voice, roared:

- Duty officer, raise the alarm! There's a hostile creature on site! - His eyes glowed with determination, but were full of anxiety.

Then he turned sharply to the trio.

- You are under arrest for sabotage and aiding the enemy! - His voice trembled with anger.

- Major! - this time, the colonel not only called out to him, but also touched his shoulder with a light movement of his hand, causing the man’s legs to give way and he fell to his knees. There was unshakable power in his voice, and his gaze was calm and weighty, like fate itself. - Duty officer, set off the alarm. Make some tea. Captain, you can be free, your participation is not required at the moment.

His words were clear and precise, like the orders of a military general.

The captain, stunned by what was happening, with doubt in his eyes, but strictly following the command, quickly left the office. As the group's curator, he probably should have stayed, but this incident could have ruined his career anyway. The colonel addressed the remaining trio:

- Take a seat. - his voice was calm and confident. He bent down and, collecting the fragments of the pistol, muttered: “Cold.” Sofia, it seems this is your gift of Cold...

- Yes, Comrade Colonel. But where he got it from, I have no idea. - answered Sofia, looking confused and lost in this chaos of events.

At this time, the attendant brought tea, adding a touch of routine to the situation. Ivan, thoughtfully touching the edges of the cup, spoke:

-I assumed this earlier and now it is confirmed, he copied first my shield ability, and now Sofia’s gift of Cold. - his voice was calm, but there was a note of surprise and admiration for the abilities of this unusual hare.

There was an atmosphere of a mixture of surprise and keen anticipation in the room as the Colonel, settled in his chair, slowly sipped his tea.

- I think his name is Businka? - his voice was calm, but there was some curiosity in it. - In your task you found much more than a gift and souls. You have found a rare gift, a rare creature. This should be encouraged, not scolded. Find the Bead. From this day on, he will officially be assigned to your group. We'll issue a card for him. Major, don't touch the hare! Assign the rank of private. Take care of this personally.

The major, still under the authority of the colonel, sighed heavily and, turning his head, answered through clenched teeth:

- That's right, Comrade Colonel. - the tension in his shoulders seemed to dissolve into air, and he was finally able to breathe more or less freely. It was as if a whole mountain had fallen from his shoulders in the literal sense of the word.

- Private Businka? - Andrei asked incredulously, not believing his ears. The colonel only nodded calmly, confirming his words.

- Is the order clear?

- Yes sir. Find the hare and deliver it for paperwork. - Ivan stood up, ready to carry out the order. - May I go?

- I allow it. Everybody's Free. - the colonel noted the end of the meeting, watching the departing officers. After them, he shouted: “Duty officer, send someone to fix the floor.”

When the last echoes of the retreating officers' footsteps died down in the long corridor, the colonel slowly picked up the phone. His movements were measured, precise, filled with years of military discipline. The phone call did not require dialing, it was a direct line to high command.

“I wish you good health, Comrade General...” the colonel’s voice was even, but there was a note of seriousness in it, indicating the importance of the conversation. - That's right, everything is fine... Yes, I understand... I have new introductory notes on the 'Bogatyr' project. That's right, in person. I'm waiting, Comrade General.

As soon as the conversation ended, the colonel carefully replaced the receiver in its place. He leaned back in his chair, took a deep breath and closed his eyes tiredly. Images of recent events appeared before his mind's eye: an incredible hare capable of copying abilities. His swift escape. Reports from Grani and all this painted a murky picture of the future.

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His gaze finally fell on the hole in the floor, cut by the hare's icy claws. It symbolized more than just physical destruction. It was a disruption of routine, an intrusion of the incomprehensible into the ordered world of military routine. It was a reminder that there are forces and phenomena in the world that cannot be completely controlled or predicted. It’s not possible yet, but the Bogatyr project was supposed to correct the situation.

There was a heavy silence in the room, broken only by the distant sounds of the military base outside the window. In this moment of reflection, the colonel seemed lost in thought, pondering the future, the role that they and this unusual hare would have to play in the coming events.

Meanwhile, Alexander, having broken through the foundation of the administrative building, found himself in the snow, where the cold air wrapped him in a soft white fur coat. When it fell on fresh snow, its paws barely noticeably left traces hidden under the fluffy cover. Looking around for shelter, he noticed a small building nearby that seemed like a good place to hide. It was a warehouse, part of a military base, where various supplies and equipment were stored.

- Cold!

The hare carefully but decisively jumped towards the warehouse, making its way through the fluffy snow. He stayed away from illuminated areas and prying eyes, trying to remain unnoticed. Approaching the building, Alexander noticed that one of the warehouse doors was slightly open. This presented an ideal opportunity for him to hide inside and escape the cold.

Entering the warehouse, Alexander found himself in semi-darkness, where the shadows of various boxes, containers and military equipment painted patterns of mystery and silence on the floor. In this dimly lit depth of the warehouse, behind the stacks of boxes, muffled voices sounded, breaking the monotonous silence of the room.

Alexander, moving quietly, like a shadow, approached the source of the sounds. His white fur coat made him perfectly visible in the darkness of the warehouse. Suddenly, one of the men noticed him. At that moment, the gift of the Shroud of the Lost was activated, and the hare’s body instantly jerked to the side, dodging possible danger. In the place where Alexander had just stood, a red-hot pit formed, emanating heat and light.

- What are you doing?! It's just a hare! Flayer! - one of the men grumpily said to his comrade, hitting him on the head. The attention of the intruders was diverted from the hare, and they continued to rummage through the boxes.

Alexander remained on alert, ready for any action, but these people posed no further threat to him. He examined them carefully: one of the men was tall, with short dark hair and noticeable muscles under his military cloak. His face was hard, with a determined chin and angular features. The second, shorter, but thinner, with long blond hair in a ponytail and softer features. They were both dressed in military uniform, but their manner of bearing and speaking gave away something unofficial about them, perhaps marauders or deserters.

Watching them, Alexander realized that the two were engaged in illegal entry and theft of military equipment. They paid no attention to the hare, continuing their conspiratorial conversations.

- Do you think he will succeed? Now, when the authorities are pressing us from all sides? - asked one of them, carefully opening the box.

- I'm sure it will work out. He collected so many souls. It's a pity that I got involved with Zeus. This psycho killed our people. After that, the Steppe Wind left... But the guys saw how they fought and it didn’t seem enough to this American! - answered the other, looking at the contents of the box.

Hearing his nickname "Steppe Wind", Alexander moved closer, trying to grasp more information.

- Yes, but with such strength we can even destroy military garrisons. Let's show who's boss! – the first continued, taking sealed packages out of the box.

-Are you crazy? If it weren’t for Fireball being in power, we would all have died long ago. All around are crazy people with superpowers! – objected the second.

At that moment, one of the guys noticed that the hare was still standing next to them.

- Look, it’s not going away. Maybe this is a new development from the second department? Spy hare!

- Ha, funny. Let's have some fun! Listen, living creatures, try this...

Alexander, listening to their conversation, suddenly drew attention to a briquette of a gray substance that one of the men poured onto the dirty floor of the warehouse. A familiar smell emanated from the substance - the smell of souls, but they were somehow distorted, unnatural.

- Yes, these are souls... But not real ones. What's going on here? – Alexander mentally exclaimed, sniffing and biting off a piece. He immediately realized that these were not just souls, but some kind of synthetic analogue created for specific purposes. - When did people learn to synthesize souls?

A young guy with short-cropped hair suggested in a light mocking tone:

- Let's take him with us? Cool. Not afraid of us. Let's make him a fighting hare!

His comrade, more serious and concentrated, looked at the hare with disgust and replied indignantly:

- How you bothered me! If you want, take it! - He continued picking up briquettes, not paying attention to the animal.

The guy, seeing that the hare showed no fear, sat down in front of him and asked:

- Hey, hare, will you come with me?

Alexander, assessing the situation and seeing the possibility of meeting with Fireshar, jumped closer. The guy took him in his arms and quickly covered him inside his cloak, whispering:

- Well, then, come with us, fighting hare!

Alexander, hidden in his cloak, thought:

- Phew, it’s more pleasant to travel with a girl. Stinky, damn it! - but at the same time he understood that this could be a chance to get to Fireball.

They quickly finished their business and headed towards the exit. The guy, holding the hare under his cloak, confidently moved around the warehouse, while his comrade, still nervous, looked around. Coming out of the warehouse, they carefully closed the door, leaving everything as if nothing had happened, and walked towards the exit from the military camp.

They moved confidently, as if they knew every corner of this territory. The violators tried not to attract attention to themselves, fortunately the evening had already come, and most of the soldiers and officers were busy with their own affairs.

Before leaving the warehouse, one of the guys took out a small device that looked like a remote control. He turned it on for a brief moment, and Alexander felt a slight flicker in the air - apparently it was a device to block the signal or create interference so that they would not be detected by tracking systems.

After passing several buildings, they headed towards the dark part of the perimeter, where security was less frequent. Here, hidden by the shadow of the trees, they stopped at a small fence. The second guy pulled out compact wire cutters from his backpack and quickly cut the wire, creating a hole large enough to pass through.

Both intruders looked around, making sure no one was seeing them, and quickly slipped through the hole. They found themselves in a thicket of forest, where it became more difficult to navigate, but the guys moved with confidence, knowing every step in this direction.

Alexander, feeling the cold and the smell of the forest, hiding in the cloak of one of the intruders, tried to understand where they were going. The air was fresh and cool, and the rustling of leaves underfoot created a feeling of solitude and mystery.

The guys avoided straight roads, preferring overgrown paths and barely noticeable paths. They crossed several small streams, and did so carefully so as not to leave traces.

From time to time they stopped, listening to the sounds of the forest. The intruders moved quickly but quietly, constantly checking their backpacks to make sure everything was in place.

The edge of the forest, where the clearings began, was covered with a thin layer of snow, giving the ground a silvery tint under the weak rays of the winter sun. Dusk had already begun to fall on the ground, and the sky was covered in soft shades of blue and pink.

A car was waiting for them at the edge of the forest - an old but reliable SUV, painted a dull green, covered with snow and frost. The car looked like a reliable partner for winter driving, with visible signs of rust and scratches on the body, evidence of many adventures in harsh conditions.

Alexander, warmly wrapped in the cloak of one of the intruders, felt the weariness of the adventures of the last hours overcome him. The SUV started on the first try, making a dull and confident sound. As soon as the car started moving, its smooth but confident movements along the snowy road began to calm the hare. Alexander, wrapped in warmth and swaying on the uneven roads, could not resist sleep and soon fell into it.