"It is a lesson," she said, using rollers to compress the casings back to size while they were still hot. "The first of many that I will make them learn."

The casing, still hot, dropped into the tray she kept below, and the next casing fell into place. "Brass by brass, shell by shell, drop by drop. And maybe, I teach the wrong lessons. Maybe nothing changes.

"Maybe Natalia dies, and no one cares."