A House Divided - Chapter 6

Mind Games

If you know the enemy and know yourself,
you need not fear the result of a hundred
battles.  If you know yourself but not the
enemy, for every victory gained you will
also suffer a defeat.  If you know neither
the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb
in every battle.

Sun Tzu  - The Art of War

Chapter Six:

Mind Games

Claire tipped the porter and closed the door to her suite.  She shut her eyes and let out a deep breath, glad to finally be alone.  The long flight from Lisbon to Ankara had taken its toll, she just wanted to be alone and rest up for a few days before the start of the international fashion show and the next phase of her mission.

 Despite her weariness from the flight she set about making the suite as secure as possible against any unwanted visitors.  The COIL agent took of her suit jacket opened her travel case and proceeded to place the infrared cameras and remote sensors strategically around her temporary living space.  She heard a dangerous sound just as she was finishing.   Someone was jimmying her door.

The spy slunk to the door and pouncing the instant the unwanted guest’s hand materialised, a wristlock and an arm bar later she Judo flipped her quarry into her lair.  Claire cartwheeled backwards depositing herself on the intruder’s chest her knees pinning his shoulders to the floor.  She cocked her arm, her hand a rigid knife blade poised and ready to crack his windpipe with a surgical strike. He had been taken by complete surprise and was totally at her mercy as Claire could sense by the look on his face, just as her began to register a wicked grin.  She snaked her arms around his neck, holding him fast she bent near delivering her lips to his.  She pressed firmly about his mouth, pressing then releasing a little then pressing again her lips trailing about his as she moved her mouth against his in a seductive dance.  She released and smiled giving him a few quick kisses as a reward for being a good kisser himself. 

Her face hung just above his, the grip around his neck still firm.

 “I decided to kill you another way,” she said in a deadly tone.

“What way is that?” asked the intruder nervously.

“You’ve just experienced it, but since you appear to be a slower learner I’ll repeat the lesson for you,” Claire said in a fatally sexy voice as her lips closed about his for another tutorial.

 “Do you feel the poison working on you yet?” she asked her voice sweat with malice. 

 “Yes. How much longer do I have to live?”

 “The poison is quite slow acting, perhaps another 50 to 60 years,” Claire said with a smile as she furiously hugged Joseph covering his neck in kisses and tears of happiness. 

 “God I’ve missed you,” they both said simultaneously.

            Claire slipped her knees off his arms and flatten her body against his as their kissed in rapid fire motion trying somehow frantically to put more passion into each second than was possible, but the trying was wonderful all the same.  Claire kicked off her shoes as Joseph’s hand undid the button on the back of her skirt and slid down the zipper Claire arching her hips off his pelvis to help him discard it as her hands worked his pants loose and pulled them down.  This co-ordinated ballet went on until then both had cast off the shackles that were their clothes.  She could feel how hard he was and she was sure he could feel her wetness as the pressed together.  Joseph rolled Claire over onto her back; her trained resistance to this had vanished in her love and trust for this man as she willingly went with him.  She caught his eye just for a brief magical second; a flash she could never describe appeared between the two of them, a light that transformed the two lovers into one body.  Claire felt a strange peace she’d never known before, a peace she didn’t have vocabulary enough or knowledge enough to explain, but she knew Joseph felt the same.

He pulled back and thrust into her waiting willing body.  His cock pierced her completely as she willing surrounded his throbbing instrument arching her hips and pulling him in as deep as it would go.  Claire’s warmth and wetness was electric, his penis swam in her heat as she closed about him capturing and holding him in her fiery enclosure.  Joseph began thrusting into her faster and faster building the pace that she matched and encouraged as he pushed and pulled into her with breakneck speed.  Claire’s head rocked side to side in her fever for him as her hips danced about his monolith swelling her clitoris too delight as his tip rubbed against it.  Her pants for air got shorter and shallower until her mind exploded in sparks of coloured light that shot across her eyelids as her voice gave sound to them in soft moans of pure heavenly delight.  She could tell it was going to be a big orgasm but the sheer size of it overwhelmed her, overloading her senses too the point of passing out as the pleasure swept aside her bodies receptors smashing the release controls and flooding her in a rushing torrent of unstoppable succulent rapture.  She twisted and writhed under Joseph’s unrelenting attack, his cock, its granite hardness, yet softness of skin, a spellbinding paradox delivery wave after wave of orgasmic opium to her.  As much as he gave her she gave it all back, her hips and pelvis bringing him the climax just after she had finished.  Just as with her the feeling overcame him all at once, his coping mechanisms overloaded and he nearly lost the rhythm only her guiding hands on his hip’s keep it going.  She felt the explosion inside her as his release gushed out with each thrust of his penis his pleasure not yet slaked as he twisted his body above hers. 

 The convulsions were wonderful for Claire stinging her with joy with each lunge into her until finally the two collapsed in exhaustion and rested, Joseph still inside her and hard!  They lay together still for many minutes each listening to the others heart beat, feeling the others body, its heat, its sweat, its passion.  Claire gave him a kiss on the neck, usually a sign she wanted up, only this time she continued running her tongue over his ear, her hot breath heating up his passion and her as well!  Tongues darted into each other’s mouths, rolled together, probed, retracted, advanced, joined and merged again for dangerous liaisons.  Both thought it would be slower this time, but passion and lust over took reason. Joseph slipped his hands under her ass, which she tensed in delight to his touch as he pulled and tilted it slightly of the ground causing her clitoris to collide into his shaft in a most wonderful way.  He pushed into her even further delighting them both as she swayed her hips about his entrapped member entrancing him in her love.  Her orgasm came quickly and rolled up her body in a long sensuous wave as Joseph’s hands held her tight and close turning, tilting, twisting and rotating her hips about his hardened pole.  Her body shook and twisted in joy as soft throaty sounds escaped from her and filled the room.  He came right after her again Claire quickly manoeuvring hips about his shaft driving his orgasm to dizzying heights, his head bobbing in time to his thrusting.  He pushed his hips a few more time, the interval between each getting longer, Claire knew he had nearly spent himself and slowly began to lower her hips to the ground when his arms worked there way up her back and pulled her up into his arms.  He cupped her ass and rocked it up and down giving her wonderful aftershocks as she clung to him in loving tightness tensing her being about his hold him in her embrace as her body spasmed in glory for several minutes.

They lay together in bed hours later, Claire resting her head on Joseph’s chest while she absently trailed her fingers over the ridges of his stomach muscles while his arm circled around her neck tenderly stroked her hair and cheek.  Their jobs, the danger, the excitement, the uncertainty was shut out, barred from entering this temporary sanctuary of peace she had with her lover.  Here she wasn’t Claire Baxter COIL agent and he wasn’t Joseph Mumbata, Interpol Special agent; they were just Claire and Joseph, two people deeply in love with each other.  Both knew it wouldn’t last, reality would burst through much too soon and reclaim their lives, pushing them apart as it became their lover once more.

“How long can you stay?” Claire asked with already a sense of dread in her voice.

“Only two days.  Then I’m off to Kenya to head up an operation to catch ivory smugglers, he said.  Then added. “I don’t know when we’ll be able to see each other again,” his sadness coming through this time.

“How in the world did you find me?” Claire asked turning the subject away from the melancholy.

“A police officer always protects his snitch,” he said with a laugh.  When his lover didn’t answer he knew he’d touched a nerve. 

“What’s wrong?” and went on to explain.  “I found out from my boss, who owed me a favour for the job we did in the Congo.  He happens to be friends with somebody, I don’t know who, fairly high up in COIL, so I cashed in my marker, that’s all!”

“There’s a traitor or traitors within COIL.  They’ve been very cleaver, but my last mission confirmed some nagging thoughts I’ve had for some time” she said. 

 Claire related the incidents of her Lisbon mission while her listened holding her just a little bit tighter in his arms, betraying is concern.  After she’d finished he unhooked his arm, got up and walked over to his travel bag, which they’d finally managed to retrieve from the hallway after their initial love making.

“I was going to show you this later when I had a chance to break it to you!” he said holding up a floppy disk as he fished out his laptop.

“You’ve decoded the e-mails!” she said.

Joseph said nothing as he got back into bed, slipping himself between her and the headboard so that she could recline onto his chest; he simply pulled he close folding his arms about her waist and kissed her cheek as she opened the files.

It all fell horribly into place for Claire as she read message after message.  All the portraits of kings and the references to Lionheart hadn’t clicked or perhaps she didn’t want them to click into place until now.  Sir Richard du Roy, Head of COIL’s European Operations was the traitor and God knows who else is with him.  She continued to read over the numerous e-mails her sinking further with each one.  The entire mission had been just a cover, although the designs for the computer chip were valuable, they were not essential to the overall weapons effectiveness.  In fact could have been reverse engineered from the plans already in COIL’s procession, no the true intention of the missions had been to eliminate female COIL agents.  Nine women had died trying before Claire and Jasmine since then; he was weakening the organisation while all the while appearing to be battling the enemy, the very enemy he was working for.

“You really should have been sent first Claire, but he manoeuvred you to other assignments, sending lesser agents to their deaths before internal pressure became too great and he was forced to send you.  He was afraid you’d succeed and ruin the plan to destroy COIL from within,” Joseph said as he held her tight against his chest her building rage already beginning to shake him.

“Ten women and Gina would have been eleven,” was all she said her voice solemn. 

 “He wants me dead, he can keep on trying.  I plan to complete my mission and then I’m terminating him.  Fucking bastard!” 

 Try as she might she be able to not hold back the tears.

  “Ten women, all for nothing,” she sobbed.

Joseph knew he was going to regret saying this but it had to be said. 

“You don’t need to finish the mission, this is more than enough evidence to act upon, we have him.”

“Ten women died trying to complete what they thought was a valid mission.  I’m not going to dishonour their sacrifice by giving up and running away.” she yelled as she pulled away from his chest and turned on him. 

 “If you know me at all then you know that’s not possible and I don’t care if you think that sounds sanctimonious, irrational or whatever fucking word you choose.  I didn’t make this personal, he did when he sent 10 agents, only women agents, to their deaths, those are my sisters.  I cared about them, loved them, we operate differently from the male agents, none of this rugged individual crap, everyone for himself, we support each other it’s a different code,” she wanted to say more but the tears took over again.

“I just don’t want you to be number eleven,” he said softly was he reached out and stroked her cheek.  This was a side of her he’d never seen; vulnerable, scared, emotional, vengeful, it didn’t scare him strangely it reinforced his love for her.

Claire realised what she’d done with her outburst as well, his tender reaction to her raw emotionally attack just as with him only strengthened her love for him as she smiled and twisted herself back into his welcoming body.

“We should never have fallen in love with each other,” she said then continued. 

 “But we did, both of use knowing the risks our profession holds as well as the responsibilities we carry.  We can’t make those things disappear just because we don’t want to see each other hurt or killed.  But I’m glad we did,” she said softly.

Joseph knew she was right and just for a brief second he hated her for saying it.  Despite the exotic nature of their career choices they were in reality just like so many so called ordinary people, their lives were running them and not the other way around as it should be.  In the shadows of the late afternoon sun they silently reached for each other coupling again, not fast as before, but slow, carefully exploring their respective lover’s bodies, caressing and touching.  Delicate kisses and tender nips, sweeping hands and lingering tongues imparted unspoken words and reassurances before they joined, softly holding each other as they swayed, their lips lovingly moist savoured the hunger each felt for the other as they world slowly fell away.

“Do you think other people inside COIL are involved?” Claire asked him as they dressed for dinner.

 “I think it’s a pretty fair guess that he has allies within.  How else could he mastermind such a plan, he’d need friends in strategic places to help cover his tracks and create deceptions if need be, all that is beyond one person I think,” he replied as he fiddled with his tie.

“Then I need to catch them all otherwise once he’s gone another mole will take his place and this nightmare will never end,” she said her voice determined.

“You have one advantage he’s not alerting any of the DOOM agents you’re tangling with, at least not yet.  I supposed he figured since all the other agents failed you would to.  Your success merely keeps the parts in DOOM’s hands and your failure would simply strengthen them.  It’s a winning combination all around for him,” Joseph said.

“By failure I take it you mean my death,” she said with a smile.

 “I was trying to be diplomatic,” he said sarcastically.

“Try harder next time please,” she offered.

Claire mused in front of the mirror for a second as she applied her lipstick before offering.

“He had this operation running perfectly, except that he doesn’t know I’ve discovered the plan.”

“And he can’t know, if that gets to him you’re really as good as dead.  You must keep sending the designs for the chip back after each mission to keep them in the dark.”

“But in that way DOOM gets the designs.”

“Yes, but you get him and the other aspects of the design can be reverse engineered so a stalemate is the best they can do and one rat is better than none,” he stated.

“I can’t see any other way for now.  If that’s how it has to play out for the time being I guess I’ll just have to disappoint Sir Richard and survive.  Besides this gives me time to formulate a plan to catch all the moles inside COIL, in effect time to build a better mousetrap,” she pondered finishing the final touches to her lips.

“Since I had to deliver bad news I thought a little present might help soothe matters a bit,” he said as he came up behind her at the dressing table and placed a velvet box in front of her.

Claire opened the box as Joseph watched her expression carefully in the mirror, he wasn’t disappointed. 

“Oh my God!” was all she could muster again and again as she stared at the contents until finally she calmed down and dared touch the items, a pair of diamond earrings, a diamond bracelet and necklace all set in white gold and platinum of exquisite workmanship. 

“They’re beautiful how did you afford…wait a minute,” she said in sudden realisation.

“Accounting for every last diamond was a near impossible task, besides these were used, it seems somebody was testing the hardness of them by cutting glass and never bothered to return them to the safe,” he said wryly as he kissed her neck.  “Try them on.”

Claire hesitated, but only for second.  Joseph slipped the necklace around her and did up the clasp sealing it with a kiss or two.

“If you keep that up we’ll never get out of this room,” she said, entirely unsure if she wanted to now.

Joseph stepped away to see the completed picture as she stood up; the strapless dress alone made her irresistible the diamonds made him helpless before her.

 “There’s no words to describe how you look Claire.”  She didn’t need any words, his face said it all as she rushed into his arms and kissed him passionately.

“I’m afraid there completely impractical, no hidden weapons or communication devices of any kind, there just decorative,” he said as their lips parted.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Claire replied.

Joseph left two days later, two wonderful days later.  She saw him off at the airport, their kisses not so frantic as their last parting, these promised more, they were passionate and warm, but loving, caring and tender imparting in touch what they couldn’t or wouldn’t convey in words to each other.  They never said to each other to be careful, both appreciated the unspoken warning; they’d each do what they had to do to succeed, whatever the cost.

The opening night cocktail party promised to be an interesting night’s entertainment, not the normally deadly dull affairs.

 “Hopefully just dull,” Claire checked herself. 

 Instead of the usual stale hotel reception rooms this affair was being staged in a former Sultans palace.  The COIL agent breezed in to the massive rotunda shaped hall that served as the setting for the party.  The far end wall had been entirely removed and replace by a series of floor to ceiling windows.   Doors emptied out onto a large curved stone balcony the spanned the breath of the room providing a truly spectacular view of the city below its lights twinkling like the diamonds that adorned the party goers.  The inside room afforded no less a luminous setting.  Tiled mosaics of almost every imaginable colour lit up the domed ceiling with their magnificent hues, the carefully concealed lights reflecting their heavenly glory down to the people below.   The granite light brown walls were festooned with artefacts reflecting the glory of the Ottoman Empire and its achievements.  Crossed Saracen swords stood guard over carved algebraic symbols, which in turn were watched over by collapsible telescopes.  The polished floor was a checkerboard of the red granite and white marble squares each about 4 feet square upon which the party guests moved as chess pieces, each trying, in their way, and fixed movements to get the queen, namely Azeema.  Claire quickly took the pre-offered champagne from one of the numerous circulating waiters and began to mingle, spreading her charm and cover that of an international buyer for a high profile London fashion house.  She talked to anorexic models, not so anorexic former models still trying to look 25 instead of on the other side of 40.  Fat businessmen who had little or no fashion sense and certainly no business trying to impose their ill-conceived version of it women, all the while watching the pieces move about the board.    Amidst all this the COIL agent hunted among the herd armed only with her drink and her cocktail dress, a concoction cut dangerously high above the knee and seductively tight against her curvy form.

Claire was interested in Mrs. Azeema Mehal the widowed, some said black widow, head of Mehal Industries a large multinational company built from the humble roots of a small trucking and warehousing company and in whose home the party was being held.  Its founder, Hehmal Mehal had built it from one truck into a small but prosperous organisation, providing a comfortable, but not spectacular living for his wife and daughter until he died suddenly in a car accident ten years ago.  Azeema immediately assumed control and growth had been nothing short of phenomenal!  Mehal Industries had taken over company after company, telecommunications, shipping, banking, fashion and jewellery, all the while carrying no debt.  Seemingly healthy companies one after the other had fallen into the “Widow’s Web” a shareholders term for Azeema’s collection of companies under her control.  Numerous securities investigations had turned up nothing irregular, Claire wasn’t so sure, she smelled DOOM underneath the rosy scent as she slowly positioned herself on the chessboard for a meeting with Mrs. Mehal and her daughter Pasha.

Sometimes you can look into a crowd of people and find the one person you’re looking for among the hundreds of people you’re not, but if you looked a fraction of a second earlier or later you would miss them altogether and just see the crowd.  This struck Claire, who was within a quick move to her appointed meeting when she was made her observation.  The whole room seemed to fall away, the noise and din disappeared and a path seemingly opened directly to her line of sight.  Claire had seen pictures of Sharon, her former mentor when she started with COIL and there before her was that picture albeit slightly altered.  The reality of the room and the cacophony of sound as it closed around her brought her back to the present as she made her way through the crowd, excusing herself as she went for a closer look at the young woman.  Upon closer inspection she was a little taller with shoulder length dirty blond hair of medium thickness pulled back with a comb giving it a layered effect.  She was also a shade heavier and a much poorer dresser, still there was a resemblance and something else Claire couldn’t quite put her finger on.  She gazed unnoticed for several minutes until an approaching group of noisy young men in their early twenties pushed roughly by her and assailed the object of her curiosity.

“I thought I told you to make sure I got a chance to speak to my aunt in private before this poor excuse for a party began porky.”

“My names Paige sir and I’m sorry I tried but she refused,” the young woman said apologetically, her eyes cast down.

“Listen piggy, I’m not interested in your excuses!  Now get your lard ass over there and fix up a meeting if you know what’s good for you!” the young man threatened again, this time emphasising his point with repeated jabs of his finger into her shoulder!

 Claire clearly had seen enough and joined the milieu.

  “Hello, I’m Claire Baxter.  Nice to meet you and you are?” she said holding out her hand.

Get lost bitch,” came the terse response as he went to slap her hand away.

“Now that’s not a nice way to talk to either me or the young lady.  I think you owe us both an apology,” Claire said all smiles and coolness as she grabbed his aforementioned slapping hand, turned it over and began to apply downward pressure.

“As I was saying, you owe us an apology!  You can either do it now while you’re still standing and avoid any further embarrassment or you can perform it on your knees.  The choice is yours, but either way I expect one!” to emphasise the point Claire turned his wrist a little to buckle his knee’s.

“We’re waiting.”

His friends thought about intervening on behalf of the besieged friend but Claire shot them a steely look freezing them in place.

“What’s going on here!” came a voice from behind the two.

 “Aunt Azeema tell this bitch to let me go,” came the somewhat distressed cry of the young man.

“Watch your language Fizel and you Miss, whoever you are let go of my nephew this instant,” Mrs Mehal demanded.

“My names Claire Baxter, Mrs. Mehal and as for letting your nephew go he still owes both me and this young lady an apology for his rude behaviour and remarks.  Until I hear it, this is where he remains,” Claire said with a sinister smile as she turned it a little more.

“Fizel you’re embarrassing me in front of my guests.  Apologise now so we can avoid any further upset,” Azeema said a clear warning of future action if her demand was not heeded.

“Sorry for what I said,” Fizel voiced in a completely insincere tone.

“That’s a good boy,” Claire said condescendingly as she released the wristlock.  “Now run along and behave yourself.”

Mrs. Mehal nodded and the trio dashed away their tails clearly between their legs.

“I apologise if I’ve embarrassed you in front of your guests,” Claire said in her best self-deprecating voice as she faced Azeema.

The women sized each other up before Mrs. Mehal broke the silence.

“He’s been asking for that for a long time, perhaps a good public spanking will cure him.  Paige get us two fresh drinks,” Azeema said with a wave of her hand dismissing the young woman who vanished in a flash.

“Quick and light on her feet to,” Claire noted.

Upon Paige’s return and with fresh champagne in their hands the foursome, Paige, Claire, Azeema and Pasha made their way to a quite alcove and sat down, all except Paige who kept standing, her eyes still cast down as Claire noted, it seemed to be her natural state.

“Who do you work for Miss Baxter,” Azeema volleyed to Claire as soon as the trio hand settled.

 The spy launched into her cover story as if it really was her life.  She explained whom she bought for, what they were looking for and most importantly how much she had to spend.  While she explained she made notes about her hosts.  Pasha was tall, about her height, but thin, all sharp angles instead of curves.  Mid shoulder length midnight black hair pulled very tightly back giving her face a snake like appearance that matched perfectly with her eyes that darted everywhere, absorbing all they could and missing nothing.  Her mother was a startling contrast.  A woman in her late 40’s, very attractive, with a figure too match, seductive enough to attract and keep any man she wanted.  What little age had taken away she more than compensated for with dress, make up and style, a formidable package.  Her hair was shoulder length, thicker than her daughter’s was and done up in a very attractive configuration, most becoming to her face.  The mother clearly outshone her child and to Claire’s mind she aimed to keep the balance tilted in her favour for as long as she could.

“You seem a little over qualified for a fashion buyer to me,” Azeema charged.

“I not sure I understand what you mean by that,” the spy said playing her part coolly.

“The wrist lock on Fizel, hardly a skill set for a fashion buyer wouldn’t you say,” Azeema stated.

“As a former model I always found it the best way to counteract the wandering hands or any other parts of overly friendly people,” Claire stated calmly with a smile crossing the corners of her lips.

Azeema smiled back. 

 “I think your not telling the complete truth.  I suspect you’re here for something else as well, I just have that sense about you Miss Baxter, you’re more than what you seem.”

“Aren’t we all!” Claire shot back.  “But I can see my covers been blow, yes I am here for something else as well.  Care to guess?”

Azeema studied the young woman for several seconds to see if she could chink her steel curtain defences.

 “Judging by the quality of jewellery you’re wearing I’d guess you have two employers, one in the fashion industry and the other not.  But before you leave you plan to add to your second employer’s wealth.  Don’t you?”

“I can see I’ll have no secrets from you,” Claire offered.

“No one can keep a secret from me my dear, they just have to tell me, you see even you cannot hide things from me Miss Baxter,” Azeema stated as she looked right through the spy.  “I think we’ll get to know each other extremely well before the show is over.  I know I’m looking forward to it.  Now if you’ll excuse me I must mingle.”

“Of course, business before pleasure,” Claire said as she stood brushing back her hair as she did.

“There’s no reason both can’t be combined,” Mrs. Mehal added as a parting shot.

“That’s a lovely purse, may I?” the spy said holding out her hand to Azeema.

“Certainly,” she said, offering it.

“Indian silk and Russian opals is it not?” Claire questioned.

“Very good Miss Baxter,” Mrs. Mehal sounded warily.

“Please call me Claire,” her point scored.

“I think we should keep things on a purely professional level, at least for now.  Who knows, maybe later on we’ll become better acquainted,” Azeema smiled a predatory grin as she took back her purse.

“I think you can count on that,” the COIL agent confirmed.

The three made to leave when Azeema stopped short.

  “You said you used to be a former model.  Perhaps you would allow Pasha to photograph you.  She is quite good and I think you would be an excellent subject.  You’re still quite young perhaps Pasha can jump start your career again.”

Claire let the venomous statement pass. 

 “Thank you and perhaps I can help you establish yours Pasha,” she said with a withering smile.

The trio turned and left the table, Claire watched them carefully. 

“Truly a dangerous twosome,” she thought, before taking her position on the chessboard once again, not to capture the king though.  No her sights were on a certain pawn whom she hoped to convert into a queen.

Claire true to her chameleon abilities mixed perfectly with the crowd as she moved from group to group keeping one eye on Azeema and her daughter and the other on Paige, who never had a moments rest, the other two making her do run and fetch all night for them it seemed.  The evening marched on, various people getting their time with Mrs. Mehal; some allotted more than others did usually the male of the species, as was the present case.  Her charms clearly working on this man she dismissed Pasha from her sight and returned her fiery gaze to her latest conquest.  The vanquished Pasha moved to another part of the room as quickly as possible finally giving Claire her long awaited opportunity with their assistant.  The COIL agent moved toward her and reintroduced herself.

“I hope Mrs. Mehal didn’t take our little altercation earlier this evening out on you in any way?” Claire asked.

“No, not yet anyway,” Paige answered, her eyes looking down yet again.

“I’m sure it’s all forgotten.  She seems like a fair woman and a good judge of character.  I don’t think you have anything to worry about in terms of reprisals, from either her or her nephew.  Anyway during all that unpleasantness we didn’t have a chance to be introduced.  I’m Claire Baxter and you are?”

“Paige Worthington,” the young woman replied in a low mumble towards the floor.

Claire looked over her shoulder making sure Azeema was still seducing her night’s entertainment before she returned to Paige. 

“Your employer seems to be enjoying herself at the present time why don’t we follow her lead.  Join me in a drink?” Claire sort of asked commanded in a polite way as she nodded to a waiter for service and moved to a vacant table in the corner, Claire strategically positioned herself facing towards Azeema and across from Paige. 

  “What would you like?” Claire asked as the waiter approached.

            “Just some mineral water please,” Paige said starring straight into her tightly clenched hands resting on the table.

“Make that two,” Claire said nodding at the waiter who disappeared quickly and materialised just as quickly with the drinks for the two ladies. 

 Claire studied the young woman who still refused to look up at her for any period of time.  Her eyes glanced up then down again seemingly unable or unwilling to hold eye contact with Claire.  The spy put down her drink and took action as she reached over and gently placed her hand under Paige’s chin and pushed her head up. 

 “We’re never going to get to know each other if one of us refuses to look at the other.   Please look at me Paige so we can talk and get to know each a little better,” Claire said with a warm smile on her lips that brought the same to Paige’s. 

 “You have a wonderful smile, people need to see more of that from you and they can’t see it if your head is always pointed south,” Claire added as she took her hand away and Paige’s face this time stayed erect. 

 “That’s better.  Now tell me who does someone as young as you are, what are you all of 20, have such an important position within Mrs. Mehal’s company?” Claire asked probing for information.

 “Yes I’m just turned 20.  It was all my father’s idea.  He’s head of a large bank, back in England, which does a great deal of business with and for Mehal Industries.  He thought it would be excellent practical experience for me to take a year off of university and work for Mrs. Mehal.” Paige answered.

“And what did you think of that?” Claire questioned.

“I didn’t really want to, but father said it would be good for me, help my self confidence and help him secure more business from her so I went along with it.”

“Where are you reading at university?” Claire asked.

“Computer Science,” Paige answered.

“Do you get a chance put any of that to use while you’re here?” Claire quizzed.

“Here and there, Mrs. Metal’s pretty good about letting me do special projects for her once in a while,” Paige answered as her head started to fall again.

“Keep that head up,” Claire snapped.  “Didn’t we just have this conversation.”

“Sorry Miss Baxter, old habits are hard to break I suppose.  Father says it’s better to have a good mind than an attractive body, a mind will get you further ahead in the long run.  He meant it as a compliment but really it’s an insult about me, but he’s right isn’t he?” Paige said her voice crackling ever so slightly as she spoke.

 “There’s no reason you can’t have both,” Claire answered with a challenge to see if Paige would pick it up.

“When I told you I came here to help father out that was only partially true.  It really was easy to leave school.  I have very few friends, almost no social life outside of family obligations if you know what I mean,” Paige said as she twisted slightly in her chair.

Claire ran her index finger around the rim of her highball glass several times before she opened her small handbag below the table, retrieved her compact, unlocked a hidden compartment and pulled out a picture, which she slid across the table to Paige.

 “This is a picture of a mentor of mine when she was about your age.  Believe it or not this woman was once a great deal like you in every aspect,” Claire said in such a way that Paige understood all that wasn’t said. 

“She was and is the sexiest woman I know.  If she were in this room tonight she’d have every man dancing on a string behind her.  She understood that sex appeal came from confidence in yourself, not just from a beautiful body or wonderful clothes, no it was mostly self-confidence packaged with the right accessories.  You remind me a great deal of her in so many ways.  She found the confidence to get better, not for somebody else, every time she did that she failed until finally someone believed in her, communicated that to her and she realised she needed to do it for herself.  It sounds so simple Paige but most people never take the risk because they’re so afraid of being laughed at if they fail.  There I’ve said my little speech, hope I wasn’t too pushy,” Claire smiled.

 “You’re the only person this evening to actually just talked to me without wanting me to get something for them,” Paige said still looking at the picture. 

 “She does look a little like me. Doesn’t she?” she said as she handed back the picture to Claire who replaced it in her compact.

“You could start to look a lot like her if you wanted to,” Claire answered looking up again from her handbag. 

 “If you’re interested in pursuing the matter further my company is always looking for bright, aggressive, good looking young woman,” Claire said with a covert smile.  “I’m around several more days for the show if you’d care to discuss the matter further during that time?”

Paige went a little red at the “good looking” part of Claire’s speech and said nothing.  The spy caught Pasha coming back towards her mother who had released her prey from her gaze with a soft promising kiss of more to follow.  A waiter was escorting him away somewhere.

 “Another fly for the widows web, no doubt!” Claire mused to herself as she watched Pasha and her mother walk towards the large doors that led to the massive stone balcony.

“I’m sorry Paige but I must be going.  Please consider what I’ve said, both about the offer and the advice,” Claire said as she left the table and moved toward the large doors.

 Causally her pace slowed as she approached the exit. A quick look told her the balcony was void of people.  She gently removed her earring and placed the converted bobble now a receiver in her ear and disappeared into the darkness of the terrace, the night swallowing her up just as she intended.  The cut stone and granite terrace was enormous, perhaps 75 by 35 feet in size with two massive semi-circular staircases positioned at either end each twisting and snaking downward, perhaps 30 feet to the land below.  They met at the bottom no more than 15 feet apart as they curled back upon themselves.  The spy made her way to the stone railing and knelt down to cover herself between the stone pilasters and listened.  The tactic of placing one of tiny microphones from her earrings on Azeema’s purse earlier in the evening was about to pay off.

“What did you find out Pasha?”

“She’s as she says she is.”

“Still we need to keep an eye on her, she’s a dangerous woman,” Azeema said.

“Is that one acknowledging the other?” Pasha said scornfully.

“What do you mean by that remark,” Azeema snapped.

“I do not like being dismissed from the room on an errand your assistant could have performed, simply because you wanted to seduce a man while you’re still able,” Pasha added with obvious vitriol in her voice.

Her mother could have become angry, that would have been easy and what her daughter wanted, but Azeema was far too skilled a woman and mother to allow that to occur.

“You know full well why I do what I do.  It’s part of why we have a growing empire.  Our skills coupled with DOOM’s help have given us all this and so much more to come and later tonight I’ll add to our holdings.  But I need you just as much, without your skills all my efforts would be useless, you really are the reason we are so successful,” Azeema said, lovingly stroking her daughter’s cheek to pacify her. 

 “Besides, Paige was keeping an eye on that woman for me as I requested of her.  As to sending you away when I spin my web about a man I like to do it alone.”

“And were you successful as always?”  Pasha said already knowing the answer would be yes.

“My threads have him securely held I bound in my net.  All that remains is for me to administer my venom, which I will be doing shortly,” Azeema smiled.

“What will it be this time?”  Pasha said in a breathy voice caught up in her mother’s spell.

“A predator never reveals the attack before it happens, it’s always instinctual in nature and plays itself out in the course of things.  Come walk with me and I’ll explain the latest acquisition to Mehal Industries.” 

 The scheming duo kept up a steady conversation and pace as they walked along a path that led into the mansions ornamental and formal garden.

Within the cover of the darkened terrace Claire moved parallel to the railing towards the stairs, her black dress and stockings perfectly camouflaging her figure.  Under normal circumstances the spy could have stayed and listened from the safety and distance of the terrace, as the receiver was good from a mile away, but something was going wrong.

“Damm,” Claire exclaimed in her mind and without hesitation slowly descended to stone steps quickly and quietly, her heels never touching to stone as she went helping to keep the cloak of invisibility about her. 

 From the doors of the newly vacated terrace a pair of eyes watched her with curiosity as she made her way.  Half crouched the COIL agent advanced along the grass keeping clear of the crushed loose stone pathway as she followed her quarry into the large gardens that dominated the back of the mansion.  The signal was now almost completely garbled, only fragments of speech were intelligible at times and impossible to piece together into any kind of coherent logic, she needed to get closer.

She couldn’t risk her heels on the stone; she’d need to by-pass the formal entrance, a large stone archway and traverse through the dense undergrowth.  Claire removed her heels and stepped gingerly into the black undergrowth, hoping for the best, expecting the worst. The garden was dense undergrowth of vines and grass, runners from the plants shot out in all directions interlacing with each other in a symbiotic relationship.   Judiciously her lithe black form inched forward, the ground alive beneath her as the plants and vines seemed to reach out and covet her legs as they wrapped themselves about her calves in a determined embrace seemingly intent upon pulling her down to envelop her in their complete control. As the spy picked her way forward her eyes somehow eventually adjusted to the intense darkness until she had managed to slither with 10 feet of the mother/daughter duo who had stopped and seated themselves on a bench near a pond.

 “Within 3 weeks we’ll have controlling interest in his company,” Azeema said a purr of triumph in her voice.

“And he’ll be completely unaware that anything is amiss.  Just a run of bad luck that could be disastrous if not for his lover and new business partner!” Pasha’s voice hissed in equally victorious tones.

“I think my conquest has waited long enough in my webbing, its time for me to finish him.  In fact, he should be on his way to my apartment as we speak and it wouldn’t due to keep him waiting,” Azeema laughed hungrily as she stood up and kissed he child softly on the cheek, said goodnight and departed down a path that led off into the darkness, just as Pasha did, but hers to her back to the terrace.

Her technology having failed her Claire knew it was imperative that she followed Azeema to discover her plans, even if it took her into the women’s web.  When she heard no more footfalls upon the gravel the spy attempted to step out of the undergrowth and onto the path, the vines however had other ideas.  Her calves were so entangled in the under growth she could not pull free despite her best efforts she was held fast.  Quickly Claire reached into her hair and removed her comb, slid the hidden blade out, bent over and cut herself free.  She made her way to the bench and seated herself as she slipped her heels back on and smooth her stockings.

“With all the money they make you’d think they could pay a gardener to clean this up a bit,” she mused to herself as she rose and quickly headed off after her host. 

 The COIL agent stayed in the shadows as she made her way along until the exit came into view and short distance beyond that Azeema’s ground floor apartment, the bedroom in fact, already lit with soft lights, but no sign of the women or her prey.  Claire glanced around looking simultaneously for both people and security devices before she stole quickly across the open ground and in to the small courtyard that a set of bay doors opened onto.  The night being unusually warm Azeema had thoughtfully and luckily left the window up so air could cool her web.  Claire removed her earring and took another microphone from it and tentatively turned the latch on the door, again luck was on her side, and the door swung open and Claire entered the centre of the web.  She strategically placed the microphone where it would pick up all that went on but never be detected.  That accomplished she retraced her steps back to the courtyard, opened her small handbag and took out her compact, placed it on the ground in front of her adjusting the angle so best to view the scene that was about to unfold in the opened mirror.  Once completed she settled down, leaned against the wall and waited for the spider to return.

She didn’t have to wait long; the doorbell to the apartment chimed her newest conquests arrival.  Claire watched as Azeema escorted her prey, a well dress dapper man about 50, a little under six feet in height Claire guessed, slim, very attractive, with definite continental looks and mannerisms into her bedroom sitting area.  Claire watched and listened as Azeema went quickly to work.

“Please have a seat Maurice and I’ll get us both a drink.”  She handed him his and took the chair opposite him, but not to far away.

 “Oh you’re good,” Claire mused as she watched the seductress turn on her ankle and glide away from him to the chair, before pirouetting to seat herself and cross her legs all in one motion.

  Her legs wreaked damage to his will as she just ever so slightly but noticeably moved the crossed over one up and down to draw him closer.  Azeema and Maurice talked for several minutes as she continued to game turning her crossed leg at the ankle in small circles to see if she could distract him, which she did every time.
She knew he was totally hers, it was time to move on, Azeema put down her glass, rose and slowly walked over to Maurice who had risen from his chair in anticipation of the next moment.  She slipped her arms about his neck and brought her moistened lips within striking distance, her body wriggled ever so slightly against and into his as his arms closed around her waist.  Her cobra gaze held him entranced his mouth inches from tasting hers, her breath hot upon his face and then she moved forward.  Her lips brushed by his and instead she pressed his cheek to hers and whispered hotly into his ear.

 “This dress is far to restrictive for me.  Give me a few minutes to free myself and then we can continue.  If you would be so kind?”

  Azeema said as she turned around indicating she wanted him to unzip her dress, which he did willingly.  Instantly as the zipper unhooked from its last tooth she danced free of him and down the hallway into her bedroom teasing him as she went. 

 “Don’t leave I’ll be back in a minute or two.”

“I don’t know about you Maurice, but I’m sure aroused,” Claire thought as she felt her heated cheek.

Azeema returned just as she said within several minutes and re-entered her web in the sexiest, deadliest negligee Claire had ever seen.  A black silk and lace creation that somehow managed the twofold opposite abilities of hanging loose about her, but at the same time tantalisingly clinging to her body.  Azeema’s torso and arms were fully covered by the material even to the point of a high collar that did however reveal an enticing slit in the fabric that exposed the ridge between her breasts.  The voyeur spy also took notice that as Azeema moved tactically cut fissures in her weapon exposed various parts of her skin, an alluring spell Maurice, as any man found impossible to resist.  He went into her embrace without a struggle pulling her close feeling her squirming body rub dangerously against his, he wanted her now, his erect member, despite his best efforts at control giving him away.  Azeema felt its hardness push against her as she worked her hips around his hardening him to marble erectness while her lips danced with his her tongue playing with his as she dodged it about his mouth his tongue in hot pursuit of hers, but always a step behind her probes.  Her silky arms spun about him until tightening in place about his neck the tips of her fingers and nails tracing carefully around his ears driving him even further into a passionate frenzy for her.  Then Azeema broke away and when to her dressing table.

“How will she administer her venom?” Claire thought as she watched the master seductress apply a coat of frosty pink lipstick slowly, caressing her lips with the mixture in an even perfect application. 

Azeema never looked up from the mirror, she knew Maurice was watching her even as he undressed.  He was but a toy for her now.

“Drugged lipstick,” the spy thought.

Azeema teased her hair slightly with a brush and sprayed a little perfume into her hair and around her cleavage before putting down the atomiser to signal she was ready.  Maurice needed no invitation, as he came for her.

“Maybe drugged perfume,” Claire thought as she watched getting more and more excited as the spectacle unfolded in the mirror.

Maurice, like a moth to a flame bent over the seated woman and kissed her neck as his hands slid over the silky material and massaged her breasts, his fingers playing through the fabric with her nipples that came alive at his touch.  Azeema let him enjoy her body, at least the upper half, briefly, then she reasserted her control.  Rising from the chair she led him away several steps and took him into her arms again delivering her kiss to his waiting lips.  Several kisses later she led him into the centre of the web, her bed and climbed on top of him delivering more kisses to his neck and lips until she finally overwhelmed him and sat up smiling in victory.

“The soft touch of a woman wins yet again,” Claire heard her say in triumph and didn’t disagree.

Azeema slid off her still prey and grabbed a remote control device from the bedside table and pushed several buttons in a predetermined sequence.  Slowly part of the wall at the top of the bed moved upward into the ceiling revealing a hidden computer system of some kind and a jewelled head piece such as a woman might wear with strands than hung down around the centre band heavily encrusted with gem stones.  Azeema placed the headpiece on Maurice positioning each strand carefully in place around his head and neck.  The strange sequence became clear a moment later when the woman plugged a cable from the headpiece into a port on the computer and turned it on.  Each strand pinched mechanically inward and locked in place about the stricken man’s head; Azeema inserted a Cd into the machine and returned to her prey for a final word.

“I know you can’t hear me but it will all be over for you in a short time. For me this is just the beginning.”

Claire couldn’t believe her luck; the headpiece had to contain the missing part of the chip, retrieval was at hand and a quick end to the mission.

The spy watched and waited for her chance to enter the web without being detected.  Finally Azeema disappeared into the bathroom, Claire was a little disappointed she couldn’t watch the negligee move anymore, its ebb and flow within the woman’s body was mesmerizing, but her chance had come.  See leapt to her feet and stole quickly into the room, switched off the machine, removed the headpiece and turned to leave all in a matter of seconds.

“What’s this? A rival spider invading my web!” Azeema said in a soft deadly voice the familiarity of the words not losing their irony on Claire as the woman moved to cut off the exit to Claire.

Again, the negligee caught Claire’s eye and Azeema caught Claire’s as the woman moved into position.

 “It is quite a lovely thing isn’t it?  A gift from my employer in appreciation for all I’ve done.  Do you like it?”

“It’s very beautiful and very efficient,” Claire said glancing a look back at the stiff body of Maurice.

“Yes, a combination of my dress, perfume and lipstick all seem to have been a bit much for the poor man.  But I can assure you when he wakes up in his hotel room he’ll think he had the night of his life among other implanted memories and suggestions which thanks to you where interrupted and need to be restarted.  Which brings me up to the point, please given me the headpiece now,” Azeema’s voice slithered.

 Claire brought her hand forward and opened her palm displaying the desired item all the while circling the perimeter of the room until she gently placed the headpiece on a convenient table.  Azeema smiled and slipped out of her sandals, as did Claire from her heels.  Claire didn’t need to fight she had a small dart gun in her purse cleverly disguised as a massacre brush, which she could have used, but she really wanted this woman.  Perhaps it was the negligee, her seductive power, the challenge or all three and the erotic nature of combat that drew her to Azeema.

“Don’t worry my dear, my lipstick is exhausted and my perfume only works on men,” Azeema smiled as she came forward.

“Wait!” Claire said, reaching behind her and unzipping her dress letting it fall about her feet.  Next came the pantyhose, bra, panties and finally her jewellery.  “I prefer the intimate kill,” she smiled.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Azeema said moving forward again a predatory grin crossing her face.

Azeema crouched and darted about Claire with kicks and punches the soft silk gauze and lace flying about her from her loose fitting outfit.  Claire sidestepped all the blows with ease as she watched the fascinating negligee open and close at various spots to reveal Azeema’s skin just below the surface.  The gown was like an aphrodisiac for her, she couldn’t get enough of it, or perhaps it was just the nature of the fight she couldn’t tell and this was no time to ponder such an issue.  Claire shifted from a defensive to offensive attack coming at Azeema from all sides.  The older woman a wisp of black fabric evaded and severed as Claire drew in closer and struck a double blow through a pair of slits in the gown!  Azeema stepped in closer a devilish smile crossing her lips that Claire didn’t understand until seconds later when she tried to pull her hands free from the breaches in the fabric and found she couldn’t.  Azeema distributed stinging calculated blows about the spy’s chest and legs until Claire instinctively did what she wanted all along, raised one of her legs off the floor to block the woman’s onslaught.  Instantly a cleft open and Claire’s foot fell neatly into the pre-set trap.  The remaining foot was child’s play for the designing woman, she rotated her body slightly, tipped Claire on her side and introduced her remain appendage into its new home as she rolled them both to the floor and braced Claire’s body from hers with her legs.

“Welcome to my web dear little fly.  Do struggle all you like.  A rather interesting trap wouldn’t you say Claire?”

“What the hell is this thing?” said the wiggling spy between pulls for freedom.

“It’s called The Empresses Embrace.  It’s an ancient Chinese woman’s technique based on the same principle as Chinese finger traps.  Only in this case once your hand or foot is inserted into the fabric it cannot be removed.  The device first used by a young woman betrothed to the emperor, a man she didn’t wish to marry, but was forced to by her father, even thought she had fallen in love with someone else.  For her wedding night she was given just such a gown as I have and instructions on how to use it by her lady in waiting, but unknown to her actually a former assassin.  She killed him, became empress, married her lover and ruled well, but ruthlessly or so the story goes. That is the past but what about the present and your fate my dear.  As I move about you the motion will slowly draw you inward and about the fabric entangling your body and mine in the gown.  As you become worked into the embrace I achieve more freedom eventually we reverse positions, I’m naked and free and you’re I’m afraid twisted impossibly in the gown and left to die.  Along the way things can become, well let’s say, interesting, for the two of us.  The Empress took all night to complete her kill of course it can be done in mere minutes, but what fun would that be?  Shall we get started?” Azeema offered.

The widow released her feet and began to twist and squirm her body about Claire’s drawing her very slowly deeper into the embrace that she was helpless to battle.  Azeema worked her craft to perfection Claire’s reaction was all she needed to know she was winning.

“God the material feels delicious against my body,” Claire thought as she tried half heartily to resist.  “Its all part of the trap, she’s overloading my senses, by the time I recover it will be to late!  Come on Claire fight,” she thought.

“And how do I feel against your body Miss Baxter?” Azeema asked seemingly able to read Claire’s mind.  “Do not resist, you can’t anyway, it’s all part of its deadly nature and mine.” 

The woman snaked a few more moves and then went to work on Claire slipping herself tactically into position Azeema wrapped her creamy legs around Claire’s and swept her hands tenderly up and down her prey’s back in slow soothing strokes that calmed the entangled spy.  Azeema gently rolled onto her side and swept her hands over her webbed partner’s breasts with a touch as light as butterflies wings, Claire responded and weakened.

“You see my dear, poison can be sweetly administered.  Let it soak in deeply when the moment is right I’ll be quick,” Azeema whispered entrancingly into a captivated Claire’s ear. 

The black widow trailed one had down between the spy’s legs and causally stroked her back on forth while her lips planted moist kisses on Claire’s neck.  Azeema knew the spy was all hers seconds later when Claire shuddered in delight and stiffened as pleasure washed over her.  Azeema adjusted the gown about her drawing the enraptured agent deeper into her trap as she moved and repositioned herself and Claire for a second attack.  When they came to rest Azeema had her victim newly positioned and helpless her arms folded into Claire’s whose had been placed behind her head.  One of the woman’s legs crossed over the front of her lover her foot brushing Claire’s mound as Azeema’s lips closed around one of her captive’s nipples and rolled it around before switching to the other.  Claire was completely stuck in the gown, her limbs so secured she couldn’t move them, either to push or pull and each movement of the seductress pulled her deeper and closer to her death.  What little strength she had was being drained away in Azeema’s lethally loving attack about her.  If she let it go on too long she’d be spun into the gown, spent and left to die by her lover, she had to resist, but she was finding it hard to battle this alluring woman.  Azeema brought her to orgasm despite her resistance within minutes and then drew the embrace inward as she moved about Claire for several minutes, the end of which revealed Azeema now half-naked from the waist up.

 “My little fly is now half wrapped several more tastes of poison will finish you dear and my lips have a taste for poison!” Azeema sugary voice offered as she bent forward and kissed the spy.

 The deadly women did her job to perfection, several encounters later Claire was nearly completely enveloped in the gown, just one leg was left as Azeema attacked a final time to conclude a most enjoyable kill.  She positioned her opponent carefully 69ing herself on Claire’s stomach her legs encircling the spy’s head in her thighs and constricting.  The widow’s arm’s snaked slowly down her nearly webbed victim’s legs securing about her feet as Azeema’s tongue found Claire’s sex and went to work.  Claire battled and battled not to cum, but the spider was patience with the fly slowly revolving and rotating her snakelike probe about the spy’s clitoris.  Claire struggled frantically in the gown but Azeema had her too well secured in it and her hold to escape now.  The seductress felt victory first as Claire’s body with her bind slowly straightened and grew still.  She didn’t rush but worked the constant stimulation with perfect even strokes about her fly until Claire surrendered a minute later her body thundering in response to the spiders bite.  Azeema completed the embrace as she slipped herself free of the gown trapping Claire in its deadly bind.

“Goodbye my little fly, my silken threads have you at last, sticky and trapped within my web.”

The impossibly knotted spy could barely move within her prison as the naked woman gave her one final tender kiss.  “The end will come soon, several minutes in fact, long enough for me to clean up from my exertions,” the widow hissed as she left the spy to her death.  Picking up the headpiece from the table she swung open a painting revealing a wall safe where she carefully deposited it for safe keeping.   Before disappearing into the bathroom to take a shower the victorious woman placed a call. 

 “Come to my apartment in about 10 minutes I have two bodies I need removed.  No, by then one of them will be dead.  But no sooner than 10 minutes I need to refresh myself first.”

The webbed agent was weak and soaked in sweat and cum especially between her leg's the silk drenched in a mix from the fluids of her pleasuring and struggles.

“My only chance is now.  Thank God she choose to kill me the long way,” the spy said to herself.  “All my sweat and cum has to have damaged and weakened the fine silk threads.  Hopefully enough for me to escape.” 

Exhausted as she was Claire summoned her strength and feverishly tried to pull her legs apart.  She attacked from all angles, rolling over the floor flexing maddeningly every square inch of her body in a bid to split the gowns hold over her. 

 “If nothing else I’m staving of my own death,” she said to encourage her body and mind forward once more. 

Finally, mercifully she felt some give and the small sound of a tear developing in the fabric.  Claire worked fast, the initial breach in the fabric gave way and the fly escaped its fate seconds later.  She couldn’t get the headpiece now and she didn’t have time to force or coax, Claire wanted the later, the answer from Azeema, she would have to try another time, only this time not so subtlety.  She slipped on her clothes and shoes retrieved her small handbag and made for the courtyard.  One final glance at the negligee brought an unexpected flush to her cheeks! 

 “A deadly woman and a wonderful lover, somebody after my own heart,” she thought as she passed into the darkness. 

 Claire hurried along the path and into the garden intent upon making her way back to the terrace and quickly to her car.   She needed to hurry before the guards arrived at the apartment and the whole place came alive in search of her.  Rapidly crunching the gravel underneath she moved with determined speed.  She came to the path that led back to the house and turned coming up short just as escape seemed possible.

“What are you doing out here,” one of the three dark suited security thugs facing her demanded.

“I was just wandering around this lovely quite space and seemed to have lost track of time.  If you’ll excuse me I’ll be on my way,” Claire said in an imperious tone and made to pass them.

“Not so fast I think you’d better come with us,” the thug said.  “Mrs. Mehal will want to know about this.”

“Oh if that’s the case then I need to make myself more presentable,” Claire purred as she opened her handbag and took out her lipstick and compact, unlocked it and began applying the dazzlingly red shade.

 She finished off the package with a quick spray of her perfume as the guards had formed about her, one in back and two in front side by side as they waited. 

“Perfect,” judged the spy as she closed the compact, screwed the lipstick back in place and stashed them safely away. 

The spy took one step and then with a Death Adders speed she struck.  Her left foot smashed into the balls of one of the guards forcing him to one knee, as he fell Claire stepped on the natural ledge his leg made and leapt into the air twisting her body as she went and delivering a final blow to the prone man just under his chin with her trailing foot.  He collapsed to the ground out of the fight for the moment, but not out of her plans.  The airborne woman came to rest just as she had planned; her calves wrapped around guard number two’s neck and tensed into place while her arm’s securely held number three her face only inches from his, her body straddled in the air between them.  Her ravishing lips melted into his for a brief moment, her arms making sure he didn’t try to escape before she pushed him away letting gravity pull her to the ground.  Claire swung her arms forward as she fell, tucked and pulled into a somersault and took number two with her.  She came to rest upright, her legs still holding the man whose fate and lips were sealed seconds later by her.  Claire unlocked her grip and swung round on her butt to stare at the final guard now slowly recovering from her initial attack.  He staggered to his feet reached into his jacket pocket pulling out a Taser gun.  The bright blue current jumped across the gap in the poles as he squeezed the trigger and lumbered forward.  The COIL agent drew her legs up at the knees to her chest and secured one hand on each heel and pulled back, both heels detached from the platform of the shoe.  Claire slid back the detached ends with her thumbs, reached inside and pulled out a small chain from each heel and locked them together with the clasps at each end and stood up, her Nunchuka’s were ready.  Slowly at first but with increasing speed, skill and complexity she demonstrated their deadliness for her opponent.

“Tell me truthfully, which would you rather have, these hitting your face or my lips?”  Claire cooed to him as she too moved to the attack. 

 It was a short battle the outclassed man still reeling from her previous attack had the taser knocked from him before he could think.  Claire moved in caught him with a stinging rap to the temple and then coiled the chain about his neck several times before pulling it tight, twisting him around and discharging the last of her lipstick.  His knees weakened soon after, Claire loosened the chain and he slid to the ground.

“Wow.  You must be some kind of spy or something,” a voice said from cover.

 Claire turned quickly and advanced the Nunchuka’s spinning in front of her as she went.

“Its only me, Paige,” said the girl as she stepped from the darkness.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Claire asked but not waiting for an answer as she started to move along the path, Paige following in tow.

“Are they dead?”

“No, just drugged, they’ll be fine in a few hours,” Claire answered casually then became more serious. 

“Paige go back to the house and forget you ever saw me,” Claire demanded.

“Is this the career you were talking about earlier?  I just thought it was a boring administrative position you were offering, but this is much more interesting.  Where do I go to sign up,” the excited girl asked as they came to a small collection of shrubs at the edge of the parking lot.

 Claire knelt down and turned to the girl. 

 “Look do what I told you to do and forget about me.  Trust me, you’ll be much better off if you do.  This isn’t a video game or a James Bond movie, this is real life, and my life and I don’t need or want to be responsible for yours as well as mine.  Understand.”

The discussion would have continued but just as Paige tried to counter they were spotted.

“She over there, behind the bushes and Mrs. Mehal’s fat secretary is with her,” yelled a voice from across the parking lot.

“You’ve got your wish.  Hope you live long enough to enjoy it. Come on,” Claire snapped as she bounded from cover and towards her car Paige barely able to keep up. 

 “Get in fast and keep your head and ass down,” Claire barked as she leapt up over the closed door and into the driver’s seat of the green Porsche, fired up the engine and slammed down the accelerator.  The spy manoeuvred the car with one hand while the other opened the glove box and retrieved her Beretta.

“Hang on Paige.” 

  The Porsche’s back end shimmed as Claire turned and twisted the wheel avoiding the hail of lead coming her way.  She fired off her own rounds to act as covering fire as the car sped out of the parking lot, down the entrance way and out onto the street.  Claire discarded the gun on the passenger seat and took the wheel in both hands their taillights vanishing into the night.  Less than an hour later Claire had gathered all her things from her suite and she a Paige were settled in much less luxurious accommodations as Claire made several very short, very specific and very demanding calls.  Once she hung up the spy opened her travel bag and tossed Paige a breakfast bar and took one for herself as she pulled up a chair that had seen better days and sat down next to her.

“You’re in this up to your ass and beyond now.  Those guys in the parking lot have already told your boss that they saw you helping me escape.  Even if you wanted out, you can get out now.  So tell me how’s it feel to be a spy like me?” Claire said between chews on her bar.

“Scared,” Paige said, but not to the floor but right into Claire’s eyes.

“Me too.  But under that what do you feel?”

“Like I want more,” Paige answered.

“You’re going to work out fine,” Claire smiled.

Claire then spent the next while bring Paige up to speed on the details of her assignment so far (she left out the sex, both with Joseph and Azeema, each for its own reason) and what she planned to do to recover the headpiece.   Paige never interrupted once but listened closely and absorbed everything until asked what she thought of the plan.

“I think you need another person to help you, at least to get you as far as Mrs. Mehal’s apartment.  I know the grounds very well, including some spots that can be used as access points without alerting anyone.  Besides two sets of eyes see better than one.”

Claire couldn’t argue that logic but she could argue the complete lack of experience she was staring across at. 

“Have you ever even held let alone fired a gun Paige?”

“No, but I have several days in which in learn from the best,” she said and smiled.

Claire could see no way out.  Azeema’s men would be guarding the airport and train station; Paige would be grabbed the minute she was spotted.  Leaving her in the hotel was not an option, as she knew the layout much better than Claire did.  The COIL agent also knew she was partly to blame for her being in this situation in the first place.

“Ok, but only as far as the garden exit by the apartment, you can cover me from there,” Claire said and put up her hand indicating the discussion was over.

“So far so good.  Now I take it from here and remember if I’m not back in 5 minutes leave and follow the plan, understand.”

“Yes” Paige answered.

“One more time, show me,” Claire whispered.

“Maltsev one over grenade launcher, with 5 high explosive grenades.” Paige said patting the top of the rifle before continuing.  “30 calibre semi and fully automatic machine gun with two 50 clip magazines.  Equipped with a night scope and heat sensing radar.  Use the semi position always except when in close quarter combat.”

“Excellent,” Claire said as she got up to move then stopped.

  “I’ve changed my mind I want you to….She never finished the sentence as the rifle butt slammed into the back of her head and the inky blackness of unconsciousness overtook her.

“Sorry Claire, no changes are allowed,” Paige said as she knelt over the spy.

“So my little fly has returned to my web and here I was told that we had a positive ID of you at the airport leaving the country.  I guess its true looks are deceiving.   Only this time I’m afraid our encounter won’t be so pleasant,” Azeema said as Claire’s eyes and mind started to become alert once more. 

 She was back in Azeema’s apartment but instead of being immobilized by the woman she’d been strapped to a chair.  As Claire’s mind cleared further she saw Pasha and Paige standing slightly in the background and made a fruitless lunge at Paige who merely waved and smiled at the spy. 

“COIL should pick its trainees and its trainers a little better.  My assistant’s infiltration of your confidence was most impressive.  Do you think she just happened to be in the garden went you escaped my compliments to you on that by the way?  No I placed her there in case of just such an event, because I knew you’d try again for the headpiece and in a strange way you shall receive your reward.  You have a keen mind and body Miss Baxter, but it could use with a little more ordering in how it operates,” Azeema placed the headpiece on Claire and smiled.

 “Don’t worry Miss Baxter you won’t remember a thing I don’t want you to,” the woman laughed as she flipped a switch and the probes locked in place, Claire stopped struggling and went still.
 

   *   *   *
 
 

Sir Richard du Roy out down his pen and entered a code on his Palm Pilot, instantly Azeema’s face appeared on the screen a broad smile greeting him.

“I bring you good new Sir Richard.  Your very beautiful and very capable agent Miss Baxter has been successful once more, she now has the headpiece and it’s on its way to you as we speak.”

“You have a strange idea of good news Azeema.”

“It all depends on ones perspective.  Miss Baxter had quite an adventure here in fact she was of two minds about it until I corrected that error.”

A sinister smile emerged on Sir Richard’s face as he heard the last part.  Do tell me more Azeema.”

“Thanks to a little session of reprogramming Miss Baxter believes the mission was entirely successful.  She even entrusted the delivery of the headpiece to my assistant, who she believes is a new COIL recruit, hand selected by her.  Please do be a darling and give her a position within COIL, a place where she can keep tabs on all your agents and alert the right people to take action when required.  You’ll find her a most capable actress and administrator; I know Miss Baxter speaks highly of her.” Azeema said with a laugh.

“Why didn’t you just kill her when you had the chance?” Sir Richard demanded.

“I left that to you Sir Richard.”

“Please explain,” he said, clearly growing exasperated with Azeema’s tactics.

“When and if she completes her mission she’ll return to London and meet with you.  All you have to do is say the words.  You’ve earned a well-deserved vacation Claire.  Once she hears that she pull out her gun from her thigh holster and shoot you,” Azeema smiled but seeing that Sir Richard was not smiling she continued. 

 “Attempt to shoot you I should say, she’ll miss and try again but hesitate just a second.  In that time you grab her arm the struggle with her.  Miss Baxter will in fact let the gun be twisted in her wrist and allow you to shoot her dead!”

“Why would she do such a thing?  What’s her motive?” he asked.

“Evidence I planted in her computer which will be transmitted piece by piece with her regular updates to COIL will implicate you as a traitor to COIL.  Claire has discovered this and true to her nature has decided to take matters into her own hands.  All the evidence is completely fabricated but Miss Baxter was totally convinced it was genuine.  Thus you stay a hidden plant of DOOM’s and a new hero to COIL while Miss Baxter assumes your true identity in death.  If see dies along the way, so be it, we are no farther behind, but much farther ahead,” Azeema extolled.

“My congratulations dear lady on a job well done,” Sir Richard said as the Palm was deactivated.

 Claire said good-bye at the airport to COIL’s newest recruit.

 “Sir Richard’s new personal assistant. Some girls have all the luck,” Claire said as she turned into the crowd and made her way to the Air India counter.

“They do indeed,” smiled Paige.
 

THE END