A House Divided - Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Some Diamonds Cut to the Bone

Brazzaville was not exactly a vacation hotspot, or for that matter any other kind of hotspot!  So getting there was more than half the battle, at least Claire hoped it was more than half she’d had her share of battles up till now and was hoping for a easy part of her mission this time, she however knew that was highly unlikely and had resigned herself to hope alone.  The Republic of the Congo had one very important commodity to offer the world, diamonds, some of the highest quality on the planet.  They brought adventures from all over the globe, including Claire Baxter, COIL agent.  She however wasn’t interested in mining them only in extracting one currently above ground and in the possession of DOOM, that task however could prove just as deadly as the mining operations that regularly took lives in the form of open warfare amongst competing gangs!  Almost right at the equator she felt the full blast of the steamy jungle weather the minute she departed the plane. Claire wasn’t sure which was worse the Russian Aeroflot flight or the weather. 

 “Why couldn’t the dammed diamond be in the Cayman Islands instead of here,” she cursed under her breath as she made her way to customs to claim her baggage and get to the hotel before she melted.

“What’s your reason for coming to The Republic of the Congo, Miss Baxter?” 

 “Business, I’m here to acquire a diamond for my organization,” she answered truthfully if not quite completely as to the means of acquisition.

 “Enjoy your stay.” 

Her passport stamped, Claire claimed her bags, hired a porter, acquired a cab and was on her way to the hotel.  The diamond trade had exploded growth in the Congo and those lucky enough to profit by it, either legally or illegally lived outside the city in the somewhat cooler, if you could call it that, hills around the Congo River basin.  The majority of the population lived in a myriad of housing, low rise and high-rise that made up the city, however even parts of that where undergoing a renewal, diamonds driving the change, again for the lucky few. 

“Can you please take me past the La Roudette Diamond office before we go to the hotel,” she requested of the cabby who nodded wordlessly in acknowledgement. 

As they approached Claire looked out the window to study the ultra modern facility with a trained eye gathering all the intelligence she could before entering the building tomorrow.  A high-electrified fence surrounded the facility, security cameras scanned everywhere and anything they missed the guards patrolling the compound picked up.  Very few windows dotted the office complex as she had expected, this controlled access points both for those trying to enter and trying to exit.  The cab turned the corner and Claire knew she was in tough, maybe too tough, but that always brought out the best in her, at east it had in the past and she counted on it happening again!  The rest of the ride passed in for her in thoughtful silence, it was only until the car jarred to a halt that she returned to the present.  Giving the cabby a generous tip she made her way inside toward the front desk a bellhop in tow. 

“Claire Baxter, I have a reservation,” she said using the universal line of travelers everywhere. 

 “Yes, Miss, your room is ready,” the front desk clerk answered.  Several minutes later she was alone in her, thankfully air conditioned room.

COIL HQ had carefully set her cover up several weeks in advance.  She was posing as a corporate diamond buyer with a quality reputation.  COIL had planted false purchases from companies, provided testimonials as to her credibility, seemingly giving her a career all on paper and in the space of a few weeks.  She recounted all this while unpacking her clothes and equipment, once she had things arranged in her own fastidious way she reached into her suitcase and releasing a secret catch remove her new gun.  Since loosing the Walther PPK in Cairo she’d decided to make a clean break and start afresh with a new weapon.  Her Beretta M9 had the same magazine capacity, 15 rounds, but it had a higher muzzle velocity and an attachable laser sight, which the old Walther didn’t.  Claire liked it so much she bought two of them, just in case and in her line of work just in case happened more often than not!  Her attention turned to tomorrow as she opened her laptop to review again the few details she had been given regarding her mission.  She was after a black diamond in the procession of La Roudette Diamond Company, which was really a DOOM front, said diamond, had part of the computer chip micro lasered into one of the facets.  The diamond was on display at the company’s private museum, she had no details beyond that, and it was her aim tomorrow to fix that gap in intelligence.  Closing the computer she spent the remaining part of the day as usual practicing her yoga and martial arts and finally relaxing tomorrow would bring what it did.

Passing through security Claire made her way to the office of Mr. Marc Prud’homme president of the company, she gathered a shower of stares from males along the way.  Entering the office Claire approached his secretary Mme. Marie Droulet an athletic body no doubt but to Claire’s mind a somewhat menacing persona, she quickly scanned Claire head to toe making private mental notes. 

 “Good morning I have an appointment with Mr. Prud’homme, my names..” 

 “Yes, Miss Baxter, if you will have a seat Mr. Prud’homme will be with you shortly,” Marie cut her off and motioned her to a nearby chair. 

 Claire turned on her heel and deposited herself in the chair coolly but elegantly.  The two women eyed each other, their respective minds cataloguing information.  Claire pretended to check her cell phone for messages, pressing several buttons all the while smiling at Marie.  Before the air became noticeably uncomfortable Mr. Prud’homme came out of the office and greeted Claire.  Her sharp eyes caught him scanning her despite his best efforts to conceal it.  She baited him, slowly uncrossing her legs and rising up to greet him.  She was escorted into his office a richly appointed area befitting a man in his position.  Teak and oak were the choice of woods for the walls and furniture and rich leather serviced he chairs.  On the walls hung pictures and acclamations from all manners of people and institutions, a wonderful cover of respectability masked the true intentions. 

 “I understand you wish to make a sizable purchase from us, Miss Baxter,” Prud’homme said. 

“Only if the price and quality are acceptable to my firm Mr. Prud’homme,” Claire answered in a cool and leading way. 

 He was not taken aback by this instead he opened his desk drawer, pulled out a small velvet bag and poured it on the desk in front of her. 

 “See for yourself,” he said. 

 Claire reached into her briefcase and pulled out a small light, a jeweller’s eyepiece and a pair of tweezers.  Placing the eyepiece, turning on the light she picked up a diamond with the tweezers and brought it into the light.  After examining several of the diamonds she removed the eyepiece. 

“If these are the best you have I’m afraid we can’t do business,” she said calculatingly. 

Claire knew she was being tested, these were second-rate stones, just barely, and you had to know what to look for to find the faults. 

 “What do you mean, these are fine stones!” he said surprised and somewhat insulted. 

 “The cuts on the facets are slightly unequal causing the edges to be cloudy, thus reducing the overall clarity of the stone.  I can get more detailed if you require it I understand your caution in dealing with me so I hope I passed the test and we can look at some better stones,” Claire said in a challenging manner. 

“Yes, and I hope you will accept my apologies or that, despite your impressive credentials I had to see for myself, I am by nature a suspicious person.  Now if you want to see the kind of quality we have please come with me,” Marc said as he motioned her towards a separate exit from his office.

 He led her out of the office and down a long corridor to a set of very large and secure doors.  Taking out a keycard he swiped it and pushed open the door.  The two entered a large but extremely sterile room.  The floor was fine wire mesh, the walls all sectioned chrome panels, as were the display cases.  The whole room was a warren of hallways; here and there mirrors to help reflect the light replaced the chrome panels.  The display stands were about 20 feet apart set down the hallways. 

 “Not much of a security system for such an.. imposing room.  Claire had to reach for a word that wouldn’t offend the stale environment she now found herself in.

  “We find that the plainness of the room is exactly the ambience that we like it helps show off the real treasures.   We don’t want anything to take away from them, as for the security system it may appear simple on the surface, but its what’s unseen that makes the system,” Marc offered

“Shall we begin, this way please.” 

They clanked along the metal floor to the first display. 

 “This was the first really high quality stone that we extracted, back in 1790.  Of course the operation was very small back then and limited because of the terrain and conditions, it has only been with the advent of modern techniques that the industry has exploded. 

 “How long have you been in the diamond field Marc,” Claire probed for information. 

 “All my life, but my family has roots back to the 1800’s in Congo.  Like most people they came here as plantation owners, rubber was the big product them, still is to some extent, but not nearly as profitable as diamonds.  I still have a small interest in that area, I guess once its in the blood its there forever,” he offered as they walked along. 

 Claire closely examined eye gem as they went along keeping up her cover.  They twisted and turn along the corridors until they came to darkened part of the hallway. 

 “As they say, I’ve saved the best for last.”  Marc offered. 

 Inserting his keycard into a security portal in the wall and glass cylinder rose out of the floor.  Up came the prize Claire had come to Brazzaville for a completely black diamond 5 carats in size.  It however was not alone inside the case; it had companions, two deadly Black Mamba’s.  One bite would kill in 2 minutes, the mamba was considered to be one of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world, and it had a nasty reputation, so much so that even snake handlers didn’t like it. 

 “Why two, one is usually enough,” Claire asked.

 “Yes, but it may be possible for a person to catch one snake with two the odds get a little tougher and it just may dissuade a would be thief, besides it is most unlikely that a person could get this far.

Marc replaced the case back in to the floor and they left the museum returning to his office. 

 “I have some urgent business that I can’t put off for the next few days.  I know it is an inconvenience for you, but I promise I will have both the quantity and quality of stones at our next meeting. 

 “That will be fine,” Claire said. 

 “Again I’m sorry regarding the delay, perhaps I can make it up to you, at least in part.  My sister Nancy has a lovely property just out of town in the hills; she is highly regarded as a gardener and amateur botanist as well as a hostess.  I will arrange for you to meet her and have lunch and a tour of her estate. How about this afternoon?” 

 Claire thought for a few seconds and then accepted, another source of information was always good to have, and what else was she going to do? 

“Alright I accept.” 

 “Excellent I will have my car pick you up around say 12:30.  Its 10:20 now that will give you time to go back to the hotel and refresh, not that there's anything wrong with the way you look!” he added with a smile of old European charm. 

“I’d like that very much,” Claire answered. 

 Another chance to gather information is what she really thought but kept that to herself.  Shaking hands she departed the office. 

 “A most beautiful woman,” Marc said. 

 “A most deadly one too,” Marie added. 

 “Yes, I think you’re correct, that is exactly why I sent her to visit my sister.  Nancy will eliminate Miss Baxter for us in her own unique way, thus ridding us of a problem and clearing a space on my appointment calendar at the same time,” he said with a laugh.

Returning to her hotel room part one of her mission accomplished Claire turned on her laptop and connected her cell phone to it via a USB cable.  Pressing a code into the phone it flashed and displayed downloading across the screen the complete computer files of both Marc’s and Marie’s PC’s.  A normal cell phone by all appearances it was in reality an ingenious COIL invention that when pointed at any data storage device it copied the hard drives contents to its own through an infrared signal.  As she had hoped all the security data, pass codes, access points, control panels and bypass relays were listed.  She now had the means to disable the system and obtain the diamond.  She would go over it later at the present time she needed to get ready for Marc’s sister.

The car was there at the appointed time and soon the COIL agent was rising out of the basin towards the estate.  A little way back and out of sight her car was being tracked by another as yet undetected vehicle. Despite it being a paved road all the way the jungle came right up to the edges of the shoulder of the road and even sometimes its unstoppable growth created a green canopy overhead, dense enough to block out the sun.  Switchback after switchback the car climbed until finally the road flattened, they drove on for about 20 more minutes, until the driver to a turn down a dark lane and traveled another 1 or two kilometres.  The jungle rapidly receded as the car passed into brilliant sunlight and up to a colonial mansion typical of the era when European interests controlled this part of the world.  Five large while columns rose up to support the overhang roof that created the main front veranda.  She was still surveying the estate complete with fountains and topiaries, an extraordinary amount of topiaries in many interesting shapes, camel, snake, scorpion, all carefully manicured and maintained when a woman breezed out of the front door towards her, hand extended.  Claire, her focus returned made mental notes as always regarding her hostess.  Nancy was about 50, a little shorter than she, Claire took one look at her tanned and very fit legs and knew that rest of her followed suit, clearly she took care of herself and was not a woman of leisure in the normal sense of the word.

“Welcome to my home Claire, please come in out of the heat and have some refreshment with me,” Nancy said in a friendly manner. 

Taking the spy by the arm she led the way inside her home.  Opulence greeted Claire at every turn; a mahogany hand carved staircase rose up in front of her.  The teak hardwood flooring underfoot cooled the house and the body a welcome relief from the heat outside.  Antique crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings and walls illuminating the hand caved ebony furniture that dotted the rooms she was being toured through.  Finally after a dizzying array of rooms the two ended up in the sunroom of the great house enjoying a drink and chatting, albeit carefully with one another.

  “You certainly have been to a great many places in the world,” Nancy said. 

“Well in my line of work you travel a great deal, but I’m not complaining every day brings a new adventure,” Claire offered. 

 “I was made to understand that you’re quite a gardener and judging by what I’ve briefly seen approaching your home I’d have to say it was a bit of an understatement.  The topiaries are truly magnificent, it must be very hard work keeping the jungle at bay?” Claire asked. 

 “Oh yes if you not vigilant the jungle can quickly envelop you.  It is a constant battle just to hold your ground.  I’ll give you a final tour before we part,” Nancy answered. 

 “Marc also told me that you are an amateur botanist of some note.” 

 “Marc likes to laud me a little too much, I guess I’ve inherited somewhat of a green thumb from my ancestors.  I’m sure Marc told you our family was once plantation owners.  I’ve managed to cross some plants to produce heartier breeds with unique characteristics that allow then to not only survive, but also thrive in these tropic conditions. If you’ve finished your drink and can brave the heat I’ll show you the back garden it has much more interesting varieties than the front.”   Nancy rose and the two made there way out of the cool house and into the heavy tropical air.

“Your topiaries are not the traditional, they appear to be vines,” Claire said. 

 “Yes I enjoy the creative aspect of them, making something out of nothing, and yes they are vines, as you would suspect traditional coniferous plants can’t survive here.  These vines are a creation mine, I crossed several species to come up with them, what you see before you is that result, a dense hardly fast growing plant.  Here come with me and I’ll show you how it all starts I have a little one I just planted over this way,” Nancy said as she led Claire. 

 “You see they start very small, but with the right care and feeding the grow quite rapidly.  Take a closer look if you wish.” 

Claire went forward and bent over the vine.

“The stems are extremely fibrous I can see they are well suited to this climate insects would have a very hard time penetrating such a tough exterior,” Claire said as she stood up and turned to face Nancy.

  “Speaking of insects,” Nancy said taking a few steps back from her and motioning with her hands to Claire’s leg.

  “I wouldn’t make any sudden moves if I were you,” an evil smile crossing Nancy’s lips as she said it.  “The African centipede is quite dangerous; its bite injects a muscle relaxing poison into its victim.  An adult can be rendered helpless for several hours if bitten, which you most assuredly will Miss Baxter!”

Claire felt the pulses of the centipede’s feet as it began to climb her leg. 

 “My brother asked me to dispose of you in some way, I can think of no better solution than for you to become the newest topiary in my garden.  You see Miss Baxter I’m a woman of many skills, all of them quite deadly as you will soon experience!” 

The centipede continued its upward journey reaching her knee as Nancy continued. 

“The vine, of my own creation which I call The African Death Vine has developed a symbiotic relationship with the centipede.  The insect protects the plant in its early development and in return the root system provides the centipede with food.  Anything or anyone that gets too close to the plant in its early stages is attacked.  As I said the vine is my own creation it grows rather rapidly when fed and you are that food Miss Baxter!  You will fall within the vines and be entangled in them as it grows quickly drawing around you with its tendrils.  Once it has completely encased you within its green death you will be crushed and then consumed for food!” 

The centipede moved above the knee and it short order disappeared beneath Claire’s sundress; she remained motionless hoping for the impossible! 

“Any second now the guardian will discharge its venom into you and you will become my permanent guest and new topiary,” Nancy said triumphantly.

Claire could feel the legs upon her thigh like a hundred tiny needles and then stillness followed by a pinprick as the pincers imbedded in her.  The last sensation she had was the centipede descending her leg, after that nothing.  She fell to the ground amidst the death vine the venom coursing through her completely unable to move her body in the slightest. 

“I’ll leave you alone to die in pain, I need to go and think about what shape you should take,” Nancy said laughing

A strange tingling feeling came over the spy; she couldn’t place it at first until a few minutes later when she saw the first shoots of the vine crawl around her wrists.  She listened as the rustle of plant beneath her continued her body helpless as more probing trailers meandered about her.  Vines started to appear on her legs, the green curl of the stems searching her out, drawing across her body and slowly twisting their sinuous fibres around her.  Like hundreds of tiny snakes the tendrils formed about her entwining as they went binding carefully around her a few at a time absorbing and devouring her body under a green death wreath.  Within 30 minutes her wrists and ankles were in green pernicious vines that clung to her, their spiral entanglement extremely effective.  Shoots searched out her relaxed form moving inside her dress and down her chest, probing upward under her dress, weaving together tying her further down as they searched her out and secured her for feeding.  Helpless to resist she could only watch herself being absorbed, she was truly a fly in a flytrap.  Claire had hoped her wrists would be the only part of her hands they got to, in that way she may have been able to cut her way out with her nails.  No sooner had the hope been raised then it was dashed as the vines interweaved her fingers in a slow knitting process pinning them as they twirled around other vines and immobilized her escape plan.  Half and hour later she was secured at the ankles and hands.  An hour of intricate weaving had her partially covered.  She desperately needed movement if she was to free herself, but the venom still potent in her system made her powerless to the vines onslaught.

The pace of the adsorption quickened as the Death Vine grew around her, new shoots and trailers crisscrossed her body, both on top and underneath her clothes.  The death net was being constructed in two layers making her chance of escape nearly impossible.  They twirled about her, interlocking, bending and curling about her blanketing every inch of her not yet covered, absorbing the spy slowly but efficiently.  Claire could see new shoots rushing everywhere, seemingly countless numbers knitted around her body in a dizzying system of activity.  Within the shroud of vines the daylight was fading as the plant slowly encased its prey in a dense wreath of death blocking out the sun and fading her hopes.  As the light faded minute by minute her body still had no movement.  The vine had tied her everywhere even weaving into her hair and looping it tight against other tendrils.  The last of the light was shut out as the final knitting took place and Claire was completely sealed with her own death wreath.

Hundreds of tiny fingers tied her in place for only a few minutes of motionless quite.  The spinning done the Death Vine sensing its prey’s immobility began to draw around Claire.  The green fibrous ropes constricted, thousands drew around her with a relentless motion pulling her in.  It was slow and painful for Claire the Death Vine pulled and bent her at will. Corkscrewing her one way and then the other twisting tighter around her with each passing minute.  Slowly she began to regain the use of her body, but would it be too late, she was entwined deeply in the vine.  Singularly the vines were easy to snap but woven and stitched together it was like trying to break steel cables.  Claire struggled silently with her dark tomb as she was turned and twisted with in vine, she did her best to counter twist and work or position, but her strength had limits, the vine appeared to have the advantage.  She could feel the stems drive into her tapped body pulling her deeper into their grip reducing her movement and clearly winning the battle.  She’d been twisted and rotated so many times in the darkness that she had completely lost her bearings, up or down meant nothing only twisting death was a reality!  The enmeshed spy fought on losing a little more freedom each minute. 

The vines bent her legs at the knee running new shoot to secure her ankles to her thighs at the same time her arms were being pulled behind her shoots running along to tie her wrists to her ankles.  The Death Vine was drawing her into a ball that would crush her in minutes.  Claire struggled helplessly she still had a small amount of freedom and she used every bit of it to strain against the vine.  She needed to be bent further for any chance of escape so she continued to resist to force the vine to draw her deeper in.  Slowly her feet were drawn flat against the ground; the break she needed had arrived.  Claire always fashionably attired had chosen her outfit for the afternoon carefully, concealed within the soles of her shoes were two knife blades that could be activated by stamping down had on the heels.    She tensed her body for the effect needed to release the blades; pulling up with all her might she raised her legs off the ground fighting the pull of the Death Vine to bring her back down.  Finally she let the vine win and her legs rushed toward the ground with a sharp downward thrust and heard the sound of the catches being sprung and knife blades emerged ready for action.  Using the small amount of freedom available to her she twisted and turned her ankles cutting the vines in an ever-increasing swath painfully slowly increasing in freedom of movement.

Most of her body was still encased in vines as she pivoted her hips painfully in increase the radius of her cutting, finally she found a few main root systems and cut against them.  A little at a time she gained mobility within the plant however she was still bound head to foot in vines her limbs having no freedom she needed to cut herself out of the plants tomb.  Cut after cut she worked her way to freedom.  Claire tensed her body raising her legs up she continued to cut at the bounds that secured her, each passing minute her legs twined in vines cut a little more freedom.  Eventually her legs came over her body and cut behind her near her head, Claire’s flexibility helping her escape her entanglement. At last she finally freed herself within the bush her body could move even though still interweaved in vines.  Her legs bent over her body she carefully knifed at the vines around her wrists, slowly and cautiously she freed her hands from the Death Vine, working her fingers free she now had her nails to help her break the grip of her captor.  Despite her success she still not free and escape was not certain.  Claire could feel new shoots twisting around her in the darkness, binding her in a relentless avalanche of knots.  Twisting and cutting bought her time as she worked for sunshine, clipping vines furiously; half an hour later daylight appeared for the exhausted COIL agent.  She’d been entombed for more than 5 hours when she pulled her sweat-drenched body out into sunlight; her body still entwined and immobilized in the Death Vine.  Twisting and flexing her frame she strained against the clinging vines.  Two main vines, one at her head the other at her feet fed small shoots that continued to grow and seal her fate.  As the vines continued to grow she was in danger of having her hands secured again.  The vines pull drew her flexing frame slowly taut. Her wild thrashing slowed as the vine grew deeper into her.  Claire had done everything she could but escape eluded her, the Death Vine was winning, her encased form mercilessly drawn tighter, and the crush was becoming unbearable.  Her nails kept her hands free, but they were dulling fast the tough fibrous stems of the vine doing the damage.

Again Claire raised her legs fighting against the pull of the main stems; this was her last chance to escape.  Strain coursed her face as vines continued to grow over her, sheer adrenaline keeping her going.  Her legs swung over her body again as she carefully lowered them the knife blades falling on either side of the vine at her head.  Rotating her hips she methodically worked the vine between the blades, it was taking time, the blades dulling from extensive use.  Painfully minutes later the vine broke and Claire inched her body forward drawing the vine at her feet underneath her.  Carefully positioning her legs she lowered them rapidly tilting the blades on their sides with a quick turn of her hips.  Her aim true the knife sliced through the vine cleanly breaking the cycle of growth.  Rolling away from the severed vine quickly before it had a chance to reach out and encoil her again Claire was able to flex a little freedom into her body.  Patiently she worked herself free enough to stand on unsteady feet.  Ripping and tearing away the last of the Death Vine she slipped into the jungle at the edge of the property.  She was finally free of the Death Vine but a long way from safety, the jungle had its own dangers he would have to battle with.

The jungle swallowed her up; her eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the sudden absence of sunlight.  Gingerly stepping forward she walked/run parallel to the property for sometime.  Her pace rapidly quickened, the sun would soon be falling, her already diminished light would vanish leaving her in total darkness a thought that held no appeal to her was having to spend the night in pitch blackness at the mercy of the jungle.  Counting out her paces to gauge the distance she’d covered in order to skirt the property she turned left after a while and headed back toward the road she’d come in on still under the cover of the jungle up against the estate grounds.  Claire hurried along falling several times she picked herself up and continued on.  It was total blind faith she was operating on; you wouldn’t be able to see the road until you were right on top of it, the cover of the foliage being so dense.  Claire had to clear away vines and branches as she went darkness surrounded her from all directions as the jungle closed in on her.  She fell again, got up and continued, dirt clung to her body from the numerous tumbles she taken, but it was a blessing as it was cool and helped to keep the bugs at bay.

  Claire lost complete track of time, she knew, hoped the road was ahead, but how much farther, surely it was close? Once again she slipped and fell, a clear urgency was overtaking her, she was starting to panic, she pushed it down and forced her mind clear.

  “It’s just that type of thinking that will get you killed,” she told herself.  “Don’t panic you’ve been in tougher than this and pulled through!” 

 She pressed onward; light was starting to fade and still no road.  Claire thought she heard noises she didn’t, she stumbled forward and fell, for a second she didn’t think she had the willpower to go on, but only for a second, she pulled herself up and prepared to go on when she heard the click. 

 “Don’t move a muscle!” a man said as he stepped forward, Claire saw the light behind him, and she had been so close to freedom. 

The gun came level both his hands on it to ensure a steady barrel.  Claire didn’t so any emotion waiting for her execution.  It came only a second later, a quick barrel flash and then silence.  The man came forward and bending down at her feet picked up the snake. 

 “One bite and you would be dead,” he said as he tossed the dead reptile away.  “Here take this,” he said handing Claire his gun with one hand while simultaneously reaching behind his back with the other hand and producing another gun. 

 Holding out his hand she took it wordlessly as he led her through the jungle.  They were almost on top of his Land Rover before she saw it.  They climbed in and he handed her a canteen from which Claire greedily drank. 

 “Introductions all around,” he said after she’d finished her last gulp of water. 

 “Joseph Mumbata, Interpol.” 

 “Claire Baxter, COIL.  How did you find me?” she answered a thankful tone ringing in it. 

 “I have been following you since your trip to the estate began,” seeing the look that came upon her face he continued.

 “Let me give you some background.  The hotel manager is a friend of mine, he informed me the minute you got into the car to come out here.  I followed at a safe distance.  I wasn’t sure if you were involved in the diamond smuggling operation I suspect is being at least partly run out of that estate.  As to how I found you, I had placed sensors all around the perimeter of the property a while ago in the vain hope that that was the way the diamonds were getting out, on foot.  I had long ago given up on that plan, but today I just turned on my scanning system on a feeling and you showed up on it, finding you after that was easy.  Are you all right, do you need a doctor?” 

 “No I feel fine, just dirty and tired,” she answered. 

  “What happened back there?” Joseph asked.  “Oh, just the usual, I was drugged, and almost eaten by a carnivorous plant, other than that a routine day,” she said with an ironic laugh. 

Seeing the concerned look and astonishment in his eyes she moved to mollify his concerns. 

 “I’m ok, I just want to shower and change.”

He started the Rover and guided it through the undergrowth to a path and then shortly after that back onto the road to the city.  On the way Claire related her mission as he listened carefully.  Caked bites of dirt and loose pieces of vine fell on the floor of the Rover as she did her best to clean herself up.  Picking up his satellite phone Joseph dialed and several seconds later was engaged in a rapid-fire conversation hat Claire could only follow when the odd French word was used, the rest of the conversation taking place in a local dialect.  Setting down the phone Joseph said.

“Sorry about that, I needed to check in with one of my contacts.  I know I’m asking a lot of you but I need to make one more before I drop you off, I hope you don’t mind.” 

 “I’m just happy you found me and saved my life, thank you for both,” she said care in her voice.

They drove long in silence for a bit until Joseph turned off onto a two-lane track barely visible unless you were looking for it.  The Rover swatted away plants and bits of low slung tree branches as it coursed along negotiating mud holes and hills they trudged along finally coming to a stop.  Following Joseph’s lead she exited the Rover silently closing the door and trailing after him into the undergrowth.  Claire estimated they’d traveled 50 metres before the two stopped at the edge of a large basin overlooking a factory in the valley below.  He scanned the field with night vision binoculars, his practiced eye sweeping the field, darting from place to place before handing the glasses to her silently.  After she had lowered the glasses Joseph asked.

 “ Do you know this place?” 

 “No, but judging by the security patrols it must be of some importance to someone,” she answered. 

“It’s a rubber processing plant and to me the key to the whole diamond smuggling issue that plagues this area, only I can’t make a link or get inside to prove it.  For now I do surveillance and hope for a break.  What else can one person do?” he said. 

 “Do you have a complete digital radius picture of this place,” she asked.

 “Yes, and guard movements and patrol times and locations, but what I don’t have is the architectural drawings for the inside of the plant.  They appear to have gone missing!” he said a note of conspiracy in his voice.

 The two continued to survey the landscape for a while and then with a small tap to her shoulder the two vanished quietly back into the bush, Claire again taking Joseph’s offered hand as a guide.  They drove back onto the road and as before no conversation took place, as both were deep in thought each coming to the same conclusion but from different directions.

Joseph steered the Rover down a series a city streets turning into a laneway and finally to a stop in front of a large two story concrete edifice. 

 “Here we are,” he said snapping Claire out of deep thought. 

 Getting out of the vehicle he advanced toward an iron gate door, Claire a little dumbfounded followed silently assuming one more stop before her hotel.  Unlocking and rolling back the iron bar door he inserted a key into another solid steel door.  Turning to her and smiling he said.

 “I like to make sure things are still here from day to day and don’t go walking off.” 

 Opening the door he flipped on the light and deactivated the security system already beeping and counting down. 

 “Come on in.” 

 Claire moved behind him and down the hallway.  Two small hallways ran off the main one, one to the left the other right, Joseph turned left and opened a door. 

 “This is your room,” he said.  “Showers just down the hall, it has a bath also if you would prefer.” 

The room was full of her clothes and equipment all neatly placed and hung up.  Seeing the look on her face, both one off shock and suspicion he quickly moved to smooth the situation. 

 “Yes I arranged it all with that earlier phone call, as I said the hotel manager is a friend of mine, also on the Interpol payroll.  You needed a place to stay, this is secure and safe, more so than any hotel.  I had your name wiped from the hotel register; no trace of you is left there for any party to discover.  Your safe and you can plan the rest of your assignment here.  I’m going to fix us something to eat, you must be very hungry, clean up and then we’ll eat,” he said. 

His hand on the doorknob ready to leave he heard her say.

  “Thank-you again, I’m so used to working along that trust doesn’t come easy for me.  If I’ve upset you please forgive me, its just that given the business we’re both in, friends are few and far between and a trusting nature can get you killed very quickly!” 

 His smile told her everything was fine.  After she had scrubbed the jungle away in the shower Claire emerged into the main room a new woman. 

 “Ah, I knew there was a pretty woman under all that dirt,” Joseph said with a laugh as he brought food to the table. 

She smiled back and asked.

 “Can I use your satellite phone I need to make a secure call.”  He retrieved it for her and placing the call Joseph listened to the one-way conversation. 

 “I’ve run in a snag, but I have a way out, it involves an Interpol agent I’ve met. If we succeed it will bring down the entire DOOM organization in this area.  Yes I can wait while you get them.  They want to talk to you now,” she said passing Joseph the phone. 

“Yes sir I think it’s the only way, we’ve been waiting too long as it is for a break that hasn’t come, we need to make one.  Yes sir I do, yes I understand the consequences.  Closely together I understand.” 

 He handed the phone back to Claire.

 “Yes, closely, bye.” 

They both smiled as she set down the phone.

  “I think we need to do some planning,” he said. 

 Silently both retreated to their respective rooms returning momentarily each with their laptops.  Joseph called up the digital movie he’d made of the rubber factory. 

 “I took this form many different angles and then let the program process it so what you see is a true 3D picture complete in real time with respect to the guards and patrols.” 

 She knew Joseph was a good agent and this just confirmed it.  He had it all mapped out and had even superimposed his plan of entry into the program. 

 “This is the only way in without being detected, the only trouble was it required a second person to remove this guard here,” he said using the curser arrow to point him out. 

“That was until now.  From there we make our way inside to the offices and see what data we can collect to expose the operation.  Once completed we make our escape out here and to the water getting away on Sea Do’s here,” he said, again pointing out the locations using the curser. 

“I think we should be able to pull it off,” Claire offered in an upbeat tome and a smile.

“Now lets see what I have,” she said as her laptop brought up the data she had collected.

 “Computer user access codes for the diamond company and the rubber factory that will make things a little easier for use once we’re inside.  I’d say he had more than just a passing interest in rubber wouldn’t you?  Look at all the E-mails back and forth from the diamond company to the factory! However they are cryptically encoded and without the decode algorithm I can’t read them.  We now know one more bit of information to look for once inside,” she added with a sigh.

 “What are all these E-mails from RTLH, LH and GKR?” he questioned. 

 Claire called a few up each was the same. 

“Encoded, again, and run through a third party E-mail cleaner as well, we’d need the algorithm, assuming it’s the same as the earlier one to decode them,” she mused and then realized she’d used “we” instead of I in the conversation. 

 It felt unfamiliar upon reflection, but intriguing so she decided to use it again. 

“When do we go?”

 “Tomorrow night, we’ll enter the compound at 10pm,” Joseph answered. 

 Almost of one mind they closed their respective laptops and silently headed to their bedrooms to sleep, each thinking how strange it was that they fit so well together as a team in such a short time.

Joseph wandered into the main room of the house the next morning to find his breakfast made and Claire as per her usual routine doing her yoga in the large open space adjacent to the kitchen. 

 “Thank you,” he said, and sitting down to eat he turned his back to her not wanting to disturb her routine, that always bugged him, other people starring and it kept his mind and eyes off of her!

  A short distance away the same thoughts kept her mind focused and off his body!  It had been a while for both parties and they didn’t need to complicate matters any more than they already were, but that didn’t extinguish the desire they had for each other, it merely suppressed it!  They spent part of the rest of the day going over the plan for that night.  Once they had worked out the details they spent the rest of the day apart resting and doing routine things.  Claire returned to her room and checked her e-mails.  Ashana had arrived safely both Grace and Peter were thrilled with their new daughter.  Several other e-mails requesting mission statement updates were ignored as she closed the laptop.  The day had flown by; it was time to get ready.  Claire pulled on her cat suit and zipped up the front.  She put her black bracelets and slid them just under the cuff of her suit; they were so thin as to be practically invisible.  From her jewellery box she removed a pair of black onyx earrings and secured them in place just as Joseph knocked on the door, she picked up her Beretta M9 and joined him in the hallway. 

 They parked the Rover a way away from the factory and proceeded to the river.  Selecting the two Sea Do’s they planned to use for their escape they carefully hid their respective guns in the machines for later use if needed.  Claire and Joseph moved as one towards the perimeter fencing that surrounded the factory.  Joseph carefully removed two long thin strips from the satchel he was carrying across his back.  They were insulated on the side he touched as he placed them against the electrified fence.  They acted as resistors to the current, thus creating a gateway of safe passage over the fence.  Watching the patrolling guards for the correct timing the two wraiths soundlessly scaled the fence and dropped whisper quite in to the factory compound and with cat like movements across the yard found themselves against a series of 45 gallon steel drums awaiting the approach of the two sentries who would cross exactly in front of the drums.  Distant footfalls grew ever closer; Claire slipped one of her bracelets from underneath the cuff and slowly pulled the wire out.  The black clad figures against the black barrels in the darkness of the night went unnoticed until too late!  Just as they had passed each other the two silhouettes emerged from the shadows and struck silently and quickly!  Joseph’s hands secured around his mans head and with a quick sideways thrust snapped his neck, Claire cobra quick wrapped the strangulation wire twice around her opposite numbers neck and pulled, her knee forced into the small of his back he succumb in seconds.  Both agents dragged their victims behind the drums and relived them of their AK-47’s.  Wordlessly they moved towards an access door to the factory.  From the intelligence Joseph had gathered they knew it would be unlocked.  Cautiously Claire opened it a crack and seeing they way was clear both vanished into the factory.

Hugging the walls, eyes darting everywhere, guns at the ready they moved towards a darkened factory floor office they spotted.  Luck was with them they could access the computer files they needed there and avoid the dangerous trip into the main offices of the factory.  Darting from cover to cover, sometimes a steam pipe, sometimes a dormant machine they worked their way to the office.  Nearby voices kept them on alert, a few times they came very close by, but after about 20 minutes they faded and dissipated altogether.  Claire and Joseph took advantage of the lull by slipping inside the office and drawing the blinds down to block out the world.  Sitting down at the terminal Joseph brought the machine to life as Claire kept watch by the window, gun at the ready.  He gained access via the codes Claire had provided and was soon searching for the data to link the diamond company, factory and smuggling operations inextricably to each other.  He found all he wanted and more after about 15 minutes.  The diamonds were being smuggled out of the country encased in semi-processed vulcanized rubber.  Weights, shipping manifests and purchasers all listed, he’d struck pay dirt, enough to convict all parties concerned both here and abroad and bring down a significant financing arm of DOOM!  Then he ran into a problem!  The files were read only and write/copy protected, he had no way of getting hard copies of them!

  “Damn!” he said softly. 

“I can’t access the files, all this way for nothing!”

  Claire gently placed the AK-47 muzzle up against the office wall and came up behind him.  She took off her earrings and handed them to him. 

 “Point them at the screen like this and push in the pin at the back when you want to take a picture, you have 36 exposures on each one,” she said. 

 Joseph rapidly took the pictures of the screens he needed and switching off the computer moved towards Claire handing her back the earrings, which she put back on.  Listening for sounds and hearing none she opened the door and the two slipped back onto the factory floor to make their escape.

Suddenly voices came very near, lunging behind a series of pipes they burrowed into the shadows, still the voices came closer, each slipped the safely off their weapons.  Breathlessly they waited the workers right on top of them for it seemed like forever, until as Joseph saw they turned on their heels and walked away.  They slipped out of the shadows, but fate was against them, a momentary backward glance caught the two out of the corner of a workers eye.  In that fraction of a second the air was alive with shouts and yells as rampaging footsteps could be heard all over the factory converging on the two.  Muzzle flashes pierced the darkness as the crack of bullets split the air and rattled off of machinery.  Claire and Joseph ran and fired each covering the other in their retreat, bodies fell but more took their place.  Both switched to fully automatic, a waste of bullets but needed to stem the tidal wave of people descending on them!  A final burst from both weapons and their clips were exhausted.  It was now a cat and mouse game as the two worked the dark corners of the factory hoping to evade capture, little by little they were being forced into a corner.  Bullets shoot overhead and all around them, sparks lit the air was bullets clanked and bumped against metal ricocheted everywhere; they were defenceless as the noose tightened around them.  They made one last desperate attempt overpowering to two advance guards, but just as they were about the gain the firepower they needed blackness overtook the both as rifle butts scored to the base of their skulls from the fallen guard’s comrades.

Joseph awoke first to the predicament he and Claire found themselves in!  Both were slightly suspended off the ground, their hands above their heads tied at the wrists as well as around the ankles. Joseph stared across at his partner; she was in the same kind of concrete stall he found himself suspended in.  Arrayed around them, head to foot were what looked like industrial spraying nozzles. Claire came to several minutes later. 

“I see your back with us, pity it will only be for a sort time,” said a small balding man with a greasy complexion and smile to go with it. 

“I have been given my orders and your fate has been sealed, literally!”  

He moved over to a control box suspended from a cable equidistant from the two helpless agents and pushed a button the nozzles gurgled to life secreting a black substance that began to coat Joseph. 

  “What have you done?” Claire demanded.

  “I have merely sealed his fate, in liquid rubber!  His encased body will begin to harden in several minutes, once finished he will be tossed into the river along with you and sink to the bottom never to be seen again.  Of course I can prolong your life if I wish, so long as you treat me right!” he said with an evil grin.

  Joseph was completely sealed head to foot, Claire could already see the once mushy surface of the rubber starting to congeal, she needed to act fast.  His hands ran along the smooth surface contours of her cat suit feeling her form as he went.  Claire clearly repulsed danced and twisted her body away from the repugnant little man; he was much too close. 

 “Finish me off as well!” she yelled.

 “You bitch, you had your chance,” he said as he reached for the control box frustration clearly edging his voice. 

 “Wait,” she said.  “I’ve changed my mind, if I going to die I want to die with a smile on my face.  Think you can accomplish that for me!” she said, a seductive smile crossing her face! 

 He let go of the control box and came towards her the bugle in his pants already apparent.  Claire continued to smile in seduction at him until he was within her grasp.  Claire sprung the trap so quickly he was dead almost before he knew what happened.  Pulling up her legs slightly she bent them outward at the knees all the while holding his eyes to hers.  Whipping her legs up she slipped the around his head ensnaring him in her trap.  Her vice like grip tightened and sealed his fate, nothing got free from her legs once she applied them.  The weasel flayed for several seconds as he fought hopelessly to free himself until she twisted her hips and snapped his neck.  The tension flowed out of him as his body went limp in her hold.  She quickly released her legs and he fell to the floor dead!

Claire raised her bound legs up, serpentining her body into the letter U.  She arched her body backward and placed her bound ankles in to the hook behind her suspended arms.  Pulling up with her legs she removed the weight on her arms and slipped them over the hook to freedom.  Lowering her body she now had completely inverted her position from minutes ago.  Working her bracelets free as she hung suspended Claire released the blades and moved them into line with the ropes; her wrists gained freedom a minute later.  Tensing her body she pulled herself up again into a U and cut her legs free, seconds later returning to the ground.  Quickly she cut Joseph down and gently lowered his encased form to the concrete floor.  The rubber coating adhered to him like a second skin; removing one of her bracelets she gingerly cut a shallow line near his mouth.  Tenderly tearing away a frayed edge she opened a passageway to his mouth and began ripping away the material from his face.  Seeing no rise in his chest and feeling no breath upon her hand next to his hose see immediately began resuscitation all he while appearing calm on the outside but frantic on the inside for him!  Several minutes later his chest slowly began to rise and fall, shallow at first but deeper and faster with each draught of air his lungs consumed.

 “Lie still,” she said quietly into his ear while simultaneously tenderly touching his lips with her fingers.

 As fast as she could Claire peeled the rubber cocoon away freeing his body minutes later.  Getting up tested his legs and with a silent look at each other they vanished into the bowels of the factory searching for familiar landmark to guide them to freedom.  Dodging and weaving they worked slowly towards their exit, they realized only a few minutes grace would be given them before discovery of the dead body would initiate their being hunted again.  Up ahead the exit finally emerged, as they darted out the door and into the darkness screams of discovery were already nipping at their heels!

Claire and Joseph raced up to and over the fence and dashed for the rivers edge while outside patrols alerted to their escape pursued them firing their automatic weapons as they ran.  Muzzle flashes lit up the night; bullets spat up dirt around them as the two agents danced and darted amidst the hail of lead around them!  Several stray rounds found one of the Sea Do’s at the rivers edge and erupted it in a ball of fire illuminating the area.  Retrieving their guns and starting their respective machines the two roared out into the river full throttle bullets crashing into the water around them creating tiny fountains in there wake.  By the dying embers of the burning Sea Do carcass Claire and Joseph could see the 5 remaining watercraft moving off shore to pursue them!  Joseph made a slashing motion with his hands and he two split up, him to the left her to the right, each making for the respective riverbank to hide among the wharves and boats that dotted the banks.  Two pursuers trailed Joseph and two Claire, one waited the middle to stop any plan of escape should either of them break free.  Lights danced off the foam from Joseph’s wake leading his adversaries to him.  He slowed the engine and manoeuvred tightly around the docks and jumbled up boats eventually coming to a dead stop he switched off the engine and brought his gun to the ready.  His pursuers however were not to be drawn in so easily, in tandem they skirted on the edges of the docks piercing the darkness with their headlights.  Back and forth they went, Joseph thought he had eluded them as he saw the lights depart and move to another area.  Carefully he edged the craft toward the river when the sudden roar of engines and blinding light filled the space directly in front of him!

Claire dipped and swerved to craft between the lane ways the docked boats provided her pursuers right behind bullets whizzing all around her!  Down dark watercourses she flew in a vain attempt to shake her assassins.  Turning a blind corner she saw a barrier looming up ahead of her, a dock stretching right across the water blocked her way, she was trapped with trouble bearing down on her!

Joseph, his eyes blinded by the light, but not his mind raced into action.  Gunning the engine a plumb of water shoot skywards as he rocketed into the oncoming attackers firing directly into their headlights as water and engine noise created walls around him as he bore down on them!  Engaged in a watery game of chicken, Joseph, the odds against him and with nothing to lose drove hard into his attackers driving a wedge with his craft right between them.  The Sea Do to the left of him took the brunt of the collision, careening off course, taking its helpless pilot along; it crashed directly into a cement wharf abutment.  Joseph smiled one down, one to go and gunned the engine as his remaining adversary bore down on him and fired.  Again bullets flew around him until one inevitably found the chassis of the craft.  His engine failing Joseph emptied his last few rounds into the path of his closing opponent.  Strangely no more gun shoots cracked by him, then it dawned on him, his opposite number didn’t need them, he was going to ram him into oblivion!  Joseph had one chance, a complete risk, but he was out of options, what choice did he have?  The distance rapidly closed between the two, Joseph came out of the protective crouch he had employed to avoid the gunfire, quick glances over his shoulder gave him the bearings he needed, and the time had come for action.  Joseph stepped up onto the seat and with one final backward glance he catapulted himself into the air, tucking into a backward summersault as he flew!  His timing had been perfect; he Interpol agent’s gymnastic move had landed him on his pursuers craft directly behind him.  Caught completely off guard Joseph knocked him into the water and deftly manoeuvred around his stricken craft out down river to find his partner!

With nowhere to turn Claire pushed her craft hard and aimed towards a low point on the dock.  The jarring action of the Sea Do’s abrupt contact with the dock nearly knocked her off, but she tenaciously hung on until she hit he water a few seconds later.  Her protagonists were not so lucky, at least one of them!  The lead craft hit the dock and followed Claire over, but the second found the dock rose up in the wake of his partners trip over it seconds before.  It struck hard and solid, ripping the dock into splinters the Sea Do twisted and came flying out of the water spinning like a top before it slammed into the side of a steel barge exploding on impact and turning the darkness into daylight as a fireball launched skyward.

The COIL agent’s boat through up a tremendous wake as she dodged and turned to avoid gunfire, bullets dotted the water around her, she returned fire sporadically and ineffectively.  A projectile clanged off the stern of her craft spinning it out of control and into a wild turn, see cut the speed, regained control and guided her craft into a dark corridor as more rounds found her craft and jammed the rudder heading her straight into a concrete jetty!  Her adversary turning the corner was greeted to a badly damaged half submerged Sea Do.  Slowing down he rammed the dead craft several times ensuring no one was hiding underneath it, replacing the clip in the AK-47 and turning his craft in circles he poured death into the water emptying the clip.  A smile of derisive pleasure crossed his face at the same time a small traced up his body resting on his forehead; a second later the top of his skull exploded and his smile vanished forever.  Claire emerged from the darkness of the cement jetty, gun in hand she slipped into the water and mounted the undamaged Sea Do, bringing the engine to life Claire backtracked to find Joseph slowing once along the way.

Joseph having made his way across the water first and having spotted Claire moved toward her, the final assailant right behind him.  Claire came up to speed and moved in behind his chaser firing at him.  Joseph took advantage of the distraction and turned sharply coming in behind him to join Claire at her side.  The two now pushed their craft towards their remaining enemy, who had turned as well and now headed directly into them firing as he went spraying the air and water with automatic weapons fire.  Claire and Joseph dodged in unison but kept still equidistant space between them.  The gap was closing fast and at the last second Claire tossed Joseph the end of the thing she had slowed only once for earlier, a length of chain!  He saw it too late to avoid the impact, his Sea Do died in the water as he was lifted off and deposited into the water.  Crumpled legs and twisted arms bent at impossible angles floated or a few minutes on the surface before sinking from sight permanently.  Joseph guided the two down river a little way and into a maze of docks finally coming to the shore.  A short walk later they retrieved the Rover and drove back to his place.

“Do you have any citronella?” Claire asked. 

“Under the sink,” he answered.

  In spite of their watery adventures bits of rubber still adhered to Joseph’s hair.  The citronella and rag in hand she motioned him into a chair and proceeded to work the soaked rag into his hair to extract the compound.  After a short time her delicate touch freed the last remaining bits.

 “You need to take a shower and get the rest of it off you,” she said with a smile. 

 Joseph didn’t argue, but before he went did he sent the pictures to Interpol HQ with specific instructions as to their next move and when Interpol was to act.

The door to the shower opened and Claire stepped in.  Her arms encircled Joseph’s torso, taking the soap in her hands she began to caress his stomach. 

 “We were told to work closely together,” she said softly into his ear. 

 Turning around within her arms he followed suit putting his arms around her waist.  His mouth found hers for a series of tender kisses that quickly advanced in pace and intensity.  Claire’s hands slid around his engorged manhood stroking it lovingly as Joseph’s cupped her breasts brushing her nipples with his soapy hands until his mouth took over and his tongue rolled them around between kisses.  Her arms trailed up his chest and entwined around his neck, her teeth nipping softly into his shoulders as she drew close to him. He moved into her and silently the lovers swayed together amidst the cascade of water enveloping them. Minutes later Claire’s low purr filled the shower, her body tensed and her arms tightened around his neck, Joseph’s hands fell around her hips and gently swayed them following her body’s lead.  He wasn’t too far behind her and Claire reciprocated rotating her hips to draw out his pleasure.  They clung to each other after, resting and relaxing and letting the water reinvigorate them.  They dried and moved to the bed were a strange struggle for position ensued, she blocked several of his attempts to be on top deftly repositioning herself within his arms and moving him to her advantage without his being the least bit aware of it, Claire had been trained to always be on top for tactical reasons, freedom of movement and leverage being primary.  Her hips swam around his form; she gently pulled upward and surrounded his erection pushing down and around him, little gasps escaped her throat as she encircled his form completely.  Claire danced around him drawing in and out in an entrancing rhythm.  He matched her pacing perfectly his hands flowing over her with magical effects.  He exploded into her seconds later.  Claire twisting and writhing her hips rose and fell around him slowly drawing out the pleasure for her lover.  Joseph in total ecstasy let her use her expertise all he wanted to do was continue to touch her.  Regaining concentration he focused on her using his hips to roll with her and match the pace she wanted.   Claire arched back and started to go still, Joseph’s hands slipped around her rear and he took over the pace supporting her and rocking her as she let the orgasm over take her.  He kept up his thrusting to extend her pleasure as Claire slowed; he felt her quick body twitches all the way down his shaft.  Slowly she came forward and fell into his arms tenderly kissing his neck and mouth before the two lay silently entangled in each other.

Some time later Claire awoke to the sensation of gentle kisses on the back of her neck and a warm hand playing over her thigh.  Joseph’s arm slipped between her and the bed sheets pulling her close to him.  Claire’s arm trailed behind his neck as her body moved sensually next to his.  Slowly his mouth trailed down her neck and began to moisten her shoulders and back with more kisses and tender bites.  Claire rolled willingly onto her stomach; her pleasure heightening as his caresses welled up sparks of ecstasy within her as he covered her in kisses.  Joseph’s hands drew around her breasts and carefully he pulled her up to him as he lightly stroked them and passionately nipped the back of her neck.  Claire’s head rose and fell in delight as one of her arms slipped around his neck and her head turned and tilted upward until her mouth found his and their tongues set each other afire.  Slowly he lowered her back to the bed her body twisting so her mouth could remain with his.  Passionately within each other’s arms they drew together pulled apart and felt the excitement of each other’s bodies.  Claire however kept her knees bent and slightly elevated, her defensive instincts, despite the passion still winning out.  In spite of his gentle prodding her posture remained firm.  Suddenly she became aware of her actions and tenderly placing her hands on his cheeks and giving him a soft wet kiss she lowered her knees and he rose on top of her.  Silently he stroked her hair and filled her mouth with kisses.  Claire tensed with anticipation as he drew toward her and worked himself inside amidst her tiny moans of pleasure.  Once she had surrounded him the pace quickly intensified, at first it was slow, but each lover matched the others increasing speed until they settled into the rhythm they wanted.  Joseph rose on his arms and pushed deep into Claire with a steady rocking pace.  The surge welled up in him and then rushed out in an explosion of fantastic delight.  Claire let him go as his body twisted and manoeuvred in initial ecstasy.  She quickly rejoined his motion to prolong his pleasure after the first surge moving her hips along his shaft, his bobbing head and low thundering groans told her she was succeeding for him.  Recovering, he went back to his motion, thoughts of her filled his mind and he moved to fill her desires.  Claire’s body tensed for a second and then a delicious, magical, sensuous feeling of pleasure washed over her in wave after wave of delirium.  Joseph moved his hips to work for her as she had for him keeping the wondrous pace they had set.  Her arms encircled his neck as she pulled herself up off the bed, Joseph’s neck supporting her weight.  Incredible aftershocks twisted her body in delight from his repeated undulations; it seemed to Claire it would go on forever until her body completely drained went limp.  Joseph slowly lowered his neck until Claire’s body found the pillow again.  Gently he lowered himself onto her most of his weight supported by his forearms.  Tenderly he kissed her several times finally the two collapsed into an embrace.  Several minutes later they separated and shifting positions they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

 Claire still had her appointment scheduled with Marc Prud’homme for today and she intended to keep it, but with a new twist and some backup.  Her cab arrived at La Roudette at 10am and scant seconds later she was moving swiftly down the hallway to Marc’s office.  She opened the door to his outer office and her first adversary came into view, his secretary Marie whose initial shock was replaced with steely resolve in an instant, Claire wasn’t getting a free pass into Mr. Prud’homme’s office!

“It falls to me to finish you,” Marie said as she came out from behind her desk. 
 “Don’t start something you can’t finish, just walk out the door while you still can,” Claire said as she took a step forward

Marie tried a few probing kicks that Claire easily defended before snapping a quick one of her one to Marie’s head sending her flying away from the force of the blow.  Marie to her credit got to her feet and quickly removing her earrings two tiny needles appeared out of the ends of them.  Marie raced forward furiously attacking as Claire wheeled away blocking as she went, he needles came within inches of the COIL agent, unfortunately Marie’s kicks came much closer.  Claire took several hard blows and a final spin kick put her face first into the wall.  Marie moved in for the kill, she pinned Claire against the wall by raising her leg above her head and pressing down along her spine.  Claire brought her hands up from her sides and caught Marie’s wrists just as they were closing in to inject their poison!  The pinned spy turned the secretary’s wrists outward and dislodged her lethal syringes/earrings to the floor.  Claire raised her leg and pushed off from the wall turning her body as she went her grip still firmly on her opponent.  Marie’s and Claire’s arms were now crossed as they faced each other, Claire however was not finished as she again reversed her position, uncrossing their arms the spy pulled the secretary to her enfolding both their arms around Marie’s neck and tightening the hold, a quick thrust sideways of her arms ended the battle as Marie’s body went limp.  Marc having witnessed the brief struggle retreated back into his office, Claire came right after him, she knew what to expect, and he didn’t!  Arms encircled around her waist, but before they could do any damaged her elbow found his stomach, two lightning quick jabs followed by a spinning heel kick sent him crashing over his desk depositing him into his chair in a dishevelled lump.  She circled behind him her hands slowly flowing around his neck probing for the right nerve endings and then pinching tight securing him.

“What to do with you now?  I could let you live or I could finish you right here, but how to do it, so many choices?  How about a kiss, a scratch from my ring, my yoga or something I haven’t mentioned yet!” 

 A series of footfalls had started to fill the hallway, getting closer each moment until finally Joseph appeared at the door. 

“Claire, you’ve had your fun,” Joseph said, amusement in his voice. 

 “On second thought, I think you serve a greater purpose alive,” Claire answered, looking at her partner and smiling while reaching into Marc’s suit jacket and retrieving the pass card for the museum. 

 “Please be careful,” Joseph said as she disappeared down the hallway in search of her mission objective. 

 Reaching the entrance she swiped the card and entered as the heavy doors closed behind her, ignoring all the other display cases she strode the meandering pathway until she came to her desired location.  Inserting the card into the wall slot the case emerged from the floor its contents and its protectors within the glass confines of the case.  Reaching out she lifted up the case and drew it toward her shielding her body with it from the agitated mambas.  Stepping back she dropped to her knees and shattered the glass cover against the steel floor, holding the remnants of the glass case in her hands she stood up and stepped forward.  Her speed was no match for the mambas, as the two serpents became 4 bloody pieces on the floor as she sliced them with the razor edges of the glass!  Discarding her weapon she picked up her treasured diamond and deposited into the hollow of her breasts.

“I congratulate you Claire, however you didn’t think it would be this easy did you.  I have so much more for you to experience, you may have won the battle, but we’ll win the war,” a disembodied voice Claire knew only too well.

 “Nancy!” she said as she scanned the area to locate her!

  “Don’t bother trying to locate me I’m nowhere even close.  I designed this room and as I told you I’m a woman of many talents all of them deadly as you’ll soon experience, shall we begin.”

  No sooner had here voice ended than some the panels that made up the corridors and passageways began to rotate, others sunk into the floor and still others appeared out of it all of them merged together to form an entire new set of paths for Claire to follow! 

“You are an extremely resourceful woman Claire, escaping the death vine and the factory, but I feel your luck is about to run out.” 

 Claire saw no choice but to move along the newly created corridors and work towards the door to the main building.  That in itself created a large problem as u ahead she could see the walls shifting yet again, some turned to various new angles some fell into the floor to be replaced by others in a different location with new patterns on the sides.  The spy moved cautiously but quickly her body twisting and turning her head swivelling around to the eye the ever-changing landscape alert for new dangers.  Traversing the length of the first corridor she turned and continued on her journey.  A light puff of air crossed the back of her neck and Claire instinctively ducted down a split second later, more popping sounds filled the air in seconds as Claire straightened, bent and turned, it stopped almost as soon as it started much to Claire’s relief.  She found herself pinned in on either by a series of rubber bands stretched across the corridor at chest height; thankfully none of the bands had hit her when they had exploded out of their hiding place within the panels that made up the hallway.  A relieved agent brought her leg up to step over the highest band, instantly several more bands shot from either side of the panels and trapped her elevated leg by the ankle in place.  Claire reacted quickly, reaching into her hair see pulled out her comb slipping out the knife blade she began to cut the rubber and free herself, however the minute see cut the rubber it sealed itself solid again, she tried cutting faster, the same result occurred.  She quickly realised the rubber was of a surgical variety that retains its liquid inner core around the hard outer shell, once exposed to the air it seals hard, her efforts would be in vain no matter how fast she worked, she replaced her comb and moved onto another tactic, she’d twist herself out!  Placing her hands on the horizontal bands at her sides she raised her body of the floor several feet as she climbed, she needed to take the stress of her trapped leg and gaining a little leverage would accomplish that goal.  She started to turn her body to counter the bands when her remaining free limbs were ensnared as the other rubber bands shifted and locked around her wrists and ankles.  Instantly more bands shot from the walls, above, below, behind and between her caught form.  Claire slowly climbed up the rubber strands on either side of her to bring her body level with her trapped leg and twist out of the bind that currently ensnared her leg, balancing herself on the swaying bands she began to extricate when the entire structure suddenly shifted and pinned her previously free limbs into the same bind as her leg. 

“Welcome to the Cat’s Cradle my own version of the children’s game with an adult twist if you’ll pardon the pun,” Nancy said with a laugh.

 “When I activate the program you will be twisted within the rubber bands into an infinite variety of positions all just a little bit tighter than the last one!  Of course infinite is completely theoretical, you will be dead after a short while as the bands draw around and into you breaking your frame no matter how flexible you may be, everyone has their limits, even you Claire!  Shall we begin?”

Claire her mind racing with calculations and locations prepared for action!  She knew all Cat’s Cradles had a basis in mathematics, figuring out what strings to manipulate was the secret to keeping the game alive and her as well in this case!  Her calculations told her she’d have to go deep into the cradle to escape, there was no other way and the pain and bending her body would have to endure in order to escape might prove fatal in itself, but what choice did she have!  One wrong calculation or misplaced position would end her chances!

The bands shifted and the game started, the spy took advantage of the several seconds of slack time at the beginning of the repositioning of the rubber to move and position her body with the myriad of shifting lines and move her toward escape.  Claire slipped her left leg out of a slack-shifting band and crossed it around her right leg; she did the same with her arms stretched out before only with the right crossing over the left all within the two-second interval the slack of the bands provided.  The shifting bands closed in all around her and drew inward tensing her in place.  Thirty seconds passed and the bands started their motion only the spy didn’t move, not every new shift required her body to move she had the wait for the rubber to position themselves correctly if she was going to escape.  The next rotation brought her parallel to the floor but corkscrewed her body head to foot in agonizing tension.  She resisted furiously as the bands tried to twist her further and end the game!  Hold and counting down the interval her face etched in pain she willed the time faster to bring her ensnared form relief.  The next shift countered the corkscrew and she spun freely in the loose bands and grabbed one passing her head as it rose upward, her legs caught another and were held in place, she was now in a backwards letter L again she fought the bands pull as they sought to push her legs up around her back and painful 30 seconds later the pressure was released and the torso was forced backwards down across her legs as the rubber sealed around her in a tangle of pressure about her.  The COIL agent waited and the next shift her hands held one band while her legs searched out and hooked into one travelling downward to the floor she came to rest in an inverted letter L position flexing her muscles to resist the pull.  Claire was slowly sinking deeper into the cradle, her body was experiencing more pressure and bending with each rotation of the bands and it seems longer between shift she knew this was false it was just her mind playing tricks on her as her body begged it for release.

The cradle moved again this time bending her backwards upon herself, a scream of pain filled the room as she came very close to being broken, but somehow hung on as her adrenaline kicked into overdrive, she knew that could last the natural pain killer would soon be used up and soon after so would her resources and then she’d be finished!  She moved again and with more difficultly than she thought she willed her body to its new position.  Her right leg ran up the side of her body and came to rest with her ankle on her cheek as the rubber closed in and savagely coiled about her.  She had no energy left with which to scream only small moans filled the room as her body started to betray her with small convulsions that shook the rubber webbing around her! 

“You’re nearly finished my dear COIL agent one or two more rotations will break that wonderful body of yours!” Nancy purred. 

 It was the longest 30 seconds of Claire’s life!  Her resistance was almost gone when she finally, mercifully moved her legs and arms coming free and with great effort she methodically wove them into the rubber bands as they turned and moved drawing the COIL agent deep into a new realm of pain!  Her arms pinned behind her back, her legs crossed over each other as she was bent backwards stopping just millimetres from death as her twisted and tortured body tried to force her mind into unconsciousness from the pain! 

 “One final move in the cradle will finish you Claire!”  Nancy said expectantly. 

 That move came seconds later as the bands loosened, Claire did not move her encased limbs, and she didn’t have the strength.  Instead she was carried up and twisted slightly before falling to the ground from several feet up, free of the Cat’s Cradle! 

 “How did you manage to escape my death trap?”  Nancy yelled in disbelief over the speaker indignantly. 

Claire was trying to regain her strength and catch her breath. 

“You have to consider all the angles and exploit them to your benefit,” she answered between gulps of air. 

“Round one to you Miss Baxter,” Nancy’s voiced schemed.  Claire dragged herself up and testing her strength continued on, what choice did she have!

The panels around her started to rearrange themselves again, the spy darted and moved, passing between a half turned panel she was within 20 feet of the exit and the path was clear for her!  Joseph, the last of the arrests was busy supervising the loading of the files and computers for evidence totally engrossed and flushed with success when her suddenly became aware that Claire had not returned.  Barking commands to his subordinates regarding the evidence her ran back towards the museum entrance.  Claire advanced rapidly to her freedom. 10, 8, 6 feet then suddenly a violent rush of air filled her ears as he blast circled about her and a column of glass rose out of the floor around her and continued upwards to the ceiling coming to rest against it in a tight seal.

  “Well so close and yet not close enough, it would seem you tripped a pressure point in the floor and activated the final trap before freedom unfortunately for you the trap is final and your freedom is forfeited!” Nancy laughed. 

Claire pushed against her glass prison, delivering a few sharp punches with the flat of her hand in poor attempted to break out.  The tube was confining in its circumference and she could not muster the power to break free, the restrictive motion eroding the power she would normally be able to generate.  She was busy racing her mind with escape alternatives when she heard a second rushing sound coming from below and then seconds later found the source, water was flooding the tube from below the steel grating! 

 “I hope you can hold your breath for a long time Claire, let’s say forever!” Nancy remarked. 

Claire was trapped the tide was rising fast inside her prison and she was forced to rise with the water level.  Up and up the cylinder the onrushing water came, Claire desperately rose with it gulping air as she went in panic attempt to store oxygen, but she was running out of space, fast!  He hands came flat against the roof as the water rushed upward, her lips pressed frantically against the ceiling to gain the last remnants of air until the tube was completely flooded.  Claire uselessly banged against the glass in a panicked attempt to find freedom as her desperate pounding blows filling the room over and over again!  Nancy watched as Claire continued to rap the glass as she sank lower and lower in the tube until she came to rest on the floor and she was still!

Joseph found the entrance to the museum closed and he didn’t have the pass card, he did however have the knowledge of how the system worked.  Grabbing the fire extinguisher off the wall he smashed the base down against the card slot, it took several well placed and hard shots but he eventually succeeded in smashing it off the wall and exposing the wires.  Joseph worked fast but carefully he would only get one shot at this, the combination and connections of the wires had to be perfect to over ride the system and open the door.  Five minutes later the door opened and Joseph’s heart sank; Claire was at the bottom of the tube lifeless!

His mouth sealed around hers and blew furiously; he kept it up as his tears cascaded about her face.  It had been several minutes since he’d freed her and Joseph knew his chances of holding Claire in his arms again where just about gone, intellectually he knew it but emotionally he wouldn’t let himself accept it, and that drove him on! 

“Don’t die on me Claire, not now!” 

 His lips sealed and blew again, and again, and again and then a twitch, followed by a cough, followed by opened eyes and finally followed by a weak smile.  Joseph tenderly stroked her cheek several times with one hand while holding her hand with his other then he rolled Claire onto her side to allow the water to escape her lungs.  It took several minutes before Claire recovered enough to sit up and slip her arms around Joseph for a long silent embrace.

 “I knew you’d come for me! But, how did you get me out”? Claire whispered into his ear. 

 Pulling back, reluctantly Joseph smiled as he opened his hand to show her how.

“This is a diamond company after all!” he said as he opened his palm to reveal a catch of diamonds. 

 She smiled and kissed him several times before hugging her fiercely again not wanting to let go.

  “Durban awaits you,” Joseph said trying to hide as best he could the upset in his voice, trying but not quite succeeding. 

 “That’s 3 days and nights from now and I don’t plan to waste any minute of it!”

They drove to the airport in stone silence; Joseph’s hands white on the wheel, Claire staring out the window.  They parked, walked to the terminal and Claire checked in all in absolute quite, the time had arrived.  A flurry of desperate passionate kisses and ended in a quite embrace before Joseph spoke. 

“You have to go and complete your assignment, much as I wish you didn’t, but we both know you couldn’t stay here and be happy, you and I love this line of work too much for our own good!” 

As he spoke his tears fell on her shoulders and stung her with their love. 

 “As things are currently I could never make you as happy or thrill you as much as your job does.  You’d love me at first, and then you’d miss the game and finally come to hate me.  I couldn’t live to see you unhappy,” Joseph said.

  Claire said nothing, she just squeezed him tighter, he was right and god that hurt more than any physical pain she’d ever endured on any assignment!  Finally, she answered.

 “Your right and I hate it as much as I love you! But one day”

 “One day,” Joseph answered as they separated and kissed a final time.

 Claire turned and walked toward the doors to the tarmac reaching up she caught a tear just before it fell from her cheek, it burned deep into her.  Claire hated herself right now, walking away from the man she loved but she knew the pain would pass in several days and she hated that more!
 

THE END