Thursday, May 18, 2023

Seek and Find - Part 2


Joanne had always been good at keeping things to herself and ensuring she had a fall back

plan.  Her Engineering and Project Management degrees had given her that and her MBA gave

her the knowledge of how to hide money.  Even with that, her circumstances had been

significantly reduced.  TRIDENT had found most of her money, well the amounts that really

mattered.  She’d managed to get some, enough to buy a small, very small dive and surf shop

on Dorousa Island.  She lived in the back of the shop, eked out a living, but she was alive and

she could see anyone, during the day at least, coming to the island.  So far no one had found

her but she knew it was just a matter of time before something was said to someone who said

that to someone else and so on until pieces were put together.  She kept herself as best

prepared as possible, she had no real conventional or non conventional weapons, everything

had been used up in her escape, it was just her and she hoped that would be enough.  She

went to sleep with that thought in her head.  





‘I would say it's good to see you again Jo, but that would be a lie,’ Shanna said leaning against a

storage shed that stored some of the windsurfers.  


Joanne, stopped up short, her face for a fraction of a second looking nervous, she quickly

recovered, but not quickly enough for it to go unnoticed.  


‘You should be,’ Shanna answered.  ‘You never could quite reach my standard, either in training

nor as an agent.  That’s why I was chosen from a look list of agents who coveted the assignment

of killing you.  Perhaps you weren’t as popular as you thought or maybe too popular, lots of

people salivated at the chance to kill you, so lucky me.  They even left to me discretion, as long

as it was slow and punishing and you know I have no issue with either of those.  Anyway, we

should get this over, I have another mission to attend to.’


Shanna swept forward, her hard, tight form spinning and connecting with a kick that sent Joanne

backward.  A forward step over handstand spring delivered two more blows in rapid succession

that felled her opponent.  Sensing victory Shanna raised her left leg high intent upon crashing it

down along Joanne’s torso crushing her sternum, instead, her leg was scissored by Joanne and

turned over tumbling Shanna to the ground where Joanne twisted and drove a few sharp elbows

into the small of her opposite numbers back.  Shanna winched in pain, her body instinctively

curing back upon itself where an arm from Joanne encircled her neck arching her back while

her other arm drove a series of punches in her side.   As Shanna absorbed the lingering pain

Joanne rolled them over in an attempt to secure her opponent’s remaining leg, but Shanna

struck first.


The toes of her free leg pinched the back of Joanne’s searching leg, then her calf, instantly the

leg fell to the ground unable to move.  Shanna’s fingernails searched then pushed about

Joanne’s neck until the woman fell limp on top of her.  


‘I could kill you right now, but where’s the fun in that?’ Shanna whispered in her ear.  I want you

properly broken by the time I decide to finish you.  First, let’s peel you out of this suit to get a

better feel of you,’ Shanna said as she stripped Joanne.  ‘Your movements felt a little stiff, I think

you could benefit from a remedial stretching class with me as the instructor.  Oh, don’t panic,

nothing difficult, no, we’ll go right to the painful.’  


Shanna used her incredible flexibility coupled with her power to place Joanne in a seemingly

endless array of impossible positions the woman taken right up to the point of no return before

being pulled back.  ‘Scream all you want Joanne, no one can hear you,’ Shanna mocked as she

turned her hips to deliver more torment to the spy.


Her body encased in an unforgiving constrictor of a woman Joanne was tormented for hours

until she could no longer feel any part of her then came the final dismantling.  


‘I haven’t used this in a long time and I often asked myself why, now I know, I was saving it for a

special occasion, you,  Ten Poses of the Dragon, you remember when you watched me use it on

the FORCE male, they said he never fully recovered, had to retire.  You won’t have to worry

about that, I have a special ending for you, but first,’ Shanna delighted as she placed then

snapped Joanne’s body in the first position.  Her supple sexy silhouette worked fluidly

transferring her prey into position two where she released her snap, Joanne’s body gyrating

from the nerve overload.  Each position became more complicated than the previous Shanna

worked her and Joanne into each one with ease, Joanne’s increasingly liquified form making it

simple.  


As they went along the pain increased as did the points of attack.  Multiple points of snapping

sent Joanne into spasms a minute or more before she was moved and it started again.  The

torment seemed endless as her body hung limp in Shanna’s.


‘One final position then we can begin your execution,’ Shanna half laughed as she waited for

the woman to slip just another touch then she closed, her breathing measured against Joanne’s

before she thrust herself violently, relaxed and discarded the nude convulsing form she had

imprisoned in her trap for over several hours.  Joanne fell limp and moaning to the ground, her

body unable to move anything, her eyes glassy.  


‘I’ll be back soon, final preparations,’ she said and walked past her.  


^^^


‘I can tell you I’m not looking forward to doing this,’ Virginia said sadly as the elevator doors

closed, taking her to the appointed meeting with her mother.  ‘No one likes disappointing their

mother.’


‘Just let it happen, as we talked about, out it comes, be honest, I think you might be surprised,’

Ashton said.  ‘You still want to be alone when you do this?’ he added.


She nobbed just as the doors opened.  ‘Ok, I’ll be down the hall if you need me.


‘Can I ask you to walk me in,’ she asked.


‘Of course,’ he said as he held the office door open, they went down the hall, he opened the door

and they stepped inside.  


‘Mum,’ Virginia barely got out before her mother had her in a hug.


‘Thank goodness you’re safe.  Thanks to you Mr. Cross,’ she said looking up at him.  


‘We need to talk mum about a lot of things,’ Virginia emphasised, Ashton taking his clue from

that to leave them alone.  


‘He’s handsome don’t you think? And I think he likes you, is he single?’


‘Sit down mum and listen, don't say anything until I’ve finished because I’m not sure I can say

all I have to say again.  


^^^


‘Wake up sleepyhead!’ Shanna commanded, slapping Joanne’s face.  ‘Good, this is the best

part, the explanation of your fate, so try and stay awake so you don’t take the fun out of it for me. 

It all started thirty thousand feet ago. That’s how I got here, dropped from the sky last night,

cover of darkness and all that.  Anyway, long decent, soft landing, wait for you, finish you in

fight and now this.  What you're wrapped up in is my parachute.  It's made of Kevlar so

normally heat resistant.  This one is as well, but it has the added advantage of letting heat

pass through it instead of reflecting it.  You can see where this is going Joanne.  Essentially,

you’ll be baked alive and judging by that sun the baking time will not be long.  If you’re lucky

owing to the late start in the day you may last until sometime tomorrow afternoon.  I used the

ribs of the chute to hold you upright, so no escape unless you think you have more power than

the upward drag coefficient from my skydive.  All in all a very tidy and efficient kill.  You know

the motto, Reduce, you, Reuse, my parachute, Recycle, your dead body, organic.  How

wonderful, complete my mission and help the plant at the same time.  It's a good day to be a

bad girl.  And with that I need to say my goodbyes.  Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tell all on the

other island that you left and the business is closed.  I’m considerate that way.  Die slowly

Joanne.’


^^^

‘She’s a delightful lady, excellent conversationalist, knows nothing about what her daughter

really was up to, thinks she was in international banking, makes sense she has a degree in

economics.  It's the same nonsense we tell all our families or close others, just enough to be

believable and vague enough never to be challenged. I feel sorry for her, I mean, Paignton no

great shakes as places go, but it was home and now that’s gone, she can never go back I

suppose no matter what you may have said to TRIDENT, you know that.  She can live with the

Countess for a while, more than enough space till something is agreed upon, but that’s a

minor thing, your lady is the more pressing issue.  How involved are you?’ Cindy asked.


‘I know why you’re here.  You have the best perspective on things, both from the relationship

aspect and knowing her.  Yes, I did my homework too,’ Ashton said as he looked at her from

the chair across the office.


‘Alright then.  I think you two are secretly crazy for each other.  The effort you both made not to

touch her on the way up, of course we were watching, that took real willpower and to bring her

straight here, no shower, change of clothes, good night's sleep, proper meal.  She looks like shit,

what did she lose 10 or 12 kilos?’ Cindy stated.  ‘Yet, you still want or perhaps love her, is the

better word, after only one encounter and that was entirely one sided.  You must be a fool!’


Before he could answer, having got the look from him she wanted Cindy continued.


‘It was that way with Quinn and I.  He totally dominated me, could have killed me but he didn’t,

instead, he made love to me and when I finally realised what was happening to me and dropped

all the pretence of spy against spy I responded and we made love together, then parted.  He later

told me he could never get me out of his head and I said the same to him.  We met as many

times as we could without making it suspicious, airports, even the same flight once, it wasn’t

great romance, but I was with him and he with me.  We broke all the rules and yet it somehow

worked out.  You have broken none and I hope it works out for you, but that depends on you

but I think more on her.  I didn’t have betrayal, terror and what she’s facing now.  A lot is going to

depend on her and you and how you handle what’s coming,’ Cindy said.  ‘All of FORCE’s

resources are available to you, you know that, I’ll make sure she does.  No, I’m not doubting you

wouldn’t tell her, but I think it would be better coming from me, woman to woman with a shared

background.   She may never be an agent again, we won’t push her, she’s fragile in spite of the

tough exterior.  After what transpires in there, I’ll take Mary, we have booked you rooms at the

Savoy and with several merchants.  Spread it out over several days, we’ll meet again on Sunday

at Alice’s for a casual talk, Claire will be there.  I’ll send the details to your email.’


^^^


Shanna had placed her so the sun covered her at all times.  Joanne managed the remainder of

the day, her body too numb to feel anything, but that relief did not last.  By the middle of the

night the torment started.  The parachute still retained heat from the day that now baked her

even in the cool and dark; she could only imagine the sheer torment that awaited her at sunrise;

she hoped consciousness slipped from her as the initial shafts of daylight coloured the sky. 

Streamers traced about the edges of her cocoon before the fuller spectrum of the rising sun

covered her sarcophagus, she felt the temperature rise quickly, her body uncomfortable before

was now scorching.  She wanted it to end by mid day, but her training and her temperament

refused to just give in even as she battled to stay awake, her mind wandering into crazy

dreamlike states where she imagined scenarios straight out of a Dali painting or Alice in

Wonderland.  She’d snap back every so often, just when she was at the brink.  She could feel

her face on fire, she knew she was badly sunburned and thankful she could not see it.  A boat

bobbed on the surface, then flapped its wings sinking under the waves never to be seen again

as ice clogged the sea, the smile still on her lips as she drifted away from the present.  


^^^


‘My mum says I disappointed her, the lies and the choices.  She said she was glad she never

accepted any of the money I tried to give her, knowing how I got it, she also said she loves me. 

I think that hurt most of all,’ Virginia said looking out the car window.


‘You don’t think you’re deserving of love?’ Ashton inquired.


‘Read somewhere, on a plane to some mission, most likely, that you have to love yourself

before you can feel the love of others,’ she said, not bothering to look at him.


‘Shift your weight I can tell you're in pain and drink that protein shake the dietician prescribed

for you and I think the first step is actually forgiving yourself, that can take time and help,’ he said,

looking at her.  




‘She’s been in an induced coma since we flew out.  It was the only way to control her vital signs

and give her pain meds.  We’re just about to lift her out of the cool tub, the doctor says it was the

only way to separate her skin from the Kevlar and she can’t guarantee it will all come away

cleanly,’ Lucas said as Claire looked on.  She knew what to expect having lived through something close to this nightmare, though she suspected not as bad.




This is what we’re going to use as a salve, it worked for me,’ she said, glancing over her

shoulder at multiple 5 gallon pails.  ‘Once you get her free from the Kevlar, immerse her in this

fully, keep her sedated until you start to see healing.’


‘And if we don’t?’ he asked.


‘Then we try skin grafts if she wants.  But you never leave her side or show any doubt,’ Claire

said looking at Lucas with a fierce expression.  


‘What if she doesn’t want it?’ he asked.


‘That’s her choice and I’ll respect it.  Fuck you for even asking that.  You love this woman,

you’re all in, good and bad.  We don’t all get happy endings.’


‘We’re ready,’ the doctor said, her team behind her.


‘You may want to sit down close to that bucket,’ Claire said, putting her hand on his arm.  ‘This

is not going to be pretty.’






^^^Virginia had expected Ashton to take her to the meeting but instead a woman had picked her up.


‘Hello, Tina Samuels, Head of Business Operations.  Apologies for the change of plans, but

Claire thought it would be better if we made this an all girls event,’ said the attractive blond

woman holding out her hand that Virginia took and Tina held.  ‘Just take your time, lean on me

if you need to,’ she added.


Virginia looked back at Ashton standing at the front door of the hotel. He could tell she was

nervous, but he knew she was safe and would soon realise that these women held no vendetta

against her for the past.  ‘Drive with care Tina and no burnouts on the cobbles,’ he said.


‘Never, wouldn’t want to put the other toffee nosed quests noses out of joint, might ruin their tea

later,’ she chirped back, opening the door for Virginia who smiled at the banter.  ‘I added a few

pillows for a softer landing,’ she whispered in Ginny's ear.  


They zipped along the streets, it was Sunday and early so traffic was very light.  ‘You're dying

to ask me something or somethings, I can tell, ask away,’ Tina said.


‘I thought this would be more secret, you know windowless van, multiple turns, abandoned

building so no one could pinpoint a location,’ Virginia asked.


‘Goodness, is that how they do things at TRIDENT?  We have a different approach, I’ll let

Claire handle the interpersonal aspect, but speaking for me and in part for the organisation,

why would we bother with you.’


‘I’m persona non grata,’ she answered.


‘Exactly, TRIDENT will never take you back, kill on sight I suspect.  You’re not blonde enough

to be an ICE agent, what does that leave you with?  Just us.  Besides, being open shows you

who we are.  There’s that and Ashton didn’t think you were up for the walk.  Drink your shake,

but go easy, lunch is always a treat at her Ladyships.’



Tina touched a button on her leather jacket and the gate opened ahead of her as she swung the

Sunbeam Tiger in and to the front entrance.  ‘Hold on whilst I come round and help,’ Tina said. 

‘You can hold on as long as you need to, I don’t think I need to explain that, just give me a pat

when you’re ready to solo.  


Virginia liked her already, she understood.  They walked in and heard talking in the large

reception room at the back of the house.  Tina led the way as Virginia marvelled at the elegance

of the home and the furnishings, some very, very old.  


‘Ladies, our guest of honour.  Virginia Wescott, Allison Janney, Head of Recruitment, Cindy

Krutzler, Head of our Curve Operations,  Susan Janus, Overall Operations, The Countess

Hamilton, Lady Alice Hamilton, Head of Intelligence and finally Claire Baxter, too many titles to

mention.’


‘You can call me Alice, the Countess title is only good for dinner reservations and concert

tickets.  Welcome to my home, please we’ve kept you on your feet long enough.’


Tina guided her over to a plush wing back, set up for her.  She took a love seat next to it for

which Virginia was grateful.


‘Thank you for the chair and the consideration, it really helps,’ Virginia said, trying not to sound

nervous, but failing.


‘This isn’t a place to be scared or nervous, none of us is judging you, no ones going to harm you

and most importantly no ones going to make you do or say anything you don’t want to,’ Cindy

said. 


‘Obviously, we would love to have you join FORCE, either as an agent or in some other capacity,

that is for you to decide, but first and foremost, we need to help you get healthy again.  Those

protein things can get boring after a while so with your permission we can arrange our nutritionist

and dietician to meet with you to come up with a plan.  Anything you want, exercise advice,

counselling, you name it, we will make it happen,’ Claire said.  


‘Not to give you any reason, but I know a lot, my intelligence could be of great benefit and you

don’t want to know it.  That to me seems foolish and I hope I don’t regret saying that?’ Virginia

said wishing right at that moment Ash was there with her.


‘From your previous employment I’m sure that is how you expect things to be done.  It's what

they did to you and you didn’t even know what you saw, still don’t I assume?’ Alice said.  


‘We don’t treat people like that,’ Susan said.  ‘Perhaps this would be a good time for fearless

leader to jump in,’ she added.


‘Your past is your past, you have to come to terms and peace with it.  I’m here, we’re all here to

help you with that.  Everyone has the capacity to change, to adapt, to move forward, everyone

around this table and others not here have done that, each in their own way and time.  Some

were former enemies, some came from similar circumstances, some just needed to believe in

themselves or have another believe in them and push them and I include myself in all of those

areas.  I like to think I’m a better person for knowing and yes loving all these assembled ladies

and all people of FORCE.  If you want to talk with former DOOM or TRIDENT agents I can

arrange that,’ Claire said then walked over and helped her up. 


‘Lunch everyone,’ Alice said.


‘Come sit next to me,’ Claire said.  ‘One more thing, we can all say the words that make

promises, the real test is delivering.  This is how I deliver on my promises,’ Claire said, giving

Virginia a soft kiss on the cheek.


^^^


After lunch Cindy and Susan took Virginia by the hands for a walk about the garden.  She was

no longer apprehensive, but she didn’t quite feel she belonged, kind of like a probationary

member of some club who was walking about trying not to make a mistake of any kind.  


‘I know you recognized my face, but not my name so I took it TRIDENT has my old DOOM file,

just changed the name.’


‘Oh now I have to know.  What’s her name?’ Susan said, her smile widening,


‘Hilda ‘Hildy” Gertzman,’ Virginia said.


‘Wow, they really hated you!,’ Susan laughed.  ‘Please excuse me,’ she added.


‘I’m trusting that this conversation, all of it, is entirely classified,’ Cindy stated, trying to sound

serious.


‘Of course,’  Susan said as she walked back to the house.’


‘Some secret organisation,’ Cindy sighed.  ‘Oh well.  I told Ash about my experience, now I want

to tell you.  In some, many ways, they're the same, but the important thing is you and your

willingness to forgive yourself.  I even had the added baggage of having to face Claire, a woman

I’d bested on a mission.’


‘How did that go down?’ Virginia asked.


‘She respected me as a professional, carried no ill will, welcomed me with open arms, became

my second best friend, after my husband, we’ll get to that and besides him is the person I love

and trust the most.  We have our differences from time to time, like all relationships, but I know

she loves me and wants nothing but the best for me.  Hell, she even made me the Head of Curve

Ops and gave me a free hand.  She told me it was the best thing she’d ever done in this game

and that me and the department I’d created carried and saved this organisation when it could

have failed so easily.  Ask anyone here, ask any agent, they will all tell you the same thing, she’s

loyal, generous, caring and puts you above the mission.  There are no quote unquote suicide

missions here,’ then Cindy launched into she and Quinn.


‘How could you tell the difference at first, I mean in Tangiers, if you don’t mind my asking?’

Virginia said.


‘The way he touched and kissed me.  He wasn’t doing it to get me to climax so I’d be weaker

and easier to finish.  His hands were soft and sweeping, searching, his motion insistent but

gentle, like he was waiting for me to respond.  He was actually trying to find out what Cindy

Krutzler as a woman, not the spy, liked and then do his obsolete best to make that happen and

make known I was the only person who mattered.  Thankfully, I let that thought into my head,

but it took a while.  He had me totally, could have finished me, he later told me he could feel my

energy field change around me, it was at that point he relaxed and let me go.  I rolled toward him,

saw it in his eye, that he thought me so special, so wonderful, so desirable on a level I didn’t

understand.  We made love, truly made love and that’s when I saw the same thing in his eyes.

There was no going back for either of us after that.  Why didn’t you kill Ashton when you had the

chance?’ Cindy turned the question on Virginia. 


‘I left him his shirt.  I so wanted to keep it.  Not as a trophy, but as a reminder of how special he

was.  Of course I couldn’t tell him, I could barely tell myself, training and all that, it makes you

doubt what you should know in your heart and head.  I wanted to make love with him that night,

so bad it hurt.  I have to fight it down again and again, damn training!  I couldn’t kill him, it would

have been killing myself.  It wasn’t lust, although he does have a very scrumptious body, it was

so much more important than that, now that I think about it, superficial construct.  When I got on

top of him and held him close, I don’t know, it just worked, like I was supposed to be there.  I

knew what he had told me was true, somehow I knew, but I had to do my duty, he was the

enemy after all, stupid!  I’m so mad and ashamed of myself, look at me, I know I look like shit,

you’re all way too nice to say so, but I did this to myself and he still came looking for me!  Fuck!’

Virginia snapped and looked away, brushing tears from her eyes.  ‘I wasted six weeks of my life,

turned myself into this,’ she said, her arms sweeping down her body to emphasise her

condition.  ‘When I just could have listened to myself like you did and been with him and shown

him how I felt, now I can’t,’ she said, the tears not stoppable now.


‘Ash is never leaving you.  I saw it in his eyes,’ Cindy said, putting her arms around the woman.

‘You cry that shit out of you, get rid of that poison.’


‘Just leave them alone, they’ll come back when they're ready,’ Alice said to Claire, sliding the

door shut. 


^^^


‘I had a great time honey.  We always do.’


‘Yes we do.  I love you Aunt Paige,’ Harrow said as she threw her arms around the woman for a

long hard hug.  


‘Love you to bits right back,’ Paige answered.


‘This is my daughter, Harrow.  Harrow, this is Miss Virginia Wescott, a new friend,’ Alice

explained.


‘Are you a normal friend or a special spy friend,’ Harrow said, her voice lowered.  ‘Don’t worry I

never talk about it to anyone else.  Top Secret stuff you know.’


‘Well, just between us then, top secret of course,’ Virginia said leaning it.


‘Of course,’ Harrow answered, lowering her voice as well.


‘I wasn’t sure about the first until a little while ago, but now I’m sure and I’m definitely leaning

toward the second, but we need to keep that a secret between us,’ Virginia smiled.  ‘What are

these,’ she added, touching the scarves around the girl's neck.


‘I collect football scarves, I love the game, play for my school and the local under 10’s.  Each

of my aunts when they can take me to games,  I’m trying to collect every club in the Football

League.  Maybe we could go sometime, I still have lots of clubs to go.’


Virginia just smiled then Harrow gently gave her a hug and a kiss on her cheek.  ‘I think you

needed that,’ she said then excused herself to go hang up her newest acquisitions.


The group took a moment for everyone, especially Virginia to recover.  Paige introduced herself

then walked out of the room to the bottom of the stairs, listened for a second then walked back in

shutting the doors behind her.  


‘Sorry to ruin the moment but we’re done, that’s it, no more football for me, find another victim. 

Oh don’t hold up a hand and explain that Harrow loves you, she’ll be crushed, you’ll miss your

time with her.  All true, but what I won’t miss is days like today, Rochdale/Southend.  What a

scintillating nil nil draw!  Harrow’s under 10’s are more entertaining and on top of that I don’t

have to put up with an overly sexual shrimp trying with all his might to pinch my backside with

his claws.  How come I never get United/Chelsea in the directors box?’  Paige said, looking

right at Alice.  ‘Or Arsenal/Tottenham,’ she added, looking at Claire.  ‘You know what my next

game is, Woking/Torquay, FA Cup first round.  Maybe we’ll go to the Pizza Express after, run

into Prince Andrew, won’t that be exciting.  That's better out than in, now I need a drink.’


Everyone was laughing so hard, even Virginia.  Paige got her drink and looked at Virginia. 

‘But to end on a positive note, Virginia, your mum is a wonderful person. I had a great time

driving her here from Paignton.  Like mother, like daughter, sometimes it just takes a while or

the right person to change their outlook and their life,’ she said, holding up her glass.   


‘I can drink to that,’ Virginia said, taking a sip of her protein drink.