| Subject: Hope (Untitled) - Chapter 4 |
Author:
Athena4
| [ Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 18:27:01 07/20/03 Sun
In reply to:
Athena4
's message, "Hope (Untitled)" on 18:20:25 07/20/03 Sun
Madeline awoke before dawn and rose, twisting out of Egran’s arms. Seated on the edge of the cot opposite, she watched him sleep; the rise and fall of his chest steady beneath the blanket.
She’d expected to regret their impulsive behaviour, to want to skulk away into the snow. But instead of guilt, she felt an odd sense of relief. It wasn’t that she’d wanted this to happen, that she’d even considered it; it was more a feeling of shared strength. As if last night’s impetuousness had sealed something between them.
Running a hand through tangled hair, she flinched at the pain in her ribs. They were still extremely painful, perhaps even more so since the activity of the night before, but her mind was more focussed, more able to shove the pain aside.
Doing that, she stood, walking to the curtained partition and pulling it aside. Natasha lay curled up on a cot on the far side of the other room, blanket wrapped tightly around her body. The young men sat at the table in the centre, a frayed deck of cards and a pile of cashews between them. Rumpled clothing and dark-rimmed eyes spoke of lack of sleep, almost as much as their frequent yawns.
“Mornin’,” Chris called softly, stealing a cashew from the centre pile, and tossing it into his mouth. Ben turned in his chair, smiling up at her. “You look like shit,” Chris continued, cocking his head as a crooked smile lit up his face.
“You don’t look so hot yourself. You boys sleep at all?” Letting the curtain fall behind her, she entered, pulling a chair up the table, and glancing quickly at Ben’s hand. He was going to lose.
“No,” Chris replied, the smile turning to a smirk. “Just Natasha – and I think she’s faking ‘cause she was losing at cards.”
Chris faked it well, but she knew he was worried. His fingers tapped nervously on the table near where he’d placed his gun, and he frequently glanced behind him towards the door, as if expecting an attack at any moment.
“You did a good job,” she said, then placed her hand on theirs. “Get some sleep. We’ve got a big day – but you can get a couple of hours in.”
“I don’t think I could – “ Chris began, pulling his hand away.
“Do it, or I’ll drug you. You’re useless to me without sleep.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Chris still managed to grin as he pushed back his chair, but it was forced. The flash in his eyes told her he believed she’d actually drug him.
Good, she thought, turning her gaze to Ben. “And you?”
“Going,” he said nervously, rising from the table. Even he managed a small smile as he headed for his cot, and Madeline smiled in return, even giving him a small wink.
Once they were settled, she stood again, taking Chris’ gun off the table and tucking it into the waist band of her pants. Turning down out one of the two lamps that lit the room, she set the other at the centre of the table, taking the seat facing the door.
“Need company?” Egran said softly as he limped into the room.
She nodded, gesturing to the seat across from her, and he took it, turning it around so he could straddle it, resting his chin on his arms.
“They were up all night?” he asked, gesturing to the sleeping forms around them.
She nodded, shuffling the cards idly in her hands. She kept her voice low, hoping not to disturb her comrades. “Hopefully they can get a couple hours sleep before we have to trek back to the compound.”
“You think it’s safe?”
“We need to contact Centre. We have to chance it.”
“Are you going to tell them our suspicions?”
“No. Not directly. We’ll inform Centre of our position, let them send in a team to rebuild, or pull us out.”
“And we do nothing?” He sounded irritated, his voice rising a little before he caught himself.
“Not quite. I plan to contact George.”
“Why? Why not tell Centre?”
“If we tell them our suspicions about One, and we’re correct, we risk retribution. If we’re wrong – it could be much worse. Bringing only George into the loop cuts that risk significantly. He can uncover the truth, and rein Adrian in on his own – or bring in the Agency, without revealing our involvement.”
“That’s if we’re right. What if we’re wrong?”
“Then he’ll keep quiet.”
“You sound very confident.”
She was silent for a moment, looking at him across the dim light. “I’m not.”
“Then why?”
“It’s our only chance. And besides,” she smiled, placing the Queen of Hearts face-up on the table in front of Egran. “I have a trump card.”
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
] |
|
Feedback: 