Ruby Redfort Fanfiction: Look Into His Eyes And Take Your Last Breath

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Ruby and Dan, upon his return from school, walked out the house wearing their best clothes. The briefing was to be extremely formal with top members of Spectrum and MI5 to attend, so Dan was wearing a crisp, handsome dark suit and Ruby, against her will (obviously, Hitch's sweet talk hadn't worked on her so he resorted to the shoot first ask questions later strategy), was wearing a knee length green dress and a scowl on her face. As a mode of revenge from Hitch he had told her mother that Dan and Ruby were attending a very expensive dance in the next town and she had gone to pieces about Ruby's appearance. It was luck in itself that Ruby had come out the room with just well brushed hair and a light layer of makeup. Hitch had given her a wan smile and a clap on the back and Dan had been awe struck and had said nothing, but Ruby herself had put it down to nerves, as she was unwilling to take any bit of admiration from the MI5 agent as her mother had assumed that Dan had asked her to the dance and pestered Ruby with all sorts of questions. Ruby had answered none of them. Ruby did not look at Dan as they strolled down to the car, though she was bursting to ask him what had happened at school, for the fear of a compliment. But it was Dan who spoke.
"You look stunning tonight." Ruby groaned inwardly. She'd been through hours, days, months even of Spectrum training and yet she was at loss for words or ideas on how to deal with the compliment. Dan sensed her discomfort and quickly led the conversation onto a different path, "Has Hitch told you anything about our mission?" Ruby shook her head, "No, he rarely does. I can get a few things out of him sometimes but he's not said anything about this." Dan nodded, "I'm hardly surprised..." He began, but was interrupted by a beeping horn from Hitch's car on the drive, "Get a move on!" He yelled and Dan and Ruby quickened their pace and upon arriving at the car, Dan opened the door graciously for Ruby, "Ladies first." He insisted. Hitch raised his eyes, expecting Ruby to retaliate, but she just climbed into the car swiftly, her face a mask. She's being professional, Hitch thought, Good. The car hummed as Hitch started up the engine and Mrs. Digby and Ruby's mother waved from the doorway of the house as the car pulled out of the drive. Ruby kept her eyes focused on the road ahead, she was clearly taking Dan's advice on getting the mission over with. Ruby was sitting at the back with Dan instead of riding shotgun next to Hitch like she usually did. The car ride to Spectrum was relatively silent, and was only broken when Ruby looked away from the window. "I hope we aren't going through the slide again." Hitch, grateful for something to say, snorted.
"No such luck kid. They've arranged a slightly more swanky entrance for you this time."
"Slightly?" inquired Ruby. Hitch didn't reply, instead pulling into the car park underneath Twinford's tallest office building. Hitch didn't seem to be searching for a spot, but instead seemed to be looking for the right one. After a few turns in the dimly lit carpark, he pulled the car into a spot right next to a wall. Winding down the windscreen he placed his hand flat against the wall and a bunch of green lights lit up in the places he put his joints. Ruby took a deep intake of breath and Dan's brow furrowed. A quiet beeping sound affirmed Hitch's palm print and suddenly the car began to move downwards. Hitch laughed at Ruby and Dan's expressions. "Bit of an upgrade is it?" The concrete space on which the car sat stopped, opening up an space for the car to drive into. Hitch revved the engine and the car shot forward, accelerating along a corridor which walls contained the colours of the Spectrum. The car stopped for the last time in the center of a illuminated circle and Hitch turned the car off. "This is our stop." He said, and Ruby and Dan climbed out their ends of the car, gazing around the now whitewashed room. "Follow me." Instructed Hitch and he led the two to a door at the other end of the room. "What about the car?" Asked Dan. Hitch winked and pulled out his car key. Opening a hidden section in the key ring (the same of he used to communicate to Ruby), he spoke into it.
"Car; park." He said into the device and with a whirring sound, the circle on which the car was parked moved up this time and replacing it was another car, an old model, enclosed in a glass case. "And that," Hitch said, "Is the first ever car built specially for agents in Spectrum. Bradley Baker drove it." "Of course he did." Said Ruby, unmoved by the piece of history that stood before them and turned back to the door. "She's jealous." Hitch told Dan and the two shared a grin. Ruby chose to ignore them. "So how does this door work? Do you need a an eye print or something?"
"No." Said Hitch, and just pulled open the door.
"Oh." Said Ruby, and her and Dan followed Hitch into the larger room. "Welcome," Said Hitch, "To the IMBR - the International Mission Briefing Room. The room was huge and soundproof, padded walls surrounding a set up not unlike the one for the United Nations. There was a large circular table in the center of the room, and surrounding it sloping upwards were hundreds of other seats for other agents and members not involved in the briefing. The round table had seats for LB, the Head of MI5, the President of the United States Gerald Ford, the Prime Minister of the UK James Callaghan, Hitch and another guy Ruby suspected Dan knew and most incredibly, her and Dan. Ruby gulped and Dan straightened his tie nervously. He leaned down and whispered to her, tickling her ear. "Are you always briefed like this?" Ruby swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "I'm normally sat in an office in a metal chair talking to a women who isn't wearing shoes and is normally more focused on doing her nails than the actual nature of the mission." Dan nodded,
"Pretty much same here. This is crazy!" Ruby noticed LB across the room, speaking to the President. She was wearing shoes. Scanning the room for familiar faces, Ruby landed on Hitch. He was talking to a good looking man in his thirties. he had graying blondish hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to be made of steel. Hitch seemed to be very much in awe and was listening fervently to what the man was saying. Ruby nudged Dan and muttered, "Who's that guy talking to Hitch." Dan, who had been checking his suit, turned as pale as the room they had just been in. "If it is who I think it is, and I really hope not, then it's Mr. Bond." Ruby's eyes widened.
"Ah." She said. Suddenly a microphone crackled to life. "Will the Head of Spectrum and MI5, the President and the Prime Minister, Mr. Hitch, Mr. Bond (Ruby and Dan exchanged glances) Ms. Redfort, Mr. Lewis and all spectators please take their seats."
"Our cue." Murmured Dan into Ruby's ear again. He was so close she could feel his breath on her neck and as they walked she could feel his fingers on her spine leading her forwards. Her breathing quickened, and when a hand from nowhere reached for her she was most grateful to the distraction. It was Blacker. He looked groomed for once, and he was wearing a suit. "Good luck." He mouthed and Ruby nodded numbly. She and Dan took their seats at the table and Ruby took a shaky sip from the glass of water on her part of the table. LB stood. "Welcoming all to the first Spectrum and MI5 mission briefing." Dan's face was the picture of calm, his features relaxed, but he was sat up extremely straight in the chair and underneath the desk he reached for Ruby's hand and he gripped it very tightly. And he didn't let go.

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I hugely enjoyed writing this chapter, we are finally getting a feel of the story and beginning the mission. Don't worry too much, this isn't going to be totally whitewashed with Dan, it's just these next few chapters are going to be more focused on him than Clancy. I will include a lot about Ruby's struggles about keeping the secret and her ever evolving feelings about Dan... Hope you enjoy!