A Riddle Of Red & Black

Prologue - The Offer

This is a work of fiction. Characters, place names and plots are not designed to be factual.

Enjoy!

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Prologue

Nine years ago

I was eight years old when they approached me. It was a warm summer's afternoon and I was at the town park, picking at tufts of daisies and listening in on nearby conversations. If you had asked my mother, she would have said I was playing with the other well-to-do children but she would have been wrong. I did not get on with the others; whilst I was interested in detective stories and finding the best hiding places, they were interested in dollies and playing dress up. I had gathered long ago that I was not like other girls.

I stopped fiddling with the grass blades and checked the town clock on the town hall, from the open stretch of park. It was five minutes to two o clock. Beaming, I jogged down the line of trees and paused in front of a thick-leaved oak, placing my boot in the tiny nook a little way up the trunk that just about accommodated for my tiny feet. I scrambled up a low bough and wrapped myself around the branch that hung just above of a black bench, and let me observe whoever was on it, unseen by them. It was empty, right now.

At two o clock, I knew exactly who would sit down at that bench. His name was Orville and he visited mama frequently during the day, when papa was at work. I knew I was not supposed to know she has him come round but I did not know why and that made me curious. My mama seemed to send me out playing just before he called and I had learned to hide around the side of the rosebush in the garden to see him arrive. He always looked very mysterious and greeted my mama with a kiss, which only papa did otherwise.

Instead of Orville, however, an older man wearing a top hat and gloves - which I found odd, for surely he must be hot on a day like today - sat on the far end. He sat very still, not evening flinching when a dog broke out in barks a few metres away as a family promenaded past. My arms were starting to ache but I stayed quiet.

"Good day, Sarah Elizabeth," he said calmly. My tiny eyes widened. That was my name! I could see no one else around who he could be possibly talking to, but still, I stayed silent.

"Though your stamina is admirable, perhaps you would like to join me down here on this bench and give those limbs of yours a rest."

I did not know what stamina nor admirable meant but he seemed to be talking to me. Nervously, I climbed back down the tree and stepped tentatively  around the side of the bench, so I could now see the man. He had a ruddy, smiling face with mad, wispy white hair and a wrinkled forehead that I could not help but stare at.

"Sorry, Sir" I said, staring down at my boots. He chuckled.

"Do not be, Sarah Elizabeth," he said in a deep voice "I actually came here in search of you."

"Me, sir?" I tried not to let my shock take my manners.

"Yes, you. An agent - a scout, if you will - took notice of surveillance and concealment abilities and I must say, they were most impressed. I do not think you to be any older than nine, correct?"

"Um, I'm eight," I said slowly and he nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, I would like to offer you something. You can say no now and forget about me, the strange man in the park, or you can say yes. I cannot tell you what it is before I ascertain your decision but I can say it will be hard work. And, more than likely, dangerous. Not to mention time consuming. But I can offer you adventure beyond your wildest dreams. However I must point out one thing. You cannot tell anyone. Not even your mother or your nanny or your father or the man who keeps visiting your mother. Understand?"

I nodded mutely. My head was muddled by the man's unusual words and the things he knew about my family. Danger, adventure...it certainly sounded exciting and I never told my mama anything anyway. What could he possibly mean?

"Is this a game?" I blurted out and he shook his head gravely.

"I can assure you, Sarah Elizabeth; this is certainly not a game. It is a lot of responsibilities - a decision for life, if you will. A occupation, a career, a lifestyle. I cannot promise you riches, but I can promise you that you will be challenged on a daily basis."

It sounded terrifying to my young ears and yet strangely compelling. I had a lot of time to spare and adventure was something that I craved without knowing why. Stories and games aimed at my age group bored me.

"Adventure?" I said timidly and he cracked a smile.

"Yes, I can guarantee you that. Shall I take that as a yes?" he sounded hopeful, holding out his hand for an handshake to seal the deal.

I thought for a while and stuck my podgy hand out to shake his own, slowly.

"Yes," I said.

"Brilliant. Now I shall tell you about it."

"But, sir, what is it?" I said, seized with a sudden boldness and he cast a discrete glance to both sides before leaning in to whisper something to me.

"The GBI, of course."

"What does the GBI mean?"

"Promise not to tell anybody?"

"I promise"

"The Guild of British Intelligence."