The doors of the elevator opened and Maria stepped out feeling the watchful gaze of her escorts: Carlotta on her right and James on her left. Martha Rose was in front, pacing quickly towards the meeting room; the others had been sent home - albeit with a lot of grumbling from the general.
The lights of the room flickered on, a seat in the middle of the table already drawn out. Maria felt a slight push towards it and sat down. The others stayed standing, towering over her, expressions of confusion lacing their otherwise stone-like features. The hairs on her arms raised, sending chills down her spine as the mahogany-skinned man in the corner averted his gaze from hers.
Martha faced him, "Junior please give our lady the brief."
The royal gazed intently at him, searching his eyes for a sign of acknowledgement as she repeated for the fifth time, "just Maria is fine."
James paced towards a map of Europe in middle of the room, scribbled all over with red lines curving from Britain to France, Germany and back. "As I am sure my lady already knows," he spoke towards Martha Rose, "blackbird has been captured by the Germans and from the intel we have gathered he is located here," he pointed at a red x, "in the Gestapo headquarters. Previously to being captured Agent Blackbird was working on getting the enigma codes to crack the German's communication systems. We have reason to believe through his final correspondence that he managed to give them to someone else before they got him." He faced Maria, eyes still gazing through her as if she weren't there. "From what you have told us, my lady seems to know about the codes, did you have any interaction with your brother about those recently?"
"No. Last thing he told me before he disappeared was that he was joining the RAF; that I would understand late why he didn't tell me. I believe I know now-"
"I believe he was just trying to protect you my lady," James's eyes flickered down to hers for a moment, then back up.
"Maria is fine, Ja- Agent Junior," she paused, "so this- you are- I mean agents-so is this some kind of secret branch of the RAF?"
Carlotta walked across the room to a brown box and opened it, revealing a typing machine, "yes. Welcome Maria to the MI6. I'm afraid I can't tell you much more but what I can and must do is help you in your training."
"Training?" Maria asked.
"Yes of course. I'm sure the General would rather you stay here and fill out paperwork, but if ya' really want to go get your brother back, your gonna' have to go on a mission. And for that, well then you must be trained, not to reveal secrets, how to not get killed, you know basics, but fun," she said oiling the gears.
Maria turned around towards the map on the wall, "is that our plan then?" She pointed towards the jumble of red lines, "is that how we're going to get him back?"
"I'm afraid that's classified information," James said from across the room. She looked at him, "right... but if I am in this MI6 now, if I am going to save J-, Agent Blackbird, then I must know how."
"Usually, we don't just let anyone into this organization. So until we are certain that we can trust you, highly classified information cannot be divulged, lest you go running around telling the whole world."
"I understand-"
"Then stop arguing. This is a top-secret highly dangerous mission and if you can't wait to be trusted Maria, then maybe you should go home." His snarl matched the dark eyes that locked with hers, sending her back into her chair as she felt them pierce her soul.
"Junior! I'm so sorry deary. Junior you are speaking to a royal! I'm extremely sorry, what he means is Agent Atil is right," Martha Rose's voice called out. Maria didn't move, eyes locked on the dark petrifying stare she had never seen before. She watched as he closed his eyes, sighed and opened them, his face a blank slate with the glare of a moment before gone. His back turned and he walked towards the tunnel in the corner of the room, mumbling some incoherent words as he left. "Don't worry about him deary, I'm sorry for that he gets kind of defensive with the Blackbird mission." Maria tore her gaze away from the tunnel to the old woman, "He was his partner and he blames himself for Blackbird's capture; he won't let himself fail again or anyone else be captured, which means he needs the very best. So you need to be trained if you wan't to go." Maria nodded, body still quivering from the moment before.
YOU ARE READING
The Royal Resistance
Historical FictionA spray of glass flew onto her as he broke the windows of the cabin. She heard the second ring come from the phone in her hand, the one clutched to her heart. He lunged and grabbed at her arm, locking it behind her back. The phone fell out of her g...
