The Royal Resistance

Chapter 13 - Who's the hawk?

Maria ran along the walls of the buildings, under the cover of the shadows created by the night towards the nearest telephone booth, his footsteps echoing behind her. She spotted a plank of wood from a destroyed house and grabbed it running inside the blue and white cabin, barring the door with the wood. She turned around and faced the telephone, two to the right, three left, four right, two left, eight right. She pulled the circles on the telephone, her hand shaking violently as she dialed the number to the Abwehr, the german secret service. She heard the door rattle behind her and brought the phone up to her ear, her whole body trembling, broken. She didn't cry. She couldn't. The emotions inside her simply built up, the pressure constricting her heart, creeping up into her throat, spreading throughout her. The phone rang once. The rattling stopped. She looked up towards the machine and saw him from the right corner of her eye, far away coming closer and closer with something big in his hand. Another plank of wood. She realised too late his intentions, turning around quickly to face the other side. A spray of glass flew onto her (showered over 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 grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, using his other hand to lunge at the phone. She blocked it and kicked at his diaphragm but he grabbed her foot and spun her around. The phone fell out of her grasp. Using the momentum she brought her leg into a roundhouse kick, hitting his head. Maria fell to the ground as he dropped her leg and rolled to the side to avoid getting kicked in the guts. He pulled her up, grabbed her arm and locked it behind her back.

"Really? This is the lock you choose," she laughed. Teeth gritted, she swung her head back to hear a sickening crunch. He was bleeding from his nose. She ran to the cabin and picked up the phone which was on its fifth ring. Somebody answered.

"Hallo?"

The general looked at her with fear in his eyes. "Don't." He mouthed.

"I'm sorry," she said bringing the phone up to her mouth. "Hallo." He ran at her tackling her to the ground, Maria picked up a shard on the ground next to her and stabbed it forward as he ducked to the side. He pinned her legs to the ground with his weight and grabbed her arms. Struggling and kicking wildly, she rolled them over, so that she faced the sky and swung her head backward for another hit. "You lied!" Maria screamed in his tight grip. He moved his head out of the way and she felt the glass cut into her skull. Her fingers lowered from the back of her head, now covered in blood.

"Let me explain. I'll tell you everything. Just hang up the bloody phone. Okay? I'm going to let you go now. All you have to do is hang up the phone. Can you do that?" He muttered, "Blimey woman, can't do anything, can they?" She felt his grip loosen and got up immediately, grasping for the phone. She stopped shaking, her emotions gone and looked at him, a cold daring look in her eyes. He reached slowly for the phone in her hands from which various, "Hallo's" were coming, she did nothing. He started prying it from her fingers gently; her jaw set as she pivoted, foot stomping his, elbow lunging back towards his groin, within seconds his legs were being swiftly wrapped by the telephone cord. He saw his feet swept out from beneath him, as the blow landed on his back, bringing the ground up to him. A loud groan escaped his lips.

"You don't understand do you? I DON'T WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN!" He sideswiped her feet and she too fell to the ground. He got up and put the phone in its holder ending the call, turning around to face Maria who was already on her feet, her right arm leading into a hook. He ducked and kicked sending her stumbling backwards. Quickly wrapping the telephone cord around his hand, John pulled with all his strength yanking the phone from the cabin and destroying it. Maria was already striking again.

"Normally, I wouldn't hit a girl, I'm a gentleman that way you know?" He ducked.

"Oh are you?" She swung with her left. He blocked, catching her arm and twisted her. She spun out.