The Ballroom Thieves
Party at Castle Varlar
"Fancy a dance?"
Lucy stood at the top of the staircase and watched the party below. A small dance floor was in the middle of the room, a bar to her left and small groups to her right. It was a party, but wouldn't be for long.
She looked down at her hand. They shook with fear. Fear of somehow ruining something.
Whilst looking down she caught the Nazi pin that was on her lapel.
She took a deep breath.
She was relived Flynn wasn't necessarily helping the Nazis; for that is what she was originally worried about. But here she was posing as a Nazi's secretary. She briefly wondered what Ian thought about it; posing as a German soldier, that is.
She took a deep breath to regain her thoughts. She needed to focus on the mission at hand. Distract Von Braun.
She nodded to herself and descended down the grand staircase. As she reached the bottom, she straightened her attire and plastered a smile on her face.
She was so close to him. Just a few feet away, but a familiar grasp pulled at her elbow.
"I was wondering when you'd show up."
Lucy couldn't quite pin the tone of his voice. If she were to jump to accusations she'd say it was cold, and bitter. But then, he also sounded... Curious. But annoyed.
He released his hold then took her hand. He pointed toward the couples dancing, "Fancy a dance?
No. No, I don't fancy a dance.
She let him lead her to the floor without a word. Flynn was pleased she didn't resist.
His right hand rested in the middle of her back, no higher, no lower. His left was still holding hers. He was being a gentleman about it, at least.
Lucy hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder and they began the slightly slow dance. It could be slower. She thanked God it wasn't.
His gaze was still focused on her brown eyes and Lucy couldn't handle the intensity of his green eyes. Not right now.
She looked away abruptly.
Where they were she could still see Von Braun. Her eyes searched the crowd for Flemming. He was no where to be seen.
Lucy gasp as Flynn twirled her in a small circle. A smirk was playing at his lips as he caught her by surprise.
He pulled her back.
Lucy swallowed and cleared her throat. "What do you want with Von Braun?"
It was a simple enough question and they wanted, needed, to know anyway.
He didn't answer, only smiled at her.
Lucy looked back into his eyes. "What I don't understand is why don't you just kill him?" That smile didn't move. And it made her think. "Unless..."
Flynn watched the gears work in her head.
"You want to give him to the Soviets?"
Flynn looked around before looking back down at his dance partner. "Killing Von Braun would be easy," he started. "But handing him to the Russians, insuring they win the Cold War, first to the moon..."
Lucy couldn't believe what she was hearing. In a whisper he finished, "Far more damaging."
Lucy should have come away from his form but she couldn't seem to move. Her feet seemed to be stuck in a pattern Flynn put them in.
And he didn't say anything to her last remark.
"For who? Rittenhouse?" She couldn't stop the flow the spilled from her mouth. "This... Paranoid delusion of yours."
"Oh," He spoke now. "They're very real."
They let go of each other as the music ended. But neither of them moved. A slower song began to play.
Oh God.
"I just... Wish you would recognize there is a greater good here."
Instead of the "put your hands around my waist and mine around your neck" dance, they began an older dance. Lucy was surprised as he showed his skill in the art.
This dance reminded her of the Netherfield Ball in the movie Pride and Prejudice. Darcy and Lizzy finally have that dance. But there's so much tension.
As Flynn and Lucy began circling around each other more things were said with the same fierce as Darcy and Lizzy. It was nice at first, but it grew more tense.
"Greater good?" She said louder than she intended. She looked around no one heard.
No one was around. Everyone had left and they were the only ones dancing. She looked back to her partner.
"You shot Lincoln," She continued in a hushed manner. She choked out, "You're helping... Nazis."
She took a deep breath. "It sounds insane even saying, especially you doing it."
He almost seemed hurt with the way he spoke his next words. "You think I like this? You think I like helping these bastards? You think I sleep at night?!"
To any onlooker they could look strange. What with the way they periodically whisper-yelled at each other.
Lucy didn't have anything to say to that.
"One day you'll understand," He said softer. "I'm a patriot."
"You keep telling yourself that." She stepped away from him. "By the way, you're not getting Von Braun."
"What makes you so sure?"
"For one, the man behind your back."
Flynn felt the steel weapon placed on his back. "Found your way to the British spy?" He turned to look at Ian. "Love your movies."
Lucy rolled her eyes. Ian Flemming looked confused. "Movies?"
"You didn't think wherever you went we wouldn't come after you?" Lucy asked Flynn.
"Oh I'm counting on it."
What's that supposed to mean?!
