Henrietta-One Night
The corrupt politician must have felt very confident in his invulnerability as he had brought his family with him and a reduced guard staff. Then again, he was in the middle of Padania controlled town and has no reason to suspect that he has been targeted by the Social Welfare agency.
As the man has ranted a large villa at a beach resort, Jose and Henrietta were dispatched to scout the location. In fact Jose volunteered, and his own brother backed him up seeing as how Henrietta had received the most training how to blend in with normal people. Before they left Jose was told by his sibling if a bit grudgingly: "Finally, your constant insistence to drag your cyborg with you anytime you are free is going to pay off. Go have your fun, Jose. Just do not forget you also have work to do. Do not fail my trust in you."
The need to blend in gave Jose another excuse to buy his "sister" several news sets of beach clothes and bating suits. The two of them spend hour together- walking on the beach eating ice cream and having great fun. To the casual observer they could not have appeared as anything more just another pair of rich kids whiling the days away. Beneath the cover however they were hard at work, taking notes of patrol schedules, position and personality of the guards and their target daily routine. Two days later they have gathered all the necessary information and Jose contacted headquarters for reinforcements. It was decided that her handler should be enough. The two teams deliberated a plan and it was decided that Hilshire's team will stage a assault on the mansion, while Jose and Henrietta will use a glider to drop from above, securing the target and his family before coming to the assistance of the other two catching the remaining guards in a pincer attack.
It was Henrietta's first time flying like this and her hearth was beating fast as her and Jose prepared to take off from a cliff. Seeing her flustered face told her: "Do not worry it is a lot safer than it looks. The sea breeze will help us stay up long enough to reach the target. And the tonight is a wailing moon, we are both dressed in dark there is no way for the guards to notice us. "
Henrietta shook her head to show that she is not worried about that.
Jose a bit surprised: "Then what is bothering you? Do not tell me you are getting nervous now?" he ended half-jokingly.
Henrietta not meeting his eye: "I am just excited to be able to share that new experience together with you and…" she stopped feeling she had already said too much.
Jose prompting: "And?" When he did not resave an response in a few seconds he added: "Henrietta, I am your partner and I want you to feel comfortable to tell me when something is bothering you. If see any reason we should cancel the mission, I am willing to listen."
Henrietta looking down: "That is not it. I … I know I will sound childish in saying that, but I really had fun the last two days and… And I just wish we could have spent more time." She ends in low voice, blushing.
She flinches as Jose puts his hand on top of her head.
Jose while ruffling her hair gently: " I wish for a longer break too. Tell you what. Once we have time, I promise we would come back here." "But now we should really get going." He moves away to contact that other team in order to telling them that the operation is going to start.
Henrietta brushing her hair back in position with a dreamy expression: "Anywhere is fine… As long we are together."
The operation went off without a synch. There were two guards patrolling the top floor, but Henrietta eliminated both of them from behind, with none of the other guards the wiser. Jose had taken a position next to the master bedroom door and waited for Hilshare's team to commence their attack. He then used the noise of the commotion to hide the sound of the stun granate he threw in. Both the target and his wife were immediately incapacitated. His partner was suppressed when he did not do the same with the other bedroom, where their research have determined to belong to the targets 7 years old daughter. Jose motioned her closer and quickly explained: "I would expose the child to such chemicals unless there is no other choice. Cover me." At this Henrietta felt a piercing pain in her hearth, from jealousy due to the attention her "fratello" was showing that girl. At Jose signal both stormed in.
Apparently the child had waken in from the noise next door. Panicking when she saw dark apparition invading her room she started wailing and throwing at the it anything she could reach- a pillow, her teddy bear, an alarm clock. Seeing her beloved brother assaulted Henrietta snapped her eyes filled with cold bloodlust. Since her position did not give her a clear shot, the cyborg just charged in. It took her less then a second to cross the distance, flip the terrified child on its back and place her gun on the back of its head. Jose one word warning:"Henrietta!" reached her freezing her before she could discharge a shot. With calmer tone he continued: "I am OK. Secure the targets and guard them. I go help Triella clean out the rest of the grunts." He turned to go help the other team, only to stop when his partner pleaded; "You should not go alone. Let me come too."
Jose turned around: "Keeping the targets safe is more important." He left.
Henrietta bit her lip with worry, but quickly obeyed tying the little girl's hand behind her with pieces of cloth cut away from the blanket. The cyborg then carried the small struggling body to the other bedroom, where she put handcuffs around the unconscious parents' hands. Henrietta then gets into defensive position, realizing full well it was an exercise in futility. In a few minutes the gun fire dies down and unable to contain herself Henrietta called on her communicator: "Jose, is everything fine?" His response came after what felt the longest second in Henrietta's life: "Everything is fine. It would take few minutes until the rest of the agents could make it here. We will keep an eye for surprises; you continue to take care of the prisoners." Not too happy, but seeing no excuse not to do what she was told Henrietta stayed put until a little voice called : "Please, somebody."
The cyborg immediately went to examine her smallest charge, not wanting to appear like she is shrinking from her duties. The child did not seemed to have developed any sudden injuries and thus the assassin wrote off the reason for the sudden vocality to fear. Just in case she asked: "What is the matter? Are you hurt somewhere?"
"I need to go pee." Come the honest response.
At first the cyborg wanted to dismiss the request, but then decided that she should not. Plus she could not imagine a good way to explain to her partner, why she had not allowed the kid to relieve itself. "He paid this girl way too much attention them she deserves" dark thought crossed Henrietta's mind. Taken a bit aback by her reaction and ashamed that is sounded almost like a criticism, the cyborg escorted the fidgeting child to the master bedrooms' bathroom. Not wanting to waiste time untying and retying the bonds the assassin just lowered the younger girl's panties and make her sit down without lowering the seat. The kid did not like much the feeling when her small cheeks come into contact with the cold surface, but did no dare to complain though she asked: "Are you not going to leave?" only to get a cold "No". While she was waiting for the kid to overcome her shy bladder the cyborg took a look around. There were several expensive perfumes and Henrietta somewhat of an expert took the time to sniff few of the ones she had not seen before. When the sound of falling water finally ended, the cyborg turned to see that the young girl had stood up and presented her back to Henrietta.
"Well," the child said cheekily "do clean me up."
The small assassin saw red for the second time that night and reached for her knife. Then she thought better. Jose would be angry if one of prisoners gets seriously hurt still this behavior could not be tolerated. Then her angry gaze caught the sight of ordinary object left on the sink- a wooden brush.
"Did not hear me" prompted the half-naked girl, obvious to the peril she was in.
She defiantly deserves to be tough a lesson. though Henrietta as she took hold of the brush in one hand, a towel in the other, closed the room's door so the noise would not carry and quietly approached.
The child did not suspect a thing until the cloth was secure over her mouth, and by then it was too late to cry out. Henrietta sat down on the edge of the tub and placed the frantic kid across her knees. The sound of the first impact of hard, smooth wood on soft, white flesh caught both of them by surprise. In the silent house it sounded too loud, like a gunshot. The child at first froze, apparently never before having the experience such pain, then struggled to get away without avail. It was Henrietta's first time too, while she had plenty of experience of how to break bone and kill, but she never had to chastise a child. She almost gave up on continuing this, but then the image of this particular child throwing things at her beloved 'fratello' came to mind returning her resolve. Her hand comes up and down repeatedly with speed almost too fast to see. Henrietta was careful not to apply much force but the inertia makes for terrifyingly painful impacts making the child buckle and scream trough the cloth. In mere second the child behind looked like she had sat down in red paint. So engrossed was the assassin in what she was doing, only Jose angry call: "Henrietta! What do you thing you are doing?!" make her notice that there were now three people in the room. She immediately dropped the brush and her wailing captive and retreated back against the wall.
Jose examining the victim: "Why would you do such a thing?"
H : "I… I was provoked."
Jose gave her a hard look, but relented: "May be you were." "But this does not relieve you of the responsibilities assign to you. If I was a Padania agents you would could be dead by now and the prisoners could have escaped."
Henrietta, with much pain: "I am sorry" crying "I am sorry for letting you down."
Jose: We will talk about it latter, when we are back to headquarters. Now go help the others."
Henrietta run out, trying to hide her tears. Jose fallowed carrying the crying child after picking something from the floor."
Triela's only comment, silently whispered when her friend passed by her was "You really blew it this time." Henrietta nodded, while trying hard to bite back the tears. Jose comes out next, much embarrassed then he addressed the other handler: " Hilshire, could we keep this between us? Nobody got hurt and you know how Jean will react if he ever heard about it."
Triela's partner responded gravely:" I can only report what I saw happening—the mission was successful."
"Thank you, Hilshire. I owe one. Do not worry I fully intend to discuss this 'lapse' with Henrietta." The girl in question, could not quite hide her sniff, when she heard this, looking miserable.
Hilshire pats Jose on the shoulder: "See that you do." Turning to his partner: "Come, Triela. We should check downstairs again." Throwing a worried smile the older cyborg fallowed him out leaving the pair alone. Henrietta tried to apologize in the next few minutes. But every time she felt she was ready to say something the words would get stuck at her tighten throat.
Neither said another word to each other on the way back to the base. In the next few days they spoke as little as possible and even then only as much as it was required as part of their work. Even Jean noticed the change and after taking his brother aside inquired: " Did something happen during the last mission?"
"Henrietta did not perform to my expectations."
"You always been too soft on her." Said Jean with disapproval. "You should really consider increasing her level of conditioning."
'Do not worry I will deal with it. Soon."
The next day Jose submitted a request for two-day leave to deal with a "personal business". He took partner with.
In different circumstances Henrietta would have greatly enjoyed the day that followed: the day included trips to several shops and dinner at a high-class restaurant. Jose acted almost normal, but anyone who knew them could have noticed the growing tension. By the beginning of dinner Henrietta looked and felt like she has not slept for days and even Jose's facade has beginning to crack.
In the end of the day the young cyborg felt so depressed it took her few minutes to realize that Jose has taken a different rout, one, which was not going to lead them back to the agency headquarters. When she finally gathered the courage to raise the question of where they are going, Jose explained that he had rented a small villa.
By the time Henrietta gather enough courage to speak again her 'fratello' was already preparing the beds.
"I am really, really sorry for letting you down."
Jean: "Have you realized why what you did was wrong?"
Henrietta shook her head and cried: "I just wanted you to be safe."
"That is a good beginning, but there was also another reason" Jose prompted.
When the cyborg did not say anything more, just standing there looking down to avoid meeting her partner gaze Jose signed and instructed her: "Go take a bath, we will continue this conversation afterwards."
Henrietta only response before going was a subdued: "Yes, sir." She managed to held back her tears until after she turned on the shower.
When she finally exited covered only in towel the cyborg nearly collided with Jose. While she stood there uncertain what to do for there was no way around him, her partner indicated that she step back in the bathroom, which she did. He put the lid on the toilet and gestured her to sit down. This left him standing in front of her, towering even more the usual over her lowered head.
"Henrietta"- he begun. When the girl did not raise her head Jose started again. "Henrietta, look at me."
The young female slowly rose her head looking like she expected to be hit.
"What you said earlier about you wanted to protect me was all true, but there was something more which prompted you to act the way you did, right? And I am not talking about any provocation the targets daughter may have given you. I know you too well to know that would normally not be affected such level of guile."
After a long pause Henrietta responded: "You are right sir, I should have known better. It was just…" her speech suddenly sped up" It was just I was jealous of all the attention you were paying to that female. I know it is selfish of me and I do not deserve it , but the only think I ever wanted was for you to give me all your attention." Now crying "I wanted you to love me more and more with each day. Oh Jose, do not hate me!"
Jose put his hand on her head. His next words making her stop crying and stand so still she looked like she was not even breathing.
"I do not hate you."
Her eyes sought his. He had never lied to her before, but what he was saying could not possibly be true- she had failed him.
H voice filled with wander: "You… You really are not angry with me?"
Jose just nodded. The said: "I was not angry, just unset."
"I… I will do… anything for you to forgive me. Anything you say."
At this Jose reached into the inside of his jacket, removed an object, the sight of which make Henrietta's hearth skip a beat, and placed it next to the girl. It was the hairbrush she had used on that fateful night. She swallowed, but could not deny that it made sense that she should be punished with the same object she had done her transgression. Her partner did not say anything for a long time apparently waiting for her to speak first. Finally she uttered: "Please go ahead, sir. I am ready to accept this punishment."
Jean took the brush…
and presented it to her.
Henrietta troubled: "Sir?"
Jose: "I want you to keep this object as a reminder of the mistake you made on that day. You are to only use this hairbrush from now on, until I feel you have learned the lesson."
Henrietta between sobs of relieve: "Yes, sir. I will."
Jose bends forward and gave her a hug, wrapping his hands around her.:
"Now that we dealt with this problem, what do you say we use our remaining free day to enjoy our much deserved vacation?"
H still teary eyed: "I love to".
[OK, may be some people will argue that Jose should have taken Henrietta across his knee, but I think that would have been out of character for him.