What up, kids? It's been a long time (too long -- 2 years) since Deadly-Flame and I (monkeywithapen) have written anything pertaining to this collaborative between the two of us. We've been trying to put something together but gave up like a year ago. I've been trying to get back in touch with her, but I'm not being very successful. If anyone's still in contact with her, I would appreciate if you passed on a message to her that I really want to write with her again.
I've started a little something here, but it's been so long that I doubt anyone will read it, haha. If all goes well, I might continue, but it just feels weird without George.
Also, if anyone is still in contact with Deadly-Flame, PLEASE ENCOURAGE HER TO KEEP WRITING!!!! I haven't seen any progress on her latest story which she hasn't touched in ages, and she is an incredible writer. I, along with many others I must assume, miss her work greatly. Thanks!
Georgina Thomas sprinted through the doorway onto the helicopter landing pad. She dove into the passenger seat of the auto-piloted chopper and ducked down enough that she wouldn't be seen. She cautiously peered through the window at the control center where Camryn Albright was furiously typing on a computer, turning knobs, and flipping switches. Camryn programmed the helicopter to land at SAS headquarters where MI6 could pick up George.
"You head over to the helicopter," Camryn had said to George earlier. "I'll be in the control center, and I'll make sure you get back to London safely."
"Will you make it in time? I mean, can you get to the helicopter before it takes off?" George asked.
"Yeah, I think so," Camryn lied.
Camryn felt guilty for lying to George. She looked up to see George huddled in the helicopter, waiting for Camryn to join her. The propellers of the helicopter were already spinning rapidly. Camryn knew that as soon as she hit the launch button, the helicopter would leave the landing pad. There was no way she could make it to the helicopter.
"I'll find a way to get George back to London – I promise!" Camryn had promised Alex Rider. George was Camryn's first priority. Even after the conflicts between the girls in Russia, Camryn saw George as the younger sister she'd always wanted but never had. Camryn's hands shook as she typed the commands to lock the helicopter doors. Those doors would open again only when the helicopter reached its destination at the SAS headquarters.
George heard the doors lock. Camryn was still in the control center. George tested both doors but neither budged. She frantically looked back at Camryn, who was furiously working the controls. Camryn looked up at George from inside the control center. George watched as Camryn's hand came down on the launch button, and a single tear rolled down Camryn's tired face. Immediately, the helicopter began its ascent.
"No!!" George howled. She began shoving and kicking at the doors of the helicopter. Knowing there was nothing she could do, she pressed her face to the window of the helicopter and watched as Camryn ran out onto the landing pad. Camryn stood there watching, tears streaming down her face, but she was smiling…a sad smile, full of agony but no regrets.
"Camryn!" George screamed, slamming her fist on the glass. She watched helplessly as guards stormed the helicopter pad and tackled Camryn to the floor. The automated helicopter turned and began speeding off toward its destination.
The next day, George sat in one of the conference rooms of the Royal & General Bank. She hadn't slept or eaten since she landed on the SAS training grounds. Mr. Blunt and Mrs. Jones had been there to pick her up. They'd given her the remainder of the day to rest, and now they needed her debrief. George began by describing how she and Camryn were caught at Heathrow Airport. She spoke softly, her voice quavering.
"We were kept in a holding cell, like a prison cell," George continued. "Camryn found a way out, and we managed to get information out of a few guards so we could find a way to come back. Camryn tortured one of the guards into telling us about the auto-piloted helicopter. She sent me into the helicopter." George began to choke on her words. "She was supposed to come with me…" George stopped. She couldn't say anymore without bursting into tears. Suddenly, George saw Camryn's face again. That sad smile, full of agony but no regrets. Camryn knew she wouldn't make it.
The cell door burst open, and two guards came stumbling in with some degree of intoxication. They eyed George, then Camryn, then George again.
"I'm feeling a bit rowdy tonight, Harry," one guard said.
Harry snickered. "Luckily, we have two lovely ladies at our disposal." He grabbed George, who was too weak with fatigue to fight him off, by the arm. "How 'bout this one, Kevin?"
Camryn sprang to her feet. "Leave her alone," she demanded weakly.
Kevin backhanded Camryn hard, knocking her to the floor. "Don't play hero. It'll get you killed." He turned his back on her as Harry began to pull George out of the cell.
"Take me instead," Camryn said.
The two guards stopped and turned around.
"Take me instead," Camryn repeated herself. "Don't hurt George. Please…"
"We were going to save you for later," Harry said, "but if you insist…" He threw George back down on the floor and hauled Camryn up and dragged her out of the cell.
"Camryn, don't do this!" George cried after her.
Camryn just smiled back at her…a sad smile, full of agony but no regrets. The cell door slammed shut. A moment later, George heard the door of the neighboring cell slam shut. She scrambled over to the wall and pressed her ear to it. She heard laughing, taunting. She heard crying, then pleading, then screaming. George began to cry. That should be her over there, not Camryn. George hated being protected, and she especially hated this because Camryn was subjecting herself to abuse and torture in order to protect George.
"Do you have any idea where you were?" Mrs. Jones asked.
George shook her head.
"We'll trace the location from the commands in the helicopter's programming," Mr. Blunt said. "How long were you and Agent Albright held captive?"
"Two weeks, maybe. I don't know."
"Were you abused during captivity?"
"Stupid bitch!" the man screamed, slapping George across the face. George fell to the floor. She closed her eyes and braced herself for another blow as the man prepared to kick her. Instead she heard Camryn cry out in pain. George opened her eyes to see Camryn crumple to the floor in front of her.
"Get out of my way!" the man raged.
Camryn struggled to get back on her feet. "Don't hurt her," she growled. The man punched her in the side of the head, sending her crashing back down on the floor. The man started on George again, but Camryn threw herself on top of George, taking blow after blow from their raging captor. Finally the man left, storming out of the cell and slamming the door. Camryn lay unmoving in George's lap, groaning from the pain of the beating.
"Why'd you do that?" George demanded, desperately holding back another torrent of tears.
Camryn just looked up at her and smiled…a sad smile full of agony but no regrets.
"Only Camryn was," George answered.
"Why was that?" Mr. Blunt pressed on.
George took in a deep breath to keep herself from crying. "She was protecting me. She wouldn't let them touch me." George bit her lip and covered her mouth with her hand, trying hard to hold herself together.
Mr. Blunt opened his mouth to ask another question, but Mrs. Jones cut him off. "Thank you, Miss Thomas," she said.
George quickly got up and left. When she reached the lobby, she found Alex just arriving.
"George!" Alex cried, rushing toward her and embracing her. "Are you alright? What happened? When did you get here? How did you get back? Where's Camryn?"
George fell into Alex's embrace and stopped trying to be strong. She saw Camryn's face, smiling…a sad smile, full of agony but no regrets.