The Invisible Spy
Chapter Two: Clarisse
They rose together, in preparation of separating for the night. Joseph held out his arms and Clarisse eagerly snuggled into his warm embrace. His lips soft, caressing, covering hers.
"It's going to be a lonely couple of days...without you." His hands drifted Southward, cupping her bottom, pulling her close.
"These moments are so special...when do you go on duty?" She shifted her hips, a sly smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Three a. m.; I have to be on duty for the negotiations."
"That give us two hours." She began unbuttoning his shirt. "Any objections?"
He couldn't think of one.
**Later**
"Mmmm, Joseph. Thank you and good night." It had been a most enjoyable evening spent in his arms, his loving touches and caresses communicating far more than mere words had been what her body had craved. A final kiss and he was gone, from her bed but never from her heart.
Rising, she selected a satiny nightgown trimmed with the softest Genovian lace. She burrowed deep under the covers, a satisfied smile on her face. Love, in the form of Joseph had broken the chains of the past-all but one. The ever present chain of duty remained. Duty to Genovia and its people. Clarisse wasn't sure when or if that particular chain would ever be broken. She closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep.
Her eyes flew open at the click-click, scrapping sound. The sound that carried nightmares of her youth.
She had been twelve when field mice and other assorted animals invaded her parents home before a particularly bad storm had hit the area. It had taken several months to clear all the rodents but the nightmares had remained long after the mice had gone. Even today, on occasions, those feelings of terror and helplessness returned.
She threw back the covers, reaching to turn on a night side lamp, her eyes searching for the source of the sounds.
Clarisse began to scream.
Dressed in black boxer shorts and tee-shirt, Joseph burst into the room from the secret passage between the two rooms. The room he had so recently left. He was closely followed by Fat Louie who took up a watchful position out of the way. Joseph too one step then bounded onto the bed, wrapping the Queen in a protective hug. Louie knew about guns from his San Francisco days; the weapon Joseph carried in one hand wasn't the largest Louie had ever seen but it was big enough to put a fair sized hole in man or beast.
"What happened, Clarisse? Are you okay?" He kissed her forehead, "It's okay, I'm here."
"There! It was horrible!" The distraught Queen stood in the middle of the bed, sobbing into his chest; she pointed toward the bathroom.
"Shades!" Joseph barked into the communications device in his ear.
"Yes, Boss? We're on our way." The sounds of orders being yelled and running feet filled his ear.
"Intruder alert! 'Eagle' is safe in her nest. 'Eagle' believes the intruder took refuge in her bathroom. I'm going in."
"Boss, you should wait for backup." Shades knew it was useless but he had to try. "He's not going anywhere."
"Exactly, Shades." The red 'S' was invisible on his chest as he leaped off the bed and approached the bathroom door. He stood in front of the door, his hand slowly reaching for the knob, the gun held ready in the other.
"Joseph..." he looked so handsome, so virile, so...determined.
"Quiet! Go back to bed, Clarisse."
He turned the knob; the door swinging open. Dropping to one knee, his weapon waving from side to side.
The room appeared to be empty.
"Joseph..." Clarisse waited until Joseph had completed his search and assured himself that the bathroom held nothing more dangerous than several cans of hair spray and returned to take her in his strong arms once again. "It was only a mouse."
"A mouse? Clarisse, just so I understand...all of this was because of one little mouse?"
"It was a large mouse, Joseph! With big fangs and a long tail."
"Shades!" Joseph sounded stern but a smile kept trying to erupt through his lips.
"Yes, Boss?"
"You can stand down. Meet me in the security hub in half an hour."
"Acknowledged, Boss. Half an hour."
"A mouse, Clarisse? Where is that Royal Mouser?" He started to step off the bed when he felt her arm tugging him back.
"Joseph, stay."
"I'd like nothing better, my love but duty calls." He disappeared into the passage that led to his own.
Louie had decided to make at early exit. He had detected the truth when he became aware of a familiar scent. But it had been the underlying scent he couldn't place. He bumped into Maurice just outside the room.
"Stay with your mistress. I need to see a rat about a man."
"Faire attention, mon ami." *
Maurice looked down at Louie, "Why do you look surprised? I am a French Poodle."
Maurice entered the bedroom, curling up beside Clarisse who began to scratch behind his ears, "Duty!
Why does duty always interfere? Damn. Damn Duty."
Louie trotted across the well manicured lawn of the palace. There was something definitely wrong with that underlying scent.
The first guard challenged him as soon as he entered the pear orchard. "What are you doing here, Fat Cat?"
"I need to see Leo immediately. Take me to him." Louie sat on his haunches and began licking his paw.
"It doesn't work that way, Cat. I can't leave my post."
"Do what you need to do-but best do it quickly." Louie unsheathed the claws on one paw.
TBC
* Translation: "Be careful, my friend."