Made the agency up. Enjoy and disclaimers everywhere
Chapter 4: Something not experienced.
Her father, Edouard had said: "Always be prepared and aware. Prepare yourself for an attack if and when it comes. Be aware of everything around you. A rock scuffed out of its place or a footprint. Never stop observing. Above all else, never show your fear."
To Kate, that was one of the most important things to her. She locked it in her memory, repeating it over and over throughout her life so she would never forget it. Her father had died for his country, serving in the French Undercover Agency, working against the Mafia inside his country to make it a better place. Always, were other's wellbeing in his mind. Never his own.
Kate stood at the gate, feet shoulder width apart, chocolate colored hair floating gently in the wind. At her feet rested all the belongings she had left in the world. A satchel and one suit case. All she was able to retrieve.
Satisfied with her observations that nothing was waiting to spring out, she took one step forward then another, with every caution she had.
Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, she walked on as confidently as she could.
She achieved mid-way down the drive when a red wetness formed on her shoulder from the constant chaffing of her cloths against the gunshot wound. Wonderful. Bleeding, again. I'll just ask for the nurse to change the dressing.
Inside the school building, in the dorms, sat Head Geek Polly at her desk, laptop open and the camera feeds on display.
"All cameras on target Kel." Polly called over her shoulder, chirpy that a new victim had wandered close by. Kelly looked over her shoulder, away from Annabelle who she had engaged in a very-in-depth convocation.
"Nice, Zoom in on her yeah." Kelly returned her attention to Annabelle to say a few more words then moved towards Polly, Annabelle close behind as with the other girls.
They all crowded around Polly's laptop as the screen zoomed into their new student.
The moment Kelly saw her up close she frowned. Arm in a sling. Broken? Or sprained?...Home invasion…most likely broken.
"Girls get into position!" commanded Kelly, her voice filled with the authority she held. The girls took off, scampering at a pace and yelping with anticipation.
Only Taylor, Andrea, Annabelle and Polly remained. Chelsea and her Posh Totty's were off in their private room putting together a series of looks for the new girl should she be accepted into the school and therefore be subjected to 'The Makeover'
When the camera reached full Zoom, Taylor scrutinized the screen.
"Ugh, Kels not ta be rude or nufing, bu' are we actually going to prank a lit'le French girl wiv a broke arm?" Andrea, wide eyed and momentarily shocked at the Chav's suddenly merciful behaviour, brushed her black fringe from her eyes.
"Lost your balls Chav?" Sniggered Andrea, Head Emo. Taylor whipped around and seized Andrea by the collar, shoving her face in the Emo's, face full of contempt.
"OI! You callin' me a Chav innit! Shut your ugly face Morticia 'nd go snog a corpse!"
God! Those two at it again!
"TAYLOR!" growled Kelly, her voice low in warning.
"Yeah wot?" Answered Taylor, loosing her attitude quickly. She would rather be silenced by the Head Girl then have the first years set onto her.
"Go and help Chels." Ordered Kelly, keeping her eyes glued to the laptop screen.
"Bu'…" Protested Taylor, only to be cut off by Annabelle, a re-born St. Trinian, who recently had become 'christened' do to her personal success in regards to 'The Heist' "Taylor, shut up and do it." Said Annabelle flatly. She was sure she wasn't the only one sick of the constant bickering between the two.
Taylor dropped her head, glowered at Annabelle and stalked away. Even though she was a year younger, Annabelle had more then proven herself. Her fear had been sucked away. She was a St. Trinian through and through. She wasn't scared of anything. Taylor now respected her, although she denied it to keep up her reputation. In her eyes, Annabelle was amiable and very capable.
"Kelly, do you really want to have her attacked? I mean, the first years aren't exactly merciful. She's obviously injured and I'm pretty sure that's blood."
Pointed out, not wanting to believe that her best friend would attack a defenceless and wounded girl. Andrea's eyes brightened from their usual gloom at the mention of the word 'blood'.
Kelly sighed. She wasn't dishonourable or unnecessarily cruel. However it was a Tradition to welcome new girls. Miss Fritton had said not to give her the usual welcome…but she hadn't said give her no welcome at all. Pursing her lips, a mild feeling of irritation settles in the pit of her stomach. She had a duty to uphold the traditions, she couldn't disappoint the girls and deprive them of their fun, but she couldn't hurt the girl more. Not after all she's been through. Maybe she will view the mercy as pity? Maybe she doesn't want pity? We won't know until we see her in a situation. Kelly took one more analysing look at Kate. Even through a camera, Kelly could see that Kate was on alert. Her eyes constantly moved but her head remained still. She nodded to herself. Yes Kelly. Lets do it.
"Right. Let's start this up. Pol, pass me that headset yeah."
"Kel…" Began Polly, agreeing with Annabelle's reasoning.
"Not now Pol. Trust me. She needs this challenge." Kelly dismissed her friends protest with a flick of her wrist and leaned directly over the redheaded geek to get a better view of the laptop.
Polly, not one to argue with her leader, obliged Kelly and passed her one of many headsets that the Geeks had constructed to preserve a high level of communication.
Easing the device on top of her head, she pulled down the mic to her mouth.
"Tania, Tara, this is Head Girl do you copy?"
"Yeah Kewl" Replied the twins simultaneously from their positions somewhere on the grounds. Kelly had given up wondering how those two spoke in unison. "Take first position offensive position, load ink projectiles and ready the second positions. Wait for my mark."
"Understood." Came the twin's reply over the mic.
Within that very hour of Kelly announcing that they would have a new student, Kelly had the first years set up tags which marked every 20 meters from the entrance gate to the front door. Courtesy of Polly's right hand geek Lucy, they had obtained a box of electronic markers. The type used in the military forces to locate certain distances or targets then send a feed into a computer which loaded the data received from the markers and finally, displayed them on the computers. The distance between the entrance and the building was a total of 400 meters. That was a total of 20 electro-markers. Each one was modified to sense motion as it neared a particular marker. Their first attempts to modify were failures as the markers were to sensitive and kept going off when a slight breeze rose. Now, modification after modification, the Geeks were sure they had finally got it right. Today was the test. Although they had marked right from the start of the gate, by the time Kelly had issued the go ahead, their new girl was midway down the drive which gave them 10 markers to rely upon.
A 'Bloop Bloop' sound from Polly's laptop. Polly gave a cry of triumph when she realized the 10th marker had successfully sent an alert to the laptop. They worked! The girls clapped her on the back, congratulating her efforts. Even Kelly gave a smirk, which was sometimes not done when focusing on a 'mission' as the girls called it.
Kate marched up the drive as quickly but as carefully as she could. Her shoulder wound had opened for the third time and it felt as if someone had run cherry-red blade into her shoulder and was twisting it. Her only relief was that her big suitcase had wheels so she could tow it and she didn't have to stay with her Aunt. A big bonus. Unbeknownst to her, her next two steps took her past the 9th marker. Subsequently activating the signal, a small red light glowed for the briefest of moments and faded away. Kate noticed it immediately, stopped without another move and looked down. The girls in the dorm saw it too.
"Pol…" Kelly stood upright, and crossed her arms. A suspicious expression played on her face. "What is she doing?" asked Kelly, tone low and firm. Annabelle leaned over Polly's left shoulder and stared at the screen just when their new girl had knelt down, her fingers disappeared in the grass. "What was that red light?" asked Kelly again without delay.
Running her open hand, palm facing towards the grass, Kate inspected the grass for the red light or anything that shouldn't be there. It didn't take her long to find it as it was only a foot away. Stuck on the underside of a leaf. Kate stood back up, holding her satchel strap in place with her only good hand which also, contained the pebble.
"9th Marker is moving!" announced Polly, very concerned all of a sudden. Behind her Kelly groaned and put her hands to her face in despair. "Please don't tell me Chelsea laid the markers down!" Polly, not answering, let her slim fingers fly over the keyboard taping in various words and combinations of numbers.
Kate let her satchel drop to the ground, her head still bowed and fixed on the leaf. Her face was one of suspicion and a frown. What the hell? Looks like the tracking dot put on my phone last year..." She delicately pulled the marker from the leaf, let the leaf float away in the breeze and turned the marker over in her palm. It won't be Boris…to smart to put it on a leaf…but who would do that, let alone get hold of these! Kate lifted her head to the building before her, 180 meters away. Narrowing her eyes, she scanned the outside of the building looking for any signs of movement. Nothing moved through the windows. It was quiet as well. Too quiet for a school. Looking around quickly, she saw that there were no students nor sports equipment. The only thing that was on the fields surrounding the school building was a…burnt out car with black scorch marks around where the windows had been. Kate's mouth opened slightly as her vision swept the grounds.
Kelly knew the girl had caught on. She had to give the go ahead while the girl couldn't anticipate where they would come from. "Tania, Tara! Are you there?" Kelly's controlled voice spilled forth into the mic.
"Yeah kewl?" In unison again, their eagerness obvious in their tone.
"On my mark!...Three, two one…" Kelly's eyes danced with excitement. "MARK!" Through the mic, the Head Girl heard the zealous relaying of her orders to the girls. That was quickly blocked out by the defining roars of the hordes of St. Trinians as they began their charge on their victim.
Kelly and Annabelle had relocated themselves to the roof and each had a pair of military grab binoculars. Sharing a smug grin with her best friend, Annabelle looked down on her friend's domain waiting for the fun and games to begin. Kelly on the other hand lowered her binoculars however, not smirk played on her face. This girl was different then any of the others before her. Kelly suspected that this girl was something not experienced by St. Trinians.
Done and dusted for the moment ;)
