Alrighty then, enough of that. Here's the next chapter of the story:
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Francie frowned at her reflection in the mirror. She'd thought she knew what she was getting herself in for when she joined SD-6, but this was entirely new. She was in way over her head and sinking fast. The alarm on her wristwatch beeped jovially, in a sharp contrast to Francie's melancholy. She sighed and picked up her keys absently. This was it.
A taxi pulled up in front of the hotel, and Francie jogged over to it, wanting to get out of the lightly falling rain. It was freezing outside, and her breath formed a mist in front of her eyes. She leaned over to the taxi's window.
"Do you speak English?" she asked hopefully. The driver shook his head apologetically, and Francie sighed. Oh well, at least she'd get some French practice.
"Êtes-vous libre?" she asked, hoping that the taxi was free so she wouldn't have to walk to the meeting place in the rain.
"Oui madame," replied the driver in heavily accented French. Francie sighed in relief and climbed inside.
"Ou allez-vous?" the driver asked where she was going. Francie took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.
"À le Rue St Cathérine," Francie replied, her voice shaking ever so slightly. The driver nodded and pulled away from the curb. Francie rubbed her gloved hands over each other in an attempt to keep warm. She'd thought that she was used to cold weather, but this was just ridiculous. Why couldn't they have met in the Bahamas or something?
"Nous voilà à la Rue St Cathérine," said the driver, breaking Francie's reverie. She looked around, confused, then smiled at the driver.
"Merci. C'est combien?" She paid the driver and climbed out the car into the biting cold. Shivering slightly, she tried to remember Weiss' instructions for her. Just wait for someone to ask about the Café Musain. She sat down on a nearby bench, then wondered whether she was supposed to be standing. She stood up again, just to be safe. The drizzle increased in intensity, and she raised her hand instinctively to protect her hair. Much longer out here and she was going to look like something the cat dragged in. She sighed heavily, longing for an umbrella but not wanting to go look for one in case she missed her contact.
Finally a dark haired man approached her.
"Excuse me. Do you know where the Café Musain is?" he asked in a heavily accented, gravelling voice. Francie smiled blankly at him while she tried to remember what she was supposed to say. Finally it came to her.
"Go up to the second street, then turn left," she said triumphantly. The man thanked her and walked off. Francie turned to the road, waiting for the next taxi. It pulled up against the curb a few metres in front of her and she jogged over to it. The door opened and she stopped. After this, she was on her own. Quenching the butterflies in her stomach she walked the rest of the distance to the car and climbed inside. The engine growled menacingly and the car pulled away.
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Author's Note: Short, but then again at least it's somethingJ And it wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all your wonderful support- thank you guys (and girls!)