Prologue Part II:
Present Day.
Kain sprinted through the woods, feeling the earth fly underneath her feet, pushing branches out of her way, heading in a north-westerly direction. A light flickered up ahead, shining in a sweeping arch, and she fell to the floor, crouching as low as she could get. She reached down and scooped up some dirt, smearing it onto her face, silently watching. She could hear voices up ahead, and she listened closely – she was on target.
Her mission was clear and simple – and deceptively uncomplicated. A meeting was taking place in a bunker hidden deep in these woods, involving high ranking officials – just how high ranking she hadn't been told – and a foreign dignitary. An assassination attempt was planned on this man's life, an attempt that if realised would have staggering consequences on foreign politics. Kain was there to prevent it. She knew she wasn't the only agent in these woods.
She reached her assigned area, blending quietly into the night, and almost relaxed for a moment. She snapped back into action – there wasn't time to be complacent. Swinging her rucksack off her back, she pulled out a case and began to piece together a small automatic rifle with a viewing agent. She waited, ready.
The door to the bunker – a seemingly disused World War II arms unit – opened and a group of well protected people exited, heading for the reinforced car that waited for them. Kain focused on the area that she had been assigned to, ten degrees to the east and above the bunker. She expected nothing, and therefore was surprised when she picked out a shadowy figure – and knew immediately that this was the assassin. It was time to do her job; she raised her rifle, and carefully aimed it. They were lined up in her sights, and with her thumb she gently eased off the safety. Her index finger teased the trigger, waiting for the clear shot to present itself… and there it was.
She fell backwards, throwing her hands over her head protectively as the shot hit the tree that sheltered her. She lay there stunned briefly, until her startled mind realised that she was being shot at. It had almost been a hit; she was showered with the tiny pieces of bark that had splintered away from the force of the bullet. She pressed into the ground, her heart thudding, Jesus… it was going wrong!
There was a terrifying moment as shots rang out all over the place. Kain did her best, providing covering fire for the agents protecting the officials, but then she saw the foreign minister being hustled into the car.
An owl hooted.
It was the signal.
The mission was over.
Kain blended back into the shadows. Perhaps the mission hadn't been a complete failure after all.
Seven hours later, Kain paused and pulled her map and GPS unit from the rucksack. She was seemingly alone on the moor, a few sheep dotted the tor opposite, but nothing other signs of life. She quickly checked her bearing, and then broke once more into a light jog. She wore black leggings and fleece, moulded to her slim body, and carried a black teardrop shaped rucksack. It was still too early for the ramblers to be out, and no one would notice her as she made her way to the tor.
She checked her watch, almost on time, but slightly early. Quickly she climbed the craggy outcrop, and pulled out her water bottle, drinking deeply. She saw the figure approach from the west, and ignored him until he was standing next to her. She glanced briefly at him, and waited. He murmured the correct statement and she replied with her prepared answer.
'Agent Kain.' He had a deep, melodic, husky voice, and it sent a tingle down her spine as he said her name.
'Agent Brent.' She turned and smiled at the agent she had been assigned to meet. Her smile got wider as she looked him up and down. He stood about 6'2, with close cropped light brown hair, pale blue eyes, and a nose that had been broken more than once in the past. He was exceptionally well built.
Richard Brent found himself smiling down at slim, dark haired young woman, about 5'5. Her hair was tied back, revealing a high forehead, her nose was too big for her face, but she was still attractive. She had a lovely smile – open and relaxed.
They hiked in companionable silence for about five miles, until they reached the car that was waiting for them. Kain produced the keys. 'You drive?'
Brent held his hands up to catch the keys. 'Sure.' He caught them neatly and unlocked the car.
The radio played quietly in the background as they drove up country towards London. Kain stretched out in the passenger seat, leaning her head against the side bar. She unzipped her fleece a little and tucked her hands inside.
'Are you cold?' Brent asked.
'A little,' she yawned.
He reached over and turned the heat up a bit. 'Better?'
'Thanks.' She smiled at him, and then got as comfortable as she could and closed her eyes. Her breathing deepened and she slept.
Brent checked his passenger and then drove off the motorway onto a minor road. He glanced at Kain again, and thought how peaceful she looked, the nights assignment must have worn her out. Her cheeks were still flushed from the biting wind on the moor; her lips were parted slightly as she slept.
'Kain?'
No response.
He pulled over. She was a nice enough girl, attractive he had decided, but far too inexperienced to be trusted with a case like this. It was a shame, if it was another time he'd met her, he might have asked her out, a drink one evening, but no, he had a job to do.
He took out the fine piece of cord, and looped it round his hands. She was turned slightly away from him, the perfect angle for what he had to do. He brought the cord over her head, ready to jerk it up into the soft flesh of her throat.
Kain's eyes were open in a second, bringing her hand up sharply, placing her watch between the cord and her throat. Her elbow slammed into Brent's stomach. In her right hand she held her weapon, concealed within her fleece all this time. A vicious struggle ensued, Brent was the heavier, and much stronger of the two, and Kain knew that she just had to hold him long enough… just long enough…
He gave her a crushing blow to her head, and stars swam in front of her eyes. It was enough for him to gain the advantage. She struggled once more, but he rammed a knee into the small of her back, and it gave him more control. Kain had time for a huge mouthful of air before the cord bit into the flesh of her throat.
It was more painful than she had been informed, biting and burning her flesh, her lungs felt as if they would burst. She felt faint, unable to breathe, where the hell where they?
She was fading first, her struggles grew weaker, and with a horrible dizzy feeling she began to pass out…
Hands were grabbing her, loosening the cord from around her throat, pulling her from the car, shaking her back to consciousness.
Brent was lying on the floor, two agents pinning him down, and Kain saw those pale blue eyes piercing her. She shrugged and looked away, he was nothing now. She'd known as soon as she'd asked him to drive that he was the double agent, all others had been informed to refuse her offer.
Bill Kitchener was crouching by her.
'Kain?' he asked, shining a slim torch into her eyes, watching her pupils dilate and follow the light. 'Are you okay?'
'You took your time,' she grumbled.
'Well, we had to make sure.' He handed her a handkerchief. 'You're bleeding.'
She touched her fingers to her throat as Kitchener walked away, and felt the angry raised cut, and sighed. She wondered why the bloody hell she had volunteered for this assignment. She had laid her life on the line to catch Brent – knew how dangerous he was, and put her trust into the fact that the other agents would show – even if it had been a little late. Almost too late? She really didn't know, how long would she have had before she had passed out completely, and died? What if things had gone wrong? She had been warned that there would be violence, that the rogue agent wouldn't hesitate to kill her, yet she had still volunteered for it, to prove that she could cope with it, that she could handle the more dangerous tasks, desperate to prove that she should be allowed to try for 00 status. She sighed again. It didn't matter now, the mission was over.