Welcome to my World (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 34

"What part of do not go in did you not understand?" J said in Nicole's earpiece.

"All of it."

"You have jeopardised the entire mission by not following orders."

"Stop shouting, you'll deafen me."

"I knew I should have left you behind in Morocco. One job, you had one job and you failed. And, what possessed you to shout out you are MI6? Anything else, you could have shouted anything else. But no, MI6. Wait till our Australian counterparts get wind of that. Honestly. MI6. Might as well have had it in big writing on your top."

Xavier pulled up on his scooter. "He's not happy with you."

"Really," she replied, "how can you tell?"

"When M finds out, she'll...she'll-"

"Kill me. Yep, dead again, lucky me."

"Don't antagonise," Xavier suggested. "If it's any consolation J, she's got her sorry face on."

"Where's the Widow?"

The pair looked at each other. "On it," Xavier said. "H follow me. Do not be seen."

"If you mess this up OOH," J yelled in her ear, "I will personally, repeat personally shoot you myself."

"Can everyone stop trying to kill me. Guys, I'm sorry, okay."

They reached the Widow's hideaway too late for Xavier to leave M's message. She was already on her way with Petra and Cleo to a private airport where her plane was waiting, their job done even though Petra had wanted to linger a little longer and finish the work she started. Had the person directing children and staff away from her line of fire not been there she surely could have made more of an impact.

Sydney's news channels were calling Nicole a hero, who stepped up when needed, saving the lives of so many. Appeals for the identity of this stranger were going unanswered, many assuming it to be a man wearing a navy blue hoodie and baseball cap. Some thought they had seen the person get in a car after the attack, others said it might have been a scooter, reporters asking for any information on the name and whereabouts of the Sydney Saviour, as he, or she was now being dubbed. A vast improvement on the Basement Bomber label Nicole currently had to accept.

An interview with the head of St. Catherine's provided little additional information, still in shock, the teacher grateful to whoever had the presence of mind to direct her and those in her care away from the path of Petra Blankova's gun. The sound of its rapid fire something that would haunt her forever. At the end of the interview the reporter asked if she wanted to say something to the Sydney Saviour, tears welling as the teacher held the microphone. "I...whoever you are, thank you. Thank you for saving us."

Nicole was unaware of the fuss being made around her quick-thinking actions, she and Xavier heading back to the apartment, having failed in their actual mission. The three listened to M scolding them for deviating from the task, frustrated at Xavier missing the opportunity to approach the Widow. M knew the Prime Minister was circling, itching to have her removed, determined that should not happen. She would need a more direct approach if she was to succeed in exposing the corruption at the heart of the nation.

Waverly had seen the news, had listened to the tearful praise given by the Australian teacher of the unknown hero, imagining that could so easily have been Nicole had she been alive and in Sydney. She could see her doing something like that, putting her own life at risk for the sake of children, remembering how she readily volunteered her life in the room where they had been held by the Widow, not once hesitating. She wasn't sure she would do the same under similar circumstances, although the intruder pointing a gun at her in M's house had given her a taste for the power to defend herself.