Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 18: Parisian Assassins

Mina followed the gentle bred woman closely behind as she entered Regent street. She walked along in the shadows of the late afternoon light stalking her prey like the lioness hunts the gazelle, except in this case this particular gazelle was the Honourable Lady Bianca, or not so honourable as the talk on the streets would have it. Mina had followed the trinket littered pathway of the lady in question, more times than she could count and yet this was so different. Instead of pilfering jewels, this time she was stealing information, and for the government no less. Who would have thought that little Mina would be contracted by the coppers to help out Her Majesty's secret service. There was absolutely no soothe-sayer in all of Britain and the Queens Indian Empire who could have foreseen that. And yet, here she was a safe five steps behind 'Bianca of the Dropping Jewels' waiting and watching for the opportune moment. Agent Dra'gaan had told her that she would know when to use her god given gifts. Mina preferred to consider them her hard earned street scrounging lessons which God did most certainly not bestow on her like a baby with a silver spoon in a basinet.

Dra'gaan had talked endlessly about techniques and methods of monitoring, peppering the lecture with anecdotes of Agents who had risked their lives for Queen and country which was apparently more noble than stealing for survival. She could still hear his lessons from that morning barking in her ear.

"You must learn to feel that people are near long before you see them and hear their approach before their footsteps would usually reach your ear."

 

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Mina questioned with no small amount of sass.

 

Dra'gaan smiled mysteriously. "Close your eyes."

 

Mina frowned warily before replying, " Umm.... I don't trust you."

 

"Said the thief to the spy," Dra'gaan stated  ironically.

 

Mina reluctantly closed her eyes as Dra'gaan circled her, his Peruvian accent coming through in whispers of inflection. "Listen, " he commanded, "and tell me what you hear."

 

Mina twisted her mouth and stopped fiddling with the unravelling strands of her uniform. "Ahh.... I hear carts and noise on the street I s'pose."

 

"And what do you smell?"

 

Mina opened one eye. "Are you kidding me Agent? We're in a back alley in Southwark - what I am smelling I don't want to describe!"

 

Dra'gaan gave her a stern glare - "Just do it."

 

She rolled her eyes before closing them and huffing, then took a deep breath, choked a little and then replied, " Dung...lots of dung, horses, hay, smoke."

 

Mina opened her eyes to find the space in front of her empty and then a light breathe settled on her neck and she turned sharply to find Dra'gaan.

 

"Hey, how did you get behind me so quietly....that was creepy."

 

"You weren't paying attention. Just because you are focusing on one sense that does not mean you should leave yourself unprotected in  other ways." He spun her around by the shoulders again and whispered in her ear, "Try again, but this time relax into it. Let your senses stretch out and imagine the walls around you are gone and you can see and hear everything as clearly as if it was right here before you."