Intelligence Part One of Two

Welcome back for  a new story! Thank you for everyone’s patience who stopped by last week and didn’t find a story. The short break for me was much needed=)

Now on to the new story. I hope you enjoy=)

Intelligence Part One of Two

The mist dampened the ground and deadened sound. It obscured everything but a ten-foot radius around where Zachary lay on his stomach.

Armor rattled to his left, breaking the feeling of isolation. Keeping low, Zachary crawled forward until a guy line materialized out of the shifting, gray fog. Now the rattle of armor was all around him. Lifting the edge of the closest tent, Zachary spied an elderly gentleman attempting to tighten his bracers. The insignia on his left shoulder indicated he was a sergeant.

Zachary let the tent fall back into place and kept crawling. He worked his way under a handcart. On the far side, he froze with his hand under the cartwheel just as vague movement to his left solidified into two soldiers.

“Can’t see far enough to sneeze without hitting someone,” one complained.

The other snickered. “Knowing your luck, you’d spray Sergeant Lawrence in the face.”

“Don’t jinx me.”

Zachary stifled a groan as one soldier stepped on his hand. The soldier tightened the straps on the cart before stepping away, leaving a solid foot print in the soft ground around Zachary’s hand.

The two soldiers turned to lift the cart. Zachary used the moment to scamper from beneath the cart and disappear into the fog beyond. He flexed his hand, grumbling silently about the bruise he’d bare for the next several days.

The snap of flags caught his attention and a slow grin pulled at his lips. Angling to the right and farther forward, he crawled toward the sound.

A new guy line materialized and Zachary froze against the edge of the tent as a troop of ten marched past. When they disappeared back into the fog like ghosts, he lifted the tent wall and rolled beneath. He’d seen the vague movement of command flags above but even still, relief flooded him when he spotted the broad back of Commander Santell.

Rising to his feet, the maid helping the Commander don his armor gasped. Zachary pulled a clean salute as Santell turned. The Commander eyed him, eyed his gray and brown mottled clothing and the ash on his skin and in his hair, eyed the lack of insignia on his shoulders.

The Commander cursed. “You just ruined my day, Zachary.”

“My apologies, Sir,” Zachary dropped the salute as the Commander finally returned it. Out of habit, he picked up a silver spoon off of the table.

“Your apologies! Ha! My elderly backside your apologies. Report, Intelligence Officer Zachary.” The Commander looked pointedly at the spoon and Zachary returned it to the table.

“Your security is lacking, Sir.”

“Obviously.” Sarcasm dripped from the word.

“The fog, Sir, makes you vulnerable.”

“And what do you suggest I do about it?”

Zachary grinned. The Commander groaned.

***

The Commander was getting back at him for once again shooting holes in his security. Zachary adjusted his jacket again but no matter how he straightened it, he wasn’t comfortable in the dress uniform. Crawling on the ground, covered in mud and stains…he was in his element. Decked out to escort Miss Santell to the latest dance and he felt like the famous sore thumb.

Zachary, I’ve a different, but challenging mission for you. Santell suckered him in. My daughter’s security is seriously lacking. Last week one of her friends was kidnapped for ransom. Figure out how to make Melanna safe and you’ll have holiday for a month.

Zackary jumped at the offer. Now he felt the dunce. Commander Santell refused to let him work behind the scenes. Said he had to see things from the center of the mess…right next to Miss Santell.

Straightening his jacket again, Zackary exited the coach as it came to a stop in front of the Commander’s house.

The white building competed with those around it for attention, boasting a gardened lawn decked out in colors of blue, red and yellow. Zackary resisted the urge to sneeze as he approached the door.

Knocking, he stepped back and listened to the click of heels approaching from the inside.

The door swung inward.

Melanna Santell smirked at him.

“Daddy sent a new uniform?”

She wasn’t talking to him but to someone over her shoulder.

“Yes, dear. Be nice and don’t shove this one into the pond.”

Zackary used the moment they were talking to recover himself. He’d expected a butler, not Miss Santell herself.

She eyed him and then, apparently deciding he was okay, stepped out and swung the door closed.

Zachary thought about offering his arm but then decided to mix things up. She was used to security officers ‘escorting’ her. So be it. He wasn’t the typical officer.

Whistling shrilly, he waited on the step of the house until he heard the coach leave without them.

Miss Santell, who’d started toward it, spun around.

“What’re you doing?” She demanded.

Zachary refrained from chuckling. Her eyes, a shade of green slightly different from her father’s, were lit with anger. Zachary decided it was a good thing only her eyes resembled the Commander. She was pretty when angry. The Commander was not.

“Half of remaining safe is being unpredictable,” he said and finally offered his arm. “Shall we walk.”

To Be Finished On Thursday…

Blessings,

Jennifer