Sunrise. Crawler walked under the rotted wood doorframe of the abandoned factory that she had just spent the night in. She, along with Rouddim and his two flunkies, had arrived here in the middle of the night, and would remain until they had gotten their "prize."
She yawned, stretching her arms high into the air. She had had little sleep, but then again when did she even count hours anymore? Yet she did not appreciate the fact it took 7 hours to get to a location only 5 hours away from Paris.
There had been a long delay at the Strasburg border station. Crawler closed her eyes and shook her head slowly, remembering how that event had gone.
Rouddim had ID's for him, Cim, and the other alliance member Lonsse. When they asked for Crawler's ID, Rouddim proceeded to tell the guard that she was his wife and property, therefore didn't need her own ID, all the while draping his arm over her shoulder.
The guards didn't like that answer. Neither had Crawler. But she couldn't blow their cover now. So when the guard went around to her window, she slipped her personal ID out the window to the guard.
"Marie DeBouis?"
"Ja," Crawler stated, nodding softly. She tried to maintain the pose of a soft wife, and was going to personally speak to Rouddim about this afterwards.
"Wie geht es Ihnen?" the guard asked, slipping into German.
"Es geht mir gut, danke, und Ihnen?" Crawler replied.
"<I'm good, madam>" The guard looked at the three men with raised eyebrows. "<The question is, are you? These men do not look the type to be around.>
"<He is my husband, Sir. I can not say bad about him.>" Crawler forced a smile onto her face. Oh yes, Rouddim will be hearing about this…
The guard checked her ID, passed it back to her and let the van through. The second they were out of view from the border station, Crawler turned and snarled at Rouddim. "What was that all about?"
Rouddim just smiled. "You think they would let you pass without you being the same nationality as us? I had to think of something, no?"
Opening her eyes, Crawler walked out of the factory and into the field. She wore special shoes, thongs as dancers called them. Mainly they were a strip of velvet that covered the heel, ball and side of the foot, nothing more. It kept someone from slipping on the floor, but also the freedom of being barefoot.
And as she walked across the dewy grass into the field, she was glad to be able to stretch her toes. In her sweats and tank top, she was a bit chilled. But she slowly started a series of kata movements in the field to warm her body up, and the chill was no longer a problem.
Her movements came gracefully, unconsciously. It was a kata she had invented a few months back. She had been on another mission, another fight. Intel wanted her to find something. And she had been hurt. Intel had taken care of her before, but this recovery was on her own. She had to get back her skills. And this kata, a mixture of dance and defense, was perfect. Anyone else who watched would have thought they were seeing a ballet.
To Crawler, it was also a ballet. A ballet of life, or death.
Rouddim looked out from a window and down at Crawler as she danced in the field. Cim came and stood beside him, silently observing his leader. Finally, the younger Arab broke his silence with a clearing of his throat.
"Look at her, Cim. She is so graceful. So elegant. I would swear she be a princess from some royal order had I not known better."
Cim looked out the window at Crawler and scowled. "I tell you, saiyid, that woman is dangerous."
Rouddim shook his head. "If she be dangerous, I hope that I will be the one to tame the Shrew. For that woman will be mine."
"You really think she would let you try?" Cim asked. "Rumor has it she's an assassin."
Rouddim looked down at Crawler, examining her closely. "I think Wells has you fooled, Cim. This woman is grace and charm, nothing more. Now you and Lonsse go get the component we need. I will see as to entertaining our guest and keep her eyes away from what Wells wants her to discover."
Cim nodded and turned to leave. Rouddim looked back out the window at Crawler.
Cim sighed. I hope, saiyid, that you at least listen to my warnings. Because I know she will be trouble.
Crawler returned back to her "room" about an hour later, only to find Rouddim sitting on her cot. Oh god, what now?
"I brought you this," Rouddim said, holding out a dark purple evening gown. "It does not compare to the black dress I met you in earlier this week, but I think it will suffice."
"Suffice for what?" Crawler asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I must attend to some business here while I am in Germany. And I figured you would not want to spend the evening alone in this horrid place, no? I would like you to walk in at my side… maybe share my meal and a few dances?"
Is he serious? Crawler shook her head. "Let me guess, as your wife?" She placed a small amount of venom on the last word, wanting to see Rouddim's reaction.
The larger man chuckled. "I must apologize for that, jamâl. I did not know you would take to it so. Maybe we start over again, no?"
Crawler sighed. She wished she could just be that cold steel part of herself, but this assignment called for her softer side. So she would reconcile with this man, make him continue to pine for her. That way, when she did strike, he wouldn't see it coming.
"Maybe getting out would be good," she said, taking the dress delicately. She noticed right away the long slit and the low cut neckline and inwardly growled. And here I thought Arab men like to COVER their women…
"Good. Be ready by six, sweet jamâl." Rouddim kissed her hand and walked out. Crawler just sighed and flung the dress on her cot, then went to grab her flightsuit and go hit the showers.