Lithium – A Sunday Story

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inShort Stories
Image credit: westend61 / Envatro Elements, shanti / Twenty20

Chapter 1

The green patina copper door atop the cathedral roof flew from its hinges, as Arkansas Jade hurled her five-foot ten-inch frame through its threshold. The interior-Alaska-born huntress was evading the machine-gun fire zinging and twanging around her ankles. They were coming up the stairs fast, one flight below.

Arkansas Jade aka “Lithium” flung her body off the church roof into the air hoping that the Sikorsky S92 rescue helicopter she had summoned two hours earlier was there. She thought she had heard its whirring blades; however, machine-gun fire was all that her adrenaline insisted on bringing to her attention.

“O well, here goes nothing,” she said, whispering a short prayer as well, just in case. As if by magic, the rescue helicopter appeared from behind the towering church steeple and hovered; it dropped a rope.

Already in mid-air, Lithium reached out and grabbed the rope tightly—a maneuver she had rehearsed many times. She hugged the rope and hung on. Almost instantly, the helicopter swung around away from the Church steeple and rose high in the sky. Swinging from the rope, like an angel on a high-wire, Lithium watched Vatican City’s silhouette wane as it rested upon the Holy See.

As the Sikorsky S92 rescue helicopter dropped Lithium off on the secret makeshift helipad in the Tuscany woods, a booming voice in her communication earpiece quizzed eagerly,

“Did you get it!”

“I am well and alive thanks, boss.”

“Hmph, I will take that as a yes. Well, get on with it then. On to phase two. And, try not to die. I would hate the inconvenience of it all!”

“Love you too, Goliath. And, thanks for sending the rescue helicopter. I was not sure you had received my signal.”

Not one for too much emotional sugar with his words, Goliath mumbled back in her earpiece, “‘Yeah__ Check in when you are settled. ‘Bye.”

Lithium took the specially outfitted backpack, Joseph Yafo, aka “Goliath,” former Mossad covert operations turned “Security Consultant,” had arranged for the helicopter pilot to give to her. Then she headed out on foot, cloaked by the centuries-old countryside which chaliced Tuscany’s sprawling vineyards.

Hours later, having waved goodbye to the delightful elderly gentleman who picked her up hitchhiking, and drove her all the way into Florence in his 1964 Aston Martin DB5, Lithium ambled through Florence’s Via de’ Tornabuoni.

Goliath had arranged for a safe house in town. It hid her “supplies” and her modified (armored) Land Rover. Taking up a perch three rooftops away, she waited and watched.

As was her custom, she surveilled cautiously any prospective lodging no matter how “safe” with her scope, for several hours before moving in.

As dawn broke, the quiet became cluttered with too much silence. The dogs that had barked for hours suddenly stopped. The fresh Italian air held its breath. And, out of seeming nothingness, a crow appeared overhead and vanished moments later into the distance.

Just then, the safe house exploded. The entire house went up in a loud whoosh. The flames gorged themselves on oxygen; its embers popped like firecrackers. From her crouched position three rooftops away, the explosion’s crescendo tumbled to her ears like a truck emptying its load all at once, on a hillside.

Proceeding from her rooftop perch down to street-level near a bus stop, Lithium tapped her communication earpiece. Goliath answered, “Go ahead.”

Lithium spoke, “They know… I am going dark on this one.”

Showing genuine alarm for the first time in the ten years the pair had worked together, Goliath responded,

“Understood. But, find someone you trust to watch your six. This is a two-person operation, kiddo.”

“Will do. I will contact you when it is done.”

“Good luck, and God’s speed.”

Then, Lithium removed her GPS-enabled earpiece and pressed it into the tire of a nearby orange ATAF (Autolinee Toscane) city bus negotiating its early morning route, as emergency vehicles barrelled through a red light heading for the blaze at the safe house.

Florence’s morning sunshine peeked over its walls and city streets. Its pillars and foundations—once cornerstones of an ancient empire, stood guarding the past as the city rose to a new day. And, today was all the time Lithium had on this one, before it might be too late.

Unfortunately today, she had apparently lost the gold in her arsenal, the one substance that could not be separated from her success—the element of surprise.

They knew she had arrived.

***To be continued next Sunday***

Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

41 thoughts on “Lithium – A Sunday Story”

  4. 🍀Arkansas Jade🍀…great name. Must be the heroine of the stuk. Southern States, Mississippi. Is that rugged territory? I must ask because most of these thrilling adventure or espionage stories are written faraway from my geographical disposition, so I always have to go and do my own investigation to familiarize myself with the territory. I’m quite use to it though, most stories are written in my parallel region. I also love that colour green, it’s a gem.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. 🍀evading the machine-gun fire zinging and twanging around her ankles🍀

    Highly trained and fit to evade those bullets especially if its more than one gun attacking her.

    🍀Sikorsky S92 rescue helicopter🍀

    That is a twin-engine medium lift.

    🍀Already in mid-air, Lithium reached out and grabbed the rope tightly—a maneuver she had rehearsed many times. 🍀

    Klasse’ Love it Lithium
    Now let me get tuned with the AkA name….still reading i just had to cast my eyes upon the waters, take a sip and visualize that well trained and rehearsed moment. Woman of Steel, Lithium girl.
    Still reading.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. 🍀Swinging from the rope, like an angel on a high-wire, Lithium watched Vatican City’s silhouette wane as it rested upon the Holy See(a)🍀

    Exquisite, synthesizing serotonin a natural Lithium causing the high. Beautifully crafted

    🍀Joseph Yafo, aka “Goliath,”🍀
    I must remember this name

    🍀cloaked by the centuries-old countryside which chaliced Tuscany’s sprawling vineyards.🍀

    Oh wow, the word chaliced is so perfectly placed …and the vineyards. Thrilling to the reading senses

    🍀Florence’s morning sunshine peeked over its walls and city streets.🍀

    Florence, capital of Italy’s Tuscany region. We are here in the series

    🍀once cornerstones of an ancient empire, stood guarding the past as the city rose to a new day🍀

    Magnificent, history in the buildings. I love these ancient cities. And i am drawn to Tuscany.

    🍀1964 Aston Martin DB5🍀
    I must go and look at this one. I just touched a 1962 Austin Westminster the other day. The same model the late President Nelson Mandela was captured in.

    🍀Taking up a perch three rooftops away, she waited and watched.🍀

    Good girl, training and instinct at play

    She lost her golden standard, this is tough.
    I cant wait to hear how Lithium managed without her element of surprise

    What a spin to dizzy heights…
    To come down we need to wait another week…

    Thrilling Suzette…pure suspense.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. How marvelous your insight! I love your take on high flying heroine as “synthesizing serotonin.”

      Yes, Florence is the vista upon which this plot perches😊

      I too enjoy the history of a place. Much of Europe rests on their ancient cities–what stories they could tell.

      I am sure you will like the Aston Martin 1964 DB5.. It is pretty famous in its own right.

      So pleased you enjoyed the plot’s small reveal — thus far…more to come.
      Thank you for the joy of your support and appreciation.
      Sunday blessings to you, Abi.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks to you, one can engage in this way.
        You are most welcome and thank you for your lovely feedbacks.
        So Florence with its expansive and illustrious history is the epicentre of this already thrilling espionage adventure….. wonderful
        Wishing you a blessed Sunday, Author.

        Liked by 1 person

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  12. Daaaaaaaaang. I wanna spend a day with Lithium. I need her to show me how to get picked up by dudes driving Aston Martins in Europe.

    Intense story with vivid imagery (from the whizzing bullets to the crescendo of the explosion. You paid attention to specific details (& thank you for putting into parentheses the meaning behind ATAF).

    Flawless!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. What an intriguing urban adventure. I love the names of your characters too. The names prepare for doses of Great espionage medicine.Have a good week Suzette!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. What a discerning comment…”does of espionage medicine.” Profiund and well stated my friend. I am pleased that you enjoyed the story. Much blessings. And a fabulous week to you😊

      Like

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