Jetfuel, A Sunday Story – Chapter 11

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inShort Stories, Sunday Short Story
Image credit: Craig Whitehead | Unsplash:

Chapter 11

“I don’t care what you have to do, or what governments you have to piss off, Magician…She has to live.”

“By any means, Sir?” Asked the voice on the other end a call initiated by the US Embassy Toronto’s “Head of Security” otherwise known as The Hierophant or just “H.”

“Yes, by any means necessary. She should be leaving here before Dawn. Get it done, man! There’s too much at stake. God’s speed, Magician!”

Ending the call, “H” pressed the bell for a secret package pickup he had prepared and had left outside his bedroom.

“H” tucked himself in under his duvet covers and electric blanket and promptly fell asleep.

The package he left outside his bedroom door was immediately picked up as per his instructions and slipped under the door to the suite where Neroot (aka Jetfuel), had hunkered down for the night courtesy of “H’s” generosity at the US Embassy on Simcoe Street in wintery downtown, Toronto.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the US Embassy, Toronto...

Neroot, after a quick shower, rummaged through the suite’s clothes closet. She found and changed into a pair of dark jeans with generous pockets to conceal her Glock42, clean undergarments, and a bulky Beneton turtleneck sweater.

She also selected and set aside for her departure, a dark wool coat, and a pair of Reebok kicks. Knowing the rules of H’s “security consciousness” she promptly discarded into the incinerator chute, clearly labeled in the suite “H” allowed her to use, all of her previous clothing and shoes in case they were compromised by electronic bugs of any kind.

Neroot made herself a meal from the only food items in “H’s” “fully stocked” kitchenette:

..A jar of instant Tim Horton’s coffee, six small jars of No Name peanut butter, one jar of Smucker’s jelly, and one fresh (unexpired) and packaged loaf of sliced Wonderbread in the full size and otherwise empty refrigerator.

She scrounged around several of the cupboards and drawers in the kitchenette and scored to her delight a total of six hotel-sized packets of Coffeemate creamer.

A few minutes later…

Neroot lounged on the small sofa with the Maple Leaf Hockey Team sherpa throw blanket, drinking the rich coffee she made for herself, and munching on PB&J sandwiches. She poured over the detailed intelligence files to which “H” had given her access on his personal laptop.

Having read for hours until her eyes glazed over, without warning, Neroot fell asleep…

Then…

She was startled awake a few hours later by a dream/nightmare.

In her nightmare, someone unseen behind her would impale her with a combat knife. In this nightmare, she would die. Someone would revive her with a portable defibrillator… and then another person unseen would impale her, and the scene would repeat…“

It was now two a.m. Toronto Time…

Neroot shook off the fear and cold sweats that often visited her as nightmares —a consequence she believed, of her chosen career path in the shadows.

Neroot spent the next hour continuing to comb through the intelligence files to which “H” had given her access on his laptop.

Then…one of the files suddenly piqued her interest. It was titled:

“…Advance copy News release_LadyN “

The source was listed by a file number only; however, Neroot suspected that “H” had someone inside her present employer, Section “O’s” inner circle.

Neroot tried accessing the details of the file. But “H” had this file for some reason password-protected (unlike all the other files, to which he had given her access on his laptop.)

Puzzled, Neroot tried several words she thought that “H” might use as a password…but she had no luck.

Frustrated, she rolled out of the tiny sofa with its Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Team sherpa throw blanket and sprawled face up on the floor.

Picking herself up off the floor, Neroot’s eyes caught the edge of the Toronto Maple Leaf sherpa throw blanket. She smiled and said out loud:

“Six!”

What Neroot thought was an imitation throw blanket with The Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Team’s logo …

It was, in fact, an authentic Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Team heirloom blanket, original and hand signed on one of the blanket’s four corners by Tim Horton himself. In Tim Horton’s own handwriting were the words:

“1967, Toronto vs Montreal“

The Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey team won the coveted Lord Stanley Cup in 1967 in game six of the series. That game and year marked the end of the rise of six great hockey teams known as “The Original Six.”

Neroot jumped to her feet…

She typed in the password she assumed would unlock the planned news report apparently about her!

Her first thought was that the password might be “Tim Horton,” but “H” would not have made it that obvious. His spycraft is legend. His old-school techniques are still taught in agency schools today.

Neroot tried instead and typed it as the phrase came to her mind:

“The Original Six“

It worked!

The file unlocked. Its contents were now displayed prominently on “H’s” laptop screen…

Neroot read “H” notes inside the now unlocked file with great interest:

Neroot read that a news release about her was scheduled! She was shocked to her core by what she read…

The planned news release was a hard copy apparently retrieved by “H’s” source before it could be shredded.

The scanned document’s paper clip icon responded to Neroot’s click of the laptop keyboard’s mouse. The words of the official news release read as follows:

“Newsflash cleared and declassified for release:

A woman’s body was found in an alleyway behind the Toronto Eaton Center a few hours ago. She has been identified as Lady Neroot of Cornwall, the defrocked former head of an agency with known espionage ties.

Apparently, our sources tell us that Lady Neroot was suspected in the assassination plot against four foreign government officials found dead in their downtown Toronto, hotel rooms earlier today. As a result, she had been the subject of an RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) person of interest hunt…

No official cause of death has been released as per British government policy. However, credible sources suggest that Lady Neroot appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Lady Neroot is survived by her ex-husband, billionaire philanthropist, Lord Glasston-Mountbatten.

End of Advance copy of News release to be aired on December 11, 2019, on CTv’s Nightly News at 11 p.m”

Neroot stared at the date of the planned news release… it was today!

It was now three am on the morning of December 11, 2019, and Neroot’s mind reeled.

Her gut was suddenly in knots, from the pangs of an unknown betrayal coming to light. It’s only truth staring back at her on a laptop screen with words cooked up by a cold…impersonal evil… about which she knew nothing…until now!

Her day was about to get worse…

…Suddenly!

… there was a gentle knock on the door. A manila envelope was slipped under the door.

Cautiously, Neroot retrieved her Glock42 from her jean pant pocket and tiptoed to the door of the suite…

She spoke.

“Who is it?”

There was no answer…

Gingerly, Neroot opened the door slightly ajar.

There was no one…

At her feet, a manila envelope with her title and the first letter of her name…

“To Lady N….from H.”

Neroot picked up the manila envelope, checked both ways outside the door, and then closed it.

She opened the manila envelope…

Two items lay inside:

Car keys with its remote fob. The remote fob had a Mercedes-Benz logo.

And, a small envelope. It was empty but…

…On the outside of the envelope was a hastily drawn map of the catacombs under the US Embassy, Toronto, highlighting the way to The Art Gallery of Ontario’s secret underground delivery parking lot used for discrete deliveries of high-end artifacts.

Neroot made a mental note of the map on the outside of the small envelope and was about to destroy it when the ink of the hastily drawn map on the envelope… dissolved on its own!

Suddenly one word appeared in place of the now-dissolved ink of the map on the small envelope…

And that one word read:

“Magician“

Then it suddenly struck Neroot’s thoughts, how “hints” of the number “six” sprinkled around the suite’s amenities led her mind to inevitably come up with the password to the only locked file on “H’s” laptop.

Neroot whispered:

“O God…He acted surprised. But, “H” knew!… He knew I was coming to see him!”

~~~

***To Be Continued Next Sunday***

_____

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

111 thoughts on “Jetfuel, A Sunday Story – Chapter 11”

  4. 🧝‍♀️”I don’t care what you have to do, or what governments you have to piss off, Magician…She has to live.”🧝‍♀️

    She has to live!!!
    This is a new command!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. 🎩Yes, by any means necessary. She should be leaving here before Dawn. Get it done, man! There’s too much at stake. God’s speed, Magician!”🎩

    The Magician 🎩
    A high energy Major Arcana 

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. 🎩H” tucked himself in under his duvet covers and electric blanket and promptly fell asleep.🎩

    Oh nice
    The Hierophant wrapped up with his sacred truths, catching some much needed rest

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Now back to being a family business.
        In the 80’s their advertisements caused quite a bit of controversy
        They sold the most wonderful knitwear.

        Liked by 1 person

  10. 🎩Knowing the rules of H’s “security consciousness” she promptly discarded into the incinerator chute, clearly labeled in the suite “H” allowed her to use, all of her previous clothing and shoes in case they were compromised by electronic bugs of any kind.🎩

    What’s happening here?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Spycraft. Removing clothes in case electronic tracking devices were planted on the spy unawares. The garbage chute in each suite at the embassy ( in the story) sends the waste to a furnace/incinerator downstairs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. 🎩A jar of instant Tim Horton’s coffee, six small jars of No Name peanut butter, one jar of Smucker’s jelly, and one fresh (unexpired) and packaged loaf of sliced Wonderbread in the full size and otherwise empty refrigerator.🎩

    Oh she is going to enjoy.
    Peanut butter on toast with coffee smacks bam bam when you are hungry.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. 🎩She scrounged around several of the cupboards and drawers in the kitchenette and scored to her delight a total of six hotel-sized packets of Coffeemate creamer.🎩

    Oh no fresh milk either
    As a last resort I would go for a Coffee Mate Creamer or if I had no choice and dearly needed that coffee

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. 🎩and munching on PB&J
    sandwiches.🎩
    Yummmmmmyyy

    🎩She poured over the detailed intelligence files to which “H” had given her access on his personal laptop.🎩

    Cosy reading for now

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. 🎩In her nightmare, someone unseen behind her would impale her with a combat knife. In this nightmare, she would die. Someone would revive her with a portable defibrillator… and then another person unseen would impale her, and the scene would repeat…”🎩

    The writing is on the wall BETRAYAL

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. 🎩Neroot shook off the fear and cold sweats that often visited her as nightmares —a consequence she believed, of her chosen career path in the shadows.🎩

    So she just shrugs it off, since it is a common occurrence?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  17. 🎩source was listed by a file number only; however, Neroot suspected that “H” had someone inside her present employer, Section “O’s” inner circle.🎩

    Had someone as in?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. 🎩She typed in the password she assumed would unlock the planned news report apparently about her🎩

    Oh my word was that just pure coincidence or is this particular blanket there to jolt her memory?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  21. 🎩gut was suddenly in knots, from the pangs of an unknown betrayal coming to light. It’s only truth staring back at her on a laptop screen with words cooked up by a cold…impersonal evil… about which she knew nothing…until now!🎩

    Oh lawd I would die
    But then of course I don’t have the constitution of Neroot

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  23. 🎩made a mental note of the map on the outside of the small envelope and was about to destroy it when the ink of the hastily drawn map on the envelope… dissolved on its own!🎩

    I was just in awe of her photographic memory then a magical shocker.
    The technology is wild.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Photographic memory is a wild skill.
        I always imagine it
        And when I click the shutter, immediately I’m out of focus
        So really admirable.

        Just like that.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I love your expressive lens here “when I click the shutter, immediately I’m out of focus” Brilliant reflection.

        Yes admirable to have such skill for the job where information is the only gold and keeping secrets diamonds.

        Liked by 1 person

  24. 🎩O God…He acted surprised. But, “H” knew!… He knew I was coming to see him!🎩

    Yes!!! Yes!!
    Of course
    He wanted her to know?
    Or?

    I’m also confused
    Next Sunday Come
    Quickly
    We await the Magician!!!

    A cosy read
    Filling us with details
    And preparing us for some magic
    👏👏

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Regarding:

      “Of course
      He wanted her to know?
      Or?
      I’m also confused”

      – perhaps “H” (since we know that he wants our heroine to live) was giving her clues about something to come that might require her thinking back to the clues provided here and the phrase, “The Original Six?”…More to come.

      Yes the Magician…to come

      Glad you enjoyed this brief rest for the heroine, fueling up on information, rest, clothing and ready for the next part of….what is to come.

      As always a pleasure to read your excellent analysis and forethought on the storyline and themes.

      Happy Sunday blessings and great peace to you. Have a relaxing day!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Yes, I thought that H was dotting the suite with clues

        We await her next move and how the Magician tosses his hat for what comes out of the bag.

        Thanks to the writer
        It is my pleasure
        Have an awesome and blessed Sunday too. Thank you.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ah thank you.
        These chapters of the writer are brimming with extras and its so great to write my impressions of the main chapter. Awesome reads.

        Liked by 1 person

  28. Pingback: Jetfuel, A Sunday Story – Chapter 12 – Suzette B's Blog
  29. Pingback: Jetfuel, A Sunday Story – Chapter 13 (Part 1) – Suzette B's Blog

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

%d bloggers like this: