Pilot: “We’re nearing the given drop Six-Seven.”
Die: “Thanks Eight-One. Lovett give me the bag; when this thing lands follow me quickly, keep your head down and run with me until it takes off again, got that?”
Lovett: “Got it.”
The helicopter touches down and Die jumps out with Lovett following and they run with their heads down until the helicopter is back in air and disappearing fast. They stop and start looking around. They are standing in middle of a huge freshly turned over field it near pitch darkness, the moon and the starts are really bright. In the distances they can make the dark silhouetted outline of trees.
Lovett: “So, this is Essex is it?” “What now?”
Die is looking at his phone.
Die: “He just sent me the coordinates. He’s playing games. The drop point is over a mile…
He point at the dark outline of the trees.
Die: “…that way.”
Lovett: “You mean in middle of that dark creepy looking wood? And he can see us?”
Die looks up and down at her bright red coat.
Die: “Yeah… or he saw the helicopter at least. We have thirty minutes to get there. I am guessing that asking you to stay here isn’t going to work.”
Lovett: “I’d love to; but Jacques isn’t going to like that much, is he? Remember Lady…thingy.”
She is looking at the big black hold all bag that Die is carrying.
Lovett: “Mind you there is three million euros in that bag… we could just bugger off to the Bahamas.
Die: “It is tempting isn’t it? Did you pack a bikini?” “But…”
Lovett: “Duty calls?”
Die: “Come on.”
They start walking. They are both unusually quiet.
Lovett: “Do you know what is really sad?”
Die: “That coat?”
Lovett: “Oh Die, we might be dead soon!” “I’m trying to open up here; bare my soul.”
Die: “You’re right, I’m sorry… I am!” “Please Charlotte, tell me.”
Lovett: “The sad thing is that in the two days I have known you… you have become the person I feel closest to. I think you know me better than anyone else.”
Die: …”I see… yeah… that is really sad!”
Lovett: “Oh you bastard.”
She storms off quickening her pace. He rushes after her.
Die: “Lovett I was joking.. I’m sorry. That was a very sweet thing to say. Thank you, I am honoured you think that.”
Lovett: “It is the truth; I know that is something your lot don’t deal with much.”
Die: “Do you know what is even sadder?”
Lovett: “Your hairline?”
Die: “OH! I see! Right. I get it, well I am buggering off to the Bahamas without you .”
They both laugh.
Lovett: “I’m sorry. Please tell me?”
Die: “Well… In over two decades off doing this job, you are the first person… The first, I feel I can be myself around. The real Pórta Die. I had almost forgotten who he was.”
They look at each with almost embarrassed shy smiles.
Lovett: “Right, let’s get Lady whatshername back and kick that mad sod’s head in; and we are not dying tonight!”
They start to walking faster in the direction Die had pointed.
Die: “Right.”
They continue walking.
Cut to them just as they cross the line of trees and start walking into the woods, Lovett stops.
Lovett: “I stick out like two sore thumbs in this coat don’t I?”
Die: “I’m afraid so.”
Lovett: “So this won’t matter then.”
She reaches into one of her coat pocket and pulls out her bobble hat and puts it on.
Die: “Lovett!”
Lovett: “Oh to hell with it, I am cold anyway. Come on let’s get farce over with.”
Die: “God. If the shooting starts, just stay behind me. That B-Mesh will stop most bullets but it will still hurt like hell.”
They start walking deeper into the woods it gets darker as the tree cover they sky from them. They walk in silence. They come to a natural clearing about 20/25 meters across and the edges of it is lined with dead and fallen trees; the moon and stars light is brighter here now there no trees blocking the light. They can make out a one meter wide bright red cross that had been spray painted on the ground just off central of the clearing.
Lovett: “X marks the spot, really? Is he some kind of idiot?”
Die: “A very dangerous idiot yes. This is where the game ends.”
A bright light suddenly shines at them from the opposite side of the clearing. Their night vision is gone and they squint at the bright light, shielding their eyes; they barely make out a blurry figure of a man standing holding a big torch and a big hand gun with a black back pack round his chest.
Jacques: “My guests have arrived!” “Welcome to where you die!”
Die: “Where is Lady Annabel?”
Jacques: “Oh Die so predictable, no ‘Hello…How you been’ just straight to the point.” “You are so set in your ways Vieil homme. With your little gun, your three extra clips of bullets and that silly knife. You have no openness in your mind… You never change. You are a dinosaur.”
Lovett -whispering-: “Great, he is going to talk us to death.”
Jacques: “Oh well, so be it; straight to the point then. But Remember Six-Seven this is my game so my rules!” “Give the little girl the bag and she will walk towards the cross until I tell her to stop…”
Lovett -whispering-: “Did that dick just call me a little girl?”
Die-whispering-: “Not now Lovett.”
Jacques: “Now please, little one.”
Lovett -whispering-: “Oh I hate this guy.”
Die hands her the bag, she takes it and they look at each other.
Die: “Take it slow and no sudden moves.”
She nods and starts to walk towards the cross; she gets to two meters away from it.
Jacques: “Stop there girly girl. Now throw the bag onto the cross.”
Lovett is now gritting her teeth and throws the bag high in the air and it lands on near the other side of the red cross closer to Jacques.
Jacques: “Now walk slowly backwards le petit Chaperon rouge and be a good girl, slowly back to the morceau de merde!”
As Lovett is stepping backward, Jacques is stepping forwards towards the bag holding his gun and torch. Jacques’ is taller with longer strides and he gets to the bag as she draws level with Die again.
Die: “Ok give us Lady Annabel now!”
Jacques: “No!” “Bâtard!”
Jacques turn the torch off throws it, grabs the bag and runs the way he had come. Die draws he gun and runs towards the cross. But he can’t see much now.
Die: “Lovett get down!”
Die is firing at where Jacques was and running to the cross. He slows down as he runs out a bullets and ejects the clip and slam another one in the. Just before he gets to the cross he slows down more and feels something on his right shin; he looks down and can just makes out a tripwire. Without a word he jumps backward turning in the air, Lovett is of course behind him. Die wrappers his arms around Lovett bring her down and he tries to cover her by lying on top of her. The explosion is loud and comes from about two meters Jacques side of were the tripwire had been, there is big lumps of dirt, leaves and twigs falling round them.
Die pushes himself up slightly and look at Lovett’s face.
Die: “Are you ok?”
Lovett: “Of course not!
Die: “Where are you hurt?”
Lovett: “Nowhere… I am scared!
Die: ““We have to hind you, so I can get him without worrying about you, ok? Please don’t argue with me on this, please.”
Die looks round and spots a big fallen tree a little way off and points.
Die: “Run behind that dead tree and stay down and I’ll cover you… Move! “And take that bloody hat and coat off!”
They both get to their feet, Lovett runs towards the fallen tree. Die start shooting in the woods again. Lovett is just rounding the back of the tree when two shots from the woods ring out. Lovett is hit she spins and falls out of sight behind the tree. Die sees her go down.
Die: “NO! Lovett!”
Die fires into the woods and runs to the fallen tree changing bullet mag’ again and fires some more. He gets to the tree and rounds the tree, Lovett is lying face down not moving.
Die: “No, no ,no.”
Die knees down to her and turns her over and holds her.
Die: “Charlotte… please.”
Lovett: “Ow my arm, my arm ow.”
Die looks at Lovett’s left arm there is a bullet hole in her coat’s lower left arm he starts getting her coat off of her.
Lovett: “Die it hurts… it really hurts. And this isn’t the time to undress me.”
Die: “Lovett your arm is broken, the mesh stopped the bullet but it broke your arm… and we need to get this damn red thing off you.” “Thank god you are alive.”
Jacques voice comes from far off.
Jacques: “Is she dead yet bastard!?” “I want you to watch her die, Die!” “And I’m going to kill you too bastard!” “Je vous déteste!”
Lovett: “This guy really hates you” “What did you do?” “OW!”
Die gets the coat off her and moves her so she is leaning against the fallen tree.
Die: “Lovett shut up and let me help you, you’re hurt. Hold your arm against your chest and try not to pass out.”
Four bullets hit the tree.
Jacques: “DIE!”
Lovett: “What – did – you – do?”
Die: “I… I killed his mother.”
Lovett: “His mother?!”
Die: “She had just tried to kill Alpha-Three and had shot six agents. When I caught up with her, we… struggled… a bit and I… I pushed her off a roof…”
Lovett: “Die!”
Die: “She was not a nice lady.”
Lovett: “I get that; but why are you only telling me now? A roof!”
Die: “Secrets Lovett! And I didn’t think he knew! I didn’t… ”
Lovett: “I think it is safe to say that Psycho-Jacques knows.”
Die: “He wants me to watch you die first.” “He knows I care about you… you have to stay here. Make him think he got you, so I can get him without worrying about you, ok? Please do as I ask this once. Just stay here.”
Die goes to move but Lovett grabs his arm and pulls him closer.
Lovett: “Die I… I…”
Die: “I know.”
Die leans in and kisses her quickly on the lips. She pull back wiping her mouth
Lovett: “Will you stop doing that. I was going to say I need a pee.”
She grins and then looks at him slightly scared.
Lovett: “Don’t die.”
Die gives her his phone.
Die: “You know the number to dial, do it now and they will come to you. Stay here.”
Lovett: “But what about lady…”
Die: “She is dead already! Or… he didn’t have her to begin with, either way we’re not getting her now. Please just stay here.”
Die stands and sprints to the tree line going into the dark woods and a few shots are heard as he disappears. Lovett dials the number on Die’s phone and then pulls her hat off her head and looks at it. The large white bobble is missing. Jacques has shot off another one.
Lovett: “Bastard did it again.”
Cut to Die, running and ducking, hiding behind trees, firing his gun at the flash of light from Jacques’ gun as he fires back.
Jacques: “Is she dying slowly?!” “I hope so.” “After I kill you, I will make sure she is dead and I will kill that bitch Alpha-Three and Harry! They will all die by your knife Die!”
Die: “Keep talking Jacques! We both know I am better than you at this!”
Die eject another mag and slams in another. And fire three more shots and run to another tree
Jacques: “You think so!? Your habits betray you Vieil homme!”
Jacques fires three times and a bullets hits the tree Die is behind, Die moves around the tree and fires five shots and run forwards. He sees a glimpse of Jacques, Die firers twice and Jacques stops and slowly turns in full view of Die. Die pulls the trigger but the gun just clicks, he is out of ammo.
Jacques: “Told you! That is was your last ten shots! So very predictable!” “You are an idiot Die, a set in stone fool!”
Jacques is now slowly walking towards Die.
Jacques: “On your knees, where you belong Six-Seven! Do it now!”
Die slowly getting to his knees, ejecting the empty mag as he does but he does not drop the gun. Jacques is now little more than ten meters away, Jacques puts the black hold all of money down and pulls another mag for his gun from his small black back pack that is across his chest. He puts the mag into his gun so Die can see him doing.
Jacques: “I plan ahead, not like you, you’re by the seat of your pants all the time.” “I was always better than you. You, you were just lucky…”
Die is slowly reaching with his left hand to his left ankle behind him pulling up the trouser leg. . . there is a spare bullet mag in a holder on this ankle. Die whisper to himself, barely moving his lips
Die: “Thank you Harry.”
Jacques is now pointing his gun at Die.
Jacques: “You know, you made this almost too easy Six-Seven. It has been fun watching you and the little girl running like poulets sans tête…This is for my mère…”
There is a shout from their left and Lovett is running towards them as fast as she can, Jacques is really surprised. She has her red coat back on and what is left of her sky blue bobble hat on too. The hand of her broken left arm is in her coat pocket and she has one of her batons in her right.
Lovett: “Oi. Your mother was a hamster!”
She throws the baton at Jacques as hard as she can. Jacques fires at Die. The bullet just misses Die, it takes a small piece out the left shoulder pad of his jacket. Die has grabbed the spare mag on his ankle when he saw Lovett and he slams it in his gun and fires five times at Jacques in an erratic pattern of shots.
Lovett’s baton hits Jacques in the face as Dies first bullet hit Jacques’ gun; the gun flies into the air along with two of Jacques fingers. The next four bullets hit him in left shoulder, his right shoulder, his right thigh and his left knee. Jacques screams and hits the ground laying slightly on right side. Lovett is still running hard towards Jacques. As she get close her right leg goes backward like a footballer’s and she kicks Jacques hard in the stomach.
Lovett: “That’s for my arm!”
She pulls her right leg back again and kicks his in the stomach again.
Lovett: “And that’s for my hats and coat!”
She pull her leg and again and kicks him again.
Lovett: “That’s for shooting my friend!”
Die has run up to her now and wrapping his arms around
Lovett: “You idiot! Why did you do that…? Lovett! Lovett look at me.”
She is wild with anger, pain and adrenaline; she whips out another one of her batons, she fights Die off of her (he lets her go) and she cracks Jacques across his head with her baton.
Lovett: “And that is for calling me a little girl dick head!”
Lovett calms a little and looks at Die as if seeing him for the first time there.
Lovett: “You’re not dead!” … “Are you ok?”
Die: “Me!?”
Lovett: “He shot you!”
Die: “He missed… kind of.”
Lovett stumbles a little and Die catches her and holds her to him.
Lovett: “Die, my arm really hurts!”
Die: “I know. I know. Help is on the way.”
Lovett sees the hold all full of money.
Lovett: “Can we bugger off to the Bahamas now?”
Die sees flashes of torch light in the distance and the sound of a helicopter not far off.
Die: “I’m afraid not Lovett.”
He looks at her, she looks a little faint and in pain.
Die: “Thank you for saving my life Charlotte.”
Lovett: “You’re welcome.” … “I’m hungry… buy me supper, please?”
They look at each other as they hear shouting and see more torch lights approach them.
Die: “We’ll have to report first. Sorry.”
Lovett: “Ow it really hurts!”
Die: “We’ll get that sorted first.”
Lovett: “… Pórta?”
Die: “Yes Charlotte?”
Lovett: “If I faint… please don’t kiss me again.”
Die: “Ok Lovett… I will only ever kiss you when you are conscious, I promise.”
He holds her close and she lets him.
Fade to black.
Fade from black to: Lovett and Die are just about to sit down in Alpha-Three’s office again. Lovett has her left arm in plaster and a very bright green sling. Harry is standing to Alpha-Three’s right and Alpha-Three is not looking happy.
Die: “‘Your mother was a hamster?’ Really?”
Lovett: “I don’t know any French…. Wow, these painkillers are wonderful.”
They sit on the green Chesterfield.
Turd Polishing
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This one really brings so much of the characters out beautifully, and I keep finding new parts to smile at every time I reread it. ❤