12 Minutes (#2 in Military series)

Chapter 37

"She's busy I'm afraid," the receptionist replied, barely looking up as she continued typing into her keyboard. She had obviously been given instructions to turn most people away.

"It's important," Samantha turned back to her, catching the woman's gaze and keeping it as Samantha added, "It pertains to last week's attacks." She could see the receptionist falter and look over her shoulder at her boss's office, wondering whether to disturb her or not.

The receptionist slowly rose to her feet as she decided to take the risk after another look at Samantha's unwavering face. She was clearly annoyed that Samantha had refused to do as she said. "I shall just check for you." She smiled tightly and Samantha got the idea that as soon as she turned her back her eyes were rolling in her head.

Samantha thanked her and waited to be called in, thinking about what she was going to say and how she was going to get the director to tell her everything she wanted to know. She knew it wasn't going to be easy but she needed answers. She had the suspicion that either she or MI5 as a whole were being used but she didn't know how, or if by her being here she was playing into their game, but she did know that she wanted it to end.

A few moments later the receptionist returned, followed by a man with glasses and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was holding a thick file under his arm and kept his head down as he hurried past her.
"You can go in now," The receptionist smiled tightly at Samantha before she turned and explained to the gentleman waiting that the director would be with him momentarily.

Stepping into her office Samantha saw Wallace stood looking out the window with her back to her. "Director-" Samantha started to apologise for the intrusion when Wallace interrupted her.

"Shut the door behind you," Wallace said and Samantha obeyed, clicking the door shut behind them, as Wallace turned away from the window and faced her. The lights on her office ceiling were reflecting in her black-rimmed glasses, hiding her expression but Samantha got the sense that she did not appreciate a lowly agent such as herself demanding an audience with her, especially at a time like this, "What can I do for you?" She asked as she walked behind her desk.

Samantha took a few steps forward until she was deeper in her office and stood a few feet in front of her desk. She was holding the file on Ridgeway's task force in front of her. "I have some questions about a task I was assigned-"

"-Isn't this a job for your case worker?" Wallace asked as she sat down behind her desk and inhaled deeply, not understanding why this was of any concern to her, "I do not see why-"

"-The task involved General Ridgeway, ma'am," Samantha placed the folder on the desk in front of Wallace who paused what she was doing and looked up at her from behind her glasses. Samantha knew she had her attention and so she continued to outline her objective, "I was to track down the remaining members of, what he called, his "special task force" but from what I can tell, and what I've seen recently, it appears to be more of a "hit squad" than a military section."

Wallace turned the folder over and glanced through the pages, "And what is your question?"

Samantha's eyes narrowed a little at Wallace's lack of reaction to her comment about a hit squad but she already guessed that the director knew about it. "My question is why. Why was this folder left on my desk at the precisely the same time the General was in the UK visiting with the head of this country's intelligence? Why was I assigned to check up on a debunked black-ops group, unless . . ."

"Unless?" Wallace arched an eyebrow carefully as she looked back up at Samantha, her body language hesitant.

Samantha found herself smiling a little as she realised that she was right and leaned forward, resting her hands on the edge of the desk, "Unless it's not debunked any longer. Ridgeway is setting up a new task force, isn't he? And I think I met them."