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GENEVIEVE WAS STARING UP AT THE grey sky, deep in thought. Her eyes followed the slow clouds lazily, her face blank. She would have looked dead if it hadn't been for her fingers drumming on her lap.
"Genevieve?" A nurse nudged her.
"Marie, I told you to call me Gen." Genevieve smiled up at the french woman.
"Gen." Marie said. "Break is over."
"Fantastic." Genevieve got up from the bench she was resting on and out on her gloves. "Back to the chopping block."
"Chopping block?" The French woman looked at her strangely.
"It's a," Genevieve shook her head as they made their way to the medical tent. "Never mind hun. Let's just get to work."
Being a nurse was harder than she thought. Genevieve knew how to wrap and sew up wounds and that was about it. She wasn't trained for other medical things.
Genevieve could hear the other nurses whisper about her. About how much better they were at the job. But Genevieve didn't care. Could they infiltrate enemy lines? She didn't think so.
But Genevieve had a wonderful bedside manner. The other nurses always sent her to talk to injured soldiers, to keep their minds off the pain.
If there was one thing Genevieve knew how to do, it was keep someone talking.
"Start on the left and I'll start on the right." Marie instructed. "Work your way inwards. If you run low on supplies or need help, just call."
"Got it." Genevieve nodded and made her way to the far right of the tent to the first cot. A soldier was laying on it with a bloody bandage on his head.
"Hi there sweetie." She said. "How you feeling?"
"Better now that you're here." He chuckled and Genevieve smiled politely. They always flirted with the nurses.
"Just gonna change your bandages real quick." She began untying the one around his head with one hand and grabbed a fresh one with the other. She pulled the bloody bandage off and winced at the wound. It was definitely healing but was still a deep cut.
"How long have you been here?" He asked. "Last time I got hurt I didn't see you."
"Just two weeks." Genevieve replied.
"Ah," He grimaced as she cleaned the wound. "I would have remembered you."
"Well I'm sure I'll remember you." She replied. "And the lovely cut on your head."
He laughed and Genevieve smiled. This wasn't so bad. As long as she kept in good spirits, things would go by fast. She would get her mission in no time. But something was bugging her. What was taking so long? She finished applying a new bandage and made sure it was tight.
"There you go sweetie." She admired her work and patted his shoulder. "Up you get. Come back to change the bandage tomorrow."
"Thanks." He stood from the bed. "See you tomorrow then." He winked at her before heading out of the medical tent. Genevieve went down the line to a bed that no other nurse was tending to.
"Hey there," She said to the soldier. He had been there for six days already. He was missing an arm. "Anyone check on you yet hun?"
"Not yet." He muttered.
"Good thing I'm here then." She said. "I'll grab you something to eat, yeah?"
He nodded weakly and Genevieve gave him a supportive smile before going to get him some food. Her heart went out to these soldiers. They risked and lost so much everyday. Genevieve grabbed a little extra bread for him, just to be nice.
"I'm looking for a Miss Genevieve Patterson?" a voice called out from the tent's entrance.
"Give this to cot eight will you?" Genevieve handed the tray of food to a passing nurse before walking over to the man. "Im Patterson. Can I help you sir?"
"Message for you miss." He handed her an envelope. "Sent from America it looks like."
"Thank you." Genevieve put the envelope in her pocket.
"And I was told to tell you to uh," He scrunched up his face, trying to remember. "Leave before dark."
"Oh." Genevieve cursed the general in her mind. Of course he was sending her off on such short notice.
"Leaving already?" He asked her. "Where you going?"
"I was restationed. "She replied. "They're short staffed."
"Oh." He nodded. "Well, good luck Miss."
"Thank you." Genevieve took off her gloves. "Could you tell Marie, the blonde nurse over on the right that for me sweetie? I don't have much time."
"Okay-"
"Thanks again." Genevieve pushed past him and rushed over to the small tent where the nurses slept. She opened the envelope. Inside was a letter, a folded map, and another smaller envelope.
Patterson,
Bring this message to agent Daniel Wilson. He is currently stationed with the 2nd Devons undercover as a soldier. You've done missions with him before so you should be able to recognize him. The enclosed map should show you where to go. Do not open the enclosed envelope. That is for agent Wilson's eyes only. Get it to him as soon as possible.Good luck.
Genevieve quickly changed from her nurse outfit to her uniform. It looked very similar to the soldiers but was a dark navy blue. She opted not to wear the skirt, it would limit her movement. So, she put on a pair of pants instead. The only pair she had. As she laced up her boots, another nurse came in.
"What in the world are you wearing?" She asked.
"Clothes." Genevieve replied as she dumped out her bag and began sorting it for things she did and didn't need. She would have to leave some things behind. She packed only the necessities.
"But really Genevieve," The other nurse said. "What are you doing?"
"I've been restationed." Genevieve replied as she tied up her hair. "So I'm leaving. You can have the stuff I left if you want it. I'm not coming back."
"Americans." The nurse rolled her eyes and left the tent. Genevieve was glad she wasn't coming back.
She tucked the envelope full of information and the message into her breast pocket and put the bag onto her back. She then kneeled down and reached under the cot. She pulled out two guns. A standard rifle and a small pistol. She put the rifle on her back with the bag and strapped the pistol to the holster that rested on her thigh. Genevieve sighed.
