Chapter Seven: What are you running from?
song: not a second time • the beatles
London, England • Old Mary's pub
1968
It was 1968. The year that The Beatles released their rock sensation 'Hey Jude'. The year of the Grosvenor protest against the Vietnam war, leading to 91 people being injured and 200 arrested. The year the 10 pence and 5 pence coins were introduced and the year that the infamous Kray brothers - Ronald and Reggie Kray - were arrested, accused of murder, fraud, blackmail and assault.
It's also the year that Sophia Dawson and James Conrad met, but compared with what else went down in Britain that year, the meeting of two individuals is minuet. The meeting took place in Old Mary's Pub in London, England - 5 months before they would be commissioned to America and then to Vietnam around 2 months later.
Yet right now - on that day in 1968 - Sophia and James were just strangers on the street. They weren't partners, weren't fighting for their lives on a 'deserted' island and weren't hiding their feelings for each other and failing miserably. They were soldiers, and one of them was late.
A hooded figure walked through the dingy, wet ally ways of North London, England. Sophia was late, which was an odd and rare occurrence for her, which was why she was picking up speed as she walked through the familiar streets.
Dodging drunk strangers, she rounded the corner, jogging across the street as a car zoomed past her - sending a wave of puddle water up the back of her legs. Cursing, Sophia shook her legs and walked up the street, keeping furthest away from the kerb.
Sliding across the wall so the passing cars wouldn't drench her again, Sophia finally found the pub. She opened the door and rushed in, pulling down her hood as curious eyes wafted down to her and she danced hers across the room, trying to find the men waiting for her. After a couple of seconds of helplessly looking around the busy, smoke filled, noise humming pub, Sophia found her lieutenant sitting in front of a mousy blonde male.
The male was wearing a loose brown button up shirt that was rolled up around his elbows. He was sipping on a pint, and although he had a calm and collected aura, Sophia could tell that he was completely out of place. She moved through the crowds and once she neared the men, she overheard their conversation.
"Why are we meeting in a pub?" The male - known as James Conrad (Sophia had read his file) - asked and lieutenant Parker replied with:
"Because it's easy to access, everyone knows where the Old Mary's is-"
"And you just want to drink a pint while you talk about aiding the Americans" Sophia cut in, grinning as Parker stood up from his seat.
"Dawson" he grinned and Sophia stopped before him, saluting out of respect and she felt Conrad stand up.
Parker shook his head "There's no need for that" and he opened his arms for a hug. Sophia fell into his bulky arms "It's been too long" he spoke to his student and Sophia grinned, patting his back. Sophia met Lieutenant Parker when she was just a prospective SAS solider - the only woman in his group. Parker told her that he wouldn't take it easy on her just because she was a woman and Sophia had thanked him.
She was still tied up in a bag and dumped in the British country side and forced to make it back to the base like the rest of them (and then captured and dumped somewhere else, to see if you could make it back after a night of no sleep)
She had made it back in record breaking time, which was why she was put up for the tracking training program.
Yet after the training, she was an intelligence officer and, after 2 years, Sophia was about 80% sure that she was about to get some news about a promotion.
Parker pulled back and held her arms "Its odd seeing you in Civvies sir" Sophia spoke, referring to his civilian clothing. "It's odd seeing you at all Dawson, I didn't think you'd come"
A cough broke them from their conversation. Sophia looked up to the sound and saw Conrad, over 6ft tall, lean and a little confused at the conversation.
"Yes, Sophia Dawson, meet James Conrad - I have a job for you two" Sophia held her hand out and Conrad took it, shaking it. "You're a woman" he suddenly broke and Sophia nodded her head up at him, having had this conversation multiple times before.
"It would look that way...observant one isn't he?" Sophia spoke, looking to Parker before turning back to Conrad.
"You didn't get my folder?"
"Yeah, but it was redacted"
"What was?"
"Name, age and sex"
Sophia gave Parker a menacing look. "You know the drill Dawson"
Due to the still sexist nature of the army, Parker had redacted the sex from Dawson's file in order to stop pre-judgment of her capabilities as a solider. She hadn't liked it. "Doesn't make it any less unsettling" Sophia replied, eyeing Conrad who was engrossed in the conversation between the pair.
"Just sit and have your beer before I do, I have a mission for the pair of you"
-
Parker lit his cigarette with a match. The smoke fluttered around Conrad and Dawson before being scattered away by Parker extinguishing the match. He put the match back into the box and sat the box on the table - next to his Guinness. It was silent for a beat while he consumed the tobacco and Conrad could feel the space between him and Dawson.
He had been surprised by Dawson. Sure, he had heard about the infamous Lady who had beaten his record breaking time, but he didn't expert her to be so...visually appealing - and short. He didn't have any preconceived conceptions when it came to women in the army, he had just never seen any in his unit and to be honest, he'd assumed that someone as beautiful as Dawson wouldn't be in the business of killing and harboring secrets from the public.
Never judge a book by its cover, he thought to himself, looking over at Dawson in a maroon sweater and blood orange a-line denim skirt. He figured that if they'd met in different circumstances she wouldn't have given him a second glance. Yet they had one thing in common - they fought to survive.
"Told myself I would quit a year ago-" Parker began, motioning to the cigarette in his mouth "-then this shit got slung onto my desk. If I could go back in time I'd tell my dumb ass never to join the SAS-" then he shook his head, deciding not to finish to his sentence.
Parker ruffled in a bag next to him with his cigarette in the corner of his mouth before he pulled out two thick folders. He threw them on the table "You know the drill, top secret - don't even let your bed bugs see it"
Dawson put her beer down and flipped open the folder:
*TOP SECRET*
SAS OPERATION 3489
THE VIETNAMESE WAR
TRACKER PROGRAM
"You're kidding me right? I mean I heard talk but I didn't believe it"
"Maybe next time believe it" Parker replied, drinking his beer and Conrad chose to ignore him. Wise idea, Dawson thought. "Thought Harold Wilson was against the war" she commented, glancing over detailed combat plans. "US offered to pay us"
"That makes sense"
"Believe Lyndon. B Johnson's words were 'If you want to help us some in Vietnam send us some men.' Or words to that effect"
"So we're teaching the US soldiers how to track" Conrad piped in and Parker nodded his head, blowing smoke out of his mouth. "As a pair-" he then grinned. "So I guess you guys should get to know each other, you'll be seeing each other more than your own reflection"
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Wow that was a busy month. I apologize friends but this month I have been the victim of the British education system and was knocked out by revision, exams and homework even though I had exams?? (Miss Mealy pls explain???) so I couldn't update, but now that I'm almost finished I'll be updating as per usual!! Yay!!! Thanks for sticking with me! (And if you didn't then you won't see this so: 💪🏻 fight me)
*not historically accurate, UK joined Vietnam war around 1964, not 1968. If you haven't realized yet I was born over 30 years after the war finished so 🤷🏼♀️*