Allison Crane - And we listened.

Hums of a dying engine chugged nearby. Crunches of gravel beneath tyres faded. I lay still with my eyes closed. My ears pricked. Now, the feet would crunch the gravel, then the door would swing open and there would be a muffled conversation. Then silence.
At first I'd been spying, watching his every move but my vantage point was weak. A leather jacket and dark hair was all I could make out. Now, I resorted to listening.
Honestly, I was bored. My arm was not fully healed from the fall and I'd been confined to one room. My new assignment wasn't proving useful, still I couldn't help my curiosity. Why was he here? Who was he? I wanted answers.

I sat up and cracked an eye feeling a presence in the room. A pair of jet black, beady eyes greeted me. The boss. After a moment of intense staring I realised I would have the pleasure of his company on my next venture. Perhaps I'd become too slow. Dragging my heels. I stood and headed for the door. I was far from being a prisoner despite only venturing out for food. 
Our headquarters were secret, or at least they were supposed to be. This new arrival wasn't a recruit, hence why I'd been tasked with the job of finding out who he was, where he came from and what he wanted. But the only way he could have got inside is with the help of someone in the know. Following the mumbling voices to an office on the ground floor I pressed myself against the wall and strained to hear. The boss stood across from me and mirrored my action.
"He was never going to make it easy for us." said the first voice, a female.
"No, but he didn't need to be this cold. You don't deserve it." replied a second voice, a male. He spoke softly, in the back of my mind I felt the tugs of memory but I couldn't find a string to follow.
"He didn't care about us before. Why now?" the female asked exasperatedly.
"Jealousy? Guilt? I don't know. Either way we'll get through it. All of us. Together." the man replied, again his voice was soft, kind. There was something sincere and trustworthy about his words. I frowned as my boss straightened. Nothing of what we had heard pointed to a traitor or an infiltration of our organisation.
The room had gone silent. Pressing my face against the cold wood I peered through the keyhole. Something was blocking my view. All of a sudden the handle turned. My heart jumped into my throat. Scrambling to my feet I fled down the nearest corridor. Sliding around a corner I tucked myself against the wall and held my breath.
"What was that?" I heard the woman ask
"I think we've been made," the man said, quickly adding "I should go."
I held my breath until I heard the engine roar into action and the gravel crunch once again.
Looking down I noticed a graze across my knee. Red liquid ran in a slow line down my leg.

"Oh, Ted," I heard my mum say "were you earwigging? I do hope you don't report back to Allison. I would appreciate if I could tell her myself."

Allison Crane (And we listened-issue six), copyright of Lucy Holland. 09.04.2014

Allison Crane- And she lied.

And she lied.

There was an eerie silence when I awoke. Although my surroundings were familiar I had no recollection of how I'd arrived. Attempting to sit up I pushed backwards and my arm felt like a dead weight by my side. Looking down I understood why, they had encased me in some sort of metal brace. At the end where my fingers should have been was a chain running from the bracelet and connecting me to the floor.
"Great!" I thought aloud.
My voice echoed through the emptiness and once again I was struck by the resounding silence. A shiver ran down my spine. I tugged at the chain and it crashed against the floor clanging loudly in the small space I inhabited. The chain was thick and heavy, no way could I cut through it, even if I could find something to saw with! No, there was only one other option, I'd have to pull free of the bracelet.
Setting my jaw I twisted my arm and pulled with all my might. Pain seared through my bone and my skin burned against the rusting cast. A whimper escaped my mouth and I lay back scrunching up my face in an attempt not to cry. I had to be strong, to face whatever lay beyond the door in the quiet world outside. Biting down hard I pulled again and felt the slip of skin against metal, it was working!
After a few more moments of intense pain and teeth grinding I was free, though my arm didn't look or feel any better for it. Pushing my hurt from my mind I approached the door. In their absolute faith in my being bound by the chains my captors had failed to lock the main door. I was out in the corridor in the blink of an eye. Whipping my head around there was no one in sight. Slowly, I made my way towards an opening where a faint light glowed.
Stairs. I descended as quietly as I could but the slap of naked feet on cold stone was difficult to muffle. As I reached the bottom a noise broke the steady stream of nothingness and I froze.
The light was originating from a room directly in front of me, as was the sound. Interrupted breathing. I listened intently, then came another. Someone was crying. Stifling sobs on the other side of the door. Creeping over I pushed hoping this door too would be unlocked. The hinges gave beneath my soft touch and created a gap, just wide enough for me to see through.
'Mum!' I thought, fighting myself to go through and aid her. Her back was to me but I knew it was her, probably tied to the chair while they tortured her for information. I waited for the culprits to show their faces but no-one appeared.
'It could be a trap.' My mind suggested. Even so, I couldn't leave her there. I plucked up the courage to enter, sticking to the shadows and surveying the room. She sobbed again, hard. I swallowed.
"Mum!" I whispered.
In a flash she whipped her head round and wiped her eyes.
"How long have you been there?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" I replied.
"You should be in bed. Oh Allison what the hell have you done to your cast?" she raged seeing my naked arm.
"Oh, about that," I started.
"No. No more stories about being held prisoner! I've had enough of your games. Get your coat, we'll have to go back to the hospital and get you a new cast straight away!"
"What's that?" I asked noticing the slip of paper on the table.
"Nothing." She said too quickly, "Now, get your coat."

Allison Crane (And she lied-issue five), copyright of Lucy Holland. 08.04.2014