IT HAD TO BE YOU (HCC 54)

The Hannah Carmichael Chronicles

Your Briefing:

Hannah Carmichael: Super Spy trying to take down the evil CGT spy agency. Status: The world believes she is dead, CGT knows she is alive.
Zeke Anderson: Spy with the real Government. Working with Hannah to take down CGT. Status: Shot by Baxter, wearing a bulletproof vest. Alive and confused at James’ sudden arrival.
Stephanie Winchester: Fellow spy and friend to Hannah and Zeke. Status: The world believes she is dead, CGT knows she is alive. Wounded should from a gunshot, but stitched up and confused at James’ sudden arrival.
James Carmichael: Secretly working in the shadows to take down CGT with a team of people. Status: After years of being assumed dead, now alive and leader of The Palace – a base of people who all want to take down CGT.
Evelyn Carmichael: Terrorist, Criminal and Enemy of almost everyone. Status: Last seen by Hannah, dying in her arms of a gunshot wound. Unknown until the moment she arrived at The Palace. 

Hannah’s mother Evelyn Carmichael is a terrorist, but she has show up at The Palace, where James Carmichael has set up his base of operations. Her Father is trying to take down CGT, so what is her Mother doing there? Last she saw her, she was dying in her arms and Hannah was being blamed. What does Evelyn want? Can she help them take down CGT, or is it a trap?

FIFTY-FOUR

Hannah stared at the surveillance screen as her heart sank. Her Mother stood, alone as she extended her hand and knocked on a side door to The Palace. The room erupted into arguments, some wanting to hear what Evelyn had to say, and others convinced it was a trap. Hannah stood and listened, her eyes not leaving the screen.
Her Mother looked old. Older than she had ever seen. The scar from her wound in the recent attack was visible through the top of her low cut blouse and a shiver went down Hannah’s spine. CGT had tried to kill her Mother, and blame her.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and Hannah turned to see Stephanie attempting a small smile. Hannah returned the pathetic smile and looked at her Dad; he was equally stunned. She took a deep breath, then walked over to him. He pulled his eyes away from the screen and frowned.
“I think we should bring her in. She wouldn’t risk coming here if it wasn’t important,” Hannah said. James Carmichael thought for a moment, then ran his hand through his hair.
“We can’t trust her, not yet,” He said.
Hannah nodded, “I think we should bring her in with handcuffs. Take her into a room for questioning and hear what she has to say.”
The arguments from around the room were now silent as everyone stared at Hannah and James. Someone cleared their throat, and eyes turned to Roy, the man sitting in front of the screen.
“We have to make a decision soon, she won’t stay out there forever,” He said.
James nodded and moved over to a cabinet, pulling out a set of handcuffs, “We’ll bring her in.”
Turning to Hannah, he handed her the cuffs. “You do it,” He said softly.
Hannah nodded and turned, her heart beating loudly in her chest. She approached the door and slowly turned the doorknob, gun pointing at her mother’s forehead. As she opened the door, Evelyn stared at her with a small smile across her face.
“I knew it would be you, it had to be you.”
Hannah didn’t say a word, motioning instead with her gun for Evelyn to turn around. She complied and Hannah adjusted the cuffs onto her hands. She led her Mother through to their interrogation room and they both remained silent, the pain of the last few years the only thing to linger in the air.
Hannah handed Evelyn off and watched her being frisked before she was led into the room. Hannah made her way into the adjacent viewing room where James had installed two way glass which he had stolen from an old police station. They both stood, arms crossed as they stared at Evelyn Carmichael.
“Do you want to do this together?” James asked, still staring at the woman who was once his wife.
Hannah cleared her throat, “Let’s do it.”
They made their way quietly into the room and sat across from Evelyn, no table, just empty space between their two chairs and hers which was screwed into the floor.
“I like what you’ve done with the place Jim. Very homely,” Evelyn said. Her attempt at keeping the conversation light failed to amuse, and she sighed.
“I know I’ve hurt both of you, but you have to know why.”
James stood and slammed his hand against the mirror, “There is no explanation that outweighs the pain you’ve caused Ev.”
“Everything I did was for the greater good. You just couldn’t see all the pieces at play.” Evelyn’s voice was cold and she had straightened her posture.
Hannah tried not to roll her eyes and leaned forward, “What pieces?” She asked.
Evelyn looked away from James and frowned, “I didn’t want to do what I’ve done. I had to go to extremes to get their attention. It was the only way.” She leaned forward, her shackles clinking together as she rested her forearms on her knees. “I worked with CGT in the early days as an agent, which I’m guessing you already know,” Evelyn paused and waited for Hannah to nod.
“When I started to get promoted and climb the ranks, I saw just how far the reach of CGT goes. It goes to the highest levels of our government, and beyond Australia.” Evelyn’s face dropped and she lowered her voice, “As you saw with Moroz and Ian.”
As her Mother mentioned those names, Hannah felt anger coursing through her body and she took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.
“When I found out, I knew I had to do something. They would never let anyone far enough to take CGT down from the inside, so I branched out instead. They labelled me as a terrorist.”
James sighed and sat back on his chair, “Are you trying to tell me, all the things you’ve done, all the people you’ve killed, is all in the name of good?”
Evelyn cleared her throat and shook her head slightly, “I lost my way for a little while, but my true goal remained the same. That’s why my next attack was that CGT prison. There are people in there who could expose the truth. Powerful people, some of whom are believed to be dead.”
Hannah’s mind raced for a minute and she stopped listening as James and Evelyn argued on how they could trust each other.
CGT reached further than Hannah had thought, and they were miles from bringing them down. She believed what her Mother was saying. CGT had labelled her as a terrorist when she found out the truth, and many believed her to be dead.
Her thoughts drifted to the CGT ACCOUNTS file that Stephanie had hidden somewhere safe and she stood suddenly. Her parents became silent and stared at her as she held up her hands.
“This isn’t getting us anywhere. Dad, I believe her, from personal experience,” She said, as James frowned. She ignored him and turned back to Evelyn, “We need to work together to expose CGT. Regardless of the methods that have been used,” Hannah paused and glanced between her parents, “We have to make sure their organisation crumbles and I think I have a way.”
Hannah paused then looked back to James, “Stephanie and I have a file labelled CGT ACCOUNTS.”

Author’s Note:

Thanks for reading this week’s instalment of the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles! Hannah will be back Next Week for the next part of her adventure – we both look forward to seeing you there!

Christy Grace