The Hannah Carmichael Chronicles
Your Briefing:
Hannah Carmichael: Super Spy, trying to take down the evil spy agency CGT which she used to be a part of. Status: Currently hidden in The Palace – headquarters where her long lost Father is setting up his assault on CGT.
Zeke Anderson: Former Spy working to destroy CGT. Hannah’s husband and ally. Status: Believed to be dead, at Hannah’s hand. Currently hidden in The Palace with Hannah, her father James and Stephanie.
Stephanie Winchester: Former CGT spy, Hannah’s best friend and fellow undercover agent. Status: Currently hidden in The Palace with Hannah, her father James, and Zeke.
James Carmichael: Hannah’s Father and secret freelance agent trying to destroy CGT. Status: Recently discovered to be alive, after disappearing over a decade ago. Currently hidden in The Palace, deciding the next steps to take down CGT.
Evelyn Carmichael: Hannah’s Mother and a known terrorist in the Country and around the Globe. Status: Currently being held at The Palace for questioning after arriving and claiming to be on the same side as Hannah and her Father. Having lost her way, Evelyn’s goal still remains the same – to take down CGT which goes higher into the government and overseas than anyone realises.
Is CGT Working towards World War Three? Is Evelyn right, and is that what Cataclysm refers to? Hannah and her Father have to decide what to do next as the leaders in their respective teams. What will they do?
FIFTY-SIX
Hannah quietly closed the door behind her as she left Zeke, asleep. The discussions around Cataclysm and how to stop it had gone late into the night, but ultimately no decisions had been made.
Hannah turned the corner into the small kitchen of The Palace and the light from the fridge illuminated the otherwise dark room. Hannah scanned the room for a possible weapon when the fridge door closed. James Carmichael turned and smiled at her, a milk container in his hand.
“You scared me,” Hannah said, exhaling.
James frowned and slowly put down the milk next to a packet of Fruit Loops. “Sorry Darl, didn’t mean to give you a fright.” He smiled and opened the milk cap, pouring it over a bowl of waiting cereal.
Hannah smiled and shook her head, “Do you still eat those things?” She asked, sitting on a bar stool and pulling a glass from the drying rack next to her. James smiled and popped a spoonful into his mouth, chewing loudly. Hannah poured some milk into her glass and took a small sip, staring at the label on the Fruit Loops packet.
“So, you couldn’t sleep either?” James asked, the sound of his spoon clinking the bowl clinking as he gathered another mouthful.
“No. Cataclysm could be serious and I feel like it’s partially my fault.”
James frowned, “How so? You didn’t organise it did you?” he asked with a small smile.
Hannah sat straighter, “I was undercover and we haven’t really made any steps forward since I started. Everything’s been focused on catching and stopping Evelyn.”
James snorted and shook his head, “Don’t you mean ‘Mum’?”
“Not anymore,” Hannah said quietly. Evelyn was being guarded as she slept just down the hallway while the others decided if she was really on their team, or setting everyone up for failure. James sighed and put his bowl down, leaning on his elbows.
“I’m sorry I left the way I did,” he said softly. “I didn’t want to hurt you, but if you thought I was gone forever, I thought that was better than wondering why I had abandoned you.”
Hannah shrugged and took another sip of her milk. “It was what it was. You just learn to move on; channel those feelings into other things.”
“Is that what you did with CGT?” Her father asked, standing straighter.
“I wanted to help people; to keep the country and all in it safe.” Hannah sighed, “That’s what I thought I was doing anyway.” She looked at him and felt her eyes misting, “I missed you though.”
James dropped his gaze and sighed, “I followed you all the way you know.” He smiled and looked up at her again. “Your graduation, your training and career at CGT; All of it.”
Hannah cleared her throat and nodded, “I guess it’s hard for you to completely walk away from the people you love. That must be where I get it from.”
They shared a smile and sat for a while longer, talking and trying to move past the mountain in between them. After a while, they said goodnight and moved back to their rooms.
As Hannah walked down the hallway, she tried to keep her steps light. Everyone needed sleep right now; they had some big decisions to make in the morning. As she passed the guard outside Baxter’s room she tried to stifle a laugh. Stephanie was sitting by the door, head on her chest as she breathed heavily. She had fallen asleep.
Hannah rolled her eyes and lifted her hand to rouse her friend when she saw the light around the door frame. Frowning, Hannah pushed her ear up against the door and listened as a quiet voice came from the other side.
“They have access to an accounts file. I heard them talking about Cataclysm.”
Hannah stopped breathing and pulled away from the door.
Baxter was talking to CGT.
Author’s Note:
Thanks for reading this week’s instalment of the Hannah Carmichael Chronicles! Hannah will be back Soon for the next part of her adventure – we both look forward to seeing you there!
Christy Grace
Christy Grace Scarlet Pen 