“Cdt Domino, a word outside please.” Sergeant Weathers was standing at the door. Domino packed away her things and walked out the geography class without a word. Eyes followed her. But no one breathed a word. They knew about the Dominos, quick to start and quicker to finish. As she left, a few murmurs were quietly breathed their way to existence; “wonder what it’s for this time?”, “I bet it’s to sort out her sister, she’s the only one she ever listens to, remember when she had that knife to Johansson’s throat, only took her four minutes to sort her out. Yeah that’s what I bet it is.” Upon reaching the door, Domino looked back just once, the breathy whisperings ceased at once.

Neither the adult, nor the pupil spoke. They walked side by side in complete silence until they came to an office. It was the OC’s office. The big cheese rarely was seen in public, and never dealt with house issues. Must be important. ‘Ria must have done something terrible. Had they found her distillery? They can’t of; she didn’t even know where it was.

The Sergeant knocked on the door and then abruptly turned on a heel and walked away, leaving Domino rather confused and slightly unnerved. “Come in please” a voice behind the door sang out in the brash notes of well worn command. Dutifully Domino walked in smartly, came to attention and saluted. “At ease, take a seat.”

This was well off, she wasn’t here for a rollicking; she would have had to stood for that. So what was it?

“As you are well aware your sister Maria volunteered for our student outreach program.” The OC’s moustache wriggled oddly, like he was nibbling his lip, like he was nervous. He played with a few loose sheets of paper and glanced at them often, rather than looking at her.

“yessir, I was made aware that she was leaving and that she was expected back within the next four days.”

“I don’t know how quite to put this…” the man at the business end of the desk seemed to fold in on himself, his face fell as he grasped desperately for words, this was bad. Very bad. “I’m so sorry, Maria Domino had an accident. The injuries were serious. There wasn’t anything they could do for her.”

He kind of did look sorry. But she didn’t want sorry.

“How? Where?”

“I’m afraid at this stage, details are sketchy, the prelim report states that it was a fall from a rock face due to some kind of harness malfunction. We will have more details very soon.”

“I see, when are they sending her home?” Domino stared at her lap, dead voiced.

“I’m afraid they can’t. Impossible. The prelim says that some kind of microbe is present at the station; they are going to have to bury her there. No one in or out for at least four months according to this prelim.”

“Good job it’s in the prelim.” Domino was sitting very still.

“Sorry?”

Cdt Domino, A (FC-91-0255) launched out of her seat like a patriot missile, she had seen the letter opener. Now it was in her hand. Now it was at home in the OC’s neck. He made a gasp of surprise and pain. She scrambled onto the desk, hampered by its smooth surface slicked with red.

“Sorry are you? Fucking sorry? Well I’m sorry too!”

He leaned back in his chair, both hands wrapped round his neck, keeping his juices in. The red was being soaked up by the sheets of paper, each letter-headed: Youth Deprogramming And Battle Research. But she didn’t care. She knew it was all bullshit. Why? The OC was still eyeballing her, frightened sucking gasps whistled through his nose and the badly plugged hole in his throat. His eyes twitched around. He kept looking at his out tray. Why at a time like this was he worried about admin? Ah. Now she saw it. A bog standard brown envelope. No stamp. No typed label. It looked as though it had been folded ninety times and used as a door wedge. There was just one line, written in biro on the front. She recognised that handwriting. She grabbed the envelope and snatched up her bag, rocketing for the door.

She found herself a place to hide, outdoors, since everyone was still in lesson and ripped it open, breathing hard, tears already running down her face.

‘An-An,

You remember that offer we had to go to Gibraltar and do SEAL exercises. I know we turned it down, but, well, I didn’t. They were gonna send us both anyway. I cut them off, made them promise you out of the loop.

I’m sorry An-An but I think I’ve gone way over my head, I got the briefing in secret, even had to sign a bit of paper about not grassing anything. Even then the shifty bastards were holding something back. All I know is that it’s a contest, like Beckworth’s training against the Frenchie version and the Yanks and so on. You’re the clever one girl, couldn’t let you get your brains battered by some German man mountain.

I should be back soon. But it’s a bit dicey and in all honesty sis, I don’t think I’m gonna get through hassle free. If something happens to me, I want you to get the bastards. Find them and find where they live and set their mothers on fire infront of them.

Love you, Ria

p.s, my stash and the moonshine’s is buried under that pine we tied that annoying Alice girl to, and my fags are in the back left bed leg

It was me who snogged Jack Parson that night

Dad died in Wandsworth nine months ago. They buried his body. I don't care, but i thought you should know.

when, or prehaps if; when i think hard on it, i get back i'll go into details and what ever. Don't be too angry, i can still beat you in an arm wrestle!

As a just incase, I took out a life insurance policy, the moonshine’s been paying for it for the last year or so. You’ll be covered on the money front.

I’m still watching out for you girl, do stuff that I wouldn’t do’

Tears streamed down Anna’s face. She tucked the letter into a pocket and stood up, brushing herself down and ineffectually wiping the leaking mascara from her eyes. “If something happens to me, I want you to get the bastards”

Time to pack up. Time to leave. There was nothing here for her now. She had places to go, people to kill and a promise to keep.

There was no sound but the lonely wind and the fading crunch of retreating boots on gravel.