catch22girl | beginning of nina/mandy

My mind is gone -- this is the beginning but it's not going anywhere, LOL.

Mandy had failed in her mission. Nina was coming for a visit. She wasn’t sure which one she feared more.

Yelena wasn’t the first woman she’d been with, but she was the one who somehow made all men seem like a second choice. The touch of her skin and her husky laugh haunted Mandy for days. It was right after she’d changed her name from Allison, back when her hair was light brown and the only tattoo she had was one which peeled off cheap paper.

Mandy was recruited because she had no fear and was willing to do anything for money. Ideology was a foreign concept, she only looked for the feel of the twenties between her fingers; and that was better than sex and worth all the blood on her hands.

She first met Yelena in a meeting. The gorgeous dark haired petite woman with a blank expression had been sitting behind whomever the boss was that time, probably some man with an agenda and more money than God. Almost all the terrorists fell into one category or another. Usually, Mandy avoided the religious zealots since they didn’t pay as well and it was difficult to demand money from someone who was willing to die for a cause.

Mandy had leaned against the wall and half-listened to the conversation but it was mostly schematics and her part was almost always at the beginning. She closed her eyes, jet lag catching up to her at the worst possible moment, and when she opened them again, the petite dark haired woman was inches from her face.

“You must be Mandy.” She had said coldly.

“I just got in from Ireland,” Mandy had said in as brave a voice as possible. There were only two or three other people in the room, but they were staring at her intensely. She wished she brought another sweater, there was no heat and the Russian air chilled her from the inside out.

The woman had nodded and walked back to her seat.

After the meeting, when the others had left and Mandy was picking up her overnight bag, The woman confronted her.

“You’re lucky he was too drunk to care,” she said, but her expression was warmer and Mandy had this sudden image of what she might look like tied down and naked.

“It was a long trip,” Mandy said, wondering how she felt under that heavy sweater.

“I’m Yelena, you missed introductions.”

Mandy smiled slightly, “You already know who I am.” But she shook her hand anyway, feeling chills that had nothing to do with being cold.

I could easily dominate you, she thought, and wanted to pull her in.

“You’re staying with me tonight.” Yelena said, and walked out the door, waiting for Mandy to follow her.

They walked through the front of the store and out into the snowy night. Mandy tried to take a deep breath and almost starting coughing from the smoke and crisp air.

Yelena smirked and pulled out a flask. She took a swallow and held it out to Mandy. “Want some?”

Mandy grabbed for it eagerly, and took a few deep drinks, feeling the familiar burn and warmth spread through her body.

“Hey, that’s high proof vodka, some of the best Russia has to offer.”

“If I get through this alive, I’ll buy you a case.” Mandy said softly, handing it back to her.

“I think I might keep you to that.” Yelena said, and smiled, which somehow made her appear younger and more dangerous.

“It’s this way,” she began walking down the street. The uneven sidewalk made Mandy stumble slightly, and she realized that drinking a shot or two of vodka on an empty stomach wasn’t such a bright idea but she no longer felt like shivering and even the slums looked beautiful.

They stopped in front of a beat up old car and Yelena climbed in and unlocked the passenger side.

“Did you think I was staying around here?”

Mandy threw her overnight bag into the back seat and sat down, turning up the heat as she tried to brush the snow off her shoulders.

Yelena just shook her head and turned on the car. It started reluctantly.