Page 65 of Hearts of Resistance
‘And when we get back, you’ll be the one working to fix that radio and start transmitting while we rest,’ Rose added.
Hazel wondered if they were going easy on her because of what she’d done, but she didn’t say anything. Besides, they were right. Once they were back, she’d be frantically trying to work her radio and there wouldn’t be a moment’s rest for hours.
When they finally made it back to the chateau, her legs almost collapsed beneath her. She walked up the steps, clutching at the door as she passed it.
‘Hazel?’
A noise escaped her throat that sounded like a yelp to her ears as Harry appeared in front of her. His arms opened and she fled into them, clutching on to him and sobbing against his chest. She couldn’t believe they’d made it back. She couldn’t believe what she’d done. She couldn’t...
‘Hazel, it’s all right. Everything’s going to be fine,’ he whispered into her hair, his arms so warm and strong around her, holding her together. ‘Whatever happened, it’s over now.’
She breathed in the scent of him, held him close, giving herself a moment to get her emotions back in check. When she finally pulled back, Harry held her in his arms and looked down at her, concern etched into his face.
‘It’s good to have you back,’ he said in a low voice.
Hazel nodded, lost for words.
‘Where are they all?’ Sophia’s voice broke through her thoughts, and Hazel watched as Harry’s face changed. His hands fell from her arms.
‘They’re out working in small groups. Something about following orders and causing mayhem,’ he said.
Hazel took a deep breath and patted the satchel that was still over her arm. She looked up at Harry and something inside of her warmed all over again.
‘I have to get back to work,’ she said.
Harry nodded. ‘I’ll fix you something to eat.’ And then he stepped forward, oblivious to the fact Rose and Sophia were in the same room. Harry dropped a warm, slow kiss to her forehead and squeezed her arm, not saying another word as they stared at each other for a long moment, before she reluctantly pulled away to dash upstairs.
Sophia and Rose both followed her, but neither said a word about the way Harry had welcomed her. She was pleased, because she had no idea how she felt about what had just happened between them, let alone what to say in response.
‘It’s no use,’ Hazel muttered, cursing herself for ever climbing on that old roof to start with as she fiddled with her set. ‘It was damaged in the fall, and maybe it banged into a tree or something when I was running as well, because I can’t get it working.’
Her frustration was making her top lip damp with sweat, and her heart was thumping loud. She took a deep breath and then started all over again, tinkering with her machine. This was why they’d been given suitcases to transport them in. If she hadn’t put the thing in a satchel, then it might not have become so damaged.
‘Someone’s back,’ Sophia said, frowning and disappearing.
Hazel kept working, letting Rose watch her back as she sat in the attic. But within minutes there was the heavy footfall of a man, and then Mathieu appeared with Sophia behind him. Hazel stopped what she was doing when she saw the unusual expression on Sophia’s face, her eyes wide and her bottom lip tucked beneath her teeth.
‘Rose, I need to speak to you,’ Sophia said. Mathieu stood, still and silent as stone beside her.
‘What is it?’ Rose asked.
Hazel went cold, waiting, dreading what she was about to say.
‘Mathieu would like you to do a solo courier operation.’
‘What?’ Hazel all but hissed. ‘I thought we were supposed to be working together? Why does he need her?’
Sophia looked as worried as she felt, but it was Mathieu who spoke.
‘There was another woman, an agent,’ he said in a low voice. ‘She was preparing to go undercover as a cosmetics representative, but she was taken out recently. Rose is a good match for her. She can use her identity.’
‘Taken out?’Hazel asked, her voice barely a whisper, and she glanced worriedly at Rose. Her friend had stayed silent, her expression impossible to read.
‘The others believe she took her pill, the one issued to you before your parachute jump,’ Sophia said.
Hazel’s hand instantly went to her pocket, feeling the bump of the pill she had sewn in there in case of an emergency. She couldn’t imagine deciding to swallow that, but then the idea of being tortured and losing the opportunity to live, giving up others when you couldn’t survive another moment of it...She breathed deeply, worried for Rose. ‘So you want Rose to take her place? Using her cover?’ she asked Mathieu.
‘She’s going to get you the part you need from another cell, and take money and codes with her,’ Mathieu said. ‘She’ll fit the role perfectly.’
