Afsoon moved with catlike grace along the corridor of the British Embassy in Azerbaidistan, her gum rubber sandals soundless on the thick wool carpeting. She found the door to the Code Room locked, but a few deft manipulations with her lock picking tools opened it. The room stank of ozone as it also contained the wireless transmitter used to communicate with the central office in London.
She carefully opened the drawers of the desks one by one looking for the code book, then searched the radio desk and console finally finding it under a sheaf of messages marked 'Most Urgent'. The sound of footsteps sent her leaping into the shadows, relying on her skin tight hood and suit of black silk to offer concealment.
The door swung open and a man in uniform entered holding a candle. He rummaged in a desk for a moment, found what he was looking for and departed, none the wiser that Afsoon could reach out and tweak his moustache if she chose.
Slipping the code book into a pouch on her belt, she made her way back down the hall to the second story window where she had entered, opened it carefully, climbed onto the sill and slid down a rope secured to the ornate masonry with a grappling hook.
Moving quickly, she threaded her way through the embassy's back garden towards the security gate she had jimmied open earlier. "Halt! Halt or I'll shoot," said a voice from the darkness. Afsoon stopped in her tracks, not moving a muscle as a young soldier, rifle pointing at her, stepped into view.
"You are trespassing on private property. You are under arrest. Do not move or I shall ..." A stunning blow brought him to his knees and another lay him out on the ground.
"I wondered where you were," Afsoon whispered to Farisa emerging from a hedge holding a short club. "I have the code book. Let us be gone." They ran through the gate, Afsoon jamming the lock to slow pursuit, disappearing down a succession of dark alleyways, finally entering an unmarked door.
Several men in hoods and brown robes sat in a half circle about a table illuminated by an elaborately finished glass chandelier. Afsoon and Farisa stood before them and waited.
"You have the code book?" one said.
Afsoon placed it on the table.
The men passed it among themselves, flipping the pages.
"It is good. You may go," said another. The women turned on their heels and went out the door, closing it behind them.
"An excellent training exercise," said one.
"Well executed with a minimum of fuss," said another.
"I deem them ready," said another.
"I shall inform the Sultan," said another. They arose from their chairs and disappeared through a hidden door, the room going dark behind them.
***
Ghazi Kamel bin Nawwaf Risay, General of the Armies, was relaxing in bed with his most favored houri when a messenger arrived bearing a small linen pouch. Upon opening it he discovered a gold ring set with a ruby of uncommon size and quality; worth a king's ransom, no doubt. His eyes glittered.
"Such a beautiful ring," exclaimed the woman.
Risay smiled. Only his former lover Mada knew of his fondness for rubies. She had not forgotten him. One day he would rule Azlan's kingdom and she would be his once again. He slid the ring on his finger, barely feeling a pinprick on his skin.
"Is it not beautiful, Nejia?" he began, then stiffened and began shaking violently, a bloody foam forming on his lips. She ran for help and when they returned Risay lay grotesquely contorted on the floor, face frozen in a rictus of exquisitely painful death.
***
A 'clerk' bowed before the Sultan saying "The traitor is dead, sire."
"Allah's will be done," was the reply.
***
Afsoon watched with pride as her lover Farisa dueled with two members of the Black Legion, her lithe body twisting away from their cuts and thrusts, striking them each in turn with her wooden practice scimitar until the instructor called a halt.
"That is enough for today. Well done, Farisa. I must admit I had my doubts when you were selected for training in the Legion, but as usual, the Sultan was correct in his judgment."
"I am honored by your compliment, Muizz," she replied. "I shall strive to do even better in the future."
He turned to address the other combatants when Farisa saw Afsoon watching and went to her. They embraced and kissed passionately, no longer fearing to express their love in public.
"You were magnificent, my love," Afsoon said happily, not caring that the sweat from her lovers scantily clad ebony body was staining her blouse and pantaloons of fine silk.
