ruby redshaw chronicles - s.n saunders (fiction book recommendations txt) 📗

FUNEREAL VOICES

When the doorbell rings at four in the morning it’s never good news.


That morning Ruby had just gone back to sleep when she was woken by the chime of the doorbell. It was her guardian Sophie who answered the door a policeman was there. There was something about the way he spoke his voice had an eerie and dull tone to it. Ruby recognised the sound at once as a funeral voice Sophie came to get Ruby up. Holding back tears she told Ruby her mum Rose Redshawl had died in a car accident that morning in Scotland. The setting of her latest fashion shoot she had hit a lorry on her trip home. Ruby was a mature fifteen-year-old girl with pink hair and green eyes that did karate and gymnastics the spitting image of her mother. After the policeman left, Ruby didn’t go back to sleep neither did Sophie they both sat in the kitchen drinking tea in utter silence. Ruby guessed she would not have to go to school for a few days. That day they went to pizza hut to try and lighten the mood when she received a phone call from Go Girl the company her mother had worked for, asking her to come in tomorrow lunch time. Ruby agreed to meet them at their main base just half an hour from her house in South London. Ruby was used to her mum not being there because she was nearly permanently abroad she some times took Ruby. Last time she had taken her to go surfing in Cornwall with Ruby’s best friend Rhianna Whitlock whom she had been in the same class with her entire school life, from preschool right up until now, and had always stuck by Ruby no matter what. Ruby hoped Rhianna could help her through this one .The next day at eleven thirty Ruby left for Go Girls base in South London. She arrived at twelve o’clock when she pulled up in front of the Georgian building which was twenty eight storeys high covered in engraved wood work it all looked like an ancient artefact. She was escorted up to the twenty seventh floors where she was introduced to Miss Scarlet and Mr Barnes.

‘As you can guess this is not a fashion head quarters it is one of M.I.9’s training base…’ Miss Scarlet began.

‘Your telling me my mum was a spy ‘ why doesn’t any one talk to each other in this world!’ Ruby butted in with a slightly frustrated tone to her voice.

‘As I was saying your mum worked as an under cover agent for M.I.9 but unfortunately she was killed on her last mission by a contract killer known as Mary Lewis, I know you hadn’t known
This until I told you and I understand that you may find this a
Bit sudden but…’

‘What were trying to say is will you take your mothers place here at M.I.9? You may have noticed your mum asked you to take up karate and gymnastics this was all part of her preparing you for this moment when you will if you want to take her place here at M.I.9. If you agree you will receive an office and a room for tonight on the floor above. You will begin training tomorrow. If you agree you will receive more details over dinner. Mr Blunt spoke for the first time he had a dull darkness about his voice, which reminded Ruby of the funeral voice the policeman had used.

‘So what do you say Ruby?’ Miss Scarlet asked curiously.

‘Well I don’t know umm maybe’ Ruby answered.

‘Please Ruby it’s a once in a life time opportunity it is what your’ mum would want.’ Miss Scarlet asked pleadingly.

‘Ok I’ll do it for mum’ Ruby answered casually.

‘ What did you say?’ Miss Scarlet said.

‘Well that is jolly good isn’t it! Now go to your room it is next to your late mothers, your office is the room on the left hand side. In your wardrobe you will find a new set of clothes to wear. Then go and meet Mrs Morris she will be waiting in
your office.

‘Any questions?’ Mr Blunt said rapidly as if to say hurry up and get started.

‘No none at all’ Ruby answered and hurried off to get changed.

Once she had a shower she put on the little brown cardigan with a long sleeved pink top with brown and pink combats and matching boots. She pulled on the brown protector pads for her wrists she was ready and went into her office. It was surprisingly spacious compared to the tiny empty bedroom next door. The office contained a desk, a filing cabinet and a computer. At the desk sat Mrs Morris, she swung the chair round so she was facing Ruby, who was sitting opposite her on the leather chair the other side of the desk.

‘Hello my name is Mrs Morris I am in charge of all the gadgets here at special operations M.I.9 I found it quite challenging to take every day objects that a fifteen year old girl would carry with her and turn them into gadgets that will come in handy
So far.’ Mrs Morris said turning round once again this time turning back round with a silver tray, draped over it was a grey moth eaten fabric.

‘Here I have your gadgets this is a sonic lip stick that is activated by twisting it up to full length next I have a pink I-pod you see this blue button on the left hand side where the volume should be? Click it twice and it will self destruct within ten seconds and finally my favourite, a hair grip, you see the sapphire in the middle it holds a camera and a microphone. When you’re on a mission you must wear this at all times. I will have them sent to your room for you right away. You should be going to dinner now. I hope to meet you again Miss Ruby now
I must go.’

With that she was gone. Just like that. Ruby headed for dinner a little early to be sure not to get a little talking to from Mr Blunt. Eventually they entered the room and took their places at either end of the table. Moments later a waiter entered the room carrying a platter of food that he laid in the centre of the table.

‘ Before we start Mr Blunt and I have a mission for you’ Miss
Scarlet said whilst lifting up the platter to reveal not food but a purple folder with the letters C.K.M.L written clearly on the front in yellow ink.

‘Now I bet your wondering what C.K.M.L stands for well it stands for Contract Killer Mary Lewis now you assignment is to track down Mary Lewis and kill her before she kills you all we know is that she’s some where in Berlin, Germany you will be flown out for a five day training course in one of our training camps you can go to your office and pack all the gadgets given to you from Mrs Morris into your rucksack and have a read through the file ok,’ said Mr Barnes

‘Yeah that’s fine Mr Barnes.’ replied Ruby excitedly

Straight away Ruby headed to her office on the floor above to read the file which contained fact files and pictures of and about Mary Lewis they call her courteous killer because she always sent thirty anonymous red roses to the family’s of her latest victim Ruby also found out that she was only twenty one
And that her next victim was to be the German ambassador now Ruby could see why it was so important to track down and kill Mary before she killed the ambassador she quickly read through the rest of the folder. The next day after having a shower she packed the gadgets that Mrs Morris had given her but she put the hair clip in, as she did not know what to expect while away training.

She packed her wash bag which had appeared on the bed in her room some how along with her pink laptop which she also packed in the green Adidas sports bag which was lying at the bottom of her wardrobe how she did not know.

‘Right I’m all packed and ready to rock and roll’ ruby said with determination in her voice


T.C.5
She slowly trudged up to the roof of the building where a black puma helicopter was waiting she climbed aboard and
Found her self entirely alone sealed of from the pilot she found a packed parachute with a note reading (Ruby) and on the back were the instructions on how to put it on. Once she had followed the instructions and put on the parachute the jet-black screen, which separated her from the pilot, slid down and disappeared to reveal a young looking pilot in black shades along side him sat Mr blunt he climbed into the pod in which Ruby was sat

‘Listen Ruby there is no entrance to the camp you have to parachute in to it to get in ok.’ He said sounding dazed ‘you will be jumping in about ten minutes I will guide you through it once you’ve made the jump your instructor will take it and you from their.’

As they continued to drive through the vast empty fields apart from the odd cow here and their they saw nothing. Then they saw it a massive concrete building just put in the middle of nowhere it definitely did not belong. Mr blunt shouted through the wind that it was time to jump Ruby edged closer to the door then it automatically opened as Ruby prepared for the jump she felt the wind on her face and in her hair she felt an adrenaline rush and could here her own heart beat, then she did it she jumped the full 5,000ft to the ground and at 3,000 ft she pulled the string on her parachute and it inflated and she started the process of floating down to earth once she had landed just inside the camp when she landed she looked up and their was her instructor Mr Darren Walsh he quickly informed her on who he was and showed her where to go when she opened her cabin door their were already three other girls in their training clothes as was Ruby they looked rough Ruby thought to her self boy am I in for a rough time ! She plonked her self down on the ever so lumpy mattress with her bag and took out her laptop and sent Mr Barnes an email; arrived safely my cabin mates look