Cold War Stories:- A Helping Hand ( Based on an Original Idea by Arc)

[Stormtrooper1990]

This story came about from a discussion with board member Arc, about a series of stories set during the Cold War period. The first of which is set during the Angolan War of Independence. It is September 1970, and MPLA guerilla Maria de la Cruz as been given a dangerous assignment. She is to infiltrate the government building in the Angolan capital of Luanda and assassinate the recently arrived colonial official Rodrigo Dos Santos. The man is rumoured to be the next Governor in waiting, and his death would send a message to the Portuguese Colonial Authority. However, as Maria is about to discover, help can come from the most unexpected of places. This is her story...



Tuesday 27th September 1970, Rural Outskirts of Luanda 20:00 hours



Maria de la Cruz, knelt by the dead body of the young peasant girl as she stripped off her green MPLA fatigues, in a barn of a farm recently taken over by her cell. Then she had been given the pick of the peasant girls, selecting the one whose clothes would fit her and the credentials that would allow her transit into Luanda. The girl was a pretty little thing, around the age of Maria. Her rustic beauty marred by the neat red hole in the middle of her forehead, where Maria had executed her point blank with a suppressed .22 pistol. The peasant girl had high cheekbones with heart shaped features and almond shaped hazel eyes, her face framed by shoulder length curly light brown hair. Her supple tanned brown skin, a hallmark of her mixed Portuguese-Angolan heritage, a huge contrast with Maria's white tone. At 23, Maria herself was born to Portuguese settlers, her family originally from Lisbon but Maria was born in on a small farmstead and had joined the MPLA, the Angolan Liberation Party out of a sense of rebellion. She was a looker, with smooth cheekbones, rounded features and big brown eyes her long jet black hair tied back into a long ponytail.


Now completely naked, Maria turned her attention back to the dead girl caressing her denim jacket knowing that her clothes would not only fit her but would easily allow her to enter Luanda to begin her mission. Maria had not compunction with shooting the peasant girl, she was just a means to an end. Besides her guerilla training had leached all the humanity from her, allowing Maria to operate as an extremely effective assassin for the cause of Angolan Liberation, useful given her penchant for utilising disguises in her work. Shifting her thoughts back to the present, Maria begin to undress the corpse. She began by unlacing the girls brown work boots, along with her white ankle socks pulling both off her feet one at a time. After she slipped on the socks, Maria leant the girls body against her slipping off the jacket off her shoulders and letting the body flop down back onto the hay, then unbuttoned the girls blue shirt revealing a hint of a white vest covering well formed C-cup breasts. Unfastening the girls dirty jeans, Maria worked them off the dead girls shapely hips, peeling them down the corpses long tanned legs and off her body. Not feeling particularly squeamish, Maria whipped off the girls plain white scanty panties, revealing a small brown clit crowned with a trimmed triangle of light brown pubic hair. Before she slipped on her stolen panties, Maria finished pulling off the girls shirt then hoisting the girls arms up pulled off her vest, revealing well formed buoyant pair of C-cup breasts with full roundel shaped perky dark brown areolas. Maria then got dressed in her stolen clothes, standing over the naked body of the peasant girl, admiring the girls toned athletic body, tight plum shaped ass and supple tanned skin. When she was finished, concealing her pistol in the pocket of her stolen jacket, Maria folded up her MPLA fatigues and walked out of the barn, leaving the peasants body behind.



"Is everything ready, Maria?" Asked her cell leader Luis Montoya, as he walked up to her smoking a cigarette, the background of gunshots punctuating his steps as the cell finished their takeover of the farm. "Yes, Comrade. The peasants clothes and papers will be enough to get me into Luanda." Maria handed him her fatigues as they fell into step besides each other. "Excellent, now comrade what is your name?" Maria smiled as she recalled the peasants name from the stolen papers in her jacket pocket. " Constanza Alvarez, I'am a peasant from the outlying farms. I have come to the city, looking for work." Montoya's face broke into a smile, as they reached a pick up truck. "Go now, comrade. And send a message to our colonial oppressers that there is nowhere for them to hide. Not even the capital." He said as he clapped her slender shoulders with his hands. "For the freedom of Angola!" She cried fixing her superior with a determined stare, as Montoya echoed the cry. Maria then gently released herself from his grasp, got into the pick up trick then after switching on the ignition drove out of the farm grounds, towards the city. Carried forward by the cheers of her fellow guerrillas.



Outside the Government Palace, Luanda. An hour later.


After parking the truck in an alley across from the Government Palace, Maria approached the Government house crouching low. Hiding in bushes, she observed the situation. The Palace was a three storey marble structure, ringed by a 9ft wrought iron fence patrolled by at least two Portuguese Soldiers, armed with M16A2 Rifles. Waiting until there was a gap in the patrol, Maria worked out her next move, in order to infiltrate the palace and kill Rodrigo dos Santos she would need to acquire a maids uniform which should allow her access to the interior, and her target. After a few minutes, Maria saw her opportunity and dashed forward keeping a low profile, squeezing her petite frame through the gaps in the bars and darted to a nearby service entrance with a couple of dumpsters. Crouching low behind the dumpsters, Maria waited for her moment.



Conchita Gonzalez sighed as she hauled bags of rubbish towards the service entrance, lamenting the fact that she wasn't paid enough to clear out the rubbish of the colonial administration. At 21, Conchita had been working in the Government Palace for only six months using what little of the pay she received to keep a roof over her families head. The last thing she wanted was for herself, her sister and mother to be tossed out into the countryside, left to the mercy of the MPLA guerrillas. Conchita was a pretty girl with slightly tanned skin, a throwback to her mixed ancestry, slender cheekbones, rounded features, almond shaped grey eyes. Her medium length brown hair done up in a sensible bun, under her white lace frilly head dress. She was dressed in a light grey uniform dress her name pinned on her left breast, with a white lace apron tied at her waist and sensible black pumps. Conchita huffed as she manhandled two bags of trash through the open service door, breathing a sigh of relief as she reached the dumpster. As Conchita opened the lid, a slender hand clamped around her mouth and before she could let out a muffled cry of surprise, Conchita felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck then nothing at all as she slumped dead in the arms of her killer. She hadn't even registered nor heard the shot that had ended her life.



Maria holstered her suppressed .22 pistol into her jacket pocket, as she dragged the dead maid around the side of the dumpster whose name was Conchita according to her name tag, she was a pretty little thing. Wasting no time, Maria propped the maids corpse against the side of the dumpster and stripped off the clothes she had taken from the peasant girl, down to the underwear and started to undress the dead girl. Ignoring the cold surprised stare on the girl's face, Maria removed the girls lace headdress, shoes and untied the apron from around the maids waist. Then reaching around the girl's back, Maria unbuttoned the maids dress, slipping it loose from her shoulders peeling it down her slim attractive body, working the dress past her shapely hips and down her long toned legs. This left the girl wearing only a matching pair of solid white t shirt bra, enveloping a pair of well formed but small B-cup breasts, and scanty panties. After Maria got dressed in her stolen maids uniform, she concealed her pistol in the aprons pocket, then loosened the scrunchie from the girl's hair copying her bun. When she was finished Maria picked up the girls scantily glad corpse under the shoulders, dragging her over to the open dumpster then leaning the underwear clad body tipped it into the dumpster. After concealing the body with the trash bags, and her discarded peasants garb Maria closed the dumpster lid on the body of Conchita the maid. Straightening her stolen uniform that just about fit her, Maria took a deep breath and entered the Government Palace.


Inside the Government Palace


Using her stolen uniform and a feather duster to sell her disguise, Maria moved through the government palace towards the third floor office of her target Rodrigo dos Santos, heir apparent to the governor's chair. Pausing every once in a while to dust a portrait or a vase, to look as if she belonged there. It didn't take Maria long to find the large double oak doors, that led to the offices of dos Santos, she had memorised the internal layout of the palace using captured blueprints. Taking a deep breath, steeling herself in anticipation for the kill Maria knocked on the double doors. "Housekeeping." She said as she stood by the door, waiting for a reply. After a few minutes she heard a feminine from beyond the door. "Enter." As she entered the atrium to Santos' office, she was confronted by a pretty young woman with long light brown hair, that reached down to her shoulders just coming out of the office to the right. "Yes? May I help you, senhorita?" The woman said in a strange clipped Portuguese accent. Maria appraised her, looking her up and down. The woman looked to be mid twenties, with high sculptured cheek ones, angular features and piercing blue eyes with skin that was much paler than your average Portuguese. Something seemed off about her. Maria noticed she was dressed in a cream silk blouse, knee length pencil skirt and high heels, that just about hugged her figure. Looped earrings, a small silver chain around her neck and a dress watch on the left wrist completed the look. "I have been ordered to clean the governors office." Maria said, gesturing to the door with her duster. The strange woman, who Maria had took to be Santos' secretary crossed her arms under her small B-cup breasts. "I'am sorry but the governor is otherwise indisposed at the moment, you will have to come back later." Maria could have sworn she saw a smirk dance across the secretaries features, also getting the impression that she was also being appraised as well. Maria took a deep breath, resigned to the fact that she would have start shooting to get to her target. A shame, the secretary was very attractive she thought as she reached for her suppressed 22. pistol concealed in her stolen apron.


Seeing the movement, the secretary did something entirely unexpected she smiled. "I wouldn't do that if I were you comrade. We are in the same struggle after all, my MPLA sister in arms." She said as she leaned against the secretary's desk. "Wait a minute? Who are you? How do know I'am MPLA?" Maria said, walking up to the mysterious woman. Before the woman replied, she took off her wig, revealing short blonde hair cut into a pixie cut. "I hate wearing wigs. They make my head itch, something fierce." She chuckled rubbing a hand through her hair, speaking in accented English. "Allow me to introduce myself, comrade. I'am Comrade-lieutenant Anastasia Tereshkova, or Agent Swallow, of the KGB." Anastasia held out a hand, which Maria shook her face full of surprise and awe. "The KGB, here? I'am honoured. My name is Maria de la Cruz, you already know I'am MPLA." Anastasia laughed, a very pleasant sound to the guerillas ears. "Well you don't look a Conchita. That uniform doesn't suit you, I gather you lifted it from a body." It was a statement, not a question Maria nodded. "Suppressed.22, back of the head. Not a drop of blood on the uniform. And yourself?" Anastasia merely smiled. "Very perceptive of you, comrade. Come here I have something to show you." The Soviet agent beckoned Maria with an alluring finger, towards a cabinet behind the secretaries desk and opened it. Maria's eyes widened as she saw the dead body of a young woman, with long light brown hair her beautiful tanned features locked in an expression of surprise, her hazel eyes staring blankly. She was dressed only in her matching black lace push-up bra and low waisted panties, her toned slim tanned body on display. A red circle around her slender throat, was a dead giveaway. "You garroted her? Then stole her clothes. Very impressive comrade." The awe in Maria's voice made the KGB agent playfully blush. "A lot better than a simple bullet, wouldn't you agree? Come, that's not all." As she closed the door on the scantily clad corpse of the real secretary, Agent Swallow walked over to the door to the office of Rodrigo dos Santos, and opened it for Maria. There at his slumped at is desk, dead was no other then Maria's target. "But how, comrade?" Swallow chuckled under her breath, shaking her head. "Trade secrets, my dear Maria. No offence." Maria so much in awe of meeting this beautiful mistress of the craft, that she took no insult. "I understand, comrade. But can you at least tell me how you got in here, and took care of the secretary?" She asked, eager to learn from this enigmatic Soviet. Agent Swallow, laid a hand on her shoulder gently squeezing it. "Well, my dear guerrilla. It went something like this..."


30 Minutes Earlier



Anastasia Tereshkova, Agent Swallow of the KGB crouched low dressed all in black, her head covered by a black balaclava, moved silently towards the high wrought iron face, that ringed the perimeter of the Government Palace in Luanda. She was surprised at the shameful lack of security put on for her by the Portuguese Army. Only two perimeter sentries, and two guards at the guard house, Pathetic, if this were the Soviet Union there would be a platoon of men guarding this place thought Swallow as she squeezed through the bars of the fence. For a country in the grip of a civil war, the Portuguese Colonial Authority had skimped on the security but it only served as a testament to the work of the MPLA. Swallow had read the briefing on the group on her way to Africa, impressed by their struggle to promote the cause of global communism in this part of the world. Arriving at the marble wall of the palace Swallow began her assent, climbing up towards the third floor office of government official Rodrigo dos Santos her target. It took the KGB agent 10 minutes to climb towards the office window, making sure to stick to the shadows hugging the walls as best she could evading the patrols below. As she got there she overheard a conversation between dos Santos and his secretary. "Lucia, make sure I'am not to be disturbed in the next hour I have tons of paperwork to sift through. The MPLA, have been hitting us hard." The reply came from a young female voice. "Of course, senhor. Should I prepare your favourite coffee?" The sound of an office door opening preceded does Santos. " Obrigado Lucia. You do look after me. I have a feeling I'am going to be up, most of the night. Adeus." With that the door to the office closed, as the secretary Lucia sat behind her desk. Smiling, Swallow flexed her garrote silently rolling through the open window behind the unsuspecting secretary. In one smooth motion, swallow looped the wire around the young secretaries throat and tugged once. Lucia's neck broke in one tug, as she was pulled from her chair onto the wooden floor. Swallow caressed the dead girls silk blouse, putting her plan into motion. She stripped off her backpack and all black fatigues, then stripped the dead woman of her clothing including her jewellery. After she finished getting dressed, Swallow took out a light brown wig slipping it over her short blonde hair, the hair being a match to the unfortunate Lucia. Her disguise complete, the KGB assassin picked up the scantily glad corpse of the former secretary, stuffing it into the empty cabinet beside the window along with her gear. Closing the door on the dead woman, Agent Swallow turned to the coffee pot and smiled. It was time to serve Rodrigo dos Santos his coffee...



Present time



"Wow! That was amazing, you are certainly something else." Maria said as Anastasia closed the door on the deceased Rodrigo dos Santos. The KGB agent returned her a smile as she walked the towards the cabinet, opening it to retrieve her gear and backpack giving Maria another view of the dead Lucia in her black underwear. "Thank you, comrade. But we will have time to congratulate each other later. It will do us no good to be caught at a crime scene." She tossed her backpack to Maria as she caught it, before she replaced the brown wig on her head. Maria's euphoria gave way to melancholy. "What's wrong comrade? My Story not riveting enough for you?" Anastasia said as she noted the dark look on the guerrillas face. Maria shook her head. "No, it's not that. What am I going to tell my superiors? They will want a report." The KGB agent merely smiled as she walked towards the double doors. "Tell them that, you killed dos Santos. I was never here, you become a heroine to the revolution. And receive the credit, you deserve it after showing such resourcefulness just to get in here." Maria thought for a moment then a grin spread across her face. "Works for me, what will you do now?" Anastasia beckoned her forward. "I know a bar in the middle of Luanda. Let me buy you a conciliatory drink, it's the least I could do." Smiling Maria fell into step behind her, as the two women made their way out of the government palace, through the service door. Stopping only to redress in her peasants outfit, she left in the dumpster with the dead underwear clad maid, dressed only in her white lingerie. Once she redressed, Maria and the KGB agent escaped through the iron fence and into the night.

[meditions142]

While, as you know, I am more a fan of the non-lethal stories, I have to say I found the scene with Lucia the secretary quite intriguing.

First off, it was very interesting the way we kind of see the scene in reverse. We see the victim and then get a flashback to what Anastasia did to her.

Also, it really sets up Anastasia as a cold assassin who actually enjoys what she does. The way she basically brags to Maria but bringing her over to show her Lucia's body. She just killed an innocent young woman but yet wants to show off her work as a point of pride.

[saker]

First of all, I apologize for the delay in commenting on the story, but I've been busy for a while.
Despite the killings it was a good story. Maria is a ruthless killer, but I imagine her humanity abandoned her during the war. This does not justify but makes clearer why she is so cruel. The context is also fascinating: decolonizations are a turning point in the Cold War, and the USSR played a key role in securing the support of many new African and Asian countries. Keep it up!

[Stormtrooper1990]

First of all, I apologize for the delay in commenting on the story, but I've been busy for a while.
Despite the killings it was a good story. Maria is a ruthless killer, but I imagine her humanity abandoned her during the war. This does not justify but makes clearer why she is so cruel. The context is also fascinating: decolonizations are a turning point in the Cold War, and the USSR played a key role in securing the support of many new African and Asian countries. Keep it up!

Hi Saker

It's no problem, my friend. Thank you, I'am glad you enjoyed the story. It's complex characters like Maria who are the most interesting to write, while I myself don't condone her actions they are understandable given the wider context of the civil conflict in Angola, at the time.

I can confirm that this isn't the last time we will hear of KGB assassin Anastasia. So watch this space.