Chapter One

"Target sighted"

"Roger that"

I peered through my binoculars through the back window of the house. The party was in full swing, and everyone had been invited. I, of course, had to make some sort of excuse not to go – I preferred to watch my suspects from a safe distance. Ugh, it was just disgusting. The way she waved at everyone daintily before rushing up for a hug. The way she smiled, oh-so-genuinely, at all of her friends. Her tinkling laughter was glass shards, rattling around in my skull.

I'd had a hunch, from the moment I met her, that she was the one our agents had been looking for all these years. The immortal girl. Charming, until you read her file, until you saw what she truly was. A monster. A beautiful, soulless killer. With her perfect features, bubbly personality and adorable demeanour, she was an instant hit and everybody loves her. But not a day has gone by where I haven't feared for my friend's lives. I made a point to not become close with her, but everyone else was oblivious to the danger. Every night for the last two years I have lain awake well into the early hours of the morning, waiting to hear the call that she has claimed another victim. But she hasn't, yet.

"AJ to Otter, over"

"Otter to AJ, nothing yet"

"Is she still there?"

I glared through my binoculars at her. Die, I thought. Just die.

"AJ to Otter, do you read me?"

"Read you loud and clear.

She's still there"

"Otter to AJ"

"This is AJ to Otter. Any news?"

"She's just leaving the building. Front door."

"Should I -"

"No. Not yet. Wait until she gets into her car first. And just follow her this time."

"Roger that. AJ over and out."

I sighed, and packed my radio and binoculars into my bag. It took me two seconds to shimmy down the tree I was in and duck behind a large shrub, pausing to check if anyone saw me. I raced across the road and dove behind a low garden wall. After a couple of minutes, a small silver car drove past, followed at a distance by an unmarked black van. Conspicuous, yes, but sometimes it helps. As Alice says, it's so overt, it's covert. Carefully, I crawled on my belly behind the wall until I felt a tire in front of me. Fumbling with my keys, I stood up and mounted my motorbike, exchanged my mask for a helmet, and roared off into the night.

I dumped my helmet on the garage shelf and strode inside. Everybody stood and saluted me as I entered, but I waved them back down again with a slightly embarrassed smile. I still wasn't used to being this important yet. "Come on guys, it's me. You don't need to make such a big fuss every time I walk into the room." I grinned.

"Captain?" Alice hurried over, boots clicking on the hard laminate floor. "Captain, we've got big news."

I settled myself into my new chair at the head of the table. "Ooh, excellent. Give it here and let's have a read. And what did I tell you about calling me Captain, Allie? We've been friends for, what, eight years?" She handed me the folder, and saluted me again in mock seriousness. "So sorry, Captain. It won't happen again."

I frowned, and she giggled back. God, she can be annoying sometimes. Opening the folder, I turned my attention to the hastily scribbled notes and the Insta-print photographs. They were a tad blurry, but then again, she had been in a hurry.

From what the agents had gathered, she was meeting someone in a park. They talked for a while, She gave him what looked like an envelope and then they parted. No big deal, although the envelope was certainly worth looking into.

One of the pictures caught my eye. "What have we here…?" I stood up and carried it over to examine it more closely under the light. It was a picture of a boy, about our age, talking to Her. I couldn't make out his features very well, but from what I could see he had brown hair and a tan – and was fairly good looking, too. Nice figure. Not really my type though. But –

"Oh God."

"Capt – India? What's wrong?" Alice rushed to my side, and I handed her the photograph.

"Would you mind scanning this and checking to see if we have him on record?"

She nodded, and click-clacked over to one of the computers. She slid the photograph into the scanner, clicked around a few times, and waited a moment. I stood next to her, and we both peered intently at the screen. After what seemed an age, the result popped up onscreen with a metallic 'bing'.

"Name: Jace Gilmor. Age: Unknown. Ethnicity: British (equiv.)" Alice read aloud from the screen. She quickly scrolled past his basic info, down to what we like to call the 'Super-Dooper Double Secret Files'. This was where we kept the information that defined a person for what they were. After tapping in a couple of passwords, the file came up, and we both gasped in unison.

Origin: Helven

"Shit."

"Tell me about it."

Alice turned to me, concern furrowing her brow. "What are we going to do?"

Frowning, I paced the room. "Is he on the threat list?" I asked.

Click click.

"No. He's not dangerous. In fact, we aren't even sure that he's aware that he's Helven."

"Any discernable skills?"

"Not apparently."

I stopped pacing, and plunked myself down in a chair. "Huh. So, why does she want him?"

Alice scrolled through some more pages. "I don't know. I can't seem to find anything that makes him stand out from the rest of them."

I steepled my fingers and rested my chin on the tips. "Is his whole family here? Are they rich? Maybe she just needs money."

Click click.

"Nope. It's just him and his younger sister."

"Hmmmmm."

I resumed my pacing, and Alice leant in almost comically close to the screen, reading intently.

"Does his sister have any skills?"

"Nope."

Back and forth. What does she want? Back and forth. Why does she need him?

Click click. Scroll scroll scroll. Click click. Scroll scroll.

"Ugh! Why in the name of UNDERCRACKERS does this have to be so damn difficult?" I yelled to no one in particular. The other agents had left by now, leaving my exasperation to bounce around the empty room. Alice peeled her eyes away from the screen, and looked at me. "Well," she said slowly, "maybe it's really obvious. Like, maybe she just thinks he's hot and felt like dating a fellow alien for a change."

I snorted, but then realised she was serious. "Oh. Um. Right. Ok."

She brought his picture up again, and we both looked at it again. Light brown hair, tan, brown eyes, British –

"Catherine."

Alice frowned at me in confusion.

"What?"

"He looks like someone Catherine would give her kneecaps for."

"But – but she doesn't have any kneecaps. She lost her legs in the Singapore War five years ago, against that smuggling gang. You were there, remember?"

"No no, not Agent Rum. Stokes. Catherine Stokes."

"Oh."

"Do you realise what this means?"

"India, I haven't met your Catherine."

"It means that she's using him as bait!"

I leapt up and pranced furiously around the room.

"What a despicable thing to do!"

"India, I honestly wouldn't know. I've never met your Catherine."

"This is terrible!"

"India - "

I ran over to her and grabbed her shoulders, giving her a little shake.

"Alice, I need you to watch him like a hawk, ok? I need to know where he goes, who he meets, and why. Do you understand?"

"I - "

"Do you understand what I am saying?"

"I – yes."

"Good. Now find out where he lives, we need to send a small squad over to wait until morning. I want to know everything that happens, LIVE."

Alice sighed in exasperation, and turned back to the computer. She clicked around a few more times, printed a few sheets of paper, and called in a team over the intercom. I left quietly while she was briefing them, and made my way back to the garage. Jamming my helmet on my head, I sprung back onto my bike and cruised out. It was going to be a long day, and I needed to be home in time to see Cat and Lulu off for their trip.

Their trip…

The envelope.

Plane tickets.

"Shit."