8:25 am.
My alarm clock beeped, breaking the stifling silence in my small bedroom.
I rolled over on my back, squinting as I took in the sharp light streaming in through the cracks of my sheer curtains, shielding my windows.
Another sweltering day in , I sighed.
And another day as an agent.
What was in store for me today?
Interrogating? Running? Hunting?
I fumbled around in the dim light for something to change into, my hands instinctively landing on a black sport racerback tank top and black leggings.
I looked at the clock.
8:26.
Four minutes now.
The escort would be picking me up at 8:30 sharp.
I smudged black eyeliner into a cat-eye shape, and tied my hair back into a dark, sleek ponytail that brushed the small of my back.
Standing back, I looked in the mirror.
No more good girl.
I grabbed my two knives from the top of the dresser.
I think I'm ready.
The squeal of tires echoed through my front hall as I was lacing up my black and white Nike sneakers, and I rushed outside onto my front walkway to see a Republic soldier holding the black Chevy's back door open, and standing in a sharp solute.
Sliding onto the smooth black leather of the backseat, I took in the surroundings of the car.
Two soldiers this time, both in standard ground level arms attire. But why two? Something must have happened. To my left, my training partner, and best friend, Selene, was looking at a newspaper clipping, which was taped to a manilla folder.
"Morning, Selene," I said quietly. I was afraid to talk any louder in the hushed compartment.
"Hey Levana," she whispered back, "look at what my Commander found in the news a few days ago. Something came up about it last night too"
She held out the clippings, and I read the title:
New Jersey boy suspected of teen disappearance
Underneath the bold font, there was the February 18, 2045 news article of one teenager (aged 13-14) who went missing (Most people have given up on her since she was discovered missing five years ago, which somehow therefore means she's dead).
"Is the boy in our headquarters or something?" I addressed the soldier in the passenger seat.
"Yes, ma'am, we were finally able to track him down and keep him for interrogation."
"Isn't a concern he was only two towns away from me?"
"It's now not a problem, ma'am."
I sat back in my seat, arms crossed. There must be something they were hiding; they didn't meet my eyes.
As I studied the article's details closer, I heard a loud grating noise outside (later realizing it was the barbed wire gate opening), and realized we were already at the headquarters; a modern, glass-paneled building, bright against the drizzly, grey skies. Soldiers were marching in 2x5 formations around the landing dock. They were also standing beside every exit.
I frowned. This was unusual.
This boy must be more dangerous than I thought a 17 year old could possibly be.
After he parallel parked next to a tank, the soldier driving finally addressed me.
"Levana, Selene, you have been ordered by your Commander to exit the car, go straight to the lobby of Batalla Hall, and meet up with Captain Winn. She will fill you in on the situation." Then, he hopped out of the car, took a sharp left turn, and blended in with the crowd of other ground level soldiers.
I jumped out of the car, with Selene behind me.
We shoved our way towards Batalla Hall (Where all agent offices are located), which was hard, seeing we were probably the youngest, being 13 and 14.
Finally, we broke away from the throng, and stood inside the soaring glass front hallway.
A figure broke away from the bustling people, most clad in black and white business suits, and headed in their direction.
Captain Winn.
She had an escort of two Batalla Guard soldiers, I could tell by the navy patch on their left sleeve.
"Agents Levena and Selene, I see you made it," she said, smiling.
"Er, yes we did," Selene muttered, "now what do you want us for? I was kind of busy when you called about some 'emergency'"
While they were having this long conversation, I examined my surroundings closer.
They were standing at the head of a long hallway, which had various doorways spreading out like veins.
Workers holding electric screens bustled back and forth, and as Commander led us down a long dimly lit hall, the talking died away, and we stopped at another large room with tall ceilings.
"This is the new training room for you, your old one is being used for interrogation purposes," she said.
I shrugged. Why did it matter? I only went to the training room for extra practice, which apparently, I didn't need.
"You have peer evaluations for knife throwing and a virtual combat exercise planned for today," she said, already backing out the door. "If you have any questions, call me, but right now, you're on your own."
Then she rushed off. Guess she was busy.
Whipping around, I took one knife out from the sheath at my waist, and threw it in some wild direction (toward the dartboard) and without even aiming, it hit only two inches away from the bullseye.
Wow, my aim needs some work.
"Nice throw," Selene called, who seemed awestruck, from across the room, near the illusion room.
She picked up her own knife and threw it, but it wobbled through the air and the handle smacked a foot away from the target and landed on the ground.
"Dammit, I've never been good, I guess," she laughed.
"It's fine, you just started" I called back, picking up our knives. I handed hers back and she threw it onto the counter where it skidded to a halt next to a stack of files.
"So who do you think this criminal boy is?" I wondered aloud, adjusting my stance to throw again.
"This public ID file says his name is Jack." She squinted as she picked up a red folder and studied the fine font.
"From the Port Jefferson area, no absolute location, he's relatively tall, being 5'7'', he's 17, as we know, and apparently handsome, well, according to his profile picture" she started. "We don't have too much information about him, for some reason, but we do know he has been suspected of many crimes, and in the end was proven to be innocent. Perhaps this is the first time he's really done it."
I opened my mouth to laugh at the 'handsome' part, but then I heard static come over my earpiece, then Commander Winn's voice.
"Levena, you're being called in for duty. Report to room 35A now. Hurry!"
I didn't say anything, I just ran out, leaving Selene behind.
But I didn't know where I was going.
