Chapter 1

At 9:00 am on a Monday morning, I grab the feather duster to dust the many shelves in my room to finish the chores that I have to do for the day before I can start school. On them sit trinkets that I collect through my travels to marvelous places, like Washington DC or the Seven Falls in Colorado. Chores are a daily part of my life that my mom requires me to do every day before I start school. Now that I am about to finish my junior year of high school, I am busy with school trying to finish what I have left to do before the summer begins. Since we just moved to Portofino, Italy, I have my brothers constantly annoying me. Today is already turning out bad and it just continues to get worse.

As I just finish dusting off my shelves, the pattering of little footsteps echoes though the hallways as the oldest of my brothers Alexander runs into my room and hides behind me.

"What are you doing?" I asked impatiently as I put my hands on my hips, "You know you aren't supposed to be in here."

"I am hiding from Chase. He is chasing me," he bouncily exclaimed.

"I don't have time right now to hide you," I said as I guide him towards to door. When he cleared the door, I quickly shut the door behind him to prevent him from re-entering and distracting me.

I sit down at my desk and turn on my computer since dusting the shelves was my final chore for the day. I open my chemistry notebook to find out what I need to do for the day. The top of the page read 'oxidation reduction reactions and how to balance them.' Great, here is another thing to add to my already bad day.

"Robin!" My mom shouts from the other room, "It is your turn to check the mail and it just arrived!"

"Okay!" I answer as slump down in my chair. I begin to start to feel a little overwhelmed with everything that I have to do.

I walk outside to head toward the mailbox. As I walked about a few feet outside the driveway, I hear someone run up behind me. It turned out to be my youngest brother Eragon who is five years old.

"Oh great!" I sigh to myself, "What do you want?"

"Can I help you check the mail?" Eragon asked softly and patiently.

"What makes you think I need help?" I asked a little angry as my face begins to get hot and turn red.

His head sank to his chest, "I just thought that you. . . . ."

"Well I am sorry. You thought wrong. Now please go back inside!" I hissed.

He turns around and begins to walk toward to front door, while every once in a while, he would look back to see if I might change my mind. As soon as he got to the front door, I make a 180 degree turn and started my treck to the mailbox.

Now Portofino is a beautiful place. Where my house is, the view goes for miles around right out to the ocean. Compared to the crowded suburbs of San Antonio, Texas, Portofino is amazing. The only downside is that there are cliffs, very high cliffs at that. I hate heights, and so the cliffs usually offer a heart wrenching stop for me as I am frozen in place. As for our house, it is on one of those types of cliffs so I dread the day that I have to check the mail. But today, it seemed like I didn't notice the cliff's sheer drop that I am so scared of. I just plowed right on through, and walked all the way to the mailbox without hesitation or fear.

I open the mailbox and took the mail. I shuffled through what was there. There were bills for my parents, a newspaper for my dad, magazines for my brothers and the last envelope was addressed to me.

I wonder who would be sending me a letter. I thought to myself. It looked like a very important letter. At first I thought it was from the president of the United States, but as I open the envelope and glance at the top, there was a different seal than the American seal that I knew quite well. I quickly hid it underneath the jacket that I had on so that I can read it alone in my room with no one sneaking in and looking.

When I entered the house again, I had to duck as my brother Anthony threw a ball that almost hit me in the head. Things seem to be in chaos constantly since my siblings are not in school right now. Toys are all over the floor, my mom is constantly yelling at them to be quiet, or I am playing with them when I should be doing school.

"Mom, here is the mail," I said with a smile as I laid the letters and bills in front of her on the kitchen counter.

"Thanks sweetness," She said as she gave me a kiss, "Did you get anything from anyone back in the states?"

"I got a letter, but I don't know who it is from yet. I am going into my room to find out."

"Hey, if your brothers want to play with you, will you please play with them?" my mom yelled after me, "I need to do some work!"

"Sure mom!" I said a little passively.

"What do you got there sport?" My dad asked as he and I found each other in the hallway.

'It's a letter from someone. It looks important. I haven't opened in yet," I answer him a little confused as he snatched it out of my hands.

"The letter has no return address. How do you know it is important?" My dad questioned.

"It just looks important. I have never before seen a letter like this in all of my life," I answered back confidently as I kind of puffed out my chest to show how I was proud of it.

My dad slowly opened that letter as to show that he did not approve of this letter before he reads it. Once the envelope's seal was broken, he took out the letter and began to read it out loud.

"To the most highly skilled young lady in the entire world,

Greetings, my name is Greg Alexander and I am the director of S.A.L.T. (Secret Agents for skiLled Teenagers) I want to inform you that out of all of the teenagers in Italy, you have been picked for your skill with computers and with your sharpshooting abilities. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you and would really like it if you could be on my team. Your mission will be disclosed when you arrive on base. But you need to consent with your parents before you sign on. I would hate it if you left and your parents had no idea where you were. If you accept, there is a badge on the inside folded into a plane ticket there will be someone there at the airport with a similar badge so that you will be protected all the way. If you accept, please use the badge and arrive in London, England no later than by noon on Friday, where there will be another armed escort for you when you get here.

With sincere gratitude and the security of the world,

Director Greg Alexander S.A.L.T.

My father tipped the envelope and out came the plane ticket and the badge. This isn't a scam, I remember saying to myself.

"Honey will you come in here," my dad said as he noticed my mom pass by the hall door.

"Sure honey, what is it?" She asked as she entered the hallway.

My dad thrust the letter into my mom's hands and told her to read it. My mother's face changed from interested to concerned and back to interested during the duration of her reading my letter.

"Wow, that is a big responsibility. What do you think about it Robin?" My mom asked me as she handed me the letter for me to read. After I read it, I looked up at my parents to see what their reaction was. To me, my father looked worried and stressed something I thought my mom would be doing rather than my father. But ever since he got the new job here in Italy, I have never seen my father so worried and stressed about anything.

"I would really like to seize this opportunity, but if you feel that it is too dangerous for me, then I will not go," I said a little upset at the immense decision that was just placed before me.

"I am okay with it, what about you honey," mother asked my father.

He was silent for a while and the look of stress and of worry came over him even more.

"I feel that it is dangerous, but I think that you can handle it," My dad said after some thought and he knelt down to get on my eye level, "Just be careful okay? I don't want to get a letter or a call that you are dead."

"Thanks dad!" I said as I flung my arms around his broad neck. After I released him from the hug, he left the hallway leaving only me and my mother standing in the hall listening to the distant cries of joy from my brothers.

"Is something wrong?" My mom asked me obviously seeing the worry written all over my face.

I began to cry, "Ever since we moved here, it seems as of stress has gotten to him. It's like he is not even here."

"I agree with you that this is a good opportunity but I don't want to add any more stress than father already has. He already has enough stress on him to keep this new branch open."

My mom knelt in front of me. She had a sympathetic look in her eyes as she asked me what I wanted to do. She also said that she would help dad if my choice was to go.

"I want to go. They need me for whatever the mission is and I want to help," I said with determination. I stood straighter and wiped the tears off of my face and smiled at my mother whom I was growing closer to during these months during the move.

"Then go pack!" My mom said as she stood and ruffled my hair.

My packing began at exactly 10:30. Clothes were everywhere as I tried to decide what to bring and what not to. When I finished, I had packed almost every t-shirt, shorts and pants that I had. I am excited as can be. To me it was a dream come true. I watch a lot of TV shows and movies that involve agents or super spies. I always wished to be one and now here I have a chance.

I paused for a few seconds to hear in the background my siblings yelling having a good old time. It gave me second thoughts about my decision and what my future would hold. I sat down and listened for a little while, second guessing myself and not too sure what direction that I wanted anymore. I fought with it in my head for a few minutes before I jumped up to finish packing. I made up my mind at that moment that I was going to do this, no matter what anyone thinks or thought of me.

My mom came into my room to see if I was finished with the packing.

"Yes, Mom. I am done packing. Are we ready to head to the airport?" I exclaimed with a little bit of relief that she hadn't changed her mind yet.

"'We are ready. I want you to say goodbye to your brothers now. It may be the last time that you will get to see them for a while," My mom encouraged as she gave me a hug.

I gave hugs to all of my brothers and gave an especially big one to my brother Timothy for we are very close. A few of them cried but rather they all had fun saying goodbye in their various ways. I tried to avoid my father's worried glare but I couldn't as he rounded the corner of the hallway to see what was going on. I finally had to give him a hug before I left but all the while I stood underneath the glare. I watched him as my mom and I exited the house through the front door. I hoped that the feeling of uneasiness in my heart would be replaced my excitement. But at the same time, I felt some satisfaction and was happy with the results of my choice. I am going to help save the world. Whatever that meant, it meant something of great importance and I hope that it will give the world satisfaction.

The drive to the airport was scary as we went over high cliffs. My fear of heights kicked in really quickly as I just stared out of the car door neither down nor up, but straight across at the ocean.

Once we got to the airport, we had to find the guy whom we were supposed to meet with the badge and the ticket so that I can be on my way to wherever this base was. There were people everywhere. There were some who were American, some who were Chinese and some who were Italian and lived here. But once we narrowed down where the private plane section was, it was easy to find where we thought my plane might be.

My mother and I searched for the agent that was described in the letter that we were to look for. He should have a badge that looks exactly like the one that was given to me. It look us fifteen minutes to locate the man who was to take me to the base. We found him and he acted like he knew exactly who I was, but he still demanded that I show him that badge that was sent in the letter before I was allowed on the plane. The young man looked not much older than I was. He has short black hair and green eyes. He held himself with pride as if he was as excited as I was to be a part of the agency. HE had a thick British accent and I could tell that he loved his country.

"You must be her mom," The agent asked as he extended his hand in greeting, "I have heard a lot about you and how you love you children much. You have trained your daughter well."

"Thank you!" My mom said as she returned the handshake, "I hope that my daughter will be well taken care of as your director has stated."

"She will be. My director never breaks his word," He answered quickly as he started to guide me toward the plane ramp.

I quickly turned back and gave my mother a big hug. It was going to be the last time I would see her for a while.

"Thank you for allowing me to do this," I said with a big smile on my face. I was excited that I was getting to do this. It is not every day that someone like me gets to do this.

"You are very welcome!" She said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Please tell dad, that I will come home as soon as this whole ordeal is over!" I said with a smile.

"I most certainly will," My mom replied and returned the smile.

"Are you ready" The young agent asked.

"Yes!" I exclaimed as I followed him out to the plane.

As I entered the luxurious plane, I could see the logo of the organization plastered almost everywhere, on the walls, on the back of the seats and even on the glass of the windows. There were other agents in the plane and when I entered, they saluted as if I was an important person. Not that I minded or anything, it made me feel like I belonged in the agency already.

The young man that guided me out to the plane asked me to change into a nicer outfit that consisted of a blue plaid colored shirt and some nice slacks that looked like jeans. I went quickly to grab my hair brush from my suit case as I knew that my hair would probably in a mess if I was going change out of my current clothing.

As I exited the stall for the bathroom on the plane, it was time to take off and I was instructed to find a seat and buckle up. The only seat that available was a seat next to this young boy who looked to be my age. He had short brown hair and blue eyes. He just stared at me like I looked like there was something on me that was unusual. I sat down next to him but tried to not look him in the eye.

"So what is your name?" the young boy asked.

"My name is Robin. What is yours?" I asked still not making eye contact.

"My name is Jonathan," He said as he extended his right hand out for me to shake.

"Nice to meet you Jonathan," I said as I turned my head to him and shook his hand.

"Where are you from?" he asked me as he turned his face toward me with a happy grin.

"Well, I am originally from Texas, but my dad was transferred to Italy where my family and I have been living for almost two months," I replied, "Where are you from?"

"I live in Montana with my adopted family," Jonathan confidently exclaimed.

"You are adopted?" I asked with sympathy slightly evident in my voice.

"When I was younger," Jonathan sadly began, "We were at a local movie theatre watching a movie that I was really wanting to see and this maniac came in with a gun, shot my parents and others who were in the room. I managed to duck underneath the theatre seats to avoid the bullets. When I was found a few minutes after they apprehended the man, I was bawling and wanted my mom. But they had to break the news to me that they didn't live through the ordeal. I miss them terribly."

"I am sorry about your parents," I stated. It hurt me to think what life would be like to not have my original parents still alive.

"It's okay. My family that adopted me is one of the best. They have two girls and boys that were adopted. Then they have one girl and three boys that are not. My brothers are sure annoying because I am the oldest one out of them all and they constantly want to play with me."

"I know exactly how you feel," I exclaimed, "I have seven brothers all younger than me and I can't get away from them half the time!"

"But you still love them?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I still love them. But I have a hard time when they are constantly in my way all the time," I said a little half-heartedly, "It has been tough since we moved because they aren't in school yet and don't have any friends. So they have been hanging out around the house."

"What grade are you in?" Jonathan curiously asked.

"I am a junior in high school I will be a senior when the fall semester comes around," I stated.

"Cool!" Jonathan contemplated as he looked out the window of the plane, "I am a junior this year too, but my thoughts are becoming an agent of some sort so my parents and I thought that this would be a good opportunity. Especially since they sent me ever year to a camp that is run by some of the best crime-fighters in America! It's really cool."

"That's cool that you want to be an agent," I said, "This sounds like a good. . . . ."

Just then the pilot of the plane said that we were clear to unbuckle and move around and that is exactly what I did. I kind of wanted to be by myself so I grabbed by backpack from the compartment up above my head and found a corner seat away from everyone and began to draw. Over the next few hours, all I did was draw but the only thing that would come to mind as I drew was my siblings. Especially pictures of my brother Timothy. They weren't the best but, it helped the home sickness that I was having already despite my current urge to get away from my siblings.

It seemed like we flew for forever, but we finally arrived in London, England. The airport was immense and very busy as it seemed like there were people from all over the world coming together at this one spot in the world. Four agents escorted Jonathan and me to a limousine that was waiting for us outside the airport terminals.

When Jonathan and I entered the limousine, there were two other boys sitting there. One had short blond hair that was almost in a military cut fashion and was wearing clothes that almost made him look like he was enlisted in the army.

The other boy had black hair that came over his ears. He was fairly short but still seemed like he knew what he was doing. He had gloves on his hands that had the fingers cut off. It made his look like a gangster.

"So what do they got you guys for?" the blond head asked Jonathan and I. He had a thick Irish accent

"They got us for being really good at what we do." Jonathan answered calmly, "My name is Jonathan."

"And my name is Robin," I chimed in.

"My name is Ace. I am wanted for my knowledge of heavy machinery and guns. My father taught me everything that I know."

"My name is Camino. I specialize in breaking hard to break codes on computers," He stated proudly as he talked with a smile on his face and arms behind his head, "My older brother and I work for an agency in Canada and we break codes for them"

"That is really cool Camino!" I said excitedly, "I love working with computers, but I am really good sniper or good with guns."

Jonathan then chimed in, "I like being a leader but I am really good with tactics and strategies. My whole life, I have been trained by some of the best crime fighters in the history of the United States. They took me in after my parents were killed."

"Well I hope that those skills can be put to good use!" Camino exclaimed.

The car lurched forward as it began to head toward an unknown destination. And thus began a new chapter in my life as well as the lives of the three boys that sat with me that day in the car.