"Ruby get down here right now,"shouted her mum loudly.
"Coming mum!"
Ruby shut her laptop lid she had just loaded some top secret files to Spectrum. She was now waiting for a reply from Hitch a fellow spectrum agent. When Ruby ran down the stairs she found her mum and dad with suitcases piled around them. "Me and your mother are going now, have fun with your computer course Ruby, although I think you would like it better in Hawaii.
"I will dad, don't worry I think the course will be fun, as I said we get to design are own computers."
"Okay honey as long as your sure, we will be back in 3 weeks Mrs Digby will look after you and Hitch."
Mrs Digby was the Redfort's house cleaner she had been with the family for as long as she could remember and Hitch was Ruby's fellow agent but nobody apart from Ruby and spectrum knew that, so Hitch was the Redforts' butler. Strictly speaking, someone else new about Ruby's secret life and that was Clancy her best friend and even though Ruby wasn't supposed to tell him anything, she did.
A while later her mobile rang. "Yo bozo"
"Hi Ruby can we meet in are usual place"
"Yeah sure meet you there Clancy"
Ruby hung up. She raced down the stairs and burst through the front door before Mrs Digby could make her eat lunch.
When she got there she saw to pairs of feet hanging from the tree she and Clancy usually sat in.
"Yo Clance" she called whilst she climbed the tree "who have you got with you."
"This Ruby is my cousin Alex, Alex this is Ruby."
"What's he doing here," asked Ruby
"Well Alex works for MI6 so I thought you might want to meet him,"
"How come you can just say that without even getting excited,"wondered Alex.
"That's why I thought we should all meet up, Ruby works for spectrum a secret agency that is so secret it isn't even heard of unlike MI6 no offence or any thing but I prefer spectrum more,"
"Thanks Clance but why now do you think to mention Alex,"
"Well it never came up so I thought not to say anything, but the most exciting thing is Alex has been asked to work with a child agent in spectrum and well Ruby you are the only child agent,"
"Clance normally I don't stick to the rules but this is dangerous and we could get in terrible trouble. I mean if Spectrum finds out me and Alex have met before, it could mess up the whole mission, sorry but I've gotta go. See you around guys Mrs Digby needs me."
When Ruby walked away her head was swimming with pictures of Alex. How could she let herself be drawn into him. Clancy stared after her wondering what was up Ruby never stuck to the rules, so why would she stand by them now. As Ruby strolled down the road to her house her watch bleeped a message from Hitch.
Ruby
you are needed meet at beech hut 2,4,B
ASAP!
Hitch
Ruby read the message and ran full pelt to the beach. Something must be wrong, Hitch never used slang ever only in dire emergency's and even then Ruby didn't think he would know ASAP. When Ruby got to the beach she quickly found the hut 2 rows down 4 across and B for blue just in case Ruby didn't figure out the numbers. Ruby burst inside and made Hitch jump so much his trousers turned into jack ups. After Ruby stopped laughing she turned to Hitch,
"So bo... Hitch I mean whats the problem,"
"Spectrum needs you wasn't that clear in the message I sent you or do you think my use of slang was a bit to much?"
"No no the slang was fine but why I got worried you never use slang,"
"Yes well Spectrum now say we have to use text talk encase someone hacks in the line that way it will slow them down when they read it or not,"
"Interesting theory but I think that's stupid can we get going now Mrs Digby wants me home to have lunch soon,"
Hitch looked at his watch it was 11:59 Hitch sighed Mrs Digby always had lunch set out for 12:00 he was going to have to lie.
"You know I don't like to lie but as this meeting with Spectrum is important I will make an exception,"
Before Ruby could reply Hitch turned his back on her and pulled out a fossil of a phone out of his pocket after the second ring Mrs Digby picked up on the Redforts land line.
"Mrs Digby its Hitch,"
"Oh Hitch thank goodness you rang Ruby isn't home yet and i'm getting worried,"
"Don't worry Mrs Digby Ruby is with me I am taking her to lunch so she can enjoy the beach young people these days they just don't appreciate what is on there doorstep,"
"Quite right quite right although it seems a shame to waste this lunch what time will you be back?"
"I don't know Mrs Digby I think I will give Ruby a tour of the place let her see all the fun outdoor things you can do we might not be back until late so don't wait up for us,"
"Oh OK just tell Ruby to be careful I don't want to ring the Redforts on there first day in Hawaii to say something has happened to her, so I shall see you later if not tomorrow morning,"
And with that she hung up with no goodbyes or anything.
"Can't believe she bought that," Said Ruby stunned
"Well you know I do have a certain charm reserved for certain occasions," Grinned Hitch
Ruby didn't even bother to reply she just looked around the hut searching for a possible route to Spectrum all she could see was a moldy toilet and a small dusty cupboard. This must have just been a meeting place thought Ruby so she turned to the exit but stopped suddenly when she saw Hitch open the door of the cupboard and crawled in without thinking she followed him most of the journey was silent so Ruby had plenty of time to think about Alex he was cute,curious and careful the three C's that Ruby always stuck by when she was with boys.
Finally Hitch came to a small vault like door he unlocked it and stepped out into the now blinding light of Spectrum's main office. There was people hurrying everywhere talking in whispers or writing down something. Hitch didn't stop to explain anything to Ruby, he just carried on walking down the first white corridor he turned left then paused to think for a second he then went down some stairs to the bottom floor. Everything was silent here Ruby had noticed the crowd of people slowly going down in number now it was just her and Hitch she kept following him until he came to a wishy washy yellow coloured door.
"This is the Hawaii department," declared Hitch.
"It looks more like a wannabe office," replied Ruby.
"Yes I see your point but Spectrum don't really bother with how do I put this nicely, minor departments,"
"Yea I guess but I don't see why they even bother having a Hawaii office oh sorry department... I mean its not like it gets used does it,"
And with that Ruby pushed open the door and walked into a dirty run down office with a broken chair and a cranky old computer not even a decent desk in sight. As Ruby turned around she saw a boy smirking at her.
"I new you would come," Said the boy.
Ruby was to dazed to reply of course she would be with Alex. Result! she thought. Alex was leaning against the wall looking at Ruby smiling.
"Ummm yes," was all Ruby could manage Hitch decided to step in.
"Ruby this is agent Alex Rider, Alex this is agent Ruby Redfort,"
"Hi,"
"Hi,"
Hitch looked at them and stood next to the closed door after about a minute or so of awkward silence. Alex decided to speak.
"So I guess we are going to Hawaii,"
"Yea I guess do you have any clue about what we are going to do because I don't," replied Ruby Suddenly the door whipped open and a middle age slightly over weight man was standing in the door way trying to look impressive he leaned on the door. In all the commotion Hitch had been squished behind the door and was trapped Ruby and Alex could see his hand poking out trying to catch someones attention.
"Right you lot I'm agent Salmon and I will be leading you through this mission,"barked the man
"If you do well I might even get a promotion from this crappy place," he muttered under his breath
Agent Salmon was hoping for a scared response from the two kids. But all got was them laughing their heads off, because Hitch had managed to get his head lined up with the little window in the door. His face was squished up against the glass making him look like a demented fish. Slowly Agent Salmon turned around hoping that it made him look mean but all failed when he got shocked and fell backwards into the door frame. When Hitch got out from behind the door rubbing his face agent Salmon hopped forwards and whispered in Hitch's ear.
"Sorry about that I've been putting on a few pounds lately I just tell people that I'm well built,"
And with that he stepped backwards not wanting to be in the room longer then he had to. There was a staff room waiting for him filled with chocolate biscuits. Reluctantly he closed the door a walked over to his rotting desk. Instead of switching on the computer he pulled open the front of his monitor and pulled out the latest edition windows laptop. There was a look of shock on Hitch's face when agent Salmon turned around holding the laptop.
"I thought you were only allowed electronics that Spectrum gave you,"said Hitch
"Who said Spectrum didn't give me this,"answered agent Salmon
"Well if Spectrum gave you it, it wouldn't be hidden,"
"Spectrum did give it to me and I have to hide it because if the top floor departments saw it they would be jealous that such a minor office gets such a major thing and now to prove I haven't hidden this from Spectrum I will show you the secret Hawaii department the only Hawaii department in the world apart from Hawaii that Spectrum have specially built,"
"Oh I see,"said Hitch not believing a word of it.
"Here hold this,"Said agent Salmon giving the laptop to Alex clearly not trusting Hitch with it and with that agent Salmon picked up the broken chair and dumped aside he then put the leg that came off it in a hole in the floor next to the desk. He sharply pulled it towards him. There was creak and then the wall of the side of the office started rolling up to revile a state of the art department, not only was it immaculate, it was huge with row after row of computers that were being used and doors leading everywhere.
"The most secure place in Spectrum,"declared agent Salmon.
Please read and review helpful criticism only, I hope you liked my first chapter.
PS:Artemis Fowl will be in the next chapter if you want me to write another one that is.