Chapter One: The Beginning of the End
I stepped out of Sloane's office. I had gotten six months of vacation time. I was free! I didn't know that my little free time would be ruined so soon in the day.
Dad signaled me and I followed him into an empty room.
Me: Dad, what is it?
Dad turned on his pen.
Dad: We have a briefing with Vaughn today, at one.
Me: What do they want!
Dad merely shrugged.
Dad: I don't know.
I left the room a few seconds later. It was nearly eleven now. I decided to get some lunch. I was starving. I got in my car and drove to Kentucky Fried Chicken. I decided to be nice and order food for everyone. By then it was nearly twelve.
I drove to the warehouse with the hot food. I grabbed the food and walked into the warehouse confidently. I looked for Dad, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I saw Vaughn. He turned around.
Vaughn: Hey.
Me: Hey.
Vaughn looked at the food I brought.
Vaughn: How'd you know that I love chicken? Especially Kentucky Fried Chicken.
I smiled and stored that tidbit in my mind for future use.
Me: I was looking for food and this is what I found.
I paused.
Me: Where's Dad?
Vaughn: There's been a change of plans. We're meeting at your mother's holding cell. He's already there.
Me: I don't want to go jogging now.
I pouted. Vaughn smiled.
Vaughn: We don't have to. There's an elevator over there.
He pointed at a large, rusty, steel door.
Me: Oh, okay.
Vaughn pressed some buttons and we got in the small elevator. It was a little cramped in there. I didn't care. I mean, it only made me closer to Vaughn.
We went down many a floor before the door opened. We breezed by Kendall without a word. I walked down the hallway nervously.
I saw my father after I went through all of the gates. He was standing there, glaring at mom. He still held her in such high contempt.
Me: Hey Dad! Want some chicken?
Dad smiled.
Dad: No thanks. I already ate.
Me: Oh, okay. Mom, do you want some?
Mom: Sure. The food here is crummy anyways. Thank you dear.
I passed Mom the chicken. I then gave some to Vaughn and ate some myself. We all ate in silence for a few moments.
Mom: This is nice.
Wow! That was random.
Mom: Reminds me of happier times.
Mom then gazed pointedly at Dad. Dad looked away. How could he not see that. She was still in love with him.
Vaughn looked a bit surprised.
Me: She means that you're part of the family.
Vaughn smiled.
Vaughn cleared his throat.
Vaughn: Here's the mission. Irina said that she hid all the intel she found on Sloane in a remote place. Now, Irina, are you going to tell us where this vital intel is?
Mom: It's at Third Street School in Maryland.
Vaughn: Here are your plane tickets.
Vaughn handed us all the plane tickets. But what surprised me was that he handed one to Mom. Was she going on this mission with us? And why did Vaughn have one?
Vaughn: Weiss came up with the aliases, so don't be mad at me.
He passed out folders and i.d. cards.
Vaughn: Sydney, you are Soleil Leilani Derevko. I am your...uh...fiancé, Matthew Robert Graham.
As Vaughn said that, he looked nervous. Was he afraid of my reaction or my dad's, I wondered.
Vaughn: We will be subbing for Miss Grotke's Fourth Grade Class. We are from Kansas. Jack, you are Ivan Mikhail Smith. You are married to Laura Elyse Smith, which is Irina. You are from New York. You will be kindergarten teachers.
Dad: WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU SMOKING! IRINA WILL NOT BE MY WIFE, NOT EVER!
Mom looked downtrodden. I felt sorry for her.
Me: You were married for years. You probably won't have to fake the chemistry.
Mom perked up at that.
Me: That's it, right, Vaughn? Thank-you.
Vaughn: No. Here's our apartment number and location. And here's your parents. We leave tomorrow at six. I'll pick you up. Bye.
We left using the elevator. This would be an interesting mission. Me and Vaughn. Mom and Dad. This would be a mission to remember.
TO BE CONTINUED.....................................
I stepped out of Sloane's office. I had gotten six months of vacation time. I was free! I didn't know that my little free time would be ruined so soon in the day.
Dad signaled me and I followed him into an empty room.
Me: Dad, what is it?
Dad turned on his pen.
Dad: We have a briefing with Vaughn today, at one.
Me: What do they want!
Dad merely shrugged.
Dad: I don't know.
I left the room a few seconds later. It was nearly eleven now. I decided to get some lunch. I was starving. I got in my car and drove to Kentucky Fried Chicken. I decided to be nice and order food for everyone. By then it was nearly twelve.
I drove to the warehouse with the hot food. I grabbed the food and walked into the warehouse confidently. I looked for Dad, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I saw Vaughn. He turned around.
Vaughn: Hey.
Me: Hey.
Vaughn looked at the food I brought.
Vaughn: How'd you know that I love chicken? Especially Kentucky Fried Chicken.
I smiled and stored that tidbit in my mind for future use.
Me: I was looking for food and this is what I found.
I paused.
Me: Where's Dad?
Vaughn: There's been a change of plans. We're meeting at your mother's holding cell. He's already there.
Me: I don't want to go jogging now.
I pouted. Vaughn smiled.
Vaughn: We don't have to. There's an elevator over there.
He pointed at a large, rusty, steel door.
Me: Oh, okay.
Vaughn pressed some buttons and we got in the small elevator. It was a little cramped in there. I didn't care. I mean, it only made me closer to Vaughn.
We went down many a floor before the door opened. We breezed by Kendall without a word. I walked down the hallway nervously.
I saw my father after I went through all of the gates. He was standing there, glaring at mom. He still held her in such high contempt.
Me: Hey Dad! Want some chicken?
Dad smiled.
Dad: No thanks. I already ate.
Me: Oh, okay. Mom, do you want some?
Mom: Sure. The food here is crummy anyways. Thank you dear.
I passed Mom the chicken. I then gave some to Vaughn and ate some myself. We all ate in silence for a few moments.
Mom: This is nice.
Wow! That was random.
Mom: Reminds me of happier times.
Mom then gazed pointedly at Dad. Dad looked away. How could he not see that. She was still in love with him.
Vaughn looked a bit surprised.
Me: She means that you're part of the family.
Vaughn smiled.
Vaughn cleared his throat.
Vaughn: Here's the mission. Irina said that she hid all the intel she found on Sloane in a remote place. Now, Irina, are you going to tell us where this vital intel is?
Mom: It's at Third Street School in Maryland.
Vaughn: Here are your plane tickets.
Vaughn handed us all the plane tickets. But what surprised me was that he handed one to Mom. Was she going on this mission with us? And why did Vaughn have one?
Vaughn: Weiss came up with the aliases, so don't be mad at me.
He passed out folders and i.d. cards.
Vaughn: Sydney, you are Soleil Leilani Derevko. I am your...uh...fiancé, Matthew Robert Graham.
As Vaughn said that, he looked nervous. Was he afraid of my reaction or my dad's, I wondered.
Vaughn: We will be subbing for Miss Grotke's Fourth Grade Class. We are from Kansas. Jack, you are Ivan Mikhail Smith. You are married to Laura Elyse Smith, which is Irina. You are from New York. You will be kindergarten teachers.
Dad: WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU SMOKING! IRINA WILL NOT BE MY WIFE, NOT EVER!
Mom looked downtrodden. I felt sorry for her.
Me: You were married for years. You probably won't have to fake the chemistry.
Mom perked up at that.
Me: That's it, right, Vaughn? Thank-you.
Vaughn: No. Here's our apartment number and location. And here's your parents. We leave tomorrow at six. I'll pick you up. Bye.
We left using the elevator. This would be an interesting mission. Me and Vaughn. Mom and Dad. This would be a mission to remember.
TO BE CONTINUED.....................................
