A Harsh Winter
"Shakira Rider?" Mrs. Cobbler called. No one answered, as usual. She also missed a lot of school. Her family did have a history for missing school too. Her father, Alex Rider, missed a lot of school during his teenage years. Especially years 14 and up. He also attended Brookland, in Chelsea, England.
"Do you know where Shakira is, Miranda?" Miranda Lee looked up, startled. She caught off guard when Mrs. Cobbler asked. She knew where Shakira was, but she wasn't going to tell Mrs. Cobbler the truth.
"She's traveling in South Africa. Didn't I already tell you that, last week?" The class briefly laughed before Mrs. Cobbler's face lit red hot.
"Alright. Class, you can thank Miranda for giving you a two thousand word essay about Queen Elizabeth the First. From when her parents were together until her death." Mrs. Cobbler spat angrily. Everybody grumbled and sarcastically thanked Miranda for their homework. Also Mrs. Cobbler just finished calling role and was now going into the usage of adverbs. Miranda was still on Shakira's subject, though. Shakira and her father both worked for the MI6. Shakira and her father, Alex, were down in Pretoria, South Africa on a surveillance mission. They were trying to spy on the American Governor of California. MI6 suggested he was in contact with old KGB members, who fled to South Africa. She has been there since Monday of last week. And it was now approaching winter. And South Africa was known for its harsh winter.
"Detention, Miss Lee. Tomorrow."
"What? I wasn't doing anything!" Miranda shouted.
"You weren't paying attention after I called your name three times. And pretty loudly too."
"But—"
"Don't argue you with me. Ray, you and Miranda trade seats." Mrs. Cobbler turned around and started writing something about Queen Elizabeth the First. Miranda picked up her binder and notebook, with her arm-bag and trudged down to Ray Zone's seat.
Miranda muttered "Bitch" to herself.
"What did you say?" Mrs. Cobbler turned around.
Apparently not just her.
"Nothing, Mrs. Cobbler." Miranda sweetly grumbled.
"What did—"Mrs. Cobbler was cut off.
"I said nothing! You know the word 'Nothing'? Ever heard it?" The class didn't dare laugh out loud.
"Detention. Starting tomorrow and ending Friday of next week."
"Are you crazy?" Miranda spat. Mrs. Cobbler was getting on her nerves.
"Shut up and copy these notes down." Mrs. Cobbler slammed her ruler on top of Miranda's desk, scaring and startling Miranda.
"Am I clear?"
"Crystal." Miranda smirked. She would be grounded but for right now, it was so far worth it. She wasn't much for a trouble maker, except on occasions like this. Over stupid stuff, really. Miranda huffed and puffed before grabbing her pencil took down the notes. A class discussion was started and ended with a Philosophical Debate. Miranda didn't participate because she went ahead and started to do the essay, as were a few others, including Julisa Anderson, her cover girl.
She had gotten to her second page, before she felt her phone vibrate. She wasn't supposed to have her phone until the last bell rung for the students to go home, but she didn't care. She put her arm bag on her lap, to look like she was searching for something. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and flip it open:
NEW TXT MESSAGE
Shakira Rider
April 4, 2032 1:24pm
Shakira never texted her on missions unless it was an absolute emergency. Which she never did. Oh Crap, Miranda thought bitterly. She clicked okay and she could have threw up.
Meet me at the Royal and General Bank
On Liverpool Street in 20 minutes.
It's important, don't be late.
Miranda didn't reply, but Shakira knew Miranda had gotten it. Miranda would be there. Then Miranda texted Julisa:
Got to go.
Cover me.
Julisa felt her phone vibrate, looked at the text and nodded.
"Hey, that kid is trying to skip!" Julisa screamed. She pointed to the window and everybody got out of their seats to see what was going on. That's when Miranda took her chances. She grabbed her books and slammed them into her bag and ran for the door. Once out she took off running, leaving the school. She ran forward, never expecting what would happen next.
Shakira and Alex Rider were sitting in the lobby of the Royal and General Bank on Liverpool Street.
"You think she'll be here?" Alex asked.
"Yes, I know she will be here." Shakira said with no emotion in her voice. The MI6 did that to a girl. And sure enough, the fourteen year old, blonde hair and blue eyed girl walked in. Her long bleach blonde, almost silvery straight hair swinging around as she twirled her hair around, looking for her best friend. Once she found Shakira, she started to run. She ran right into Shakira's open arms. The girls were two best friends. Sisters. Shakira's brown, curly tawny hair color looked foreign against Miranda's silvery blonde hair. Shakira had inherited Alex's eyes and his and Sabina's hair color for hair.
"Hey, Mr. Rider." Miranda smiled and sat down on the couch between the two.
"Hello Miranda. Are you ready?" Alex asked.
"Ready? Ready to get something to eat, then yes." Miranda giggled.
"No. You're in this place for a reason."
"You're about to meet some people." Shakira pulled on Miranda's arm to get up and drug her to the elevator.
"Can I ask something?"
"You just did." Alex laughed. She was so bubbly; it made everyone around her giggle.
"Why are we meeting in a bank, then going some place else to meet 'People'? Anybody got a clue?" She was so silly. But then again, she can serious in a flash. She would be very dangerous to have her in the spy field. Miranda looked around, noticing the eye-scanner Alex just got done using.
"They probably have body scanners too. And finger print scanners."
"Well, this is an important place. It's not just a bank, Mandy." Shakira giggled.
"Get serious girls. We're here." Alex stepped out unto the floor first, followed by Miranda and Shakira. A man and a woman were standing at the elevator opener, apparently the people they were supposed to meet. The man had a head-full of Gray hair, with huge, bushy eyebrows. He had gray eyes and spectacles that looked like Harry Potter. His skin was a white clammy color, like he'd been sick recently. The woman had brown hair with delicate looking brown eyes that showed no mercy, or for that fact no emotion. She had gray streaks in her hair, but not as bad as the man.
"Please, come this way." The man spoke meanly.
Miranda followed the other four, being the caboose. They walked into a conference room that turned into a huge office. Three huge flat screens hung in the background, several computer monitors placed on the conference table with note pads and pens that looked as if it were a hundred years old. Raggedy looking. There were two chairs on one side of the desk and three on the other. They were expecting them.
"Hello Alex and Shakira. Hi, my name is Mr. Blunt and this is Mrs. Jones, Miranda. We are the head of the Special Operations for the MI6." Miranda couldn't believe what she had heard. She quickly closed her trap and thought of a question.
"Mr. Blunt, how come you know my name?" Miranda whispered.
"We research people before they enter any other floor of this building. Except of course, the first floor. The actual Royal and General Bank. We have asked you here for a very important issue that concerns you." Mrs. Jones chirped in.
"And if you do this, we will tell you more about your mother and father." Miranda's heart stopped pumping.
"What is it? What do you need?" Miranda was serious and a little disturbed.
"Your mother didn't commit suicide. And Matt is not your real brother," Mr. Blunt, bluntly said. "If you wish to know more you will do what we ask of you. And it's not dangerous." Mr. Blunt flat out lied. Miranda detected it but let it slide.
"Why would the MI6 be involved with my mother's death?" Miranda asked. A few seconds went by and Miranda put two and two together.
"She was an agent."
"A very good one at that. Listen, read these files and report to us tomorrow. We'll give you information that you want." Mrs. Jones flopped five thick filed unto Miranda's lap.
"Wait…What about my father?"
"If you do mission, we'll tell you. Until then, good-bye. Be here at five tomorrow evening." As if on cue, a he body builder/guard came through the door to escort everyone out. Once on the tech-elevator Miranda was quiet and thinking. How come nobody told me she was an agent? What did she die from? What about my father? Wasn't he around? What about Matt? He's been my brother since forever. I'll talk to him when I get home
"We'll take you home. Ask him if you can stay the night with Shakira. We'll talk more when we get back to our house. When Matt asks why you want to spend the night, just say: Berlin. He'll know what you mean." Alex said.
"I hope it isn't dangerous."
(A/N: Please review! I think this may turn out to be a great story. Please PM me or review my story. Have a great day! Athena )
Disclaimer: I do not own the Alex Rider series!