The next week she walked into her Stage Management and Direction class, with James not too far behind, as always. About fifteen minutes into the lecture, a mysterious man in sunglasses, a fedora, and an overcoat walked in and sat down in the seat closest to the door. Five minutes later, Nikki noticed that he had moved closer to where she was sitting. Ignoring the event, she turned back to the professor to focus on the lesson.

"Hey, Nikki," James whispered, and she jumped nearly three feet out of her chair. "Stay calm. I'm here to protect you." He flashed a badge that clearly stated he was a Capitan in the Marines and an agent of the CIA. What the hell is going on? Surely this is not the same guy that I've been dating for nearly five months.

"James, what is going on?" She was on the verge of a total meltdown.

"Do you see that man down there, the one who looks totally out of place?" Nikki slowly nodded still in shock from his revelation. "We need to get out of here without him noticing us, there's not a back door here is there?"

"No," Nikki had finally regained the ability to talk, "but I have an idea of how we can get out when session is over." She turned and whispered in James's ear, "Do a soft little giggle." When he did she continued to tell him her plan.

"All right," Professor Knarr monotonously finished his ramble, "test next Friday. Miss O'Connel?" He raised his eyebrows, undoubtedly surprised that she hadn't approached him with a dozen questions, seeing that she was wrapped around the arm of that boy.

"Yes, Professor?" Nikki looked up, giggling slightly. I'm going to have to sell this if I want to live, not that I have to try very hard.

Knarr looked at them in calm surprise, "Be sure you study."

"Yes, Professor," smiling she looked back up at James and they walked out hand in hand, a seemingly intimate couple. They walked like that all the way to James's solid black Camaro. She gave an impressive squeal when he opened the door for her; he slid around to the driver's side, and pealed out of the parking lot.

"Jameson Morro, you explain to me right now: what exactly am I in danger of and where are we going?" Nikki questioned the brooding man behind the steering wheel. They had been driving nonstop for nearly three hours at a constant speed of 90 miles per hour. "Helloooo? Earth to Mr. CIA man. Why am I being driven thousands of miles away from my home at life threatening speeds?"

James took his eyes off of the road for a second, and Nikki could tell he was nervous for some reason. "Christina Burton." His entire body shrank in the driver's seat, like he knew that that name would frighten Nikki to the point of anger.

"What did you say?" Nikki was astounded, how did he know?

"That's your name isn't it? Or it was up until you moved in with your father and you changed it so you couldn't be tracked." Nikki didn't notice, but his voice quivered a bit when he brought up her father.

Tears started rolling down her face. "You don't know what you're talking about, and you don't know my father. We changed my name to protect me, so I would be untraceable."

"But I do know everything about you, Nikki. Did you even think about why some random guy just happened to be in all your classes, your one of a kind schedule? Don't tell me you didn't. You're smarter than that. That's one thing I like about you, Nikki, you're smart, brilliant even." He smiles, and then it quickly changes to a grimace.

Nikki tried connecting what seemed to be nonexistent dots in her head. "Wait, why did I have a protection detail? I didn't know I was in danger. Nobody my dad knew ever suspected he had a kid."

John tried to think of the least blunt way to explain it but he could only come up with, "Samantha Burton." Nikki's face glazed over. She remembered Sam, but it was like remembering a dream, she had left with dad when Nikki was four, so she didn't remember much, except a day at the beach when they had used baby oil instead of sun block and they both got insane sunburns.

"How do you know Sammie? I haven't seen her since I was a little kid. I don't even know if she's still alive"

"She is still alive, apparently, if they're trying to get to you." A puzzled look came across Nikki's face. "When your father was arrested in '98, the CIA recruited your sister, changed her name as well, to Sarah Walker. Back in 2007 Sarah was assigned as a handler in an undercover operation with a NSA agent. Long story short, she and her asset got involved and ran into some trouble with an agent. Anyway, in order to get back at her, the agent is attacking all of her friends and family." Staring angrily out the window, Nikki stayed silent. It didn't take James more than a second to notice. "It's not her fault this man is so disturbed." Nikki whipped her head around so fast; it would have flung off if it wasn't attached.

"You think I'm mad at Sammie? I'm just happy she's alive. I'm not mad at her. However, I am furious that you lied to me for the past five months. Did you ever really like me? No, you didn't, that would have blown your cover. Don't try to explain. I've heard about plenty of my dad's cons to know that you don't blow your cover." I thought he actually liked me. I knew there was a reason why I don't get close to people. "So where exactly are we going? Some protection pit at Langley?"

"Burbank, California. I'm under explicit orders to take you to your sister and her husband." Nikki shot up from her seat in the car, turning a full 90 degrees to look full face at John.

"She's married?" Nikki just stared in shock, I find out my sister is alive, and now I find out she's married?

"Recently, very recently. She just got back from her honeymoon when she received a communiqué that was relayed through her former General." The rest of the journey was spent in silence. Apart from being miffed that her sister was alive and married, she was so immensely angry that her supposed boyfriend wasn't really her boyfriend, just a lousy cover.