"Mike, what are you doing?" Paul Briggs, the last man Mike wanted to talk to right now, appeared from the front door and walked into the kitchen. "Shouldn't you be out running or something?" He teased, "Johnny will beat your record of earliest wake up soon."
Mike didn't say anything, he just studied Briggs for a moment, "Why'd you change the plan?" He asked Briggs, "I know you were trying to teach me to NOT go by the book, but, I was honest. I said I didn't trust you, was that some backwards way of getting me to trust you?" He asked.
"Yes," Briggs answered curtly, nodding in confirmation at Mike's words, "You need to learn that we're not all that we seem. It's difficult living in a house with three different agencies. We all have our agendas but we have to work towards a common goal." He paused, "It's difficult separating yourself from people and relaying on them at the same time but you're going to have to deal with it, for your own sake and for the agencies." He sternly reminded Mike, clapping him on the back and walking towards the fridge to grab a water bottle, "The sooner you learn that, the better." He continued, "Trust no one but yourself but trust them enough to be honest with people."
Mike listened intently, nodding in agreement though he always trusted everyone, "Yes, sir." He responded, feeling close to wanting to call his parents, but he knew he couldn't. He had no one to talk openly with. They were all agents. They were all spies. All their lives were lies. How could Mike deal with that?
As he felt himself slipping, from tiredness or disappointment, Mike heard a voice say, "What's wrong kid?"
