AUTHOR'S NOTE: Finally, here is chapter nine. Unfortunately, this will be the last update for a while. College has started and I'm going to be swamped this semester. I'll work on what I can but it won't be much. Thanks to everyone who keeps coming back to read.
TO MY PAST REVIEWERS: Well, I haven't received any reviews for quite a while not and it's a little discouraging. That won't stop me from writing when I can, but I really love getting comments. So please, don't be too shy to hit that review button! And to those who have reviewed in the past, thank you very much, I'm very appreciative!
DISCLAIMER: Jake Mallard and Ava Blackfeather are © me. J. Gander Hooter is © Disney. This story was not written for profitable purposes so please don't sue me.
CHAPTER 9
"Congratulations, Agent Mallard."
J. Gander smiled jubilantly and congratulated me by shaking my hand. He then passed me a shiny, gold badge with the SHUSH shield engraved on it's face and my identification number beneath.
"Thank you, sir," I responded with a nod.
The gander's face hardened and his expression grew serious. "DON'T disappoint me," he warned and he continued down the row of cadets to finish handing out their badges. I slipped the symbol of my new life into the inside pocket of my black suit jacket.
A lot changed after that transition. I was now an agent instead of a lower-class cadet and I demanded respect from everyone below me. No longer did I have to reside at SHUSH. Now I was able to move into my own place in St. Canard and have my very own agency vehicle. And to top it off, I received my very own office in SHUSH headquarters.
I was assigned the position of special agent in charge of the Artillery and Weaponry Division. My extensive knowledge on firearms and weapons from past years with my business contributed to that decision by J. Gander Hooter.
After the ceremony, I was chatting off to the side with some of my cohorts when I heard the familiar voice from behind me.
"Well, you made it, Agent Mallard."
I turned around and grinned smugly back at Ava. She was dressed in a skirted suit and had also graduated from the academy that day.
"As if there were ever a doubt," I replied conceitedly.
Ava laughed and shook her head. After a short pause, she tilted her head. "So, agent in charge of the AWD?"
"Yes, and I'd be lying if I said I was disappointed," I said truthfully. By that point, the group around us had dispersed, leaving just the two of us. "And where did they end up sticking you?"
"Oh, leading agent of the EED," she sighed as if it meant nothing to her. But I could see through her act. I knew she had been waiting to emphasize 'leading agent' to me and every other man at SHUSH.
I nodded in approval while we made our way towards the exit of the ceremony hall. "Entry and Escape Division? Impressive."
Ava stepped outside behind me into the piercing rays of the afternoon sun. "I thought so, too. I just hope you boys won't feel too threatened by having a girl running in your crowd," she smirked, her cocky attitude challenging my own.
"As much as I'd like to send one of my own witty remarks back at you," I said and stopped momentarily to face her. "I've got to get home and finish unpacking."
She snickered from behind me as I continued my way towards the SHUSH parking lot. "Good luck with everything, Mallard!" she called after me with snide emphasis.
"You're the one who's going to need luck, Dollface!" I shouted back without giving her another glance.
My step had acquired a proud bounce that day. A successful grin spread across my bill as I reached into the jacket of my suit to retrieve the keys to the new vehicle provided to me by SHUSH. The new, shiny black BMW waited for me at the edge of the lot. Even though it wasn't my beloved Aston Martin, I was pleased to know I would still be driving in style and comfort.
A short time later, I arrived at the apartment building that I now called my home. I took the elevator to the seventh floor of the 21-story building where my apartment was located. The place wasn't the greatest option in the city but it had a touch of class. It would have to do until my pay at SHUSH as an agent would take effect.
I slid my key into the lock and stepped inside my apartment. Flipping the switch on the wall, the room was flooded with light. There wasn't much inside so far. In fact, many of the boxes with my essentials were still sitting in the middle of the floor, waiting patiently to be unpacked. I had a kitchen, a small dining room, a living room, a bathroom, all of the basics that I would need. The bedroom was spacious and even had a balcony that lead to a beautiful view of St. Canard.
But I knew that I wouldn't be spending much time at home. My job at SHUSH was my main priority and it was going to require nearly all of my time. I tossed my keys on the table near the door and pulled off my suit jacket to hang it up on the coat rack. I loosened the tie around my neck while I trudged across the room and collapsed onto the couch with a relaxing sigh. Once more, I ignored the chore of getting the inside of my apartment in order and instead, I stared up at the ceiling.
Things had changed in ways I never would have imagined within the past two years. I was thirty-five years old and already living a second life after my first that had failed. Every night, I would lie awake and think of Abigail. And miss her. And I constantly wondered what my son might have grown up to be if I hadn't shattered the possibilities. I used to hope he would grow up to be like me. But seeing what I had become, I no longer had those hopes.
The first few months as an agent were dull and rather uneventful. My job required a lot of supervising and instructing in the Artillery and Weapons Department. To be completely honest, it was quickly beginning to bore me. That is, until J. Gander Hooter requested to see me in his office.
"Agent Mallard, we have a matter of the utmost importance on our hands and you're just the duck for the job," J. Gander explained from behind his large desk. "Our Intelligence Division has come into knowledge that FOWL, The Friendly Organization for World Love, has recently completed the construction of a new weapon. We suspect their intent is to use it in defense against us."
FOWL. Our biggest rival. While SHUSH tried to keep a firm, ruling hold on the city through force and power, the Friendly Organization for World Love fought against us to keep the city safe and secure.
"And what, exactly, does this 'weapon' do?" I asked curiously, not moving from my position in front of his desk.
"That's your job to find out, Agent," he answered matter-of-factly. "You are to go to FOWL, steal that invention before they can use it against us, and bring it back here for analysis."
My eyebrow arched in confusion. "I'm going to FOWL to retrieve this weapon? But sir, granted that I have the extensive knowledge in that area, I'm not a 'breaking and entering' man!" I pointed out.
J. Gander just smiled calmly back at me. "Of course you're not. I'm not sending you out on this mission on your own. I have the perfect partner who can get you both inside effortlessly."
"Who?"
On cue, the door to J. Gander's office opened behind me. I turned my head and my eyes shot open. "YOU?"
Ava stood in the doorway and paused to give me a dirty look before stepping inside. "Believe me, I'm as overjoyed as you are," she replied, her voice thick with sarcasm.
"You and Agent Blackfeather will enter FOWL undetected on your own," J. Gander explained while ignoring my disbelief. "The less agents on the job, the better."
But I remained reluctant. "With all do respect, sir, I can handle this case without the assistance of Agent Blackfeather!" I argued, but I only came off as whining. Ava passed me an icy stare out of the corner of her eyes.
"Nonsense. Getting past FOWL's security will prove to be most difficult and very dangerous. That is not your area of expertise while Agent Blackfeather possesses extensive knowledge in the department," J. Gander pointed out.
"But--!"
"I don't doubt that the two of you will be successful on the case," J. Gander cut me off. "You two are dismissed to put this mission in motion immediately."
I clenched my hands into fists and bared my teeth. A low growl rumbled in my throat while Ava just smirked snidely at me.
A short time later, I was driving my BMW with Ava sitting in the passenger seat. The FOWL headquarters was located outside of St. Canard and we were making our way through town.
"Believe me, I tried that whole babble thing on Director Hooter to have a different partner, too," Ava said begrudgingly.
I just stared forward at the road ahead of me. My fingers tapped repeatedly on the steering wheel and my eyes were narrowed in a spiteful glare. The fact that I had to have a female partner on my first big mission wasn't the main factor of my aggravation. It was the fact that I had to have a partner at all. I had always been used to handling things on my own without the help from another person. Ava being that 'other person' in this situation was the icing on the cake.
Since we had left SHUSH, I hadn't said a word to her. My silence was beginning to bother her.
"Look, Mallard. If we're going into a fatal situation, stop acting like a stubborn five-year old and let's at least be civil with some civil conversation, which could prove to be our last!" she suggested impatiently.
"Fine!" I snapped.
"Fine!" she shot back.
A long, uneasy silence filled the car. The only noise was the sound of the humming engine and the passing traffic. Both of our gazes where fixed forward, avoiding eye contact with one another.
Finally, I cleared my throat and spoke without looking at her. "So, are you originally from St. Canard?"
"No. I grew up and lived in Duckburg until I came here. You?"
"I've been here for most of my life," I answered. There was another period of silence. Ava coughed distractedly and we came to a stop at a red light. "How did SHUSH reel you in?" I asked, honestly a bit curious.
"I was arrested and imprison back in Duckburg for burglary," Ava said. I was able to catch a glimpse of a proud smile cross her bill. "I was one of the city's top cat burglars until I was finally caught. SHUSH posted me on bail and they brought me here with their proposition."
A resentful scoff escaped me bill. Luckily, Ava didn't notice. Compared to my painful initiation into SHUSH, the offer she was given sounded like executive treatment. And it made me silently gnash my teeth.
Ava finally turned her head to look at me. She leaned against the door and tilted her head curiously. "What about you? What was your crime?"
"Murder."
My answer was simple. I didn't want to go into details.
"Murder, huh? There's not many of you around SHUSH," she pointed out.
"I've noticed."
The traffic light turned green and we continued through the city. I was quick to re-direct the focus away from me. "Cat burglar? I bet the family wasn't too happy about that."
Ava scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You'd probably be right if they were still around. My parents died in a car accident when I was eighteen. I was never married and have no kids, so there isn't really anyone to disappoint." She hesitated before letting out an amused laugh and smiled. "Guess that just makes things easier, huh?"
I didn't answer. My eyes shifted to the side to cast her a quick glance before returning them to the road.
"So what about you? Any family?" she asked gently, knowing that it was a sensitive subject for anyone at SHUSH who had to leave family behind.
"No."
Again, my answer was short and lacked emotion.
She raised an eyebrow suspiciously at the gold band around the middle finger of my left hand. "You're wearing a wedding ring."
"My wife is deceased. She and my son were killed two years ago." My voice was cold and unfaltering, but it was just a mask to the remorse and guilt I could feel welling up inside me. My hands tensed around the steering wheel, waiting to see if she would put the facts together and conclude that I was the culprit.
Instead, Ava flinched and frowned shamefully. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."
"Right."
Neither of us said another word until we reached our destination. The massive FOWL facility came into view. I drove the car to a sheltered lot not far from the base. We got out and began to approach FOWL Headquarters but stopped a hundred yards away.
"So, what do you propose is the best way of getting inside?" I asked Ava. My voice was still a bit snide towards her.
"Through the back. That's where there will be the least security," she answered immediately as if it were an obvious answer. She glanced down at the watch around her wrist. "I did my research on this FOWL facility. They rotate their guards every four hours and they're due to switch off in ten minutes. That's the best time to get inside."
Surprisingly, I didn't argue. As much as I hated the fact that it was her idea, I knew it was the most plausible way to get inside without being caught.
Moments later, we were both cautiously peering around the corner of the building to where the back entrance was being guarded by two FOWL agents. Back in the 70's, the highest form of security were personnel and a few surveillance cameras. High-tech security was barely beginning to develop and all we had to worry about were the two guards standing in our way.
"How much longer?" I whispered eagerly while keeping my eyes sharp for any sudden bystanders.
Just as Ava opened her bill to reply, the security door opened from behind the two guards. Two more FOWL agents stepped outside, mumbled a few words to one another, and exchange positions.
Once the previous agents disappeared inside, I looked expectantly at her. "So, now what?"
"We need to distract them long enough so that you can inconspicuously take them out," Ava answered quietly. "That door requires clearance. We need their keys to get inside."
"Great. So how do we do that, Miss Know-It-All?"
Her brow furrowed in deep thought. Then her eyes suddenly lit up and she pulled out a small travel purse from her jacket.
I blinked in surprise and scoffed. "You've gotta be kidding me. This is no time to powder your nose!"
"Just shut up!" she hissed and continued searching. "I've got an idea."
Finally, Ava pulled out a small compact and opened it to reveal a small vanity mirror. "Just be ready to jump in there and do your thing," she said.
I then realized her plan. I nodded and braced myself. "Alright, do it."
Ava held the mirror in her hand and arched it at an angle around the corner towards the two agents. She continued to adjust the angle to align with the rays of the sun. At last, the angles aligned perfectly and one of the agents was suddenly blinded by a powerful flash. He let out a startled yelp and his hands shot up to shield his eyes. His comrade passed him a puzzled stare until he was suddenly blinded by another flash of light.
While they were temporarily blinded, I raced forward with the speed and agility of a jungle cat. I leapt at the closest guard and in a split second, I took a firm hold of his head and forcefully twisted it to one side. The snapping of his neck could be heard before he collapsed to the ground. The other guard was viciously rubbing his eyes to clear his vision. His eyes came into focus just in time to see my balled fist speeding towards him. He swayed backwards before thumping to the floor beside his unmoving partner.
I dusted off my hands with a proud smirk. Ava quickly came up behind me and nodded in approval.
"Not too bad," she complimented. Bending down, she began to rummage through one of the guards' uniform for the keys. Finally, she successfully withdrew a key ring and immediately went to the door. While she tried each key in search for the right one, I kept looking left and right on alert.
The third key Ava tried unlocked the heavy, steel door. Once the latch slid out of place, we both heaved the door open and quickly slipped inside.
"Alright, let's make this quick. Security makes rounds every half hour," Ava said and began to head in the direction of an empty hallway on the left.
But I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in the opposite direction. "No, this way. I know where the science lab is."
She huffed and reluctantly followed. We cautiously snuck our way through the many corridors. Luckily, it was just after noon and most of the FOWL staff were on their lunch break. After five minutes of wandering, Ava was beginning to get doubtful.
"Are you sure you know where you're going?" she whispered loudly to me. "What if we run into someone?"
"Just act casual. We're FOWL agents just like anyone else here." I knew it would work; the FOWL agents dressed similar to the black suited agents at SHUSH. "We're almost there. The lab should be right around this corner."
We turned the corner and both froze in our tracks. As I had claimed, the lab was just down the hall. But what I wasn't expecting were the two guards standing outside the laboratory door. There was hesitation, but I was not about to give up so easily. I narrowed my eyes and continued down the hall towards the lab.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Ava whispered after me. But I didn't stop to reply. Seconds later, I heard her footsteps following behind me.
I stopped in front of the door being blocked by the two guards. They just gave me cold, expectant stares, waiting to hear my explanation.
"Step aside," I demanded confidently. "We're here to transport the new super secret weapon to our new high-security facility before we put it to use against SHUSH."
"Clearance?" one of the guards asked gruffly.
Ava handed me the keys which I held up for them to see. There was also a FOWL agent employee number engraved on the key ring. Seeing the keys, the two guards glanced at one another before stepping side.
I fumbled with the keys to find the right one. Luckily, the correct key was the first I selected. The door opened and the two of us stepped into the lab. Fortunately, there was no one else present in the lab at the time. Ava closed the door behind her and I began to search the various inventions and experiments scattered throughout the room.
"That was smooth," she remarked in reference to getting past the guards. I couldn't tell if she had been sarcastic or serious--I was too busy searching for what we came for. "Which one is it?"
The lab had what appeared to be several projects in the making strewn about. Many of them resembled guns while some looked like computer devices. I eyed a clipboard setting on the main table in the center of the room and snatched it up. Written on it were several charts and data sheets for each invention in progress.
I flipped through each page, scanning the print for what I was looking for based on the descriptions I was given by J. Gander. Just as I was about to give up, I found what I was looking for on the second to last page.
"A-ha," I concluded to myself. As I read the description, I walked across the lab until I came to the weapon. "It's this one."
The weapon was no bigger than a shoe box. There were two dials, a dozen buttons, and a reading screen on it's black face. When I set the clipboard down to pick it up, it weighed no more than six or seven pounds.
"That?" Ava asked. She sounded disgusted that we might have been sent on a life-threatening mission for something so simple. "That is the new 'secret weapon' FOWL plans to use against us?"
Hesitantly, I nodded. "Yes, this is it. I'm positive."
We both stared in utter disbelief for a long moment. Finally, Ava spoke up. "Let's just get it out of here and back to SHUSH."
With a nod, I carried the weapon under one arm and followed her towards the door. Calmly, we stepped out of the lab and I passed the guards a nod before Ava and I retreated down the hall in the direction we came.
"We did it. We pulled it off," Ava muttered to me with a sly smile.
I let out a low chuckle and grinned back at her. "Yeah, we did. We're home free."
But I had spoke too soon. As we continued down the hallway, we passed by two FOWL scientists in white lab coats. They gave us a curious stare as we passed and they continued on their way to the lab.
"We're here to pick up the super weapon for transportation," one of the scientists informed the guards and flashed them his identification card.
The two guards' eyes went wide and they stared at one another questionably. I heard their mumbling and paused to glance over my shoulder. The guard looked back at me and then pointed in our direction.
"Stop them! Enemy agents!"
Ava glared up at me. "You were saying?"
"Oh, just go!" I roared and shoved her forward.
We took off at a fast sprint around the corner in search of an exit. Only seconds passed before the shrill sound of an alarm rang throughout the headquarters. The device was tucked securely under my arm while I ran on Ava's heels.
"Which way?" Ava called over her shoulder as we neared a 'T' in the hallway. "Left?"
"Right!" I shouted back affirmatively.
But she misinterpreted me and took a sharp right.
"No! Left!"
Too late. I followed her to the left and we both skid to a stop. At the opposite end of the hall were half a dozen FOWL agents staring back at us.
I groaned and glowered down at her. "You are such a pinhead."
"Get them! Retrieve the weapon!" the lead agent shouted. The group of agents suddenly swarmed towards us.
Ava and I doubled back and raced in the opposite direction. At that point, neither of us had any idea of which direction to go in order to find a way out. I couldn't recollect with several of the enemy closely on our tails.
We rounded another corner. The shouts were growing louder behind us. If we didn't lose them for even a moment, there was no way we would find a way out. I sped in front of Ava but came to a sudden halt in front of a janitorial closet. Without a second thought, I snatched her by the wrist and yanked her inside the closet after me. I closed the door behind her and hissed at her to keep quiet. The closet was ridiculously small and dark. The only light was seeping in through the crack at the bottom of the door. Our eyes panned down to that horizontal stream of light to see the shadows of feet passing by.
"Keep going! They went in this direction, tell security to block off the east entries first!"
Gruff mumbling was followed by the stampede of footsteps growing fainter. I waited and listened to the silence for a moment before slowly opening the door only centimeters to peer out. Seeing no one in either direction, I swung the door open and looked back at Ava as she stumbled out behind me.
"If we don't make it out of here in one piece, I'm going to kill you," she snarled at me.
"Threaten me later," I muttered back distractedly while I glanced in every direction to regain my bearings. "They're blocking off the exits on the eats side first. We need to go this way."
Ava sighed in exasperation but she knew she had no choice to follow. Minutes passed. We had turned several corners and I quickly became discouraged. But finally, at the end of hall, a door crowned with an 'EXIT' sign came into view.
"There's our way out!" I announced excitedly.
"FINALLY," Ava sighed in relief.
We raced towards our door to freedom. Ava reached the door before I did and gave it a firm push. She grunted as the door resisted. "It's locked! We need the keys!"
I quickly fished for the keys with my free hand. Several seconds went by, which seemed like minutes. Finally, I found them and tossed them to Ava. "Hurry up and find the right one!"
She caught the keys and randomly picked a key to try first, which unfortunately failed. When she was on her third attempt, I could hear voices from around the corner at the end of the hall. They were coming closer and at a faster pace.
"Come on, hurry up!" I urged impatiently while looking over my shoulder.
"Patience is a virtue, so shut up!" Ava snapped back as she fumbled with another key.
"Yeah? Well, right now, I beg to differ!"
A larger group of FOWL agents rounded the corner and came to an abrupt stop. For a few seconds, I stared at them while they stared back in surprise.
"Now would be a good time to find the right key!" I suggested sarcastically to her.
"HALT!" the lead agent shouted at us.
I heard the jingling of the keys followed by a loud click before Ava shouted successfully, "I got it!"
"Shoot them!"
Several agents pulled out firearms from their utility belts and swiftly began to load them. The door clanged loudly as Ava pushed it open and leapt outside. I spun around and shouted after her, "Here! Catch!"
I tossed the weapon to her and she managed to catch it with a strained grunt. When it was in her hands, I turned my back to her and faced the agents. I reached into my jacket and retrieved my own gun, which had readily been loaded.
Ava stopped and stared after me with wide, puzzled eyes. "Jake! What are you doing? Come on!"
"Just go! I'll handle this!" I snarled.
She obeyed and sprinted away in the opposite direction. Just as I saw three or four guns being raised at me, I lifted my hand in the blink of an eye and repeatedly pulled the trigger of my gun. An explosion of gunfire echoed through the hallway. Leaning just inches to either side, I managed to dodge the first round of gunfire aimed at me. My aim was precise and every one of the three rounds I fired had hit a different agent. Three of the massive bodies crumpled to the floor and immediately received aid from their compatriots.
Believing I had achieved the distraction needed to make an escape, I turned to dart out the door.
BLAM!
I didn't notice an agent aim one last time at my back. I felt the sharp pain strike the back of my right shoulder. A sharp yelp escaped my bill but I managed to keep going and jump outside. With a strained grunt, I heaved the heavy door shut behind me. I broke out into a sprint in the direction of where the car was parked and where I hoped Ava was waiting.
When I slowed to a jog into the sheltered lot where my car was parked, I looked around and saw no sign of Ava around or inside the car. Had she been captured? I cursed under my breath and stressfully ran my fingers through the feathers on my head. The back of my shoulder was pounding from the gunshot wound.
Suddenly, through the window I saw a head of black hair pop up from the passenger seat. At first I gasped in surprise but then exhaled in relief. Ava urgently motioned with her hand for me and I swiftly made my way to the car. I grunted as I climbed into the driver's seat and immediately started the car.
"Are you crazy? What did you think you were doing?" she demanded angrily.
"Buying you the time you needed to get away with the weapon!" I exclaimed impatiently. I looked at her questionably. "Where is it?"
Ava reached into the back seat and picked up the device in her hands. "Here, see?" She waved in mockingly in front of my face before setting it down on the back seat again. "You could have been shot!"
I chuckled sheepishly. "Please. I'm WAY too clever for that to happen!"
She must have noticed the way I was trying to press the back of my bleeding right shoulder into the leather seat. Ava stared at me suspiciously before grabbing me by my wounded shoulder and forcing me to lean forward.
"OW!" I howled painfully.
A small portion of the back of my black jacket was damp with blood. She glared coldly at me and I avoided eye contact with her. "You were shot! You're an imbecile, you know that? You could have been killed!" She paused before adding, "Not that I care for your well-being, but Director Hooter would have my badge if I came back without you!"
I smirked and smiled snidely at her. "Aw, how thoughtful of you to show your concern."
Her arms folded stubbornly over her chest and she sunk down in her seat. "Let's just get back to SHUSH."
With a snicker, I shifted the car into drive. We rolled out of the parking lot and out into the street, making our way back to base, successful.
A short time later, we arrived back at SHUSH. When the car was parked in the lot and the engine was shut off, I hissed and shifted my shoulder. The pain shooting through my arm was reminding me that I needed medical attention. Ava retrieved the weapon from the back seat and looked at me, noticing my discomfort.
"You go get that shoulder taken care of, Mallard. I'll take the device down to the lab," she reassured me.
I visibly cringed. I hated the idea of receiving medical attention. Not only was it a dent in my ego, but I hated doctors. But I reluctantly consented.
Barely half of an hour later, I was sitting on a table in the SHUSH medical ward with my shirt off while the medic finished stitching together my wound. I made the extra effort to keep my eyes averted as the needle repeatedly pierced my flesh until it was finally finished.
"Just the two of you went into FOWL and you escaped with only one battle scar?" the medic, Agent Sellers, asked and then chuckled with a shake of his head.
I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "Yeah, and 'Little Miss Charlie's Angel' got away without a scratch."
"Well, that's a female agent for you. They're afraid to get their hands dirty," he concluded as he snipped the thread to detach the needle.
I picked up my white dress shirt from the table and gently pulled it on over my shoulders. As I began to fastened the buttons in the front, the door to the room opened. I looked up to see Ava step inside.
"How is the wounded soldier?" she asked me with a light smile.
"I'll survive," I replied while I got to my feet and pulled on my jacket.
She nodded and her expression turned sincere. "You did good out there, Mallard. Go home and rest up, you deserve it."
I did a double take and raised an eyebrow at her. "What? I have a report to write and--"
"I'll report to J. Gander and make sure the weapon is cataloged," she interrupted reassuringly. I stared at her hesitantly and she laughed lightly. "Don't worry, I'll handle it."
I was reluctant to accept Ava's proposal. But after our mission, the idea of taking the rest of the day off to relax wasn't a bad one. "Alright, Blackfeather. I leave it in your hands to wrap this up."
In my black BMW, I was making my drive back to my apartment to retire for the evening. That day would be the first of many days in which I would be sent on a dangerous mission. And I loved it. The adrenaline I experienced while trying to find a way out of FOWL Headquarters was indescribable. The thrill of danger would be something I'd thirst for the rest of my life.
A red light brought me to a momentary stop in front of a large brick building to my right. Rapid, spontaneous movement behind the fences surrounding the building caught my attention. I turned my head to see the dozens of children running about the paved yard. Some were swinging on the monkeybars while others were busily bouncing a ball back and forth. The large iron sign arched over the building's entrance read 'St. Canard Orphanage.'
I returned my gaze to the traffic light to wait for the green signal, but a sight out of the corner of my eye brought me to do a double-take. One familiar child near the fence caught my attention. He appeared to be nine or ten years old and was sitting by himself on the pavement with his head lowered, a lonely frown on his face.
Immediately, I recognized the young boy. My breath was caught in my throat as I stared blankly in his direction. He must have sensed someone watching him. His head turned and he looked straight back at me. For a long moment, we stared at one another. I didn't know whether or not he recognized me behind my cold, unfeeling eyes.
The red light changed green and broke our gaze. Slowly, I tore my eyes away from his and redirected them to the road. As the car began to move forward again, I felt a great weight lifted off of my shoulders.
He was alive. Drake, my son, was still alive.