"No! Please! There has to be a mistake! I'm not a criminal!" Lisa begged. Her eyes brimmed with tears as her hands shook.
"You really expect us to believe that you didn't know you were smuggling dangerous weapons into Canada? That you thought they were just really heavy crates of cookies?" The cop interrogating her asked derisively.
"I work for my grandparents bakery! I distribute their baked goods all the time! Not once has it ever been weapons! I swear it!" Lisa swore. "Don't I get a phone call? And aren't I entitled to an attorney?!"
"Yeah, yeah." The cop nodded disinterestedly. "An attorney is on its way...who did you wanna call?"
"My grandparents. They're...they're my only family. Plus, this was their bakery. I would think they would be involved." Lisa said nodding frantically.
"Yeah, about that." The cop leaned forward and looked her in the eyes. "Would your grandparents know about this? Do they have a criminal history or anything?"
"What?! NO!" Lisa retorted her eyebrows furrowing indignantly. "They are the sweetest, kindest people in the world. They're somewhat senile and run a couple of bakeries. They are as far as criminals as you can be. Upstanding Canadian citizens."
"Yeah, still doesn't explain how these weapons got into the boxes for the bakery and into your delivery van though, huh? I'd say you're not telling me the full truth, Miss Fournier. You could make this alot easier on yourself and just be honest." The cop said writing some notes down on paper.
"I can't be more honest than I already am. I have already told you. Nothing struck me as odd. I loaded up the truck with the help of an employee. The boxes are typically heavy because of the high demand for the bakeries items and I went on my way. Stopped at customs and they checked the boxes and I was arrested without a clue of what was going on...and now I'm here." Lisa took a deep breath and hung her head and her voice trembled as she whispered. "Please...I just want to go home."
"Hey. Don't cry. We'll get this sorted out." The cop stated clearing his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the display of emotion from the girl. "Let's get you that phone call, eh?"
Lisa wiped her nose on her sleeve and nodded cautiously as the cop led her out into the hallway and to the phone.
"Your grandparents, right?" He asked for confirmation.
Lisa nodded meekly, not wanting to get into more trouble than she was already.
The officer nodded at her to go ahead and she whispered a thank you before dialing the number and waiting with baited breath.
RING. RING. RING. RING.
'Please...Grammie...Grampie...pick up.' Lisa thought anxiously as her blood pounded in her ears.
RING. RING. RING. RING.
"...Lisa? How do I get this thing to work? Am I supposed to be talking right now?...well, I don't know. That's why I need your help, dear."
Lisa chewed her nails as she trembled.
'It went to voicemail. They're probably asleep. It's late, after all. They'll come for me. They wouldn't leave me...'
The tone sounded for her to record her voicemail.
"Grammie. Grampie. It's Lisa. I'm currently being detained by customs because when I was trying to get into Canada they inspected some of the bakery boxes and found...well, they found weapons. I don't know what's going on and I am so scared. I'm not sure what to do...they said they have an attorney coming to speak with me. Please...just...call back soon. Love you."
Lisa hung up the phone and blinked back the onslaught of tears.
"They didn't answer?" The officer asked.
Lisa could only manage to shake her head.
The officer checked his watch.
"Well...it is pretty late and they're older. I'm sure they'll call back soon."
Lisa was escorted back to the cold room with a surveillance mirror and she sat down at the table her body feeling numb.
"Would you like some water?" The officer asked already filling a small cup for her.
"Yes, please." Lisa managed in a small voice.
He set it down before her and she drank greedily from it. When she was done the officer took the cup from her.
"The attorney should be here any second now. Everything will be alright."
Lisa rubbed her arms in an effort to soothe her frazzled nerves.
Then there was a knock at the door.
The officer turned to see another officer peak his head in.
"Her attorney is here to see her, sir."
The officer sitting with Lisa, then turned to stand up and open the door.
A woman in a purple shirt with a matching pencil skirt was standing there. Her dark hair was in a bun and her glasses sat slightly crooked on her nose. She held a clipboard in her hand and her eyes took her in surroundings with a shrewdness that caught Lisa offguard.
"Are you the attorney, miss?" The officer asked.
"I am." Said the woman confidently. "I would like to speak to my client alone for a bit."
Officer stepped aside granting the woman permission to enter and the door closed behind her.
Lisa tucked a stray curl behind her ear and looked toward the woman with wide, green eyes.
"Can you help me? There's been a terrible mistake. I'm no criminal, I swear."
The woman didn't say anything but observed her with curious blue eyes.
"Not a criminal, huh?" The woman stated taking a seat across from Lisa and flipping through papers she had on her clipboard. "Says here you were trying to sneak advanced weaponry across the Canadian border. You know firearms are illegal in Canada, correct?"
"I'm a Canadian citizen, of course I know that...the whole world knows that." Lisa muttered.
She rarely mentioned being Canadian during her stays in New York where her grandparent's bakeries second location was. If she mentioned being Canadian, there was no end to the steady stream of insults and jokes on her behalf. Sissies...morons...syrup brains...what kind of country bans guns? She especially knew not to mention this around Australians...unless she wanted to be beat up. Australia being the worlds largest manufacturer of weaponry and technological advances hadn't taken kindly to Canada's announcement. It had nearly started World War III. Australia had declared Canada an enemy and all trade deals between the country had come to a halt, which was really awful for the Hydroelectric business...which Canada basically runs on. Thankfully, there were corporations in the United States more than willing to make a deal with them...for a price.
The woman was looking at her expectantly and Lisa realized that she hadn't heard what the woman had said.
"Oh, I'm really sorry. What did you say?" Lisa apologized.
The woman sighed and said,
"They have quite the case mounted against you already. Smuggling in dangerous weapons into Canada is a high offense...worth about forty years imprisonment."
Lisa's mouth dropped.
"W-what? No...that's impossible...I swear I didn't know! I just thought they were cookies! They can't imprison me! It's not my fault!"
"Oh but they can." The woman stated straightening her papers. "Even if you aren't the brain behind the operation, you were certainly involved. Making an example of you could deter anyone else who tries to do the same thing. Your grandparents and all of the employees working for their bakery will more than likely be under suspicion and under surveillance until the person who did this is found."
"No. Please, my grandparents are old...and they aren't all there anymore. They won't be able to take that kind of stress. I need to be there for them. I'm all they have. Please..." Lisa begged her hands curling into fists on the table as a few stray tears trickled down her cheeks.
The woman straightened her glasses and leaned forward, her folded hands resting on the table.
"I'm sorry...but the way I see it, they have enough evidence to convict you and put you away for a long time."
"Is-Is there really nothing you can do?" Lisa asked choking on a sob.
"Well..." The woman stated holding up a piece of paper and studying it.
"Well, what?" Lisa demanded.
"There may be something I can do for you." The woman said somewhat ominously as her blue eyes drilled holes into Lisa.
"What? What is it? I'll do anything."
"Anything? Do you mean that?" The woman asked curiously. "Think carefully now...don't say something you'll regret."
"I-I can't go to prison. I need to be able to take care of my grandparents." Lisa stated as strongly as she could, cursing herself for stuttering.
"I have an option available...however, you won't be able to stay with your grandparents." The woman stated slowly as if speaking to a child.
Lisa glanced at her cautiously.
"What...is this option?"
The woman glanced around her and at the two way mirror for a bit before turning back to the girl in front of her.
"My employer is currently searching for someone to fill a specific role. I have been watching you for a while...and we both agreed that you may be just the person we need."
"Your...employer? I'm sorry, I'm confused." Lisa said with an uncomfortable chuckle.
"We can pass this off to the court as a lifetime of imprisonment and community service. They would accept and you would be good to go."
"Ok, again what employer and what job? Community service and imprisonment?" Lisa demanded glancing about anxiously.
The woman smirked a bit and said,
"Well...this is totally under the table and illegal. I'm telling you this upfront." Then her face darkened. "And should you refuse the offer I am about to give you, if you tell a single soul about what was discussed...no one will ever find your body."
Lisa gulped.
"Understood."
The woman's face immediately brightened and glowed with an almost youthful sort of passion.
"Good. I knew you were smart. So, I work for a cooperation called RED, or as it is also called, Reliable Excavation and Demolition. They are a very large company currently in a war with it's competitor, BLU. Builders League United. We are currently in need of another reliable mercenary to fight for the company...and that's where you'd come in."
Lisa's mouth felt dry.
"Me? What exactly about me screams mercenary? I'm a twenty two year old Canadian woman that works at my grandparents bakery."
The woman face cocked into a half smile.
"To be honest, I asked my boss the same thing. Yet, she has insisted on you."
"Really?" Lisa asked her eyes widening.
"I wouldn't lie about this. My boss knows what she wants, when she wants it. I've learned to not question her because she's usually right. Do you know how to use a firearm?"
"Um, yes actually." Lisa admitted as she wrung her hands.
The woman quirked an eyebrow at this, her eyes flickering with amusement.
"I thought you were Canadian and those were illegal?"
"Oh, they are. My grandpa just insisted on teaching me growing up. This was before the gun laws were put in place."
"I see." The woman conceded.
"But I don't own any! And I haven't use one since I was a kid."
"Do you remember what kind it was?" The woman said writing in her notepad.
"Ummm...a pistol? I honestly don't remember anything other than that." Lisa responded with a shrug.
"That's alright, I can work with that." The woman said with a warm smile. "Any health issues? Allergies? Anything like that?"
"Not that I'm aware of." Lisa replied watching the woman write some more.
"Perfect. How about your eyesight? Hearing? Any issues?"
"No. I have 20/20 vision and my hearing is decent."
"Alright. Any special skills you'd like to tell me about?"
"Special skills? I..I'm bilingual? I speak French and English. I'm decent at baking. I can drive commercial vehicles."
"Good...good. Do you pick up things pretty quickly?" The woman said writing without looking up.
"I...suppose?"
"This job requires you to cover a wide range of tasks. From equipment maintenance to hand to hand combat...even medical support if needed. Do you think you could pick these skills up?"
"That's quite a range. Will I receive training?"
She stopped writing to glance up at her.
"Some of these professionals will be more willing to train you than others. If I had to guess, you're going to have to figure a good deal on your own and on your feet."
Lisa swallowed and tapped her leg nervously.
"It's either this or prison. Right?"
"Pretty much." The woman replied.
Lisa hung her head.
"I...I don't know. I've never had to do any of those things. I don't want to go to prison...but, even if I take this job I won't be able to be there for my Grannie and Grampie."
The woman studied Lisa a bit before her face softened sympathetically.
"I promise you, if you get this position, that your grandparents will be fine. You can send them letters and money and even occasionally visit them if you'd like."
"Really? You promise that you're not just saying that. If I take this position, I'll be covered. But they're still under suspicion for those weapons right?"
"That is unfortunately out of my hands. I can't say what will happen in that whole situation involving your grandparents and the other employees. However, if they are as sweet and old as you say, I doubt they'll be under suspicion for long. Especially, since they're Canadian."
"That makes me feel a bit better." Lisa managed running her hand through her dirty blonde curls.
The woman stayed silent a bit longer as she looked over the paper in her hands and said,
"One last thing...are you good at pretending to be things you aren't?"
"I'm not sure what you mean." Lisa questioned with a confused expression.
"You are going to have to fill a wide variety of roles. Your position is...unique. One that has not previously been on this team. You will have to be a jack of all trades, master of none. Do you think you could adequately fill this role?"
"I can try. I don't really have a choice...so, yeah. I can do that. Fake it 'till you make it, right?"
The woman didn't respond but continue to jot down notes studiously.
"So...how does this all work? Do I really have to...you know...kill people?" Lisa asked trying to sneak a peek at her notes.
The woman clipped the paper into the notepad and stood up, offering a hand to Lisa.
"Congratulations, Lisa Fournier. Welcome to the RED team. You are the tenth mercenary."
Lisa tentatively shook her hand.
"Uh, thanks. Honestly, that was easier than some other interviews I've had."
The woman chuckled at that.
"Alright, follow me."
"Follow you? Don't I have to go on trial and everything?" Lisa asked curiously as she stood up and followed tentatively. "Won't the guards have an issue with this?"
The woman just smiled and opened the door looking at Lisa with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Lisa followed behind like a lost puppy. Green eyes taking in everything with wide eyes as they walked. The guards and officers seemed to pay them no mind. The woman stopped at the main office and said,
"Is everything ready?"
"Yes, ma'am. Here is all of Miss Fournier's belongings." An officer stated sliding all of Lisa's bagged possessions through a slot in the glass towards them.
Lisa grabbed the bag and rifled through it quickly before finding her prize and grasping it tightly, softly muttering.
"Thank God."
She looked up and the woman was already heading for the exit. Lisa bounded after her, clutching her belongings tightly to her.
The crisp night wind chilled Lisa as she walked out the doors and she shivered before reaching into the bag and shrugging on her jacket, quickly stuffing her prized possession into her breast pocket. The woman headed to a red car and looking over her shoulder to signal to the girl that she should get in.
Lisa quickly shuffled around the vehicle and jumped into the front passengers seat. The woman got into the drivers seat and started the vehicle, quickly turning on the heat.
"Whoo...I forget how cold New York is this time of year." She shivered shooting a smile to the girl sitting next to her as she buckled herself and backed out of the parking space.
The ride was silent for a bit, and they both sat enjoying the silence as they hit the freeway.
"Ummm...Miss? What do I call you?"
"You may call me Miss Pauling." She responded her eyes never leaving the road.
"Right. So...Miss Pauling...why and how did those officers just let us go back there?"
Miss Pauling smiled and Lisa watched the light from the streetlights reflect on her glasses as she replied,
"Miss Fournier, you'd be amazed what money can buy."
Lisa decided to leave it at that and turned to watch the night darkened landscape fly by as they drove.
After a while, she rubbed her eyes tiredly and asked,
"If I may, where exactly are we going, Miss Pauling?"
"Teufort, New Mexico. We are currently driving to an airport that will fly us into Tucson. From there, we will drive to our destination."
Lisa nodded sleepily and murmured,
"Ok...this all feels like a strange dream. Doesn't feel real..."
Miss Pauling didn't respond to that and soon enough the sound of soft snores filled the otherwise silent vehicle.
"I hope the Administrator made the right choice with you, Miss Fournier. The weak ones never last very long." Miss Pauling murmured to herself casting a look at the small, young woman curled up in the seat beside her.