"Gary! Gary!" 15 year old Carmen Cortez shouted as the holographic screen connected the transmission. She sat in her bedroom in the Cortez house. Her own bedroom- Juni had finally decided that he wanted to have his own room, which Carmen was thankful for.
It was just after Christmas, and Carmen had just received the best present yet.
"What? Carmen what's going on?" Gary Giggles' face appeared on the screen. He was 15, like Carmen.
The two teens had somehow become friends over time. Carmen had had a huge crush on Gary back during Ukata assignment. Back then, the Giggles kids and the Cortez had been on pretty opposite sides. Donnagon Giggles, Gary and Gerti's father, had tried to steal the Trasmooker device and take over the world. But, Gerti had changed and helped the Cortez. Gary had been stripped of his level 1 standing and was fired.
However the OSS had had a vote and Gary was allowed to continue training. He and Carmen were in most of the same classes and were always fighting for top spot. Somewhere between the lines, the two had become friends. Carmen still had a crush on Gary, something that she would never tell anyone.
"I just received an assignment!" She smiled.
"No way!" Gary smiled right back at her.
"I'm leaving tonight," Gary's smiled dropped.
"Tonight?" He questioned.
"Yeah," She looked down. "I just wanted to let you know."
"How long are you going to be gone?"
"Not too long," she forced a smile, "I mean how hard can it be to beat a stupid video game?"
"That's what your mission is?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Can you…come here?" Carmen sighed. "I'll explain everything."
"Already on my way," He smiled and powered off the transmission.
Carmen leaned back in her seat and sighed. She was ecstatic for her mission, but she was also very nervous. She was doing this mission alone. It was her first mission alone. She wanted her brother, Juni to come along but he wasn't answering his phone. She hadn't seen him since Christmas, which was a week ago.
That was normal amongst a family of spies, but Juni had quit the OSS.
So, Carmen was going on this mission alone. It was a new sort of mission, the first of its kind. She was one of the highest ranking agents in the OSS Jr., so she had received the mission. Gary, the other highest ranking agent had already been assigned to another mission, he was set to leave in a week.
Knock Knock Knock
A tapping on her balcony window snapped Carmen out of her trance. Gary was standing on her balcony. Carmen ran to the balcony, opened the door and threw herself into Gary.
"Whoa, Cortez" Gary put his arms around her.
She pulled away from him smiling, "Gary!"
"So tell me," He said sitting down on the stone balcony, "What's the deal with the video game?"
Carmen sat beside him, "It's weird. They're trying something that's never been done before. They're physically going to put me into the video game."
"Why? What video game?"
"Umm Game Over?" She said thoughtfully, "Does that game ring a bell?"
Gary's eyes widened, "That game was only announced a week ago, it's already the highest pre-ordered game. It's supposed to be released in 6 months."
"Well it's my mission to make sure it doesn't get released." She said.
"Why? What's wrong with it?"
"Everything," Carmen explained. "The game was invented by the Toymaker."
"He's back?" Gary leaned towards her.
"He never was gone!"
"How are you going to stop him?"
Carmen lay back, "I have to beat the game, shut it down from the inside and get out…alone."
Gary lay back beside her, "You know I would-"
"I know," she said cutting him off. "I just wish Juni-"
"I know." Gary said, "He'll come to his senses some day."
"I just wish it was sooner," Carmen sighed
The two teens sat in silence. Both thinking about the other, but not wanting to say anything.
"What time do you have to go in?" Gary asked, breaking the silence.
"Midnight," She said.
"Do you want me to-?" Gary started.
"Yeah," Carmen finished.
Gary smiled softly and Carmen smiled back. The two teens stayed out on the balcony together until it was time for Carmen to go to the OSS. They kicked their shoes into gear and flew side-by-side right to the front doors.
Right before Carmen walked through the doors; Gary grabbed her hand and pulled her back. There was something he needed to do. Carmen was about to go on an extremely dangerous mission, one that she may not even return from. She turned around to face him.
"Carmen,"
"Gary,"
They stared at each other. Both wanting to tell the other how they felt, but not wanting to at the same time.
"Um," Gary cleared his throat, "See you soon?"
Carmen blinked and cleared her head, "Um yeah. Soon."
The teens smiled awkwardly at the other and Gary dropped Carmen's hand. "Good luck."
"Thanks," She smiled, "Uh you too."
"Thank you," He said quickly.
With another shared awkward smile. Carmen turned back around and started for the door again.
It's now or never Giggles!
In a moment of pure craziness, Gary reach forward, grabbed Carmen by the arm and spun her around.
"Gary, what are you-"
Carmen never finished.
Gary pulled her forward and crashed his lips over hers. Carmen was frozen for a second, her eyes wide, clearly shocked. A second later though, she closed her eyes and melted into him. Carmen threw her arms around his neck as Gary dropped her arm and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her as close as possible.
Neither of them knew how long they stood there, but apparently it was too long.
"Agent Cortez? Are you out here?" Donnagon Giggles called out as he stepped outside.
Carmen and Gary broke apart with a start.
Gary put a finger to his lips, signaling for Carmen to be silent. Donnagon was looking the other way, so he didn't see the two teens kissing.
Gary leaned in close to her ear, "You can do this."
Carmen let out a shuddering breath and nodded, "Good luck on your mission."
"You too," He whispered, and then pushed her out of the shadow.
"Agent Cortez," Donnagon said, noticing her for the first time. "There you are! We need to get you inside the game now. The more time you have the better." He opened the door and ushered her inside.
Right before Carmen walked inside, she threw one last glance over her shoulder. Her eyes met another pair in the darkness and she smiled.
Soon, She thought.
Gary watched as Carmen was led into the building. She looked back at him and their eyes met. The two teens shared a smile before the doors closed behind her and Gary was left alone outside.
Soon, He thought, soon.
.