Step One: Suck It Up

"This better be important," I said as I took my seat at the long oval table.
"It is," Drana assured me.

"So . . . what is it?" I asked, examining the faces of everyone seated around the table. They didn't reveal whether the cause of this meeting was positive or negative.
"We have a new assignment for you," she informed me.

"That's it?" I demanded, "You could've just called."
"This is too important to risk being overheard," she said.

"What? You think someone's gonna tap the phone lines?" I asked sarcastically. The blank faces in response were signs that that was exactly what they thought.
"We have to be careful," Drana said slowly.

"Well . . . What is this big bad new assignment," I wondered.
"Have you ever heard of the Stryker family?" she asked.

"Hasn't everyone?" I quipped flippantly.
"Well the point is they're moving to our fair city," she told me.

"Duh . . . Liam Stryker just bought the Yankees . . . If that's not reason enough to move to New York City nothing is . . ." I muttered.
"Yes, it makes sense and all, which makes it the perfect alibi. We have reason to believe the Stryker family is involved in some shady business that has drawn them to New York."

"What kind of 'buisness?'" I asked suspiciously.
"We're not one hundred percent sure. But the evidence is all there. They move around constantly and have bailed several convicts out of jail. They also seem to have gotten money out of thin air . . . Sure, they have their many money making talents and investments. But where did the original funds come from?"

"Inheritance," I said with a shrug.
"That's exactly what the public believes," Felix jumped in, "However we've found no records of Liam or his wife inheriting any money. Actually, there is no record of them until they became famous. So where did all the money come from and where did they come from? We can't trace any ancestors or locate any immigration records."

"So we're talking a typical investigation but with big names?" I assumed, "I'll just do a little ghost walking to do a little perimeter sweep of their home, looking for anything sketchy. No big deal, right?"

"It's not that simple this time," Drana told me, "We don't want you just to see what's in the apartment . . . We want you to retrieve something from the apartment."
That surprised me. "But . . . you know I can't touch anything in my spirit form . . . " I trailed off in confusion.

"We know," Drana said, "Which is why you'll have to go in person."
"You're kidding," I said, pleasantly shocked. "You've got to be kidding."

Everyone around the table smiled brightly at me.
"Nope," said Drana, "We're serious."

"No way! I actually get to go in the field?" I asked.
"Yes," Felix said. His smile was huge.

"This is . . . amazing!" I exclaimed.
"We thought you'd be excited," Drana said.

"Excited doesn't even cover it," I said, "You guys never let me in the field."
"We figured this would be a good first field assignment for you," Felix said.

"What do I have to do?"
"Sarah, give her a debriefing," Drana commanded.

Sarah stood up, a simple folder in her hands. "I assume you're familiar with the Stryker children. Vivianne and Ashton."
"Uh the runway model and the movie star? Yeah, I'm pretty familiar," I said, "Most people are."

"Yes they're enrolling in Haven Academy," she continued.
"I'm just gonna go ahead and assume that that's some local ritzy prep school," I interrupted.

"Basically," she said, "But the point is, now so are you."
"You mean going to some private school?"

"Exactly . . . We're paying your tuition to Haven Academy," she told me.
"Not sure how I feel about that, but continue," I said, making a 'go on' hand gesture.

"Yes well, your objective is to befriend Vivianne and get her to invite you over to her house."
"That's it?" I demanded.

"Don't sell this mission short," Drana piped in, "It's not as easy as it sounds. You have to befriend one of the world's most spoiled girls. And we have reason to believe that she won't want anyone snooping around her house."

"What do I have to get anyway?"
"We'll let you know when that happens," Felix said, "For now, just concentrate on the mission at hand."

"So basically, all I have to do is become besties with Vivianne Stryker? Is that it?" I wondered.
"Mostly but not exactly," Drana informed me, "You also have to get in good with her brother Ashton. You don't have to be friends, just make sure he doesn't hate you. Vivianne and Ashton are joined at the hip. If he doesn't like you, she won't like you."

"Don't be a bitch to the Strykers. Got it," I said, nodding.
"Good. Then we're done here," Felix said, "We'll call you with an update tomorrow."

"Wonderful," I said, getting up, "Now if you fine people will excuse me, I have to go home and look after my little brother who is sick with the flu. So good day."
I left the conference room and took the elevator down to the main floor. I left the building and shuddered at the sudden cold.

I felt kind of annoyed that my first field assignment was something so . . . amateur. I mean, I'd been essential in some pretty famous and dangerous missions. Sure, I hadn't physically been apart of the action, but none of it would've been possible without me. But life, my life in particular, isn't fair I guess.

I mean seriously, I can never catch a break. First off, I'm sixteen years old and have never had a boyfriend. Seeing as I hardly have time for guys. Secondly, my grades aren't exactly straight A's, since it's impossible to study or do homework at my house with all the screaming going on. thirdly, I have anger issues and know how to kill a person eighteen different ways without getting blood on my hand. Which, as you probably imagine, means I have to have a hell of a lot of self control. Plus, my parents always scream at me since I'm gone all the time and I never tell them where I'm going.

But it's only because I have a sixth sense and work for the FBI.