Saturday. 8:00pm
It's been almost a week since my mom told me about our new lead. We were
being transferred to California and we were leaving tomorrow, on Sunday
like she said. I still haven't broken news to Scarlet.
I put aside the thought as I went to work with my personal trainer, Ashe
Carter. He's 32 and had been training me since I was 4. He's stepped in and
trained me whenever my mother didn't have the time. There was only one
move that I could ever get right.
"Double hand-over, roundabout kick." "Are you sure?" I nodded. "Let's
go." "But Jack-" "Carter, please."
The move is hard and complicated for a child my age. It was series of
vigorous movements of the body and takes a lot of control. It was one of the
moves that made a martial artist special. Carter knows that I have been
trying it for weeks. I usually get the first part right, but when it comes to the
landing, the roundabout kick, I never stick the landing. To make it easier, he
goes through the steps of the move one by one.
"Okay Anderson, take your standing position." He waited until I had it
perfect, and then continued. "Now back-flip into the double-over then into
the hand-over." I did the back-flip with ease. Then with the double-over I
twirled through the air landing in a hand-stand position. It was hard staying
in this position, but I held it as I waited for the next move, the roundabout
kick. "Now lift off your hands into the air. Do one half-spin, and then set
your legs apart into back-flip position and then land back into the standing
position." He spoke slowly as I gained concentration. I took a deep breath
and I pushed my hands off the mat, sending me into the air. I did the half-
spin, but before setting my legs apart and putting myself back into the back-
flip position, I lost balance and fell on my back. My eyes fluttered open to
see Ashe stretching his hand out but I rejected it. I was too angry and
frustrated. I got up and shook my arms out. "I want to go again." I knew he
wouldn't, but it was worth a try. "Jack, you're not focusing. Your mind isn't
clear. I can understand that with the big move tomorrow." I shook my head.
"Did you even tell Scarlet?" I was about to answer but then she walked
through the door smiling. "Tell Scarlet what?" I turned to Ashe for help, but
he shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the room, leaving us alone. I
sighed and rested myself on the mat and she came and sat down next to me.
"Scarlet…" I stopped to puff out a breath. She looked at me expectantly.
"After the mission last night, I went back to my mom. She told me that we
have a lead on the guy. She beamed. "Jack that's so great!" "I know, but my
mom said she got us transferred to the nearest agency near to where they
tracked him, and that's in Seaford, California." Her face fell. "So… you're
leaving?" "Tomorrow. But we want you to come, your part of our team. But
I didn't expect you to drop everything and come with us." She smiled, but
not as much as before. "Jack, it's okay. Like you said, I'm part of the team.
I'll just tell Angie something came up." I nodded. Angie was Scarlet's foster
mom. My mom found Scarlet as a new born baby, alone by a dumpster a few
days after she had given birth to me, she took her in and my mom trained us
together. A few years later when we were 10, child services came and took
her away, but we still kept in touch because my mom had her already
enlisted into the CIA. But ever since she's been in a foster home, she's been
looking for a way out. Scarlet never told anyone what happened to her; she
thought people would think she was weak.
Thinking of this felt bad, and even though we agents don't like to expose
affection, I reached over and gave her a tight hug. This was her ticket out of
misery. "Come on, let's go tell Ms. Anderson." She said after breaking
away.
9:30pm
We walked into my mom's office. Scarlet was the first to speak. "Message
received." My mom smiled and rose form her desk to stand before us. "Very
well. Here's some small information. We have your suitcase's packed and
already aboard Air Flight 2034. We already have a house and car purchased.
You two will not have to change your names or how you appear, but you
will still have to be undercover, no one must know what we're up too. When
we get there you two will attend Seaford High the next day. We have yet to
load a picture of our criminal, but we will soon. We will lay low until we
have a known contact. We will listen and follow the orders of this CIA
agency. You will train at HQ on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. You
will still have assignments and missions to follow through. Understood?"
We nodded.
"Understood."