It took a while for the boys to realize Kowalski wasn't participating in the academic decathlon nationals. He said it was because he felt that Mikayla and his team needed him, especially Rico and definitely after what had happened to Skipper.
Later in the month, they received disturbing news. Hans told the organization that he'd spilled everything he'd known and heard of Skipper and Kitka's relationship down to how it ended. He thought it wasn't worth mentioning because he had no reaction from Agent Twelve once he said it, but a covert agent had taken the moment to strike at the Valentine's dance.
Hans truly didn't know the identity of the covert agent. Blowhole liked his own agents to keep themselves distant from each other as much as possible. To add onto that, Hans knew there were more spies around the boys because they operated close to him. He just had no clue of their identities except for Simon who was still missing.
When asked about Kitka, Doris Douglas remarked that she hadn't seen her at the yoga place in months. Kitka kept going and maintained polite conversation with Doris, not wanting to talk about the breakup or anything. One day, after the class, Kitka had asked if Doris would be willing to give the boys a message if she brought it. Doris complied, but then Kitka stopped coming.
Doris had tried to text and call, but she went unanswered. Once the school year started, Doris tried calling her school and was told that Kitka transferred out and they had no idea where. She'd just told them she was moving and there was no further confirmation.
Kitka's parents came to the yoga studio in late November, looking for her. Doris had missed that day, but apparently Kitka had run away from home. They left their phone number and Doris gave it to the boys.
Private and Rico wondered if it would be easier to have Kowalski call, but Skipper said he felt responsible. What he felt responsible for, they didn't know and he wasn't telling them. He gave a resigned sigh and called them.
"KitKat?" Her father's weak voice made Skipper's chest hurt.
"I-I'm not her. I'm her ex-boyfriend."
"Oh. D-did she ever say anything to you?" There was clear desperation in his voice. "Or come back to talk to you? She told us she did something bad and she didn't blame you for the breakup."
"She..." Skipper was hesitant to explain what their daughter did. "She came to Central Park and she said she wanted to get back together. She was...assertive." More like aggressive.
"But, that's not-" Hurt and confusion sounded in his tone. "What does that mean?"
"She became...violent."
"No. That's not my daughter." Her father said firmly. "She was moving on from the relationship. She told me she'd apologize to you one day and ask for friendship...hello? Are you okay?"
Skipper's breaths had become shaky and short. He didn't resist when Kowalski took the phone from his hand.
"I'm Skipper's friend, Kowalski. Kitka knew me as well." Kowalski said.
"I told Skipper that my daughter isn't violent."
Kowalski explained what had happened that day and that he and a handful of others witnessed part of this.
"No...no she wouldn't...she wouldn't do that..."
"I know it's hard to hear-"
"It's impossible!" The man said angrily.
Kowalski kept calm despite the anxiety spike at the man's tone. "I understand you're upset, but please, I'm trying to have a conversation about this."
"My daughter is rambunctious and spirited, but she's not violent. I understand she hit that boy and she told me she didn't understand why she did, but she's...she's my daughter...she's not bad and...and..."
"Other than being her parent, do you have reason to think she wouldn't come after Skipper for revenge?"
"Her diary. The last time she wrote in it was in the summer, a few days before she told me she didn't want to go to yoga anymore. It was also the last time she wasn't acting oddly."
"Odd? Like she wanted to run away?"
"Yes, she'd become distant from everyone and then she stopped going to school. We begged her to at least finish high school, but she said no. We thought she had somehow gotten pregnant and was trying to stay at home, but she said she wasn't. We told her no matter what, we love her and just want her to talk to us. She didn't talk to us or write in her diary after."
"Oh. May I know the diary contents?"
"Only the last part that pertains to Skipper and his friends, which I presume includes you."
"Yes sir." Kowalski put the phone on speaker. "I have put you on speaker."
"Dear diary, I have asked Doris to send a message I haven't written yet. All I've been writing in you since the breakup was 'bad' and I haven't explained why. Maybe I didn't even want to admit it to myself. I went too far. Maybe I should have gotten help for this a long time ago, but couldn't bring myself to burden my parents with mental issues while they're paying for all my other extracurriculars. Maybe I didn't want them to cut those because therapy is expensive and I don't trust my school guidance counselors. Probably all of the above.
The kid didn't deserve it. I should have said a firm no and asked one of the other kids to stop him, they would have. He's weird and says gross things, but he didn't throw anything at me or cover me in boogers or paint. He just thinks being weird is funny, and maybe to others it is. To me, it's a reminder of my elementary days. Being relentlessly picked on and refusing my parents' offer to transfer or homeschool me. Let's be honest, Mom and Dad, you have no qualifications to homeschool. My elementary school was terrible and no one stood up for me, so I had made up in my mind that kids were terrible, not that middle and high schoolers were all that much better until I met Skipper.
I know he fell hard for me and I tried my best to get him to move past the immediate infatuation stage, he just had a charm about him. This won't be a message to get him back. I don't deserve his love and probably don't deserve his forgiveness. He definitely deserves better and I could pick out a few girls I've seen around who would be good for him. I want at least a mutual friendship. I don't want to be that crazy ex he hates because she stupidly hit a kid who didn't deserve it. I'm not great with apologies and it'll be a struggle because I have so many people to apologize to, but I'll try. Maybe it'll be ready the next time I see Doris and maybe the time after, but I need to do this. I need all of them, especially Skipper, to know that I'm sorry. I hope you find someone better than me and I hope we can be friends. Kitka the adventurer. That's how she ends the entries."
The silence that filled the air was thick. Rico and Private awkwardly had a silent thumb war while Kowalski looked between Skipper and the phone. Skipper was staring at the phone, glassy eyed.
"Ow!" Rico had pinched Private's thumb a little too hard.
"Sorry."
That prompted Kitka's father to speak.
"It was hard reading it the first time." He admitted. "I tried looking for signs, but this sounds like she was trying to move on instead of beating herself up."
"She was moving on." Kowalski said. "Doris was hesitant, but she knew Kitka didn't have bad intentions from her tone and body language. Hypothetically speaking, would Kitka ever join any group that would do bad things, like a gang?"
"No, never. Her cousin was wrapped up in a gang and was-sorry, how old are all of you?"
"Teens and we've heard a lot of bad things."
"O-oh...I'm sorry. Her cousin was killed and Kitka didn't want to join any gangs. She wouldn't be involved in anything that would kill people. She wouldn't have time for much outside her extracurriculars and hobbies."
"May I know what they were?"
Skipper answered this. "Martial arts, kickboxing, yoga, rock climbing, spelunking, debate team for a semester, a bit of cross country, geocaching, and she was in an archeology club in Chinatown. I did listen to her." He added to his team's surprise.
"Rock climbing? She actually broke her arm scaling the Grand Canyon?" Private asked in awe.
Kitka's father laughed. "Not the Grand Canyon, but it was a canyon climb when we took a road trip and it was a scary fall. At least I broke her fall so she didn't break her neck too."
"She told me that part." Skipper said with a sad smile, then he frowned. "She really did attack me, but she seemed different."
"That's what worries me." The man said. "Something's going on with her that we don't know or understand. She quit everything and I've been getting people calling me asking if she was okay until she ran away."
"We shouldn't have let her go...we had her knocked out and just threatened to show the videos if she tried it again."
"You didn't know it was the same day she ran from home."
"My dad's a private investigator." Skipper said. "I can have him try to look for her at no extra cost."
"We would be beyond grateful. My wife is beside herself, she can hardly get out of bed. Kitka's our whole world."
"We'll do our best, I'll let you know if I hear anything further."
"Thank you, goodbye."
"Bye." Skipper hung up the phone.
"That was ten seconds!" Private complained.
"Nu-uh, nine 'n half." Rico said.
"Guys." Kowalski said, getting their attention.
Skipper sighed. "Tell everyone to keep a lookout for Kitka and let the organization know. This is no longer a lookout for a potential enemy. This is be on watch for a missing teen who isn't acting properly. I think someone from Blowhole's side found her since Hans told them about her. Kowalski, assign roles."
"Yes, sir. Rico, I'm supplying you with a written explanation." Kowalski said. Relief spread across Rico's face as Kowalski got out his notepad and started writing. "Private, start going around the apartments and text Allie."
"Yes, sir." Private said, taking his key and leaving.
"I shall be notifying the organization." Kowalski said once he finished the note and tore the paper off for Rico. Rico kissed him and left. "I told him I believe consistent kissing is a strong sign of affection." He said.
"Yeah." Skipper said absentmindedly. "I need to call my dad."
Their friends were slightly confused but accepted the explanations Rico and Private provided to them. Mort was happy that Kitka had felt bad and wanted to apologize.
The organization was on alert now. Hans confirmed that the odd behavior was consistent with someone who had been either brainwashed or threatened by Blowhole. They were leaning more towards brainwashed since Kitka's personality was wildly different from how anyone had known her.
Skipper's dad picked him up for the thanksgiving break a few days after being briefed on the situation. George hadn't been told the specifics and neither had the organization or friends outside of witnesses. Private and Rico were going to spend the holiday with the Harrisons.
"I hear Mikayla's doing better." George said. "Where's she going for break?"
"Julien invited her and Josie to his place."
"Josie's parents are cool with that?"
"Yeah. Her dad has a nasty cold."
"Oh, sorry to hear that. You could have gone with the team for break if you wanted."
"I can't."
"Jeffery's apartment isn't that small, he can fit one more."
"I can't be around them right now."
"Why not?"
Skipper didn't respond. He looked out the window solemnly.
"Son? What's going through your mind?" George asked, briefly looking over at his son. "We're doing our best to make sure Kitka gets found safe and sound."
"I know." Skipper said softly.
"You're worried, I get it-"
"You don't get it."
"Okay...try me."
"She was someone I knew and cared for. Someone special who...who cared about me too."
"Which part would be the part I don't get? I have several people I know and care for, namely you children and your mother and the rest of our family."
"Did you have an ex?"
"I had a middle school girlfriend and we broke up before tenth grade. I've told you this."
"Yeah, but she didn't turn up and attack you."
"No, she moved, which is why we broke up. We were too immature to handle a long distance relationship and we were young."
"It didn't end badly."
"No, is that it? Are you upset with how it ended?"
"I wish there was another reason to have broken up with her than the fact that she hated kids and hit Mort...but...it has to do with when she came back."
"All I know is that she said she wanted to get back together with you, shoved you on the ground, and your friends showed up. That's what you told everyone."
Skipper bit his lip. He winced as he did it too much. He felt his lip for blood, there was nothing there. He stared at his arm. George was at a stoplight when he looked over and saw Skipper tracing his arm with his finger.
"What's going on there?"
Skipper hastily pulled his jacket sleeves down. Though the marks had gone, he knew his dad wasn't stupid. He'd notice the behavior.
"Skipper, did she do something else?"
"Green light."
George sighed and kept driving. "I can keep this up, go around the block a few times once we get there."
"As long as I don't have to face anyone else."
"Have you been talking to the team about it?"
"No, I shut them out."
"Why?"
Skipper groaned and shook his leg. "I-I don't-I just meant-they don't need to hear it. Especially Private. After all we went through with Kowalski and Kenny, I'm not about to unload my trauma onto already traumatized teens."
"It was traumatic?"
Skipper groaned in frustration. "Why do I keep telling you?"
"You haven't said much, to be honest. You can't face the team?"
"I can't face them as their leader..."
"Because you got taken by surprise again?"
"How am I supposed to explain I didn't want to hit a girl, my ex, and I panicked? Am I supposed to tell them to submit? To let them be taken advantage of? To let...someone...do whatever they want..." Skipper said the last part softly, ashamed.
"Skipper, what did she do?"
"S-she had me pinned down...nails digging into my wrists...and she kissed me..."
"Do you think that makes the team pity you?"
"They were protective of me...but I was...hurting. Her voice was like she wanted more...she wanted to do more if the doors hadn't opened...if I didn't scream for them...if I just head butted her or something..."
"You were scared of potential consequences. There were no witnesses until your friends were there."
"I was scared." Skipper sounded disappointed.
"It's a valid human reaction. You didn't know if you should fight and you couldn't flee."
"I froze."
"She got off somehow, right?"
"She grabbed my face with both hands and I shoved her off. Then I tried to get away and she slammed me to the ground. Then she was on top of me, talking oddly of wanting to see me bleed and she smacked my nose into the ground again. Part of me knew...it wasn't right...this wasn't what she'd do...her dad's right, she's not violent by nature…I don't understand why..."
"I'm sorry that happened to you. You are fully capable and allowed to fight back to defend yourself or give yourself time to get away."
"I know."
"Your team doesn't think less of you. They never have and never will. You're their leader, their Skipper."
"Thanks." His tone was one that suggested he didn't fully believe that. "Hitting Mort was an out of the blue, reactionary thing. It wasn't good, obviously, but it didn't make her a horrible person. Just not someone I'd date."
"You'll figure this out. If you truly know Kitka and her personality and it's that she isn't bad, then I believe you."
"Can we actually go home now, please?"
George nodded. "Sure. Just remember, your family and team love you and we're in your corner, okay?"
"Okay." Skipper said.
