Teen Spy: The Observer

Chapter 23

Kiara's eyes land on a solitary bracelet on the desk. "What about that bracelet? What does it do?"

"It's a prototype the lab is currently working on." Sasha brags. "I asked Agent Knight to ship it here for field tests. I'm the only one allowed to use it."

"Fine, but what is it supposed to do?" Kiara insists.

"Each charm is supposed to do something different. One is a tracking device, this", she touches the music note charm, "a hearing device and the other two are different types of grenades. I'll eventually add other charms. But I'm still working on them before it is distributed to the rest of the agents."

Kiara only nods. She is not about to boost Sasha's ego and bragging rights by admitting how cool it seems. But it is one of the best gadgets she has.

"How about we make a strategy?" Will says when Sasha finishes her explanation. He has moved in front of the screens to study the vineyard's blueprints.

"What do you propose?" Kiara says studying them from her position on the control desk.

"Berte's office is at the end of the second floor of the building." Will answers. "Our tour only has access to the first floor but passes right in front of the stairs, giving us the best opportunity to sneak out."

"The problem is that the stairway is wide open, and anyone can see us climbing to the second floor." Sasha states.

"That's where you come in. You will have to create a distraction so that Agent Starling and I can go by unnoticed. And you'll be our lookout in case someone heads up. Think you're up to it?" Will challenges.

"Fine by me." She replies.

"What about security on the second floor?" Kiara asks. "I'm assuming that Agent McGreevy will distract those posted near the stairs."

"Yes, the guards patrol is not as tight on the second floor at that hpur." Will continues. "But if we do encounter them, we'll have to talk our way out, fighting should be our last resort."

Kiara agrees with a nod.

"Once we're near the vineyard I'll run a program from my laptop that'll make us invisible to the security cameras. And I can hack the security locks on the door of the office."

"Seems like a plan to me." Kiara says. "What should we look for once inside the office?"

"Hard to tell." Sasha remarks. "It could be anything from emails to transactions to an appointment of some sort."

"Or a connection to something else." Will adds. "Hopefully, we'll have enough time to search his computer. If not, I'll make a copy to examine later."

"So, it's basically: see what we find and where it leads from there." Kiara summarizes.

"Yes, as always." Sasha says rolling her eyes yet again. "Most of our time is spent trying to make sense of a bunch of useless information and connect random data. Hopefully, you'll find something useful."

Without saying goodbye, Sasha leaves the conference room.

"Guess the strategizing is over..." Kiara comments as the door shuts close. But then she has another thought. "Wait! How do we get back to the tour?"

"That'll depend on how long it takes to search the office." Will studies the blueprints once more. "There's a secondary stair that puts us close to the path of the tour. It lays right between the administrative section and the production section."

"So, there's less chance of being spotted on our way out." Kiara says. "If we can time it right, we could rejoin to the group from the back, and no one will see."

"That, unfortunately, gives us a time limit." Will says and closes the program.

"We'll have to make it work then." Kiara says determinate.

Will motions for her to leave and follows. They retrace their steps to the kitchen and out through the service door. After saying good night, they head to their respective room building.

Kiara silently enters her room and changes back to her pajamas before laying in her bed. Eventually she falls asleep thinking about what could await her in the vineyard.

The next morning Kiara watches her reflection in her room's bathroom. She lets down her hair and moves it over her ears to cover the earpiece. The watch is already in her wrist. She tucks the eyeglass in her small backpack and heads out.

As soon as Kiara and her friends take their usual seats in the bus, Sydney asks about the watch. Luckily, Kiara had foreseen her cousin noticing and had prepared an explanation. She claims to have bought it before the trip and to have forgotten she brought it. Kiara then swiftly moves the conversation to other topics.

The bus transports all the students of Wood High to the outskirts of Paris where one of Berte Wine's Vineyard is located. Vines in their different stages of growth stretch out for the first miles into the property. As the bus continues, the villa becomes bigger. Kiara knows the layout from the blueprints, but she is still impressed when she looks at it with her own eyes.

The buses park in front of it. The chaperones lead the students into the structure and as usual divide them into smaller groups. While Ms. Lane explains the different sections of the villa where each stage of winemaking takes place, Kiara discreetly moves to the back of the group. The tour starts at the south wing of the villa on the administrative side, since it is the one closest to the main entrance, and they'll make their way to the opposite side, where the barrels of wine are ready to distribute.

When the tour nears the main salon, Kiara makes eye contact with Sasha who gives her a small nod, signaling her to be ready and heads to the front of the group.

They enter the room, a wide space with vintage furniture. Two large windows face the vineyard with several paintings decorating the walls. There is a central staircase to a side with a velvet rope blocking the passage and a guard posted in front.

The area is big enough for all the groups to fit in. The chaperones spread across it until they find a spot where they continue explaining the history of this place. Kiara waits patiently as each one finishes and moves to the next part where Berte himself will give the tour. She notices that Will is also dragging his feet.