Spy School: Crash of Canada (#1)

Chapter 11 - Understanding

Hotel Room 714

Toronto, Canada

February 7th

0430 Hours

I clambered out of bed, pulled on a t-shirt, and ran to Erica's room as fast as I could. Instead of knocking, I simply burst in the door and shook Erica awake. She swatted my hand away and rolled over to face me.

"What do you want?" She asked, coldly.

"Sorry to wake you, but I figured out what SPYDER is plotting." I replied.

Erica sat up, intrigued, her ice blue eyes staring at me in the darkness. 

"So what is it?" She asked.

"When we were running for our lives back at SPYDER's headquarters, I noticed a, well, what I think is a bomb," I said. "SPYDER is going to use that bomb to blow up the CN Tower, leave no evidence of their HQ, then make a fortune rebuilding parts of the city."

"I bet their onto us," Erica said. "That would explain why Mom and Zoe aren't back with Mike yet."

Erica leapt out of bed and ran to her closet, ordering me to get dressed as well. I ran back to my room and changed into my spy suit. I strapped on my utility belt and crammed my feet into my combat boots. I emerged from my room just as Erica did, despite the fact that she had gotten dressed, combed and styled her hair, and put on lipgloss, all within 2.5 minutes. She grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the hotel room.

Just as we exited the front door, an emergency alert went off on both of our phones. Erica fished hers out and checked what it was.

"Shit," Erica cursed under her breath.

"What is it?" I asked.

"An emergency signal from Mom, SPYDER must have captured them," Then she though to add "Again."

Erica broke into a run, and I tried my best to follow her. Unfortunately, we were too late. Four shadowy figures dropped from the second floor of the hotel and pinned Erica and I to the ground. I felt the cold barrel of a gun as it was pressed against the back of my head. In one swift movement, I was flipped over onto my back to see Ashley Sparks sitting atop me, and Jenny Lake aiming another gun at my skull. The same was happening to Erica but with Murray Hill and Warren Reeves. 

"Finally we have captured you jidiots!" Ashley sneered.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Erica said calmly.

She sprang up from beneath Murray with extreme speed and grace. In the next half of the same second, both Murray and Warren were sprawled out in the dirt, either in too much pain to move, or simply unconscious. I slipped free from under Ashley while she was distracted by Erica. Jenny world around, keeping her gun trained on me as I tried to flee. She opened fire, causing me to dive behind a bush to avoid getting shot. Jenny came running around to tree I was behind, so I tripped her. She pitched forward and dropped her gun. I picked it up and aimed it at Ashley, who had been creeping up behind me. She had her gun aimed at me as well. 

"Don't make me use this, Ben!" Ashley said.

"You won't get too," I replied.

Ashley looked at me confused for a split second before catching on to what I meant, by then, it was too late. Erica had snuck up behind Ashley and rendered her unconscious before she even knew what was happening. I lowered the gun I had and ran after Erica as she took off toward the parking lot of the hotel. 

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Erica asked.

"No!" I said. "Its not, it never has, and it never will, so please just tell me what the plan is!!"

Erica sighed. "We have to steal a car and get to my Mom, Zoe, and Mike, before something bad happens to all of them."

I nodded understanding. Erica ran up to one of the cars in the parking lot and jimmied the lock. She slipped into the drivers seat, and I got in the passenger. Luckily, the owner of the car mistakenly left their keys there, probably only running inside the hotel for a few minutes. Erica quickly started the car and pulled out onto the road, heading to save Catherine, Mike, and Zoe.