Spy School Oneshot Collection

Trying to Date

Ben and Erica are trying to go on a date. Unfortunately, Erica's parents are incredibly nosy. For some more  context, some of my AO3 tags: Catherine is unusually incompetent, Alexander is incompetent but he acknowledges it, Neither of them is actually even trying to be competent here. Also, Running and Bad disguises.

"Do you see them?" Alexander whispered, trying to get a better view from his position behind a bush.

"Give me a second," Catherine said from her place in a tree a few feet away. "Okay, there they are."

Alexander pulled out his binoculars. "I don't see them."

"Well where are you looking?"

"Right there," Alexander said, pointing.

"Go a little more to the left."

"That's not working."

"Your left, dear," Catherine said. "You went to your right."

"Oh," Alexander said, turning red. "I see them now."

"Can you see what they're saying from your angle?" Catherine asked. "I don't have a good view of their faces."

"I guess I can try and read their lips," Alexander said, moving over a few more feet for a better view. "Okay, Ben just said, 'This bat floor falls for over her...' No, that can't be right. He must have said-"

"I think we're going to have to get a little closer," Catherine said, stopping Alexander before he could make any more of a fool of himself. She dropped out of the tree and landed crouched down on her feet behind the bushes.

"So what's the plan?" Alexander asked.

"You provide a distraction, and I'll sneak around the side," Catherine said.

"How should I distract them?" Alexander asked.

"However you want just so long as you get them looking over there." Catherine pointed out towards the street and started crawling through the bushes in the other direction.

"Oh, okay." Alexander took out a baseball cap to "disguise" himself and pulled it down low over his eyes. (As you might imagine, it went very well with his suit.) Then he darted off into the street, forcing cars to slam on their brakes and causing a cacophony of honking.

While Ben and Erica turned towards the commotion, Catherine crossed at the corner and ducked behind a tree. She then called Alexander and said, "I'm in position."

"So what are they saying?" Alexander asked, now hurrying down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

"Ben just asked, 'Was that your dad?' and now Erica looks a little embarrassed and says, 'Yeah, let's just pretend that didn't happen.'"

"Darn it," Alexander said. "Do they know you're there?"

"I don't think so. They haven't mentioned me."

"So what are they talking about now?"

"Ben said, 'Do you think we could go somewhere else? This is a little awkward,'" Catherine relayed to Alexander. "And now Erica's nodding... Alexander, they're on the move!"

"Where are they going?" Alexander asked.

"I don't know yet, but they're heading out towards the sidewalk. You should be able to see them coming your way in a few moments, but make sure they don't see you."

"Okay." Alexander located Ben and Erica and ran into the closest store, so they wouldn't see him as they passed and then peered out the window to watch.

"I'm headed your way," Catherine said. "Start following them."

"Already on it," Alexander said as he switched hats and started casually walking down the street, even whistling in an attempt to seem completely oblivious to the goings on around him.