Shades of Black

Chapter 5

When I went back, I found Tatiana picking her stuff angrily, wiping her face. As she was moving out, she pushed me out of her way. At first, I felt bad about the fact that she was crying but after pushing me, I didn't feel any emotions towards her. What ever this dimwit had done to her, only the universe knew!

"Hey dimwit, why do you make your girlfriend cry? Try to be nice to people. By the way, we've got one week to finish all this."
As I was going, he pulled me back. "Don't mistake me helping you as a sign of kindness."
I looked and rolled my eyes at him, "Don't worry dimwit, I just don't care about whatever you think."
What was wrong with him? A moment ago, he was being at least nice and now 'don't mistake me helping you.....blaablaa!"
I shoved his hand away and moved out.
I was happy about the fact that I was going home rather staying at this annoying school.

Mum called me when I was making my way to the hallway.
"Hello, ummm... picking you from school today. We have somethings to talk about."

***
She drove off as I asked. "What's the occasion today?" Mum smiled at me.
"You've given a new team, you're hair looks pretty when it's down." I couldn't believe ears, I was hearing things these days.
"No, I told you I was done. For God's sake, why don't you ever take me seriously?" I didn't want to work for The Alchemy anymore, I felt drained. It was part of the British Intelligence and it was in charge of human trafficking, drug exportation and importation... etcetera.
She frowned, "I assured you, this would be your last mission, do you trust your mama?"

I gasped, "I don't even know if I can trust you anymore. I want to have a normal teenage life mum. A life where I can scream when someone scares me, not grab a knife from my boot."
I bit my lower lip in anguish.

When we reached the new headquarters, it was simply a classy hotel with a 'secret' elevator that showed we were going up yet we were going down.
On reaching, there where many different people in HQ. I knew none, some smiled, some whispered to their neighbors and others just had mean faces. Things that attracted me the most in all the secret HQs I had been to, where knives and pistols. It didn't take me long learning how to use those from all the times I had been in martial arts schools, plus the juvi where it was survival for the fittest.
I had familiar voice from the back, it was Agent Harvey. He had been mum's old friend when we were in Columbia.
"Well, well...looks like my favorite little wolfie ain't little anymore." He hugged me and I hugged him back. Agent Harvey was tall ,built, with a dark skin complexion,he was Samoan. Called me wolfie because it was my name in there system, which I was soon leaving.
He was a tough guy and he rarely said much, always up for business.

He adjusted his tie, "Little wolfie, you know what you always have to do when you're joining a new team, right." I nodded, Jesus.
I wasn't ready to fight anyone here. They were all built and kind of tall compared to me. Even the girls. "I don't want to do this anymore."
Agent Harvey looked forward as though he had barely heard anything. There were two people already fighting in the ring.
He called mum, "Sarah, tell her she's up." He walked away.
Mum tried, "Athena, you can only leave after this last mission."

Last mission she said? I took my cardigan off and handed to her as she gave me a puff holder. She left as soon as I entered the ring. The chick I was battling with was tall, pale skin, blond hair in cornrows with a nose piercing. I wasn't used to my body being so exposed, so I didn't take shirt off. I held my hair quickly, as l stretched my legs.

The first thing that came to my head was to let her beat me. There, I wouldn't join another team but I, I wasn't a loser.

She attacked first, throwing several punches at me. I dodged them all, I didn't like boxing gloves on. I threw them off, she pushed me to the floor with excess energy.
"Take that pretty face!" She said in a rough tone while attempting to hit my face. I put my elbows forward, I used all the energy I had and punched her throat.
She kind of chocked, and I kicked her away. The corner of my eye was literally bleeding.
My heart pounded in my chest, she threw another kick and I dodged it right in time.
I was uninterested in this fight from the start, so I hard to finish it. I attacked her with a flurry of punches and kicks that sent her stumbling back. As I said, I was no loser.

After the fight, I was finally introduced to my team.
There was Celine, she had amber eyes and white hair. Celine looked at weirdly, she didn't even introduce herself, Mr. Harvey did. Next was Simon, he had brown curly hair and he looked Arabian. Then Gabriel, he had a buzz cut, Charlie had glasses and if I guessed, he was a computer guy. I thought that was all but there was another person to meet.

Mr. Harvey's face turned from numb to happy when another girl popped up. She was black but lighter than me, she had olive green eyes. She was about 5'8, and she was curvy. She had Brazilian looks, and looked to be in her early twenties.
"Amandla, come here...this is..."
Before Mr. Harvey could finish, she interrupted, "Athena Dynevor, I'm Amandla Alves. By the way your middle name and my first name have the same meaning." She smiled and hugged me. My middle name, 'Amani' , which I didn't use meant power or strength just like her Zulu name, Amandla.
I asked, "How did you know about my middle?"
She smiled, "I currently have your file." An 'O' left my lips, before anyone could add anything, the Celine girl interrupted. "Agent Harvey, how can we work with a seventeen year old?" Unbelievable, now she was complaining. I wasn't too young for this job, at least I had experience for the last eight years. Celine rolled her eyes at me, "Celine, we're not debating about anything. She has been working for the Alchemy for eight years now." Mr. Harvey explained to her.
Their jaws dropped, I found it normal for everyone to react after hearing that.

"Everyone be prepared, we may have emergencies from anywhere."