What happened to Grace Sinclair? (Friday Barnes)

~12~

  ~the birth of the Youth Department~

Friday spent over a week in quarantine.

Nobody was allowed in or out, not that she was awake enough to realise if they did.

It took another few days of her feeling better before she left her room.

This was the first time she had been outside her room in what felt like forever.

She stepped out into the hallway, unsure if she was about to be pushed back into her room by a group of people afraid of catching her illness.

But nobody was there.

The hallway was empty.

Then, footsteps from around the corner.

Friday watched as a tall woman came around the corner.

"Friday! You're better! How do you feel?" Nina asked, her face lighting up when she saw the small girl in the doorway.

Friday nodded, fully stepping out into the hallway and closing the door. "Much better."

She had put on a mask thought, just to be sure.

Nina clapped happily. "That's great! I was actually coming to get you, Agent Gillard has a surprise for all our young agents."

Friday's curiosity sparked. "What is the surprise."

Nina looped her arm through Friday's and set off down the hallway. 

Even though she was 20, she made the effort to get to know all the younger agents and was considered widely throughout Interpol, a friend.

"I'm not going to tell you silly. That's why it's a surprise!"

Friday let Nina drag her down the hallway, down the stairs, out into the courtyard and into the main building.

"Where are we going?" Friday asked and Nina lead her through the lobby and past the double doors that marked the beginning of the conference rooms and offices.

"You'll see." Nina said.

Friday was pulled all the way down the hallway to the last conference room.

About 14 people stood in front of the door.

Ian, Melanie were there but so were other kids around their age.

Mack, a tall boy with sandy curls of whom she had only spoken to once or twice was standing in the back of the group bouncing on the balls of his feet.

He was good with numbers and was an insurance intern working for Mr Tarlee.

Next to him was his best friend and the only other person Friday knew by name.

Morgan, a slightly shorter boy with dark curls was standing with his arms crossed in a very relaxed way looking extremely bored. 

The only things Friday knew about Morgan were that he was a very casual person and worked in the forensics team.

The rest of the people were kids she didn't know the names of or at all, and Agent Gillard, who was standing with her back to the conference room door, looking at the kids in front of her.

"Here she is!" Nina said excitedly as she let go of Friday and walked to stand beside Agent Gillard.

Friday stood next to Mack who gave her a big smile.

She smiled back.

Agent Gillard took a big breath. "Wonderful. I'm sure you're wondering why we gathered you all here."

They all nodded.

"Well, it has come to my attention that you young agents are being a bit...uh, over looked. You done have a space to call yours and do your work with people your own age and you don't even have your own department. Nina had a great suggestion that I hope you will love too."

She turned to Nina who looked ready to explode with excitement.

Agent Gillard stepped aside to let Nina speak.

"I am very excited to introduce you all to the very newest department at Interpol. The Interpol Youth Devision!" She said, pushing open the double doors of the conference room.

They all peered in.

Friday couldn't see from the back of the group. "What is it?" She asked, looking to Mack who was tall enough to see at least some of that it was.

Morgan answered, now slightly more interested. "A bunch of desks."

"Go in, go in!" Nina said, pushing open the other door and letting them wander in.

Morgan was right. It was a bunch of desks.

Where, before, the room would have had a whiteboard, a cupboard and a large table in the middle, there were lots of single corner desks all pushed up against each other. (Photo up the top if you can't picture it)

They were all pushed up against each other in a maze type of layout with a small divider between each one to seperate who's desk was who's.

"Pick a desk!" Nina said. "You can swap later if you want."

All the kids took a desk.

Friday took one by the far wall it was the last one in the small line that made up the corner part of the labyrinth layout.

The desks had little shelves under them for storage.

Melanie sat down next to Friday and Ian opposite her, also next to the wall.

Morgan stole the seat to the left of Ian and Mack next to him.

Once they had all quieted down, Nina spoke again. "This is your space, you can do what you want with it. Posters, radio, and the desk is yours to decorate and fill."

Agent Gillard cut in. "That said, should any of you take advantage of this space, it will be taken away. While you are young, you are still agents and we hold great expectations for you to behave as such. Do not make us fools for expecting this of you."

They all watched her.

When she seemed satisfied she gave a small nod and waved her hand to them. "You have the day off to get settled."

Then, she left.

Nina gave a small clap of happiness.

"Thank you, Nina!" A girl called out.

Some kids nodded.

"Yeah, thanks Nina!"

"Thank you."

"Thaaaaaanks."

"We owe you one Nina."

"Nina, I love you."

"Shut up, Henry."

Nina gave them a small wave and shut the door behind her.