Spy School and the Dead Agent

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Active Operation

0420 Hours

Saturday

CIA

Training Facility, Alaska

I woke up early, around 4:00 am. Everyone except my mother and grandfather was still asleep. By 4:10, I had eaten some vegan pancakes and some salad and then double-checked the belongings I was bringing: explosives, lockpicking tools, frag grenades, burner phones, phone scramblers, a 9mm handgun, and a few other items. I filled a rucksack with larger items that couldn't fit in my utility belt, including a small grenade launcher and an Mp5 submachine gun. After that, I suited up in my typical black tactical gear—a dark jacket and black leggings—since the disguise for the delivery uniform wasn't ready yet. Before I slept yesterday, I had researched the uniform and found it belonged to a skeptical Eastern European delivery company, known for minor crimes usually resulting from honest accidents.

In the main lounge, I mentally reviewed the plan assigned to me. Due to my keen observation skills and the fact that I also have sharp eyes, I briefly peeked at the dossiers of the others while we were in the cabin yesterday. Zoe and Mike's assignments were similar, but mine was different. Besides scouting and defending Ben against potential threats, my dossier indicated that Ben would be the one to review any evidence against Murray. It felt insulting, as if I wasn't trusted enough. Though Ben is smart, I've been decoding top-secret Russian files since the age of five.

I made myself some Earl Grey tea, reviewed the file, and checked my things one last time. Soon, Zoe and Ben appeared in the hallway, dressed in their combat attire. Ben was less tactical because he expected himself to be in disguise, except for his utility belt, which my mom gave to him. He soon saw me and smiled at me after he yawned, which I found quite endearing, before heading to the small kitchen to make himself a milk coffee. Zoe sat next to me.

"You shouldn't have trained us so hard yesterday. Now I feel like a brick," Zoe said, looking at me with tired eyes. I gave her a shrug; I still didn't feel like talking this early.

Finally, Mike and Alexander appeared with their backpacks. As usual, Dad looked like he needed more sleep, while Mike seemed tired but was too hyped for the mission, so he forced himself up. Granddad emerged from the front door as the two SUVs from yesterday were parked in the driveway.

"Alright, are yall ready?" Granddad asked, looking at each of us. My team nodded in response. "Get to the cars; Nick and Catherine are waiting for your butts at the plane." We stood up and headed to the cars, taking the same positions as yesterday. After we buckled up, the SUV pulled onto the main road. Zoe and Mike started chatting about some fantasy movies while I looked out the window, scanning for any potential threats. I had already studied the area yesterday, noting the road we would take, the plane we would board, the airport map, and some other small details.

"I'm sleepy. That coffee wasn't enough. How long till we get to the airport?" Ben asked me with a yawn.

"Twenty to twenty-five minutes," I replied. After a moment, I looked at him and added, "You can sleep on my shoulder if you want," with a small grin. As usual, Ben blushed at my words. It's really fun teasing him; he makes such an adorable face. After recovering from his initial surprise, he slowly laid his head on my shoulder. I tried my best to hide my emotions, but I was close to blushing myself.

The car ride was plain. Mike and Zoe chatted, occasionally including me in their conversation, but I mostly responded with only brief replies. I didn't feel like talking much unless it was about the mission. It wasn't that I was particularly interested; I just didn't know how to engage in conversations very well. The last time I tried comforting someone, I usually accidentally insulted them. This is one reason why Ben usually handles missions involving close interaction with our targets.