Spy School Out West

Chapter 8

I know I left things in a bad spot.

I'm going to do it again.

I'm sorry, but some things need to be explained before we move on.

--
3rd Person Perspective
--
Circle Z Ranch
Bozeman, MT
June 5
1615 hours
--

A small crowd of mourners waited by the ranch office. After Erica had left, sobbing, with two park rangers, that left a crowd of students and one MI6 agent to explain some things Balto had seen- and would probably see now- that couldn't be explained otherwise.

"There's something we need to tell you," Zoe started.

"What is it?" Balto grumbled. She had been in a surly mood since Catherine had told her the odds of Ben's survival.

"All of us, really," Jawa cut in. "We're CIA."

Balto looked up from her boots for the first time since she'd gotten off her horse. "What?"

"Yeah," Mike said. "I barely believed it either." The group proceeded to tell her the story of the Academy of Espionage, being careful to leave nothing about themselves out, starting with their real names. They talked about who Catherine really was, detailed the Hale's family history, and ended with their pitch.

"We know you don't want to keep living as America's Sweetheart, flanked by paparazzi wherever you go," Zoe said. "So we have a proposal. You can join the Academy of Espionage, be a spy, and only see Walter again behind bars. Or you can go back to the life you lived before, keep your money- and tell nobody about what we just said."

Balto took off her faded hat and traced the snarling yellow panther with her finger.

"I'll do it," she said finally. She put her ball cap back on and made eye contact with Zoe. "I'll join your school, learn to be a spy, and give up everything." Her eyes cast towards the woods, where Ben lay dead somewhere.

None of them had thought of it that way before. Ben had gone on a mission to keep his country safe, and made the ultimate sacrifice. If Balto would have said no, it would have been for naught. She wanted to honor him.

Everyone else respected the hell out of her for it. It had taken most of them days to make the decision, and Balto had made it in seconds for the honor of someone else.

Cyrus eventually joined the condolence party. He gave no explanation for why he was late, but his eyes were rimmed with red, as though he'd been crying. For Ben? They stood anxiously, holding onto the smallest scrap of hope that Ben could somehow make it out alive.

The older woman manning the office had given them her walkie talkie to see if any news came up, but the two rangers who were finding Ben had gone radio silent. All the park rangers were talking about was a trespasser and a road closing nowhere near them. They waited there until it got dark, going back and forth between uncontrolled tears and remembering what Ben had said and done for them before he died.

They wondered what his last thoughts had been, who he'd said his last words to. None of them would ever know.

Catherine suddenly cried out, thrusting the radio into the middle of the huddle. "They're talking about him!"

I know, short chapter, but I think you'll live. Unlike- sorry that was rude I'll stop. (Not me apologizing to fictional characters...)

You guys are really great. I just wanted to let you know. Affirmations!

Publishing date: 9|16|24

Total word count: 568