Becoming A Spy

Chapter 3 : Pool training

Chapter 3

The next day...  

Riker POV

I definitely wasn't going in to train today. My whole body hurts from yesterday. Mostly it's just my arms and legs that are sore.

I texted Aubreigh that I would be coming in tomorrow though. And she said to bring my swimsuit. So now I'm nervous. I'm sort of scared she's going to put me in some sort of drowning situation.

"Riker, just letting you know we have rehearsal tomorrow," Ross said, passing me in the kitchen.

"Tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah. At 2:00."

"I can't."

"Why not? You missed our band meeting yesterday. You're going to miss rehearsal now too? Dad's not going to be happy."

"I have an audition."

"Another one?"

"Yeah."

"How did the one yesterday go?"

"Fine."

Ross left. But he's right. I don't know how I'm going to tell dad I'm missing rehearsal.

Later...

Riker POV

"Riker, you know the rules. You can miss 3 band things in a month. You already missed 3," dad said.

"That's not fair! I missed the meeting yesterday for an audition. But the other 2 times, I didn't technically miss rehearsal. I was sick. So I couldn't sing. But I was at rehearsal on the couch."

"Riker-"

"Come on, it's an audition! I can't pick the time! I won't miss any more this month. I promise. Just please let me go."

"Fine."

"Thank you."

I went up to bed before dad could change his mind. I can't believe I just got away with that. Dad lets us miss 3 band things a month for any reason we want. But once we get to 3, we can't miss any more. The only person who's ever missed more than 3 is Ross, but that was because he was filming a movie. But I feel like if he could miss a day for filming, I should be able to miss a day for an audition.

Except it's not even an audition. It's stupid spy training. I haven't even gone to my second day and I'm already annoyed.

The next day...

Riker POV

I showed up at the same building again. But this time the guy at the check in desk gave me an ID badge. I guess he got a picture of me from the internet. And since I'm in training I don't really need the badge yet, but once I'm doing like... actual work, I will.

Aubreigh met up with me and took me down the hall again.

"Did you bring your swimsuit?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Go change."

I went to the bathroom and got changed into my swimsuit. I'm starting to freak out though. I'm really scared something bad is going to happen to me.

"Follow me," Aubreigh said, leading me down the hall again.

She took me to a big room with a pool in it.

"I'm assuming you know how to swim," she said.

"Yeah."

"Good."

She handed me a pair of goggles.

"What am I doing today?" I asked.

"You're having a pool day."

She grabbed a bunch of rings.

"I'm going to throw these in the deep end and you're going to get them as fast as you can. I'm going to time you."

She threw the rings in and they sank to the bottom.

"I just have to get them? That's all?" I asked.

"Yes. This pool is a bit deeper than average though. It's about 12 feet. So make sure you take a deep breath before you go down."

I sat down on the edge and put my feet in the pool. It wasn't cold.

I slid off the end, held my breath, and swam to the bottom of the pool. I was able to grab about half of the rings before I had to go back to the surface because I was running out of breath. I put the rings on the edge of the pool, took another deep breath, and went back down. I grabbed the rest of the rings and then came back to the surface.

"Good. Now I want you to hold your breath and swim as far as you can to the other end of the pool."

I took a big breath and went under again. This isn't so bad. She's not giving me hard stuff so far and she seems satisfied with me, so that's good.

I only made it halfway across the pool before I had to come up for air again.

"Ok, now I want you doing laps."

"How many?"

"Until I say so."

I started swimming laps instead. I was thinking she was only going to have me do a few. It was a big pool and I was starting to get tired.

I could feel myself getting slower. I'm good at swimming, but I can't swim forever.

"Aubreigh, how much longer?" I asked.

"You can stop."

I grabbed onto the edge, out of breath.

"You can get out."

I pushed myself up onto the edge. But as soon as I stood up, Aubreigh pushed me backwards into the pool.

I inhaled water and it made my nose and lungs burn. I clung onto the edge, coughing.

"What was that for!?" I asked, annoyed.

"You need to be ready."

"For what!?"

"Anything. You're dismissed."

Aubreigh left. I got back out of the pool, feeling really annoyed. This is stupid.

I went to the bathroom and got changed and then I drove home. But I was in a bad mood and I really didn't want to talk to anyone. I had a headache.

"Riker, you made it in time for the end of rehearsal. Come here," dad called from the living room.

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch to unpack my bass.

"Why is your hair all wet?" Rocky asked.

I realized I didn't dry my hair and I probably smelled like chlorine since I didn't shower before I came home.

"Um... It was for my audition," I said.

"Ok, back to rehearsal," dad said.

I hate lying. And it seems like I'm going to be doing a lot of it.