Just A Show

Chapter 3: Excused Kidnapping

I excused myself to use the comfort room when I felt warm tears rising.

I let out silent sobs. I can't do this, but there's no stopping it. The only way to end chaos is this mission. Whatever it is. After finally easing myself, I made my way back to the room.

"You'll start your first assignment right away." A deep, familiar voice said behind me.

It was Prof. Aden, leaning on the wall, arms crossed.

"What assignment?" I asked.

He looked at me. "You'll see." He said and walked away.

I followed him. "Professor!"

"And stop calling me Professor." He commanded, sharply.

No one used that kind of manner while talking to me so I shrank against the wall and breathed heavily. "Pro- I mean, Aden,"

He stopped and looked at me.

"What about class?" I asked.

He turned and continued walking. "You're excused."

__________

"So," I said breaking the long

 silence. "What am I going to do?"

They didn't look at me. It felt a little awkward. I saw Daryl shrug.

"Well," Garnet finally said. "For your first task," She threw a folder across the table. I opened it and saw documents. Flipping pages, I saw painstakingly compiled information of people. I saw Janice's profile.

Name: Gayle Patrice Peterson, Birthday: July 4, 1996, Gender: Female, Parents: Secretary Rick Peterson of Verdonna and Maryanne Poller Peterson...

"What am I going to do with this?" I asked, flipping more pages.

Aden faced me. "We want you to spy on them."

I coughed to hide a laugh. "Spy, why? What connects it to the case?"

"We assumed that those people have slight contacts with the Russian terrorists." Garnett answered. She leaned again and flipped three pages. "Especially her."

I looked at the page. A girl with brick red hair and pale skin. 'Celestine Scholletski' is her name. I haven't seen her in my life but she looks quite familiar. I scanned the whole paper and one info stopped me. Parents: Vice President Martin Vladmir Scholletski of Russia and Yvonne Roscher. Vice President of Russia? Her father?!

I looked at Garnet, speechless.

__________

After an hour of discussing other matters, they decided to show me around the headquarters.

"This is where we stack endless paperwork." Garnet said while we're outside the halls in front of a door. Garnet opened the door.

A red-haired girl came running toward the door like a bull, screaming curses to people around her. She rammed onto me and hit her head to mine.

"Ow!" I cried. A hand pulled me up again. I felt like collapsing then Aden stood behind me. "Thanks." I whispered.

"What the f*ck?!" The girl swore. When she faced me, she went pale and took a step back. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it!" She pleaded.

Daryl head locked her. "Easy you bull!" He said while stopping her hands.

The girl bit his arm and Daryl yelped.

"That's Red Castor, the stubborn chief of the Investigating Department." Garnet said, pulling me away from the two.

"And I'm a Tech Department apprentice!" Daryl chimed. "Mom's the queen bee here."

"And Aden's my right-hand." Garnet added.

A red-haired little boy about six years old came running around, holding a wooden sword and a paper hat on his head.

"Am gonna dig guts out of people! Woo-hoo!" The boy cried.

"Giro!" Red called, pushing Daryl and grabbing Giro by the arm.

"Giovanni, Red's brother." Garnet said.

The boy smiled, two dimples appearing on each cheek. "Hi, lady!" He greeted.

I waved and smiled at him. "Aww..." I said while messing his red hair.

"If I may ask,"

Everyone turned to face me. I suddenly felt like an outcast instead of a star.

"Oh, no, nothing. It's not that important."

Awkward silence followed.

I am such  an expert in creating silence.

Fuck.

"So why are you in such a hurry, Miss Castor?" Garnet asked Red.

Red's face went serious. "Chief, two of my men came back from their mission at Moscow. Three agents were captured and killed." She hung her head. "Told me that they pretended as waiters on one of the president's secret meetings with the other officials."

She looked back at Garnet again. "Three of the agents attended customers of the restaurant outside the VIP room, reporting suspicious things while two attended the president's meeting, recorders tuck behind their shirts."

Red sighed. "After the meeting, the two agents went looking for the other three. They couldn't find them. They tried to contact them but they only heard this," She paused and got something from her pocket. It's a recorder. She played it.

I heard something ticking like a grandpa clock and a sound of a music box. I realized the song.

"So, you're spies, huh? Too late because in a month, all of Verdonna will be wiped out by a single atomic bomb. And, if you try to spy on us again, this will surely happen to you,"

The man paused and I heard the screams of the three agents. Three gunshots were heard then it's all silent.

'Not just that. If you got caught spying again, the time of executing the bombing will decrease a day. So never try. Oh, and if you want to claim these fools, claim them near the pier." A psychotic cackle was heard and he hung up.

I gulped. "Verdonna, b-bombing?"

"Yep." Red said.

Aden handed me the folder. "Your targets are arranged by order."

Fear flooded my ears from listening.

"Cassie?"

I turned.

Daryl's playful smile vanished. His face looks stressed.

"Stop frowning. I'm not used seeing that."

Then his smile broke again.