Espion | Book One

Eight.

          For the rest of the day, Anna stayed by herself. She dedicated this day, her first day at school, to getting associated with what was around her. Getting to know the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows, both literally and figuratively. She watched the changing of the security guards at the front gate for a while before she moved on. She hid in the shadows, trying to blend in as much as she could as she observed the students, the teachers, watching their every moves, trying to decipher whether they will be a threat to her target or not.

She had to admit, she wasn't sure what she was doing. She followed her instinct, her mind automatically telling her that she should know the place inside and out before doing anything else. It was the standard procedure for any mission she was given. But the basic fact that this was a mission she wasn't used to put her on edge a little.

In fact, she wasn't just not used to it, she's never done it before. Thomas never gave her a mission to protect someone. She wasn't the regular, all rounded NPA agent, like spies. She was a trained, specialized assassin. She didn't take care of any odd jobs that needed to be clear up, nor did she escort any important officials to some bigshot function to protect them from an assassination attempt. She conducts assassination attempts. Thomas names the target and Anna takes care of him – or her – no questions asked. This wasn't something she was used to but she didn't question Thomas. She never questioned Thomas. She just did as she was told. But that part of her that still felt unsure was lingering. Maybe that's why she called still called Jessi her 'target'.

Anna avoided Mina like the plague. Every time she spotted the bouncy pig tailed rich girl, she swiftly turned the other way and got out of there. The same went for Dan and Jessi. Mina and the boys were never in the same place when she spotted them but for good measure, she kept her distance from them too. She would bet all the money in her suitcase that if Dan saw her, he would want to talk. She didn't have to time talk.

It was only until she was done with her personalized tour that Anna finally made herself known to Mina. The girl was in a classroom, one of the last to leave as she was still putting her things into her locker. Anna leaned against the door jam, waiting her out. When she turned and her big eyes landed on her, Mina squealed and half skipped, half pranced over to her.

"Oh my God!" she screamed, hitting Anna on the arm. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"Defined 'all over'?"

At her question, Mina scowled but she was more than willing to divulge. "I went to the nurse's office but I heard that you left, so I went back to the door rooms. You weren't there. I went to the cafeteria, you weren't there. I even went looking for you outside! You weren't there!"

"Yep," Anna said monotonously, turning on the ball of her feet. "That covers 'all over'."

Mina wasn't put off by Anna's parched tone. She scurried behind her, each step she took making her pig tails bounce as if she was an excited child and she was getting candy. Anna couldn't understand all that energy she had, especially when she was obviously not thrilled. "Where have you been" Mina demanded.

"Looking around the school," Anna shrugged. She weaved her way expertly through the throng of schoolchildren, Mina keeping up easily with her. "After I left for the nurse, I didn't know how to find my way back to you so I just went off on my own."

Which was a total and complete lie. Anna did know how to make her way back. She wouldn't forget something as simple as that. Mina, however, took the lie with a nod of her head.