Double-Cross

1

I stood dressed in blue jeans, an army green t-shirt, a black leather jacket, and black high tops. The D.C. air was cool, and I shivered.
It was mid-October and it was time for me to begin my final stage of training. I was off to Los Angeles that afternoon.
My parents stood in front of me, their faces stern and determined. I saw myself in their faces, for mine was the same.
"Are you ready?" Father asked.
I nodded silently, too afraid to tell him how I was really feeling.
As a double-agent I was meant to be stern, brave, confident, and cunning.
I was not supposed to be scared, anxious, confused, and nervous.
I had been raised to infiltrate the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. (N.C.I.S.)
Entering the final stage of my training was beyond nerve-racking, it was absolutely terrifying. In June, just after turning 20, I'd be applying for my first job at N.C.I.S., and I would officially become a traitor to the United States of America.
For the past 19 years I have been working non-stop to complete this mission, and now I'm beginning to question my true motives.
I receive my official mission statement on June 1st. That's in exactly 141 days.
Basically I have 141 days to make the biggest decision of my life. "Do I become a traitor, or do I forget everything I've ever learned?"
My mother walked over to me, and put her hand on my shoulder. "You can do this Colton, I believe in you," she said.
Again I nodded silently.
My parents were determined that I become a traitor, like them.
Now let me clarify something.
My parents are not foreign agents. They are American citizens who hate everything about America and the world. There are 4 other families who work with my parents.
My father works for the Department of Defense, in the mail room.
My mother is on the janitorial staff at the capital building.
Essentially Father opens letters he shouldn't and Mother steal information off computers while cleaning.
My father handed me the keys to the car and looked directly in my eyes. "Park this car in the cheapest airport lot there is, and inform your mother or I of the location, one of us will be along to get it later," he said.
I got in the car and drove away.
What if I was to get in an accident? Would they have to postpone the start and end of my training? Would I have longer to decide if I can really go through with this? Probably not, Father would just send me on a later flight.
What if I died in an accident? What would they do?
I decided to go through with everything, at least for now.
I parked the car, and popped the trunk hoping Father had packed me something. There was a single duffel bag. I unzipped it carefully and went through it throughly.
I took out 3 pocket knives, 2 handguns, and a bottle of pepper spray. All that was left was 4 t-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 sweatshirts, and a pair of brown combat boots. There was 10 pairs of socks and 10 pairs of boxers too.
I zipped it back up and locked the car, leaving the key under the gas cap.
I ran to the shuttle stop hoping I could catch the next bus.
I found myself standing next to another teenage boy and an elderly couple.
"Greg," the boy introduced himself.
"Colton," I said shaking his extended hand.
"Where you headed?" He asked.
"L.A.," I said.
"Oh cool I'm going to Des Moines to visit my granny."
That ended our conversation.
The elderly couple never spoke, they never even looked around.
They reminded me of my grandparents, stern, and focused.
My grandparents had no clue, my parents were traitors, they thought we were a normal American family. My grandfather loved America, he fought in Korea and Vietnam, in the army. His stories were amazing. My grandmother was the classic American housewife, she stayed home, and took care of things around the house. I always loved visiting them when I was younger. I hadn't seen them since I was 15, when my training began.
Greg looked over at me again, "Why are you going to L.A?"
"I'm headed to college," I said.
"In the middle of October?" He asked.
"Fall break, we start school again tomorrow," I lied.
"Oh, I'm still in high school," he said.
I pretended to get a phone call, so I wouldn't have to talk to him anymore.
I hung up my fake phone call as the shuttle pulled up.
I sat as far from Greg as possible. There was something off about him. I didn't trust him, not because of who he was, but because of who I was.
I went through the airport as quickly and discreetly as possible. I've learned to walk with purpose, and to never look nervous.
I bought a snack for the plane and sat down by my gate.
"Colton Beckett," a man sat down next to me.
I had never seen him before, he was tall probably 6'6" with brown hair so dark it looked black, his eyes were the most astonishing thing about him, they were green, shockingly green
"Yes," I said.
"Henry Kenton, Naval Criminal Investigative Service," he said as he pulled his badge. "I know about your parents, Colton. Call me if you change your mind about betraying your country."
He handed me his card, stood, and walked away.
I watched him disappear into the crowd just as they called my flight.
What the hell.... how does he know? They're careful, really careful.....
I could never tell you why I was defending them, besides the fact that they were my parents. I had always questioned their lifestyle, especially during these last few months.
I stood and started toward the gate, staring at the card thinking about what I should do with it, I slipped it in my pocket.
I knew from that point on nothing would ever be the same, I could never tell you why, because I've never been able to figure it out.