Kaira Storm: The Teenage Girl's Guide to Saving the World in 24 Hours

Lesson Three: Always Stay In Character (Even When It Breaks Your Heart)

Silence again. That is asking a lot.

Roman Nikolaev had let me into his home and heart. It took a while to gain his trust. But when he finally trusted me, he treated me fairly, kindly, and like a good friend. But I wasn't his daughter. And Nikolaev treated Eva very differently from me.

If Nikolaev were my father, I wouldn't be too thrilled about telling him I'd gotten knocked up out of wedlock and have no idea who the daddy is.

Nikolaev wasn't too good with emotions. That's putting it mildly. Putting it stronger, Nikolaev was cold, calculating, and calm but you didn't want to be around when he lost his temper. And you certainly didn't want him angry at you.

'I've gone over what I might say a thousand times,' Eva said. 'But, no matter what, I always picture my dad disowning me.'

'He won't disown you,' I said. 'But he's not going to take it well.'

Eva nodded bravely. I inspected her eyes through the tears. Was there any chance of her falling asleep within the next ten minutes? Probably not. Eva's a talker. And when she gets started, nothing can stop her.

'Maybe I should tell him tonight,' Eva said. 'You know, get it over with.'

My heart rate sped up. You're killing me here, Eva.

'No,' I snapped. 'Not tonight.'

'Why not?' Eva cocked her head.

Because your father has booked himself a one way ticket to Chicago and it's leaving in nine hours. And, of course, there's the little matter of the fact that he is suspected of planning to coordinate multiple terrorist attacks around the world.

'Because your dad seems stressed,' I said. 'He was acting funny when we came in from school.'

'Oh, it's okay,' Eva said. 'He always gets like this around anniversary time.'

Eva's mum had died many years ago. Nikolaev had never remarried. But I had a feeling that his mind wasn't entirely on his deceased wife.

I tried to think quickly. The CIA needed that bug put into his home office tonight. Within the hour. Nikolaev conducted all of his business from home, not trusting his offices in Moscow, and this was the last chance to hear his plans.

'Why don't you sleep on it?' I said. 'You might think of a better way to tell him in the morning.'

'It has to be tonight,' Eva said. 'My courage will disappear. I feel safe with you here, Kaira.'

So you should. I have the ability to stop global destruction and millions of deaths if you just shut up and go to sleep.

'Fine,' I said. 'Just not yet. I need to use the bathroom. That takeaway really messed my stomach up.'

'Too much information, Kaira.'

'Promise me you will wait until I come back.'

'Okay.' Eva nodded and grabbed one of her pink teddybears, hugging it to her chest.

I made sure I had everything before getting out of the sleeping bag. I patted my pyjama pants. Specially designed by the CIA to look like normal pyjamas but filled with secret pockets.

The same with my socks. Expertly crafted to look like fluffy pink socks. But really they contained my tools of the trade: Russian and American passports, eighty thousand rubles in cash (about a thousand bucks), bank card, government mobile device for communication and tracking, blueprints of Nikolaev's home office, and three tiny listening devices with a wire straight to the Counter Terrorism Center, or CTC for short, where my boss, Owen, and the others were waiting and listening.

I got up and went to the bedroom door, making sure to hold my stomach so that Eva knew I would be a while.

'Kaira.' I turned to see Eva sitting up in bed with a vulnerable smile. 'Thank you. You're a good friend. My best friend.'

I nodded and felt my chest tighten. Why did you have to say that?