Making the Grade (The Model Spy #2)

Chapter 3 - A Familiar Face

Fred and I sat in the private jet as I poured over the multiple, colorful binders spread out on the floor in front of me. It was my final CIA Subject Test of my career. It should have been a joyous occasion. No more studying the history of espionage and extinct languages. No more science labs in which one small mistake could literally get myself killed. I should have been throwing a party! Instead, I was ready to jump out of the plane.

Given prom, graduation, and finals at L.A. High, as well as helping Will with his schoolwork, I didn’t exactly have much time to study for my other finals, the ones that enabled me to keep my job. As I sat on the plane floor and attempted to absorb the pages and pages of classified information and little-known facts, I realized I should have sorted out my priorities a long time ago.

“You didn’t study,” Fred said matter-of-factly, eyeing me from over the top of the novel he was calmly reading.  He didn’t even have to ask. He knew.

There was no point in even attempting to conjure up lie. “Not exactly,” I said as I tossed one notebook to the side and started on the next. How was I supposed to remember the timeline of espionage during the Vietnam War in less than an hour, on top of preparing an outline for an essay on poison-laced drinks? I squelched the mini panic attack working its way through my body. I didn’t have time to panic, I needed to study as much as I could and pray for some small miracle.

To my surprise, yet again, Fred didn’t scold me. He never even spoke another word about the Disabling Powder since the incident. Now all of a sudden he could care less about my studies, or lack of. What was up with him? Normally he would have been on my case the entire plane ride, like he had been other years. I couldn’t tell if he was extremely calm or extremely tense, but either way, his change in personality was beginning to creep me out.

“Fred…” I started slowly, closing the binder in my hands and looking up at him. “Is everything alright?” I asked.

He didn’t look up from his book. “Laura, um, there is a meeting you and I need to attend after your test. In the conference room on the third floor.” Fred said it quickly, almost nervously. “You know where that is, don’t you?”

A meeting? I gulped. Was I in trouble? I looked at Fred and searched his expression. He wouldn’t look down at me. Instead he closed his book and played with his hands in his lap. Oh my goodness, I was in trouble!

I tried to think back. What did I do wrong? Besides using a government weapon on my ex-boyfriend. Did I accidently let something slip to Will about P.I.N. or the agency as a whole? I didn’t think so, but I couldn’t exactly remember everything we talked about. If I let even the smallest information out, I could be charged with treason. Did America still hang traitors? I wrapped my hand around my neck. Or what if I was sent to Guantanamo…with Dylan! The small cabin started to spin.

Fred realized the dilemma he had caused. “Love, no!” he said hurriedly. “You’re not in trouble, no.”

I let out a deep breath and lowered my shaky hand from my neck.

Fred attempted quickly to soothe me. “The meeting is about some incident going on in England.” I didn’t like where this was going. “I was asked to look into it and after sending an inquiry to the agency, we are having a meeting with the department.”

I became nervous for a whole new reason. Fred diverted his eyes again.

“Why was I asked to attend?” I didn’t have a good feeling about this. Fred’s definition of a year off apparently only meant six months.

“After Paris, the department heard such good things about you,” Fred said quickly. “This isn’t a mission yet, it’s still in its early stages. They might not even need you.” Fred’s attention focused on his hands once more.