Spy Academy

Spy Academy - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A knock at the door wakes me from dreamless sleep. 

"Liz, it's Sean, I'm coming in okay?" 

I use my one good hand to prop myself up in the bed. Last nights dinner, which had been brought to the room by assistants of the top 10 sat barely touched on the desk. 

"You do know that you can drop in rank if you don't leave your room, don't you?" Sean joked, sitting on the end of the bed. 

Giving him a pointed look, I bury myself back into the pillows. 

"Okay, so maybe I'm not that good at being sensitive, but you knew that already. Look, Liz, I know it's really hard to process all of this..." He trails off. 

He lies down on the bed with me and we stare at the ceiling in silence for a few moments.

"I knew her brother. He graduated last year. First year out in the real world and just like that he's gone." It's silent for another moment. "That's how it is Liz, sometimes you lose people. You either run away and hide from this world so you never have to feel that way again, or you fight."

"What happened to him?" I murmur, turning to him.

"I don't know all the details, but he was working in Russia at the time. Someone he thought he could trust turned on him. There are claims that he is still alive though, which is unusual. In this job it's usually killed or be killed." 

"She was going to save him," I reply "now he has no sister to come home to. Those poor parents." 

"Sometimes the memory of someone is enough, Liz. Michael tried his best, and so did Rin. People like that won't be forgotten." 

"I wish they could have found each other again." 

"Then become stronger. Become so strong that you aren't afraid. And then one day, maybe you'll find him and you can tell him about his brave sister that inspired you." 

We lay together in silence as a we stomach the weight of our new lives. 

"Today's a Saturday!" Sean merrily calls, suddenly breaking the silence.

"So?"

"It's a free day. We can go to that sushi place you like, bring your friends, you could use some fresh air."

"Mm, okay" I mumble, "I'll come to your room later." 

He hops off the bed and walks to the door smiling, "great, I'll see you then."

"Oh, and Sean?" I call, "thanks for always taking care of me."

We smile at each other knowingly and I try to imagine how it  was for him here when he was alone. I wonder if I could have done this without him here, if the roles were reversed.

"No worries, Liz-Loz!" He calls as the door swings shut behind him.

Rolling over, I give my pillow one last squeeze and get out of bed. Clearly the others have already woken up and gone to breakfast, but theres a note waiting on the desk anyway.

'Gone to breakfast. We'll be in Zone 1 if you wake up. Join us if you feel up for it. Lot of love x'

I set it back down and walk to the bathroom. A shower is definitely in order.

A few moments later, I'm feeling ten times better than before. I tidy up the room and open the window. Sun blares into the room. 

"Such a nice day," I murmur to myself.