Genius Undercover

chapter 7: A not so great start.

Lottie found herself standing in the corridor for quite some time. How long would Agent 0027 take to walk down a corridor? Well in this case...a while. Maybe he had something else to do before hand. He'd better hurry up with that if he was. Lottie wasn't a patient person and she couldn't stand a 20 minute wait for anything but this guy was taking a while...over 20 minutes at least. For Lottie 20 minutes was an hour. She was anxiously waiting, tapping her foot in a random tune and humming to herself. Not fun. Not fun at all.

After what felt like a decade of foot tapping a guy with a massive fluffy looking beard came running over holding a plate. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Lottie instantly hated him. She wanted to slap his face just so he'd stop grinning like that.

"I'm not 2!" she snapped without thinking. The guy looked surprised.

"So you don't want a chocolate chip cookie," he said sadly,"I went to all the effort of buying one!" He hung his head.

"Wait...what?!" Lottie suddenly stood up straight and stared at him. "Cookie? sorry!" she cried forcing a quick smile. If this guy had cookies, it was a automatic like for him. Earning "Lottie points" wasn't to hard a task. Unless you were a complete loser.

"So you're Lottie then," said the guy gesturing for Lottie to follow him down the wide corridor,""I'm agent Peterson, 0027." He grabbed a cookie and started gobbling it down. "It's a big day for you!" Lottie made a face at Peterson and took a cookie-she chewed it fast.

"No child's talk!" she snapped trailing behind him,"I ain't 2!" Peterson chuckled.

"Right...right!" he cried, laughing still,"Hold ya horses on!" Lottie made a face at that. Did he still say that? It was only her Nan that she new said it. The rest of her family assumed it was just a old saying. Meh, maybe his family still used it. Funny though, thought Lottie speeding up to catch Peterson, I thought no one used it now. Creature of the old! Then she laughed. Maybe he still did the old traditions as well! Some people just preferred it that way.

There was a buzzing sound coming from somewhere in Peterson's pocket and he suddenly starting speeding up, muttering something like "What now!? She's so fast!" Lottie followed, confused yet something about this made her excited. Her journey at the agency was just about to begin and she couldn't wait. Everything about the place made her eyes widen and heart jump with joy. Maybe her dream wasn't far from coming true.

Peterson was definitely nervous. Lottie had no idea what was wrong with him but he was panicking, there was no doubt about that. "take this!" he thrust a little black box at her and didn't even look back.Lottie began to open the box then thought again and shut it. There didn't seem like there was the time for that. She had to follow a frighted chicken to a room she didn't think she knew about. No time for tiny boxes and whatever was in it. He turned a sharp corner, still muttering stuff, and bolted to straight to a tiny room where at least a hundred people were gathered, talking as they watched a video projected on a large screen. Peterson gestured for Lottie enter. She looked back, nervous but entered the room looking shyly at the crowds of people who stared at her as she walked in.

"Urrr, agent 0055, new," said Peterson glancing at the people who now turned their attention to him. He backed away.

"Thank you 27," said the lead agent who stood by the board. She adjusted her spectacles quickly, they seemed to keep falling off which was horribly embarrassing for her. The lead agent flapped her hand at the board, indicating she was beginning the short video again.

"Agent 55 as you were late, which will not be tolerated anymore, I will begin again," she said. The agents surrounding Lottie groaned in dismay. Lottie felt herself go pink and shudder as the Lead Agent spoke.

"I am Melissa Parks Lead Agent On This Particular Case," she seemed to pronounce each word with a capital letter, making Lottie even more nervous in her presence. Melissa tapped the board to start the video.

"At 10.55 On Tuesday Samantha Lane Was Found Dead At The Park. Her Bag Had Been Emptied And Wallet Missing" Melissa tapped the board showing a dead body. Lottie shuddered. Melissa continued talking.

"At The Same Time On Friday Mrs Smith The Librarian Was Found Dead And Her Draws Open And Several Books Missing From Shelves. Melissa pointed to the body and then the draws, shelves and blank spaces where books had gone. She then stopped the video and smiled. Finally, thought Lottie, some joy or happiness has been shown. Anyone would have thought she hated her job!

The smile didn't last long though as a dark-haired boy came speeding into the room. Lottie put her head into her hands. Poor Kai. He was really in for it. Kai's eyes nervously sought out Lottie. He trembled as the agents all turned and stared angrily at him. Kai swallowed hard and glanced up at the lady who stood by the board frowning. She tapped her foot.

"Agent 0056," she snapped,"I'm guessing! Well you have arrived 15 MINUTES LATE!" Kai looked on the verge of tears. Was he going to loose his chance of being an agent? He trembled and took several paces back toward the door, hoping it would open and he'd going tumbling through it.

"s-sorry!" he stammered his voice shaking,"I was late into this agency! I h-had no idea I'd be s-sent h-here i-in the first place!" He gazed up at her his eyes begging her to let him stay.

Lottie couldn't stand the scene any longer. "It was my fault!" she yelled despite everything. Kai stared at her in shock. "We were meant to work together but I got excited and went racing ahead of him loosing him round a corner. So he arrived later because he was searching for me. Don't blame him BLAME M-ME!"

The room became scarily silent. Lottie trembled at every minute the went by. It felt like a  millennium of waiting for a simple response that could destroy everything Lottie ever wanted. Kai crept over to her, terrified. He opened his mouth to say something then shut it as he glanced rapidly round the room. He looked back at Lottie again. "You didn't have to do that!" he whispered, "You could be kicked out the agency! Isn't this what you wanted?" Lottie sighed. It was. She looked at Kai,worried.

"But I had to protect a friend," she said. Then she smiled. "That is my top priority." Kai smiled.

"Yes. What ever happens we'll face it together!"