Spy School: The Rise of Gama

Chapter 1: Welcome to Spy School

Liz Sanders stares out the window of the passenger seat of the car, her elbow propped up against the window and her chin in her hand. Her long black hair hangs loosely over her shoulders. A strand of it falls in front of her face covering up her dark brown eyes. She tucks it behind her ear, her vision focusing back on the view that's racing past the window.

For the last hour she and her mother have been driving along a forested highway in the Northwest corner of Oregon. Liz has lost track of how long she's been in the car, all she knows is that it feels like she's been sitting forever. She takes a moment to glance over at her mother beside her, although she doesn't dare say anything to break the stony silence that has hung over the car the last hour.

Her mother, a middle aged woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair and a stern, intimidating look that never truly leaves her face, is focused on the road ahead. She'll occasionally look over at Liz, but whenever their eyes meet the two immediately look away, returning to focusing on whatever their thoughts had previously been.

Finally, Liz can't stand the silence any longer, "Are we almost there? It feels like we've been driving forever."

"Quiet, Elizabeth." Mrs. Sanders snaps. "We'll be there soon."

"Alright, alright," Liz says, putting her hands up defensively before slouching down in her seat. "I was just curious."

Mrs. Sanders pulls off the highway onto a bumpy dirt road. The car starts to jerk around violently as it flies over dips and bumps on the path. Liz gripped the armrest of the seat tightly, suddenly afraid her mother was going to lose control of the car and crash into a tree. Outside, the trees passed in a whirl of green and brown, growing ever closer to the road if you could even call it that. Just when Liz thought she'd surely die, whether from a crash or her insides being turned to mush from being shaken so much, the dirt path widened into a paved two lane road once again.

"What was that all about?" Liz asks, looking through the window at the side view mirror in an attempt to get a better glimpse at the dirt path quickly vanishing behind them.

"That was a way of turning away anyone who doesn't belong. " Mrs. Sanders answers curtly. "Get my ID out of my bag, Elizabeth. We'll be at the gate soon."

Liz bends forward in her seat to grab the ID from her mother's purse on the floor of the car. When she sits up straight again, a giant gate looms over them, growing larger as they move closer. She knew that where she was going would have high security, but this was not what she was expecting.

The wall is at least twenty feet tall and made of dark grey stone, the top lined with spirals of barbed wire. An intricate metal gate that reaches the same height as the wall seems to be the only way to enter the wall. Along the top of the wall behind the spirals of wire stand armed guards in navy blue uniforms. The few closest to the gate aim their guns at the car as one who is on the ground approaches, his weapon drawn as well.

"State your business." He demands.

Mrs. Sanders calmly takes the ID from Liz's hands and shows it to the guard, "Rachel Sanders, lieutenant of the Imperial Eagles. I am here to reassume my position as principal of the school. My daughter Elizabeth will be attending as a student this year."

The guard nods then signals the men on top of the wall to open the gate, "You're free to enter. Elizabeth, welcome and good luck with your training."

Liz gives a small nod in response, suddenly nervous. The idea of attending this school had seemed exciting at first, but now she isn't so sure.

Once the gate is open, Mrs. Sanders starts the car again and continues up the road. Liz lets out a small gasp as the school finally comes into view. The building is four stories tall and made of the same grey stone that the security wall was made of. Windows reflect the setting sun, the orange shimmering light making it seem as if the building is in flames.