Jack Brewer - Palos Hills Hotel - 4:47 (A.M.)
"Good morning, sunshine. Ready for some spy action?" A female voice says, interrupting my slumber.
As a spy, I was used to waking up early to start training, but with a bed as comfy as this one, it was hard to get out of it.
I rub my eyes, attempting to open them up, and blink a few times before being able to focus and manage to keep them open.
And that's when I realized that, behind the nearly completely closed curtains, the sun wasn't shining.
"What time is it, Kim?" My voice was groggy and raspy, and I lightly coughed in an attempt to bring it back to normal.
"Time for you to wake up," she answeres, and I roll my eyes.
"Ha. Ha."
"It's four forty-something, bu-" I interrupt her by grabbing my pillow and hitting her straight in the face, later putting it on top of my head, muttering profanities.
"You didn't let me finish!" she was annoyed, but I didn't care. "As I was saying, it's almost five a.m., yes, and I'm pretty pissed to be awake at this time as well, but Mr. Gillespie called."
"And?" It was hard to keep up with her, my eyes drifting closed.
"He asked about the mission, forgetting the time, and I told him about Brody. He was furious, as he should be. He told me to wake you up and start packing as soon as possible, we're changing location." She explains, and I could tell that she wanted to sleep just as much as I did.
"Why? I like this place, and the bed is extremely comfortable."
"Milton was able to track down agent Miller, and we're going to be staying in a place nearby. He said there'll be a lot more stakeouts, and a lot less sleep."
Why did I become a spy again?
"And can't we do that at 11 o'clock?"
"Nope, we need to be subtle. We can't have Br- agent Miller see us. And I'm sure he's not awake right now, he's never been one to wake up early," her tone was a mixture of annoyance and longing.
I wanted to protest, but knew better. This wasn't just a mission to her, not anymore. It had become personal, far too personal for her own good, but she couldn't just leave. She was a spy, and a great one at that, and I knew she'd finish her job or at least die trying.
I admired her, I truly did. She had this confidence that would constantly surround her, and she could almost transmit it. It was incredible, really. She was incredible.
And then my mind was brought back to what she had said yesterday, how she had cried, how her pained voice spoke those awful words. I look at her, her sleepy eyes and messy hair, and hug her. She was frozen at first but hugged back seconds later, burying her head between my neck and my shoulder, relaxing under my hold. It was nice, being so close to her, not having to worry about our next move. It felt as though it was just us and nobody else, like we weren't spies on a life-threatening mission but just teenagers seeking a warm embrace.
We stay like that for a while, our breathing in sync and our arms right around each other's body, until we decide it's time to go.
Packing everything up as quickly as we possibly could, we drag our luggage towards the door and turn around, looking at our room for a while. Though we had had our fair share of problems at the Palos Hills Hotel, I had grown to love this place, as it held memories I cherished.
"I'm going to miss this place." Kim says, her tone not necessarily sad yet definitely not happy.
"Me, too." I agree.
After a few quiet seconds staring at the room, letting our minds roam wild, we turn around and exit the room, closing the door in the process.
And then we left the Palos Hills Hotel.
