The Other Side

Three Teenagers. One Spy: Chapter 22

“Congratulations. David, Emily and Hanna, you have completed this mission.” Malcolm said plainly. He looked bored and he yawned. “Now that’s not the point, a monkey could have done that. I want to know your team work and your strategies.”

    “We used a variety of techniques.” Emily started and she clamped a hand on David’s back. “David was used to our advantage. You see, he has a really good eye for finding things and disappearing. And Hanna made sure to check if anyone else had found it. Me, well I secured our locations. Made sure no one tailed us. When that group over there,” she narrowed her eyes at us, “Attacked us we made sure to get the pearl into David’s hands and get him away. Hanna and I distracted them.”

    I stood there feeling slightly dumb-founded. Their plan was brilliant. “Name the methods.” Malcolm said, bored.

    “We were going to use the Ramsenbook method – Hanna was in charge of that – but we didn’t have to. We used the Nomptious Hiad Method for the finding and disappearing. You know the passes between team mates and things. And then we used the counter surveillance method for the trailers.”

    “Great.” He said in the manner of someone who didn’t think it even remotely great. “Well that’s enough for today in this department. You can go for a break, have something to eat, I really don’t care. Be back here in twenty three minutes and seventeen seconds. We’ll be doing some gun work, sword fighting and you know, all that boring stuff.”

    Hanna raised her hand and smiled sweetly. “Sir, what do we win? Our team, I mean.”

    Malcolm raised an eyebrow. “An essay. I want you to note everything that happened. What you did and what you learned. Dismissed,” He said with a wave of his hand.

    Hanna looked ready to protest but he didn’t give her the chance. “Ladies and gentleman this is a fifty-fifty job. We have our paperwork and we have our field work. If you have a problem with this I suggest you don’t return next year. And,” he added and glanced at Hanna mildly, “When you complete a mission your reward is your paperwork and a satisfying feeling of justice. Well – not in our case.” He said with a wink.

    Hanna frowned and looked down at her hands before turning up to continue on with her protesting but Malcolm was already gone.

    And with that she sulked, gathered up her things and walked off.

    Note to self: Keep away from her.

    “Come on slow poke.” Lori was already standing in front of me a hand reaching down to help me up.

    I pulled myself up and then tucked my hands into my pockets. I walked slowly toward the door but Lori tugged at my hand and dragged me out, clearly frustrated with my pace.

    She was so predictable. I yanked my hand out of her iron grip and rubbed it. It was red.

    “Hey wait up!” I heard a voice yell. Turning around, I saw Landon running up to us, dodging the students in the corridor.

    “I knew it!” Lori whispered to herself, sounding like she had achieved the Mian of the year trophy.

    I scowled when he reached us. “Your plan failed.”

    “All the more experience for us,” He conceded with a small shrug. And for once he actually looked sheepish.

    “Where’s Dylan?” I asked, changing the subject.

    “Oh, he’s in another class so . . . Damn it, newbies. Let me explain,” he started, “When our teacher feels like we’ve learned enough then the teacher lets us out for a break. So it differs, we never have set breaks, only set breakfasts, lunches and dinners.”