A Dime a Dozen

Friends

I walk through the doors into my dad's unit's sector. A few of the agents glance at me, then go back to work. I keep walking toward my dad's office. I reach his team's section of the sector.

Agent Maklin turns the corner, almost running into me. "Whoa!" He exclaims, dodging around me. "Hey there Max."

"Hi Maklin," I respond. "Is my dad in?"

"Yes, but," Maklin replies pointing a finger at me, "He's on the phone right now, and very busy. Gotta run and do something, feel free to sit at my desk."

"Thanks," I call after him. He waves over his shoulder in response. 

I round the corner, and sure enough, my dad is in his office on the phone. He looks tired and seems to be pleading with whoever he's talking to. Agent Jefferson sits at her desk, typing. She glances up and waves at me as I walk in. Agent Devonshire and Ferguson are in the conference room, working on something. 

"Hi Max," Jefferson says, typing. "How was school?"

"Meh, the usual," I reply.

Jefferson chuckles. "Don't worry. Graduation approaches. Then you're off to college. Which is high school, but more intense with only the driven kids."

"Ugh!" A girl's voice calls out. I look toward it in response. A girl sits at Agent Ferguson's desk. her head is flung back. It rolls up to look at us with a very bored expression. "I would rather you go back to boring me with silence," she quips irritably. 

I look back at Jefferson who is grimacing. "Just try to ignore her."

"Yeah, ignore me. Cuz that worked oh so well the last time." To add emphasis, she yanks an arm up, but there's a sharp click of metal on metal. Her arm is just high enough for me to see the metal handcuff around her wrist. 

"I told you to stay put. You chose not to listen," Jefferson says. 

The girl rolls her eyes. "You didn't have to run after me."

Jefferson sighs. "I'd tell you that it'd be best to stay in the conference room today, but that's sort of taken."

"Just like my freedom," the girl says offhandedly.

I glance at Maklin's desk which is back-to-back with Ferguson's, where the girl sits. "Maklin said I could sit at his desk, should I take Devonshire's?" I ask.

Jefferson stops typing to consider. "I'd say yes, but Devonshire and Ferguson are running out to look up something every now and then, and Ferguson's desk is occupied by our guest," she tells me.

"Prisoner," the girl corrects. 

Jefferson gives me an apologetic smile before returning to typing. I walk to Maklin's desk and sit down. I pull out the latest assigned read for English. The phone rings and Jefferson answers it. I glance up to see the girl looking at me studiously. 

"So, tell me, Max. Why are you here?" She asks.

"My dad works here. I left my key at home, so I sorta have to wait on him," I say nodding to my dad in his office. 

"So, you're Agent No-Fun's son," she states matter of factly. 

"Why are you here?" I counter.

"I'm being held prisoner," she quips. 

"Why?"

She rolls her eyes. "Because my father hates me. Hey, are there any paper clips on that desk?"

"I'm not giving you a paper clip."

"Why not?"

"My dad's an FBI agent. He's told me all the wacky ways he's seen someone pick handcuffs."