In The Shadows

Chapter One: The Mission

  Serena stood at the edge of the ferry blindfold tied loosely around her eyes. She knew she was in New York City that much was certain. Near the ocean. Serena shivered It was freezing this far up north how she loved the wind though. stop be alert she murmured you must always be one your guard that was rule number one and she had just broken it.

Suddenly the ferry lurched and Serena was walking on solid ground. So, I'm on an island she thought or an peninsula but, there were no peninsulas in New York so she must be on long island, or in Manhattan she thought rubbing her hand down the strange wall next to her. It was so lumpy and uneven. Suddenly she knew where she was. It was so obvious. She was on Ellis Island! Now she was walking on some sort of pavement and the light had gone of. probably in the Base of the statue she thought curiously. I wonder if they will let me take of this silly blindfold when we get to the top. But suddenly she tripped and stumbled Ow! Serena exclaimed Somebody had just threw her down the stairs. So, there is something under Lady Liberty she mumbled aloud curious.

She had no more time to deliberate on this fact for the blindfold had been yanked off her head and she was shoved onto the floor forcefully. Post number 23 she said eyeing the numerals on the granite wall before her located exactly 13 yards under the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, New York, United States she said proudly. knowing once again she was correct.

The Ferry driver stared open mouthed at her it had taken him months to figure that out! Even so, he was only informed this morning. She had solved it within five minutes whilst wearing a blindfold and having her hands tied around her back! Wow, she really was as good as they say. Suddenly he realized her hands weren't bound. The ropes were sitting at the top of the steps and he hadn't even noticed until now. She really was that good.

Serena smiled smugly finally noticing the other person in the room. Uh oh, it was her mentor Biff Wellington. Now, this is the honest to goodness truth Biff was a complete and total idiot. Serena hasd thought she had ditched him back in Florence when she was tasked to steal five different designer purses within the hour. Serena had done it in less than thirty minutes but it had taken Biff four hours to find her afterwards and she was in the place they had started in anyways!

Now, Biff hated it when Serena actually did anything remotely of value to anybody if he caught her (which was not very often) he would scold her about making our organization look soft. Look soft? she would always say More like make you look like a total imbecile! Biff and serena shared only two things. A mutual hatred for each other and a unnerving silence about them that makes your skin crawl. All members of their organization had that feel about them.

That cold chill you get when you know someone is watching you but there is no one there. It wasn't the feeling that was the most unnerving thought, it was the silence. the silence followed them everywhere and covered everything and everyone around it like a wet blanket. Uncomfortable and cold but still protection from the vast expanses of unknown territory.

With Biff here Serena knew this had to be another assignment most likely something more challenging. Like when she started with pocket lifting and recently stole a piece of abstract art from the British Museum or like last week when she tortured a Chinese man into telling her the national server passwords.

Biff stood erect as his bratty apprentice smiled confidently stared him straight on daring him, urging him to say something. Well, that won't work this time kid! He thought. That kid was such a pain. Biff was glad she was finally ready for the final assessment so she could graduate into a real member and be out of his hair. For good.

Serena smiled thoughtfully. Biff was making his "I wish you weren't my problem anymore" face. She snorted having everyone look at her before she burst out laughing. Biff looked like a constipated pig that had just finished a Mexican buffet. But Serena regained her wits about her. This was a serious occasion that she could tell by the lack of cursing and inappropriate terms coming out of Biff's mouth. Serena had been assigned to Biff since she was six years old. He had hated her from the very beginning, right after she had called him Barf by mistake. Now it was time for her to get another mission, learn the objective, ditch Biff, complete the mission, and then play a good game of how long will it take Biff to find you when you're in a super obvious place. You know, the usual.