Red Mercury

You don't cook mango's!

Noah's point of view

"The Scarlet Raven's are a group of ex-agents who are trying to bring down the CPU." Agent Merwin said throwing case files to each of us around the circular glass table in the meeting room. "So far we have three names, Easton Hope, Cole Gardiner and Isla Reader, they were all past agents of CPU, all known to be dead."

Myself, Monroe and Alex shared shocked looks with each other while Miles' smile grew wider. For some reason I became unsettled when i glanced at Liv across the table, she was looking at the images on the screen, but didn't seem to be surprised by what she saw, almost in a way that suggested she already knew.

When she glances in my direction I raised my eyebrows hoping she will understand what I am asking her, why are you not freaking out? Either she didn't understand or didn't care as she gave me a shrug and turned back to Agent Merwin.

Merwin continued on as if he just told us we were having burgers for dinner, "They were spotted at the bombing, Beta team 4 were to take care of last week, luckily the
Scarlet Ravens didn't cause any real damage as Red Mercury managed to put the bombs in a contained area, although red Mercury didn't catch any of the Scarlet Ravens, they were able to save a lot lives."

Agent Merwin turned and pointed at an image on the screen behind him, showing two boys and a girl. He went threw them one by one, telling us who was who, while I flicked threw the case file, following along with what Merwin was saying.

A smile grew across Liv's face, when Merwin talked about how Red Mercury battled all three of them at once, all the while getting all the bombs out of civilian range.

"A fan, are we?" I ask her, interrupting Merwin. She looked up at me, confusion growing across her features.

"What?" she asked, terror crossing her features for a split second before she got herself under control.

"Of Red Mercury, are you a fan?" I saw Liv physically relax in her seat, she seemed to release a relieved breath that she had been holding.

"Oh, no, well kind of I guess, i mean like, what i mean to say is I watch the news." She rambles, looking confused herself.

"What?" I ask while she looks down at her feet, mouthing words to herself, obviously trying to form an coherent answer.

"I watched what she did on the news. She saved so many people, who wouldn't be happy about it?" She replies simply, smiling down at her case file she had placed on her lap.

Curiosity peaked in me, "You think Red Mercury is a woman?" Suddenly she stopped turning the pages of her case file.

"Um, I mean I don't know, how cou-"

"Sorry to interrupt your important conversation," Agent Merwin interjected, "but there's a more important matter we must attend to, you may know about it, it's called an apocalypse. Which will be upon us if the Scarlet Ravens win." Liv and I locked eyes from across the table before turning back to Agent Merwin, I kicked Miles from under the table who was trying his hardest not to laugh.

"Cheese and Biscuits!!" he shouted as my foot made contact with his shin. Agent Merwin spun around from the screen giving Miles a warning look.

He looked around at all of us, rolling his eyes in a way that said 'teenagers' and continued, "I want this team to track down The Scarlet Ravens." Liv choked on her water and all of us turned towards her, she stared at Agent Merwin, anger growing on her face, but he continued on," You will track down Easton, Cole and Isla, apparently their are five main member of the Scarlet Ravens but they do have more at their disposal. We have not yet identified who else is working for them, so always be alert and only trust your team."

"Ha! we probably can't even trust everyone on our team." Monroe scoffed, pointing his head towards Liv. Alex hit him on the arm, "What?" he shouted.

"Don't be an ass, Monroe." he mumbled, sending an apologetic glance to Liv.

Merwin looked between us all, "why can't any of you stay quite? --- Anyway, we got intel that The Scarlet Ravens are going to be at a ball tonight in the Afilla Theatre. I want this team to go to that ball and scope them out, figure out who is in the group. I don't want you to reveal yourselves to them, this is only a intelligence mission. I have a team of stylists coming later to dress you all, right now you have time to train and get yourselves ready. Any questions?"

Liv raised her hand, earning an annoyed glance from Merwin, "what?" Agent Merwin sighed, irritated.

"Why this team? I just turned up are you sure you want to do this?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in a way that insinuated don't you dare make us do this.

"This is the best team in the agency, that is why i choose them and you will be able to do this as well, this team needed a girl, it would make them less conspicuous when in the field and undercover."

Liv still looked angry but nodded in understanding, i could tell by her posture that she would rather be anywhere else but here.

Agent Merwin turned off the monitor and waved us out of the room. The chairs squeaked on the floor as we pushed out from the table. I grabbed my mission file off the table.

"You can train in the weapons room until the stylists come, no one else should be in there." Merwin said before I left the room closing the door as I left.

"I guess we should go change, you can't really train wearing a pair of skinny jeans." I smiled as we headed to the apartment. I followed the rest of the team
who were all carrying case files similar to his.

Everyone's file had a different name on the front of it, our aliases, for the night. I am now Christopher Jenkins, a nineteen year old from Jersey. Invited to the ball as his parents, Samantha and Matthew Jenkins are big investors into the Afilla Theatre acting club. Unfortunately his parents are unable to attend. I was getting worried realising how much time we actually have to do learn everything.

I looked at my watch. One o'clock. "Guys we only have five ours to learn all of this and train for a bit before the stylists and stuff comes."

Alex doesn't turn around but answers anyway, "five hours is plenty of time. We'll be fine." He said although, his tone of voice gives away his lack of confidence.

We get back to the apartment a few minutes later. There's a weird smell coming from the apartment when Monroe opens the door, it's a mixture between mango and smoke.

I stare at kitchen which is surrounded by a cloud of black smoke, emanating from the oven.

I glance at Miles in my peripheral vision, who is trying to look as innocent as he can. What is wrong with this guy? Was he dropped as a baby?

Quickly I run to the kitchen, hitting the switch with a red light above it to turn the oven off. Thankfully nothing was on fire and the only food in the oven was a mango. I turned to Miles, holding the warm and mushy mango out to him, "Why did you put a mango in the oven? you don't cook mango's." I stated wiping my hands on a towel.

Miles looks at me like, why did you put a mango in the oven, is a stupid question,"why didn't you put the mango in the oven." He counters before taking a bit out of the squidgy fruit.

"Don't eat that," Liv says disgusted, grabbing a tissue and taking the mango off Miles. Monroe and Alex had already began looking through their files, not caring that Miles had once again done something stupid.

I turn away exasperated, going to my closet to find more appropriate training attire.