The American Ninja

Chapter Two

          His jaw tightened at what I said. The guy looked to be in his late teens, with brown hair and hard green eyes, a little bit of a stubble on his chin. He was some what of a looker.

          "Agent Carson Wiggs. That's 'who the bloody fuck' I am," He said, his voice sounding winded. "Now let's get off the road before we both get killed."

~~~

          I gripped my hot chocolate with such force my knuckles turned white. I sat in a Tasty Freeze booth with 'Agent Wiggs' which, according to him, was what I should call him. He went off on me after I had referred to him by his first name.

          "So, I get offered a scholar ship if I do this ninja stuff?" I ask, I take a sip of my drink.

          "Yep," He says. We spent the last hour going over the pro's and con's if I take up the governments offer to join the ANTP. Wasn't that what it was called? Yeah, I think so.

          "Uh, look," I say, "I have two days left of summer, and I'd really like to spend those two days becoming one with the couch cushion. So, let's talk when school starts." I start to slide myself out of the booth when Agent Wiggs says, "Okay, meet me at that Chinese restaurant the day after school starts."

          "What chinese resturant?"

         "The Great Wall," He says. "You'll get a call telling you when to meet me there, but only come if your game." With that, he gets up and leaves.

         "What. The. Crap." I say, then I sigh. It's going to be a long day.

         There were some police outside from were that car wrecked. Looking back, it's hard to believe that my life almost ended. I shook the thought off. Enjoy the rest of your summer, Gemma! I told myself.

         I glanced at my feet while I walked. My black Converse slapped the concrete sidewalk as I went. I pulled my trench coat tight around me. Portland was always chilly near the end of summer.

          Your being watched, a small voice in my head told me. Slowly, slowly, I turned and casually looked over my shoulder. The voice was right. There was a dark blue van driving slowly down the street, it was fallowing me.

          "What the...never mind," I say. I start to walk again, but I pick up the pace. Faster, faster, faster, faster, Gemma, faster! The voice in my head ushered.

          I turn to look behind me and...the van was gone.

          "Wait, where it'd go?" I croak. Just then, someone grabs my wrist and jerks me into a near by alleyway. It only takes a second for the red hot to kick and and I shove my hand into my pocket, reaching for my Pepper Spray.

          My hand clamps down on it. I pull in out. I turn to face my attacker. Then, I use my Pepper Spray.

          "My eyes!" The person screams. "My eyes! What the freak are you doing?" I keep spraying, I take a good look at the person. No one I know. I swing my leg back and give him a hard kick on the shin and I run off. Fast.

          I stuff my keys in the lock and swing my front door open. Quickly I slam the door shut and lock it.

          "Mom," I shout, "I'm home!" I run up stair and peel off my trench coat, breathing hard, I flop onto my bed. "What just happened?" I ask, tears stinging my eyes. Why has everything been so life threatening today?

          Sleep, sleep. That small voice told me. Erg, why do I have to sleep? But that voice has been talking to me all day long, and, has it been wrong yet? No, I didn't think so. So, I sleep.

~~~

THREE DAYS LATER...

          I sat in a booth at The Great Wall Chinese restaurant, just like Agent Wiggs had told me to. He had called at three this morning to let me know what time to be here. If there is one thing I know, it's that that man's a douche bag.

          I already hate school. On the last day of school I swear I am going to scream, "I hate you all, Merry Christmas and a happy new year!" Then run off. Yep, that's what I'll do.

          I hear bells jingle as someone walks through the door. It's Carson, or, as he prefers to be called, Agent Wiggs. Man, I still can't get over his last name. Is it weird that he has a head full of hair? It's weird, right?

          "I told you that I don't like chinese food," I mutter as he slides into the seat across from me.

          "And I told you that I don't like it when you complain. It goes on and on! Don't you ever shut up?" He says.

          God, help me! It'll take all of my strength not to strangle this man and leave his dead corpse in a dumpster. "Shut up," Is all I mutter.

          Dinner passes slowly and painfully. It's an exchange of one insult after another between me and him. When dinner is almost at an end, some lady brings two fortune cookies. I grab one.

          "I call reading mine first!" I squeal like a kid. I crack open the cookie and read the fortune. "Wearing a smile keeps you from being naked," I read. Wait, what? "What the hell kind of a fortune was that?" I look up at him.

          "What? It does not actually say that," Agent Wiggs says and he takes the fortune from me. He reads it out loud, "Wearing a smile keeps you from being naked."

          "I told you!" I say, "What kind of jank fortune is that? I am never coming here again! For all we now that egg roll could be made of monkey!"

          "Gemma," Agent Wiggs says, "Monkeys don't lay eggs."

         "Pffff," I make that weird noise, "As far as scientists know." He rolls his eyes.

          "So, back to the point at hand. Do you wanna be a ninja?" He asks. I ponder on the question for a moment. Do I? I imagine myself at Halloween in my soon-to-be ninja suit, hiding in a bush with nun-chucks. When little kids walk by I jump out and scare the wazz outta them. That thought puts a smile on my face.

          "I sure as hell wanna be a ninja!" I say.

          He smiles, "Great."

Wait---what had I just agreed to?