(NCIS) The Calling

Chapter 4: Don't do it!

I scrambled from my room and sprinted down the stairs, practically jumping down the steps. I darted to the front door, when a voice stopped me dead in my tracks. Mom had left the news channel on from last night and it was still playing, but quietly.

"Just now breaking news, a young boy has blown up a bus" The lady's voice spoke quietly. I turned away form the door and followed the quiet voice into the living room. I picked up the remote and turned the volume up. "Luckily federal agents were able to escort the passengers off of the bus before the bomb was activated" she stated. The screen went to a live video feed and zoomed in on the dismantled shuttle. I gasped, bringing my hand up to my mouth to cover it.

I dropped the remote and it hit the ground with a clatter. My stomach dropped as the camera zoomed in on the same M.E I saw this morning at the abandoned building. They pulled a small body from the side door and set it down gently on the gurney. I blinked a few times hoping I was dreaming, but unfortunately I wasn't. My phone buzzed pulling me out of my shock, I glanced down at it thinking it was my mom calling back. I check the caller ID, it was a blocked number.

I answered it and slowly brought the phone up to my ear. Standing in silence, I could here someone breathing on the other end of the call.

"Are you watching?" A rough voice finally spoke.

"You killed him" I whispered back.

"Correction, he killed himself" he retorted

"Why?" my voice cracked.

"For the cause of course"

"The calling?"

"Yes"

"How did you get my number?'

"You have impressive firewalls, but I know people all around the globe, It only took 24hrs to crack it"

I took in a deep breath and set the phone on mute, before running up the stairs and back to my computer.

"You know your pretty smart for only being 16" The man stated, with a slight chuckle. I opened a private server and hacked into my moms CIA profile. "Though your mother is in the CIA, so I guess it's hereditary, being resourceful, smart and down right heartless". I set up a trace and typed in my phone number, I hit the unmute button and licked my lips, as the trace started.

"How's that?" I asked.

"Let's just say I'd do what you did, if I found a dead body"

My heart stopped, my throat lurching, "H-how do you know about that?" I asked, nervously.

"I told you, I know people. In fact they reported seeing you at the crime scene this morning, quite curious aren't you?" he replied. The trace narrowed down to my state and started calculating counties.

"One of my many virtues"

"Ya" he laughed quietly. "Speaking of, how's that trace going?"

I froze and shifted quietly. How did he know I was tracing the call?

"You don't really think I would have stayed on this call this long if I didn't want you to trace it, did you?" he asked.

"So why are you?" I asked, the trace landed on my county and a few blocks away from the blown up bus.

"I wanna talk to you in person, I take it you have the address by now"

"How do you know I won't give this to the authorities?" I asked, writing the address down on a sticky note.

"You won't" He replied, sternly. He hung up, a long quiet beep taking his place. I hung up the phone and looked at the address. I am not equipped for this. Hell I don't even know what this is.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I whispered, with a hint of fear. Just as I was about to stand up my phone rang once more. I peered over at it, as a cat would over water, Worried that it might be the same man.

Thankfully it wasn't, just my mom. Should I answer though? What do I say? That a straight up terriost called me? She would flip!

Two more rings and it would go to voicemail. Biting my lip I picked up the phone and answered it, bringing it to my ear.

"Aspen?" My mothers voice asked, after a moment of silence.

"Oh hey mom" I replied with a nervous chuckle, realizing I hadn't said hello.

"Whats wrong?" She asked using her interrogative voice.

"N-nothing. Nothings wrong" I responded, standing from my desk chair.

"Is there a reason you called? I'm really busy right now Ash"

"Oh sorry" I spoke looking around my room for an excuse. "Ummm....actually ya. I just saw on the news that a boy blew up a bus?" I asked.

I heard my mom sigh and there was another moment of silence before she spoke again. "Ya, NCIS is looking into it with the CIA. That's why I'm so busy right now".

"Oh what happened?" I asked. I could hear her hesitate on the other end. "Is it top secret?" I asked with a sigh.

"No...ummmm. One moment" she replied. I heard shuffling and mumbling in the back ground, followed by a door closing and then silence. "Alright, you still there?" My mom asked.

"Ya" I responded, eager to hear the details.

"Alright, the only reason I'm telling you this is so you can be aware of the situation going on in D.C, you cannot tell anyone alright?" She stated.

"Okay" I replied, timidly.

"There is a group going around, known as 'the calling'. They recruit troubled kids and teenagers to do their bidding. Promising a good life and everything they could want. The C.I.A has been tracking the terriost cell for awhile now, but everytime we get close they seem to disappear" she spoke.

"Oh wow" I responded sounding shocked. Should I tell her about the group chat then? She'd be mad that I was searching the dark web and I would be grounded for life, but I'd help take down a terriost cell right? If that's even what I was dealing with.

No, I need more information first.

"Have you seen anything online or heard anything from your friends?" My mother questioned.

"N-no. Nothing that I know of" I replied. 'Nothing but a dead body' I thought in my head.

"Alright, just stay safe ok. I have to get back to work now" she spoke softly.

"Okay mom, bye love you"

"Love you too" she responded before hanging up. I pushed my phone into the back of my jeans pocket and stood their, in the middle of the room.

I have an address, I have the group chats, I have a dead body and now I have a lie to add to my list, that I'm keeping from my mom.

And I thought this summer was going to be boring.