Chapter 3

“Pass me some water please” my mom requested

I carried the bottle of water and poured some in her cup.

“Thank you darling” she said

We ate our dinner on the dining table in silence. I took some time to study the beauty that is my mother.

She had neck length relaxed hair, caramel skin and very rare dark blue eyes. She worked full time as a spy, mission planner and researcher for The Conversion. She was also responsible for training new recruits.

The dining table had four chairs. My mom and I occupied just two but the other two were empty.

I stared at them in heartbreak and sadness as I reminisced past events. A feeling of nostalgia washed over me.

*Flashback*

“I got all A’s in my report card” an eight-year-old me ran to the living room

My dad sat on the couch watching TV while my mom lay on his lap as he rubbed her pregnant stomach lovingly.

“Very good sweetie” my dad said proudly.

He leaned down to give me a kiss on my forehead.

I smiled

I felt as if my life was complete. I had good grades. I was improving I my spy training. My parents were proud of me and I was expecting a baby brother in a month. Everything was perfect. Nothing could go wrong or so I thought.

Suddenly, the alarm went off

“INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!” the speakers blared

My mom sat up slowly, panic and fear evident on her face.

“How did they get in?” she whispered

That is true. As spies, you should know that we have high tech security plus two guard dogs that are always loose at night. It made me wonder. The dogs didn’t even bark.

The door pounded with heavy knocking. My mom covered her mouth with her hands, silent tears falling down her face. I’m still a kid but I know that stress isn’t good for the baby.

‘They can’t get in” my dad said. He was trying his best to be confident. Deep down, I could see the fear in his black eyes.

All the doors were bulletproof and they all had security codes to open them.

We were about to go hide and call for back up when the door broke down. Four men with guns all dressed in black and wearing masks barged in. They pointed their guns at each of us.

“Get down and put your hands up!”

We complied, getting down on our knees and raised up our hands. This reminded me of a school punishment that my teacher would give us.

My mom was still sobbing.

One of the men who I’m guessing is the leader, stepped forward.

He slapped my dad with his pistol.

“Daddy!” I cried

“Shut the fuck up before I blow your brains out!” the man shouted ta me

My mom pulled me into a warm embrace. She rubbed my back as we sobbed together.

“It’s going to be okay honey. It’s gonna be okay” my mom assured me while stroking my hair

At a point I questioned if she was trying to assure me or herself.

“Hands up now!” the man exclaimed

We put our hands up immediately. I became frightened.

Who are these men?

Why are they here?

What’s his plan?

Are they going to kill us?

The other two men went outside to stand guard

The man took a look around

“Not bad” he said “rich people” he shook his head “Thinking they’re entitled to everything”

From the corner of my eye, I saw my dad stylishly press the radio in his ear – probably a signal for help to one of the agents on duty.

“Shh” he mouthed to me

The man sat on our couch- the one my parents were previously sitting on before they broke in.

‘Where is it?” the man asked my dad

“Where’s what?”

“The flash drive. The one you killed my boss to get. Where is it?”

“Is that what this is about?”

My dad was trying hard to stall the man.

“Where is it?!”

I kept hearing about the dangerous mission my dad went on. He had to break into the senator’s office to get the files the government was hiding. The files contained information about the plane crash that killed everyone on board. The Conversion suspected that it was planned so they could kill another Senator; Kingsley. He was a senator that threatened to expose the government. He was a threat to them.

Apparently, a rival spy got in my dad’s way and he killed him in self-defence. Later, we found out he was the head of council of the rival spy society “The Masked Society”.

My dad got the files on a flash drive and was supposed to make a lot of copies to submit to The Conversion tomorrow.

“If I give it to you, will you leave?” my dad asked

“Daniel no” my mom said

My dad seemed pretty calm. Either he was calm because help was on the way or maybe he had no other choice than to be brave at the moment.

“Just give it to me. Get up”

My dad got up. He put the gun to my dad’s back as he moved towards my dad’s home office at the end of the hallway.

We heard car horns outside. I felt relieved. Help is here

Since the man had his back to us, my mom grabbed a glass prism on the table and threw it at his head.

“Ahhh!” the man screamed

The two men heard the noise and rushed inside. My dad used the opportunity to grab his gun and shot them fast. As if he expected this, the leader shot my dad in the chest.

“Nooo” my mom screamed

One of the other men outside brought out a spray bottle from his pocket and sprayed some gas into the air. My mom and I blacked out.

When we woke up, they were all gone including my dad.

Our dogs were dead

A week later, my mom lost the baby

Till today, there’s no sign of his supposedly dead body.

*end of flashback*

I chewed slowly on my eba. Most people swallow straight but I don’t. I like to savour every bit of what I’m eating.

“Any gist?” my mom asked me

We were as close as two peas in a pod. She is literally my best friend.

“It’s wrong to talk while eating” I teased

“Better answer me”

“Hmm let me see. Not really”

I smiled as I thought of Justin. I grinned wider at the thought of our instant connection.

It’s hard to find someone- especially a guy who reads like I do. For the past sixteen years, I felt alone. Nobody ever bothered with me but today, I felt like someone saw me. I felt like someone noticed me.

“You’re smiling” my mom pointed out.

She was still eating. I wondered how she saw me. Mother intuition, I guess.

“Well…. there’s a new student in my class”

“Is it a boy?”

“Yes”

“Is he cute?”

“Yes. Very”

“Slut”

I laughed

“He’s even bi racial”

“Ada!”

“Yes mother?”

She said my name in a warning tone like ‘You better face your studies”

“I know mom. I know”

Silence

“What’s his name?”

“Justin” I smirked

“Ha!” she laughed as she took a sip of her water “I had an ex-boyfriend named Justin”