Frustrating.
“Who is Lex Luthor?” I ask, once we’re in the car.
Sebastian is driving and Sander is in the front seat with him. Brett is sitting beside me, but all three guys are on high alert. They’re all looking around. Nobody responds to my question.
“Brett,” I say, tapping him on the shoulder.
He turns to me.
“Who is Lex Luthor?” I ask again.
His mouth hangs open.
Sander turns around to look at me. “Did you just ask who Lex Luthor is?”
I nod.
“Have you never seen any of Superman movies?” Brett asks, then pauses. “Why am I even asking? Of course you haven’t. Lex Luthor is one of the villains on Superman.”
“Only the best villain of all time,” Sander says.
“Depending on the version,” Brett says.
“We disagree on which version of Lex Luthor is the best,” Sander says.
“Okay, but what does this all mean?” I ask. “Why did we rush out of there so quickly? And what do you mean it’s not Nolan? Who else is after me?”
Nobody answers. Instead, they all avoid looking directly at me. Sebastian grips the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles are turning white.
“Bass, come on,” I say, knowing that if anybody will tell me the truth, it’ll be him. He’s brutally honest.
“A lot of people are after you,” Sebastian says. “Not just Nolan.”
“But why?” I ask. “I’m not anybody special.”
“You’re a Sinclair,” Brett says, like it’s an explanation. I guess in their world, it is. “That alone makes you the number one target on everybody’s radar.”
“You know that I don’t understand what that entails,” I say.
“Michael Sinclair controls the most powerful organization in the world,” Sander says, trying to explain. “There are agents that were trained at Spy School all over the world. There isn’t one country that we’re not in.”
“Seriously?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Sander says.
“So, what exactly do people do after they leave Spy School?” I ask.
“Some people stay working for your dad’s organization. A lot of them do,” Brett answers. “But not all of them. Some go to work for the CIA, just because it’s less dangerous. Some graduates become assassins because they can make a lot of money. Or whatever they want.”
“Assassins? Like, they get paid to kill people?”
I know what an assassin is; I just can’t imagine anybody ever wanting to be one.
“Maybe you shouldn’t be telling her all this,” Sebastian says.
“We’re not keeping secrets from her anymore,” Sander says.
“Oh, really?” Sebastian asks. “So, you’re going to tell her what Protocol Lex Luthor means?”
Silence falls over the car, and I’m once again left in the dark.
I have really got to get started on my training so I don’t have to be left out anymore. Just when I feel like I was becoming part of the team, they put up a wall. I hate it.
“When can I go home?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Sander answers.
“We’re going home now,” Brett answers.
“What? Why?” Sebastian asks.
“Orders from the boss,” Brett says, looking at something on his phone. “Apparently Nolan got whatever he was after and he’s gone.”
“Wait, I thought he was after me,” I say.
“I think Nolan was just going to use you as leverage.”
“Oh,” I say. I don’t know why, but that hurts. “So, what happens with Nolan now?”
“We keep looking for him, but he’s not a threat to you anymore,” Sander says. “At least, according to your dad.”
“I still don’t want that guy in the same country as her,” Sebastian says.
“You’re really protective of Karlie,” Brett says.
“Serenity,” I correct.
“She’s eighty pounds,” Bass says. “Somebody needs to protect the girl.”
“Eighty-four pounds,” I say, correcting him. “Probably more now because I’ve been eating so much. Speaking of food, I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry,” Sebastian says, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. “But we can’t stop right now.”
“Can you guys at least tell me a little bit about what Protocol Lex Luthor means?” I ask.
“Umm...”
Brett and Sander both share a look.
“I’ll tell you this,” Sebastian says. “Protocol Lex Luthor means we get out. We get in the car and we don’t stop driving. Once we’re far enough away, we get on an airplane and we leave the country.”
“But why?” I ask. “I mean, who is after us if it’s not Nolan? And what did Nolan get that made him suddenly not want to come after me anymore?”
“You have to ask your dad both of those questions,” Brett says.
“Then give me a phone. I’ll call him,” I say.
“Can’t,” Brett says. “We left our phones at the apartment. Protocol Lex Luthor means we ditch all electronics that have GPS on them. The last thing we need is somebody tracing us.”
Oh, my gosh. These guys are frustrating me. The only thing that is keeping me in this car right now is the fact that they are protecting me. I don’t know the first thing about the world that I am now living in, and I need them.
“I swear, as soon as I learn how to fight, I’m going to kick all of your butts for this,” I say.
They laugh.
Just wait, boys. Because I am dead serious.
You’re my family now.
A couple of hours later, I am at a small airport in the middle of nowhere. When I get aboard the small plane, I see that Jax and Hunter are already there. I haven’t seen the two of them since I was in the hospital. I take a seat by Hunter and get buckled in.
It’s crazy to think that a couple of weeks ago, I was living with who I thought was my mom, and had never once in my life been on an airplane. Now, I’ve already been on two flights, three if you include this one.
“Have you ever been on a small plane before?” Hunter asks me, as the plane starts moving.
“No,” I answer.
“It’s a lot different than a large plane. It’s going to be bumpy,” he says.
“I’m not scared of planes,” I say. “After surviving a gun battle at my house and jumping out of a two-story window, I’m pretty sure nothing could scare me right now.”
“You jumped out of a window?”
“Well, technically Sebastian did, but he took me with him,” I say.
“Sounds like something Bass would do,” Hunter says. “Were you scared?”
“I didn’t have time to be.”
“Maybe Bass should be taken off your protection detail,” he says.
“Nah,” I say. “He saved my life. More than once.” I look behind me where Bass and Sander are fighting over something and smile. “I think he’s kind of growing on me.”
“You were only supposed to be with us for a few days, at the most,” Hunter tells me. “When your dad sent us to find you, we had no idea who you really were. We thought it was just some random assignment. We’re the best, so it was a little insulting that he sent us after a teenage girl who clearly had no training. But then we all met you, and you surprised us. Even without training, you have amazing instincts.”
“Not that amazing apparently,” I say. “I trusted Nolan.”
“We all did,” he says. “Nobody could’ve predicted what happened with him. It was horrible. But agents go rogue.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Nolan’s parents went rogue his first year at Spy School,” he says. “It was tough on him, but it made him train harder. He hated his parents for what they did, but then he went and did the same thing.”
“Maybe he’s with his parents now,” I say.
“Maybe,” he says.
That I can live with—if Nolan turne
d on us because of family. Who could blame him for wanting to be with his parents? I mean, I kind of thought that all of us were a big family, but I can’t fault him for not feeling the same.
“So, do you know what Protocol Lex Luthor means?” I ask.
“Nice try,” Hunter says. “That might work on Gage, but not on the rest of us.”
“Do you realize how annoying it is that everybody knows except me?”
“Yeah, well, you can blame your father,” he says. “Your dad doesn’t want to scare you; especially when you’re with us instead of him. He will tell you when the time is right. Until then, we go back to Spy School. We’ve all got a job to do.”
“And what is my job?” I ask.
“You are going to go back to training. You and Sebastian. Sebastian is technically done with his training, but I think your dad is going to keep him at school with you for protection. Since Bass saved you at the bowling alley, your dad has decided to trust him.”
“What about you guys?”
“I think he’s a little worried that one of us will follow in Nolan’s footsteps,” he answers. “But don’t worry. The rest of us aren’t going anywhere. We will gain your father’s trust back soon. I mean, we’re here with you now, so he doesn’t completely distrust us.”
“Do you think we can all be a team after all this?” I ask. “I mean, after I graduate.”
“You want to be on our team?”
I nod. “With Sebastian, too.”
“I don’t know. Sebastian doesn’t exactly get along well with others,” he says. “I always thought he would be solo in his career.”
“I thought everybody had to be on a team,” I say.
“Nah, that’s just us. You can do more as a team. Everybody contributes something. But if you want to be solo, you can.”
“And what do you contribute?” I ask.
He pauses before answering. “Well, I am really good with languages. I learn them really fast. I actually learned how to speak French in less than a month.”
“Wow,” I say. “And Jax?”
“Driving. And flying. And boats,” Hunter answers. “Jax is a great driver.”
“And Sander?”
“Sander does everything. But, he’s the best distraction,” he says.
“Distraction?”
“The... majority of the female population thinks he’s good looking,” Hunter explains. “I don’t see it. But one time, he distracted a terrorist long enough for us to disarm her bomb and arrest her. She didn’t even know the handcuffs were on until she was halfway to the car.”
Huh. I could totally see that. It’s his blue eyes.
Sebastian’s eyes are the same color as Sanders.
I really like blue eyes.
“And Brett is the computer guy, right?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“What about Gage?”
“Gage is who keeps us all together,” Hunter says. “I mean, he’s good at a lot of things. But our team wouldn’t be together if it wasn’t for him. He’s just good at talking to us. And he is the one guy everybody on our team never gets mad at.”
I can’t wait to see Gage again.
Only a few more hours and we’ll be back in Switzerland.
“What will I add to the team?” I ask. “I can’t do anything.”
“You haven’t been trained yet,” he says. “But, I have a feeling you’ll be a lot like Sander... good at everything. And I for sure think you’d be able to distract a terrorist. Also, I think you’ll be like Gage. You’ll be the glue. I mean, because of you we are on a plane with Sebastian. I never thought I’d see the day. He has hated us for so long. You changed us all.”
“I love you guys,” I tell him. “You really are my family now.”
“Well, I haven’t seen or talked to my mom and dad since I graduated from Spy School,” he says. “So I definitely think of you as more of my family than they are.”
“Why haven’t you talked to them?”
“They’re on assignment in Russia,” he answers. “Sometimes they get so into their job that they forget they have sons. I think Jax takes it harder than I do, but he won’t let it show. He thinks because he’s older he has to be the strong one.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “That sucks.”
He shrugs. “It’s this life. We were raised this way and we’re used to it. Our parents are too busy out saving the world to spend time with us. And how could we ask them to stay home when they are doing so much good?”
“Family should come first.”
“It does,” Hunter says. “You’re my family now. You’re coming first.”
His words warm my heart.
What would I do without these guys?
Sunday, August 27
Vacation.
“Serenity, get up.”
I open one eye and see that I am in my bedroom. The last I remember, I was on the plane, sitting beside Hunter. Now I am in my own bed in my room in Switzerland. Outside, it is pitch black. I roll over and look at the clock on my nightstand.
It’s 2:37 a.m.
“Dad, why are you waking me up in the middle of the night?” I ask, then quickly sit up, my heart pounding fast. “Did something bad happen?”
“No. I just need you to hurry up. Pack a bag. Just the basics. We can go shopping for whatever you need when we get there,” Dad says.
“Get where?” I ask, relieved that nothing is wrong. But then again, would my dad tell me if anything was wrong? He’s left me in the dark so many times. He doesn’t respond to my question. “Dad, where are we going?”
“Vacation,” he answers.
“Vacation?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“What about school?”
“I own this place. You’re not going to get in trouble for missing a couple of weeks of school,” he says.
“A couple of weeks?”
“Yeah.”
“What about my training?” I ask. “I mean, I want to train. The guys already said I could be on their team...”
“Hold up,” Dad says, holding up a hand. “Who said anything about you being on a team?”
“Well, I want to be on a team with Sander and Gage and all of them. Even Sebastian,” I say. “Hunter said I could really help out their team.”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “What is it with you and those boys?”
“They’re my friends,” I answer. “The only friends I’ve ever had.”
“Right. Okay,” Dad says. “Well, maybe it’ll do you good to get a break from them.”
“Come on, Dad,” I say. “What are you and I going to do for two weeks on vacation? If we go, we should take them too.”
“You want me to bring six men on vacation with us?”
“You’re making it sound worse than it really is,” I say. “It’s not like that. And besides, I’m not leaving until I get to see Gage. He’s awake now and I haven’t seen him since he woke up from his coma.”
“You seriously want me to invite those boys to go on a family vacation with us?”
I nod.
“Serenity Sinclair,” Dad says. “Fine. I will make the call. Be ready within in an hour. I want to be in the air before five in the morning. Whatever guy isn’t ready when we leave is getting left behind.”
“What about Gage?” I ask. “Can he even go?”
“I’ll make it happen,” he says.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
“I swear, having a teenage daughter is more difficult than running Spy School,” he says.
That’s saying a lot, because it’s not just Spy School. It’s so much more than that. Yes, there is a lot of focus on training, but it’s what comes after training that is the important part. My dad works with the leaders in different countries. It’s all very covert and very few people know about the organization. Nobody even knows what the real name of Spy School is. That’s just what everybody calls it. Dad hasn’t even told me the real name yet, and I know that the guys don’t kn
ow.
I pull my purple suitcase out of my walk-in closet. It’s still got the tags on it, because I haven’t yet had the opportunity to use it. When Sebastian and I went to America, it was all last minute.
Well, I suppose this is last minute, too. I’m beginning to think that it’s just how things happen around here—spontaneously.
I just hope the boys can pack fast.
When we get there.
Gage looks terrible.
He has a bandage wrapped around his head. When he was shot, he fell back onto the floor and hit his head really hard. I will never forget the sound of his head hitting the floor. I think that was scarier than the actual gunshot. He also has an IV in his arm with medicine being pumped in.
When I see him, I start to cry.
“Gage,” I say, walking over to him.
“It looks worse than it is,” he tells me, as he wraps an arm around me. I hug him back softly, not wanting to hurt his stomach where he was shot.
“You still have an IV,” I say. “Is it even safe for you to come with us?”
“I only have to do this three times a day,” he says. “Nothing can keep me from going with you.”
“Good, because I missed you.”
“I’d like to say I missed you too, but I was kind of asleep,” he says, smiling. “I might be sleeping a lot on this trip too.”
“That’s okay,” I say. “I’m just... glad you’re alive.”
“I could never leave you,” Gage says, making me smile. “I wish I could’ve done something at the bowling alley. I hear that I have Sebastian to thank for saving your life.”
I nod.
“I also hear that he’s been hanging around a lot lately.”
“He’s saved my life more than once,” I say.
“Bass is one of the best,” he says.
“He is,” I say.
“Has he been nice to you?”
I shrug. “Nice enough. I think I’m starting to grow on him.”
“If he’s ever not nice, tell me and I’ll take care of him,” Gage says, pulling his IV stand closer.
Keeping Me (Spy Chronicles Book 2) Page 6