The Agency

by Ann Knightingale

first name. It just seemed too formal, so we shortened it slightly." Amy answers. My parents snort a little clearly not liking the situation any more than they did when they came in. My parents look around the room shaking their heads at times and just openly staring at others. They looked out the windows at the motorcycles and the four wheeler and then at each other. Knowing them they are thinking the kids here are way too spoiled.

  All I want to do is run and hide. To find out who tipped my parents off and tell them off one way and up the other. I just want to curl up in a ball and disappear to be never seen or heard from again. But the fact of what Chest would go through if any of that happens keeps me rooted to the spot.

  "Are you going to take Macey away?" Benjamin asks. My parents stare at him, not in a mean way just unexpected.

  "Benji that's not question you should ask right now." Amy scolds lightly.

  "I kind of want to hear that answer myself. There's no point beating around the bush. We need to get this matter solved so we can go on with our lives." Chest says sounding slightly aggravated.

  "Chest its okay, we all need to warm up to each other before we start to discuss what's going to happen." Time states trying to keep Chest in line.

  Chest rises out of his chair quickly almost knocking it over backwards as he starts to raise his voice," What does it matter? Chances are if they win we'll never see them again! Chances are that if we win they won't like us anyway, I don't see a point in getting to know people who are just going to fight us all the time no matter the outcome is." He storms off down the hall. I get up pointedly glaring at my parents and follow him calling his name.

  I find him standing in the bathroom leaning against the counter by the sink staring in the mirror. I knock on the door jamb lightly as I walk in. He looks at me and gives me a smile that doesn't touch his eyes. His eyes show sadness and hurt but I don't know why. He turns back to the mirror and looks at himself and just stands there trying to control his breathing.

  "Just the thought of them taking you away pisses me off. I don't want to talk to these people. I want them away from our compound, I want them to allow you to stay, to see how happy you are here. You are happy right?" He says gruffly. I smile and nod. What kind of question is that? I couldn't be happier.

  "Just please do this for me? It's kind of important and can make or break us. Think about all those times you saved me. Think of this as one of those times, the only difference is that you’re battling with words not muscle." I reason trying to calm his temper. He doesn't answer me, instead he nods and follows me out in to the living room. We take our respected seats.

  Mom and Dad stare at me with no emotion. My mom takes a deep breath and states," I think Chester has a point, we shouldn't get to comfortable with people we don't know our plan to come in to contact again. that goes for both my husband and I with you and you and your family with us."

  Amy nods and asks," What is your defense? What are your reasons for taking Macey from us?" Mom sighs again and says kind of wearily," We are her family and want what's best for her. We know more about Macey than you can. We’ve known her since birth and you've only known her for a month. We want what's best for her."

  Tim nods and mutters something under his breath then out loud," I can understand that, but you didn't seem to understand her when she came home from that party. She told you that it wasn't her fault, several of her friends even agreed that it wasn't her fault. She seems to like it here and I have no problem with her staying. In fact none of us do."

  Mom's hands start to shake as she says through clenched teeth," She is our daughter. We have a right to her. She belongs with us."

  "No," I say forcefully," First I am right here and I would appreciate it if you would act like it. Second you lost your rights that night after the party. If not then, you do now, I'm 18 and can choose for myself by law and there is nothing you can do about it. I choose to stay here." Mom and Dad look shocked. They have that look on their faces as if they want me to think of my decision but I just shake my head. Chest stands up and intertwines his fingers with mine. My parent’s faces turn red with anger.

  "I am completely safe here. Chest won't hurt me, he hardly touches my hand without permission. We have cameras all over the property to be sure nothing happens between us. Nothing will happen." I add as an afterthought. Thinking I need to explain myself. My parents act as if they want to object but I just point my finger to the door and stand firm saying," Out. You've worn out your welcome.” Amy looks at me proudly and nods to them. Slowly they walk out the door.

  I turn to the family and smile at them, I look at each and every one of them so happy to consider them my family. I turn to Chest and see his face stretched in to a grin as well. He leans down and kisses me gently on the lips, I return it without hesitation. Then I remember Sunder

  “Okay since everyone is here we need a family meeting. I saw Sunder again, here on the compound. I can take you directly to him, but it’s going to be hard, he has another cave in the boulders. So finding the right one is going to be tough. But I’m sure that if we’re careful I’m sure we can find it.” I say taking control of the situation, before it gets control of me.

  Amy nods curtly, and points to a map on the wall. I look the map over and point to a group of boulders, "some were in there." Amy nods and the whole family rushes off to separate rooms to change in to their gear. I stand quiet not able to move, the last hour’s events finally keeping up with me. Amy rests her hand on my shoulder and then smiles before she takes off after Tim to go change.

  Once everyone is done we gather back in the living room so we can gather and go together. The only difference is that this time I am dressed out as well. I have the same clothes, belt, and weapons as Amy has around her hips, together we all run out of the back door and to the boulder field. We run straight to the boulder where I was hiding and slow down to a walking pace. We circle the boulder I was sure hid the door to the lair. Turns out I was right, with a little dynamite paste the secret door blew off its hinges and we all ran in. Sunder didn’t even have a chance to fight back.

  We got in to the dim cave and immediately threw some flairs and sound grenades, I guess there are perks to being a government agent. While the crew inside are blinded and deaf we rush in and take advantage there isn’t really much to tell. I sneek up on Sunder and turned him around to face me.

  “Do you remember me? You tried to kill me twice, you should know that I nor my family take that lightly once, but twice is asking for trouble.” I hiss getting in his face. Sunder grins widely.

  “My dear that is not the beginning of what I had planned.” He smirks as he tries to land a punch in my face. I easily dodge the strike and land one of my own across his face. He spins away and his glasses fall off and get crushed under his foot as he tries to regain his balance. I slowly stalk him like a cat stalks a mouse. Even if this mouse is twice my height and weight. He sweeps his leg out wide catching me in the ankles knocking me to the floor. I land forcing all the air from my lungs. I lay there gasping for a minute before I jump to feet. He looks at me surprised for a second, then the surprise leaves his eyes and replaced with interest. The kind of interest a scientist watches the outcome of his experiment, but then again at one time I was. Anger boils up in me and I run at him screaming. He doesn’t have time to jump away before I hit him in the chest. He bowls over on to the ground.

  I straddle him pinning him to the ground as I look in his face and hiss,” You don’t know me, you never got to see what I did learn while you were here. I learned how to defend myself, I learned how to punch,” I punch him in the face and smile at the satisfying sound of his nose cracking beneath my fist,” See? How is that?” I get the cuffs from my side and cuff his hands together. He gives me a bloody smile and chuckles. I haul him to his feet forcing him to stand. All the other goons are in handcuffs as well and waiting for the police car that I know is on the way.

  Chest walks over to me and whispers to me urgently,” You need t
o hide, the police probably haven’t taken you off their missing person list yet.” I nod and hide in a bend in the cave, I watch as the police guide the criminals to their cars and drive away. As we walk back to the house I slow down and match pace with Maria.

  “You should be happy that I didn’t give you away. I could have, you know, I could have gotten you kicked off the compound. You put the whole family in danger, how could you do that to Chest? I know you’re still in love with him. What about your brother? Benji’s not old enough to defend himself yet.” I ask quietly so the rest of the family can’t hear. She just stares ahead pretending not to hear me. But I can see the twitch of her jaw and know that she heard me and is taking me seriously. I nod to her showing that she can’t hide her feelings as well as she thinks she can. I speed up my pace again and intertwine my fingers with Chest’s. A smile plays at the corners of his mouth. It seems we have won more than one victory in the past twenty-four hours.

  Two Years Later

  Christmas Day

  “Hey Macey! When is your husband going to get here? He is always late for these occasions.” Amy asks me as I walk through the door.

  “Chest’s getting Michaela out of the car. Can you believe that she is