Forever Fighting | ✔️ | [previously Espionage: double-cross]

Chapter 19

"Seriously? No one was captured, quite obviously so this was, let me guess, another test." Alex stood facing Julie, Samuel and many of her classmates, Ava and Heather included with her arms crossed across her chest.

"We're too clever to get captured," Ava laughed with a wink. Alex looked at her, rolling her eyes then looked at Julie.

"So much for all of the tests being over. Heads up might be nice."

"Now where would the fun in that be?" Julie pulled out an iPad and pulled up some video footage of Alex's takedown of the two men, both much bigger and stronger than her. "You passed with flying colours. We were not only impressed with your combat skills and loyalty but your initiative and quick thinking, all of which are essential to becoming a well-functioning agent." Alex stared at her.

"Did you ever really doubt me?" She didn't have that big of a problem. She found the experience fun and it was nice to have the security in knowing her skills were somewhat useful in a more realistic situation.

"No." Ava said.

"Totally." Mark said with a teasing grin.

"Maybe," replied Heather, matter-of-factly. She risked a sideways glance at Julie, wondering if she would have anything said about her reply. When nothing came, she carried on, "We needed to know whether you would give away Auxilium if you were captured, which you didn't, and if you would be able to handle yourself, which you did." Those words didn't come out too easily if the clenched jaw was anything to go by. " I have to admit though, I was surprised you managed to get out of those ropes, I tied them very tightly." She looked at Alex with a tight smile. 

Alex looked at her with her mouth pressed in a straight line, not knowing whether to tell them about the keyring. Julie looked at Alex, her gaze encouraging her to say what they both knew she wanted to say. Alex only managed to hold her gaze for a few seconds before walking over to her friends and being congratulated.

"It's nice you came."

"You're lucky you get some people, Heather didn't get anyone since she was the first one to take the test," Ava explained. Alex looked at her nodding in understanding. She didn't think Ava saw because she carried on talking. "We'll taken our tests which is why we could come congratulate you. People who haven't done it couldn't come as when it happens to them, it wouldn't be a surprise!" 

"Uh huh." The strange gestures people had given her now took the form of thumbs up in her mind. Well at least that made more sense. 

"Hey, you did really well!" Mark pushed through the crowd to congratulate her. This time, his smile reached up to his eyes at least. He thumped her on the arm, "You might be one of the best field agents yet!" Alex forced herself to smile back, too sweetly. She thumped him back, a little harder making him wince slightly. 

"I wish I could say the same for you." Then she leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Thought you would be stronger than flinching if I hit you lightly." He shivered slightly but didn't back down. Alex smiled at that, taking the shiver as fear.

"Only when it's you," he whispered, then abruptly left, not without throwing a satisfied smirk over his shoulder, earning a murderous glare in return.

After more congratulating, the crowd began to disperse. Soon only she and Ava were left. As they walked out, Alex asked her, "What was your 'stage three test' like?"

Ava blushed slightly, "Well, after panicking for a while and hiding behind some bins, I ran straight into one of the agents and almost gave everything away. Then, after kicking him where it hurts, I blacked out when I ran into a wall. Then the same that happened to you was pretty much the same for me but I broke the chair, smashing it to get out of the bonds. Then I hid most of the wooden pieces of chair around the room, keeping only a couple for me. Then I waited by the door when I heard the interrogator coming and smacked him really hard in the head," she smiled fondly at the memory. "Then I ran out of the door and nearly barrelled over Julie, Sam, Heather, Mark, Angie, Jack, Sophie, Joshua, Darsh, Esha and a few others who went before me," she counted the people down on her fingers. "So yeah, that's pretty much it."