Spy School - Back to Basics [2]

16: Extract from Cyrus Hale's Mission Log

To really make this narrative complete, not only do we need young Ripley's perspective, along with the happenings of Brezenski and Trixie Hale, we also need to look at the negotiations, which falls into Cyrus Hale's hands.

Here we have an extract from his mission log. His handwriting was difficult to decipher, so please excuse any errors in transcribing.

Mission M&M's

Day 06, 1300 Hours

Cyrus Hale

"So, negotiations," the phone blared, "negotiations. Let's start, eh?"

I stared at the phone in my hands. It was an old Nokia. I chose it in particular so no one could track my position during a phone call. Sure, the CIA had made ones that were supposedly untraceable by enemies, but I needed one untraceable by all. (Alexander and Erica say that I'm paranoid. I am not.) And the Nokias are indestructible, too.

I paused for a moment, carefully considering my options. I couldn't give in and tell them any secrets; even though two of my agents were captured, selling secrets was not the solution.

I couldn't bust in to save them, either, not alone.

But then I remembered something. That if this organization was powerful as I thought, it meant that they had moles everywhere. They could produce any secret they wanted. No, SKITTLES (what a ridiculous name; it makes it obvious that it was named by a teenager,) probably wants to bait me, so that when I come to deliver the secret they supposedly want, they can capture me.

No loose ends, after all. They don't want someone finishing the mission of taking them down.

All of these thoughts went through my mind in less of a second. One cannot afford to stall when your enemy is on the phone.

For now, I decided to play along. "Yes, I heard you say that you wanted a secret. Repeatedly. But I am proposing something else: cash money." I decided to add in a little resistance, to make it seem realistic.

The voice on the line chuckled. "We have all the money we need and more. We need secrets. What is it to say a few words to save your granddaughter and her boyfriend," SKITTLES' ambassador said tauntingly.

"Alright. I'm giving a secret, and one only. We'll meet at a location of my choosing in exactly one hour. You'll bring both prisoners. I'll bring the file with the secret. We exchange at the same time. Tell me the secret in advance," I said as a plan started to form in my head. It was a finicky plan that relied on a single thing.

But it was the only option.

"Really now. You have the advantage, choosing how many secrets and the location. It is only fair that we can therefore choose the location," SKITTLES' ambassador replied.

"You realize how the words 'it's only fair' look like coming out of your mouth, right? Besides, I have a much greater reason to distrust you than you distrust me. After all, I doubt that you would just let us walk around scott-free." I said.

The caller was silent for a moment, probably consulting his superiors.

"Alright, you can choose the location, but on one condition: you have to bring the rest of your party members. The remaining, living, Mogilevskys, Ethan and Natalie- shame their children died in that explosion at Robert E. Lee- and Alexander Hale and Cathrine Hale must come with you, in other words. We don't want any funny business, during our... business," the caller said.

And with that little bit of information, the plan was complete.

SKITTLES did not know that the missile had failed to kill anyone at Robert E. Lee. Trixie and Brezenski had already come to the inn, disheveled but otherwise intact. According to their story, they gave the student they rescued over to the principal and made their way to the inn. In their hurry, they had forgotten to bring the Mogilevskys, but they were already on their way.