Path to Secrecy

Zylen

I removed my foot from the accelerator, the speed of the taxi impressively slowing down. Sidling against the curb in the old neighbourhood, I turned into the bright yellow driveway.

Staring at the single story brick house, I unbuckled my seat belt and changed the gear to park, yanking up the handbrake. Turning to the Commander, I whispered. "Take the wheel."

Grabbing the handgun resting on the dashboard and the envelope inside of it, I stepped out of the vehicle with a clear view of the street and closed the door quietly. I walked around the car without an aim of how I was supposed to go through with this while tucking the envelope into the back of my singlet. Holding the silver metal handle at the edge of the white garage door, I lifted it up with a strong arm and grimaced as it screeched open. 

There were a few cockroaches and spiders scattering around the dehydrated leaves and I held onto my weapon firmly, glaring around the empty parking spot that held no access in the house. Tucking the gun back in to my waistband, I gestured for the Commander to roll the car in before stepping aside and keeping watch on the neighbourhood. I listened to the sound of the handbrake being yanked before watching Rahul step out of the vehicle, an instant hand grabbing onto the back of the strangers neck, pushing him forward. Azalea hopped out a second later by holding Rahul's hand before closing the remaining open car doors. I stepped back out onto the driveway of the quiet abandoned home. With a quick rotation on the spot I noticed a majority of the houses down both sides of the street sitting in complete darkness, a few with entrance and kitchen lights brightened. 

The Commander reeled the garage door down and I could hear the footsteps behind me as I stood in front of the doorway, opening the unlocked front door. "Looks like an abandoned wreck." Azalea grimaced.

I stared at the hallway, recalling the times I would spiral down it with a pair of plain socks while workers nailed and hammered the walls, constructing the house that was under my name. Now that I thought about it, Dad had it named under the one thing I was going to become in my lifetime. Something I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams, eleven months ago.

Savo.

Secret Agent, Valerie Or'eve.

"Secret Agent, Valerie Or'eve reporting." I whispered into my Ben 10 watch that ticking against my wrist, voicing crackling noises as I slid down the hall, narrowing dodging on going workers with dangerous tools. I almost smacked into someone's thigh before I turned to apologise, bumping into my father's leg.

He chuckled, tossing aside the rolled blueprints in his hands on the new kitchen counter before kneeling. "Why hello there my little warrior." He grinned, the dimples prodding his cheeks.

I narrowed my eyes at him, with a hint of comical suspicion. "I detect a force in the disturbance."

He pressed his lips together, bring my wrist back up to my mouth before speaking in a deep voice. "Correction. I detect a disturbance in the force."

I shrugged innocently.

"Are you being the secret agent you've always dreamed of ?" He arched an eyebrow, holding onto my little hands.

I nodded and he instantly smiled. I ducked my head and scampered away before tackling through construction workers, high-fiving one who was kneeling beside the toolbox with an opened can of soda in his hand.

I stepped inside, my heart pounding heavily as memories flashed before my very own eyes. I moved aside as the rest stepped in and I absently caught a curtain shuffling from the neighbour's house opposite from mine. I quickly made note before swiftly closing the door shut. I walked down the hall that had collected more dried leaves than under the hedge bushes outside. The corners of the house were filled with dust bunnies, hanging from the ceiling. There was no furniture, no dishes in the cabinet or mattresses in the five bedroom house. Sliding past the kitchen and into the hallway, I watched as Azalea pressed a hand on the light switch. "Don't turn on any lights. We have to be like ghosts."