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

Chapter 24

Something that both Ava and Julie had mentioned stuck with Alex. 

They both said that they had a list of enemies. And as would be expected, there had to be a record of it somewhere. Like everyone else in the world, it just had to be digital. 

And that gave her an idea.

That person, the stalker, had to be on there. Maybe not in the list, sure, but on their database. The way he reacted when seeing Julie, it was like he was worried - angry and scared. That doesn't seem like the reaction to an ally.

Wherever that list was might also hold the other answers Alex was looking for, certain mother-oriented ones. 

Right now her longing for information was tearing her apart.

After having a quick dinner with Ava, where the events of the day were skirted around, Alex went back to her dorm without any indication to what her evening would look like. After some rummaging around through drawers and cabinets, she found what she was looking for: a pair of black leather gloves. She probably didn't need to keep her identity hidden but she thought it would be a good idea, just in case. Donning a leather jacket, black jeans and a black beret - none of which were necessary either but there was just something about playing the role.

Alex was a secret agent after all.

In a bid to keep her face hidden from any hidden security measures, she donned a pair of oversized sunglasses - not too tinted of course.

She left her dorm and went into the atrium. Today, luckily for her, there weren't too many people ambling around the room, just a couple of senior agents who were pretty much minding their own business. Even if they did notice the strangely dressed girl, it was unlikely they would think anything of it. The entire agency was full of slightly strange people. It's that 'uniqueness' that meant they had the capacity to become an agent in the first place.

Being average was way overrated.

She hopped off in the direction of the meeting room door and waited patiently for it to open. Her pulse was racing in anticipation. There was a thrill to bending the rules, one that had gotten her suspended at many schools in her youth. Apparently hoarding all of the schools muffins to sell to all of the other seven year olds wasn't allowed for some reason.

But she wasn't going to be finding any baked goods, no. This was about Auxilium's secrets, her mother's included and that reminder made her mouth twist into a savage grin. 

As soon as the wall slid open, Alex stepped inside and went towards the hidden IT room she had seen only once before. She stood in front of the wall now, roughly in the place she remembered the room to be and stared at it, looking for any imperfections in the surface that could hint to a way in. 

When no blemishes made themselves apparent, Alex tried thinking her way around it. She sent her mind back, scanning her memories for anything someone said that could give her a clue to how the door could be opened. 

Lost in her thoughts, she sunk down to the floor where her dark clothes blended in with the dark interior of the agency.

None too soon because moments later, a group of senior agents walked out of one of the rooms, chattering more excitedly than you would expect from a group of 'mature' adults.

Alex was so happy to know the immaturity of adolescence never truly wore off.

"Some of those kids are good! Maybe they should take your job Francis."

"Not amused."

"Sure they are, but they need to be careful. Their arrogance will end up getting them killed. Too cocky. Next thing you know, they'll be trying to get into the restricted rooms on a dare. Immature brats." The agent had to raise her voice over the arguments and giggling around her, earning an eye-roll from her and the agent stuck in the shadows.

"Luckily they can't open the restricted section, there's too many security measures." 

"Thank god for that," she replied.

"Wait till they're old enough. I have a feeling this batch is gonna be hell when they come of age." Another agent had joined the conversation now.

"Yeah cause with age comes wisdom."

"If only." Alex was starting to like this one. 

The group left, walking out into the atrium and leaving the teenager sitting on the floor in darkness.

Alex watched as they left, sighing in annoyance.

Well that answered my question - right time, right place. Now just need to figure out how to get past this age restriction.

After giving the group enough time to have departed the atrium entirely, Alex made her way out by slipping silently through the wall.

Who's gonna be the best mark?

Sitting on one of the sofas was a lady in her mid thirties, engrossed in a newspaper. It wasn't too hard to figure out that the door she needed to get through would only respond to a senior agent's identity. Luckily for her, this lady's keycard was sticking out from the purse on the right of her. 

Now she just had to get it.

Schooling her face into one of tear-stained gratitude, she brought forth her acting skills once again.

Alex sat down on the sofa, just to the left of the lady and turned towards her with her hands clasped into her pockets.

She was getting really good at this 'innocent no ulterior motives' thing.

"Is it really you?" The lady turned in her head to look at Alex. "Oh my goodness, It is you!"

"Do I, know you?"

"You probably don't remember me. It's just that, on one of your missions you saved me, saved my life!" There was lots of dramatic hand motions and teary exclamations at this point.

The poor lady looked so confused. "Oh, uh, sorry, I don't quite remember."

Alex looked down, putting on her best 'upset' face. "Of course, I didn't know what I was expecting. I was so young when you saved me. I just wanted to say thank you, for saving my life and for inspiring me to aim to be like you, a hero! I tried working really, really hard, managed to make enough of an impact in the world to get noticed by Auxilium. I didn't know you worked here but I saw you one day in the cafeteria but before I could check it really was you, you had disappeared! All those sneaky spy skills. Hahaha," Alex really hoped her laughter didn't sound forced. "Then I was going through the atrium just now, saw you and I knew this was my chance so, you know, here we are!"

The lady's look softened slightly. "Hold on, I think I remember you! Where you that small child in France that I moved out of the way from those terrorist shootings?" She looked rather pleased with herself.

"Yes! I was on holiday with my parents." Alex thanked the god of lying, if they even existed. Her gamble paid off.

"How are your parents?"

Alex looked down, forlorn. "My mum, died, and my Dad couldn't cope so he doesn't speak to me anymore."

"Oh no! You poor thing." The lady put her arms around Alex and pulled her into a hug, exactly what she wanted. Fighting not to cringe at the touching, Alex forced some more tears out of eyes to make it seem like the memory of her dead parents was too much to bear. That one wasn't too hard to fake. "It's okay, don't worry now." While the lady's attention was on her and she was facing away from the purse, Alex swiped her keycard with her gloved hand and slipped it into her sleeve. She broke away from the hug and said, "Do you have a tissue by any chance?"

"Yes, I believe I do, just give me a second." She went diving into her purse, found the packet and pulled one out. She turned back around to see the empty seat where Alex had once been. "I have your tissue!" 

No one replied, only the shadows remained.