Spy School Reunion

Chapter 6

So I'm class right now and I just finished 1/3 remaining finals. Reminder on OOC: it's been ten years. The characters won't and shouldn't act like themselves in the books. People change a lot in ten years. Next chapter after this is long so I'm thinking of breaking it up. Please vote and comment! Enjoy!

JFK Airport, Washington DC
1300 Hours
January 11

I purchased an airplane ticket to the LAX airport. As I was sitting in my seat in row 22 (with all the annoying kids) I contemplated calling Erica again. I should probably let her know that I'm coming. But she blocked and denied my three calls before and I couldn't handle the rejection again. I didn't even know if she was home. But last I checked the tabloids, she went to her local coffee shop yesterday so I assume she was in town.

All throughout the flight, I reviewed the evidence I had on Joshua I had. He obviously stole the identity of Joshua Duncan, but the real question is where is he? The real Joshua Duncan? I was pretty sure he wasn't dead because his name would resurface on a death report. But where was he and did he know Joshua Hallal stole his name?

I'm sure Erica would have ideas if she is still as I remember her. I hadn't really considered the fact she might be really different in the last ten years. I'm still stuck in this fantasy that Erica is just as I remember her and that she's still the same person I knew. But as the plane was landing, I finally let reality sink in. Erica could be really different. Heck, she's a millionaire! If she isn't different, that might be concerning. But I don't want her to be different. I want the same old Erica.

These thoughts were swirling around my head as I landed in Los Angeles. I was a bit jet lagged, but I managed to grab a cab and I gave him her address. I didn't tell him that it was Erica Handler, the famous model, actress and influencer's house however.

When we finally got to her neighborhood, it was really nice. She lived on the small two way street that circled a huge hill. Every a hundred yards or so, there was a gate to a giant mansion. Finally, we finished climbing and got to almost the top of the hill. From here, we could see all of downtown LA.

The cab pulled up to this huge modern gate. All around us were tall green shrubs for all the celebrities' privacy. It made me wonder who lived next to her.

The cab driver looked on in awe at this giant gate. "Who are you visiting?" He asked in astonishment.

"An old friend," I said as I got my small suitcase out. I packed a few things, thinking I could find a hotel if things went well with Erica. Honestly, I didn't really think this through too well.

"Thank you," I said, handing the cab driver money.

"Do you- do you want me to wait to make sure someone answers?" The cab driver asked sheepishly. It was clear he was very curious to see who lived in the mega-mansion.

"No, it's fine." I said, smiling and waving him off. He grumbled and left.

I walked up to the keypad and speaker and pressed the microphone.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Just inside the house, Erica sat at her giant island and was eating a salad. She was flicking through her phone when her new assistant, Scott, entered.

Groaning to herself, she asked him, a bit exasperated, "What is it Scott?"

Scott was her new assistant after her old was awful at his job. Scott was a good assistant and was super organized but he bugged her constantly about the smallest things. Erica was just trying to enjoy her lunch and Scott still found something to bug her about.

"I need verbal confirmation that you're going to the fashion show in two weeks. It should be a easy and fun since your friend Bethany is running it." Scott tapped away on his iPad.

She gave a big sigh, "Yes Scott, I already said I was going."

"Okay, thank you. Oh and by the way, Raymond, the head of security, said someone was at your gate asking to come in. You weren't expecting anyone, right?"

Erica furrowed her eyebrows, looking confused, "Uh... I don't think so." She checked through her texts and email and didn't find anything.

"No I'm not. Ray told him to bug off, right?" Erica told him.

"Yes I'll tell him. Enjoy your lunch. Sorry, I'll stop interrupting you." With that, Scott left.

Erica went back to her salad. A mere minute later, Scott entered again and made a beeline toward her.

"Oh my god what is it Scott?" She cried, exasperated.

"Sorry Erica, it's that guy at the gate. He claims to know you. He insists we tell you about him."

"Scott, they all claim to know me or are somehow related to me. This isn't the first time. Do you think he's press? If they found where I live, I swear to god I'll move. They'll never leave me alone."

Scott shook his head rapidly, "No, doesn't seem like that type. He's like twenty three, average height and brown hair. Seems a bit nerdy too."

"Well then tell this guy to leave me alone or I'll call the cops on him for trespassing." With that, Erica turned away from Scott and tried to finish her salad.

After two minutes, she thought she was finally able to enjoy her lunch but then Scott came back in, looking a bit embarrassed to have to disrupt her again.

"Dammit Scott! What the hell it that you keep having to disrupt me?! I swear if it's that guy again I'll go out there and beat his ass. I'm so sick of this." She snapped at him.

"Calm down, Erica. The guy at the gate gave Raymond a name. He said if you don't recognize it, he'll leave and never bug you again."

"Okay then, what's the name?" She asked impatiently.

Scott looked at a sticky note stuck to his iPad, "Ripley. Ben Ripley."

The blood drained out of Erica's face. She was so shocked she could barely form words. But she managed to say "Let him in."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Finally, the scary security man named Raymond James let me in. The name thing must have worked. Erica must have told him to let me in.

It finally hit me. I was going to see Erica Hale, for the first time in ten years. I was actually going to see her again.