The Start

CHARLOTTE

A tennis ball hit the side of my head.

“Hey!” I cried, looking up from my assignment. My fellow dorm mates spare Ethan was glaring at me.

“Shouldn’t I be the one glaring?” I scowled, rubbing my head.

“It’s been a week! How have you not finished your late assignments?” said Alissa.

“I’m trying!” I said, exasperated.

“How much have you done?” asked Nicholas.

“I have a couple left. What about you Ethan?”, I said, turning to face Ethan on his bed across the room. He was focused on whatever assignment he was doing.

“ETHAN!” screamed Alissa.

“What?” cried Ethan, jumping up and almost dropping his laptop.

“Okay, you guys need a break.” Declared Jackson.

“What we need is more time.” I sighed.

“Exactly what are we talking about?” asked Ethan.

Alissa marched up to me, snatched away my laptop, and kept it under my mattress. Zed did the same for Ethan.

“Well, Rogers is going to kill me,” I muttered.

“I finished his first. I have Molly’s left.” Grumbled Ethan, coming to stand next to me.

“So, what do you do for fun around here?”, I asked, stretching my hands.

“Movie?” asked Nicholas.

“It’s my turn to pick a movie!” cried Natasha.

“If it’s a chick flick, I’m out.” Said Jackson.

“Can we watch an animated movie? It’s been a while.” Said Lily.

“Rise of the Guardians?” offered Natasha.

“Yes!” I cried.

Alissa grabbed her laptop and went to Netflix.

“Who pays for that?” asked Ethan.

“Josh and Queenie.” Said Zed.

“Cool!” I said.

Five minutes later, we had placed the laptop on Ethan’s bed and all of us lay sprawled on the floor, watching the movie. I lay my head on Alissa’s lap and closed my eyes. A week ago I was going to a normal school, learning statistics and trying to get through the school year. Now, my life has changed. Funny how much can change in just a few days.

“Most people watch a movie with their eyes open.” Whispered Ethan.

I opened my eyes and laughed softly. “Just thinking,” I said.

“What? You? No!” said Ethan, feigning surprise.

“Funny,” I smirked.

“Can you two be quiet?” hissed Fatima.

“Yeah, this is the part where Jack finds out he’s dead. Show some respect.” Muttered Kyler, his eyes fixed on the screen. Ethan and I exchanged smirks, but eventually shut up.

I don’t know when I fell asleep. All I remember is one moment I was watching the heroes ride off in a sleigh and the next Alissa is shaking me.

“It’s six!” cried Fatima, shaking everyone else.

“Only!” said Jackson, who was somehow entangled with Kyler on the floor.

“girl, I need my beauty sleep.” Said Adelaide, rubbing her eyes.

“Guys! Up, come on!” screamed Natasha.

“I’m up, I’m up.” Groaned Ethan, rubbing his arm.

Lily decided to play loud music just at that moment. I suppose it was more effective than the other’s futile attempts. Everyone jumped up, looking around wildly.

“Me first!” I cried, grabbing a towel and a fresh pair of clothes from the box under my bed and rushing towards the washroom. I quickly showered and threw on my clothes.

“We have two hours till classes start! Why do we have to wake up early?” complained Kyler, stretching his hands and legs.

Lily was about to reply when the lights above Jackson and Adelaide’s beds started blinking red.

“What in the -?” muttered Ethan, frowning.

“Yes!” cheered Jackson, jumping a foot up in the air. Adelaide hugged Lily, squealing.

“You go girl!” said Fatima as Kyler slapped Jackson’s back.

“Run! Josh’s probably waiting.” Said Alissa, shooing them away.

“What is happening?” I asked.

“They’re going on a mission.”

“No way!” cried Ethan, suddenly very interested.

“What is it?” I asked eagerly.

“If only I knew,” grinned Jackson.

“Go on! Josh isn’t exactly patient.” Said Fatima, shooing Jackson and Adelaide away.

“I wonder when our first mission is going to be,” I said, slipping on my black sneakers.

“Soon, I hope.” Said Ethan, drying his wet hair with a towel.

“Probably not. You’ll get your first mission way later. It’s only been a week, and you literally suck at everything. I’m surprised you’re still here. If I owned this place, I would’ve kicked you out the first chance I got.” chided Nicholas.

“Nick, what is wrong with you?” burst out Alissa.

“Yeah, you’re never like this.” Said Zed, folding his arms across his chest.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” scowled Nicholas, marching out the door.

“He’s right, though.” Muttered Ethan, flinging the towel on his bed.

“He’s not,” I said soothingly.

“I can’t do anything right. I have no idea about what happens in half our classes, I’m so behind on homework and I almost pass out every time after training,” he said bitterly, shoving his feet in spotless white shoes.

“It’s not like I’m excelling,” I said, sighing.

“You’re doing better than me,” he said, sitting on his bed.

“Why does Nicholas hate Ethan so much?” asked Kyler, wide awake, unlike five minutes ago.

“I don’t know. He’s nice to me,” I said, frowning.

“Oh, I get it,” said Lily, nodding her head.

“You do?” I asked, turning to face her.

“No, she doesn’t,” said Alissa, glaring at her.

“Well, it’s obvious.” She said.

“I don’t get it.” Said Nu Chan, shaking his head.

“You don’t need to,” said Zed shortly.

“HE LIKES HER!” burst out Natasha. Alissa and Zed groan while Lily nodded her head vigorously. Ethan burst out laughing despite the pity party he threw seconds ago.

“What!?” I cried.

“You heard me,” said Natasha, combing her hair.

“No way. He doesn’t.” I said, refusing to believe it.

“Whoa. It makes sense. He hates Ethan because he’s jealous of him.” Said Kyler, sitting next to Ethan.

“He’s got nothing to be jealous about, believe me,” snorted Ethan, bending down to tie his laces.

“What does that mean?” asked Fatima.

“Have you seen him? He’s perfect.” Said Ethan, getting up.

“I don’t mean it that way. He thinks Charlotte likes you.” Explained Kyler.

Ethan raised an eyebrow and I laughed.

“Nice to see that everyone gets to decide my love life except me,” I said, smiling.

“So you don’t like him?” asked Fatima.

“No! I mean, I barely talked to him at school.” I said.

“Yeah. We’ve been friends for a week. Calm down you all.” Said Ethan, grinning.

“Exactly,”

“Though I wouldn’t blame you if you like me. I really am irresistible.” Said Ethan, winking at me.

I took off my shoe and threw it at him.

XXXXXXX

“Hey, Zed?” I called. He grunted to show that he was listening.

“When are Ads and Jack coming back?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,’ he replied.

“It’s been three days.”

“Yup.”

“Do missions take that long?”

“More or less. Sometimes it takes a day, sometimes a month.”

“Whoa.”

We were in the library, doing some of our homework. Zed offered to help me because he didn’t have anything better to do. Ethan stayed back at the dorm because snacks weren’t allowed in the library. Apparently, he can’t concentrate without chocolates and coffee. Can’t relate.

I sighed and massaged my temples.

“Tired?” asked Zed, looking up from my work. He was checking it for me.

“A little,” I admitted.

“A short break will do you good.” He said.

“I just want to sleep, honestly,” I said, resting my head on the table.

“CHARLIE!” cried a voice. I shot up, giving my neck a crick.

“Young man, this is a library.”

Ethan was apologizing profusely to the librarian when he caught sight of me.

“Lights – red – blinking – mission.” He panted out, beaming. I got up, toppling over my chair, hardly believing it.

I gave Zed a pleading look.

“I got this. Go on. All of this will be on your bed in ten minutes.” He said, grinning.

“You’re the best,” I grinned. Ethan and I raced out of the library, laughing like a couple of school kids.

“NO RUNNING!” screamed the librarian.

We slowed down, still grinning. We headed for Josh’s office, ready for the next adventure.

“What do you think it’s going to be?”, I asked.

“Something with drugs, I hope,” he said.

“Or transferring some secret information.”

“Or a rescue mission.”

We continued discussing possibilities until we reached Josh’s office. We didn’t even mind that monstrous elevator. We were too excited. Our very first mission.

“Excited?” asked Josh, looking at our beaming faces.

“You have no idea.” I grinned.

“Hit us with it. Let’s see what our first-ever mission is going to be.” Said Ethan, rubbing his palms together.

Josh handed us two folders. I opened it eagerly. Two pieces of paper with the picture of two kids inside stared at me.

“Do we track them down? Are they bad? Mentally challenged?” asked Ethan.

“You are to escort them from their boarding school to their parents.”

Ethan and I stared at him for some time, not believing it. My mouth hung open and all hope and happiness erased itself from Ethan’s face. Josh continued smiling like it was his birthday.

“Let me get this straight.” Said Ethan, closing the file slowly and looking at Josh. “You want us to babysit. You want us to babysit two kids.”

“I don’t think you understand. I want you to escort Adolphus and Alice Murray from their boarding school in Kristinehamn to their parents in Gällivare.” Explained Josh.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I said.

“I am not. Mr. Murray is an important part of the government. He wants his children to be safely escorted. Since Alice and Bobby don’t take too kindly to big bodyguards, two trained teenagers should do the trick.”

“Alice is thirteen. Bobby is ten. They’re traveling with two servants.” Read Ethan.

“I don’t see why they need someone to escort them,” I said, exasperated.

“You will not argue. You will leave in half an hour. A helicopter will drop you at Kristinehamn. You will be traveling on the Inlandsbanan. The rest of the information is in your files. If you do not want this mission, we can brainwash you and send you back to your normal lives in the blink of an eye. Dismissed.”

“Well that escalated quickly,” muttered Ethan as we walked towards the elevator.

“Cheer up. At least we get to travel in a luxurious train.”, reading a pamphlet given in the file.

“I guess. Get this, my name is Lucas Nilsson.” Laughed Ethan.

“And I’m Maja Nilsson. Sweet, I always wanted a sibling.” I smiled.

“Well, sister dear, shall we go pack?” said Ethan, stepping into the elevator.

Half an hour later we were at the top of the building. A helicopter was waiting for us, it’s wings spinning nineteen to the dozen. Even though it was a boring babysitting mission, I couldn’t help smiling as we climbed into the helicopter.

We put on headsets so we could talk. The helicopter made a lot of noise. A lot.

“It says here you’re blonde,” laughed Ethan.

“I am not dying this beauty,” I said, stroking my hair, horrified at the thought of doing anything to it.

“Ever heard of wigs?” smirked Ethan.

“Oh,” I said, feeling dumb.

“I’m wearing a blonde wig, too. And we need to get blue contact lenses.”

“My eyes are blue,”

“Not exactly.”

“Fine,” I grumbled. I had never worn contacts before.

“You better get used to wearing disguises.” Grinned Ethan, noticing my sullen face.

“I guess. So, how we going to get on the train?” I grumbled, changing the subject.

“Like normal people.” Said Ethan, waving two tickets.

“Thanks, Sherlock,” I smirked.

“Don’t mention it.”