Little Do They Know

Chapter 34 - Hiding

"How are you both feeling?" Harry asked, as Jackie and I sat on the couch.

"Fine," I replied, looking down. I was picking at my cuticles, nearly making them bleed. Jackie saw me doing it, and grabbed my hand before I could continue any further. Whenever my brain is filled with uncertainty, I pick my nails. It is a habit that is quite hard to undo.

"There's a lot of explaining that needs to be done," Jackie said.

"Yes, I know," Harry replied, making his way over and sitting down on the other couch.

"So," Jackie said, "let's hear it."

"When you knelt, Bradie," Harry said, turning his attention to me, "that sparked a domino effect. They were able to piece it together. They knew Willow was mixed, as they knew Grace Meyer was black and Noah Meyer was white. So, they were always looking for a girl with mixed heritage and when you knelt, and your name got printed everywhere, they looked into you. We tried our best to hide your past. Your records were sealed and nothing from before you were eight was on your record. But, we couldn't hide everything. It's obvious to most that your parents are out of the picture, because of that instagram post you dedicated to your aunt, and that you lived with her. And just like that, it was another piece that slotted perfectly, to them, into the puzzle. Then it obviously comes down to football. Willow Meyer was always the best young footballer around, and they kept their eyes out for someone who resembled her. You were the perfect fit. You are the perfect fit."

"So, it's all hypothetical?" I asked, "they still aren't certain?"

"No, they're certain."

"But how?" Jackie questioned.

"Your birthday. September-"

"12th," I answered.

"1996," Jackie added.

"Yes, September 12th, 1996," Harry repeated.

"What does it all mean though?" I asked.

"Currently, the CIA are working overtime to try and put to rest the story that is begging to come out."

"It won't happen," I said, my head resting in the palms of my hand.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"It'll come out," I answered, "it's undeniable."

"Bradie..." Jackie said.

"No, we can't be living in this fear. We have lives, we have jobs. I can't just sit here, for god only knows how long, waiting to lie about my past again. I've been living with this lie my entire life. For my entire known existence."

"Bradie, what do you want to do then?" Harry asked. When he asked me this question, I didn't know the answer.

"I don't know," I replied, honestly.

"We are also trying to stop the group," Harry said, "we're trying to find their base, which we think is in Amsterdam and go from there."

"Amsterdam?" I questioned.

"Yeah," Harry replied, "we just aren't sure where."

"So, if you found the place..." Jackie started to say.

"Then we would be able to shut the mission down."

"Ok," I started to say, "so, once you find it we can go back to normal?" Harry looked at me with an unhopeful look in his eyes.

"We've been trying to find the place for 16 years."

"16 years!" I exclaimed.

"That was what your parents were on the mission for. They wanted to shut down the operation and that came with finding the place."

"Why did they go to Lyon then?" Jackie asked.

"False lead," Harry said.

"So it was a set up?" I questioned.

"Yes. That's what we have come to assume, in recent years." We sat there in silence for a little while until I had my next big question.

"What does this mean for our jobs? We are professional footballers. We can't just get up and go whenever we please."

"Yes, we know that."

"And what are people going to say when both Jackie Groenen and Bradie Van Dyk mysteriously disappear off the face of the earth?" I asked.

"That's something we are going to have to manage," Harry said.

"But how?" Jackie questioned.

"Leave it up to us," Harry said.

"Why does that not instil me with that much confidence?" I said under my breath.

Then, I heard my phone buzz with a new article alert.

Bradie Van Dyk set to miss rest of She Believes with unknown absence

"That was quick," I said, showing Harry and Jackie my phone.

"Yours should be coming soon," Harry said to Jackie. Then, her phone buzzed too.

Jackie Groenen belde weg van NEDWNT met geoorloofde afwezigheid

Jackie Groenen called away from NEDWNT with excused absence

"I don't even think I want to read them," I said, turning Jackie's phone away from when she showed me.

"I will most definitely be reading them," Jackie then said, laughing.

When I looked at my phone, I had nearly 30 notifications, all from the girls asking where I was and if I was okay.

Tierna: Let me know where you end up, hoping you're okay Brads

Kristie: Where'd you disappear to munchkin? Let me know, we're worried.

Mal: yo! Bvd, where r u? We still have this cup to win.

Rose: everything okay, bvd? We're missing youuuuu.

Sam: Where'd you go off to?

Sam: is everything okay?

Sam: Bradie, I'm worried. Please answer me.

Looking at Sam's multiple messages made me want to text her a reply. As I started typing, Harry spoke.

"I'm going to need your phones, so they can't track you."

"What?" Both Jackie and I exclaimed.

"Your phone gives your location, and we can't have that happening." I sighed, wanting to finish my message to Sam.

"Bradie, phone!" Harry said, holding his hand out. I gave it to him, reluctantly.

"What has been told to my team? My friends? My best friend?" I asked.

"That you have been called away for a family emergency and won't be back for a while." I sighed, trying to hold back my tears.

Harry held out his hand to Jackie, wanting her to give him her phone.

"Why do I need to give mine though?" Jackie asked, "they shouldn't even know who I am."

"Oh, but they do."

"They know who I am?" Jackie exclaimed.

"Jackie, you're more involved in this than you first thought."

"What?" I asked, scared of what that meant.

"I don't know what you mean," Jackie said.

"But, you do," Harry answered, "don't you..."