I spy

Chapter 6: The Big Secret

       "Let her go Chin Lau." My dad said calmly as he walked in the room.

       How did they find me?

       "The way you let my husband go?" Chin Lau asked.

       "I did what I had to do."

       "As will I." Chin Lau walked over to me.

       I tried to move away, but I didn't get far. While Chin Lau was talking to my dad, my mama was getting closer to her. As Chin Lau tried to grab me, my mama jumped on her back knocking her to the ground.

       "Run!" She yelled.

       I did. My feet felt tired and I had fallen before I had even gotten to the door. My dad picked me up and carried my to the front door. Two guards stood there. My dad put me down and told me to get out of the building. I crawled toward the door while my dad fought off the guards.

       I got outside. The first thing I noticed was the rain. It seemed fitting to be raining at a time like this. It matched my mood, dreary. Usually I didn't like the rain, but now I wanted it to rain. I stepped farther into the rain. It felt good against my skin, distracting me away from everything the was happening. I did not even notice the car pulling up.

       A boy got out of the car. I prepared to run, but then I noticed who it was. It was Danny.

       "Riles" was all that he said before picking me up and putting me in the car.

       "Relly. Relly what's happening?" I heard someone say. It was Jayla and she was crying. I forgot about how weak I was and the events that just took place and pulled Jayla into my arms.

      "Sh. It's okay." I assured her.

       She cried into my arms until she fell asleep.

       We drove for about two hour before stopping at a hotel. I carried Jayla into the hotel lobby. Danny walked up to the front desk.

       "Room 215." He said, after calling for the hotel manager.

       The manager looked at Danny for a while before giving him the keys. I thought it was odd, but I didn't ask about it. We took the stairs to the room and once we were in Danny started talking.

       "Are you okay? What happened to your face?"

       "I'm fine. I am." I said, putting Jayla down on the bed. Removing the comforter, of course.

        "No you're not." Danny said, sitting beside me. "I should have went with you."

       "You didn't know."

      "I knew enough. I should not have let you go with him. I knew something like this would happen. Why didn't I just say for you to stay? I could have called you parents if you didn't listen. I should have made plans with you so you couldn't go-"

       "Danny, what are you talking about? What do you mean you knew?"

      "I was supposed to look after you. I thought it would be okay for you to go to the party. I hadn't  messed up yet. I thought I . . . you . . . we could handle it. But, I was wrong and you got hurt.

       "What do you mean, you were supposed to look after me?"

      "That is what your parents told me to do."

       This didn't make any sense. I had known Danny Dilinski since we were five. How long had he been doing this?

       "How long?" I asked.

       He didn't respond.

       "How long?" I repeated. I wanted to cry.

         "Two years."

        I couldn't believe this. Two years Danny kept this from me. Why? Why did he know and I didn't. Who else knew about this? Before I could ask there was a clicking sound that came from the door. The door opened and my parents walked in.

* * *

       "Maria." My parents said walking toward me.

      "What's going on?" I said. This time I did cry.

       "It's okay. We are all fine." My dad said.

       "Why did that lady kidnap me? Why was she asking about you guys?"

      "Tia, it is time we told her."

       "Told me what?"

       "Riley," My mom used my real name, something what happening. "I don't know how to say this. Well, your dad and I are spies."

       ". . ."

       "We were before you were born. During that time, Chin Lau's husband tried to attack someone. That person's identity is classified. Greg tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen, he had to do what seemed best at the time. When we found out I was pregnant with you, we had to quit. So we retired. But that didn't stop Chin Lau. She told us to watch out. We thought she would try to complete her husband's plan, but she was after something closer to home, you. We tried to look after you, but we couldn't hide the secret and work and watch after you at the same time. Plus you were becoming a teenager and we knew things could get out of hand, so when you started ninth grade we asked Danny to look after you while you weren't with us. That does not seem like such a good choice now."

       "I don't know what to say. Why didn't you tell me? Why did Danny know and I didn't?" I had so many questions, but I started to cry so hard that I couldn't say more.

        "Well, when a child turns seventeen spy parents are supposed to tell them about the spy business. Danny turn seventeen before you anyway and his parents had been in the business a while, so he just found out a couple of years earlier. We wanted to tell you of your birthday, but it was not safe."

       "Who else knows about this?"

       "There are a lot of people in the spy association. Some of our family, some of Danny's, the hotel manager. Many people, sweetheart."

       "You didn't tell me, but all of these other people knew. They aren't even related to us." I wiped my eyes and sighed. "I just want to go home."

       "We can't go home right now." My mom said.

        "I'm sorry. This would not have happened if I would have kept an eye on her." Danny said.

       I wanted to be upset, but I ignored my mom's rules. I wanted to justify what happened, but I couldn't. If my mama knew what was happening then why did she let me go to the party? I felt so tired and sad. Things changed so fast.

       "Can we talk about this later?" I asked.

       "Sure honey, get some rest."