Spy School: Danger is my Middle Name

Raid!

---POV Switch to Erica Hale---

After a brief inspecting of the hotel border, I've deduced a few things. For one, the Croatoan know exactly where we're hiding. Seeing the amount of data Jayden's burning per day, tracking down us is like trying to track down the T-Mobile headquarters.

Second of all, there's an enemy agent named Robert that's been camping out in the basement of the hotel. According to my surveillance scans, he's under there with a laptop, a few lights, and tons of empty pizza boxes. His job is the keep track of our everyday activities, so the Croatoan can plan a perfectly timed attack.

I've done a quick report of Robert- he's pretty much your everyday teenager, handsome, and spending his time doing the least productive things possible. Right now, he's playing some music from his earphones,  along with a giant screen displaying a 24/7 surveillance cameras of us. At the current moment, Ben and the rest of the agents were in the breakfast area, chewing on eggs and bacon.

I took a furtive glance towards the agent, who was hunched over his laptop keyboard, clearly engrossed in the game he was playing. I didn't recognize it, but I realized that it was a clear weakness.

Why is it a weakness? Well, the last thing he expected was for us to gain information from him through a video game. So I quickly developed a plan inside my mind. If I could manage to gather information about the game he was playing, I could make some kind of connection.

First, I would have dress up and form a new persona. In order to interact with him, I have to act like a regular hotel employee, taking a check on the basement. Then I would start talking about the video game with him, then gradually move over to the topic of his job. Seeing my looks, he might spill some needed info.

I took a look at his computer screen, then whipped out my phone and took a few pics. If anyone back in the spying group knew about this video game, they could get me some backstory about so I knew how to discuss it with him.

Who would know about games like this? I thought as I swung back to the lobby of the hotel. Probably not Ben, neither Mike. And Jayden doesn't strike me as a PC gamer either. 

Suddenly, I realized something obvious. We had someone on our team who had the perfect personality about things like this. How did I not think of him earlier? 

It looks like Ivar was finally going to contribute to the mission.

---Three minutes later---

"So what did you want?" Ivar said, looking up from his book. "I'm kind of busy at the moment."

I jumped down from the ceiling. "Look here, Ivar. This is a long story and situation, so you're going to have to listen clearly. And in that case, put down the book."

"What?" Ivar whined. "But I love Percy Jackson! Can I have five more minutes?"

"I thought, two days ago, you were hoping for a moment like this where you could prove yourself," I snatched the book away from his hands and tossed it onto his desk. 

"You lost my page!" Ivar complained.

"That's irrelevant. Now, if you want Percy back, listen up," I clapped my hands together and cleared my throat. "First of all, there's an enemy agent hiding in the basement of the hotel."

"Robert?" Ivar said. "Yeah, I know about him. Always playing League of Legends. I don't even get what's so good about the game."

I couldn't stop my shock, quickly hiding it with a grimace. "How do you know about this person?" I asked. "Have you been going through my room without permission?"

"No, I haven't, I don't have a death wish," Ivar said nonchalantly. "And who do you think I am? Someone here just for kicks? Of course I know who he is. It takes a spy's personality to be a spy, Erica. Me and Chloe spent the past few nights scanning the hotel border."

I sighed. "That explains the lingering smell of roses and the orange peels I found in the parking lot. Anyway, can you tell me about this-" I stuttered for a second, trying to remember the name. "League of Legends?"

Ivar took a look at me. "Are you sane?"

"Of course I am!" I said. "Now spill."

"If you're sane, why are you asking me about a video game?" he whipped out his phone and tapped record. "Please repeat the question you asked me a few moments earlier."

I lolled my head back in exasperation. "Ivar, don't make me overthink this and take action."

"I said," Ivar repeated. "Please repeat the question you just asked me a few moments earlier."

"Kill me now," I muttered. "Can you tell me about League of Legends?"

Ivar's expression spread into a wide grin. "Theeeere we go." he tapped his phone once more and slid it back into his pocket, facing me with a businesslike expression. "So, League of Legends is a game where...."

A few minutes later, I was all caught up with the drift. Just when I was about to exit and hand Ivar back the book, my phone shook within my pocket.

Now, I'm not the one to answer calls. But the timing of this one just seemed important- and maybe if I missed it something devastating would happen. So I took it out, not looking at the caller, and pressed answer. Ivar groaned when he realized he would have to wait for the book to be handed back until after the call ended.

"Who is it?" I toned coldly. "And why are you calling me right now?"

"Hey, Erica!" Jayden said jollily. "What are you doing right now?"

"I'm with Ivar," I said quickly. 

"Ha- good one!" Jayden roared. "Anyway-"

"I'm not kidding," I replied.