Agent X

xx| 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 |xx

Then again, many students stay up late studying for exams. If they could survive on two hours of sleep, then surely I could function. I shouldn't even be complaining? I got like twelve hours of sleep. Why doesn't it feel like enough?

I entered Team Summit's official meeting room to find Director Rokmond, Jax, Dawn, and Jef seated at the table. Centered perfectly in front of the Director was a single manila folder and a remote control.

"Good morning, Xara," the Director said.

"Good morning."

"Please take a seat."

I slid into Xara's official seat next to the Director. Dawn smiled at me from across the table.

"Hey, X. How was your trip?" she asked lightly.

"Pretty good," I replied simply.

"Beat anyone up?" she asked, cracking her knuckles for emphasis.

"No."

Dari frowned. "Aw. That's a shame."

I wanted to tell her about all our adventures—having a plane shot down, chasing a robber by foot, being shot at, car chases. But I had to act like the real Xara. She and Jef didn't know my secret, at least as far as I knew.

Actually, you need to start acting like the real Xara regardless. She can ask Ty for details. I'm sure he'll give a more entertaining retelling of our mission.

As we waited for the last few members to arrive, I wondered why Dawn and Jef were here. They were some of the most skilled Agents in the IIA. They both were experts in hand-to-hand combat, whether it be martial arts, boxing, or fencing, and had advanced training in weaponry. Dawn was also pretty good with tech, though not as good as Dari. But they were the heads of the IIA training academy, which meant that only one of them was allowed to go on a mission at a time.

The door opened behind me and Ty, Finn, and Dari filed into the room. Ty plopped into the seat next to me, Dari next to him, and Finn on the other side of the table.

"Good," the Director said. "You're all here at exactly six o'clock a.m."

"Yessir," Ty said.

"Let's begin," the Director stated. He opened the file folder and aimed the remote at the projector on the opposite end of the room. The machine hummed. A funnel of light shone the words 'Mission Break-Out' on the opposite wall.

"I have called you all here today to debrief you on your next mission." Rokmond made eye contact with each of us in turn. "Team Summit, I know you have just returned from another mission, but we haven't a moment to lose. Every passing moment escalates the danger that the subject of our mission is in."

Though the Director spoke in a strong and controlled voice, I could hear an underlying urgency. Realization hit me. I knew exactly what this meeting was about. We were going to save Xara.

"But before I can continue," the Director said, "There's something that Dawn and Jef need to know. This is a CUD matter."

"Classified Under Death," Dawn said.

I was getting a major case of déjà vu. Once again, I was in this room, sitting in the same seat, listening to a briefing while the Director revealed that I was a clone.

"Correct. You share this with no one, this information will go with you to the grave. Understood?" Dawn and Jef nodded their heads. "Good. Now I want you all to look at Xara." Everyone looked at me—even my fellow team members. I was glad that I didn't want to recoil from the shift of attention. That was a definite improvement.