The Good-For-Nothing Society | Completed

Chapter Ten

It really shouldn't be hard to get it back, I think. Even if I can hear everyone talking in my ear as if they're right next to me. Even if Stan is going to be giving commands through the comms and fire questions at us. Even if this is my first ever mission and I've only been at the school for a month.

I have Elijah as a partner, Grace on my team. I have every faith we'll be able to take the card off Group One, and quickly. I just wish it wasn't midday on a Friday, the little town we're in isn't very busy, not a lot of people milling around to blend with - that's what they do in all the films I've watched anyway, dash into a crowd of people to lose the ones trailing them.

"DISPERSE !" Stan shouts, so we do.

Elijah and I make it straight for a busker strumming a guitar and singing a horrible rendition of Ed Sheeran's A-Team.

Elijah bumps his shoulder with mine and nods to the performer, "Not very good, is he?"

"No," I laugh, "He's terrible."

"Wonder if he makes much money?"

I look around, there's only us two and a group of five teenage boys who are watching. I seriously doubt the busker is raking in cash from a bunch of teenagers. I tell Elijah as such.

"Yeah," Elijah agrees, we both watch the guy strum away, "He looks like he's having fun though."

In my earpiece, Stan Jones says, "Okay, Lily, now time for you to do a dead drop. Right next to B&M. Be aware of those around you, whose looking at you. Make it quick."

I watch as Lily walks up to B&M and casually throws a newspaper, chocolate wrapper and the classified object into a bin and then walks away.

"Nice work," Stan says. "Tessa, you're up. Go collect it."

Tessa walks up to the bin and pretends to fall, not dramatically, it's really natural, like she fell over the curb. One arm dangles in the bin and she quickly retracts the classified object before shouting "oh my god, disgusting!" and stalks off.

"Very nice," Stan says, "There four boys near the busker staring at Amelia, one of them has a backpack on, what colour is it?"

Oh my god, he did not just do that! I look over at the group of boys and sure enough they're looking over at me. The one with the backpack is giving me a wide smile. I could die. I want the ground to swallow me whole. Stan just announced that to my entire year!

"Yellow," Elijah mutters, but he suddenly looks downcast.

"Good." Stan says. "Amelia, how many people have walked past the busker in the last fifteen minutes?"

Without even having to think about it, I say, "Twenty-six."

"Nice," Both Stan and Elijah say at the same time.

I try to keep my grin off my face, but I'm glad they find me a little impressive, it hasn't been easy feeling like I'm miles behind everyone else.

We stand there, nodding our head to the busker, keeping our eyes on the classified object as it makes it way around. We're waiting for the opportunity to strike, and I know Elijah will give me a little tell to let me know we're on. Not that he and I have discussed it. I just know.

Out the corner of my eye, I see the boy with the yellow backpack walking over to us, his eyes are intent on me. His friends are pushing him forward and egging him on, they're all laughing, looking from their friend to me and then Elijah.

"Hey," The boy says when he reaches us, he doesn't even acknowledge Elijah, which is pretty rude considering I'm obviously with him. "How are you?"

"Er," I am completely flustered. To be hit on is one thing, to have it happen next to the boy you like, with your entire year listening in; is something else entirely. Don't get me wrong, the boy is cute, normal looking. But he's definitely not Elijah.