The Young Spy (Book One)

Chapter 4: Being Briefed

Outside the diner walking on the pavement, Swift suddenly remembers how far he parked his car. He sighs in annoyance while peering at the dozens of vehicles parked on the side of the road just outside the diner. He peeked at his wristwatch, discovering that it was 9 o'clock sharp in the AM.

"What a night." Swift covered his mouth while yawning. He suddenly knew that he was exhausted after all the sleep-consuming time he tracked Lang along with Tom, his companion in hunting him down.

Swift's dark-colored sedan then begins to come into his sight after what felt like so long of walking on the sidewalk. Walking out of the pavement and into the main road, he reached his car after walking past a pedestrian as he felt like his legs were about to collapse. He entered the driver's seat before taking another exhausted breath.

"Man, I'm beat. Time to go home and get some sleep." He rested his arms on the steering wheel.

"Oh, I'm afraid you don't have time for that."

A voice speaks to him out of nowhere. Swift's tired eyes shot wide open, his hand automatically picking up the pistol sitting on the seat beside him before aiming it behind his seat. Swift couldn't believe his own eyes when he realized the figure of Allison McKinley, is sitting in the backseat, still calm and collected even though she has a gun pointed at her face, inches from touching one another.

Swift sighs in relief, lowering his head and his gun.

"Guess I should've called," Allison smirked.

"You gotta teach me how to do that."

"What? Breaking into people's cars?" Swift nodded at her question. "I did, remember? It was literally one of our early days training you."

"Right. In that case, teach me again."

"There will be plenty of time for that after what I'm here for."

When it comes to Allison, whom he knows is the director of the CIA, Swift always expects the biggest assignments from her. Since Allison took Swift under her care discreetly, she's been giving him the education and training he needs to become his best self. He knew he couldn't say no. Years of being under her supervision, he always does what she told him to do. Besides, Swift finds his missions for Allison fun.

"What could that be? Let me guess, top secret stuff?" Said Swift.

"You know it." Allison's answer made Swift shrug along with a smirk on his face.

"Of course. What is it this time?" He says in celebration. His question gave Allison the cue to bring out a dossier within a dark beige folder, handing it to Swift.

"Possible arms trade. Main suspect with the name Dorian Smith. He's a ghost. No tracks, no fingerprints, no profile. Nothing other than being known as the trusted advisor of Edmund Hendrix."

Swift opens the folder, revealing a complex record that is a biodata of Edmund Hendrix himself. He glances at the colored mugshot of Edmund, wincing at the appearance of a white-haired old man and his ivory half-wrinkled skin. Personally, Swift knows not a thing about Edmund.

"Edmund Hendrix? Who's he?" Swift asks as he read Edmund's bio below.

"A very powerful arms dealer from L.A. He's been under the CIA's radar for the past thirty years. He was found not guilty back in 1994, but chatter about him started to surface for the past months."

"How'd he avoid the authorities for the past thirty years?"

"He's wealthy. Apparently, Edmund owns a few properties scattered throughout L.A. to launder his arms dealing money."