Agent BlueBird

Chapter 2:Secret Agency

"What? You have a secret agency? What do you mean 'secret agency'? How do I not know about this?" Rebecca called out in absolute disbelief.

"Well, we wanted you to have a normal childhood, so we agreed to take over my parents' agency. It was convenient because we could make our own work times and leave whenever we needed to," her mother explains with a guilty conscious as they walk to the car.

Her parents explained further about the abilities and their agency during the car ride to their office. They arrive at The Grill, a restaurant now owned by friends of theirs. The building used to be the house they lived in when she was growing up. Her parents explained that they built the agency in their house and when they had to move, they sold it to friends of their so that it would allow them to come back and still use it as their secret agency base.

They enter The Grill and two friendly faces, belonging to a lightheaded couple, come to greet them. The woman looks very friendly as she approaches them, and one can clearly tell that she is pregnant as her perky belly stretches the fabric of her dress. The man looks more like the quiet type but he also looks kind hearted.

Rebecca recognises these people and calls out to them, "Uncle John and Aunt Sally? You know about my family secret?"

John and Sally exchange sly smiles. "I assume you finally told her," Sally says in a giggly way.

"She started asking questions and developing her ability, we couldn't keep it from her any longer," Rebecca's mother answers. Inwardly thankful that they do not have to keep the secret from their daughter anymore.

"Good! I don't like keeping secrets from friends, basically family." Sally says as she looks at Rebecca, who has always been like her own niece.

"We brought her to come see the agency. Would you mind leading the way?" Rebecca's father asks John in an encouraging tone.

"This way," John says gesturing with his hand to follow him. They followed him to the kitchen of The Grill, a place Rebecca used to play in all the time. John leads them into the pantry and taps on a ring that he always wears on his finger. A small object stands out from the rest of the surface, it makes strange squiggle-like formations. He pushes it against a darker spot of the wall and the wall seems to move forward. They all follow John into a passage that seems to go on forever. It is not your typical, scary passage. It is nicely lit, has pretty wallpaper and laminated flooring. "No doubt the work of Aunt Sally", Rebecca thinks to herself. Sally has a natural talent for furnishing spaces. They arrive in a big room at the end of the hall that forks into two other rooms.

"Welcome to where the magic happens," Rebecca's father says as he comes to a halt next to her and looks at the rooms. "I've always wanted to say that," he says excitedly. Sally and John come closer to Rebecca. Sally places her hand on the small of Rebecca's back, diverting her attention from the world she never knew about to Sally, someone she knew all too well, or at least she thought she did.

''We'll go now, we still have a business to run,'' Sally says as she gives her husband a pointed look. One can tell that Sally is the responsible one and wears the pants in her and John's relationship. They both leave and Rebecca is left in the room with her parents.

''All this time I thought you guys were Financial Advisers,'' She says, feeling a bit betrayed from being held in the dark all this time.

"We are, sort of... We are our own and John's. They struggle with sorting bills and dealing with taxes, so we do it for them,'' her father answers.

''I can't believe it. I came here all the time, I grew up here. and yet I never knew any of this. How is that possible?'' She looks around the room with astonished eyes. The feeling of guilt starts to weigh down on him and his wife.

''We didn't want you to know until we felt you can handle it and possibly join the agency,'' her mother explains. Rebecca stands frozen, trying to process the news she just received. Her mother and father stand staring at one another. Her mother moves to Rebecca's side and puts her hand on Rebecca's shoulder.

Her mother breaks the silence, ''Now that you are 18 years old, will you join our agency?'' Her parents wait in anticipation for an answer. For them it would be the best moment in their life if she says yes and they get to work with their daughter.

''I don't know. What do you do? Who do you work for?''

"We work for ourselves to a degree. It is like hiring a personal investigator. They contact us, tell us the job, we accept or decline and when the job is done, we get paid. As simple as that,'' her father explains to her.

''Do you do any personal jobs or quests or whatever you call it?''

"We don't often get our own jobs, although your mother has told me time and again of something she wants to pursue. She has never actually told me what it is though. Apparently, it is a secret only known to her family,'' he gives his wife a pointed look. She gives him a guilty, tight-lipped look in return.

She tries to change the subject. ''Now now honey, why don't we discuss something more important like her code name,'' her mother raises a brow in a sly way. She knows very well that he despises the fact that there is a secret he doesn't know. But unfortunately, it is impossible for her to share a secret, not only belonging to her, with him.

''My code name?'' Rebecca asks confused, drawing her mother's attention back to the current situation.

''Yes, what is an agent without one?'' Her mother replies in a chirpy tone. Her mother walks in front of her and bends forward to look her in the eyes. Her dark brown hair falling in front of her face as she does so.

"Something that suits you. Something personal,'' her father recommends.

''Hmm, personal... Bluebird, Agent Bluebird,'' Rebecca decides proudly.

Hope you liked the chapter! Above for the chapter cover you can see an image that gives you an idea of what I imagine Rebecca would look like. Please comment and vote if you like the chapter! 

-Riftwielder