PROJECT SPARTA

CHAPTER 29

"Your shoes aren't even tied... how in the hell do you expect to make your escape with untied boots!?!" Jooles seemed genuinely disappointed. "I think your cornrows have been rolled too tight," she observed as she handed back the wallets to their rightful owners. A nearby pedestrian phoned the police, while the attacker lay incapacitated on the floor. The metro then squealed to a stop. Jooles gathered her newspaper and readied herself for exit the train, as if nothing had happened. The passengers applauded her, which caused her to offer a slight curtsey. She stepped over the thug and walked off the Metro car.

Jooles walked out of the Metro station and opened up her newspaper on the street corner, the passengers passed amazed at what they had seen. As every day, she turned to page four of the Washington Post but today she had to do a double take on what she saw. Her eyes focused in on an advertisement in the top right corner. It said 'Chip's Auto Sales $1,500 down, 0% APR till Saturday'. Jooles was already gone as the paper fell to the street.

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When Jooles arrived to Safe House #17 in Alexandria, Seamus and Tobias had joined Xander and Mac already.

"Come on in, Jooles." She couldn't believe the sight before her, five Spartans were back together. A pizza was open on the coffee table.

"I never thought the signal would come."

"Well, we have a problem. I'll be briefing you as soon as our last team member joins us." As Xander said this, the last person they were expecting walked in. Her shimmering blonde hair had turned to a more flaxen tone that bounced with each step. Her figure had grown into the perfect balance of lean tone and voluptuous curves, while her smile remained as bright as it was in the Compound five years prior.

"Ashton! Good to see you." Xander met her at the doorway and offered a greeting kiss on both cheeks.

"I got here as soon as I could," she explained.

"It's okay, thank you for coming. We're just getting started."

"Where are Bronson and Duke?" Ashton asked.

"Bronson has been deep undercover for three years – Axle won't let us touch him. And we will get to Duke..." Ashton's eyebrows arched at this as she took her seat.

There they were: Xander, Tobias, Ashton, Seamus, Mac and Jooles gathered for the first time since training five years prior.

Everyone had the same question: Why are we all here? Xander paced in front of the seated Spartans.

"I called you all here today because Mac and I have discovered something that requires our attention." He directed their attention to the dry wall, covered in notes. "You most likely have heard about the bombings in the DC area."

"Like the one yesterday in DuPont Circle?" Jooles asked.

"Actually, no... that one was us..." Mac chimed in.

"I must take credit for the design... I did the riggin' of Mac's apartment myself. I saw a cell phone video of it... a work of art if I so myself!" Seamus noted, kissing his fingertips like a chef who had just served his guests.

"The Bus and the Metro train?" Jooles asked to which Xander nodded.

"So both attacks have been claimed on the terrorist networks by a cell that has been sprouting up. They call themselves the Skeptics. They are led by someone who is referred to as: Agent Zero. After gaining a following against America, Agent Zero left Afghanistan and came stateside. We have been investigating this man." He pointed to the picture pinned to the wall of the older Muslim man. "This is Hamal Abadi, who now appears to be working for Agent Zero. Thanks to Mac, we were able to obtain Intel on him from the NSA."