Spy School: We Meet Again

Chapter 17: The explosion

Ben's POV

Since Erica has been captured, me and Catherine have been arguing with the other agents. None of us really knew what to do, but I can't just sit here and do nothing. I would love to just run in there like I did last time, but It's quite impossible, without Erica being killed.

"Why does she have to be so hot-headed!? I don't know where she got that from, but one thing I know, it's not from my side of the family." Catherine was losing her patience and it was strange to see.

"We can't go after her. It will put all of our lives at risk. It is better to lose just one agent, not five and a hero wannabe." The agent, that was still holding Catherine by her shoulder, spoke.

"You have been an agent for 10 years now and you know what, that hero wannabe, has had more success in missions then you, while he was still in school." To my surprise, Catherine talked back to the agent, trying to tell him off, about his assumptions about me. "So don't start acting like you are the best out of all of us here."

All of them kept arguing when suddenly we heard Joshua talking to us again, through the earpiece. "The thing is, I'm absolutely tired of Erica ruining everything. I will say that she should actually be quite honored because our whole plan has been to get rid of her. Now I will finally do something about it. The whole house that we are in now, is about to blow up in a few minutes. All of us have enough time to get away, but we will leave Erica were she is now. I would not advise you to come and get her, because you will also blow up, but if you do, you will make my job easier for later plans. So actually do whatever you want."

I can't think anymore. It's all my fault. If I would have told Erica about what happened, she would not be in this situation. Because of me, she will die.

"Just so you know, I'm not a total monster, I will leave the speaker on, so Erica can talk to all of you. Isn't that right beautiful?"

"Don't call me that." This was the first time I heard Erica since she walked away and I was just relieved, that she was still alive.

"Nice to see that you do actually have a voice. Anyway, it was nice talking to all of you, I will get going now." With that Joshua left.

"Erica, tell us where you are. We will come and get you." Catherine called out.

"No mother. First, I don't know where I am. When Joshua captured me I was knocked out, for god knows how long. Second, I can't risk all of your lives, when I was the one who got myself in this mess. There is nothing to do now." Why is she saying that?

"Stop talking like that! I thought I raised you, to never give up!" Catherine was starting to panic and it was showing.

What Erica said next, surprised me: "Can I talk to Ben? Alone? All of you, just keep an eye on him, so he doesn't run away to get me, but otherwise, please allow us to talk."

The two agents holding me down let me go and gave me and Erica some privacy. I am scared of this conversation because I have a bad feeling that this will be our last.

"Erica, please tell me where you are, I have to try and save you." I was completely losing it.

"Ben listen to me. I'm sorry, for everything. If only I would have listened to you." I can't believe this. Why does she think that all of this is her fault, if it isn't?

"What are you apologizing for? I was the one, who hasn't been honest with you. I was stupid of thinking, that they would actually keep their part of the promise, for this long. Now I'm just mad that you had to hear what happened from Joshua."

"Well, he didn't exactly tell me the whole story, if that makes you feel any better." I could tell that she was trying to stay positive, but failing. I'm not surprised why, although she was being more successful than me. "Look, Ben, the reason I wanted to talk to you, was because I wanted to thank you for always caring and believing in me. The fact that you gave up on being a spy, just to save mine and all of your other friend's lives, it... well... it means a lot. "She took a deep breath and continued. "Look, when I'm gone, I want you to"

"NO, don't say that! I can still go and save you, just tell me where you think you are." I can't allow this to happen. She means too much to me.

"Ben, listen. I hope that after all of this will be over, you will still remember everything that we went true together and maybe... go somewhere only we know."

"Did you just say a line from the song I sang at the bar?" I couldn't help it, I started to laugh a little. Erica was the last person I expected to quote a line from a song.

"Yes I did." She quietly laughed and I joined her, but soon I came back to the fear of losing her.

"Erica, please. I... I can't lose you. Not again." At this point, I'm done. I feel broken.

"Don't think of it like that. I will..." At that exact moment, the whole building blew up.

Everything went slow motion for me. I looked around and saw the whole building on fire and slowly collapsing. I'm not thinking straight anymore. Well since I met Erica again, I haven't been thinking straight, so now all I did was, I tried to run into the building to find her, but the stupid agents and this time, also Catherine, was holding me back.

"NO! I have to save her!" I tried to fight back and get away from them but I couldn't.

"Ben, look at me! There is no point in running in there now, you will only get yourself killed!" I looked in the direction the voice was coming from and saw, that it was Catherine. "We did all we could. You need to snap out of it and understand that you shouldn't put your life in danger now, for no reason."

All that I could think of was, that I didn't do all that I could to save her.