International Affairs

Accidental Mission Complete

“You knew they were in California?” Katelyn asked.

“I suspected some students might have wandered to this area. I was planning on tracking one down,” Miss Bates explained. “I haven’t had any luck then…until the IA contacted me telling me someone searched up Guildford Marshall on an academy computer. That’s when I started getting confused. How could anyone here know about the boy’s academy? I checked the system and saw it was coming from Headmistress’s computer…in the middle of the night.”

Katelyn offered a sheepish smile. “So you know…?”

“Of course,” Miss Bates replied not slightest upset. “I came down immediately but another teacher had beat me to the office. I suspected it was a couple students who were researching Guildford. I should have exposed you but I didn’t want news of the other academy to get around as gossip in our academy so I triggered the fire alarm.”

“You set off the fire alarm?” Sammy gasped.

Katelyn stared at Miss Bates. She set off the fire alarm? The alarm that saved everyone’s skin from possible suspension.

Miss Bates smirked. “I hung back and saw you three escape the office and my suspicions were confirmed; however, I had no idea how three seniors could have stumbled onto this secret mission.”

“We met them during a Co Op mission,” Katelyn explained. “The cube one.”

“My guesses were close then,” Miss Bates said. “Your times for every other mission are consistent. The cube mission was the only one that just seemed too slow.”

“They stole the cube and kept messing with us,” Sammy explained. “We didn’t want a failing grade, so we got into a fight with them.”

“Do they know who you are?” Miss Bates asked.

Jane shook her head. “They think we go to St Mary’s.”

“How did you know we met those three though?” Katelyn asked.

“I picked a hair off Jane’s sweater during class one day,” Miss Bates explained. “Blonde dye.”

“Aiden,” Jane confirmed.

“And the others?” Katelyn asked, amazed at Miss Bate’s information collecting skills.

“Mall security camera, facial recognition,”

“Oh,”

“Yes,” Miss Bates mused. “You three have definitely made use of your weekends.”

“We weren’t sure,” Sammy replied, a little defensive. “I never dreamed we had a…a brother school.”

“I’m not upset at all,” Miss Bates assured them. “Three students completed a mission many trained IA spies couldn’t.”

“So we’re not in trouble?” Katelyn asked.

Miss Bates shook her head. “But I advise you not to do it again.”

All three girls immediately nodded.

“So what now?” Katelyn asked.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Miss Bates said. “I’m flying back to the IA this weekend. I do need their location though.”

“Lux Hotel,” Katelyn informed her.

“Thank you,” Miss Bates said, standing up. “Don’t get cocky because you did one thing right,” she warned them. “You three still have much to learn.”

“Yes ma’am,” they chorused.

“But,” Miss Bates said as she reached the door. “Co Ops will definitely have a place for you three.”