It really shouldn't be hard to get it back, I think. Even if I can hear everyone talking in my ear as if they're right next to me. Even if Stan is going to be giving commands through the comms and fire questions at us. Even if this is my first ever mission and I've only been at the school for a month.
I have Elijah as a partner, Grace on my team. I have every faith we'll be able to take the card off Group One, and quickly. I just wish it wasn't midday on a Friday, the little town we're in isn't very busy, not a lot of people milling around to blend with - that's what they do in all the films I've watched anyway, dash into a crowd of people to lose the ones trailing them.
"DISPERSE !" Stan shouts, so we do.
Elijah and I make it straight for a busker strumming a guitar and singing a horrible rendition of Ed Sheeran's A-Team.
Elijah bumps his shoulder with mine and nods to the performer, "Not very good, is he?"
"No," I laugh, "He's terrible."
"Wonder if he makes much money?"
I look around, there's only us two and a group of five teenage boys who are watching. I seriously doubt the busker is raking in cash from a bunch of teenagers. I tell Elijah as such.
"Yeah," Elijah agrees, we both watch the guy strum away, "He looks like he's having fun though."
In my earpiece, Stan Jones says, "Okay, Lily, now time for you to do a dead drop. Right next to B&M. Be aware of those around you, whose looking at you. Make it quick."
I watch as Lily walks up to B&M and casually throws a newspaper, chocolate wrapper and the classified object into a bin and then walks away.
"Nice work," Stan says. "Tessa, you're up. Go collect it."
Tessa walks up to the bin and pretends to fall, not dramatically, it's really natural, like she fell over the curb. One arm dangles in the bin and she quickly retracts the classified object before shouting "oh my god, disgusting!" and stalks off.
"Very nice," Stan says, "There four boys near the busker staring at Amelia, one of them has a backpack on, what colour is it?"
Oh my god, he did not just do that! I look over at the group of boys and sure enough they're looking over at me. The one with the backpack is giving me a wide smile. I could die. I want the ground to swallow me whole. Stan just announced that to my entire year!
"Yellow," Elijah mutters, but he suddenly looks downcast.
"Good." Stan says. "Amelia, how many people have walked past the busker in the last fifteen minutes?"
Without even having to think about it, I say, "Twenty-six."
"Nice," Both Stan and Elijah say at the same time.
I try to keep my grin off my face, but I'm glad they find me a little impressive, it hasn't been easy feeling like I'm miles behind everyone else.
We stand there, nodding our head to the busker, keeping our eyes on the classified object as it makes it way around. We're waiting for the opportunity to strike, and I know Elijah will give me a little tell to let me know we're on. Not that he and I have discussed it. I just know.
Out the corner of my eye, I see the boy with the yellow backpack walking over to us, his eyes are intent on me. His friends are pushing him forward and egging him on, they're all laughing, looking from their friend to me and then Elijah.
"Hey," The boy says when he reaches us, he doesn't even acknowledge Elijah, which is pretty rude considering I'm obviously with him. "How are you?"
"Er," I am completely flustered. To be hit on is one thing, to have it happen next to the boy you like, with your entire year listening in; is something else entirely. Don't get me wrong, the boy is cute, normal looking. But he's definitely not Elijah.
I have no idea what I am supposed to do, so I say, "I am okay thank you, and you?"
"I'm good." The boy says, then he nods his head towards Elijah, "This isn't your boyfriend is it?"
Elijah looks around to me, and the boy stares on, they both wait. For a second I think about saying he is, just to get the boy to go away. But what if Elijah finds that embarrassing? What if he doesn't want me to lie? Could I live that down?
"Er... no." I mutter.
"Good," The boy grins.
"Pretty ballsy though," Elijah says, he's puffed out his chest and stands an entire head taller then the boy. In fact, Elijah dwarves him. "To come over here and basically hit on her whilst I'm stood here, what if I was her boyfriend?"
The boy laughs, his friends have shuffled closer and he's putting on a show for them. "I would have told her she could do better, she could have me."
There's a round of laughter from the friends, all of them cheering him.
"What if she doesn't want you?" Elijah asks.
"Come on," The guy jokes as if Elijah is in on it. "Every girl wants me."
The show he's putting on isn't for me, it's to prove how amazing he is to his friends. To stroke his ego and feel like he's the top dog. It's embarrassing to watch because none of it is impressive and I don't value a boy on how arrogant or confident they are. Kindness, honesty, accountability, they're the traits you want to look for in someone. Elijah has all of those and none of the arrogance.
Elijah goes to say something but I open my mouth first, "No offence or anything, but I wouldn't be interested in someone like you. You're a bit gross."
"You don't have to lie," The boy says. "Your friend won't mind."
"No," I say, glaring at the boy. "But I mind. Come on Elijah, let's go."
I pull at Elijah's arm and we turn to leave. I see the boys face drop, anger taking over the arrogance.
"You're gonna regret that," The boy sneers at my back. "You fat bitch."
Before I can even think to stop him, Elijah spins and punches the boy square in the jaw. It happens so fast. I know I'm in spy school and all but there's no way I would have been able to block him. Elijah's face is blistering with rage and the boy topples to the floor with a yelp, his friends quickly rally around him, cooing at him, asking if he's alright.
What a baby, Elijah didn't even hit him hard, he reeled back most of his strength. I've had harder hits from Elijah in training. After a second longer the boy springs to his feet, not wanting to look weak, and squares up to Elijah.
"Hit him again," Tessa says down the comms.
"Enough!" Stan roars. "Elijah pull yourself together. This is supposed to be a covert mission."
"Come on," I say to Elijah, pulling at his arm. "You're better than him."
Elijah's jaw is jumping, he's fuming, he's palpable with it. I move my hand to his face and turn it so he's looking at me, as our eyes connect I can see all the rage leave him. In this moment I would swear Elijah has feelings for me, strong ones. Then Stan tells us to move it and the moment vanishes. We walk away.
"That's right! Walk away!" The boy shouts. "You're an absolute pussy."
"Stan," Grace says, "Do I have persimmon to tranq this dickhead?"
"Absolutely not," Stan says and I laugh. "Amelia, where is the classified object now?"
I feel a smug smile creep on my face, because Stan thinks during that, I lost the ball, but I didn't; "Will stole it from Jack, about five minutes ago, whilst everyone was focusing on Elijah and I. Our team have it."
"I'm impressed," Stan says. "Will, you're to brush pass it to your partner."
I watch as Will accidentally slams into Grace sending her spiralling, she falls onto the ground.
"Right in front of a bank with a thousand cameras," Stan grunts.
Grace gets up, "I mean, I've got the object though."
"Now you have to get it to Amelia."
I start walking towards her, thinking this is a really bizarre day, between the mission, the boys and Elijah, this isn't where I had ever envisioned myself or what I'd be doing on a Friday afternoon. Its like I've been plunged into an alternative reality. I can't imagine how anything could get any weirder.
Then I spot her, directly behind Grace. She's in an alleyway between Superdrug and Urban Outfitters, staring right at me. She's got a scarf on her head and sunglasses covering her eyes.
"Mum?" I mutter. It can't be her and yet it is her, beckoning me forwards.
For a moment I forget what I'm meant to be doing, until Grace bumps into me, saying, "Oh my god! Sorry!" She hands me the Classified Object so smoothly, no one will have known it had happened. I keep on walking straight for the alleyway, Elijah is hot on my heels.
When I reach her, mum whips off her scarf and sunnies.
"Good girl," she says.
She looks at Elijah then strikes him with the heel of her palm, using her body weight behind the attack. Elijah's head makes a horrible snapping sound before he crumples to the floor, completely out cold.
"Oh my god!" I yell. "What the hell are you doing?"
She drags me further down the alleyway, where his comms can't pick us up and rips out mine from my ear throwing it on the ground and smashing it with her foot.
She gives me a stern look and says, "Come with me."