Epilogue
Katelyn looked out the window of the plane. All the Co Ops girls had been put on a plane and jetted off toward an IA base.
The tension and excitement hovered like clouds in the air. Katelyn felt the butterflies in her stomach. No one knew what was coming. More training? A mission? What part of the world was she going to end up in?
They finally reached the IA base. First on the list was a five gate security check. Then they were finally allowed into the actual base. Everyone stared wide eyed at the orderly chaos.
The women, dressed in black and white, were all on the move. They purposefully walked from one place to the other. People were talking into their headsets and files were being transported to every corner of the room.
Katelyn wasn't sure what to make of everyone. They all seemed so professional and experienced. Suddenly, her number one rank didn't seem to be of much worth.
The new girls were directed into a waiting area. Katelyn slowly scanned the room.
"Thirty chairs, two exits, five windows..." she thought to herself.
She honestly couldn't think of any other way to calm herself besides memorizing the room.
"Each girl has one suitcase. Ten are black, three are red, two are olive green and five are navy blue."
With a brisk knock, a woman with a white blouse and black dress pants stepped into the room. She was scanning a hand held device. "Katelyn Hathaway and Rachel Williams," she announced.
Katelyn and Rachel looked at each other before nervously standing and grabbing their suitcases. All eyes were on them.
"This way," the woman said, directing them through the maze of halls.
"Miss Valedictorian and Miss Salutatorian," the woman said, smiling. "Welcome to the IA base."
Both Katelyn and Rachel just nodded.
"My name is Everest French and I am the Missions Coordinator here," the woman introduced herself. "I'm part of the committee that organizes which spies go where for their assignments."
Katelyn just silently nodded again.
"Come inside," Everest said, pushing open a thick wooden door.
They were in a conference room with a panel of four women sitting up front. There was a table with two empty chairs before them.
Rachel and Katelyn sat down to the two files on the table. Everest took her place in the middle of the panel.
"In Tokyo, we're investigating a new organization known as Utsukushī Hanayome, which means beautiful bride in Japanese, not that you wouldn't know that," Everest narrated as they scanned the papers. "Every year, they recruit dozens of women and train them in the traditional art of the geisha. This organization has actually become quite famous and successful. They've provided beautiful and talented wives for many powerful officials and have entertainers clinging onto ones who visit the tea houses." "Isn't that what geishas do?" Katelyn asked. "They're entertainers." "Yes, but from what our spies have told us, this organization specifically targets politicians," Everest explained. "And sources tell us that Hue Daiki has taken over as head of a geisha house." Katelyn and Rachel both found the photograph of a bulky Japanese man. "Terrorists don't pick up a side hobby of training Japanese entertainers," Everest continued. "We sent in a girl a few years back but after she discovered Hue, she disappeared. Now that this problem has become more serious, we're going to send you two in. Katelyn will enter in as a geisha in training called Hikaru Tadashi while Rachel will be her handmaiden, Amalia Muller, who doesn't speak a lick of English or Japanese." "Handmaiden?" Rachel repeated, good-humoredly. Everest smiled. "The girls not training to be geishas are usually poor European girls from Germany or Russia. You'll be sent in as one of them." "So where do we begin?" Rachel asked. Everest gave her a small sympathetic smile. "Katelyn will go to Japan. She will meet with Isabell Ruki who will choose her as one of this year's candidates after she preps her." "Is she one of us?" Katelyn asked. Everest nodded. "She has gained their trust after many years. She will bring you in as a geisha. Now, Rachel, you're going to Germany where you will meet your new family who will then sell you to the people in charge of buying servants." "Ouch..." Rachel muttered. "Do we know each other?" Katelyn asked Everest. Everest shook her head. "Not a single word to each other." Another woman at the table stood up. "Here are your tools," she said, opening a metal case. She pulled out a contacts lens case. "The newest Marshall Contacts," she explained. "By blinking certain patterns, you activate different functions. Camera, video recording, night vision, heat mode and magnification," she ticked off. "Instructions manual," she added, tossing Rachel and Katelyn each a packet. "The contacts case also has a flat stick attached to it. It's a flash drive. When you pop these contacts back into the case, they will automatically convert the data to the drive," Everest explained, tapping the stick with a perfect nail.
"Next you have a transmitter," she said placing a small bead on the table. "Activate it if you desperately need back up. Now, here's some regular spy stuff: the listening device, smoke bomb, acid disguised as hand sanitizer. Questions?"
"Do we have anyone else helping us?" Katelyn asked.
"One more person," Everest said with a smile. "The IA has a new weapon that Hue Daiki will never suspect."
"Who?" Katelyn and Rachel asked at the same time.
Everest clapped her hands.
"Derek?!" they both exclaimed when he stepped into the room.
"He's going to be posing as an official's son who comes to visit the teahouses. He will smuggle you anything you need and be your backup."
Derek gave Everest a polite smile and nodded. "Honored to be in the service of the IA."
Everest returned his nod. "There are people waiting outside to take you where you need to go. We await your good news," Everest said, standing up and shaking their hands.
"You will," Katelyn promised, releasing Everest's hand.
They solemnly walked out of the room to three women waiting. Three new spies, going three different directions.
As they were walking outside, Katelyn caught Derek's eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Katelyn mouthed.
"Fate," Derek mouthed back with a smirk.
Katelyn fought a smile. "See you two in Japan," she said as three separate cars were waiting for them.
"For the IA," Rachel said.
"For the IA," Katelyn repeated, before sliding into the back seat of the car.
According to the clock on the car, it took them two hours to drive to the airport. The woman driving wore dark sunglasses and never spoke one word to Katelyn. It was only when Katelyn was getting out of the car that she whispered "good luck."
"Thanks," Katelyn said, pulling her small tote out with her.
She had only brought some toiletries and a few pairs of sturdy clothes.
Katelyn couldn't remember the last time she had flown commercially... After getting through customs, she silently boarded her flight, making sure to take in everything around her. She was so far away from the academy now and completely alone. Katelyn wished Sammy and Jane were walking behind her as she filed onto the plane but she knew she had to do this alone. This was her time to prove herself and do something good for the world.
After settling in her seat, Katelyn pulled out her little booklet and began reading it. Marshall contacts...
She pulled down the tray in front of her and unscrewed the tops of the contacts case. She scooped the thin lenses out of the container and carefully popped them into her eyes.
"Whoa," she breathed as they activated.
The contacts loaded and then vanished from her vision. They were just like regular contacts now.
"Blink two times fast for a picture," Katelyn read.
Looking in a tiny compact mirror, Katelyn blinked twice, watching her pupils shrink and then dilate real fast. That was a photograph now.
"Wow," she whispered.
She winked her right eye twice and her field of vision glowed green. Night vision...
"Would all passengers please buckle their seat belts? We are preparing to land."
Katelyn's eyes flew open. They were landing in Japan. Looking out the circular window, Katelyn saw the city flooded with lights. Cars crowded the roads and skyscrapers with red billboards reached out to the sky.
"Tokyo..." Katelyn marveled, almost not wanting to get off the plane.
Katelyn stepped out, watching the other passengers embrace loved ones. She finally located an elegant woman in a fur coat with a sign that read Isabell Ruki.
"Isabell," Katelyn greeted, walking up toward her.
She had no idea if this woman would even recognize her.
"To stand we fight," she whispered to Katelyn, almost glaring at her.
"To surrender we fall," Katelyn replied.
"Well, well," Isabell said, smiling at Katelyn with her red lips. "Welcome to Japan," she said, in Japanese.
Katelyn politely nodded. "Thank you," she replied in Japanese.
"You know you have a long and difficult road ahead of you," Isabell said, almost doubtful. "You are very young."
"I will walk to the end of this road, no matter what it takes," Katelyn assured her.
Isabell smiled, accepting Katelyn's answer. "What shall I call you, my new geisha in training?"
Katelyn paused, realizing how this was the turning point. This was where she would transition from being an academy student to an actual spy. This was when she must temporarily forget Katelyn Hathaway and become an ordinary Japanese girl on the journey of becoming a geisha.
"My name is Hikaru Tadashi," Katelyn said, firmly.
"Well then," Isabell said, smiling with her perfect teeth. "Come with me," she said, turning on her heel. "Hikaru Tadashi..."
To be continued...
Book Two: Agent Geisha