"Okay, sit tight for a minute, Beezle Butt, Papa's gotta take this phone call."
Bandit Lee Way nodded at her father, watching him pull his phone out of his pocket and answer the call with a 'Yeah, 'ello,' stepping out of the dining room for a moment. Her mother was in the studio working on another art piece. Which meant Bandit, for the moment, was sitting at the dining room table alone. She fiddled with her pencil, staring down at the math worksheet that had her and her fathered stumped. They were trying to get it done before she had to go to bed, but it was an hour past her bedtime and she instead sat at the kitchen table in her pajamas. Then again, she was aware of the fact that her father wasn't the best at math. Her mother was the one to go to when it came to math homework, but that wasn't an option at the moment. So, instead, she would eavesdrop on her father's conversation.
"Yes, this is him...I haven't heard anything from you in a while, sir...They are going great, sir. I was just helping my daughter with homework...Yes, her...It depends on the situation, sir. What do you needs us available for?...A mission? Sir, we dropped out of the task force for a reason. Lindsey and I have a daughter and we both have steady jobs. We can't just drop everything and go. I have to respectfully decline, sir...I don't think either one of us classifies as a 'reserve agent', sir. We dropped out of the program entirely. We haven't had any training in years...Mmhmm...Yes, sir...Well, I was not notified of that when I signed up or when I dropped out, sir. I was told that if I dropped out I wouldn't be called on any more missions. I could like a normal life...Mmhmm...Sir, as I said before, I have to respectfully decline...Mmhmm...Well, she's working on a project, sir, so I'll have to go get her."
Bandit jumped as her father peeked his head around the corner.
"Hey, can you go get Mama? Tell her Daddy's on the phone with the commander and it's important."
"Who's the commander?" Bandit squeaked out.
"Mama knows who he is. Just go get her."
Bandit nodded and jumped up from her chair, skipping across the dining room to the hall where she broke into a dead sprint. She jumped onto the stairs, robin red tutu fluttering in the breeze, and slid down the bannister, landing on her feet. She looked around a bit, before dancing over to her mother's studio door. She lightly tapped on it in a little rhythm only she could understand.
"Mama! Papa needs you!"
Bandit paused and looked up at the door as it opened. Her mother peeked her head out.
"What does he want?"
"Papa said for me to tell you that the commander is on the phone and it's real important."
Her mother paled for a moment, looking down at Bandit.
"The commander?"
"Yeah. He said the commander."
"A-Alright."
Bandit squealed as her mother scooped her up, heading up the stairs two at a time. She set her down, before heading into the living room.
"Yes, sir. She's here now."
"I'll take it, Gee-bear...Hello...Yes, this is Lindsey...A mission? We're no longer agents, why do we need to go on a mission...Uh huh...Well, why can't you find different agents? You have tonnes...We were the best when we were younger. It's been a decade. That's no longer the situation...No, we aren't coming in. I don't care how you bribe us. I have work and Gee's got to take care of Bandit...I don't care...We aren't coming in...Goodbye."
Bandit heard the familiar sound of her mother pushing the 'END CALL' button on the phone before the two started talking.
"Do you really think he's going to force us to come in, Linds? We can't leave Bandit."
"He can't touch us, Gee. We're out of the task force. We signed the contract. We're out."
"But what if, Linds? And he's right. If the enemy has our information, they could easily find us. And then what?"
"We have the safety bunker, Gee. We'll just go down there and wait until the agency picks us up."
"I guess that would work."
"Yeah. Let's put Bandit to bed. It's her bedtime anyways."
Bandit stepped away from the doorway as her parents stepped out into the hall. Her father smiled down at her, squatting down to her level.
"Were you eavesdropping?"
"No," Bandit lied, hoping her parents wouldn't catch her, "I came by to ask if you were going to tuck me into bed."
"Of course, kiddo. Mama and I were just having a grown-up conversation."
"Oh, okay. Carry me?"
"Sure."
Her father picked her up, cuddling her in his arms. She snuggled up against him. Her mother leant over, kissing her on the forehead. The three made their way to Bandit's room. Papa tucked her in, Mama made sure all of her stuffed animals were tucked in with her, and the two sang her to sleep, just like every night.
"Goodnight, Bandit Lee," her mother chimed, leaning down to kiss her daughter on the forehead.
"Goodnight, Lady B," her father mused, giving her a peck on the cheek.
Bandit beamed as her parents smiled at her, turning off her light and wishing her goodnight.
***
"Bandit, wake up, hurry."
She was awoken from her slumber with the urgent shaking of her father. He sat on her bed, a fearful look and aura resonated off of him. She had never seen her father scared like that before. He was always the brave one in her eyes. Why was he scared?
"Papa, what's going on?"
"I don't have time to explain. Bad people are coming, Bandit. You have to go."
"Go where?"
"You'll see. Come on."
He hoisted up Bandit, gathering her and her blankets into one big pile. She wrapped her small arms around his neck, hiding her face.
"Papa, I'm scared."
"Don't worry, Beezle Butt. Mama and I got this."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Bandit nodded, as she felt the bump-bump-bump of her father sprinting down the stairs. He pushed open the door to her mother's studio, setting her down. She pulled the blankets over her shoulders like a cloak, as she watched her father move her mother's work desk.
"Mama doesn't like you moving stuff."
"Mama told me to."
Behind the large oak desk was a small door in the wall, looked with what looked like to be a sort of electronic lock. He punched a four-digit code in, watching the door swing open.
"Get in."
"Wha?" she inquired, looking up at him.
"Get in. You don't have much time."
"But Papa-"
"Mama and I have to stay up here and make sure the bad guys don't get in."
"Come with me."
"Bandit, I can't," he sighed. He reached over and picked her up, to the young girl's dismay.
"Papa, please!"
"We can't!" he snapped. Bandit shuddered, in a sort of shock at her father's tone. He looked at her, realising his act. His gaze softened, "Sorry, kiddo. I'm just...Get in, alright?"
"Papa, I don't want to go alone!"
Bandit squirmed around, trying to escape her father's grasp, as she neared the door. She let out a loud and feverish wail, pushing against it.
"I don't want to go!"
"You have to, Bandit!"
"I don't want to!"
A loud "boom" echoes from upstairs.
"Bandit, now!"
Before she could even protest, he pushed her forward into the door, urging her to go down the metal chute. Bandit slipped from his grasp, starting her descent.
"Papa!"
"Go!"
A cry slipped out from her mouth as the door shut behind her. With a 'plop', she landed on a bunch of pillows and cushions in a small room. There was a table with a small TV with post-it-note saying 'PLAY ME' stuck on it, a crate, and a cot.
"Hello?" she squeaked out, looking around the room. Her voice echoed around the room. She stood shakily, tears starting to form in her eyes. She was alone. She was truly alone. No Mama, no Papa. Not even Mitch or Jupiter. She tentatively made her way over to the TV instead, seeing what the note was about. She pressed the play button the side of the TV and watched as the screen lit up.
It was her parent's faces, fiddling with a camera. It had obviously been taking years ago, considering her father still had his bright firetruck red hair. Her mother was adjusting the camera, while her father scooted his chair.
"Gerard, focus."
"I can't get it right."
"Just sit for a minute, alright? Bandit's asleep, we need to get this done while she is."
Bandit watched the screen with a curious look, as her mother looked up to the camera and began to speak.
"Hey, Bandit, it's Mommy. If you're watching this-"
"Shit went bad."
"Gerard! Language!"
"Well, I assuming if she's watching this, she's old enough to hear it."
"Still!"
Bandit let out a small giggle in reply to the footage, smiling through the tears. She rubbed her eyes as the video continued.
"If you're watching this, things have hit rock bottom."
"They went to shit."
"Yeah, yeah, as your dad said, they went to shit."
"Best way to explain it."
"Hush and lemme finish. Bandit, your dad and I are-"
"Used to be."
"Hush. We work for the government. Uncover. Secret agents."
"Spies."
"Yes, spies. And if you're seeing this, something has happened because of it and you're in the safety bunker. We couldn't tell you because it would put us all at risk. But since something has occured, now you know."
"What do you think would happen?"
"I'm hoping nothing. This is just a precautionary measure."
"Oh, okay. We love you, Beezle Butt."
"Daddy and I love you, Bandit. Be safe. Be good. Don't leave the bunker unless you know it's safe."
With that, the video concluded. Bandit sat quietly staring at the screen. Mama and Papa were spies? Like, spies in the movie? There was no possible way. No way in-
A loud and repetive 'bang' noise followed by screams erupted from above her. Gunshots. Bandit covered her ears, sobs wracking her small frame. Mama and Papa were up there. They were up there fighting and what if that was them screaming? What if they were hurt? Papa wasn't good at fighting and Mama needed someone to back her up. What if something happened?
Bandit impulsively started humming that old song Papa would sing to Mama when she was sad. Didn't Mama say that her mommy would sing it to her when she was little? She would sing Mama that old song and Papa would sing it to Mama and sometimes he'd sing it to her. Bandit liked that song. She liked it a lot.
That's where Bandit sat, wrapped up in her blankets, hands over her ears, humming 'Superstar', as hell broke loose in the house above her.