MIA
Tori and I nervously stared at the building in front of us. Students stood beside their cars and talked to friends while others entered the school.
We drove here using my old car that the agency decided to keep for missions. It was a black and white Jeep. I got it when I was sixteen but didn't use it as much as I wished.
At fourteen, I was taught how to drive a motorcycle and was so used to it that driving a car felt weird.
I drove it for two years before buying my Mercedes, but I still truly loved this car. It reminded me of when I first started going on missions and when the girls and I would use it for late-night drives around the city.
At first, I thought they would assign us a fucked up car for this mission. Instead, they said using my old Jeep was best because people would start wondering how we managed to afford this school while driving a rundown car.
"Are you ready?" Tori asked as she pushed her fake glasses back up her nose. I shook my head and put my plain black backpack on. "I'll never be ready for this, but I don't have a choice."
We made our way through the school entrance, and I could feel almost everyone's eyes on us. I don't even blame them. We look like trolls that just crawled out of a cave.
We found our way to the office and stood in front of the office lady who pushed up her small round glasses to take a look at us.
She grimaced but quickly fixed her facial expression. "Names?"
"Bella Olsen." I said as I handed her the acceptance letter that Mr. Black had given Tori and I.
She read over the letter before returning to the computer and then to Tori. "And you?"
"Bailey Olsen." Tori said as she handed her own letter.
After reading both letters, she printed out our schedules and handed them to us.
She also wrote down our locker numbers and code but gave us a strange look as she passed them over. "Why did you suddenly transfer here halfway through the school year? Your senior year on top of that."
"Our fathers moved their business here. We didn't really have a choice." Tori stated without a drop of hesitation.
"Oh. Okay, well, you can go now." She waved us off with her hand before going back to typing something on her computer.
We ignored her rudeness and searched for our lockers, which were planned to be next to each other.
"Look at what those girls are wearing." Tori instructed.
I looked up at the girls in the hallway and noticed that their skirts were mid-thigh, making our knee-length ones seem longer than it really was. Also, unlike our baggy buttoned dress shirts, theirs fit them perfectly.
"We probably look like nuns to them." I laughed and looked at a group of guys throwing around a football.
Guys had to wear the same buttoned dress shirts and red ties, but the only difference between the male and female uniforms was obviously the skirts. The guys wore black dress pants.
A group of laughing students captured my attention, and I suddenly felt saddened.
Everyone was mingling amongst each other like they were in their own little world, talking, smiling, laughing. Some guys were even play-fighting.
This place was full of life, and I couldn't help but feel jealous. Even though we were either the same age or around the same age, our lives couldn't be any more different.
My life was complicated and violent. I constantly had to watch my back and train most of the time while they had such simple lives. They probably only had to worry about homework, stupid drama, and relationship problems.
They were free.
I turned to look at Tori to find her staring at the other kids, too. I could tell she was feeling the same way I was.
Tori lost her parents at a really young age due to them witnessing a crime and paying the price of being at the wrong place at the wrong time with their lives, so she and her older brother were put into HEX to keep them protected just in case they get targeted as well. Her brother, Kale, was able to find the criminals and execute them the same way they did their parents. Instead of leaving HEX afterward, they both decided to stay even though there was no threat to their life and no more revenge to be sought because HEX is now their life. There is no way any of us can return to being ordinary people.
Unfortunately, Tori only gets to see her brother once a month, thanks to their busy schedules. They still try to make time for each other, and even though they have four years between them, they are still pretty close.
Not just any kid wanting to be a part of HEX can join. Only the ones Mr Black approves of. The ones who he thinks have potential. He says he can see it just by looking into their eyes.
Actually, they haven't had any kids join for a while. Probably because there are already too many agents and the company doesn't need more at the time being, they are declining any offers of kids joining.
Tori quickly snapped out of her daze and turned to look at me. "Okay, we both have health in the first hour, but we'll be separated after until lunch and gym."
I nodded, covered the side of my mouth, and leaned in to whisper. "Don't forget, if you see anyone you suspect to be part of the mafia, tell me right away-" I stopped speaking once I noticed the hallway go from loud chatter to dead silence.
Everyone suddenly stepped away from the center of the hallway and practically pressed themselves against the lockers. It was quiet to the point where you could hear a pin drop.
What the hell is going on? Did they all just get possessed or something?
Tori turned to look at me with an eyebrow raised. "What the hell is going on?" She mouthed.
Before I could tell her I was just as lost as she was, the primary school doors slammed open, and five guys entered.
One was walking in the front, and two were walking on each side of him. I recognized the one in the middle right away. Our main target, Ace Marino.
I was still bewildered by how similar he looked to Damon and Kevin, yet more alluring in a way. Unlike Damon and Kevin, who gave off warm and positive energy. This guy was the opposite. His gaze was as cold and sharp as Mount Fuji. His presence demanded attention, and his aura radiated power.
Everything about him was attractive. Even the way he walked. They walked silently but with powerful strides down the hallway.
No one looked directly at them; in fact, everyone was staring down as if to avoid any eye contact.
Everything continued to be silent until they turned the corner into another hallway. People slowly go back to their conversations as if nothing had happened.
"Okay, I'm ninety-five percent sure that doesn't happen at normal high schools."
I pulled my textbook out of my locker and slammed it shut. "Yeah, well, other schools aren't run by one of the most powerful mafias in the world."
"Good point."
While walking to our class, I bumped into about five people, due to how crowded the halls were, and none of them were nice about it.
They commented stuff like, "Watch where you're going, dumbass!" Or, "Are you fucking blind, you ugly bitch?!"
Let me tell you, I've never had this much urge to pound someone's face, and Tori seemed to have the same problem.
In Health class, we were seated at separate desks. My desk was in the middle of the class, and Tori's was in the front.
Let's say I was bored halfway to death by the time the class ended. We waited for everyone to leave when the bell rang until Tori and I left.
Now we had to go our separate ways until lunch and gym. I was now off to English class.
Unlike my last teacher, my English teacher made me introduce myself to the class. No one seemed to care, so they just continued whispering to one another. The teacher told me to sit in the empty seat in the second last row.
I wondered why all the seats in the last row were empty.
Halfway through class, the door slowly opened, and an attractive guy with dirty blond hair entered. The class came to a halt at the sight of him. Even the teacher stopped talking and stayed still.
I quickly recognized him as one of the guys that walked in with Ace this morning.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and slowly approached the empty seat behind me. Now I know why the whole last row was empty.
"Anyways, this assignment must be turned in by Friday, or it will be late." The teacher continued. I lost track of everything else she was saying because my full attention was on the mysterious guy who had just walked in. He pulled out his phone and was silently scrolling through it.
I suddenly heard a light buzz in my left ear, followed by Tori's voice. "Mia, I was walking to the bathroom and overheard two guys who I suspect are a part of the Cosa Nostra say something about a secret meeting."
Shit.
I forgot about the earpiece. I almost jumped. I raised my hand, and it took the teacher a second to notice and call on me.
"What is it, Bella?"
"May I go to the bathroom, please?" I asked quietly.
After she nodded, I grabbed my stuff and left. I looked around the hallway to make sure no one was around. "Tori, where are they?"
I waited a few seconds before I heard the earpiece buzz again. "They're sitting on the steps of the stairs next to the bathrooms on this level. I tried to listen, but a teacher found me and took me back to class." She whispered.
Like Tori said, two guys were sitting on the bottom of the steps next to the bathrooms. I quickly hid behind the wall to hear their conversation.
"Where is this meeting anyway?" The blond one sitting on the left asked.
"In the school's main laboratory." The black-haired dude on the right answered him while stretching his legs. "Why the hell are we having an emergency meeting at school?"
The black-haired one shrugged. "I don't know, but that's where Ace said to meet." The blond nodded, and he piped up another question after a second. "What is this meeting for again?"
The black-haired one sighed in annoyance. "Man, you really do ask a lot of questions. It's for the things he fou-" Before he could finish, the bell rang, and students swarmed the halls. I looked back to the stairs, but the guys were already getting up and walking away.
Damn it.
I stood there for a minute, trying to collect my thoughts, when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned to find Tori. "So? Did you hear anything?"
I nodded. "Yeah. They're meeting in the main laboratory."
"Then we're going to have to find a way to get into that meeting before they get there."
I nodded in agreement. "I think I know a way."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
After listening to those guy's conversations, I went to my least favorite subject. Math. I hated math. Actually, let me rephrase that: I loathed math.
It made absolutely no sense to me. At least math here was easier than what we're learning at the agency, but that's probably because we've already been taught this.
I sat throughout the lecture as if I was actually interested in it. Just what was expected of my character. Not only was the subject incredibly dull, but a few girls seated on the desks next to me kept giving me funny glances occasionally.
What the hell is wrong with people? Why do they always have to Judge people and break them down? This isn't what I actually looked like, but it was still irritating.
The sad part was that some people actually look like this. If these girls do this to me, they probably do it to other people, too, which angers me.
I ignored them and focused on Ace and his team's secret meeting at school.
Tori and I were professionals at sneaking into places undetected, so I had no worries about how we would get into the meeting. What I'm worried about is them catching on to us. I mean, these guys are a part of one of the most powerful mafia's in the world, not to mention the son of their leader, who is one of them.
If our information on them is correct, these guys are as sharp and strong as our agents.
I was surprised those two guys on the stairs didn't notice me, but that's most likely because they were too distracted by their conversation.
After the bell rang, releasing me from the bubble of boredom, I left and waited for Tori next to the cafeteria doors. When she finally showed up, we walked into the large cafeteria together. We immediately started looking for a place to sit.
Almost every table was taken, except the one in the corner, next to the large, smelly trash bins.
Tori and I walked there to avoid bumping into anyone trying to get food since the cafeteria was packed. I almost gagged once we reached the table. It smelled so bad that my eyes started to water.
"Eww, it smells like rotten meat." Tori dropped her bag on the ground and slowly sat down. I put my bag down and nodded, sitting in front of her. "We don't have a choice. This is the only open table."
She looked at the trash cans with disgust. "For obvious reasons." I laughed, but it slowly faded out when the loud cafeteria started getting quieter; that's when Tori and I looked up to find the same guys from this morning, including our target, walking into the cafeteria and going up to the visible second level of the cafeteria.
There was only one table there. It looked way nicer than the tables down here and had more seats. Three girls and the two guys from the stairs join them at the table a couple minutes later.
That was something I found interesting in the Cost Nostra. They allowed women to be involved in the mafia and crimes almost as much as they allowed the men.
"Ten members." Tori whispered, more to herself than me. I continued to stare at them, and some started to laugh and push each other around as if they were normal teenagers. They are likely like that with only each other, considering how cold they act with other people.
The blond from my class nudged Ace to get his attention. He whispered something in his ear with a clearly annoyed expression.
Ace narrowed his eyes and looked around the cafeteria as if looking for something or someone.
I quickly turned back to Tori so I wouldn't get caught staring. Tori slowly turned her head back to me, too.
"It's crazy how much this Ace dude looks like Damon and Kevin." She said as she pulled out the turkey and cheese sandwich she made this morning from her backpack.
I nodded. "Yeah, but there's also something different about him, something that doesn't resemble either Damon or Kevin, you know?"
She took a bite of her sandwich and looked back at him again. "Yeah, I know what you mean. He actually might even be hotter than them."
I chuckled at her as she continued to eat her sandwich; of course, that's what she was thinking about. Tori was the most boy-crazy out of our entire group.
After half an hour, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch; everyone stayed seated until Ace and his group left, and then people started rushing out.
After lunch, I went straight to my art class, my funest class so far. We learned how to draw cats and then paint fur on them.
When the bell rang the fifth time, I went to the large basement where the gym was. Tori and I met up there, and we were given our uniforms. We went to the locker rooms but needed to figure out what to do about the gym uniforms.
They consisted of short red shorts and a black T-shirt with the school's Logo. If we wore these, we would be showing our body figure; we had to make it seem like there was nothing attractive about us, but if we wore these, people would notice how our faces didn't match our bodies.
We were told to stay in baggy clothing no matter what.
In the end, we just decided to tell the gym teacher that we weren't comfortable wearing those clothes, and we just stayed in the clothes we were currently wearing.
Today, they were playing dodgeball, and the teacher chose teams. Thankfully, Tori and I were on the same team.
Since we had to act like we couldn't throw or dodge a ball, we got hit about a hundred times. The students weren't gentle when they threw them either; in fact, they all seemed to target us, and even some of our teammates threw them at us.
To say the least, now we both feel sore as hell, and I want to beat every student here.
When we were sent back to the locker room, Tori and I quickly grabbed our stuff and left before anyone so we could get into the school's main laboratory before anyone could see us.
The last bell was about to ring in five minutes, so the hallways remained empty.
We hurriedly entered the empty, dark classroom and looked around for a good hiding place. There was a large vent in the ceiling, and that was the place I thought would be the best option.
I opened the vent, and we climbed in, then closed it again. There were gaps where we could see and hear without anyone seeing us.
If we didn't find a vent in here, then we probably would have left a gadget that would allow us to hear what they're saying from far away, but I'm sure they would have checked for things like this. No matter how small the gadget was, they would likely find it since these guys were also trained.
We've been hiding in the vent for over twenty minutes. I heard the chatter of the students quieting down, meaning the school was getting empty.
"Ugh, I'm getting so sore and cramped up here." Tori groaned, stretching out her arms and hitting my face in the process. "Can you stop moving? You keep hitting me."
She stretched out her legs next, hitting my leg this time, so I kicked her. "Ow! I'm sorry, okay? I can't help it."
I playfully glared at her. "If you hit me again, then I'm going to bruise you."
She mockingly glared back at me. "You wouldn't dar-"
We immediately stopped bickering once we heard the door open. We looked down to see six of the members walk in. They were talking amongst themselves.
One of the girls, with long, curly red hair, walked over to the lamp and switched it on, adding dim light to the dark room.
They started opening cabinets and closets in the room, searching for anyone hiding. Then, they started feeling around the walls and tables.
I knew it. We would have been discovered if I had used that gadget.
Tori and I stayed quiet, watching their every move as they searched the room, until the other four, including Ace, finally arrived.
"You searched the room?" Ace asked, eyeing everyone. They all nodded, silently waiting for him to continue.
"Alright, well, I gathered you all here today because we have suspicions of spies attending our school." He announced, his voice low but deep. Everyone turned to look at each other with questioning looks on their faces.
Tori and I looked at each other with wide eyes. How the hell did they know? This was our first damn day.
"How do you know?" A dark-haired guy leaning against a desk asked exactly what I was wondering.
"There have been weird noticeable activities. I found a voice recorder in my locker and a tracker under my car." He answered, his voice low and husky.
My brows drew up in confusion. That was definitely not us.
As I said, today was our first day at school, and we wouldn't do something as stupid as track his car or put a voice recorder in his locker. He would obviously check it.
Everyone continued to be silent, watching him and waiting for him to continue speaking. "I sent Triston to hide and wait for whoever it was to come back for the voice recorder, but no one showed up. I suspect it's someone with a link to another mafia family."
The idea crossed my mind. Could there really be other mafia students that attend this school? And if there really is, are they really here to spy on the young members of the Cost Nostra?
"We have to keep our eyes focused and watch our backs. We need to find out who they are as soon as possible. Keep your eyes sharp, understood?" He commanded. Everyone nodded in understanding, fierce looks of determination on their faces.
Once satisfied with their answers, he left, and they all followed him. The girl with long, curly red hair was last to leave because she turned off the lamp before leaving.
We waited about five more minutes before leaving as well. We walked to the parking lot, silently discussing what we heard until we reached the car.
The parking lot was almost empty except for a few cars belonging to the kids staying after school and the teachers.