Spy School: Outbreak

Chapter 14

5,000 feet above Nicaragua

May 7

1800 hours

"Wake up sleepyhead," I heard. I opened my eyes, rubbing the gunk out of them.

"Ugh, are we here," I said, still somehow exhausted. I had slept an abnormal amount recently.

I looked over at Erica, who was holding yet another parachute. I noticed she was already wearing one.

I strapped on the chute, still dazed.

"Hey," Erica said, smiling. "We can't have you falling out of the sky while you're still half asleep, now can we?"

I barely opened my mouth to respond, when she pulled me in for a kiss. Yeah, you'd better believe that woke me up pretty quick.

"Wow," I said, wide awake. "That's better than a triple shot of espresso."

She laughed. "You ready Smokescreen?" I nodded, grabbing my backpack with two hands, and opening my door. I was sucked out and began freefalling.

I looked up at Erica falling out too, doing two flips before entering a controlled dive.

I put my hands behind my head and acted like I was relaxed. She pulled up next to me.

"Oh hey Ice Queen," I yelled over the wind. "Fancy meeting you here."

She laughed again, before signaling to pull the chute. I rolled over in midair, facing the forest below. I pulled my chute, and suddenly I was drifting down towards the ground. Beside me, Erica was doing the same thing. As we floated down, the only noise in our ears was the wind.

When we touched down on the ground, I shrugged off the parachute and checked my bag as Erica landed beside me.

I removed a small tablet from the pack. I extended the collapsable antenna and powered it on. It was a map of the area the GH-O-2 test had taken place.

"Erica," I asked. "Where do you think we should start?"

I looked up at Erica, who was frozen, looking at something behind me.

"Ben," She said, fear in her voice. "Don't. Move. A muscle."

I froze. I slowly turned my head to look back at whatever she was talking about, and what I saw shocked me.

There wasn't anything there. I turned back and glared at Erica, who cracked a smile.

"Really Erica?" I complained. "You scared the shit out of me. I thought there was a jaguar behind me or something!"

She just stood there, smiling. I had the same urge as in the morning. I walked over to her, and said, "Seriously, don't do that."

Then I kissed her. I know, I know, I should've been pissed. But I didn't want to squander what might be the only mission Erica and I get to go on alone together and that Erica opens up to me in this way. She didn't miss a beat, cradling my face with her hands.

When we finally broke apart, I noticed that her face wasn't red. It seemed that she had stopped being embarrassed about this. I took that as a good sign. I was about to speak when I heard something behind me. I whirled around lighting fast, drawing my two guns and pointing them at whatever was behind me.

I found myself feet away, from a very large, very pissed jaguar.