Over the Moon

Chapter 1: A Mysterious Message

As the tune started playing for the beginning of public announcements, I sat down with a sigh of relief. I already knew that it was time for the market to close. 

"Attention all shopkeepers and customers," said the female voice over the speakers. "it is time for the market to close. Please close your shops and exit the marketplace as soon as possible."

It's hard work to be a shopkeeper. You have to sit out in the hot sun and, in my case, build and sell toys for children. It's a booming business, it really is, but it was difficult.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and started the procedure of closing up shop. I've done this so many times, that I don't even have to think about closing up while do it. Like a dance routine. 

I finished by locking up the door the the workshop and started to go home. This business was really my mother's and I would help her, but she has been really sick for about a week. I don't know how she did this every day! It never goes anywhere under 65 degrees here (Fahrenheit guys. The world is not ending). 

"Mom, I'm ho-" I clamped my mouth shut when I saw that she was asleep.

Riiiiiing. Riiiiiing.

I heard the sound of my computer ringing for a video call. I was confused. I wasn't expecting a video call from anyone. I clicked the answer button and a man-shaped silhouette appeared.

"Hello, is this Mason Gray?" the man asked. He had a deep and sophisticated voice.

"Uh, yeah?" I replied, even more confused. 

"We would like you to join our spy agency. It makes lots of money, and we think you would be perfect for the job. We are connected to the military, so you might not have to do any fighting."

"Um, but why me?"

He leaned forward a bit, but not enough so that light would reveal his face. "Mason, have strange things happened that you couldn't explain?"

I thought about it. There was this one case where a child had stolen a toy from the market. I asked her if she stole it, but she said no. I could tell that she was lying, but I didn't know how. That didn't seem like a good enough situation. There was this other time where I thought this man with his son at the shop said something extremely rude that I don't have the heart to repeat. I asked him to repeat himself, but he said that he didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Did you know you have the power to read people's minds?"

I jumped back in surprise. "Have you been stalking me?" Wrong thing to say.

The man laughed. "Sort of. Your father was part of this agency. Good man he was. That's where you get your ability from, except that he could make people obey his every command. He put a chip behind your ear when you were born so that we could track you. He also recorded any strange actions you did and sent them to us."

My father died when I was fourteen from the same sickness my mother has. Thanks dad. Thanks for helping a company stalk me my whole life.

"Why didn't I know this before?" I asked.

"You weren't ready yet, but now you are."

"How can I be sure that your not lying?"

"It's simple," the man replied. "watch this."

A video popped up of my dad. He looked younger and livelier.

"Hello son," he said. "This is so that, if I'm not with you to tell you this, you are sure that this is real. You are going to do great things some day. Accept this offer, and you will help make the galaxy a better place. If you are anything like me, you will have special abilities that make you even more special. You will be trained to use it. I hope you find your place." The video disappeared.

"There will be a hover ready to pick you up at around 6:00. See you then." The video cut off.

I sighed. They already had someone coming for me in an hour. Who was going to take care of my mother? 

I called the neighbors next door on a video chat. Mrs. Isla answered.

"Mason, is something wrong?" she asked worried.

"No nothing's wrong, but I'm going... somewhere. I need to go, trust me. Could you send Olivia to take care of my mother for a while?" 

Olivia was their oldest daughter. She was training to be a nurse, so I thought that she would be a great choice.

"Of course, dear. Please be careful on your trip." The Isla's were like another family. 

"I will. Thank you."

"No problem." The video screen shut off.

I went into my room and started packing a few things. Extra clothes, hygiene products, and some food. Surely, the would have food there, but I wanted some for when I might need it. 

I flopped on the bed and sighed. How would this work out? What if I'm on a mission and I blow my cover? What if I'm not good enough?

I heard the sound of a hover outside. I wrote a quick note for my mother for when she wakes up, telling her where I've gone and why. Then I went outside, got in the hover, and we left.