Life of Maggie Marshall

Westminster Base Camp: Personal Mission *edited*

Westminster Base Camp: Personal Mission

3:00pm

I just told Nancie. She nodded and said it was fine. This was very unusual because Nancie is particularly nosy. I suppose I wouldn’t have her any other way though.

‘Are you alright Nancie?’ I say.

‘Can you keep a secret Maggie?’ she says, quietly.

‘Yes, you know I can. I am your best friend,’ I say, touching her shoulder.

 ‘Go on,’ I say, giving her an encouraging smile.

‘I’m moving to Texas, in October. The SASDT (Secret Agency for Scientific Discovery Texas), asked four junior agents from London to join the team at the SASDT. I was one of them,’ she says, nervously but with joy.

‘Oh that’s great Nancie!’ I say, putting my arms around her neck.

‘You think so! God, I’m so relieved. I thought that you… well I don’t know, but you’re happy for me,’ she says, beaming.

‘Of course I am! I mean I’m going to miss you like hell when you go. Although, I’ll almost be a senior  and we wouldn’t have much time to see each other. I suppose I always thought you would leave the nest. God, I sound like somebody from the Shakespearean era,’ I say, smiling.

Unlike normal school, we don’t have terms. Our year starts in January, ends in December.

I am genuinely, truly happy for her. Nancie had been dreaming about agencies like the SASDT.

‘Nancie, do you still feel… prickly about Leon?’ I say.

‘Sort of. Well, no, I suppose that I don’t really mind. It’s your decision whether to reconsider seeing him again. Do what you think is right Maggie. I’ll back you whatever your decision is,’ Nancie says.

‘Thanks,’ I say and give her another hug.

‘I’m going to base my personal mission on Leon,’ I say defiantly.

‘But, won’t like the computer scanners pick up the records,’ says Nancie.

‘Nancie, you seem to be missing the key word here. It’s a personal mission. This is where the LSA give their trust to their younger agents. They say it must be a use to us. Finding and tracking down Leon will definitely be a use to me. Will you be my forensics partner?’ I whisper as two senior guards walk past.

I asked for a form to fill out about the personal mission. Basically, it looks like this (once I filled it out):

Name:   Maggie Marshall

 Agent Name: MM16

 Start Date of Mission:  Sunday 12th August

 Deadline Date: Sunday 12th September

 Purpose of Mission: Personal Mission

 Mission Partner: Nancie Susanne NS16

 Signed by Agent and Partner: 

Maggie Marshall     Nancie Susanne

I handed my form into the main office with Nancie. To be honest, I am really nervous about the mission. I seemed no to of learnt my lesson and yet again I am going behind the LSAs back. Searching for an enemy spy-turned criminal- turned spy. Again.

I think I will write a note to him. I will post it to Chatsworth. Neither of our bases have controlled mail because it is very rare we get actual mail. Usually we have technological messages.

My letter to Leon:

Dear LM16,

I know you said you wouldn’t read anything I sent you, but please hear me out. I think you have misunderstood. I know it has been eight months since I last saw you, but I hate how things ended. You hurt me Leon, really hurt me. What happened back at Chatsworth was a misunderstanding.

They let me out and I was to return back to the LSA. I had heard that you had been made to work in the lowest rank. Obviously, as I can see from your letter that you had only been there for a day. I suppose that I should congratulate you on the success of your mission, even though it may be against me.

Anyway, I told my escort to take me to Agent 1. I couldn’t bear to think of you in the lowest rank. So I told Agent 1, I wanted him to put you back into your original rank because I thought that you were below it. I am so, so sorry. I didn’t know that you had been promoted. I am sorry, Leon, with all my heart.

From MM16,

P.S. I hope you understand.

I have very skilfully written on the envelope in different handwriting and also have had it classified to be delivered to him personally, so that he can’t choose whether to take it or not. I hope, I really hope that he understands.