I Spy

Chapter 18

I sprinted home, not bothering to care if I looked suspicious. They wouldn't trace the gun back to me. It was registered to an Agency that no longer existed. But I ran anyone, worried about Courtney. My mind was reeling. What if he had been telling the truth, and  someone new had taken over the Agency, with the same intentions. Had Andrew Wilson had a right-hand man? I would ask Uncle Kevin, but first, I had to check on Courtney!

I was highly out of breath when I finally reached the door of my apartment. Even when I ran miles on miles, I rarely sprinted, and I was anything but prepared for sprinting several blocks. But I didn't slow down. I couldn't. I checked Courtney's pulse. It was normal, she was breathing normally. Though I didn't see any blood, I checked her over, looking for any cuts, scratches, anything. There was nothing but a large bump, the size of my palm, on the back of her head. My god, what the hell had he hit her with?

I laid her on the couch, after grabbing a large ice pack from the freezer, and I laid her head on it. It seemed like forever before she started to stir, but I didn't leave her side. It was close to two hours later when she finally opened her eyes. "Thea?" She groaned, reaching for her head, which I was sure was pounding. "I'm right here, Sis. How ya feelin'?" I asked her, helping her sit up. She moaned, "Like shit. What happened?" I re-positioned the ice pack for her, and she leaned back. "You were right, there was someone following you. He hit you over the head when you left. It's lucky I heard you scream, or god only knows where you'd be."

"Where is he now?" She asked, looking around anxiously. My voice dropped down to a monotone as I allowed myself to ease into a state of guiltlessness, just as I'd been trained. "He's dead." She gaped at me. "You killed him?" Her voice gave away her mixed emotions. She didn't know how to feel. She was thankful that I'd saved her, she was in awe that I had been willing to kill someone for her, and she was appalled by the fact that it obviously didn't bother me in the least bit. I nodded. "It's what I've been trained to do." She shook her head and whispered, "I guess I should just be happy that I'll never see him again."

I didn't want to upset her, but I coudln't let her get a false sense of security, either. I decided to tell her everything that he had told me. She stared at me with her mouth hanging open. "There are more of them?" She asked, her voice hoarse and weak. "Yes," I told her. "You're not leaving this apartment until I'm sure that it's safe. I'm not letting someone take the only thing I have left of our parents." She threw her arms around me, and I pulled her tight, ignoring the small gasp that was probably of pain. I didn't care. She was my sister, and I had 17 years worth of hugs to make up.

"Stay here," I told her, after I put on some clothes. I grabbed my keys. "Lock the door behind me. Go in the bedroom and watch tv. Don't let anyone in. For ANYTHING. I have my keys, and no one else needs to be here. I have my phone, call me if you need me. I'm not sure when I'll be back." Before she had the chance to say anything, I ran out the door, letting it slam behind me. I had so much that I needed to do. I needed to see Thomas. I needed the comfort that being around him brought. I needed to go and talk to Uncle Kevin about the possibility of Andrew Wilson having a successor or a right hand man. And above all, I needed to go to the hospital and see Taylor. 

I made my way toward the Wilson mansion, calling Thomas on the way. He met me at the front gate. It made things so much better now that he knew the truth about me. It was nice that I was able to tell him the truth about what was on my mind. But he was beyond concerned about the news that Courtney had nearly been kidnapped. "Thea, what if that had been you? I can't lose you." He pulled me closer. "And if my uncle has someone else running the Agency now that he's dead, we need to work with the Agents who are out now, and take them down." Damn. I knew there was something special about this boy. He was heroic. I sighed quietly, thankful that he didn't notice it. I didn't deserve him. He was far too good for someone like me.

I told him that I needed to go to the Kingsley's, and in typical gentleman fashion, he offered to walk me there, but I turned him down. I needed the time to do some thinking. "I love you, Thomas," I whispered, and he beamed at me. He leaned down and kissed me. "I love you, too, Thea." I walked toward my childhood home with a smile plastered on my face. I knocked on the door, and when Aunt Ginny saw me, she smiled. "You look happy today!" She exclaimed, pulling me into a hug. That shook me out of the stupor I was in. "I was, but I shouldn't be." She looked confused, until I explained what had happened. Then she called for Uncle Kevin.

He came running, seemingly thinking that something was wrong. He sat down at the table while Aunt Ginny recounted everything that I had just told her. He was concerned. "He said that he had orders from the Agency? Wilson didn't have a right hand man. I was the closest thing that he had, and even I wasn't all that close to him. With him dead, there's no one else to take over." He paused for a second. "I'll do my best to find out what he was talking about, Honey Bear." I smiled. No matter how old I got, I would always love hearing him call me by my childhood nickname. I thanked him, told them both that  loved them, and left. I stopped by a deli on Long Street and got some dinner, before I headed toward the hospital.

Dawkins was passed out in the arm chair by Taylor's bed, and I couldn't help but smile. That was precious. I stood on the other side of the bed, and put my hand on Taylor's. "I really wish you'd wake up," I whispered to him, not wanting to wake Dawkins. "We need you out here in the real world." Everything was silent except for the beeping of the heart monitor. I closed my eyes. "Well, as soon as I get out of this hospital bed, I'll be able to give you all the help you need." My eyes flew open."OH MY GOD!" I screamed, overjoyed. "TAYLOR!" I leaned down to hug him. "You're awake!" He laughed. "Yes, I am. Would you please wake up Timothy? And let your Aunt and Uncle know? I've been conscious of what's been going on around me for several days now, I just haven't been able to open my eyes or speak until now." I woke Dawkins up, and called the Kingsley's. Within twenty minutes, we had a happy reunion in the little hospital room.

But it quickly turned from happy to dark as Taylor's face turned to a look of unhappiness. "What's wrong?" I asked him. "I just realized. You all think that the Director is dead." I nodded, a feeling of dread passing through me. Everything went dead silent as we all stared at him. "Thea, right before the bomb went off, he stunned me, and ran out the front way." I felt sick as he finished.

"Andrew Wilson is out there, alive and free."

A/N: Well guys, this is it for I Spy! The story itself isn't finished, but I'm going to make it into a sequel, rather than just continuing the book. I still need a name for the second book. Anyone?! Comment or message me! Also, please vote! I love you guys! Thanks so much for the support you've given me. Jenn♥