In The Dark

1. Jones Reactivated

EDITED

As I entered through the fascinating translucent glass doors, my eyes roamed the lobby of the headquarters of The Organisation. I smiled at familiar faces as they rushed past me in a hurry. After my last mission, I had demanded a break from Mr Johnson, the Commander of this agency. Now, after two weeks, I had stepped back into the headquarters, already aware that I'll be leaving my home soon for another mission.

As I approached towards the centre of the dimly lit hallway, Barbara, a colleague of mine came rushing to me with a bright smile decorating her oval face. She hugged me and then pulled back, raising her left hand in the air for my eyes to zoom in on the diamond ring on her ring finger. A gasp escaped my lips and I squealed as she giggled at my reaction.

"When did this happen?" I raised an eyebrow at her in question and she smiled and told me how Blake, another colleague and her boyfriend asked her hand for marriage two days prior. I smiled warmly as she blushed when Blake hugged her from behind. He offered me a small smile and then kissed Barbara's cheek, causing me to amusedly look at the two as Barbara's ears turned bright red with embarrassment.

The couple's eyes fixed on something behind me and they smiled. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and turned around only to meet a pair of light blue. I grinned and embraced the blonde boy as he patted my head. "What's up, sis?" his heavy voice asked as I continued smiling giddily at my elder brother.

"I didn't know you were returning today!" I exclaimed excitedly as I lightly punched his muscular arm.

"Yes, I finished my mission early and returned before you could leave for yours," he shrugged and I smiled at how considerate he could be at certain times.

Cody, Barbara, Blake and I were talking and catching up when we heard a heavy and authoritative behind us, all of us turned around to see Mr Johnson standing with a blank expression on his mature face. "Good morning," he greeted formally and we greeted him back.

"Ashley, please come into my office, we have a lot to discuss," he announced and sauntered off, causing all of us to sigh in relief.

"He is so scary," Barbara mumbled and the rest of us chuckled in amusement.

We dispersed and I approached Mr Johnson's office before knocking on the mahogany door. After permission to enter and an invite to have a seat, Mr Johnson dug into the drawer under his desk for a dull grey folder. He slid it across the table towards me and I picked it up with peak interest and gleaming excitement for my next assignment.

I eagerly flipped open the file and scanned the text, skimming over the information. Just as I was about to reach the end of the file, a familiar name and case number caught my eye. My eyes narrowed in on the name and I raised my eyebrows in suspicion. I raised my head and caught the curious eyes of Mr Johnson. "Does dad know?" the question slipped out of my lips effortlessly.

He sighed and shook his head while closing his eyes, almost as if trying to recall past events. "And you think he'd be okay with me telling him this?" I smirked.

Mr Johnson's eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at me. "No, seriously, don't you think you should tell him?" I leaned back into my seat and raised my feet to rest on the table.

"Henry wouldn't let you go if I told him," he sighed and leaned back into his own seat. I shook my head and smirked, "And he'd send me happily if I told him?" I asked and chuckled when I received yet another glare. I was getting on his nerves, I could see it.

"Henry doesn't need to know," Mr Johnson stared into my eyes as I rolled them upon hearing the statement. "Look, I am not lying to my father. And besides, he deserves to know. He stopped Damien Gray from bombing Miami fifteen years back. I think he should be aware that you are now considering sending me to spy on and get information from Damien's son," I stated while shrugging.

"Do whatever you want, I don't care. I want you to do this assignment. Tell your father or hide it, your call to make not mine," he glared, annoyed of me and I chuckled. I stood up from my seat, stretched my muscles, grabbed the file and exited the room with a smug smile.

I chewed my chewing gum as I leisurely made my way to the resource room where weapons were stored. I stocked my bag with technologically advanced devices which I thought would be of some use along with my daggers and guns. I hummed to an unknown melody as I seated myself on the bench in the big room. I flipped open the file to come across the picture of the subject. I carefully inspected the picture of the brunette boy. He had chocolate brown eyes matching with his brown hair and perfectly arched raven eyebrows. A pointed nose with plump pink lips completed his face with chiseled cheekbones and a well-structured jawline. I couldn't comment on the physique but my guess was that he was well-built with a tall frame. A few lines below his picture was a name- Christopher Gray. He was the same age as me and was enrolled in the University of New York which I too would now have to attend. I slammed the file shut with a sigh and grabbed my bag as I left the headquarters.

I was dreading meeting my father and telling him my new assignment. Apart from the reluctance of leaving my old man I knew he'd be worried more than usual due to his arch nemesis being involved. Another point to be taken into consideration was that the mission in Miami was the last assignment my dad had carried out, along with my mother. He had lost her in that mission, I don't exactly know how because he never told us the details. I knew he'd think he'd loose me too.