P.A.S.T.A.

Chapter One

Taylor Dirk could hear the tapping sounds of her boots as she strode down the sidewalk. The neighborhood she was walking through was much quieter than the noisy city she was used to. Each property looked like a family's dream home; large houses, lush green grass, nicely painted fences, and beautiful flower gardens.

Also the perfect place for a retired secret agent to live. 

Taylor reached inside her coat pocket for a folded piece of paper. After looking at the address she had written on it, she looked around to see if she could spot the house. Soon, she spotted it across the street; number 562. She slipped the paper back into her pocket.

After waiting for a car to pass, Taylor crossed to the other side of the street. She opened the front gate and stepped onto the stone path in front of her. She kept her eyes on the front door as she walked along the path and onto the porch. She wanted to make this as fast as she could.

She knocked on the door and waited.

A few moment later, she could hear footsteps inside. Then, someone opened the door. It was a woman. She was petite, with tan skin and curly dark brown hair that was pulled back into a messy bun. She had dark chocolate eyes that looked like they could burn a hole through someone. Taylor also noticed a wedding band on her finger. 

"Can I help you?" The woman asked, a hint of an accent in her voice. Taylor couldn't make out what it was quite yet. 

"Yes," Taylor answered. "I'm looking for Leor Lockwood. Does he live here?"

"Yes... But who ar--"

"Good. I need to speak with him immediately," Taylor interrupted.

"Okay. But who ar--"

"It's urgent."

The woman appeared irritated. "Okay I understand. But I would like to now who you are," She said firmly.

"I work at the same place Mr. Lockwood used to work at," Taylor told her. "Now, is Mr. Lockwood home?" She asked, stepping inside without an invitation.

The woman raised a brow at her. "Yes he is. But miss, I didn't invite you in--"

"Good," Taylor interrupted again, walking farther into the house. "Where is he?" She asked as she walked into their living room. She placed her hands into her coat pockets as she looked around.

She heard the front door close and the woman follow after her. "I can get him for you if you just stay he--"

This time, she was interrupted by the excited squeals of a child. Taylor turned around to see a little boy with dark eyes and curly hair running into the living room with a huge smile on his face. 

A man came running after him. They appeared to be playing some sort of chasing game. "Come back here you little--" The man stopped when he saw Taylor. He looked a little confused.

"Hi!" The little boy chirped, looking up at Taylor. 

Taylor glanced down at him. She blinked, not saying anything. This must be Leor's son; and the woman must have been his wife. She turned back to the man. "You must be Leor," She said.

"Yes," Leor answered with a nod. "And who are you?"

"Someone who needs to talk to you," Taylor answered. She glanced at his wife. "Alone."

The woman narrowed her eyes at Taylor, obviously frustrated with her already.

Leor turned to his wife. "Um, Lor, could you give us a minute?' He asked quietly.

Lor turned to her husband. "Fine," She said. "I have to go get dinner ready anyways." She walked up to their son. "Theo, come help mommy make dinner," she said in a sweeter voice." 

"Okay!" Theo replied, grabbing his mother's hand. 

On their way out of the living room, Lor cast a glance at her husband. Leor waved to his son, who responded by smiling and waving back. When the two disappeared, Leor turned to Taylor.

"Okay, we're alone," He said with a shrug. "What do you want?"

"You were once an agent of the People's Advocate Stopping Total Annihilation organization, correct?" Taylor asked as she picked up a picture frame from off the coffee table.

Leor crossed his arms. "What makes you think that?"

"Chief Mackall sent me to find you and your team." She set the picture frame back down.

"I'm sorry; what?" 

Taylor glanced at him. He looked confused. "You heard me," She said. 

"Yes, but, why?" Leor asked.

"Well--" Taylor walked over to the brick fireplace and looked over the picture frames and items on top of it. "--over half of the organization's agents have gone missing, but no one knows why. He sent me to find you and with your assistance find the person responsible and rescue the agents." She looked at him again. "Honestly, I think I would be able to complete the mission on my own, but he doesn't seem to think so. Besides, you and your team are legends in that place. Some of the organizations best agents."

Leor chuckled, biting his lip. "Well," He began, looking proud of himself. "I can't disagree with that."

Taylor blinked, her face blank. "Which, I suppose, is why Chief wanted your help." 

"Okay, I understand that Chief is running out of agents, and that this is very serious, but we're all retired. We've all settled down and moved on from that kind of life," Leor told her.

"And why is that?" Taylor asked. It was odd to her, honestly. They were all young when they retired; around the age of twenty-three. It made no sense to her.

"Well, I retired because I had a girlfriend--Loretta--at the time," Leor explained. "And the rest... They all had their reasons too. I guess we just decided that we didn't want that kind of life."

Taylor let out a breathe. "That was over three years ago; don't you want to get back out there again?"

"Well..." Leor plopped down on his couch. "Kind of, yes. I miss the excitement. But I have a family now. I can't just leave them."

"Trust me; you can," Taylor assured him, placing her hands on the backrest of the couch.

"No. I can't," Leor argued. "That's not what a father does."

"Lot's of father's do it."

"But not good fathers."

Taylor breathed in, staring him down. "Look; it's only one mission," She insisted. "You'll be back with your family before you know it."

"That's if I survive," Leor corrected her. Taylor stared at him. "Yes, I know how this goes," He continued. "Every mission there's a chance that you won't come back alive. And this mission is no different. I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving."

Taylor pushed herself off the couch and paced back and forth, letting out a sigh. She needed to convince him to come along. She needed to get the whole team. She looked at him again. "What will it take to get you to come with me?"

"The assurance that I will make it back home alive," Leor answered, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. "But you can't give me that."

"No," Taylor admitted. "But what about all those agents who disappeared, huh? Some of them are married, too. Not many, but even those who aren't married still have other family. What are we supposed to say to those families if those agents aren't found?"

Leor closed his eyes, sighing. "You have a point," He said. 

Taylor watched him, both of them silent for a long time. Finally, Leor stood. "I have to talk to Lor about this," He said. "If she agrees, then I'll come with."

A satisfied expression spread across Taylor's face. "Good," She said. She walked around the sofa to approach him. "Call me when you have an answer," She said, pulling out a card from her pocket and handing it to him.

Leor took it. "I will," He promised, reading the card. "Taylor Dirk, eh?"

"I want an answer by tomorrow," Taylor said, walking to the front door. She placed a hand on the knob and glanced back at Leor, who was now standing in the doorway of the living room. "Don't disappoint me." With that, she opened the door and left.