Black Rose

Chapter 7

Kate examined the two teenagers sitting at the table. One was a girl who had a strong, athletic build. She had unnaturally straight black hair that went down to her shoulders. Her eyes were a dark shade of brown. The warm smile that she wore lit up her features.

The other teenager at the table was a short, skinny boy who looked to be slightly younger than Caitlin and the other girl. He had blond hair, ocean blue eyes, and a smile that could illuminate the world.

"Hey Bethany and Logan! I found these new recruits in the lunch line. They need a warm welcome, don't you think?" Caitlin asked, gesturing to Kate and Valerie.

Kate shifted her feet uncomfortably, glancing at Valerie to see if she would say anything first. Kate wasn't shy exactly, but Valerie was typically the one to speak out first.

"Hey guys. My name is Valerie. Nice to meet you," Valerie introduced herself. Bethany and Logan said hello and then glanced at Kate expectantly.

"Hi. My name is Kate. Thanks for allowing us to sit with you," she smiled politely, taking a seat. Valerie and Caitlin did the same.

"So how long have you all been spies?" Valerie asked after a beat of silence.

"I have been a certified spy for two months. I really enjoy it here. At first, I was really scared because I had no friends. But then-" Caitlin explained, but she was interrupted by Bethany.

"This girl talks way too much, but you gotta love her. Anyway, I've been here for four months. I am also a certified spy," Bethany answered. She laughed at Caitlin's expression of shock over being interrupted.

Kate laughed along with her, glad to have someone making jokes and bringing humor to the table.

"I've been here for one month but it's pretty chill," Logan piped up. He didn't seem to talk too much but when he did, he spoke in a confident, easygoing manner.

"This place is honestly so amazing. You guys definitely need to show us around sometime," Valerie said. Caitlin, as enthusiastic as ever, instantly agreed.

"Hey Garret!" Caitlin greeted, glancing behind Valerie's shoulder. Both Kate and Valerie turned around to find Garret standing right behind them.

"Hey everyone. I need to borrow Kate and Valerie," Garret smiled down at the group.

Kate and Valerie stood up, excusing themselves from the table. They walked away from the table and out of the cafeteria, glancing quizzically at Garret.

"Harry and Susan want to discuss the details of your first mission," he said simply. Kate and Valerie glanced at each other, a small smile playing at their lips. Their transition into spies was about to begin.

∆

Harry and Susan were sitting at Valerie's desk when the girls walked in, paperwork scattered around them. They looked up briefly but then returned their gazes to their work.

"We were just sorting out the details of your mission. Please sit down," Susan ordered, pointing to the bed. Kate and Valerie did as instructed.

"Your mission is not too complicated. You are to ensure that Ms. Martinez, a science teacher at Westhill High School, loses her job," Susan began to explain.

Kate interrupted Susan by letting out a loud gasp. "That's my science teacher! Why does she need to lose her job?"

Susan glanced up from the paperwork. "Your science teacher," she continued, "has been using the school's advanced technology to attempt to overthrow our spy organization."