Choose (A Choose Your Own Story Adventure)

9. Lie

"Where's your car? We should leave as soon as possible." Mia doesn't know why she said that. What she's doing is incredibly dangerous. Not only has she just agreed to take part in fighting off skilled criminals, but if Agent Santos finds out she is lying, then she could get in deep trouble.

Well, too late to change her mind.

Agent Santos starts walking to her car. Mia follows, almost having to run to catch up with her. The agent seems to stride across the parking lot in three steps. She brings Mia to a slick, two-seater Audi. Mia raises her brows. It's certainly modest.

Mia slips into the passenger seat. She sets her latte in the cupholder. Agent Santos didn't order anything. She was only there to wait for Agent White.

Agent Santos presses on the gas, lurching the car forward. Mia holds onto the door in shock. She sees a woman wearing a business suit and shades enter Serene Caffeine through the mirror. Mia shudders. Hopefully the woman doesn't call Agent Santos any time soon.

"So here's the case," the agent says. Mia's heart backflips at the words. She can't believe that this is actually happening. Me, an agent! Mia thinks. My co-workers will be calling me Agent Summers from now on. "The Manger brothers are plotting to perform a heist at the Lincoln Museum tonight. I had hoped to reach you sooner, but I understand your busy schedule. We need to figure out a plan to stop their robbery."

A heist seems like something that the police deal with. Why are secret agents getting involved?

"Do we know what they are planning to steal?" Mia asks.

Agent Santos shakes her head. "No clue. From what I know, the museum has nothing that the Manger brothers would be interested in. Unless they've joined the art-stealing criminals, but that's never been their style."

Mia is afraid to ask what their "style" is. If Agent White knows about the Manger brothers, then that will make her look suspicious. Agent Santos looks at Mia's confused expression from the corner of her eye and says, "Of course, you're not from here so you don't know the Manger brothers." Mia sighs with relief. "Johnny and Brock Manger lead a group who have attempted to execute many crimes. They're not too threatening, just a group we keep an eye on in case they try something serious. This new plot seems to be...different from the rest of theirs. It's more planned out. They seem to be taking it more seriously."

"So we need to assume that whatever they're planning, it's going to be big."

"Exactly."

Soon after, Agent Santos pulls into the driveway of a large house. A series of windows and doors are displayed in the front. Mia stares in awe. The largest house she has lived in was a two-story. And that was when she was eight.

"Is this your house?" Mia asks breathlessly.

Agent Santos shrugs. "It's shared amongst a few of us agents. No one should be here right now, though. Come, we have a lot to talk about."

Mia is hesitant to enter the house. She's unable to digest just how large the house is. How has no one noticed them? If people have, they know who they are and intend to stay out of their way. Mia feels like people who are against the agents could easily find them and attack them, too. Though, the longer she looks at the house, the more it looks like an apartment.

Mia realizes that Agent Santos is no longer standing beside her. She has already walked inside. Pull yourself together, Mia thinks. If you want to get away with this, you need to act naturally. She takes a moment to regain her composure before stepping inside.

Agent Santos waits for her by the door. Once Mia steps inside, Agent Santos turns and starts walking. Mia tries to keep at the agent's pace while admiring the house. It looks far smaller inside than it does outside. They are walking through a hallway filled with a series of doors. Names are labeled in small letters over the doors. Agent Santos walks all the way to the end of the hallway. She opens a door labeled "LOUNGE."

The lounge room is filled with two couches, a coffee table, and a pleasant fireplace. Agent Santos sits on one of the couches. Mia sits on the one across from her.

"We need to think of a plan," Agent Santos says, leaning in. "What do you think we should do?"

Mia blinks. "Me?"

"Of course. I asked you to join me in this case because I've tried everything to catch them without luck. I need a second person's opinions," she explains. "What do you think we should do?"

Mia thinks for a moment. She needs to think of something that an agent would say. They could just wait at the museum they're planning to rob and catch them there. Though it's a standard idea, if they go early, they can find a place to hide and catch them when they least expect it.

Or they can find their hideout and attack them early. Not only is it a more original idea, but the Manger brothers will never expect it. They can really use the element of surprise with this idea.

I think they are both solid ideas, Mia thinks. Which one should I tell Agent Santos?

Catch them at the museum ... Chapter 14

Find their hideout ... Chapter 15