Book

 

   Prologue

All my life I have been unwanted. I wasn't even supposed to be born. When my mom was 18 she had me. Of course she loved me because she loves everyone, that's just how she is. But she wouldn't pay for me to go to school, said it is too expensive. So my dad homeschools me, sometimes.

Most of the time he's too busy caring for mom, "Would you like a glass of water?" I mean just because she has cancer doesn't mean she's totally helpless. Have you ever seen The Fault in our Stars? The main girl has the same cancer as Mom does and she acts like a normal girl, going out for picnics, laughing, doing whatever she wants to. But my mom just lays around saying it's because of the cancer. And my grandparents visit so much it's like they live here. Whenever they come over they are like Dad except worse, asking every two seconds if she needs something. No one ever pays attention to me, I’m just like an invisible money spender.

One night I was going to tell Mom and Dad that I was going out when I heard them talking in the kitchen, not just, arguing. "She's six years older than I was when they told me, we need to tell her!" Tell me what?

"It's too dangerous! I'm not going to let her go out, you almost died several times, and your sister did," argued my dad. Whatever they were talking about had to be serious, if people almost died!

"But we were younger! We can't keep this from her for the rest of her life."

My dad responded almost immediately, "But we can try." I ducked behind the sofa as my dad walked out of the room. I stayed there for a few minutes thinking of they what they had said. What were they keeping from me? I slowly walked into the kitchen, the gears in brain turning. Could they be spies? No they almost never left the house. Could I be a demigod like the ones in Percy Jackson books? No. Well whatever it was, I would find out.

I left a note on the table saying I had gone out. But it's not like they would care. I got into my car and drove around for a few hours just wanting to get my mind lose at this point. Then I was hungry so I stopped at the cafe and grabbed a doughnut. The cashier was dumbstruck when he saw me. "You're, you're Sally Slythe the-" he was cut short when his co worker whispered something in his ear, he looked serious suddenly and nodded his head. "Here's your doughnut, miss." I wonder if I could be famous or something and not know it, but how could that get me and mom almost killed?

Angry now at, my parents for keeping a secret that could possibly kill I stormed into the house. "How could you keep-" I cut short seeing the sadness on my dad’s face. "What's wrong, dad?" But before I said it, I knew my mom had died. We knew she wouldn’t live much longer with her cancer. But this was totally unexpected. I needed to get out of the house. I needed my dad to love and comfort me. I grabbed my car keys from off the table and drove to the nearest bar. I know, irresponsible for me, I'm not old enough to be legally drinking but I am eighteen, close enough, right? No. I swallowed down four glasses before I started to feel woozy. But addicted I grabbed another two for the trip to the beach. Before I was even in my car I swallowed down the other two. I then drove to the beach only hitting a few signs and mailboxes. Once I reached the beach I walked or tried to walk to the shore. I fell down halfway There and passed out.

When I woke up I was in a house, not my house, but a house. I looked around and saw a boy probably my age watching tv next to me. Why am I here? Do you live here by yourself? I wanted to ask those questions but it seemed impolite. I won’t get into any detail of what happened there. All I’m going to say is that I made a mistake, a terrible decision. I went home a few hours later when I could drive without hitting anything. Dad was really upset I was gone for so long. I mean why does he care? I don't tell him about anything I did while I was gone when he asked. I was still too shocked mom had died.

That night was months ago. But I still very much regret seeing that boy.

Sally

 I got pregnant. I didn't tell my dad for a few months until it was big to hide. Surprisingly he took the news really well. Now I'm just like a smaller version of my mom. She had me when she was eighteen and I'm having a girl when I'm eighteen. Dad has helped out a lot with everything. I didn't expect him to help as much as he does, I guess he does love me, or else he wouldn't be helping me. Yesterday he bought a really cute red stroller for the baby. I love it so much because my moms favorite color was red, like a rose. Like a rose. My moms name was Rose. The famous Rose, so loved by everyone, so perfect. But enough about my mother.

I was about to be a mother, whether ready or not. I had a week to get ready, just a week before the girl came, but I could make it. I was out shopping for some baby clothes with my dad when I felt it. The pain, then the need to push. I knew I was going into labor early so I called 911. Two deathly minutes later the ambulance arrived. It seemed like hours but eventually I was admitted into the hospital. A few hours later I had a precious girl. I named her, Marie. My dad wanted her to be Rose after my mother, but it was too many memories when I heard that name again.

It was a lot more work caring for a baby than I thought it would be. I had to get a job soon, and my own house. Often I wondered where the boy was that I had been with that night, if he even knew. But my dad forced that out of my head, telling me I would have to do more work since Marie didn't have a father. It was a miracle, Marie was. She was so beautiful and just so... not me. Once Marie was one year old I took up a job. A waitress at Perkins. I get a lot of big tips so I should be happy, but it's not enough for my girl. I can't explain to you how much I love Marie. I can't believe something so wonderful can come from me. She a healthy girl too, for being born early. In just a few days will be her second birthday, May 6. She has already been speaking a few words like, "Mama, Huz, Dada, Fud!" She can't so O correctly yet, been she just replaces it with u. She calls my dad her dad. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or a bad thing. but I know what's a good thing, I almost have enough for a house that I really want! In a few months I should be able to buy it and furniture.

It's May sixth and the house I want just went down by four thousand! That means I have more than enough money to buy it. I'm leaving Marie with Grandpa so she doesn't get bored while I rush over to the house. No one has bought the house, nor made an offer yet! I make an offer, one thousand lower than I would pay. My strategy works, "We will take one thousand more, if you agree." I pretend to be thinking and than say, "Yes I agree." In just an hour  the house is mine and Marie's. I rush back to my dad’s house.

When I enter the room excited bubbly, my dad's sad face looks down on me. The same face when my mother died. I stricken with horror and shock. "No! No, you must, no! She can be taking a nap! No!" I rushed over to the couch, where I had last seen her. There Marie was lying silent in a very tortuous position. "No. There's no explanation for this, with mum’s death there was, but her, no! No! She can't be!" I sat down, with so many emotions bubbling up. My father sat beside me, "I told her I was getting her cake and that I would be right back. So I went into the kitchen and got her cake but then I heard her scream, so I set down the cake and ran to the couch and this is how she looked. I'm sorry Sally." I shook my head, angry now. "Someone must have done this to her, she couldn't have just died by herself." My father nodded his head in agreement, "Sally I should have told you this a long time ago. I'm a spy, so is... was your mother. Your whole family is a spy. Rose's mother and uncles were legendary spies. And you were supposed to be a legendary spie too." I nodded. I remembered the nights of my. Mothers death, the cashier, he strayed to say something. He must be a spy too. "They are all around us, spies are. Aren't they?" My dad nodded but didn't say anything for a minute.

We sat there in silence. "There are three different societies. We belong in A.S.O.G, Awesome Society of Good. We fight off the bad guys like E.S.O.S, Evil Society of Stuff. But the worst society, one that even E.S.O.S is trying to fight off is E.R.I, Evil Russian Industries. But for a few years now A.S.O.G has been shut down. We have no leader, or anyone volunteering to be the leader. Without a leader we crumble down to dust. You are supposed to be the leader, Sally. You."

I pinched myself, sure that I was dreaming. Nope, maybe a slap would do it, Nope. Suddenly I had an urgent feeling that I wanted to see Marie's father, just to tell him that she died... but nobody would understand the pain I have gone through. I sat thinking about everything for a while.

Thinking that I would need to join a counseling session. I picked up my phone and called my old school counselor, yes I remember her phone number, I used to go to her a lot. I walked into my room and locked the door so my dad wouldn't come in. "Hello, Julie. This is Sally. I was wondering if you had any open counseling sessions today." I listened to her say yes and ask why. "I have been going through a lot of things, things nobody would believe. I don't care if you put me in a mental hospital though, it would serve me right." She said the counselling session started in an hour at the church. Since the church was a little less than an hour drive I decided to go now.

"Bye dad I'm heading out." He gave a look, "Don’t do anything dangerous again, Sally!" I rolled my eyes left. During the car drive I practiced what I would say. When I got there, there were a lot of people. A lot of people to witness my craziness.

"Ok let's get started, who would like to ,go first?" I raised my hand and noticed I was the only one with my hand up. "Sally, go ahead."

I hesitated for a second, "I'm, well going through a tough patch. A few years ago my mom died, and I did some things that I do not speak of. Then a few months later I was pregnant. I had... I had the most beautiful girl you could ever imagine. Today is... Her second birthday. And I wanted a house for her so I left her with my dad and drove over to the house. I bought the house and when I came home-when I came home she was lying dead on the couch with her body twisted up in weird angles. And then my dad told me I was a spy, he was a spy, my mom was a spy. That I belonged to this organization called Awesome Society of Good, and that I was supposed to be the leader."

Julie hesitated for a second then pulled me aside. "I'm sorry Sally, but I'm going to have to give you a test to make sure you aren't drunk and to make sure you don't need to go to a mental hospital." I nodded my agreement. She called out to the rest of the group, "I'm going to be right back, alright?" She focused her attention back on me again and asked me a lot of questions and had me walk in a straight line. After a while it was proven clear that I wasn't on drugs and that I wasn't drunk. Then she had to make me take a mental test. I failed.

"Sally, I'm so sorry but I have to call your father and then drive you over to the Mental Hospital, I'm so sorry, Sally." She called my dad and left a message explaining everything. "Ok, Sally let’s go. I've already found someone to take care of the session." I got into her care and we drove over to Sagewood Hospital. There I was admitted and taken into my room.

My room was red, Marie's favorite color. The bed was like any normal hospital bed. The nurses crowded around me, lifting me into the bed and then hooking me up with all of this electronic stuff. After a few hours they all left but one nurse. "My name is Monica and I'm going to take care of you during your stay here, Sally." I nodded relieved to have everything that happened be lifted of my shoulders. Julie waved goodbye. I asked if Monica could call my dad and tell him not to come. I didn't want anyone here. I just wanted to relax. Next I asked if she could close the door, it was really bothering me that everyone passing by kept looking in my room. Then I turned the tv onto my favorite show, America’s Got Talent. Monica pulled up a chair and watched with me. At ten she insisted I go to bed, so I got up to dim the lights and Monica gasped. "Sally you aren't supposed to get out of bed!" I stood there frozen in place until Monica coaxed me back in bed. She dimmed the lights for me. "Monica, are you here like 24/7?" She nodded her head. I was amazed, how could she be so nice and almost never leave the hospital?

 

.

In the morning I felt terrible, like I was sick, but worse. I told Monica how I felt and she called in a doctor. He looked at me for a long time and then said, "You might have cancer." I nodded, not really shocked. "I'll call your dad and then start the operation." He called my dad and left a message. Then he took me into a different room. Monica was left behind. "Are you ready to start?" I shook my head, "I need Monica!" He called her down. Monica stood beside me and held my hand and then operation started.

When I woke up I was told I didn’t have cancer but my body was shutting down for some reason. They didn’t think I was sick but that I was probably just suffering major depression. Monica took me back into the room and I started to cry. “Sally, are you ok?” Monica looked at me with great concern.

“No, I’m not ok. I’ve never been wanted, or loved. Even though no one loved me I loved my mom. And she died. I had a baby girl. She was the only person who ever loved me, and she died. My dad’s a spy and I'm supposed to be the leader of an organization for spies. And I’m put into a mental hospital to top it all off.”

Monica looked at me then walked out of the room. She returned with a knife and handed it to me. “Just in case,” she said with a wink. I was shocked she thought that I needed this. And that she gave it to me. I mean, I’m in a MENTAL HOSPITAL for crying out loud, you’re not supposed to go around giving a  MAJORLY depressed girl a knife!

The next morning Monica left to get me breakfast when a small girl came into my room. She looked around then gazed at me sweetly. “Sally Slythe? I have something for you.” I nodded and whoa, the girl took a gun out of her pocket and tried to shoot me!!!!! So of course I did what a normal person would do, scream your freaking head off. But of course then the girl just throws a knife at you and leaves! And just like in the movies someone saved me by catching the knife mid air and hurling it to the ground. Like this is insane people, this doesn’t just happen. I look at my savior, Monica. She turns on me, suddenly angry,”Why didn’t you use the knife I gave you?”  I was dumbstruck, I almost got killed and she was yelling at me. “Did you not see that a freaking 9 year old came into my room whipped out a gun tried to shoot me then threw a knife at me to kill me?!?!?! I don’t know what you would have done but I was frozen in terror as a little girl tried to kill me!”

   Monica rolled her eyes and then herded me out of the room, “Come on we have to get to the base before they send out others.”

Monica

“Hurry Sally, the two year olds won’t slow down for an ice cream!”

  Sally looked at me, “Well I’m sorry, I haven’t had food for two days!!!”

I rolled my eyes. Just like her to exaggerate. “First of all ice cream doesn’t qualify as food, second you ate last night, and third I didn’t get you breakfast because I was saving your life!” Sally just shrugged and continued eating her ice cream. I sped up the pace looking for any cute kids. “Sally, there’s a cute 4 year old!”

   She looked behind her and her mouth dropped open. “That boy is the cutest toddler I have ever seen!!!!! He couldn’t hurt us, he’s too cute!”

   “He could hurt us very easily, and kill us even easier. His name is Sebastian Price, a top agent of ERI.” I thought back to when he was a baby and killed one of my partners. “He’s nasty business, Sally. You don’t want to be up close to him.”

Dumbstruck Sally looked at me and then at the toddler. “Come on, let’s go for a little run, shall we?” And with that I took of running. Sally quickly caught up. I ran until I saw the familiar GOLD’S PLACE sign. Smiling I opened the door and gestured for Sally to walk in.  She walked in and gasped, “This place, this is amazing! Is this where you live?”

  I nodded. “Welcome to the Protectors! We are a group of highly trained spies from ASOG. We have a leader, but mostly all our orders come from higher up spies in the network. Our mission is to protect you from ERI so that ASOG can have a leader once more!” I watched as she struggled to take it all in.

“So I’m not mental all this spy stuff really does exist!” I smiled as she beamed like she won a million dollars. “But is your name really Monica?”

 I sighed, “My name is Monica, but everyone calls me Boss except my closest friends.”

“Oh, ok….. Boss.” I rolled my eyes for probably the sixtieth time today, “You should not be calling me Boss, I should be calling you Boss.”

Sally looked taken aback, “Why would you call me Boss?” Seriously, this girl really exceeded her blonde stupidity. I mean, how many times will I have to explain things that should be totally obvious to her?

  “Because you’re the leader of ASOG! Which reminds me, I have to contact Protectors and ASOG of your arrival.” I ran off into the contact room but I could still hear Sally behind, “My arrival? Am I some sort of package?” I faintly snorted and went to work calling an all spy meeting. “This is Boss with an C-14937. Calling an all spy meeting.” I returned to the hallway to see Sally wandering around like a lost puppy. “Come on, I’ll show you to your rooms. The others will be here in half an hour.” I led her to the empty wing saved for guests. “Here are your rooms. If you need anything just message me.” I watched as Sally gaped at he monstrous space and beautiful furniture. When I told her rooms, I literally meant ROOMS. Then, I walked out of Sally’s wing and got ready for the meeting.

In my own private wing, I selected some of my low-toned makeup and began brushing it on. After I had finished makeup, I quickly brushed through my glossy black hair and smiled in the mirror to check my teeth.

Could definitely use some whitening, I thought to myself. Hurrying to my extensive wardrobe I picked out my favorite suit. A hot pink, smart suit that was perfect for combat because it was flexible, bulletproof, and fireproof. I changed as fast as I could and then exited my wing and headed toward the meeting room. I was surprised to see Sally already sitting at the conference table with a few other hundred spies. I had figured she would still be in shock or exploring her wing. I know for sure it took me at least and hour to fully explore my wing when it was first shown to me. I’m pretty sure she will turn out to be a good leader. I took my place at the head of the gigantic table and surveyed who was already here. Not that many, less than a thousand spies were here. Glancing at my watch I saw I was 17 minutes ahead of schedule. Setting my jaw I waited for the rest of the societies to show up.

It wasn’t until 15 past 5:00 that the last of the agents trickled in. I sighed. Finally, I thought.

I banged my fist on the table.

“Everyone, listen up! This is going to be a civilized meeting, unlike the others,” Sally glanced at me nervously, “That means no arguing, interrupting, or shouting!” I shouted. “Ok now I have some very exciting, life changing news. Sally is here.” Several people looked around while others just smiled their face off. We have been waiting years for this and all but do you have to smile very idiotically and not stop smiling to talk? I mean the dumb people look like they just came out of a  stupid Mickey Mouse® cartoon!

     I motioned for Sally to talk as she stood up, “It is true, my dear Monica,” I winced as she said my dear Monica, I am not hers, I’m not dear, and I’m not Monica- I’m Boss, “saved me from two ERI agents and brought me here. Two days ago I was living a normal life. When my dad told me my family came from a long line of spies I thought he lost his marbles. But now, I’m determined to-” I stopped listening having the feeling something was off. Then I realized it, there was a  very cute 6 year old boy standing near the doorway.

    “No!” I jumped up onto the table and stood in front of Sally to protect her from the bullet coming her way. Now I was glad I wore this combat suit. I ran to disarm the boy when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a grenade. I kicked the grenade out of his hand, caught it, and easily disabled it. He took off running into the hallway. Sprinting, I caught up to my intruder and knocked him out. “El, Vi, take him!” El and Vi are my two bodyguards that don’t really guard me but they get rid of the people I knock out. I jogged back into the meeting room to check on Sally. Once she saw me she said, “Make that three times Monica has saved me from an ERI agent.” With the meeting over Sally and I left to go to the training barracks.

    “From now on you are going to spend most of your time here, training. One day I want you to be able to do what I just did. Now throw me a punch.” She very weak heartedly punched me in the side. I encouraged her to go harder on me and received a deathly blow to the stomach.

  “Good job, now wherever you go, whenever you go anywhere, always wear a bulletproof, fire proof, combat  suit. That way if you get shot unexpectedly or someone tries to throw you in a fireplace you won’t die. You should have four thousand six hundred thirty nine of these in your closet.”

 Sally looked at me in wonder, “Do I really have four thousand six hundred forty nine of those?”

I rolled my eyes, “Thirty nine, but no. You have several million, do you think I would give you less than a million?” Seriously, this girl needed a jar of smarts very badly.

 “Cool, when do I start training?”

When did she think she would start? She would start now of course.

Sally

I am dripping in sweat. I didn’t know training would be this hard. First Monica is making me practice disarming opponents. I am never going to be able to do the whole leg kick thingy. Monica made me react the scene from the meeting. She pulled out a gun and before she had time to shoot me I had to run up to her kick the gun out of her hand and knock her out. It’s hard work. The gun she is using has no bullets in it but I am still wearing a combat suit, just in case. After probably a million pathetic attempts I finally kicked the gun out of her hand.

    “Good job, Sally. Although by now you and everyone else is probably dead. Let’s try it again, this time I’m sending in an actual agent with a real gun and bullets. Remember your hands and neck are not covered by the suit so protect them.”

  Wait….. WHAT?!?!?!?! An actual gun with real bullets in them? This is my first day in training, and I don’t want to die already. I can’t go fast enough and I can’t protect my hands and neck. This is IMPOSSIBLE!

 “Ok let’s get started, Sally, I’m going to put you in  room full of spies, only one is sent to kill you. Your job is to find out who, disarm them, and knock them out. Please, don’t kill anyone, they are all our spies.” With a wink Monica shove out the door and into a meeting room.

Immediately I spotted a 7 year-old in the crowd of people that walk into the room. My instincts tell me to attack her, so I run up and shove her onto the ground. Feeling proud of myself for finding her so quickly, I punch her  face. The little girl starts bawling, her pigtails now stand with blood from her nose. I start blushing madly. I mean, I thought she was a spy, I mean she is so cute, she can’t not be an ERI agent!

   Suddenly, I hear a clicking sound. I spin around.

That was the sound of a gun being loaded, I think.

When I see no one pointing a gun at me, I automatically am frustrated. Why do they have to make it this hard?!?! It’s my first day of training, not my last! A bullet  pounded off my suit and I looked down at my arm where a black mark was forming.

 I look down again at the mark, trying to determine where the bullet was shot from. I see a slight skid mark on the overhead pipe work that angles left. So the shooter must have been on the right side of the room. I did this in a matter of seconds. I feel proud, knowing that I learned a lot in just a few hours. I now drag myself up scan the faces of the agents. They all seemed shocked, except for four. Obviously decoys. Next I look at their posture. Again, more decoys.

I finally realize that each one of these agents have a job, look guilty, smile, look like you did it, have the wrong posture, but all of them have one thing in common, trick me. Now for my last scan I look for the least guilty person, the most shocked, the most oblivious. Within a half second I spot a man, 6”, 2’ at the most. I walk casually over to him.

“This stuff is pretty crazy right? I mean it’s my first day here and already I’m being shot at.” Before he has time to take out the gun again, I use my signature move. The whole ninja kick spin thing. It hits him in the neck, way off from where I was aiming, He seems shocked that I knew it was him. The man gets up and stumbles towards me.

“Nice try sweetheart, but you’re going down.” The man swings his arm into my stomach.

I take off my heels and stab him with them. Then I take a folder filled with paperwork off the desk and bash his head with it. Just for good measure kick him in the stomach.

Monica

“I’m sorry Monica. She was just so cute I thought she had to be an ERI agent. I mean how was I supposed to know that it is Take Your Child to Work Day?”

I sigh. “I guess there was no way of knowing but next time make sure you do a full analysis before you start killing, ok?”

Sally nods solemnly. Suddenly giddy with excitement, “But did you see how fast I figured out who did it. I didn’t even get shot, well unless if you count my arm. I was all like bam-pow-huuuuy wah. Then that guy was like, ‘YOU’LL NEVER DEFEAT ME’ and I was like, oh ya? I just did.”

Smiling I walked Sally down to her room, my ear ringing from all of Sally’s Action Tales: From Inside The Protectors’.

Impressum

Texte: Alaina Fulkerson
Bildmaterialien: Bookrix
Lektorat: Maggie Morris
Übersetzung: Duolingo
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.05.2016

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Widmung:
To Maggie for helping me through all of those days when I had writer's block. Also to everyone who reads this. Last but not least my beautiful family who has always supported my wildest dreams.