Chapter 1: Not Such a Normal Day
Richie
People have always said I'm paranoid, but I promise I'm not and I can prove it. Walking through stores, staring outside my window, or even sitting in school, I always felt someone's eyes burning into the back of my head. The most insane part about it; the tall, dark man in a hoodie and jeans staring at me like he had a vendetta against my soul. I would always shrug off my anxiety only for it to return a few moments later. I used to love the outdoors. The warm breeze blowing against my face as I faced the deep blue ocean of the Florida coast. I still recall the golden sun burning my face as I did my homework in the lawn, calmly eating pretzels like there wasn't a care in the world, until I turned 16. I was a natural born athlete; always in my pool, playing tennis, or running. Being a Floridian, this was no surprise as everyone could swim, run, or play a sport, but there was something unnatural about it- no not unnatural, trained. Oops I almost forgot! Where are my manners! Hello, my name is Richie Forbes and I am the world's top teenage spy.
No one knows I'm a spy; not even my family. Only my team and the Organization know of my situation. It's hard to keep secrets, but it's even harder to keep them from your family, especially when you're living a double life. My secret life all began on my 16th birthday when I filled out an application. My family knew I always loved spies. Whether it was James Bond or the Cold War, I found spies so incredible. I researched the CIA and the FBI since I was a child. Black Widow was my favorite Marvel superhero and every Halloween I was either a ninja or a secret agent, but I never thought I would actually become one. For my 16th birthday, my parents got an application form for the CIA which I found funny. It was too good to be true, like one of those joke scratch off tickets from the gag shops. So, when I filled out the forms and mailed them to the address listed on the paper, I was most definitely not expecting an acceptance email from the CIA.
It was a bright and sunny Tuesday morning that changed my life forever. I woke up just as I did for any other school day, grabbing my usual t shirt and jeans, rushing upstairs to fix my messy caramel hair. I quickly ran to the kitchen to fix my bowl of Cheerios, where I was greeted by my incredibly annoying sister.
"Hey stupid, you ready yet? We have to go soon" she asked.
"Calm down Ri, let me eat before you start bugging me".
"Well hurry up, I'll be waiting in the car" she said as she casually walked out the door.
She left me alone, sitting at the glass dining table calming chewing on my Cheerios. Mom, Dad, and Becky were all upstairs, getting ready for work and school. Just as I was about to leave, Becky came down the stairs in her elementary uniform and her sparkling bow that she wore every day.
"Bye Richie! See you later." She exclaimed with glee.
"Bye Bec, I'll see you as soon as I get home." I quickly yelled back.
"Don't be late like always! I need you to help me with homework!" she answered.
"Don't worry, I have nothing to today so I'll be back right after school".
"Sure, you're always busy" she quietly answered back.
The amount of melancholy and sadness in her voice hurt but it was true, with school and friends, I was never home, and when I was, school took most of my time. I speedily closed the door before I had to hear anymore of Becky's sad retorts that definitely should not be coming from a small girl like Becky.
With my headphones in my ears and my music playing, I strode down the sidewalk, getting closer and closer to school. My normal route down Mulberry Street and Flamingo Road became the familiar palm trees and overpasses that I walked past every weekday for school. Just as I passed the corner that turned onto the street of West High, my phone buzzed inside my pocket. Expecting it to be Sydney or Alex texting me, I swiftly lifted my phone out of my pocket and stared down at the dim screen. The title read Urgent Acceptance for Richie Forbes. Puzzled I looked at the sender only for it to read CIA, Washington D. C. At this point I was thoroughly confused. Just as I was about to disregard that email and continue my stroll to school, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to see a tall and buff man smiling behind me.
"Hello" he said, "Would you mind coming with me sir".
All those times when my parents had told me about stranger danger and just walking away finally applied.
"I'm sorry, but I don't talk to strangers sir" I quickly replied, eager to get as far away from him as possible.
He looked like a business man in his suit and tie and neatly combed blond hair.
"Very funny Mr. Forbes but you're coming with me" he explained.
Faster than I expected, he grabbed my waist and lifted me towards the hidden black SUV parked in the alleyway I just passed. My instincts of self-defense took over, biting his arm, kicking him away from me, and sprinting desperately towards school where I knew I could find someone to help me. Suddenly my feet feel out from under me and I was face down on the pavement.
"Help! "I screamed but there was no one in sight.
Of course, the one time I need help there are no classmates around. Before I can flip myself over and prepare to fight Blondie again, I'm lifted sky high, over Blondie's shoulder, and thrown into the trunk of the SUV. Panic sweeps over me as I take in my unfamiliar surroundings, blank white walls line the inside of the chamber. Along the back wall three separate seats stood with seat belts around the chest and straps around the armrest. There was no way I was sitting in that electrocution style chair. Laying in a corner, I found my escape tool, a screwdriver. I rushed over to it, gripping its slender blue and black handle. However, just as I had begun to punch holes in the wall with it, a white gas began pouring out of small holes in the walls. Just as I felt the wheels begin to move, I dropped to the cold floor, the words knockout gas ringing in the back of my skull. Trying my hardest to stay focused, but the floor grew softer and comfier. I felt my head unconsciously lull until it hit the ground, the sound of rotating tires putting me to sleep until I entered a deep, unconscious sleep as the SUV and Blondie drove further and further away from West High.