* * *
The glow from the monitor illuminated Scar’s face, making him look even more menacing and threatening than normal.
“Tell me again what it is you are doing,” he said as he stood with arms crossed, studying the strings of numbers flashing down the screen in rapid procession. Sitting in a chair beside him, a nervous bald man was typing furiously on a keyboard, pausing now and then to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He was trying to keep it from running down into his eyes and fogging up his large glasses, and he was failing miserably.
Around them were rows and rows of unused computers. Multiple guards were posted throughout the basement; all of them had laser rifles.
“I don’t like to wait,” Scar said, leaning over the shoulder of the nervous computer operator who everyone in the United Order just referred to as The Operator. His rampant nervousness was nothing that the guards and Scar had not seen before. He was always nervous when he was using computers, even though he was one of the best hackers and security protection experts in the world. The Operator had mentioned that he got nervous because of a traumatic experience he had as a child when he claimed a computer had tried to kill him by electrocuting him. Ever since that moment he was always worried whenever he touched a keyboard, screen or holographic work station.
“Yes, well, I’m, I mean, it is currently hacking into multiple accounts all over the world,” The Operator said as his fingers danced nervously across the keyboard. The computer he was using was connected to a transparent plastic box beside him. The box was filled with computer components and wires. The Super Chip rested on the top of the box, plugged in and boosting the technological power that The Operator was using.
“We are working with the Super Chip to convince the bank’s computers to take ten dollars from five million different accounts and place it in our own, anonymous offshore account. It’s a small step for the Chip’s abilities, but we are testing out the possibilities slowly because…” The Operator jumped back from the computer with a sudden yelp.
“Did you feel that?” he asked with fright as he stared at the keyboard. “I thought I felt something.”
“I’m sure it was just in your mind,” Scar said impatiently.
“Yes, you’re probably right,” The Operator said as he cautiously poked the keyboard and then jumped back quickly. When he didn’t feel a shock, he tested it again, touching the keyboard for a longer amount of time before quickly pulling his hand back again.
“We are on a deadline,” Scar emphasized the word ‘dead,’ making sure The Operator understood the hidden meaning.
Reluctantly, The Operator started typing on the keyboard. As nervous as the computer made him, Scar scared him even more. Between the computer in front of him and Scar behind, The Operator started sweating worse than before. His glasses began fogging up and he had to wipe them several times so he could see.
“We are telling the bank accounts that the ten dollars we are taking from them is due to a maintenance charge,” The Operator finally finished explaining.
Scar peered intently at the gibberish on the monitor, trying to make sense of the words and numbers appearing and disappearing in rapid procession.
“And is it working?” Scar asked.
“Normally this kind of procedure would take hours of time and then even more hours to make the hack harder to trace,” The Operator explained. “But with the Super Chip plugged in, I am able to circumvent all security in a matter of seconds.” He beamed with pride as if it were him that was getting through the security instead of the Super Chip.
“It’s working exactly as it’s supposed to. May I ask who invented it?” The Operator asked as he kept his attention focused on the screen.
“No you may not,” a woman’s voice responded. A sword appeared from behind Scar, its edge held close across his neck.
The Operator turned around to see Silence standing behind them.
“Oh my,” was all he could say.
All the guards rushed forward with their laser rifles up and ready to fire, but they had no clear shot as Silence made sure to keep herself hidden behind Scar while only allowing her sword arm to be visible as a target.
Silence applied some pressure with her sword on Scar’s neck.
“Step back,” Scar managed to say.
“Smart,” Silence smiled as she saw the guards look to each other, uncertain as to what to do.
“Now!” Scar barked as a trickle of blood ran down his neck. The guards did as they were told. Scar tried to turn his head to look back at Silence.
“Eyes front, don’t move a muscle,” she warned him.
Scar was not used to being told what to do, especially not by the enemy.
“How did you get in here?” he asked, doing his best to keep the anger and frustration out of his voice.
“You’re really hating this, aren’t you?” Silence teased. She loved to flaunt her skill and never missed an opportunity to do it. “Big, strong guy like you being shown up by little, old me?” she purred in his ear.
The Operator fidgeted, wiping away at the sweat on his forehead to keep it out of his eyes.
“I’m not going to tell you how I got in here. It would ruin the fun for next time,” Silence mocked.
The guards still looked back and forth at one another, trying to somehow figure out what they all thought should be done. Since no one thought of anything, they just kept looking back and forth dumbly at each other.
“Since we know you can all follow instructions, I’m going to give you a few more. Take the Chip out of that box,” Silence ordered.
The Operator looked to Scar helplessly. Scar wasn’t any help; he kept his look stoic and unreadable.
“Do it, I haven’t got all day,” Silence added.
The Operator reached out a trembling, sweat-soaked hand and unplugged the Chip from the plastic box.
“I’ve got it,” he said needlessly as he held it up for everyone to see.
“Pass it slowly to me,” Silence said.
The Operator held out the Super Chip for Silence to take. Scar, the sword still at his throat, decided he had had enough. He couldn’t let this woman get the Chip that the United Order had worked and sacrificed so much for. With his hands at his side, he slowly reached down and unclipped his laser gun. Silence was directly behind him so she couldn’t see what he was doing. She held out her hand for the Chip. The Operator reached out even further to give it to her.
Scar slowly raised his gun and pointed it above his shoulder, aiming it roughly at her face. Silence looked down and saw the gun just at the last moment. She bent low as Scar fired and the shot passed harmlessly over her head.
Before she could react any further, Scar spun free of her sword and kicked out, catching Silence in the stomach and sending her flying backward.
“Guard the Chip,” Scar yelled.
The Operator pulled the Chip back toward himself and held it close, not sure what he was going to do to effectively guard it.
The United Order soldiers sprang into action, bringing up their laser rifles and aiming them at Silence. Scar inadvertently blocked their aim as he advanced on her with his gun. Recovering quickly from the attack, Silence kicked the gun out of his hand. But it wasn’t enough. Scar and all the guards in the room had Silence trapped against the wall. There was nowhere for her to go.
“Looks like a party!” Big Petey hollered as he came out of the stairwell and charged the guards.
Before they could react, Big Petey had barreled into the group, sending bodies flying in all directions as he wrestled with all of them at the same time. He was too close, and they were scrambling all over each other, which helped make their laser rifles practically useless against Big Petey. This was the type of fight he lived for.
Red stepped into the basement, still clutching her four square grenades, and scanned the room, taking stock of everything that was going on.
From the opposite end of the basement, Johnny and Nancy also entered the room.
>
“Looks like we finally found Silence,” Johnny said.
“Looks like your friends could use some help,” Nancy responded as she watched Big Petey get surrounded by all the guards.
Johnny dodged aside as a thrown guard crashed into the wall beside him.
“I’m not so sure about that,” Johnny remarked as he looked down at the unconscious guard.
“This is play time for me!” Big Petey yelled as he grabbed another guard and started spinning him over his head before throwing him into another group and knocking them all down.
The Operator was looking at all the chaos around him with wide eyes. He was so scared and dumbfounded he even forgot to sweat for a while.
“Oh my,” he said as he watched it all while holding the Super Chip up in his hand for anyone to notice.
Scar advanced on Silence who was watching him in a ready fighting stance.
“I’m going to make you pay for your interference,” Scar said.
Silence laughed at him, and indicated that he was welcome to try with a gesture of her hand. In truth, she was a little worried. Her attack hadn’t gone as she had expected, and she hadn’t thought that Scar was nearly as strong as he was. But the last thing she was going to do was let anyone see her doubt.
Scar charged and Silence jumped to the side, kicking out at his ankle as she went. He fell to one knee, but not before he grabbed a hold of her leg. He swung with all his might and threw her at the wall. Silence landed on the wall and stuck to it, orientating herself and getting ready to pounce.
Scar nodded at her agility and remarkable skill.
“Impressive,” he admitted. “But it will not save you.”
From across the room, Big Petey was running out of guards to attack. The few remaining people around him that could still stand had become wary of charging at him. One of them still had his laser rifle. He aimed at Big Petey and then fell to the ground from a karate chop from Red.
“About time you showed up,” Big Petey yelled as he finished fighting with another two guards.
“You’re welcome. Now quit complaining,” Red responded with a snarl. Even at the best of times she seemed to always be in a bad temper. It was what had led her to study the field of explosives with such passion and tireless commitment. Causing chaos in unexpected ways was the only thing that cheered her up.
“Will you tell me what your new toys will do now?” Big Petey asked, indicating the four square grenades that Red still hadn’t used yet.
“First we get the Chip, and then these will help us get away,” she said.
“Get away from what? I’ve handled all there is to handle right here,” Big Petey replied with a laugh.
Red pointed over his shoulder and Big Petey turned to see a new host of soldiers enter the room from the elevator.
“Oh, them,” was all he could say.
The soldiers instantly swarmed him and attacked at the same time.
“Alright,” Big Petey admitted as he ducked, weaved, and dodged through the army of soldiers, “I think I could use some help now.”
Back upstairs, Vinnie held a portable computer which was projecting a holographic keyboard and screen. The only part of the computer that was physical was the small, rectangular case he held up in his left hand. Vinnie’s fingers from his right hand danced across the holographic keyboard as he tried to pull up any communication from his team.
“What’s happening? Can any of you read me?” Vinnie asked as he looked at displays of the bank’s basement floor.
“It’s terrible when they ignore you, isn’t it?” Ackers’ voice came through the earpiece Vinnie was wearing. “I’ve been trying to get used to it for over forty years.”
“You haven’t even been alive for forty years,” Vinnie retorted as he shook his head in frustration. He couldn’t reach anyone.
“True, but with all the stress that they’ve caused me, I feel like I’m over a hundred. You really should leave this job to me, some people just aren’t good at overseeing missions.”
“Do you know what’s going on?” Vinnie asked, biting back several cruel responses that he was just dying to say.
“No,” Ackers had to admit. “But I would have had a much easier job of it if you hadn’t opted to change the mission parameters by staying upstairs to monitor the team that I was already monitoring.”
Vinnie tried to slam his hand on the holographic keyboard, but it just went right through.
“What would you have done differently?” Vinnie challenged him.
“Lots,” Ackers replied.
“Really?” Vinnie shot back. “If you’re worried about keeping your mission specialist job, I just want to assure you that you should be, even though there is no point in worrying about it.”
“I’m not worried, not in the slightest,” Ackers shot back with a slight tremble in his voice.
“Good, because there’s no point in worrying about what’s inevitable,” Vinnie concluded.
Vinnie smiled to himself at the silence that greeted him on the other end, he loved putting Ackers in his place. The fact was that he was too smart to have to deal with people like Ackers, people who thought they were great in their own little worlds, but couldn’t really do anything useful.
“It’s not inevitable, you aren’t managing anything at all from where I’m sitting,” Ackers finally thought of something to say.
“Watch and learn, my hopeless friend.” It was time to show Ackers who he was dealing with. “I’ll show you what a real mission specialist does! A real mission specialist is not someone who’s too scared to even go out on a mission,” Vinnie said.
“I’m not too scared to go out on missions,” Ackers vainly tried to defend himself.
Entering a series of commands, Vinnie effectively cut off Ackers from all further communication. He then pushed a button on his box and the computer’s screen and keyboard disappeared. He slipped the computer into his pocket and headed for the stairs leading into the basement. Vinnie was going to move up in the world, it was only a matter of time.
Back downstairs, Scar was watching Silence with a measure of disgust. She continued to cling to the wall, her feet and one hand used to hold her up, she still had her other sword strapped to her back, waiting for the opportunity to use it but feeling helpless without both weapons in her possession. Scar couldn’t tell how she was able to stick to the wall like that, but it mattered little.
He advanced on her and threw out a punch. Silence blocked the punch and skipped up the wall a bit higher before jumping off it and hurling herself through the air at him. But Scar was incredibly strong, far stronger than any normal person should be. He actually caught her in the air, held her up for a moment, and then threw her to the ground at his feet. The wind was knocked out of Silence. She tried to roll back up to a standing position, but he kicked her before she could move.
“This is why I hate facing people as weak as you,” Scar told her as he extended his hand and picked up his gun. “There’s no challenge in it.”
He raised the gun at Silence. All she could do was look back helplessly. A flash of steel blurred through her line of sight, and then half of Scar’s gun fell uselessly to the floor, leaving him holding a stump where his gun used to be.
He looked down at it in amazement, and then up at Nancy. Nancy was standing protectively in front of Silence, using Silence’s own dropped sword to save her life.
“I can’t believe how sharp you keep this thing,” Nancy commented as she kept her eyes locked on Scar.
Scar snarled and charged, Nancy swung the sword and nicked his face on the other side of his original scar.
Silence got to her feet and stood behind Nancy.
“Don’t think that this changes anything between us. I still strongly dislike you,” Silence commented.
“Glad to hear it,” Nancy said as the two women backed away from the seething Scar. “Now let’s go help them get that Chip and get out of here.”
The Operator was still holding
the Chip up in the air. His head was turned away from it as he was watching Scar fight Nancy and Silence.
“Thank you.”
The Operator turned around to find that Johnny had taken the Super Chip right out of his hand.
“That isn’t yours,” The Operator managed to say.
“It isn’t yours either,” Johnny replied.
For someone as smart as The Operator was supposed to be, Johnny’s simple comment had completely stumped him. He stammered and stuttered, trying to think of what to say. In the end he just ended up shrugging and wiping away the sweat from his eyes.
“He’s got it!” Red yelled from across the room.
“Does this mean we have to stop?” Big Petey shouted back as he wrestled with numerous guards. He currently had one guard clamped to his back, and two more trying to hold his legs to the ground. Big Petey kicked them off and then reached back over his shoulder to lift the guard off his back and launch him through the air.
Red brought up one of her four square grenades.
“It means it’s time to leave, and I’ve got the perfect diversion.”
Seeing the grenades, Big Petey got visibly nervous. You never knew what one of Red’s grenades was going to do until it was too late, and then you didn’t want to know.
“Is it going to hurt?” Big Petey asked as he tossed another guard aside.
Red smiled; it was a frightening sight.
“Not much. And it will only last long enough to disorientate everyone and allow us to get away,” she said with a glint in her eye.
Vinnie entered the basement from the other side of the room. He saw Johnny with the Chip, and Red ready with one of her grenades, the remaining three nestled tightly in her other arm. Vinnie pulled out a small remote controlled device.
“I think it’s going to take all four of them,” he said to himself as he pointed the device at Red while walking quickly toward Johnny and the Chip.
Nancy and Silence were still backing away from Scar. It didn’t help that he kept cutting off any potential escape route; he was always just at arms length away. Silence had both swords in her hands, and was threatening him with small swipes through the air.
“If you want to extend that scar on your face, keep getting closer,” she told him.
Red brought up her grenade, ready to activate it. Vinnie was almost at Johnny now, who had his attention on Red and her dangerous grenade. Vinnie pointed the remote controlled device at her grenades and pressed a button. Red let out a gasp as all four square grenades started blinking and beeping at the same time.
“I thought you were only going to use one of them!” Big Petey yelled in alarm.
“I was, I don’t know what just happened!” she exclaimed.
“What’s going to happen now?” Big Petey asked with wide eyes as Red continued to hold all four of the beeping and flashing square grenades.
“Get down!” Red yelled as she threw the grenades as far away from her as possible. The four square objects sailed through the air in all directions. Everyone in the basement now had their eyes on them, watching in frozen anticipation for what would happen when they landed.
“Oh my,” The Operator said as he saw one of the grenades heading straight for him.
Johnny grabbed The Operator and pulled him out of his seat, throwing him to the floor and using his own body to shield him.
The grenades all landed on the floor, gave out a harsh, high-pitched sound, and then a white light shot out in all directions. For a moment, nobody moved.
Big Petey found that he was cowering on the ground with his hands over his head. He peeked out and saw that everything was okay. He got back to his feet and looked around.
“That wasn’t so bad,” he said. He looked over to see that Red still looked extremely worried.
Everything started rising off the floor at the same time, desks, people, weapons, garbage, it all flew up into the air. Big Petey gave a little yell as he tried to grab onto a column beside him as he lifted up off the ground.
Johnny, who was still protecting The Operator, realized he was floating off the ground and heading toward the ceiling at an accelerating rate. He landed on the ceiling with a groan, just before The Operator landed on top of him and knocked the wind out of his lungs. He let go of the Chip, which now also lay on the ceiling along with everything and everyone else.
“What did you do?” Big Petey hollered as he tried to crawl around on the ceiling and look up, or down, at the floor.
“I reversed gravity,” Red exclaimed unnecessarily as she punched out a nearby guard.
Nearby, Scar, Nancy and Silence still watched each other warily, their standoff a bit lessened now that they were trying to get used to standing on the ceiling and having the floor above them.
Vinnie was being careful to walk quickly with bent knees in a hunkered down position. He was ready for the gravity shift, and was making his way with single-minded purpose toward the Chip that had fallen free of Johnny’s grasp.
Johnny pushed The Operator off of him.
“Thank you,” The Operator said meekly. “That fall would have hurt a lot more if you weren’t there to soften the impact.”
“Shut up,” Johnny said hoarsely as he just started to get air back into his lungs.
Guards made their way to Johnny’s location, trying to get used to their new predicament. They were after the Chip. Vinnie was almost there too.
Nancy swooped in and kicked the nearest guard who bent down to get the Chip. The guard stumbled forward into several others, sending them all falling back up to the ceiling.
“You dropped this,” she said as she held up the Chip for Johnny to see.
“I’m not sure it’s possible to drop anything right now,” Johnny commented as he stood on shaking legs.
Vinnie cursed, he had been so close to getting the Super Chip for himself. He pulled out a small black boomerang and got closer to the two of them.
“We better get out of here,” Nancy said as the guards continued their fight with Big Petey and the rest of the team.
Johnny was about to agree when he noticed the three guards that stood between them and the nearest exit. Johnny pulled out his yo-yo device, Nancy pulled out a rubber ball.
“Just like old times,” she said, remembering the gadgets they used when they met on their first mission only days earlier.
Vinnie saw what was going to happen; he knew what both gadgets did. He had to use his black boomerang now or risk letting Johnny, Nancy and the Super Chip get away.
Vinnie couldn’t let that happen. The Chip was going to be his!
Johnny unraveled the yo-yo, Nancy pulled her arm back, ready to throw.
Vinnie readied his black boomerang.
“Have you finished the mission yet?” Ackers voice came through in thunderous vibrations through Vinnie’s ear piece. He had been tired of being ignored, so Ackers had found a way to cut through the volume controls and punish Vinnie for treating him with so little respect. Vinnie stifled a yell and grabbed his ear in pain, dropping the unused boomerang.
Johnny and Nancy threw their yo-yo and rubber ball at the same time. The yo-yo string elongated and caught the guards and Vinnie, who was grabbing his ear in pain behind them, and wrapped them all up. Then Nancy’s rubber ball exploded, letting out the electric net that covered the trapped group and gave them all little jolts of electricity.
Johnny and Nancy never saw Vinnie behind the guards, so they didn’t pause at all to check up on him. They grabbed each other’s hands and dashed for the exit. Everyone in the mission knew that the number one priority was to get the Super Chip and get out of there. The team had agreed beforehand that if anyone got it they had to escape the area immediately.
Johnny and Nancy both looked down and realized they were holding hands. They instantly let go and continued running. Before they had time to acknowledge the awkwardness of the situation, two guards managed to get to their feet before them. Johnny dodged to the left, sidestepping a punch and r
eturning one of his own. Nancy leaped straight up, or what was now down, at the guard. The guard followed her jump and ended up catching sight of the ground below, getting disorientated all over again. Nancy landed on him with a kick, sending him sprawling and unconscious to join the guard that Johnny took down.
Both Nancy and Johnny took a moment to admire their speed and effectiveness.
“Not bad, B. Fast,” Nancy commented.
“You did alright yourself, Seventy-Seven,” Johnny returned.
More guards made their way toward them, and Johnny could see that the Department X team was winning the battle against what was left of the United Order guards.
“Come on, we better get out of here,” Johnny said as both he and Nancy made their way to the stairwell.
They stopped at the edge and peered out.
“Where do you think the gravity returns to normal?” Nancy asked hesitantly.
“I don’t know, but we can’t go back and ask Red,” Johnny said. “Just be careful as you walk, and get ready to fall back down to the ground.”
The two of them walked up the slanted ceiling of the stairwell, keeping their eyes on the dangerously, jagged steps above them.
They left the chaos behind as they moved quickly but cautiously up to the ground floor. After a while they could finally see the door ahead of and above them.
“We’re going to have to jump when we get to the door, the handle is too far above us,” Johnny commented as they neared the door.
Before they had a chance to align themselves to jump for the door handle, they ended up leaving the grenades’ area of gravity influence. They fell down to the real floor, crashing on the ground right beside the door. Nancy landed on Johnny, so he ended up taking the worst of the fall for the second time that day. They lay together on the ground for a moment, arms and legs intertwined in an undecipherable mix.
“Are you alright?” Johnny asked, wincing in pain.
Their faces were only inches apart and they slowly began to realize how interlocked they both were. They looked at each other, embarrassed, not knowing what to do, then quickly got up and untangled themselves.
“Yeah, fine,” Nancy coughed in embarrassment.
“Good,” Johnny said as he rotated his arm, trying to work the pain out of his limbs.
“We better get out of here,” Nancy commented.
They were doing their best not to make eye contact as they spoke, each of them not knowing what to make of the weird butterflies in their stomachs.
“Right, yeah, let’s get out of here. Good idea,” Johnny said.
He reached over and turned the doorknob, and the two of them dashed out into the lobby of the bank. They ran toward the entrance and over the broken doors that Big Petey had ripped off their hinges.
Outside the sun was coming up, birds started their annoying early morning chirps, annoying if you had been up the entire night before and didn’t get any sleep.
Johnny and Nancy kept running, trying to put more distance between themselves and the United Order, doing everything they could to keep the Chip safe.
After running down several blocks, they came to a stop and tried to catch their breath.
“We did it,” Nancy said, reaching into her pocket to find the Chip.
“Yes, we did,” Johnny said, bringing out the Chip from his own pocket.
“When did you get that?” she asked.
“You must have dropped it while the gravity was shifting back to normal,” Johnny commented, putting the Chip back in his pocket.
Nancy eyed the Chip then eyed Johnny.
“We got it, that’s all that matters,” she said.
Johnny caught the look, but dismissed it. Nancy had agreed to let Department X research and figure out how the Chip was able to do everything it did when other computerchips couldn’t hope to keep up. Johnny still didn’t know who she worked for, or what the name of her own organization was, but he had concluded that it didn’t really matter. She was one of the good guys, and that meant Johnny could trust her.
“What now?” Nancy asked, breaking Johnny out of his thoughts.
Johnny brought up his hand to the earpiece, it must have broken during the fight because he couldn’t hear Ackers whining and yelling at him.
“I think my earpiece broke, Ackers is going to kill me,” Johnny said as he looked at the small device.
“He seems to do most of his damage by talking, so at least you’re safe for the time being,” Nancy laughed.
They started walking down the street, Johnny looked at his watch.
“We’re going to be late for school,” Johnny said.
“Don’t you think this is more important?” Nancy asked.
“Of course it is, but I’m in big trouble, thanks to you getting the cafeteria fight blamed on me. I have to be on time and show up for detention or they’re going to suspend me.”
Nancy’s mouth dropped open.
“That’s a little severe, even for our principal,” she commented.
Johnny shook his head in frustration, recalling the events in the principal’s office. Everything had been going alright, he was even going to get away with a light slap on the wrist, but then Ms. Sniders had come in. She told the principal how disruptive Johnny was in class, and how he kept the other kids from learning with his practical jokes.
None of it was true, and Johnny couldn’t figure out why she was lying. Maybe Ms. Sniders believed what she was saying? Maybe in her eyes Johnny really was that bad. He had tried to go over his experiences in her class to find out what had gotten her so mad, but he was never able to pinpoint what he did that was so disruptive.
“Severe or not, I have to be on time,” Johnny said.
“What are we going to do about the Chip?” Nancy asked.
They kept walking down the street. None of the nearby stores were open yet and there was a soft morning mist that added to the eerie calm that contrasted strongly with all the fighting and explosions they had just left behind.
“I’ll hide it at my house and then pick it up after school,” Johnny concluded after some thought. Nancy shook her head.
“That’s too dangerous!” she said.
“No one knows my real identity, so there’s no reason to think anyone will look for it there,” he reasoned.
Nancy thought he was taking an awfully dangerous risk. The Super Chip was one of the most deadly and powerful items in the world, it was not something that was just left hiding at home until you could get to it. Still, she had her reasons for wanting him to separate from it, so Nancy was going to do her best to play along.
“Ackers isn’t going to be happy about that,” Nancy said.
“Ackers is never happy about anything. But I don’t have a choice. I can’t deliver it now and be late, I might be suspended. Then my dad would just kill me.”
Nancy laughed. It wasn’t a mean laugh; it was a playful and inviting one.
“What?” he demanded.
“Johnny B. Fast, the great super spy, is afraid of his dad,” she teased.
“I’m not afraid of him,” he shot her a nasty look.
“Yes you are,” she pressed.
They turned left at the next street, walking onto the sidewalk, and Johnny kicked at a stray pebble.
“Like I said before, my dad doesn’t know what I do. I kind of fell into the spy business by accident when I met Ackers,” Johnny explained. “My mom passed away two years ago. It was a hard time for both of us and we had to rely on each other a lot. He wouldn’t handle it very well if I got suspended. I think he would blame himself for not doing a good enough job.”
Johnny looked at the ground as he talked, avoiding looking anywhere near Nancy. She felt bad instantly. She only meant to lightly tease him, not hurt him by bringing up painful memories. Nancy had too many of those in her own life.
“I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that kind of stuff since you were adopted,” Johnny said, a little more angrily than he meant to.
“I never knew my parents because they both passed away when I was young,” Nancy said in a quiet voice.
Johnny stopped walking. He didn’t remember how their conversation had gotten so serious and sad. This was supposed to be a happy time. They had just retrieved the Super Chip from the United Order, they should be celebrating!
She saw that he was struggling with what he should say next, “It’s okay, you didn’t know,” Nancy said.
Johnny still felt bad. He should have known, somehow, and he really didn’t know how he should have known. She deserved that much.
All he could do was nod. There was a new understanding between them. They walked on in silence, a good silence, feeling closer to each other than ever before.