“How does that sound?” Aaron asked. I was surprised he wanted me to weigh in. Then again, I was the expert on my family.
I shrugged. “I mean, there are things that could go wrong, but the same can be said for every plan.”
“We’ll have a back-up team waiting as well.” Aaron closed his computer and looked between me and Brody.
“So when does this happen?” I asked, reaching up to my naked ear to twist my invisible earring.
“Tomorrow,” Aaron answered. My hands dropped. I wasn’t sure if I was prepared to go undercover again. I was getting used to being myself. “Let’s all try to get some sleep.” Aaron clapped his hands together and stood. “We have a big day tomorrow.”
The man, whose name I now knew as Bill, if that was his real name, showed us to our rooms. We each had our own room, and I was sad to separate from Brody, who had been by my side for the last few days through this whole wild trip. It was hard to believe that only a week ago, I was at the Agency compound, locked in my room, prepping for my biggest assignment. Only a week ago, I had no idea there was a boy out there named Brody who would sweep in and change my world. A boy who made me feel like I could be myself but also made me nervous because I didn’t know who I was. So while I was sad to see Brody standing by the door of his room as I made my way down the hall to mine, I was also relieved. I had enough to think about without worrying about spending the night with a boy I just made out with.
Bill showed me to my room and shut the door behind me, but not before Brody gave me a wave goodnight. I smiled and waved back as the door shut in my face. I turned and took a deep breath.
The room was bigger than my father’s master bedroom at home. The bedding was fluffy, white, and crisp. A far cry from the places we had been so far. A cabin, a camper, a sketchy safe house later, and we had finally hit the jackpot. A table by the entryway held a vase full of fresh flowers. There was a gas fireplace with a smart TV mounted over it. I flicked the fire switch on and off a few times and smiled to myself.
I walked across the white carpet to the bed and tested its firmness. It was a king-size bed, and I couldn’t wait to crawl in. But first, I walked over to the door by the bed and opened it. Behind the door was the most amazing bathroom I had ever seen. On the long stretch of countertop was some kind of gift basket. In that basket was a robe, slippers, a bath bomb, and other toiletries. That was when I turned and looked at the massive jetted tub, and I knew the perfect way to relax in order to prepare for the stepmother swap. I began to run the water, once again smiling to myself.
In the morning, after a night of soaking in the tub, indulging in trashy television, and sleeping heavily, I shuffled out to the vast kitchen area to get a cup of coffee that was already brewing in the pot. Apparently, Bill’s station was a stool by the coffee machine, and when he turned with my cup, he raised his own cup at me. I nodded and raised mine in return. Of course, Aaron was already awake. Smith had returned. And Brody sat eating a banana in the living room.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” he called out. I made my way over to his side.
After Aaron debriefed us, Brody led me to a room, different from the one in which Aaron met with Smith. This room could only be described as a wardrobe room. It was the size of a bedroom, but it was filled with clothing racks on wheels. There were six racks total, three on each side, parallel to each other.
“This is where we find your outfit of the day.” Brody smiled. He handed me a picture he grabbed off the side table when we entered. “They already have a picture of what your stepmother is wearing for the day.”
I took the photo from Brody’s hand. Beth looked exactly the same. She never seemed to change, and her clothes were as boring as ever. The picture looked like it was taken without her knowledge by someone hiding a cell phone. She stood in front of Georgia, braiding her hair. Georgia looked like she was talking animatedly, but Beth had a bored, vacant look on her face. As I looked at the picture, I grew angry. My sisters deserved more than a fake mother who pretended to care about them.
Brody and I walked between the racks. There were regular clothes, glitzy dresses, police uniforms. I pulled out a white lab coat and held it in front of me, raising my eyebrows at Brody. He smiled, and I kept going. There was men’s clothing and women’s clothing, even some children’s clothing. I tried to imagine why a child would need this wardrobe, hoping they didn’t have children mimics working for them, but this suite also operated as a safe house, which meant the Opposition probably brought families here before they placed them in hiding.
I bit my lip and turned to Brody. He only had to look at me for a moment to realize there was something wrong. “What’s going on, Meda?”
“I don’t know why, but I’m kind of afraid to see her,” I said, holding up the picture and studying it again. Brody looked down at it with me.
“She can’t do anything to you.” Brody focused on my face.
“It’s not that. I’m not afraid of her. It’s just… I’m afraid of what I will do when I see her.”
Brody sighed, relieved. “You only have to see her long enough to change into her.”
“I know, but Brody, this is a woman who pretended to care about me. She pretended to care about my father and my sisters, and the entire time, she worked for the Agency. It’s not fair. It’s not fair to my father or my sisters.”
“Meda, you are strong enough to do this. Remember, Beth is just a woman doing her job. Try to take the emotion out of it.”
“Easy for you to say.” I let out a huff of air.
“It’s the same thing I told Aaron,” Brody said, more quietly. I was struck speechless, but only for a moment.
“Wait, you’re comparing me to Beth? I had no choice. I mean I did, but at the expense of my own family. Beth had a choice. This is her job.”
“All I’m saying is you’ll never know why someone chooses to do what they do until you know them, and you don’t know the real Beth. I mean, I’m pretty sure that’s not even her name.”
“Stop.” I was getting mad. Brody was trying to make me feel bad for Beth, and that wasn’t going to work. It was different than my situation. She was supposed to be part of my family. She gained our trust and then betrayed us. I held my tongue because I was afraid if I spoke this aloud, it would come out angrier than I wanted it to, and I was trying to remain calm. Brody, of course, could see right through me and tried to change the subject.
“I’m sure you’ll be in control. It’s perfectly okay for you to have these feelings. In fact, I like to see this side of you. The side that decides to fight back.” Brody grinned prominently, displaying his dimples that were usually hidden. “Anyway, I’ll be there with you.”
His words stoked the flames of the fire that was building. I forced a smile back at him and shook my head. “Not the entire time.”
“In spirit?” he said stupidly but laughed. “Just remember, the sooner you do the switch, the sooner you’ll be with your family.” Once again, he knew exactly what to say.
He walked over to a clothing rack and dug in, sifting through the colorful garments. “Here. This looks close to what she’s wearing, and they’re quite stunning. Very matronly,” he joked while handing me some jeans and a top. I rolled my eyes and went into the bathroom to change.
I came out, the clothes a little baggy on my tiny frame. I spun around, and Brody cringed and mouthed, “Yikes.” I shoved him and sighed. “Can we go over this one more time?”
Brody waved to a spot on the plush carpeted floor in the room. “Ma’am, do you need a hand getting down there?” He smiled. I rolled my eyes and plopped on the floor. Brody sat very close to me, crossing his legs.
He looked directly in my eyes as he spoke to be sure I was getting the full plan. “Okay, your father and your sisters are going to the zoo with your stepmother. That is where we’ll do the swap.”
“Got it,” I nodded. “And we know this for sure.”
“For sure. We even got notice that your stepmother made the c
all to the Agency to confirm the trip. The Agency will have people there, watching them from a distance, but hopefully, if it all goes right, they won’t realize the difference after the swap, and by then it should be too late.”
“Okay.” I clasped my hands together. “Where do we swap?”
“We’ll wait for her to use the restroom.”
I turned my head, confused. “How do you know she’ll use the restroom?”
Brody smiled. “Because your dad knows he can’t leave until she does.”
“Who talked to my dad?” I asked, suddenly very interested.
“The Opposition has a person in place. They found an untraceable way to communicate with your father. The mole sent a series of codes for your dad to decipher, and your dad was quick to pick them up. Once your dad set up the trip and Beth pushed it through the Agency, our double agent was able to get assigned the job.” He picked up the picture he had set next to him. “Hence, the photograph. Anyway, your dad is a smart man, being able to follow the codes. So, Smith set most of this up, but Aaron filled in the blanks.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Aaron?”
“Well, we needed to make sure we had someone who was looking out for your best interests, not just what would be easiest. Anyway, I told you, he’s looking out for you. In a way, he’s doing this for you, Meda.” Brody paused.
“Well, and to get me to do whatever the Opposition wants of me when I’m done.”
“No. Aaron went to bat for you. He told them there was no way you would do it unless you had your family back. They could have found a different way to coerce you, but Aaron’s word means a lot to them because of his dad.” He looked down.
“But why would he…” I trailed off as Brody looked back up. I shook my head, knowingly. “He didn’t do it for me, Brody. He did it for you.”
His face flushed, and he smiled. “I mean, he did owe me something for all his crap I put up with.”
I moved forward and squeezed his hand. Brody gave me a squeeze back and then got up and walked over to the walk-in closet in the room.
“There is something else.” He disappeared for a moment, and when he came back, he held a black box. I got up off the floor, and we met halfway. Brody held the box out in front of him, and I moved closer, curious about the contents. He gently slid the lid off the box and tilted it so I could see what was inside.
My mouth dropped open, and I was instantly confused. Brody started speaking. “I know what you’re thinking.” He shook his head sadly. “They aren’t the same. The original ones were lost at the bunker. But I sent the man at the front desk to find a pair that were similar.”
I regarded the earrings that looked like the exact earrings my mother had given me. Brody must have paid attention to what they looked like in order to find these duplicates.
“Wait, when did you do that?” I asked. He hadn’t been out of my sight.
“Last night.” Brody smiled.
I felt tears in my eyes. “Brody, they’re perfect. They look exactly the same.” I absently wiped the corner of my eye. “In fact, they’re even more beautiful than the originals.” I was embarrassed that I was getting emotional, but a boy had never given me jewelry before, and this jewelry meant something to me.
“They are going to help your dad identify you. I’m not sure he quite trusts anyone, which is wise.” I took the earrings out of the box and began putting them on. Brody watched, his face hard to read.
“What is it?” I stepped closer to him.
“Nothing. I just—” he stammered. He reached out and brushed his hand down my face. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.” A dark cloud passed over his face. “I will do everything in my power to make sure no one can hurt you again.”
I shook my head. “You can’t do that. I don’t want you to make promises you can’t possibly keep. You are not responsible for the situation we are in, even though I know you feel some sort of guilt You can’t live your life that way. Things will eat at you.” I thought of my own feelings, about how I felt responsible for my father’s current situation. Then I thought about my mother and how she probably felt responsible for me. It was a vicious, never-ending cycle. And I knew that even if we got my family back, there would still be people who were hurt. We wouldn’t be able to end it all.
There was a quick rap at the door before it swung open. Dan stood, looking between the two of us. “Everything okay in here?” I wiped the remaining tears from my eyes. Dan gave me a once-over and nodded, knowingly. He stepped forward and patted me on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Meda. Your outfit is…nice.” He didn’t wait for a reply. “Let’s go!” he yelled as he turned and walked out the door. Brody and I followed, Brody gripping my hand the entire way.
chapter 17
We were back in the living area. Aaron was sitting with Smith, speaking in low tones. When they saw us walk in, they both got up from the couch and joined us near the foyer.
“Before we go,” Aaron started talking, “let’s go over a few things one more time.” He was speaking quickly, and I saw the traces of perspiration on his forehead. Nerves were contagious, and soon I was breaking out in beads of sweat.
“Brody and I will be in one vehicle.” Aaron pointed at Brody when he said it and then directed his words at me. “We’ll be keeping your stepmother contained in the restroom while you take your position.” He looked at Dan. “Dan will be the back-up getaway driver.” Dan’s face dropped, and he scowled at the floor. He knew the plan, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be disappointed. The fact that he wasn’t the actual getaway driver, just the back-up, was a blow to his ego.
Aaron gave Dan a nudge on the shoulder. “Sorry, bro. We can’t afford the risk of anyone recognizing you, even if you are the most qualified driver.” Dan smiled at Aaron, and I realized something I hadn’t before. Aaron acted like a big brother to Dan. Sure, they were friends and cousins, but Aaron was protective of Dan, probably because Dan had a childlike quality that made him seem too trusting and too naïve to the world. You had to get to know him to know there was more beneath the surface.
Just then, the entryway door opened, and a man in a suit led an older woman into the suite. She was wearing a uniform and seemed to be a regular employee of the hotel. Smith brought the woman to me. “Jillian,” he said to me, making sure I understood he was using a false name for me. “I want you to meet Cynthia. She is one of the newest members of our staff. Quite motivated. I’m sure she’ll go far.” I stepped forward to Cynthia and shook her hand, staring into her eyes. She seemed confused, not sure what this meeting meant for her but hoping it meant she was doing a good enough job that one day she would move up in the ranks.
As she left, Smith brought me, along with Brody, into the room behind the large oak door. It looked like Smith’s office, with an executive-style desk in a cherry veneer finish. There were computer monitors and gizmos and gadgets on the shelves that covered one wall of the room. “I hope you don’t mind, Meda. We are going to record your shift for our own purposes.” Smith grabbed a video camera and began to set it up.
“Um, okay.” This was a part of the plan that we didn’t discuss. We had already made a tape, but maybe the tape I made with Brody wasn’t for the Agency. Maybe it was some kind of personal insurance plan for the boys. I kept my mouth shut as Smith aimed the camera at me.
“When you’re ready.” He waved his hand, cuing me that it was time to shift. I closed my eyes to try to block out the room and concentrated on all the details of Cynthia. Her dark hair, her round cheeks, kind eyes, and her calloused hands. The burning began as it always did. The shifting of my skin always burned. It was painful. But I learned it was easy to block out the sensation because I knew it would be over in a few moments. I felt my mind trying to sync with my body. Trying to understand how Cynthia would think. Usually I had researched my subject, but this time there was no need for me to act like Cynthia, so I felt strange inside her skin, like a glove that was a little too loose and might fall off at any
moment. When it was done, I was Cynthia, yet I was still wearing the clothing Brody selected for me to look like my stepmother.
Then, my eye caught something on the wall. It was a grainy picture of a neighborhood that I recognized. “Smith,” I interrupted as he turned off his recording device. I motioned towards the picture. “What happened to Mr. Gray?” It was his neighborhood that stood out in the picture.
“Why, Mr. Gray is fine.” Smith looked at the picture. “The police were called to his neighborhood that night because of the shots fired. He and others around him found the shooting suspicious, especially when they found your abandoned vehicle with the survey. They connected everything. Sadly for Mr. Gray, he resigned from the position they had offered him with the President. He knew the President’s security had been compromised, and he seemed to be interested in doing what was best for the President rather worrying about his own self gain. Then again, he may have realized that night that someone could have put a bullet in his head to compromise security.” Smith crossed his arms. “Why do you ask, Meda?”
I didn’t know why I asked. I had never asked before. I didn’t even know Mr. Gray, but it occurred to me that the people I shifted into, Cynthia and Mr. Gray, among others, had deeper lives than I imagined. “So, is there any intel on the Agency’s new plan?”
“That, my dear, is what we’ll get into when you return. Right now, you focus on getting your family back.” I stared at Smith, with his suit and his generic, yet serious, face. I briefly wondered if he had a family. He looked to be in good health and was somewhat attractive for an older gentleman. I wondered what his story was and what was keeping him here. I nodded at him as he ushered us out of the room.
We took the elevator back down to the service area and exited through the service exit out the back of the hotel. Again, we didn’t see any other employees. I had to say goodbye to Brody at the back door because we couldn’t possibly enter the zoo together. If the Agency had surveillance set up, which they would, then they would recognize the boys.
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