“What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose by

any other word would smell as sweet.”
-Act 2 Scene 2 Romeo and Juliet
 1.Call

FIRST MONDAY OF JUNE WAS THE

beginning of school year in Lawrence Academy.
It was earlier than any other first day of school at
this classified place. Why? It was, strictly,
because it was a school for very special students.
There are only three ways to know how
exceptional students of Lawrence Academy are:
be somebody who works here, be one of the
students, and be an excellent slayer of spies—all
kinds of spy. Most importantly, the subject that
you have to think about before entering this
school, there is no way get out from here and
expose its secrets without being killed.

1
 I arrived two days ahead of time at the LA,
meaning Lawrence Academy not Los Angeles. (It
was not a school at Los Angeles; I did not think
that they would give that much of a clue to
others.) I had nothing to do but sleep. Those two
days were the only chance I had to rest my busy
eyes. It was Sunday and I was waiting for the
others to arrive. I was on my third year here in
LA and I got used to this life between fun and
danger—well, without using euphemism it was
between fun and death. Although we were only
spy students, we already put ourselves at this very
perilous situation. I was a “spy since birth” so I
had no choice but to follow the death-defying
footsteps of my parents and ancestors; and
besides this was the life I was good at; and the
life I had always wanted and enjoyed.
I looked up at the clock that was hanging
against the pink wall of the room that I shared
with my two BFFs: Keiko and Alleyya. The clock
indicated that it was unbelievably just six-thirty
early in the morning.
Keiko and Alleyya were still on their vacation,
making sure that they would not waste any
nanosecond of our fifteen-day vacation. My way
of spending my last few days of vacation was
entirely different.
Keiko was probably either shopping
somewhere in Paris or observing some historical

2
sights. I wasn’t sure because she hadn’t called me
yet. Last time I got a call from her, she was in
Venetian Hotel.
It wasn’t difficult to guess what Alleyya was
doing during our vacation. There’s two easy ways
to describe Alleyya. She loved books. Secondly,
she loved to buy books.
My way of spending the last few days of our
break was completely different.
Before the vacation, I had already planned
what I was going to do every hour of it. At the
unlucky thirteenth day of my vacation—I was in
Palawan, Philippines—with my parents, the spy
agency called.
There was a covert operation for my parents.
They had insisted that I should continue my
vacation without them but I’d said no.
And here I was, coolly listening to Bob Acri’s
Sleep Away using my mp4—throwing away the
time they gave me to enjoy the smallest piece of
my existence—specifically, ordinary teenage
years.
Death threats, unsuccessful gunshots, and
other ways to kill a human consumed all my
years here in this crazy world called Earth. I
literally travelled the world—I was just a baby
back then so I was just getting all my secondhand
information from my parents.

3
 My amazing race started when I was only four
months old. My parents were in a mission and
unfortunately, the opposite side found out that
they had a daughter—me. They once got a chance
to kidnap me. The bad people contacted my
parents and ordered to give back the microchip
that contained their secret operations; and in
return, they would give me back.
In the end, my spy parents successfully got
me away from those baddies; and at the same
time, they had passed over the microchip to the
intelligence service.
Of course, that was not the only mission my
parents were in; consequently; my dangerous but
exciting adventure never ended. Thanks to the
extremely advanced security system here in LA, I
was finally free from assassins—however I was
not completely free from near-death experiences,
which I liked. I was safe. I was totally safe from
outsiders but spy teachers not included. Though
they mean no harm, our lessons still hurt.
So if a girl used to blow her thirteenth
birthday cake in a helicopter because their
temporary house had been under gunfire, would
she label herself ordinary? Would a girl, who was
always in so many precarious conditions,
consider herself a normal teenager or simply just
a teenager? I did not think so.

4
 Knock! Knock! I automatically got out of my
bed and opened the unlock door. My earphones,
still connected, to the mp4 fell on the floor.
I saw Mr. Cliff standing stiffly in front of me.
He seemed problematic dissimilar to his very
confident attitude that made many females here
giggle. Certainly, I was not included to that group
of female. I was not that feminine to fall for his
looks and stance.
“What’s wrong Mr. Cliff?” I asked him
tensely. Oh no, what did I do wrong? Hacking is
not against the rule, is it?
“Ms. Lawrence wants to talk to you…” I
could not concentrate much on his words. Did I
accidentally put a poisonous chemical in the
cookies I baked for the headmistress?
“Okay, thank you Sir. I’ll be right there. Just
give me a minute please,” I said after a moment.
I closed the door and staggered toward the
mirror to see if I look decent. I brushed my black-
and-brown hair then I smoothed my dress. When
I supposed that my appearance was prim enough,
I walked swiftly down the stairs and headed for
the headmaster office.
As soon as I caught a glimpse of the sign
“Headmaster’s Office”, my pace became
sluggish.

5
 The already open door was nerve-racking; Ms.
Lawrence’s uptight expression was nail-biting.
When I entered her room, she smiled a smile that
seemed like—pity?
“You want to discuss something Ma’am?” I
asked while my heart hammered fast and hard.
“Have a seat Ms. Cassandra,” she tried to be
formal as she could but she was still on edge like
a cat on a hot tin roof that I didn’t need my spy
skills to know what she felt.
Ms. Lawrence was a descendant of the
prodigious family of Lawrence but she was not
the lying-and-fighting type of spy, she was the
typing-and-researching-and-hacking type of spy.
“Thank you for the cookies,” she started. I
didn’t say anything but I still exhaled a little
knowing I would not be punished for
unintentionally giving the headmistress some
toxic cookies.”I hope you’re going to bake for me
again. They’re delicious and very pretty too. ” she
continued kindly.
“You’re very welcome Ms. Lawrence. I shall
thank you. It’s very nice of you for giving me a
ride the other day. It’s my way to show my
appreciation. Thank you.”
Because I was good at acting or lying, there
was no hint of stress in my tone, nothing but

6
politeness and sincerity that were what I was
feeling in mixed with nervousness.
After a long uncomfortable silence, I
eventually asked, “Is that why you requested me
here? Is there any subject that matter?”
“No, there is something I ought to tell you,”
she began.”I know it’s not the right time to tell
you, tomorrow is the first day, and you must
concentrate to your study. But … I also know you
have the right to know.” She took a deep breath.
“Ms. Prescott, I received a call from your parents’
agency—“
“What happened to my parents?” I cut her
mid-sentence, my voice raising an octave.
Panicky ruled my mind and broke my firm
composure.
“Don’t be alarm, sweetie. The agency told me
that they had lost their connection with your
parents but there’s also a possibility—”
“Don’t be alarm!” I shouted and I instantly
felt guilty for that. Ms. Lawrence was just trying
to soothe me. But she’s saying that everything
would be okay and I know it would not be that
way.
That instance, I imagined myself without my
parents. How bad it would be. I saw myself
looking at children with their complete and
normal family. I also saw images of my father

7
and mother. Our last vacation together, our last
conversation, my sixteenth birthday, our
shopping together, baking with Mom, swimming
with Dad, my first graduation, my first day in the
Academy with them. Everything with them was
very fun, memorable. Perfect. But now…
I started to cry. Ms. Lawrence sat beside me
and then hugged me, patting my back.
“Claire, don’t worry. They had probably just
lost their communication device or something
went wrong…Don’t think of any bad conclusion.
Everything’s going to be okay. ” she said
maternally, making me cry harder.
Ms Lawrence continued to soothe me with her
impeccable words. Though she was very kind to
me, her kindness could not decrease the
confusion and distress that I was feeling. I sobbed
until we both heard footsteps.
I slowly wiped my tears with the back of my
hand then she gave me a white silk handkerchief.
”Thanks,” I whispered while trying very hard
to fake a smile.
As soon as the footstep came to a stop, we
heard loud knocks on the door. Ms Lawrence
applied powder on my face. Even though I hate
using makeup, I could not argue with her; it was
not to make me look pretty; it was to hide the
shade of pink on my face.

8
 “Come on in,” Ms Lawrence’s voice was
uneven.
I heard the confirmation that they were indeed
a faculty member. Though I was thankful that I
locked the door, I felt a spasm of guilt for doing
it. I knew exactly how hard it was to undergo
profile check.
The door opened and I saw Mr. Grayson and
Ms Perez.
“Good morning Mr. Grayson and Ms Perez,” I
greet them politely, my voice not breaking.
They both nodded and smiled.
“May I ask you sir if the other students have
arrived?”
Ms Perez was the one who answered, “Yes,
finally. And also, I saw Ms Garcia and Ms
Lawrence having difficulty with Ms Garcia’s
belongings.” She bit her lip fighting a smile.
I thanked them and made my great escape.

I needed distractions. I had to concentrate

on different things. I had to remember that it was
a part of being a spy. And, as Ms Lawrence told
me, I would not think of any bad conclusion.

9
 Making patterns on the floor that I was
walking on seemed like a good idea. When I did
not like the pattern I had made, I recited my
favorite lines in Romeo and Juliet. I know I’m
weird.
I couldn’t wait to see my best friends
again. Keiko and Alleyya.
Keiko, my “twin sister”, was pretty, tall,
smart and nice. In other words almost perfect—
like any other girls in the school except me. She
had a very long brown hair that was always in
French braids. We were very alike in our
personality, favorites, likes and dislikes, hobbies,
and even in our size.
Alleyya, my “little sister”, was beautiful in
her own way. She was an elfin. Ethereal. Her
height was just slightly taller than my shoulder.
When it would come to hacking CIA database, no
one could do better than her. Translation: Alleyya
was a computer genius. Or just simply—a genius.

Before the time I get to the lines of Juliet in

the end, I saw my two best friends. Keiko was
carrying a big box; and, Alleyya was pushing an
average size box with her back.

10
 “Need help?” I asked.
“No, thanks. I can handle this.” Keiko
assured me.
“And you, Alleyya?”
“Obviously, I do” she said sheepishly not
caring about my sarcasm. I loved listening to her
alto voice it was calming.
Instead of just helping her on carrying it, I
carried all her bags and boxes. Surely, it was
exhausting but it was gratefully distracting. I
helped the both of them by organizing their
stuffs.
At the middle of our tasks, Alleyya
alarmingly said, “It’s not working!” She was
referring to our cleaning robot.
“Why?” Keiko and I asked the same
question.
“I unintentionally spilled this chemical,”
Alleyya admitted guiltily. “It was an accident. I
didn’t mean it,” her tone was defensive.
“It’s okay. Maybe we can try to fix it; and
if we can’t, we have to beg Ms Lawrence to give
us another. ” I had mentioned Ms Lawrence’s
name and I, myself, brought me up to the
unwanted poignant topic that I was avoiding.

11
 “That machine isn’t a dime a dozen, so we
really have to fix it. I could help fixing it but I
would not beg,” Keiko stated, undetermined.
“A lot of work,” Alleyya muttered.
“Well, it’s your fault,” Keiko said in a
normal voice.
After opening the cleaning robot that used
to be so helpful, we confirmed that fixing it was
impossible; therefore, we had to kneel down in
front of the headmistress in order to own another
cleaning device. We needed it so badly because it
was difficult to clean while doing our homework
and studying for both practical and written tests.
“Can we go to Ms Lawrence now?”
Alleyya looked around our room; it was messy. It
was their mess, not mine.
“You two go ahead, I must do something
important,” sometimes I hate being a good liar.
“Okay, thank you for helping us.” Alleyya
smiled before walking out.
Keiko didn’t say anything. She just smiled.
“Hey, Mona Lisa,” Keiko called Alleyya
(Mona Lisa was her codename). She folded her
arms on her chest and said, “Your mistake, your
responsibility.”
Because Alleyya was completely guilty,
she agreed to Keiko.

12
 Keiko closed the door and her words
surprised me, “Cry.”
“What?” I wondered, better play innocent.
“Alleyya doesn’t know it; but I know it.”
I didn’t want to cry in front of my best
friend but I did. She hugged me saying nothing
but two words: “Just cry.”
Keiko and Alleyya were my best friends;
but for me Keiko was more like a sister to me.
We had one-tracked minds. Two strings tuned
alike. Sometimes people thought that we were
twins and we only stared at each other then laugh
aloud after. For us, we really were twins—maybe
not biologically but spiritually.
Keiko’s parents died in a mission. Her
mother died when she was twelve years old, then
her father after almost a year. At first, the agency
informs the family that they lost their connection
with the agent. A week after, they tell that the
agent’s cover was blown and the most
unfortunate thing happened. It always occurs this
way.
By the time I was finished with my
sobbing, I sat down on the floor. I wrapped my
arms around my legs while looking at the empty
space.

13
 “I had felt what you are feeling right now,”
she said looking down. “It’s not easy; but, I know
you know that you must put this behind you. ”
“Yes, I understand that.” A leopard can’t
change its spot. My mother frequently explained
that to me before going to Lawrence Academy.
“Let’s start to clean now. Waiting for
Alleyya will take a year.” She said, changing the
topic.
“What’s about me, huh?” Alleyya asked,
appearing out of thin air. We could lock the door
but we couldn’t delete Alleyya’s access to it. The
door was programmed to let the owners in, and to
let visitors allowed by the owners.
“I said…” Keiko started but when her eye
caught the new and more advanced cleaning
device, she said,” What it can do?”
Alleyya gave us the user’s manual. We all
read it simultaneously. After we had memorized
the parts of the machine and knowing all the
functions, we immediately used it.
Keiko and Alleyya were against the clock;
they hadn’t seen our schedule, rooms and they
hadn’t bought school materials.
I already done all of those on the first day
since my arrival.

14
 Keiko was her usual self. Sometimes I
envy her for being strong emotionally. She didn’t
seem like she knew something unpleasant. There
were times when she patted me softly and that
was comforting but unwanted.
Knowing someone that knows you’re in
pain was not what I like especially when it is
someone who felt it too. It’s a wretched thing―
unintentionally sharing your pain. It’s wrong I
couldn’t take it.
I would put this misery behind me. I had
to. It was not a piece of cake like my language
classes but I would. For my friends and for my
future. And besides, the agency hadn’t said that
my parents were― no, I would never say this
word in a sentence with my parents’ names.

This situation was the only reason I could

possibly hate to be in a spy family. You had to
suffer inside a lot. You had to keep the throbbing
sensation in your heart. I couldn’t accept this fact.
It wasn’t fair.
Spies save people but there are some
instances when we couldn’t save ourselves from
this clandestine world.
Sure, I could speak many languages; I had
black belt in every martial art I knew; I was

15
advanced on academic subjects; I could play
piano, guitar, violin, and flute; I was a good liar;
and I could do so much more. But being a sixteen
years old daughter of spies, on my opinion, was
the hardest thing to do.

Before falling asleep, Alleyya wondered,

“When will I finally see my parents again? I just
had an hour with them.” Ouch. That hurt.
I didn’t want to tell Alleyya what happened
earlier that day. I didn’t want her to feel guilty for
having two parents who were both alive.
When I thought that my roommates were in
a deep sleep, I turned my back to them then I
covered my face with a pillow. I secretly cried
without a sound, my tears that fell down on Ms
Lawrence and Keiko’s blouses were not enough
to drain all of it. I cried until I eventually fell
asleep.

* * *
Running was easy for me but not this time. I
was running awkwardly as if I was being pulled
with someone. My feet were lethargic, minutes or

16
maybe an hour slower than the person whom I
was with. It was like watching a slow-motioned
movie; but the other side was fast-forwarded.
We were running away from something I
couldn’t recognize. When I looked at the face, my
eyes flew open.

I glanced at the clock; it was only past

midnight. I tried to sleep again. Finally, I did fall
asleep after half an hour of counting sheep.
I dreamt again, it was completely different
from the first one. It was not me. It was a girl
who looked like me—but not me.
First of all, she was not in LA; second and
foremost, she was a normal girl, studying at a
normal school, and living a normal life. So no, it
was not me. It was impossible.
The girl―I would not consider her as
myself―looked around and saw nothing but me.
It was myself, wearing the LA uniform. It was
Cassandra Prescott.
We walked toward each other. We walked
but involuntarily, as if we were magnets.
The girl and I looked at each other. Our
eyes full of horror. We were shouting the word
“don’t” again and again before the proximity

17
between us was a centimeter. Then, I woke up,
catching my breath.
It was not a nightmare but I was
unexplainably frightened. I didn’t know if I was
afraid for the girl or for me; or for the both of us;
or because I didn’t have any idea what would
happen if our skin touched.
The instant I woke up, the clock alarmed. It
was already five in the morning. My two roomies
woke up too. No distress on their face. No hint of
having nightmares.
It was time to rise and shine. I was a spy no
matter what. It was already difficult to be a spy
student. What more if you would not put your
problems behind? I would look straight ahead. It
was my dream. It was my destiny. I wanted to be
a spy. I knew it was not something I could
change. But, even if I could change my life or
choose different parents, I would not replace what
I had. I had chosen my path, both ways― free will
or not. If I utterly hate this clandestine life, with
my stubbornness I was quite sure I might want to
be killed rather than be someone I could never be.
After changing to our uniforms―a simple
white blouse and a three-inch-above-knee plaid
skirt―, we rushed down the wide time-consuming
flight of stairs. We forgot to get our vacation
projects (Alleyya’s communication device,
Keiko’s translation of a book I hadn’t read yet,

18
and my video of myself in my own little covert
operation) and we had to get back to our room.
Fortunately, we were still less than a minute early
by the time we finally settled to our seats with the
other junior students in Lawrence Academy.
As soon as the hour hand of the big clock
in the foyer pointed six, the school bell rang.
I was astonished. I was home. Lawrence
Academy was irrefutably my home and the
students, and the faculty members here were my
family.
The twenty-seven teachers walked in with
Ms Lawrence at the front. As always, they were
wearing a business-like mask of composure. It
bothered me a little before. However, I had more
trouble watching their face now. Perhaps because
now I knew that behind that perfect façade, there
were secrets―secrets inside secrets. I knew that
there were grieves. I knew that some of them, or
maybe all of them, had lost people they loved.
And I greatly knew how that hurt.
I said that there could only a reason for me
to hate belonging to a family of spies. On the
contrary, I never hated anything on being a spy.
But that was before. Before the day I didn’t want
to remember— but I couldn’t no matter how hard
I try. Now, I hated two things about a spy.

19
 First, a spy can lose people he or she loves,
spies or not. Second, a spy has to suffer, not only
physically and mentally but emotionally, too.
Moreover, the worst part of it, was I more
willingly be tortured than being trapped in
misery.
My spy instinct told me that someone was
staring at me. I saw the headmistress glanced at
my direction. I automatically looked away from
her worried eyes.
It was a good decision that I did not tell
Alleyya about the bad news. It was already
uncomfortable to have two pairs of eyes watching
you. Though Keiko wasn’t obvious with her
surveillance, I knew her that much to knew what
she was thinking. She was quiet and that was very
unlikely when she was with me; however, there
were few times when my assumption was wrong.
The head mistress stood up and all of us
followed her lead.
“Good morning, students of Lawrence
Academy,” we simultaneously greet her and sat
again. She then continued with her speech. It was
quite long and my stomach was growling.
At last, Ms Lawrence ended her address for
the first day of school. Mercifully, she ordered us
to eat anything we want but watch our weight.

20
 There was a lot of food. I gorged. It was a
very large banquet and it was “eat all you can” so
I couldn’t control myself. Well anyway, I was
certain that I wouldn’t gain weight; instead, I
would lose weight.
Usually the first day of classes lasted until
the whole orientation thing was over. Sorry to
say, there were no time limits. I pursed my lips
every time I felt I was about to yawn. I regretted
eating greedily; it made me want to take a nap.
Just a five-minute nap…
I was about to sink asleep when the
irritating, tall, brunette girl on my left side pinch
me hard enough to wake me without making me
shout.
“Oh. Sorry,” I mumbled to Keiko. I felt
horribly guilty for what I had thought about her.
It was annoying me when someone tried to stop
anything I wanted to do.
“No problem. You do it to me, too,” she
smirked.
The exasperating orientation finally ended
at eleven-eighteen, giving us forty-eight minutes
before lunch. But I had no plan to have lunch. I
didn’t want a stomach pain before PE class.
Alleyya and Keiko wouldn’t eat lunch too.
We decided to pass our projects first then go to
LA’s own shopping mall.

21
 We were not allowed to go outside so they
built a mall. The mall was outside the academy
but there was an underground passage in able to
go directly inside the mall. A student couldn’t get
to the mall unless they had the card for it (All the
facilities of LA couldn’t be access without a
special card designed for each of them).
Obviously, we had to pass a test for every access
card.
The three of us got access to all the
facilities. It wasn’t that easy. But it was worth it.
Alleyya was lucky that it there was two options:
try out as a team or individually. She passed the
team assessment but not the individual test.
Alleyya couldn’t go to the mall without me and
Keiko.
We—Keiko and myself—make the grade
on the individual test. So, the both of us had
authorization to shop alone. But we had more fun
shopping together.
The cover story was the Lawrence
Academy was a school for rich girls so there’s no
need to change outfit if you’re used to the looks
the villagers here give to LA students. More often
than not the people who didn’t know the true
story―meaning, normal people―give LA students
the glare that was loudly describing us as people
who doesn’t know anything but to spend money.

22
On the other hand, what they thought of us was
exactly the opposite of what was real.
The mall looked like any other normal mall
except for the fact that it was missile proof,
couldn’t be destroy by fire and most importantly,
the workers here were spies acting like they
weren’t.
Alleyya had excitedly gone to the
bookstore and left Keiko and me in our favorite
shop. We would meet each other at the passage
back to the school, ten minutes before PE.
When Keiko and I had finished shopping
girl’s stuffs, we’d decide to go buy books as well
in our favorite bookstore where Alleyya was.
We were currently at the ground floor, and
the bookstore was at the same floor. It wasn’t
hard to find but Alleyya was.
There were more normal people here than I
had expected. Maybe early shopping for the next
school year. I couldn’t approach them to know
why because we were not allowed. We were
allowed to speak to them only if they ask first.
But we had to give a direct answer. Though, I
didn’t have the nerves to do that even if it was not
against the rule.
Alleyya was so small. Her height was
lower than the height of the people passing me

23
and Keiko. The crowd was blocking little
Alleyya.
But thanks to her black curls, we found her
in far corner of the wide store. She was carrying
loads of books with her tan and delicate arms
while scanning another set of books.
Keiko grinned at me. I grinned too.
Alleyya.
“You can buy the whole store, you know,”
I teased.
Alleyya rolled her eyes.
“Did you found something worth reading?”
Keiko asked her, examining piles of fictional
books. She was scrutinizing some book series.
“Nothing you prefer,” Alleyya answered.
“I thought we would meet at the passage,” she
added.
“I haven’t read anything new for the last
few weeks. And Claire told me she knew a book
with a great review. ” Then Keiko went beside
her, with me following behind.
“Well, I found something here, Claire,” she
called out. Claire was another name for me.
Keiko said that it fits my code name which was
Luna. She meant Clair de Lune.
I left the book I was planning to buy. I
stood beside her.”What?” I asked.

24
 “Something very fictional,” she
commented scornfully.
I took the book from her hand. It was a
novel about spies—about all the invented and far-
from-truth stories of spies.
It was funny for us, though. Many books
and movies about international spies were quite
imaginative. Some included jetpacks, a gun pen
(The pen that’s actually a gun is true), and other
cool gadgets. Several of them never tell anything
about studying the art of spying. The funny things
were how could a spy learn all the methods
without studying for years?
Why spies could disable nuclear bombs? If
a spy went to a mission in another country with a
different language, how would a spy gather
intelligence? Why could spies hack, encipher and
encode? Why they were good at fighting? The
answer was simple: years of learning and
training.
“So, are you going to buy it?”
“Of course not,” she snorted.
We found some interesting books. I bought
a classic novel and the book I saw on a book site I
knew. Keiko bought the same books that I got
and—though she told that she wouldn’t buy it—
the book about spies.

25
 Alleyya had a hard time deciding which
books she would buy; and, if she had decided
which, she was thinking if hardbound or not. In
the end, she bought five books with different
genres and all hardbound.
Exactly ten-minutes before PE, we made it
back to LA. We rushed back to our room so that
we could change into our PE uniforms.
We’d been expecting that today wouldn’t
be much of a school day as it is. The past first
days of school that we had experienced were not
hectic. We barely had classes. I guessed it’s
different during junior year.

26
 2.Party
WHEN WE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE
OVERSIZE Gym, I felt a pang of relief when Ms
Brown hadn’t arrived yet. I heard Keiko and
Alleyya exhaled beside me. We didn’t like to do a
hundred push-ups. It was a waste of time and it’s
a bit envying to watch the others enjoying the
training.
Today was free running. I broke a nail but
it’s not just me. It was a little embarrassing on my
part though, because I got the highest grade last
year.
Keiko got a scratch; Alleyya had a bruise
on her left arm; the others obtained the same. If
we were not trained well, we could have broken
our bones—or skull.
We had jumped from a platform to another.
Each platform was approximately twelve feet
high and fifteen feet apart from one another. We
climbed some too. We had also skidded and
hopped on every stairs we passed. We run freely.
Basically, the obstacle was very
challenging; but nothing that could kill teenage
spies.

27
 After the PE class we took off to change to
our school uniform and continued to our next
classes. There weren’t many lessons to discuss—
they were all introductions— that was interesting
as what we had done in PE.
Our next and last subject was Literature. It
was not boring but not enjoying. Literature was
one of my favorite subjects until I met our
teacher, Ms. Massey. I had always like writing
and reading but it wasn’t amusing at all when the
teacher started to talk about herself.
It shouldn’t be called Literature. It should
be The Life of the Bigheaded Teacher: Ms.
Massey.
During dinner, at long last, we had time to
chat with our girl friends. Mostly we talk about
our vacation. I couldn’t say anything that would
hurt me inside. So I kept my mouth shut and
listen as my friends describe their short break
with animation.
“Morocco is beautiful but I like Japan more
because of Disney Land,” Grace Campbell
commented.
“Child-like,” I heard Hazel Thomas
muttered under her breath. Grace and Hazel were
rivals—stupidly because of a boy.
I ate silently and frustrated. Saturday—
before the longest Sunday of my life—I had been

28
visualizing how I would reenact what happened
on my own vacation.
“You’re so quiet Claire,” Alleyya noted.
I just shook my head. She turned to
Jennifer Williams, a girl who’s as tall and as
bookish as she. They were discussing about a
book.
Unintentionally, Keiko mirrored my action.
We’re both eating wordlessly, our left hand under
our chin. I repositioned myself and faced her. I
didn’t know what my expression was but it made
her chuckle.
“What?” she asked. It was pretty clear on
her face that she was confused.
I answered her with another question,
“What are you thinking?”
“Nothing interesting,” she said in a
monotonous voice.
“I want to know,” I pressed.
She looked around to see if someone’s
listening then turned to face me. “Have you seen
Ms Lawrence?”
“Not after our classes.”
Then she saw Hazel who seemed like
eavesdropping. Keiko glared at her. I was so
lucky Keiko was my bestfriend and not my
enemy. If looks could kill…

29
 “Maybe later,” she said sourly, still eyeing
the eavesdropper.
I nodded. She didn’t want anybody to
know it so it must be confidential.
Keiko was always updated with all the
news inside and outside the academy. She was
one of the Lawrences. Keiko never addressed the
headmistress as her sister. Her uncle was the
headmaster before her sister was; but their uncle
never got married and never had a child.
Rightfully, Keiko’s father should be the
headmaster but because he died, Ms Lawrence
replaced him. The academy should run by blood.
Ms Lawrence was very compassionate and
mother-like to Keiko. Every Saturday, Keiko ate
with her and sometimes shop in the mall.
Keiko told me, when I asked her why she’s
not calling her sister casually, that it’s because
she wanted to be treated like any other Lawrence
Girls. She said that it was already unfair that she
knows every secret passages—of course I knew it
too because of her—and every news about spies
from Lawrence Academy.
I was sure Keiko as a friend was the best;
but I was almost uncertain if having Keiko
Lawrence, as a friend was the best. Sometimes it
bothered me a little knowing she knew almost
everything about everyone.

30
 I completely failed to remember that there would
be a party that night. Keiko forgot it too. Alleyya
didn’t remind us. She was saying, “You two
never forget about the dance,” repeatedly. It was
funny and embarrassing at the same time. Alleyya
was right.
Keiko didn’t have a dress for the party;
however, the two of us had a lot of cocktail dress.
She couldn’t decide which she would wear. Her
closet was full of clothes still with their tags. Her
closet was very similar to mine.
If I could choose sisters, I would want
Alleyya as a baby sister; but, for a twin sister,
never doubt I would select Keiko.

It took a very long time for us—Keiko and

myself—to decide our dresses. In addition, it took
an hour for us to get our hair done. We were
fifteen minutes late. Thank God that the dance
was out of the rule.
Alleyya, as usual, picked a monochromatic
green dress. Green was her all time favorite color.
She looked like Tinkerbelle.
Keiko was gorgeous in her red one
shoulder dress. She had her thick brown hair
gathered into a neat ponytail. She was wearing a

31
black round pumps. Keiko appears like a
rockstar.
I was nothing compare to my bestfriends.
For a second, I’d planned of changing my outfit.
But it was just an acquaintance party. Moreover, I
had never wanted to be the center of attraction;
instead, I just wanted to be like a chameleon. To
blend in, like spies do.
I was wearing a plain black long-sleeved
mini dress matched with a pair of gold-trimmed
sandals—from my mother. My hair was boring—
I didn’t do anything about it. My face was the
same because I didn’t like cosmetic products. I
didn’t wear any accessories either. I looked liked
someone who’s supposedly heading toward
somewhere except here; however, accidentally
opened the door by some ill-fated circumstances.
I focused more on the word ‘party’ that I didn’t
bother to ask Alleyya what’s the theme. Not that I
remember there was always a theme. But why
didn’t Alleyya told me?!
The other LA third year students were
dressed according to the theme. The boys were
wearing different styles of tuxedos. The girls
were very elegant—it was obvious that they’re
from tip to toe prepared for the party. Few girls
wore long gown; and most of them wore cocktail
dress.

32
 It was a bit comforting that this was only a
party for the juniors and the school party was on
weekend. I would not forget about the next dance
and that I would buy an outfit for it.
I stopped on our way to the round table at
the center of the hall.
“Umm…girls, can’t we just sit there?” I
urged, pointing a finger to the corner of the foyer.
They agreed. They never wanted to be on
the spotlight, too.
I just wanted these stupid parties because
sitting on a chair was the closest thing I could get
to resting. I hadn’t recovered yet from my sporty
vacation. Going to a school dance was better than
having a tea ceremony.
Why I’d never forgotten parties of
Lawrence Academy was utterly a different thing.
Nobody asked us to dance and that was
good. I’d never hated dancing but I never liked it
either. In addition, boys weren’t included on the
list of my specialties. I had never taken classes
for honey pot— not that I would. I was no Mata
Hari.
Boys sometimes—well, most of the times
—irritated me. For me, they were a bunch of—I
hadn’t yet seen much of the outside world before,
so I wasn’t in the position to give my opinion on
the matter.

33
 I had to admit; I’d never been in love or
anything close to that, so what? I wanted to be a
spy not an infatuated teenager, period.

I danced with Keiko. We’d been doing that

for the last few years. Alleyya was a party
pooper.
When we were exhausted, we spent some
times conversing with our batchmates. They
might know something we didn’t.
“I’m tired,” a tall girl wearing a midnight
blue gown complained. Her name was Celine
Carter.
“We’re allowed to leave,” Marian simply
stated.
Celine sniffed then mumbled something
unintelligible.
“There’s still fifteen minutes remaining,” I
told them. “Let’s just enjoy. You know, great
things come when you least expect it.”
They rolled their eyes but nonetheless
followed me to the dance floor. All twelve of us
gathered and formed a chain. I fall behind; I was
afraid to be tickled by the girl in front of me—
Keiko. Spies 101: learn from your mistakes. She
had tickled me two times in a row.

34
 We were in the middle of having fun when
suddenly all the bright lights of the party were
turned off.
This is it, I thought to myself. This was
why I’d never forgotten about the dance—except
now.
I sensed that somebody was behind me. I
automatically fought back and made contact. I
crouched down and I laid my hand onto
something. A leg.
The lights turned on.
When my eyes adjusted to the bright lights,
I saw big men lying on the polished black floor of
the junior hall. Some of the men were bleeding,
including the one in front of me.
Looking around, I realized that Alleyya
was nowhere to be found. Celine was gone, too.
There were only ten girls in the hall and twelve
boys—three were missing.
“Where’s Alleyya?” I searched around but
I couldn’t find her.
Keiko was looking for her, too. I didn’t
know if she’s joking, but she was trying to find
Alleyya underneath the tables.
“Hello, students,” a menacing sound said. I
could easily tell that it wasn’t a voice from one of

35
our teachers. “Welcome to your darkest
nightmare.” No, I didn’t think so.
Keiko and I looked at each other with a
large grin and did our complicated high five, low
five…it was complicated.
We were ordered to fall in line. Keiko was
behind me at the end of the line. I could see Hazel
twitching now and then.
“Boys, and girls, this is your first covert
operation,” the ominous voice begun. “Your
mission is to retrieve your missing operatives.
Treat those men you’ve just beaten as dead—you
couldn’t ask them. Two of them had a CD for
each group.
“You have only till sunrise to do your
mission. Everyone can use all the facilities and all
of your own gadgets. Do what you want—use
minibomb, don’t change your clothes, go
shopping—there’s no school rules now. “ Then
the voice theatrically stopped.
“Boys and girls, students of Lawrence
Academy, best of luck to all of you.” I felt the
voice smiled. “But that’s not what you need, is it?
Well, you know what to do...” the voice trailed
off. I was so irritated to that voice that I tried to
remember it as much as I could. You would never
know, I might encounter him someday…

36
 We’d stopped looking for Alleyya and
Celine, and started searching for the CD.
I slid my hands inside the pockets of the
jeans of every “corpse” that were nearer to me. I
found nothing.
“Girls I found it!” Grace called out, waving
the CD that she was holding.
“Hey, Grace. Here, I’d brought my laptop.”
So that’s what inside Hazel’s bag every time we
had a party. What’s more fascinating was she
wasn’t making a face when she said Grace. When
you’re a spy, you really have to put your personal
life behind.
We drew together. Hazel clicked the play
button and all eyes were on the monitor.
Everybody was so still. I wondered if it was
because of fear or because they couldn’t wait for
some action. My reason was the latter.
“The video was nothing but black.”
“Weird. I thought this is the clue.”
We all looked at each other’s eyes,
thinking the same thing. The boys were not far
enough that they wouldn’t hear us, so we didn’t
say a word.
Our team silently but quickly moved
toward the forensic laboratory.

37
 Unsurprisingly, the laboratory was a state
of the art facility. Its walls were all white and the
ceiling was very high. Looking from the outside
of this room, it looked like any other laboratory
room. Inside, it was very odd in a way. It was the
room alien movies show. The kind that makes
you made a wow sound but, at the same time, you
want to hide because aliens might arrive.
Even though I had been in and out of this
room for several years, I was still amazed by this
room. It was my dream to have this kind of
laboratory.

Grace and Hazel worked on the

fingerprints while the others gather their do-it-
yourself gadgets. Marian and her bestfriend, Lily
Jonson, brought out our spy wear.
I tried to decipher anything from the
compact disk. Keiko helped me too. We let the
other girls do what they could do; after all, we
would have our spotlight when it would come
into fight.

After a couple of minutes, we found two

fingerprints: from Mr. Grayson and Mr. Cliff. I
should have known. They were both our Covet
Operation teachers.

38
 After some more minutes, I frustratingly
announced that I didn’t find anything significant.
No ciphers, codes or anything. Nothing but an
ordinary blank CD. So I guessed we would have
just stick to the fingerprints as the main clues.
But why it’s so obvious? Moreover, why
would Mr. Grayson and Mr. Cliff let themselves
leave their own fingerprints? Was it accidental or
they only wanted this operation to be so easy for
us? Hardly.

It was quarter after one, when we gathered

into the drawing room of third year girls. While
the other year levels were partying, here we were,
doing a covert operation with our two teammates
missing.
“Okay. So, we found two fingerprints,” I
began. “Mr. Grayson and Mr. Cliff. But there’s
something suspicious about those fingerprints,
don’t you think?”
“You’re right.” Hazel agreed. And the
others nod too.
“I think it’s best to conduct surveillance on
both of them. Who wants to do this?” I suggested.
No one was brave enough but Keiko. “C’mon
girls, they’re just Mr. Grayson and Mr. Cliff!”
They all gave me an unconvinced look.

39
 “You’re good at surveillance, you do it,”
Marian said.
I nod then turned to Keiko,” You okay with
this?”
“Oh sure,” she answered confidently.
“What should we do next?” Rosebud, the-
always-asking girl in our team, asked. Rosebud
never been in top of the class but she was the best
interrogator and the most honeypot-looking girl.
“ You, you and you. Do you want to be the
ones to check where could Mr. Grayson and Mr.
Cliff have been right now? You’re the best in this
aspect.” I asked because I wasn’t sure if they
want to do the researching thing; and also I didn’t
wish to give the impression I was a leader
wannabe. I admit I was good, but not good
enough to be a leader in an operation. Nor a
leader of this sweet-looking teenage girls! I
looked so average.
I had pointed Marian, Lily and Anaya.
I included Anaya in the research team, an
angel-faced orphan from France. She’s so fragile
and well, angel faced, I didn’t want her
somewhere dangerous that I assigned her to the
researching. She’s almost as smart as Alleyya.
Her parents died week after she was born.
She told us her family was her maids, cooks,
gardeners and other helpers in her house. We

40
tried not to laugh at that. She was really an angel.
She was the most innocent girl I had ever met.
Anaya wasn’t really weak though. I just
felt very protective toward her. In fact, she’s the
third in ranking. She’s next to Keiko and me and
a rank higher than Alleyya. She might not be as
smart as Alleyya but she’s almost as good as
Keiko and I.
“So Amelia, we have to plan everything
perfectly.”
“I know Luna, no room for mistake.” We
did our friendship handshake that was so
complicated Alleyya couldn’t follow.
Suddenly, I sensed that someone was
watching me.
Anaya was looking at me intently, as if she
was trying to read my mind. I looked away
awkwardly.
“Umm it’s okay if you don’t want,” I
blurted out without looking.
“It’s fine with me, it’s just that—nothing,”
she said shyly. Her voice was a ringing bell.
It was two-thirty; we were in front of Mr.
Grayson’s room. We could try the windows but
neither breaking them or making holes on the
glass wasn’t the best nor the only options we had.
And what’s with the fifty-feet high building for

41
the teachers. Mr. Cliff and Mr. Grayson belonged
to the Undercover Department, which was on the
highest floor of the building.
The door was password protected.
Thankfully, we still got some computer wizards
—although not as good as Alleyya and Celine.
Nevertheless, they could survive this.
“Luna to Isis,” I whispered, “are you
finish?”
“Finish, Luna.” I could hear Thea’s
proudness in her voice.
Besides me and Keiko, the team was
hiding somewhere inconspicuous. It was for sure
that a bunch of teenage girls wearing over-all
suits, using very advanced technology and—on
top of the list—trying to open their teacher’s
computer-locked door would be eye-catching.
Not to mention that there were security cameras
all around; but the girls got it all cleared. I would
not compare them again to Alleyya and Celine.
Keiko typed the password to unlock the
door while I look out.
I was so anxious. I was an expert in
fighting but considering fighting our mentors was
unbearable.

42
 Keiko unlocked the steel door (Obviously,
it’s not wood; it would be very silly to have a
wooden-password-protected door). She opened it
just by a whisker.
She entered and I followed.
Like what Anaya and her team reported to
us, there was no Mr. Grayson. He was nowhere to
be found, but it wasn’t something unusual. He
was a spy too, so he sometimes went to missions
and left the school without informing students.
Leaving without permission wasn’t
allowed to students. But, leaving without
permission to students was allowable. Life is
unfair for a spy student like me. No. life is unfair.
Period.
In any case, whenever there are some
missing-in-action teachers, there were always
substitute teachers on the line; which was either
very good or very bad. Nothing else could be
right.
It’s very good when the teacher is young
and knows how hard to be a spy student. This
kind of teacher lets us do what we want to do for
a while.
It’s very bad—or should I say hell?—when
the substitute teacher is young and knows how
hard to be a spy student yet worse than Ms.
Massey. This type of teacher always has the

43
line:”That’s so easy, I did that too when I was
your age. Didn’t even break a sweat…” Or
something like: “Teenagers now…” Like they
were never been once a teenager. Irritating,
bigheaded and ignorant substitute teachers.

I tried to concentrate again to our mission.

Mr. Grayson’s room wasn’t a room. It was
a mess! Everything was scattered on the floor.
His used clothes, gadgets, papers, books and even
his collectible toy cars were cluttered all around.
It was like he never cleaned his room for a year—
which was impossible because we all had our
cleaning gadgets. This room was impossible.
Impossible in every ways I know.

Okay. I finally got it. Mr. Grayson had

Alleyya and Celine. No doubt. Why else would
he make an effort to mess up with his
belongings? He was not that kind of person. He
was one of the cleanest male I’d ever met. I had
thought once that he’s an O.C.
“Wait, stop there. There’s no need to
investigate this room. It’s just a distraction. A
waste of time so that we will be sidetracked.
Grayson is a smart dude.”
“Great. So what are we going to do now?”

44
 I knew how frustrated Keiko was. She
enjoys finding clues—in this situation, it could be
called garbology.
I checked if my communication device was
still working.
“Luna to Group one and two. Do you hear
me?”
There was a crackling sound. Ouch.
I waited without speaking. Another
crackle.
“Ouch!” I complained.
“Sorry Luna. You see we’re having some
problem here…”
“What problem?” I asked tensely.
“My group got caught. I —” Thea broke
off.
“Group two! Anaya-Eve!” I shouted
silently.
“We’re fine Luna. Don’t worry much.”
Anaya assured me.
“Do you know what happened to Group
one?”
“Damn it! What happened?” I was
shocked. It was the first time I heard Anaya speak
those first two words she had said.
“They were blown.” I announced.

45
 “Do you have any idea where are they
now?” Anaya asked anxiously.
“I have no idea,” I began, “but I think we
have to check out Mr. Cliff’s room.”
“Okay. I’m trying to confirm now if he’s
in. Just a minute.”
I glanced at Keiko. She was still
scrutinizing some of Mr. Grayson’s stuff while
listening wordlessly in my conversation with
Anaya.
“Got. It.” Anaya pronounced the words
slowly.
“What?” I asked impatiently.
“He’s with Ms. Lawrence now.”
“This time of day?” I wondered. “Wait—
how did you know where is he exactly?”
“Ask Keiko. Keiko not Amelia.” She let
out a meaningful laugh.
Okay. Fine. I would have to wait until this
mission end. By then I could ask Keiko. I was
totally clueless what’s going on.
“Amelia, we have to go to Mr. Cliff’s
room. I don’t know where that is.” I gave an
emphasis to her code name.
“Oh, right. I think it’s at the end of this
floor.”

46
 “Why do you know?” I asked suspiciously.
We’re not allowed to visit our teachers. Of
course, Ms. Lawrence was an exception to Keiko;
but not Mr. Cliff.
“Who are you asking again?” Heavy
sarcasm.
I love Keiko more than Amelia.

3.Blown
IT TOOK LESS MINUTES FOR ANAYA TO
manipulate the controlling system of the whole
building than Thea did. I was impressed. She
never showed us how great she is.

47
 Before opening the door to Mr. Cliff’s
room, Keiko chuckled awkwardly like she was
holding it for a very long time. And now she
finally burst out.
It was very lucky that the walls of the
building were sound-proof. But instinctively and
foolishly, I made a shhh sound with my
forefinger on my lips.
She laughed louder. I was confused.
“What?!” I yelled at her irritably. “Is there
something funny about me?” I surmised.
“Don’t be silly it wasn’t you. Open that
damn door and you’ll see,” she scoffed.
I rolled my eyes and opened the damn door
to see what she meant.
Then I saw the room. I fall down laughing.
Keiko joined me.
The room was fine. It wasn’t funny if I
didn’t know whose room was it.
Mr. Cliff’s room was cute—and very
girlish.
Mr. Cliff. The very handsome and very
mannish Mr. Cliff had a pink room. Oh. My.
God. What. The. Hell!
How many people know this? Obviously,
there was only few because there was still a long
line of girls signing up to be his girlfriend.

48
 But still! Mr. Cliff!
So that’s why I wasn’t attracted to him.
Not that I was attracted to anyone. Of course not.
“What do you think we can find in this
room?” Keiko interrupted my thoughts.
“Well, let’s see…” I said childishly.
“Here,” I took a bear.
“Wow, maybe it’s a camera, don’t you
think?” Keiko played along with me.
“Luna! Amelia! Stop fooling around!
Mission, remember?” Anaya’s voice woke us up.
Keiko and I apologized at the same time
while grinning. We remembered this had
happened before when we were freshmen.
Keiko, Alleyya and me went on our own
little mission. As always, I was with Keiko doing
the surveillance. Alleyya was doing the computer
stuffs inside our room. Our surveillance team
came across a magic shop. Then we were
instantly caught up in our own world. That’s
when Alleyya interrupted us with the same words
that Anaya said to us.

“Okay, back to work.” I stretch my arms

and legs. I was starting to feel sleepy. But then, I
started to think. Why would Mr. Cliff let us know
what he is? Of course he didn’t know that we

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would break in. That means he wasn’t in. He
wasn’t with Mr. Grayson. But what was his finger
print doing in that CD! If this set up of his room
was just to confuse us, I didn’t think that Keiko
would know that beforehand.
So, it could therefore be concluded that Mr.
Cliff was a honey pot (the real definition of
honey pot) and Mr. Grayson was the man behind
all this. And somehow, he managed to make Mr.
Cliff hold the CD and leave his fingerprint. But I
know I was missing something obvious.
Something that was already in front of me but I
couldn’t pinpoint.
“Let’s go,” Keiko ordered, probably
thinking the same thing.
“Luna to Eve,” I checked if she’s still
there.
“What?” Anaya responded.
“Why the hell you two,” I glared at Keiko
then looked straight ahead again,”didn’t tell me
about Mr. Cliff!” Breathe. “You should have told
me earlier. In that way, I shouldn’t have wasted
my time! Our time!”
“Sorry,” Anaya and Keiko apologized in
synchronization.
“It’s just that I wanted to see what would
be your expression. You should have seen your
face!”

50
 “Ha ha ha,” I said without humor. “Very
funny.”
“Okay. Fine. This time it’s serios time.
Promise.” Keiko offered her hand for our secret
handshake.
I didn’t take it. Instead I said, “Whatever.”

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