Everyone laughed as the family sang an off-key version of the birthday song to the twins. At sixteen, they’d grown into beautiful young women. Samuel looked at them with pride, hardly believing he and Sarah had produced such two wonderful young people. A combination of velvet and steel, they could turn their soft-hearted kindness into unbreakable resolve when circumstances required.
The last five years had been intense. The girls had honed their skills in every conceivable way. Both were excellent shots, although Alison was better with long-range sniper weapons. Alexa, though, had an uncanny ability in archery. Both were equally skilled in throwing knives with deadly accuracy. They also had studied natural and synthetic poisons and knew enough to use either with efficiency. In their chosen languages they were at nearly native-speaker levels. Because of their smaller stature, they’d had to work harder on hand-to-hand combat skills. Individually, they could hold their own, but together, their twin connection worked in complete unison giving them an advantage most challengers were unprepared for.
While the boys had already completed a minor mission by their sixteenth birthday, Sarah and Samuel had elected to keep the girls out of the field. The next few months would see them working exclusively with their mother whose lesson plans included aspects of the life that men would never experience, let alone contemplate as being important enough to warrant thinking about. Sarah knew differently. And she knew that if the girls weren’t introduced to these topics, their chances for mission success were greatly reduced. In many ways she regretted that she would ultimately remove the final vestiges of innocence from the girls. But it couldn’t be helped. The business they were in required it. Pressure had been increasing to use the girls and only Samuel’s and Sarah’s resolve and reputation had kept the girls protected to this point. But they both knew their influence was waning and soon they’d have no choice but to assign the girls to real missions. Missions that could result in one, or both, losing their freedom or lives.
Sarah smiled as she watched the girls sass their older brothers. Sam and his young wife were expecting their first child. They had built a small home a few miles from the main homestead and were happily preparing for the new arrival expected next month. As a result, Ben and Caleb were taking on more and more missions, often gone for extended periods of time. Both were showing the signs of hardness that came with the business they were in. Sarah hoped they could remain grounded and find a partner that would stand by them through life. Doing so was difficult enough for the average person. It was nearly impossible for individuals in their line of work. She looked at the girls and sighed. Theirs would not be an easy life. She of all people knew that. But she hoped with all her heart that they would find someone, as she had found Samuel, who could make that life easier. She gave herself a mental shake. Today was the girls’ day. No gloomy thoughts allowed.
“Time for presents?” Sarah asked the crowd.
“Yes! Presents! Presents!” chanted the boys. Sarah laughed at their silliness.
Everyone moved towards the table that contained a variety of oddly-shaped packages, most badly wrapped. True to their past exploits, the boys had purposely wrapped their gifts to look like something totally different from what they really were. Sarah had to hand it to them, though, they’d always provided thoughtful gifts that, while similar, were just different enough to acknowledge the individuality of the twins. In the early days, most had been hand-made. As they became older and had access to the wider world, the gifts had changed accordingly. Sarah was curious to see what they’d come up with for this very special birthday.
“Open mine first,” Sam called out.
The girls reached for the packages that had a tag indicating it was Sam’s gift. They were round and about the size of a soccer ball. Alison and Alexa grinned when they heard a rattling sound caused by their gentle shaking. Ripping the paper off, they stared in confusion at the brightly colored balls in their hands. Each instinctively shook the ball and again heard the rattling sound. Rolling the ball around in their hands, it took only a few seconds to find the flap opening that had been cut into the surface.
Looking at each other doubtfully, they silently dared each other to put their hand through the opening. Shrugging, Alison shoved her hand into the ball and felt what was inside. Her eyes widened. She slowly and carefully withdrew a matched set of six throwing knives complete with concealment sheathes.
She looked at Alexa who was retrieving a similar gift. Except for a slight difference in shading, the knives and sheathes were identical to Alison’s. Both girls tested the balance and weight.
“These are beautiful,” Alison was the first to speak.
“You’ll need to practice with them to become proficient. But they were made specifically for you two. I sent measurements of your hands,” Sam replied.
“When and how?” the twins asked together, causing everyone to laugh.
“Remember the pictures and video I made of you two a couple of months ago? You held your hands up pretending to surrender to a robbery?”
“Sneaky!”
“Perhaps. But it worked!”
“Thank you, Sam!” The girls each gave him a hug.
“Thank Clara,” he nodded towards his wife. “It was her idea.”
They hugged Clara, thanking her profusely.
“Open mine next,” Ben said.
The girls glanced at the gifts that looked like scooters, except that the deck looked longer and thicker than normal. It quickly became apparent that Ben’s creativeness was unmatched in concealing his true gift. The handlebars were simply a broom stick with a dowel for a cross bar. The wheels were small rounds of wood from a tree. The scooter deck was the true gift. It was a large flat box that contained a rifle broken down for easy carry. The room was silent as everyone stared at the contents.
“Ben, where did you get these?” Samuel asked.
“One of my contacts,” was all Ben would say. “Don’t worry. They can’t be traced.”
Samuel and Sarah looked at each other. If ever they needed a reminder that their boys were grown up, this was it.
“You’re sure?” Samuel pressed.
“Positive.”
Samuel looked about to say something more, but Sarah gave an imperceptible head shake and he let it go. He watched as the girls quickly and efficiently assembled the rifles and peered through the scopes. It took them less than a minute. Impressive, he thought.
“It’s a high-end scope. There are instructions in the box,” Ben said. “You’ll want to practice with it.”
Alison, being the better sniper of the two, appreciated the technical brilliance of the gift a bit more than Alexa. But Alexa understood the risk Ben had taken to secure the weapons and offered him her sincere gratitude.
“Now open mine!” Caleb broke the silence, causing everyone to shift their attention away from the rifles.
The girls reached for the packages. They were long cylinders, the type used to hold maps or other items such as paintings. But these were larger. Large enough to put a slender arm in.
“What on earth?” Alison mumbled as she pulled hers towards her.
It was apparent that whatever was inside couldn’t be too big. Tearing the paper off, the girls stared at PVC plumbing pipes, capped at both ends. The others laughed at the confusion on their faces.
“What’s inside?” the parents asked together, while Caleb stifled a smirk.
Pulling off an end cap, Alison tipped her pipe upside down and let the contents fall out. Alexa was only a few seconds behind her. Both stared at the various packages that fell out. Shaking hers, Alison realized there was something more inside the pipe. Holding it up and looking into the dark cavity, she saw what she thought was soft material. Reaching in, she pulled out a lump of cloth. She put the pipe down, picked up the item and shook it out. It looked like a body suit. Seeing Alison’s, Alexa quickly pulled a duplicate version out of her pipe.
“Caleb?” Alison asked with uncertainty.
“It’s a high-tech suit, almost like armor. While not completely bullet-proof, it’s designed to resist knife stabs and cuts, and I’ve been assured it will lessen the impact of almost all standard handgun bullets, shot beyond ten feet away. While still suffering a grave injury, it could save your life. I saw it tested. It’s way cool. You can wear it under your regular clothing or by itself. You’d look like Cat Woman or something, if you did that, but you could do it.”
Everyone stared at Caleb. Samuel was the first to break the silence that had followed his little speech.
“Where did you get these, and how did you even find out about such technology?” he asked.
“I can’t tell you that,” Caleb answered quietly. “But I can tell you that they are still somewhat experimental. I didn’t lie. I did see them tested. They’re impressive. I can only assume that as the technology gets refined, they’ll be even better.”
Then attempting to shift the attention, he waved at the other items that came out of the tubes and were still not opened.
“You’ve got more to check out,” he told the girls.
The diversion worked as the girls reached for the various small boxes in front of them. A couple were small personal gifts, the most noteworthy being necklaces that were two halves of a whole. The small medallion, when the two halves were put together, depicted a large oak tree. Each half had a word inscribed on it. Alexa’s said ‘Strong’ and Alison’s said ‘Unbreakable’.
“Thank you, Caleb!” both girls cried together. “These are beautiful.”
“Open the last box.”
They reached for the package and unwrapped a bottle filled with liquid. The label identified the product within as hand lotion.
“Caleb, really? Hand lotion?” Alison asked.
Caleb smiled. “It’s not really hand lotion.”
“Then what?”
“You put it on your hands like lotion, but when it dries, and it dries quickly, it removes all hand and fingerprint impressions. It’s like wearing gloves, but without the bulkiness of gloves.”
“What?!?”
“I got it from the same place as the body suits. This is not experimental, though. It’s been around for several years. Hard to get. Guard it carefully. It’s likely the only bottle you’ll ever get. Use it sparingly. It will last for quite a while.”
“Caleb, just who have you been cultivating to have access to such items?” Sarah asked quietly, “And is it safe for you to know them and them to know you?”
Caleb was quiet for a moment, then said, “Don’t worry, Mom. It won’t trace back to the family. I’ve made sure of that.”
Not quite sure what he meant by that statement, Sarah just asked, “you’re sure?”
“Yes. Positive.”
It was left at that. No one really wanted the details. Especially since Caleb’s expression had hardened. Each had their own interpretation of his statements, none of which were particularly positive.
“You still haven’t opened ours,” Samuel broke the silence.
The last two packages on the table were small boxes. No attempt to disguise the package to look like something else, they were simply small, elegantly wrapped gifts.
Alexa reached out and grabbed the one with her name on it and gave the other to Alison. They looked at each other, then unwrapped and opened the boxes together. Inside were keys. It took a couple of seconds, but then both girls realized they were vehicle keys.
Screaming their excitement, they simultaneously yelled, “You got us cars!”
Sarah and Samuel smiled, as the boys laughed.
“More or less,” Sarah said.
“What do you mean?” Alison asked.
“Go outside and see.”
The girls stood and raced to the door. They were outside before anyone else had even stood up. Laughter followed them out the door. Sitting in the front drive were two nearly identical small cars. Very ordinary-looking cars. In fact, almost too much so. Alison and Alexa glanced at each other with some disappointment but were quick to hide it as the others came up behind them.
“I can tell you aren’t impressed,” Samuel said with a smile.
“No! That’s not true! We love them!” the girls said together.
“It’s OK. You don’t have to pretend. I know you’d rather have some souped-up fancy sports car. But these are more than they seem. And they blend. That’s the most important. Let me tell you about them as you get in and get comfortable.”
The girls walked to the cars and quickly figured out which belonged to whom by how the keys fit. Slipping in behind the wheel they adjusted the seat and mirrors to their liking. Samuel followed them and raised his voice just enough they could hear him through the open doors.
“Each car has been reinforced to the point of being bullet proof. That includes the windows. The engines are well beyond what would normally be found in cars like these. They’re high-end high-speed things of beauty. The tires will take a bullet or three and continue to roll. They’ll even survive spike strips. In short, ladies, these are small racetrack-worthy tanks hiding inside what looks to be a commuter car for the less-than-wealthy crowd.”
Sam and Ben had opened the hoods and were peering at the engines, making appreciative noises. Caleb was looking at the back license plate, wiggling it a bit.
“Hey! Does this thing rotate or something?” he called out.
“Yes. There’s a button inside that when pushed, will rotate the plate to a different number and state.” Sarah responded. “Very handy if being chased by law enforcement. One just needs to do it when not directly in front of the chase car. That would render it totally useless.”
The rest of the family smiled in appreciation. The girls were simply pushing buttons and not listening to the conversation.
“Can we take them for a test drive?” Alison asked.
“Later. Dinner should be ready, and there’s still cake.” Sarah answered. “C’mon. Let’s go back inside.”
The girls groaned and the boys laughed, but all followed their mother into the house. When dinner was over and the cake served, Samuel made an announcement.
“I’ve arranged for you girls to participate in a very intense defensive driving course. You’ll have two days of training, a week off, then two more days. You’ll be driving your own cars.”
“But we already know how to drive,” Alexa objected.
“Not like this,” Samuel responded, but added nothing further. Sam and Ben looked at each other and grinned. They knew exactly what was planned for the girls. They would be participating also, but not in a way the girls could possibly anticipate. Sarah picked up the conversation.
“After that, I will be taking the two of you into the city for additional training. We will be gone for at least a month, possibly more.”
At the surprised looks from all the children, Sarah continued, “The girls need training on things that you boys would never even think about, simply because you’re boys. Also, we’re running out of time. Your father and I have been getting requests to send the girls into the field. As yet, they’re not ready.”
Alexa and Alison made objecting noises and started to speak. Sarah cut them off.
“I said you’re not ready and you aren’t. You’ll understand when we get to the city. When you’ve finished your driving course, we’ll take one of the vehicles and leave the other here. You can decide between you, whose car we’ll take. That person will do most of the driving, but both of you will have your chance. I will help you pack what you need.”
She glanced at the clock. “Now, considering the hour, I suggest you try to get some rest. Your first driving session is tomorrow. I’ll take care of the dishes tonight. Go on now. All of you. I’m sure you all have things to do.”
Sam got up and helped his wife to her feet. They said their goodbyes and left for home. Ben and Caleb stood, thanked their parents, and wished their sisters another happy birthday. Then both left, talking quietly between themselves. Over the past year, they had worked together to remodel one of the smaller out-buildings into their own residence. It wasn’t fancy or big, but it was comfortable and out of the main house, providing more privacy.
The girls gathered their gifts and made their way upstairs. Now that the boys had moved out, they each had their own room, but decided to gather in Alexa’s, which still had two beds. They put their gifts on the beds and started going through them more thoroughly.
“These are all pretty awesome, don’t you think?” Alexa asked.
“Most definitely. The brothers can be thoughtful when they want,” Alison chuckled as she said it.
Typical of all siblings, they had their disagreeable moments, but the bond between all of them was not to be questioned or challenged. Each would do whatever they needed to protect the others.
“Let’s try on the suits,” Alexa suggested.
Alison grinned. “You got it.”
They quickly removed their clothing and pulled on the bodysuits. They laughed when they looked at each other.
“You do look like some comic book heroine,” Alexa said.
“You, too! Wonder if they really stop knife slices.”
Alexa grabbed one of the throwing knives and turned to her sister.
“Let’s see.”
“Whoa! Not sure I really meant we should test them.” Alison backed away.
“How will we know otherwise? We certainly can’t shoot each other.”
“True. OK. Be gentle.” She held out her arm.
Alexa ran the knife blade gently over the material on Alison’s arm. There was no separation or cut marks. She tried again with a little more force and got the same result.
“Wow!” Alison said. “I felt the pressure, but there’s no cut! Try a little harder.”
“You sure? What if I really cut you?”
“I don’t think you will. I’ll take the chance.”
Alexa sliced downward, quick and hard, as if she were in an actual knife fight. Alison stumbled backwards and sat heavily on the bed.
“Jeez!”
“You said!”
“I know, but I didn’t think you’d try to kill me.”
“Look at your arm. There’s nothing there!”
“Gonna be a bruise. But you’re right. No cut. These suits are awesome.”
“We can only hope the bullet bit isn’t all hype.” Alexa murmured as she looked at Alison’s arm more closely. “We’ll be like super-heroes with super powers.”
“Don’t get carried away and start thinking you’re invincible. That’s a fast way to get killed. For real. Not paint-gun killed.”
They smiled at each other as both indulged in memories of activities from their earlier years. Over the last five years, the training in the woods had lessened. Not entirely ended, but the simulated missions were more specialized and suited to their age.
“I wonder what Mom has in mind for us. Must be intense if we’re going to be gone for a month or more.” Alexa said.
“I know, right? But back in her day, Mom was one of the best. It’s surprising, really, to think that she and Dad found each other, considering their occupations.”
“Alison, do you think you’ll be able to do it? Kill someone? I know that’s what we’ve been training for since we were five, but it’s always been some abstract idea. Soon it won’t be. It will be real. We’ll be responsible for someone’s death. And we won’t have any say in the matter. Even if we disagree over why the target was chosen.”
“You can’t think about that. That’s all politics or power manipulation. That’s not our piece of the puzzle. You can only think about accomplishing the mission without getting caught or killed and making sure nothing comes back to the family.”
“But we’re talking real people with real family or loved ones. How can you just disregard that?”
“Well, I’m not disregarding it. I’m just not dwelling on it. There’s a difference.”
“I don’t see much of one.”
“Alexa, if you have such serious doubts about whether you can do this, you should talk to Mom and Dad. Maybe there’s another role they can assign you. But we’ve trained as a unit. Although I know I can be an effective solo, together we can accomplish much more. And I overheard Dad on the phone saying that was our biggest asset. He didn’t know I was there. He was using our twinship as a bargaining chip to whoever he was talking to.”
Alexa was silent for several moments. Finally, she looked at Alison. A tear escaped from her eye as she pledged her allegiance and full support to her twin.
“Together as one.”
“Together as one.” Alison echoed.
They hugged each other, extending the gesture for a bit longer than was strictly necessary.
“C’mon, let’s get out of these suits and get some sleep. I’ll stay here tonight,” Alison said as she began stripping out of the bodysuit. She looked at Alexa. “Happy Birthday, Big Sis.”
Alexa chuckled. “Happy Birthday, Little Sis.”