SCOTT
Dr. Robert—a brilliant, yet morally corrupt scientist, was our target. He was the mastermind behind a series of deadly biological weapons that threatened global security. Our mission was to infiltrate his heavily guarded laboratory, eliminate him, and destroy his research.
We were a team of four, each with our own unique set of skills.
I had become the team leader. We had finally tracked Dr. Robert. Now, we stood outside of his building while using our binoculars to scout the surrounding area. We saw our mark, we studied his patterns, his security, and his habits. We knew that he worked late into the night, often alone. That was our window of opportunity. We had made it to our destination, we were both excited and sad. We would have to fight for who would kill the other and be able to kill our mark.
Jennifer and Alex slowly stepped away from us as they felt the tension rise.
The tension between Erin and I had been building for days. We were both strong-willed, stubborn, and used to getting our way. But this was different. This was a matter of life, death and graduation.
Erin and I both wanted him dead, to ensure we could graduate. We stared at each other for a moment and in an instant she took the first move. When a disagreement arose, Erin was convinced that a bullet between his eyes was the only justice he deserved. But that would mean we would only have one shot at it and I was by far the better shot.
"Think about the lives he's ruined, the families he's torn apart!" Erin argued, her voice echoing off the trees. "He needs to face justice, a bullet to his freaking head!"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a candy bar and began eating it.
"And what if he escapes, what if you miss? What if he then gets captured and bribes his way out of jail?" I shot back, my patience wearing thin. "We can't risk it, Erin!"
That was it. Erin's face twisted into a comically exaggerated expression of rage, her blue eyes bulging out like a cartoon character. "Oh, it's on!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a touch of melodrama.
Without warning, she grabbed the nearest candy bar and flung it at my face with all her might. The chocolate bar smacked me right in the eye, causing me to let out a high-pitched yelp of pain.
"Ouch! That stings!" I rubbed my eye and made exaggerated pained expressions.
But Erin wasn't done yet. She charged at me, throwing a punch with all her might. I barely had time to react, my reflexes kicking in just in time. I stepped back, narrowly avoiding her fist, and struck a pose like a clumsy ballerina trying to do a pirouette.
She looked at me in disbelief, her jaw dropping. "How did you—?" she started to say, but I interrupted her with a swift jab to her midsection. She let out a loud "oof!" and doubled over, clutching her stomach in agony.
But Erin made a quick recovery. With a determined look on her face, she swung a leg at my knees, aiming for a dramatic takedown. I, however, had other plans. I leaped back, my legs flailing in the air like a startled flamingo.
We circled each other, our breaths heavy in the silence of the room. Erin was a formidable opponent, her movements precise and calculated. But I had years of experience of hand to hand combat on her, and I wasn't going down without a fight.
Our battle was brutal—a flurry of punches and kicks, neither of us willing to back down.
With a roar, I charged at her, catching her off guard. She tried to sidestep, but I was too quick. I tackled her to the ground, pinning her beneath me. She squirmed, trying to break free, but I held her down.
"Enough, Erin!" I growled, my heart pounding in my chest. "He deserves to die, and I deserve to graduate!"
“So do I, you jerk!” Erin snapped back
She stopped struggling, her chest heaving as she glared up at me. She squirmed beneath me, her eyes blazing with defiance. But as I looked into her eyes, something shifted. I saw not just the fiery teammate who had been a thorn in my side, but a woman who was passionate, brave, and incredibly beautiful.
For a moment, I was lost in her gaze, the mission was forgotten. Our hands slowly intertwined and I inched toward her face.
Alex's voice rang out at that exact moment. “Why don't you both kill him? Both of you can graduate if that's all it takes.”
I swear, every time I got lost in her eyes one of these highschoolers found me. It was becoming annoying. But this time I would listen to this computer geek and his hair brained idea.
I released Erin, standing up and offering her a hand. "We need to finish this mission," I said, my voice steady.
She took my hand and stood, brushing herself off. "Agreed," she answered, her eyes still holding a spark of defiance.
Alex was a genius when it came to technology and improvisation. He had a knack for turning the most mundane objects into deadly weapons. As he rummaged through our bags, his hands moved with a speed and precision that was almost mesmerizing.
He pulled out the extra ammo we had packed, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous excitement. "I can work with this," he muttered, more to himself than to us.
For the next hour, he was like a mad scientist on a caffeine high. He dismantled our guns, reengineering them with the finesse of a master chef creating a gourmet dish. He attached two buttons to the side of each gun, explaining that they would have to be pressed simultaneously to fire the bomb. It was like a high-stakes game of Simon Says, but with way more explosions.
The rest of us watched in awe as Alex worked his magic. His fingers moved with the speed and finesse of a concert pianist, transforming the guns into something straight out of a bathero movie. When he was done, he held up one of the guns, a satisfied grin on his face.
So this is why he has been scouted by the U? He’s a genius. Or maybe just a little bit crazy.
"Voila!" he said with a flourish that would make a magician jealous. "Our very own bomb launcher."
We all stared at the weapon, a mix of admiration and fear in our eyes. It was a masterpiece of destruction, a deadly work of art. It was also a reminder of the danger we were in. We were about to go up against a ruthless biological arms dealer, armed with a weapon that could blow us all to smithereens.
It was like playing a game of Russian roulette, but with a lot more explosions and a lot less vodka.
But hey, at least we had Alex on our side. With his genius and a touch of insanity, we just might have a fighting chance. And so, with a mix of excitement and a healthy dose of fear, we prepared to face our nemesis, armed with our very own homemade bomb launcher.
But we trusted Alex. We trusted each other. We were a team, and we were ready to face whatever came our way.
As we prepared to aim, the cub reappeared and behind it was the giant rustling of trees being knocked down.
"Momma's coming! Bail!” Alex cried out frantically.
We didn't need to be told twice. We turned and bolted, the underbrush whipping against our legs as we ran. The roar of the mother bear echoed behind us, a terrifying reminder of the danger we were constantly in.
Erin was ahead of me, her long legs carrying her swiftly through the forest. I could hear Alex and Jennifer behind me, their heavy breaths punctuating the silence.
The ground beneath us shook as the bear continued to charge, her roars growing louder and more feral. I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw her massive form barreling towards us. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline fueling my movements faster.
Suddenly, Erin tripped, her foot catching on a tree root. She went down hard, her cry of surprise cut short as she hit the ground. I skidded to a halt, turning back to help her.
"No, keep going!" she shouted, struggling to get up. But it was too late. The bear was upon us.
I raised my tranquilizer gun, trying my best to aim for the bear's massive chest. But of course, my aim was about as accurate as a blindfolded toddler playing darts in the moment. The dart whizzed past the bear, missing its mark completely. The bear, clearly unimpressed by my feeble attempt, let out a roar that could rival a rock concert.
Just as I was about to accept my fate as bear food, Alex came charging in like a madman, bear trap in hand.
“Say hello to my giant friend!” he yelled out and with the grace of a bull in a china shop, he flung the trap at the bear, hitting it square in the face. The bear let out a yelp of surprise and pain, its eyes wide with confusion. It took off running, yelling like a banshee on a skateboard.
As the bear disappeared into the distance, leaving behind its whining cub, Erin sprang into action. She walked over to the cub, her face pale but determined, and scooped it up like it was a fluffy teddy bear. It was like watching a superhero rescue a damsel in distress, except the damsel was a baby bear and the superhero was a slightly panicked adventurer.
We all stared at Alex in awe, a mix of gratitude and disbelief in our eyes. In unison, we gave him a heartfelt "Thanks," grateful for his bravery and quick thinking. But amidst the praise, I couldn't help but ask the burning question on my mind.
"Alex, where on earth did you find a bear trap?" I asked, my face buried in my hands in a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Alex grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with pride. "Oh, that? I've been collecting them on our walk. You never know when a bear trap might come in handy," he replied, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief. "You're an absolute idiot," I said, unable to hide my annoyance. But then, I extended my hand toward him. "But hey, thanks for saving us. Let's get out of here and finish our mission."
We slowly regrouped and returned to the rocket launcher.
Alex had a huge contagious smile etched on his face. “Just wait until it fires. I have a small surprise for you guys.”
Jennifer looked through the binoculars and gave us a thumbs up. I handed Jennifer the baby bear who rubbed his face against hers causing her to smile. We both stared at each other before we both pushed our button causing the bomb to fire.
Alex's homemade weapon was a thing of beauty. As it soared through the air, it spun like a firework, leaving a trail of sparkling embers in its wake. When it hit the building, it exploded in a brilliant display of white and red, the colors of Valentine's Day.
But the real surprise came after the explosion. As the dust settled and the echoes of the blast faded, the opening notes of "My Heart Will Go Forward" began to play. The sound was loud and clear, filling the night air with its cheerful melody.
We all stared in disbelief as the song played on, the ruins of the building serving as a grim backdrop to the festive tune. It was a surreal moment, one that would have been comical if not for the gravity of our mission.
Erin smiled, enjoying herself. She was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
We all looked at Alex, both confused and super impressed.
"What?" he said, shrugging. "I thought we could use a little bit of Valentine aura."
Despite the circumstances, I couldn't help but laugh. It was a ridiculous, absurd moment, but it was also a reminder of why we did what we did. We were fighting for a world where joy and peace could exist, even in the face of darkness.
As the last notes of "A whole new world" faded into the night, it was time to make our trip back to the plane.
Erin grabbed my hand. “You let things distract you, but not me.”
She pulled me in and our lips finally touched while the fireworks continued going off. What a Valentine's Day this turned out to be. Not only had we killed our mark, but Erin and I had finally kissed. It was everything I hoped it would be.
Jennifer’s face turned a pale green while she held the bear cub which she had already named Sabertooth. “Can we please go now that you have swapped saliva. Yeah, this is not what I think teaming up meant.”
“Please stop,” I commanded, holding up my hand.
I pulled Erin back to me, wrapping my arms around her and slammed my lips on her again. When we finally pulled back, we were breathless as I grazed across her face and toward her ear.
“We need to head back, we have to get ready for graduation,” I chuckled.