Distress Call (Chapter 1)

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Chapter 1:

 

I heard the creaking of the oak doors, as I opened the entrance to the music room. It’s another Monday morning, before class starts. I always stay in different rooms just to think.  It became a routine ever since my dad convinced me to do this mission.

After taking a deep breath, I sat down on the piano seat and slowly placed my hands on the sensitive keys. It’s always the closest thing to make me feel home.

My right hand started with a gentle tone, changing from one key to another then my left hand followed with the chords. I looked at my hands and closed my eyes. I imagine them like they were my mother’s. Hands dancing, fingers skipping and like the music was only recorded.

Home, I thought. It’s been a while since I had my lessons there.

Shut up!  I scolded.

Great! Now I’m talking to myself. I paused my hands from playing.

I never thought that being far away from home could make me this crazy.

I shook my head.

I came here to think about my plans and not my past. But as I thought about things that might happen, my mind drifted to something else.

Three months ago…

“Max, you ready to go?” My best friend, Cecily, asked.

If I would describe Cecily Sutton in one word, I would have to say “girly”. She has shoulder-length, golden brown curly hair; chocolate brown eyes and medium beige skin that make her freckles a bit invisible. She might think that it makes her look ugly, but I don’t think so.

Cecily—or as I’d like to call her Ceci—has been my best friend ever since I started to go here for school and training. She’s in the same grade as me and she’s also my roommate.

“Yeah, I’ll be right there.” I replied, as I button my shirt.

It’s the last week of summer in Night Hills Academy. I could hear Ceci pace around our room as I fix myself in the bathroom. After smoothing my jeans––instead of a plaid skirt, out of habit––I opened the door and smiled at my uneasy best friend.

“Finally!” she exclaimed. “I may be the girly-est girl alive, but you miss are so unhurried.”

She pointed accusingly at me, as I laughed at her exaggerated expression.

“Whatever Ceci, were not even going to be late for anything.” I noted. “Plus, it’s not like you have something to do, right?”

She rolled her eyes and I chuckled.

I walked towards my bed and took my body bag for shopping. I’m not really a fan of one, but if you’re a best friend of a shopaholic-slash-girl-slash-spy, you’ll probably get used to it.

“Are you still coming?” I asked, walking towards the door.

She shook her head and followed me. “You are despicable.”

I winked at her and opened the door. “I know.”

We walked outside the east wing and towards the middle stairs, which separates all the wings in the mansion. We skipped down the stairs with my chucks and Ceci’s doll shoes squeaking and tapping on the floor, the only ones making noise around the almost empty school.

As we walked towards the double oak doors that covered our stoned high walls, I remembered the day when all the students roam around this mansion. Everyone would be wearing our common uniforms. Black vests with white long-sleeved blouses below them and plaid skirts.

The only difference would be color of the plaid skirt and the patch of the school. The skirt also changes color every school year. Since I am a sophomore last school year, my skirt is a checkered black and yellow. While my patch is also black though it’s borders, the academy name and its symbol are coloured yellow.

My footsteps wouldn’t be heard through all the people walking and talking. The chattering would be about the usual: lessons and the news from CM-24––the top-secret organization for known agents-slash-spies. But there’s always one subject left out, the news about the M-17.

M-17 is the most dangerous assassin organisation. No one knows where it is, but CM-24 has their ways on knowing the members.

Outside the doors would be a two-step pavement stairs that lead to a roundabout for cars. In the middle of the circle, would be a fountain. Some say in a push of a button, it could flip into a helicopter pad. And as for those, four of them would be found at the back of the school with the P&E building in the middle.

I saw our vehicle just as we stepped down the stairs. It’s a plain black van, indicating that it is the school’s van and also the van that we use for Cove-Ops (Covert Operations). Its engine roared to life just as we approached the sliding doors. Ceci was the first to walk in and I was the last. I pushed the doors into a close and Mr. Reed started to drive.

I looked outside the tilted front windows of the van and stared at the double, tall-designed gates of the school. In the middle of it where the gates would separate, are the school’s initials: “NHA” (It’s a shame that the letter “H” was divided in half as the handle).

To tell you the truth, Night Hills Academy isn’t just an ordinary institute for girls. It is an exceptional school for female spies.

If I have forgotten and I know I haven’t­­––‘cause I remember everything that I need to recall––I am Maximillian Rose Hathaway. The daughter of a well-known spy, Joyce Hathaway and the right hand of CM-24, Morgan Hathaway. Called “Max” by my friends and “Eagle” as my codename. Lastly, I am a student spy.

∞Distress Call∞

Some of the terms may be familiar and may be seen in the series of Ally Carter, entitled: The Gallagher Girls Series. I do not own her books, I am just inspired by them.

Also, this is a simple cover of the book that i made in photoshop:

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Thank you!