Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
The following morning, Devin woke up early to prepare the group for training. He reached the meeting area behind the temple but was surprised to see one agent beat him to it. Tilting her head with grin, she greeted him “Morning.”
He smiled at the familiar grin he knew on a personal basis “It’s still early.”
“I’m ready for whatever you have planned.” Erin shrugged her shoulders with ease. She was sore but wouldn’t let him see it.
He stepped closer until they were close enough to breath the same puff of air “I have separate plans for you.” He slowly leaned down to give her a kiss when she heard footsteps behind.
Pulling away as she adjusted her eye “Thanks Devin, I think the lint is out of my eye now.” She quickly covered and blinked a few times.
Darren rolled his eyes “Oldest lie in the book. Allow me.” He stepped over and took Devin’s position “Oh, you’re right. Your eyes are brown. Or my favorite, no that’s not a pimple.”
The two exchanged knowing smiles “Keep the secret for us?” Devin asked.
“Consider it done.” Darren agreed, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you but Mia is on to you two. She’ll drag it out of you.” He warned Devin “Using her secret weapon.”
“Jenna?” Devin guessed.
“No, Bonnie.” Erin knew her friend too well.
The three quickly stopped talking when the others came stumbling out. Mia yawned widely and didn’t bother to cover her mouth “Too early.”
Ryan and Doug were carrying Jenna by the arms and legs “We bring food. Start fire. We eat tonight.” Doug used his most masculine tribal voice as they dropped the unconscious girl on the cold grass.
She curled in a fetal position while Ryan shook his head “We tried everything.”
Devin knew his lazy niece too well as he bent on one knee and advised her with a booming voice “Who ever does not finish today’s training will not get to sleep!”
Instantly, she was up “Okay, I give up. Man, I shouldn’t have told you my weakness.” She stood up and sighed, “I want my nice Uncle back!” she whined.
Doug turned to her in shock “You made us carry you all the way from the room out here and you were awake the whole time?!”
She giggled while nodding her head vigorously “Yeah, it was fun! But I think you need to work out your arms a little more.” She squeezed them playfully “Your chest was heaving up and down like crazy.”
He whipped his body towards her threatening as she darted behind Ryan with a laugh. Devin shook his head “Guys, can we focus? Reina and Matt have a few gifts for you guys while you do the five mile run this morning.”
“A beef jerkey tied to the end of a string stick while they ride in front of us?” Mia snickered “That just crosses borderline of cruel and unusual punishment.”
Carmen laughed “You know that’s the first thing on Mia’s mind in the morning. Poor Darren.” The group joined in the laugh but Mia was the least bit amused.
“Shh! New girl can’t make jokes yet.” She snapped.
Matt appeared around the corner with a box and Reina on his side. They heard her last comment “Mia, Carmen has been with us for almost a year. I doubt she’s consider new anymore.” Reina reasoned.
“Shush! Or I’ll disown you too.” Mia snarled.
“Wow, grumpy Mia.” Matt raised his brows “I kinda like it.” He dropped the box in front of them “Okay gang, to help your stamina. We’re adding a little weight to your arm and legs.” He pulled the box open and threw little three pound bean bags made to tie around the ankles and wrists.
Reina helped Mia put on hers “See, it’s like an anklet and bracelet.” She giggled while moving on to help Carmen.
“The only things I wear around my ankles and wrists have diamonds on them.” Mia looked at them with disgust.
Darren laughed as he turned to his wife “It’s not that bad. Kinda matches your outfit.” He pointed to her gray jumpsuit.
Jenna placed her wrists out as if she was being handcuffed “Take me away.”
“You’re not going to jail Jenna.” Erin shook her head at the overly dramatic girl.
“We might as well be. We live in jail and we train like dogs.” She groaned, “I quit!”
Ryan laughed at his girlfriend’s desperate plea “Honey, I don’t think that’s possible. We signed our names to the devil. He has our souls now.”
“Devin the Devil.” Mia said dazily “I like the sound of that.”
Devin laughed purposely “That’s good Mia. Just for that, I’m going to make this a little more challenging.”
“More than these?!” she demanded while shaking her wrist and ankle at him.
“You guys will run in a long line. The last person in the line will sprint to the front of the line each time Matt blows his whistle. If you guys keep a good pace, they are not required to blow the whistle. But if you are slow…well then…you know the consequences.” Devin had no intention of making it easier for them.
“It must be nice huh? To stand there and command everything. We do all the work while you watch.” Mia asked.
“Very nice.” Devin closed his eyes with a look of satisfaction.
She narrowed her eyes evilly “Fine…okay. Two can play at that game. Have fun with Bonnie today.” she laughed viciously.
Darren sighed as he patted the Head on the shoulder “Good luck.” He led the group in the jogb as they followed Reina’s bike. Before they even hit three feet, a whistle was called out.
“What the hell?!” Jenna cried in disagreement as she was the last in line and was sprinting to the front of the line.
While they jogged, Devin returned to the girls’ room to check on Bonnie. When he didn’t see her in her bed, his heart nearly stopped. Spinning around, he found her walking back groggily. Rubbing her eyes and yawning, her hair was a mess. He sighed with relief “There you are. Don’t go anywhere without telling an adult.” He ordered.
Bonnie looked up at him with barely open eyes “I had to pee.” She advised while climbing back into bed. He watched as she fell into a deep sleep within seconds. Sighing, he returned to his room to get a book to read. When he got back to the girls’ room, she was missing again.
Grunting with frustration, he retrieved his steps outside “Bonnie!” he called. Refusing to panic after five minutes of unsuccessful searching, he heard a feeble voice coming from the garden. He wasn’t sure how she climbed herself onto the big apple tree “Bonnie!”
“Uncle Devin, my cat!” she pointed excitedly “It’s my cat!” She claimed.
Sighing, he shook his head “I’m going to kill Mia.” He muttered and walked under where she sat on the branch “Bonnie, come down please. I don’t want you to get hurt. Your mother will be very angry with me.”
“If you get my cat, Felix, I will come back down.” She offered the deal.
“Okay. I promise.” He stepped over to the tree to help her down.
She looked down and her eyes instantly filled with fear “I’m afraid…” she whimpered.
He turned his head strangely “You managed to climb on the tree but you can’t get back down?” she nodded vigorously. He smiled “Okay, jump. I’ll catch you.” He lifted both arms at her.
“You promise to catch me?” she asked for certainty.
He nodded “I promise.” He waved for her to do so as she closed her eyes and pushed off from the branch. He caught her with ease and noticed her eyes were still closed “You can open your eyes now.”
Bonnie opened one eye at a time when she realized she was safe. Smiling, she wiggled her way to the ground “Thank you Uncle Devin. My cat.” She pointed to the tree.
Devin looked up to find the feline but it was nowhere in sight “Are you sure it’s up here? I don’t see it…” he walked to the back and looked again “What color is it, Bonnie?” he looked over to where he last put her down “Bonnie?” again she was missing. He was beyond frustrated as he gritted his teeth while calling her “Bonnie!!”
*************
The group grew restless as they waited for the slowest teammate “Come on Mia!” Jenna cried, “I’m hungry! We can’t eat until you finish!!” she called. She was only a couple of yards away but she treated it like a mile.
Mia’s legs gave out when she reached the finish line and fell to the grass “You try…having …a …kid …and run five…miles after…” she said between gasps.
Erin leaned on her thigh to rest “Bonnie is five years old Mia. You didn’t just have her yesterday.”
“Well, it feels like it.” She breathed.
Matt checked his watch “Well, thanks to Mia, you guys only have a 10 minute break before the next training. Breakfast is in dining room.” He pointed.
The girls supported Mia while the guys rushed to get their food. When they reached their tables, Mia quickly snapped off her weights “Get these things off me.” She groaned painfully rubbing her tired and sweaty wrists “If Bonnie hasn’t finished him off, I’m going to.” She vowed.
Darren returned with a bowl of congee and fried dough breads “Here you go my darling.” He placed it before her as she hungrily ate it. He turned to the guys who widened their eyes “See, with years of marriage, there is no need for courtesy anymore.”
“Or manners.” Doug winced after Mia spit back the hot congee and dipped the bread instead.
Erin came over with two trays, leaving one down for Darren “Slow down before you choke!” she scolded her friend.
Just as she finished Mia began coughing up the congee that went down the wrong tube “You and your curses.” She glared at her “How many more days til we go home?”
Doug pretended to count his fingers as he lipped the numbers silently “Um…fifty eight days.” he concluded.
Jenna cracked with a pointed thumb “Math wiz, ladies and gentlemen.”
“Two days?!” Mia exclaimed “Only two days?”
“One and a half.” Ryan corrected, “It’s not even lunch yet.”
Reina smiled at her friend “Time will go by fast once you guys get use to the routine. The faster you finish the training, the more free time you will have at night.”
“What?!” Jenna exclaimed, “No one told us that.”
“That’s because she just made it up.” Matt shook his head at the naïve girl.
“So we won’t have more time even if we finish early?” Carmen asked with pleading eyes.
He looked around at the table with eyes staring at him waiting for an answer “I’ll ask Devin later.” He promised.