FIFTEEN:
Your Briefing:
Hannah is undercover at her former spy agency, CGT, and looking for her mother Evelyn Carmichael – a known traitor planning a terrorist attack. Her husband, Zeke, was not who she thought he was. Working for the real government, Zeke has recruited Hannah to help take them down and she now reports to him! What remains of her Agency after Zeke’s raid is still trying to find and stop Evelyn – aren’t they? Hannah’s boss, Anthony, has sent her along with Stephanie, Ian and the mysterious newcomer Moroz back to Hannah’s childhood home to search for clues. What will they find? Can they locate Evelyn before it’s too late? Does she still need the drive that Hannah now holds on to?
AND NOW
Hannah opened the door and stepped into what was once her childhood bedroom. Her mother had kept all of Hannah’s belongings exactly where she left them when she had left home at 18 years old. The posters on the wall were slowly peeling off and her bed was made without a single wrinkle.
It was unlikely that Evelyn had anything in here that would lead them to her now, but Hannah moved inside the room anyway and sat on the bed. Stephanie called her name from the hallway,
“In here!” Hannah replied, falling backwards on the bed and staring up at the poster on the ceiling. Stephanie chuckled,
“So this was your room, huh?” She asked, moving to the bed next to Hannah and looking up at the poster.
“Joshua Jackson?” Stephanie asked as they stared.
“Oh yeah. Team Pacey all the way.” Hannah said as the girls chuckled.
“I would have thought you’d be team Dawson.” Stephanie said, poking Hannah’s ribs. Hannah smiled and sighed.
“Wish I could go back to sitting on the couch, eating junk food and watching Dawson’s Creek. It was simpler.”
Stephanie took a deep breath then looked away from the roof.
“We’ve searched half the house so far and found nothing.” She said, standing and walking over to the desk. Hannah sat up and took a silent breath.
“Steph?” She asked. Her friend turned and tilted her head, smiling.
“What? Is it Zeke?” She asked, sitting on the desk chair.
“Do you ever regret joining CGT?” Hannah asked. Stephanie sighed,
“You don’t know that’s connected to Zeke disappearance.” She said, turning back to the desk, sorting through old letters that hadn’t been opened. Hannah stood and joined
her at the desk.
“Maybe.” She said, picking up another stack of unopened letters. She paused when she reached an envelope with a handwritten address. Turning it over, she looked at the return address and frowned.
“This one’s from my mother.” Hannah said, reaching for the letter opener. Stephanie dropped the last of her stack down onto the desk and turned.
“It’s dated one year after I left home.” Hannah said, pulling the letter out of the envelope.
“When did she disappear?” Stephanie asked, Hannah glanced up.
“Six months before she sent this.” She said, turning back to the letter and reading aloud.
“Dear Hannah, I’m sorry you had to find out this way but you’ve heard the news, I’m sure. What they’re saying about is true. The system is broken and in order to fix it, we need chaos.” Hannah paused and sighed. Stephanie leaned out the doorway and yelled for Ian and Moroz.
“Things will happen in the coming years and I want you to be safe. It was never my intention that my family would suffer. When the time comes, go to the following coordinates. There you will find a structure hidden on a stretch of farmland.”
Ian came into the room, Moroz trailing behind. Stephanie put her finger to her lips, nodding at Hannah to continue.
“I trust you are smart enough to remember our old games. I love you sweetheart and hope you will join me in the fight to restore order. Your loving mother, Evelyn.” Hannah looked up and shook her head.
“I don’t recognise these coordinates and I don’t remember ever being taken to a farm.” She said, handing the letter to Stephanie.
“Why would she share this place with you?” Moroz asked, leaning on the door frame and
folding his arms. Hannah exhaled sharply,
“This letter was sent before I joined CGT and before I picked the side against my mother.” She said, reaching for her phone. She dialled Anthony’s new number and filled him in over the phone. When she hung up, Stephanie was the only one still in the room.
“Ian and Moroz went to search the rest of the house for more tunnel entrances. What did Anthony say?” She asked, Hannah put her phone away,
“He thinks it’s unlikely that Evelyn was still planning on using that location after I joined CGT. I agree, but he still wants us to go there anyway and see what we can find.” Hannah moved out of the room and Stephanie trailed behind her, holding the letter, safely tucked in the envelope.
When they reached the Rumpus room Hannah paused. Stephanie ran into the back of her and grunted.
“What?” Stephanie asked,
“Games.” Hannah said, thinking out loud. Stephanie shrugged,
“What about games?” She asked. Hannah moved to the toy box in the corner and opened the lid.
“My mother was always playing games with me when I was a child. They were problem solving
and physical challenges.” Hannah said, rummaging through the box.
“So?” Stephanie moved next to Hannah and squatted.
“So, sometimes we used a-“ She saw what she was looking for and jumped up. “Aha!” She exclaimed, holding out the small puzzle box. Stephanie frowned and took it, turning it over.
“A puzzle box?” She asked, shaking it. When she heard an item shifting inside she raised her eyebrows. “What’s in it?” She asked, Hannah shrugged.
“I don’t know, I was never able to open it.” She said, smiling. “Maybe what’s inside, is something we need at Evelyn’s safe house.” Hannah said, taking the box back from Stephanie and moving towards the front door. Ian and Moroz were waiting for them and Ian frowned when he saw the puzzle box.
“What’s that?” he asked. Hannah smiled,
“Hopefully a key.”
What will Happen with HCC next week? Find out Thursday 1 November 2018
Christy Grace Scarlet Pen 