When she had decided to go see her cousin in Malta where a former prodigy was basically controlling the country for the Circle, she had decided to invite Evan. A part of her didn’t want to but something her brother had once told her stuck with her. If he refused to leave the career, the best thing she could do was guide him. She also invited Oliver… another secret agent friend she had made.

“Is your cousin cool?” asked Oliver.

“The coolest,” said Astrid as she looked up from the book she was reading as the high-speed bullet train rushed past trees and scenery. “I miss him, but he insisted he wanted to keep an eye on them even when I argued with him against it. I respected his choice to go.”

“I was surprised when you called for my help. I am not that good of an agent,” said Oliver.

“I am no longer an agent for Knightwatch… you could say right now that I am freelancing at least until the Circle has been brought down,” said Astrid. “And I needed someone I could trust. I trust you… you are a good friend.”

“Okay… so what has gotten you so paranoid?”

“I heard something about the official intelligence agencies being compromised,” said Astrid. “Even though, the shadows were not an official intelligence agency. I knew the best way to solve this was the unconventional way.”

“Smart, see?” asked Oliver.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” said Astrid.

The journey was two days long. They arrived at midnight.

There was a time that secret agents of any nation would be welcome in this country. Not anymore. It was strictly a zone where no other government operative could step on the soil anymore without being shot, thanks to their laws.

“Welcome to Malta,” said Alex, as she entered the safehouse. It looked cozy in the way a wooden cabin did. “Glad you could make it.”

“And miss the chance to see my favorite cousin, I would not miss it for the world,” said Astrid.

They hugged each other.

“It’s been months, but I think you were right with your decision,” said Alex. “Joseph let me know. I guess you thought you needed a degree first.”

“That and well… juggling that and being a hero would be much easier than the alternative,” said Astrid.

“I’ll tell you what I know tomorrow,” said Alex.

Astrid nodded in agreement. Evan and Oliver went to go sleep in the rooms while Alex and Astrid set up in the living room.

“Hey…” said Alex. “I wanted to thank you for letting me take this mission despite the risk. It’s only after what they did to my dad… you would know I want revenge and you did not judge me.”

“I completely understood,” said Astrid quietly. “If I had the chance to catch the conquerors who teamed up with Nox to kill my father or make Nox face justice. I would.”

She might get too but she also knew the risks of fighting him. He had years of experience and time to refine his powers. She only had seventeen years with these powers and still did not understand their full extent.

Even though, she understood them better than Nightfall. Speaking of her other half, Astrid could feel how much he missed her, and she missed him too.

She eventually fell to sleep putting her mind to rest. Astrid was up early and to her surprise, so was Alex. He was walking about the safehouse deep in thought.

“By the way, pacing has never helped me think any better on anything,” said Astrid as she finished writing in her diary as he finished making a fresh pot of coffee. “It makes it worse.”

“Then what helps you think, oh-so-high-and-mighty-top-spy-in-the-world,” said Alex.

Astrid grabbed a pillow and tossed it at him. She deeply regretted it as her shoulder protested in pain shortly after she raised her hand to throw the pillow.

“Pacing makes me nervous,” said Astrid. “Usually when I am thinking though, I get really obnoxious… it’s the same when I am nervous or anxious too.”

“Hmm… does Nightfall tell you that?” asked Alex.

“No… but Ben has told me a number of times,” said Astrid with a deep breath. “Usually, I talk myself through what is going on in my head but since that is going on in my head, I need something to do with my hands. So, I like solve a Rubix cube or I click a pen constantly…”

“Ahh… yes, I can see how that can be annoying,” said Alex with a quirky smile. “Coffee?”

“You’re slipping, I don’t drink coffee anymore. It’s too addictive for me,” said Astrid. “These notes are great.”

“Thanks,” said Alex.

Astrid grabbed an apple from the basket as she flipped through the notes on the notepad. She smiled at his comments. She was along the same lines of thinking.

“Mind if I invited your brother’s unit to help us in the investigation?” asked Alex.

“Easton’s going to get all overprotective, but I am not dull enough to deny help when we clearly need it,” said Astrid. “So, I don’t mind.”

Right on cue, five men wearing camouflage military gear walked in through the door. Astrid raised her eyebrow but shrugged and took it with stride. Easton was so surprised to see her there but then his expression became hard.

“I thought you quit,” said Easton.

“I am not a part of the agency, yes. I wanted to operate under the radar,” said Astrid with crossed hands. “I came to a decision, but I did not quit and what is going on had to do both with prodigies and the world of espionage. So, I quit but at the same time, I didn’t quit being a spy.”

“Do you guys always argue like this?” asked Matt.

“No…” said Astrid. “We usually don’t argue. I only find it annoying of how overprotective he gets sometimes. I mean I have two overprotective partners, our parents, and an overprotective boyfriend. Honestly, didn’t people get the memo that I can handle myself.”

She hadn’t gotten around to telling everyone. She certainly was not too keen on telling Ben about her past either which was the real reason she was in this mess. Her brother was the only one that knew full truth, but he didn’t judge her on her past mistakes. Instead, he took it with stride and said that no one is infallible.

“You were nearly assassinated three weeks ago,” said Easton with his arms crossed. “And there has been ten more attempts since then. You shouldn’t even be out here.”

“We’re used to it by now,” said Alex. “And besides, my dear favorite cousin has gotten good at gaging situations in which she does and does not need help. But when were you sniped?”

“It was three and a half, maybe four months ago, I was coming out of the new headquarters when they gunned me down,” said Astrid softly. “The doctors said it was a really close call.”

“Close call is that how you are classifying it?” asked Easton. “I took leave when you were in the hospital. The doctors were not sure if you would make it or not.”

“You were there the whole time?” asked Astrid with tears in her eyes now. “In the hospital?”

“Everyone knows you hate hospitals,” said Easton, as he sat down next to his shoulder and extended his arm offering Astrid a hug and she took it gratefully. “There was no way I was going to leave you in the hospital alone when you were unconscious.”

“Thanks for being there,” said Astrid. “Even though, I was completely out of it.”

“You were in a coma,” clarified Easton. She snuggled up to his side. “You wouldn’t have known if I was there or not.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” said Astrid. “And I studied biology for four years, Easton. I know people are not aware of their surroundings when they are in a coma, what I was saying is that I appreciate that you were there for me.”

“Shall we get to work?” asked Alex. “Never mind, no. There are more coming.”

“More?” asked Astrid.

“Don’t strain yourself,” said Easton. “Your wound is still pretty raw. It might have healed a little, but still…”

“There’s the overprotectiveness,” said Astrid.

Four kids walked in from one of the most prestigious spy programs in the country. Not the one she was applying to but one similar.

“I’ve heard a lot about you four,” said Astrid. “James Adams, Kyle Blueman, Kerry Chang, Bruce Norris. The most talented students of the Henderson’s Research Unit B.”

“You are the world’s best spy,” said James. “And extremely gorgeous.”

“And I am also dating someone at the moment,” said Astrid as she exchanged a glance with Alex.

“You are dating someone,” said Easton.

“Uh-uh, no protective brother mode. He already knows what I would do if he broke my heart,” said Astrid. “When will people realize that I am capable of taking care of myself?”

“When you stop being so reckless,” said Easton.

“I am not as reckless as I was before,” said Astrid. “I promise and besides, I have been taking it easy.”

“Hmmm… you had recent bullet in your shoulder from a recent mission that you decided to take on your own,” said Easton. “That Joseph had to remove.”

“Does nothing stay hidden from you?” asked Astrid.

“I told you. Dr. Daniels approved me to go back in the field before I came here.”

“Are they related?” James asked Alex, who was eating a scone and rolling out a floor plan on the table.

“They are brother and sister, but he’s older,” said Alex.

“Promise, you will be careful,” said Easton.

“When am I not ever careful?” asked Astrid.

“Do you really want me to answer that question, Ari?” asked Easton.

“No…” said Astrid. She swallowed two pills before joining the others at the table. “Before we start, you guys should have the opportunity to withdraw or turn around and say no. Usually, people with my position don’t get that option. You guys deserve a chance to have that option.”

“We’re in,” said James.

“Definitely,” said Kerry.

The other two boys nodded. Astrid nodded at Alex who unraveled a plan.

“I hate to quiz you guys but I am guessing you read the file that I sent you guys on my way here,” said Astrid.

“Yes… the one about this particular terrorist organization,” said Kerry.

“Yes…” said Astrid. “So, are you familiar why they are operating out of this country?”

“This is basically a dead country… by which I mean, there is no official authority figure,” said James. “Even the current leader presiding over the nation, is under the control of his advisor.”

“It’s a shame… I knew the Prince, or I guess, he’s the king now, once a upon a time,” said Astrid.

“Wait a minute, you knew the Prince?” asked Kyle.

“I think protecting the Prince was my second mission,” said Astrid. “There was an assassination attempt but back then Malta was a vital nation and we needed to protect its nation.”

“If you were famous—”

“Simon Ecks is now running the country. He’s a world class geneticist but also has known ties to the Circle. He, more specifically, has a direct connection with Zelman Kurst. He’s one of the heads of the Circle.”

“How do you know all of this?” asked Kyle.

“I was undercover a couple of months ago,” said Astrid as she took a deep breath. “Before I unofficially handed in my temporary resignation. I thought it was best to get education on how to do it right and get a degree that matches my IQ.”

James nodded. “University, then?”

“Oh… if I tell you where I am headed, I might have to kill you,” said Astrid. “But James, you are right. This is the best location for them because it is a nearly dead country.”

“Okay,” said Kerry. “What’s the plan?”

“We give them a chance to get at me,” said Astrid.

“What?” asked Easton.

“You want to hand yourself themselves over,” said Ben with an exhausted smile. “Are you crazy?”

“You didn’t let me finish,” said Astrid. “And I was the one that I called you. Remember, Australia?”

“Ah… I see,” said Ben. “I remember what we did there.”

“Since we know that we can not trust any intelligence organizations, I decided to use that to my advantage against the Circle. I told MI6 about an operation I was doing to stop their attempt to bomb the world leaders conference.”

“Clever,” said Ben.

“They are going to be doing a weapons test on another island off the coast of Malta,” said Astrid.

“What they do is that I am going to be coming and that my sister is also going to be there right now,” said Astrid. “She knows the risk, but she is not willing to let me do this alone.”

“We are all here for you,” said Easton. “You are never alone in your quest to protect the universe. Are you sure about this though?”

“I have never been surer about anything in my life,” said Astrid as she turned to look at Ben. “And I know the risks but what is life without a couple of risks?”

He smiled and nodded. “Sometimes, we have to take those risks in this career.”

“It’s time to beat them at their game,” Astrid said with an exasperated sigh. “And to the rest of you, this was my mistake. You still have the chance to step out because if we get caught here. This country has the right to shoot us on sight and since this is all of the books, there is no one who is going to come and bail you out.”

“What kind of agents would we be if we didn’t help save the world?” asked Kyle.

“And what kind of friend would I be if I turned around and walked out on you?” asked Oliver.

“You guys are the best,” said Astrid. “I never should have thought that I was alone in this world.”