Agent Files: Don't They Know What It Is to Be a Hero?
kidnapped #1
PART THREE
COVERT BRANCH
"Good work Agent Wright... Agent Armstrong! Now go home and get some rest, I want you rested up for your next mission, and yes it will be on your parents concert, I will let you know if anything appears regarding the information you retrieved."
"Thank you, sir!" Ramona replied.
"Yes, thank you, sir!" Joey replied also.
As the two friends and colleagues walked to their cars Ramona's cell rang out loud.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hey honey, it's me Dad!"
Ramona's eyes grew wide and she put her finger to her lips to tell Joey not to speak, "Oh hey ya Dad, what's up?"
"Oh well me and the band, Frankito and Stella are having a get together I think Joey will be there, your Uncle Billie's calling him now!"
Ramona looked stunned she covered the mouth piece and looked at Joey as Joey's cell rang out.
"I'll be there Dad gotta go bye!" Ramona hung up as Joey had answered.
"Hey Dad!" Joey said.
"Hey kiddo, how'd you know it was me?"
"Oh your number was on the screen!" Joey replied.
"I'm calling from Tre's place though!"
"Oh well a wild guess!" Joey said.
"Never mind, listen what are you doing tonight, were all having a get together at Tre's, Uncle Mike, your Mom, Stella, Frankito and Jakob will be there, and I think Ramona will be too but Tre doesn't think she'll make it you know what her job is like!"
"Yeah Dad I know, listen I'll be there okay?" Joey said.
"Cool, well see you soon!" Billie clicked off and Ramona and Joey let out a sigh of relief.
"Do you think they suspected anything? Ramona asked.
"No as far as my Dad is concerned I'm just back from another trip with the club! And you're on some business trip!"
"I still can't believe the Branch let you use that Manager assistant thing as an excuse!" Ramona gloated.
"Well I am very good friends with the manager so he can back me up if my dad calls or anything... plus its cool!"
"Whatever, listen we can't show up at the same time, I went first last time so you can go first this time! I'll go shopping first and bring some food with me," Ramona suggested.
"Yeah cool, hey you think Stella and your brother will tell the others our secret!"
"I really hope they don't... no... I don't think they will!"
"Okay well make sure you get me beer, a pack of four... no make it six... in fact after that trip I'm gonna need twelve!"
Part three
TRE'S PLACE
Joey pulled up outside Tre's house and took a deep breath, this was it, the first time he would face Stella and Kito since they found out he was CIA.
"Joey!" Tre yelled from across the yard, he was wearing a Bugs Bunny apron that had the quote "What's up Doc!" on the front. Joey got out and ran over throwing his arms around his Uncle Tre. "Hey Tre how's it going?"
"Great buddy, hey is work okay with you being here?" Tre said winking.
Joey laughed, "Yeah they're cool, hey where's Dad?"
"Out back, come on!" Tre said putting his arm around Joey and leading him to the back garden where there was a barbeque burning sausages.
"Oh Dam!" Tre said rushing to the grill and using the tongs to fish them from the fire.
Stella and Frankito were sitting side by side, Joey nodded to them and they looked away. Mike waved; he was lying on a recliner with dark shades on and a beer in one hand. When Billie Joe saw Joey he got up to welcome him.
"Hey!" he said.
Joey smiled, "Hey Dad, how are you?"
"What? Since the last time you saw me... peachy, Your Moms at the bathroom, she'll be out in a minute."
Jakob's head popped up from the pool water, "Joey, is that you?"
"Hey bro!" Joey said bending down and giving him a hand out.
"Where were you all week?" Jakob asked.
"The team had a match in Long Island I had to fill in for my boss!" Joey replied guilt clouding him.
Adrienne appeared with Claudia and Mike's girlfriend Jenny deep in conversation.
"Hey Mom!" Joey said.
"Joey? Oh my God, hi!" She gasped pulling him into a deep hug.
"Are you okay?" Joey asked and she nodded, "I'm fine honey, are you okay?"
"I'm good!"
"Good, hey want a burger?" Adie asked Joey who nodded, "Hmm yeah I'm starving!"
"So is Ramona coming?" Joey asked as cover, Stella and Frankito gaped at him.
"You would know!" Frankito snapped and Stella hit him.
"Ah no, I haven't spoken to her since last week!"
"Why, why would he know?" Mike asked suddenly interested, "Are you two, like, involved or something?"
Frankito grunted, "Ha, you could say that!"
"Kito!" Stella whispered hitting him again.
"Ah, no, Mike, in fact Ramona's got a boy friend!" Joey blurted not thinking about what he's just said. Stella gasped and Kito snorted a laugh.
"Idiot!" Kito breathed and Joey gave him a look.
"WHAT?" Tre said coming over, "My Ramona is dating someone? Who?"
"Ah... .a guy from the Law firm, right, Stella?" Joey said giving her a pleading look.
"Don't get me involved!" and she rushed off into the house.
"So who then, come on Joester who is he?" Tre asked, "She hasn't dated since tenth Grade!" he added.
"I don't know Tre, really, all I know is she's dating some office guy!" Joey said once more.
"Well trust you to tattle tail on her!" Billie said giving Joey a slap on the back and handing him a beer he'd just opened.
"Hello everyone!" It was Ramona arriving. She'd changed from her suit and was now in jeans and a camisole, carrying shopping bags.
"Honey," Tre said greeting her, "You didn't tell me you had a loved one this Valentines!"
"What?" Ramona asked stunned, searching her fathers face for a sign of a joke.
"Yeah that guy from the bank!" Joey said blinking like crazy in Morse code to get her to play along.
"R... right, Yeah his names... .ah... .David... .yes!" she stammered, she gave Joey a look.
"Joey whispered to her as she brushed passed him to set her bags down by the barbeque, "I'll explain later!"
"So what did you bring?" Tre asked.
"Food, Joey the beer is in my trunk, can you?"
"Sure!" he said winking at her and rushing off grabbing her keys from her hand as he ran.
"Ramona!" Mike gasped he hadn't seen Ramona for a month and pulled her into a bear hug.
Adrienne, Jenny and Claudia joined them and they all exchanged hugs.
Billie gave her a playful shove, "We hope the other kids can be as successful as you and my Joey are in your careers!" he cracked and Ramona laughed.
"Then where would that leave you?" Ramona joked back and they all laughed.
"Oh I missed you all so much!" Ramona said.
Joey returned with four beers, he didn't want to say Ramona had them especially for him because he'd said he hadn't spoken with Ramona for a week, so he would casually keep returning to her car for beers, he did not give her, her keys back.
The rest of the evening went how a night out with family should, no secret agent antics or interruptions. Of course Tre pestered Ramona about her new man; she was running out of fake answers. Joey, Billie, Jakob and Adie caught up on some stuff. And Mike fell asleep after his corn dog. Stella and Frankito came around and after a talk in the living room with Joey and Ramona saying they understood and they felt more at ease. Jenny had joined Mike on the recliner and they quietly chatted to each other, Mike affectionately stroking her arm and resting his head on hers.
Claudia retired after a while and went to bed complaining she had work early at the paper the next morning. Frankito decided the party was getting rather dead so he did something that Joey, Stella and Ramona would never forgive him for.
He put on some random Usher song and started dancing like... ..Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels. The parents all remembered this, it was tenth grade, school production of the blues brothers, where they had danced like Frankito was going all nostalgic for.
"No way Kito!" Ramona said but Joey obliged and pulled her and Stella to their feet.
The parents were in kinks so much that Jenny had rolled of the recliner she shared with Mike and into the pool. This made every one go into even more fits of laughter.
Mike offered her his arm and she pulled him in. At that point Tre grabbed Ramona over his shoulder and bombed them both into the pool. Billie looked at Adrienne and grinned devilishly, "No way, don't you dare! Ahhh!" she yelled as Billie threw her over his shoulder and also bombed into the pool.
Stella and Frankito laughed their heads off. Joey winked at Frankito and he nodded, they grabbed Stella and ran toward the pool then threw her in.
The two friends laughed at everyone in the pool, "Waaaah!" They gasped.
"Ha, ha losers!" Jakob said, he'd just emerged from the front of the house with his best friend Sam and the two of them had pushed Joey and Frankito into the pool, the slapped high fives then, "Waaaaaah!
They both yelled as someone behind them pushed them in.
"Now will you all shut the hell up!" Claudia yelled, she had come down to complain.
They all looked at her and laughed.
"Sorry Claudia!" Tre laughed.
She sighed and waved them off then bustled off back to bed. Sam and Jakob were the first out, "Hey Dad?" Jakob yelled to Billie Joe who was kissing Adrienne.
Billie pulled away, "What?" he said slightly annoyed he'd been disturbed in his kiss with his wife.
"Can Sam stay at ours tonight?" Jakob yelled.
"Yeah, whatever, as long as his parents are okay with it!" Billie Joe replied and kissed Adrienne again.
"Nice!" Sam said and he and Jakob slapped high fives, "Come on dude I think Joey might has some spare clothes in his car, he always has a packed bag!"
Jakob and Sam rushed of to Joey's BMW 6 series.
Joey and Frankito emerged from the pool closely followed by Ramona and Stella, "Hey I'm gonna grab some clothes from my car!" Joey said and hurried off.
"Yeah me too!" Ramona said and offered Stella an outfit, she nodded.
Frankito went inside the house to grab something of his Dad's.
Jakob ran to the trunk and popped it open; there was some weird stuff inside. A bunch of ropes, two bags with suits in them and an ID badge, Agent Armstrong, it read.
"Holy... .dude, will you look at this!" Jakob gasped and pulled Sam over.
Sam read it and gave Jakob a confused look.
"CIA?" Sam asked.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Joey yelled approaching the car.
Jakob quickly shoved the badge into the bag and zipped it up, "We were just getting some clothes of yours because ours are wet."
"Get out of my trunk, now! Never, Jakob, ever go into my car again. Did you happen to see anything?"
"N... no!" Joey could tell he was lying, "Don't lie to me Jakob what's wrong?"
"Are you a secret Agent?" Joey knew he'd seen the badge and didn't react.
"Ha, ha , ha no!" He said pulling out the badge, "What this? Me and the guys at work we had a fancy dress party after a match last night and I went as a CIA agent!" he explained convincingly.
"That's false impersonation!" Jakob said.
"Yeah well they didn't know and they won't not if you two keep your mouths shut! Now go, I'll drive you home to get something to wear and you can hang out there until Dad gets home."
"Cool we get a ride in Joey's Beamer, I call shot gun!" Jakob yelled.
"Na huh!" Sam yelled backed running after Jakob.
"Problem Armstrong?" Ramona said smiling.
"No Agent Wright, you?"
"Ha, whatever, what did you tell them?" Ramona said crossing her arms.
"Fancy dress party! You staying at your Dad's tonight or what? I'm thinking we could go for a drink with Frankito and Stella."
"Yeah that'll be cool," she smiled and retrieved an outfit for Stella.
"Dam, I only has one outfit that isn't a suit!"
"You can wear a shirt of mine if you want?" Joey offered, "I got some shorts in here as well, if you want?" Joey offered again.
"Dad or Claudia might have something, its okay, thanks. So what did you tell my Dad a boy me having a boyfriend?"
"Well, ha, that's a funny story you see when Kito was taking the piss and dropping hints about us being away for work so much and that I actually knew where you were all week Mike got the wrong end of the stick and assumed we were dating. I panicked and said you had a guy at the Firm you were dating, not me!"
Ramona laughed.
"Oh thanks that's nice, you got cold feet so quickly," she said playfully.
"Ah... no... not that I wouldn't be privileged to have you as a girlfriend, don't get me wrong. And not that I do want you as a girlfriend... I mean your nice but... I'm digging a hole for myself here aren't I?" Joey realized and looked at his feet with a shy smile. Ramona nodded.
"I was teasing Joey, I understand why you lied... " she said.
"Really," Joey announced, they began walking back to the party.
"Yeah, I would have done the same!" Ramona answered him and gave him a playful shove. He laughed and shoved her back.
"And why Dave?" Joey wondered.
"Oh, what?" Ramona answered.
"When you had to give a name why did you say Dave?"
"Oh he'd the first person at work that popped into my head, probably because he's our handler!"
"Yeah whatever!" Joey said playfully.
AT THE BAR - 9:30 PM
"So Joey got all nervous and stuff and blurted out that you had a boy friend at the firm!" Stella explained and Frankito laughed.
"Yeah the idiot didn't even think!" he added, they all laughed as Joey blushed.
Joey looked at Ramona and she smiled, "Cheer up it's cool I'll just turn on the tears to Dad and say we broke up!" she laughed; "Now that will be fun!" she choked.
That sent Stella and Frankito into more laughs and even Joey laughed with them.
"Look at the time we'd better get home, we have work tomorrow!"
Frankito and Stella exchanged glances and rolled their eyes, "Were gonna be the rejects while you two are off doing the secret thing!" Stella moaned.
Joey laughed, "Well then maybe you can sign up!" he suggested and Stella and Frankito protested at the same time.
"Yeah right and lie all the time like you two no thanks, blasphemers!" Stella scolded.
"Say isn't it time you two should be getting home to your beddie-byes!" Frankito said changing the subject at the suggestion.
Joey and Ramona laughed and got up.
After they're good byes they headed to their cars, "Do you guys want a ride home?" Ramona offered Stella and Frankito.
"Yeah I can take someone!" Joey said.
"I'll take a ride!" Frankito said.
"I'm gonna grab a cab to Gerry's thanks anyway though," she said to Ramona.
"No problem!" Ramona said she was happy she, Stell and Kito were on good terms again.
"See you later Ramona," Kito said kissing Ramona on the cheek.
"Yeah see you tomorrow," Joey said kissing her on her other cheek.
"Ramona waved and got into her SUV.
The drive wasn't far from Felton's Bar.
Roxette was on the radio.
Suddenly Ramona noticed something odd, she was being followed, she knew the signs and every sign was pointing to the same conclusion.
"Dam... " she said and pulled out her cell, Joey was on speed dial two.
It rang twice when Frankito answered, "Kito put Joey on... .." a scuffle later and Joey said hello.
"Joey! I'm being followed, I think we were watched at the bar, get Kito to a safe place, I'm going to find Stella!"
Ramona clicked off and checked her rear mirror again; the dude was still following her.
She took a sharp turn up an alley to come out into the adjacent street.
Hopefully to find Stella at the Taxi place there.
She wasn't inside, Dam!
She lifted her cell again and dialled Mike's number. Mike was just leaving Tre's when he answered.
"Hey Mona, what's up, what can I do you for?"
"Ah... hey Mike... listen where does Stella's boyfriend Gerry live? Do you have his number?"
"Sure... why?"
"Don't ask questions yet, can I have the number please its urgent?"
"Oh sure okay... oh... hold on someone's calling!" He said.
"No... Uncle Mike... no... .dam!" Ramona swore and swerved a pedestrian crossing on the road who jumped in shock.
"Okay here goes... 5556289... got that?" Mike said and Ramona sighed, "Thanks Mike!" she said and clicked off redialing the 5556289 number.
"Hey is that Gerry, listen, have you heard from Stella tonight?"
"Yeah... um... who's this?"
"Ramona her friend, listen is she on her way over to yours?"
"Yes she just got into a cab from the bar why?
"What's your address?"
"What?"
"Your address, what is it? I'm coming to see her!"
"Um, 65A Tates Avenue, what's happening?"
"Nothing serious, she left her purse is all, listen when she gets to your place can you get her to call me?
"Sure whatever!" He replied.
"Thanks bye!" Ramona clicked off again.
Ramona knew California like the back of her hand and she took a right, she'd have to lose this jack ass. She turned up a small road beside a field and decided she would crash her car. She turned onto a bridge and took off her boot lodging it under the chair and acceleration pedal. Then grabbed her cell and bag and when the car was hidden behind the bushes that lined the field and bridge she jumped into the river below, throwing her cell onto the bank as she fell.
COVERT BRANCH
"Good work Agent Wright... Agent Armstrong! Now go home and get some rest, I want you rested up for your next mission, and yes it will be on your parents concert, I will let you know if anything appears regarding the information you retrieved."
"Thank you, sir!" Ramona replied.
"Yes, thank you, sir!" Joey replied also.
As the two friends and colleagues walked to their cars Ramona's cell rang out loud.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hey honey, it's me Dad!"
Ramona's eyes grew wide and she put her finger to her lips to tell Joey not to speak, "Oh hey ya Dad, what's up?"
"Oh well me and the band, Frankito and Stella are having a get together I think Joey will be there, your Uncle Billie's calling him now!"
Ramona looked stunned she covered the mouth piece and looked at Joey as Joey's cell rang out.
"I'll be there Dad gotta go bye!" Ramona hung up as Joey had answered.
"Hey Dad!" Joey said.
"Hey kiddo, how'd you know it was me?"
"Oh your number was on the screen!" Joey replied.
"I'm calling from Tre's place though!"
"Oh well a wild guess!" Joey said.
"Never mind, listen what are you doing tonight, were all having a get together at Tre's, Uncle Mike, your Mom, Stella, Frankito and Jakob will be there, and I think Ramona will be too but Tre doesn't think she'll make it you know what her job is like!"
"Yeah Dad I know, listen I'll be there okay?" Joey said.
"Cool, well see you soon!" Billie clicked off and Ramona and Joey let out a sigh of relief.
"Do you think they suspected anything? Ramona asked.
"No as far as my Dad is concerned I'm just back from another trip with the club! And you're on some business trip!"
"I still can't believe the Branch let you use that Manager assistant thing as an excuse!" Ramona gloated.
"Well I am very good friends with the manager so he can back me up if my dad calls or anything... plus its cool!"
"Whatever, listen we can't show up at the same time, I went first last time so you can go first this time! I'll go shopping first and bring some food with me," Ramona suggested.
"Yeah cool, hey you think Stella and your brother will tell the others our secret!"
"I really hope they don't... no... I don't think they will!"
"Okay well make sure you get me beer, a pack of four... no make it six... in fact after that trip I'm gonna need twelve!"
Part three
TRE'S PLACE
Joey pulled up outside Tre's house and took a deep breath, this was it, the first time he would face Stella and Kito since they found out he was CIA.
"Joey!" Tre yelled from across the yard, he was wearing a Bugs Bunny apron that had the quote "What's up Doc!" on the front. Joey got out and ran over throwing his arms around his Uncle Tre. "Hey Tre how's it going?"
"Great buddy, hey is work okay with you being here?" Tre said winking.
Joey laughed, "Yeah they're cool, hey where's Dad?"
"Out back, come on!" Tre said putting his arm around Joey and leading him to the back garden where there was a barbeque burning sausages.
"Oh Dam!" Tre said rushing to the grill and using the tongs to fish them from the fire.
Stella and Frankito were sitting side by side, Joey nodded to them and they looked away. Mike waved; he was lying on a recliner with dark shades on and a beer in one hand. When Billie Joe saw Joey he got up to welcome him.
"Hey!" he said.
Joey smiled, "Hey Dad, how are you?"
"What? Since the last time you saw me... peachy, Your Moms at the bathroom, she'll be out in a minute."
Jakob's head popped up from the pool water, "Joey, is that you?"
"Hey bro!" Joey said bending down and giving him a hand out.
"Where were you all week?" Jakob asked.
"The team had a match in Long Island I had to fill in for my boss!" Joey replied guilt clouding him.
Adrienne appeared with Claudia and Mike's girlfriend Jenny deep in conversation.
"Hey Mom!" Joey said.
"Joey? Oh my God, hi!" She gasped pulling him into a deep hug.
"Are you okay?" Joey asked and she nodded, "I'm fine honey, are you okay?"
"I'm good!"
"Good, hey want a burger?" Adie asked Joey who nodded, "Hmm yeah I'm starving!"
"So is Ramona coming?" Joey asked as cover, Stella and Frankito gaped at him.
"You would know!" Frankito snapped and Stella hit him.
"Ah no, I haven't spoken to her since last week!"
"Why, why would he know?" Mike asked suddenly interested, "Are you two, like, involved or something?"
Frankito grunted, "Ha, you could say that!"
"Kito!" Stella whispered hitting him again.
"Ah, no, Mike, in fact Ramona's got a boy friend!" Joey blurted not thinking about what he's just said. Stella gasped and Kito snorted a laugh.
"Idiot!" Kito breathed and Joey gave him a look.
"WHAT?" Tre said coming over, "My Ramona is dating someone? Who?"
"Ah... .a guy from the Law firm, right, Stella?" Joey said giving her a pleading look.
"Don't get me involved!" and she rushed off into the house.
"So who then, come on Joester who is he?" Tre asked, "She hasn't dated since tenth Grade!" he added.
"I don't know Tre, really, all I know is she's dating some office guy!" Joey said once more.
"Well trust you to tattle tail on her!" Billie said giving Joey a slap on the back and handing him a beer he'd just opened.
"Hello everyone!" It was Ramona arriving. She'd changed from her suit and was now in jeans and a camisole, carrying shopping bags.
"Honey," Tre said greeting her, "You didn't tell me you had a loved one this Valentines!"
"What?" Ramona asked stunned, searching her fathers face for a sign of a joke.
"Yeah that guy from the bank!" Joey said blinking like crazy in Morse code to get her to play along.
"R... right, Yeah his names... .ah... .David... .yes!" she stammered, she gave Joey a look.
"Joey whispered to her as she brushed passed him to set her bags down by the barbeque, "I'll explain later!"
"So what did you bring?" Tre asked.
"Food, Joey the beer is in my trunk, can you?"
"Sure!" he said winking at her and rushing off grabbing her keys from her hand as he ran.
"Ramona!" Mike gasped he hadn't seen Ramona for a month and pulled her into a bear hug.
Adrienne, Jenny and Claudia joined them and they all exchanged hugs.
Billie gave her a playful shove, "We hope the other kids can be as successful as you and my Joey are in your careers!" he cracked and Ramona laughed.
"Then where would that leave you?" Ramona joked back and they all laughed.
"Oh I missed you all so much!" Ramona said.
Joey returned with four beers, he didn't want to say Ramona had them especially for him because he'd said he hadn't spoken with Ramona for a week, so he would casually keep returning to her car for beers, he did not give her, her keys back.
The rest of the evening went how a night out with family should, no secret agent antics or interruptions. Of course Tre pestered Ramona about her new man; she was running out of fake answers. Joey, Billie, Jakob and Adie caught up on some stuff. And Mike fell asleep after his corn dog. Stella and Frankito came around and after a talk in the living room with Joey and Ramona saying they understood and they felt more at ease. Jenny had joined Mike on the recliner and they quietly chatted to each other, Mike affectionately stroking her arm and resting his head on hers.
Claudia retired after a while and went to bed complaining she had work early at the paper the next morning. Frankito decided the party was getting rather dead so he did something that Joey, Stella and Ramona would never forgive him for.
He put on some random Usher song and started dancing like... ..Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels. The parents all remembered this, it was tenth grade, school production of the blues brothers, where they had danced like Frankito was going all nostalgic for.
"No way Kito!" Ramona said but Joey obliged and pulled her and Stella to their feet.
The parents were in kinks so much that Jenny had rolled of the recliner she shared with Mike and into the pool. This made every one go into even more fits of laughter.
Mike offered her his arm and she pulled him in. At that point Tre grabbed Ramona over his shoulder and bombed them both into the pool. Billie looked at Adrienne and grinned devilishly, "No way, don't you dare! Ahhh!" she yelled as Billie threw her over his shoulder and also bombed into the pool.
Stella and Frankito laughed their heads off. Joey winked at Frankito and he nodded, they grabbed Stella and ran toward the pool then threw her in.
The two friends laughed at everyone in the pool, "Waaaah!" They gasped.
"Ha, ha losers!" Jakob said, he'd just emerged from the front of the house with his best friend Sam and the two of them had pushed Joey and Frankito into the pool, the slapped high fives then, "Waaaaaah!
They both yelled as someone behind them pushed them in.
"Now will you all shut the hell up!" Claudia yelled, she had come down to complain.
They all looked at her and laughed.
"Sorry Claudia!" Tre laughed.
She sighed and waved them off then bustled off back to bed. Sam and Jakob were the first out, "Hey Dad?" Jakob yelled to Billie Joe who was kissing Adrienne.
Billie pulled away, "What?" he said slightly annoyed he'd been disturbed in his kiss with his wife.
"Can Sam stay at ours tonight?" Jakob yelled.
"Yeah, whatever, as long as his parents are okay with it!" Billie Joe replied and kissed Adrienne again.
"Nice!" Sam said and he and Jakob slapped high fives, "Come on dude I think Joey might has some spare clothes in his car, he always has a packed bag!"
Jakob and Sam rushed of to Joey's BMW 6 series.
Joey and Frankito emerged from the pool closely followed by Ramona and Stella, "Hey I'm gonna grab some clothes from my car!" Joey said and hurried off.
"Yeah me too!" Ramona said and offered Stella an outfit, she nodded.
Frankito went inside the house to grab something of his Dad's.
Jakob ran to the trunk and popped it open; there was some weird stuff inside. A bunch of ropes, two bags with suits in them and an ID badge, Agent Armstrong, it read.
"Holy... .dude, will you look at this!" Jakob gasped and pulled Sam over.
Sam read it and gave Jakob a confused look.
"CIA?" Sam asked.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Joey yelled approaching the car.
Jakob quickly shoved the badge into the bag and zipped it up, "We were just getting some clothes of yours because ours are wet."
"Get out of my trunk, now! Never, Jakob, ever go into my car again. Did you happen to see anything?"
"N... no!" Joey could tell he was lying, "Don't lie to me Jakob what's wrong?"
"Are you a secret Agent?" Joey knew he'd seen the badge and didn't react.
"Ha, ha , ha no!" He said pulling out the badge, "What this? Me and the guys at work we had a fancy dress party after a match last night and I went as a CIA agent!" he explained convincingly.
"That's false impersonation!" Jakob said.
"Yeah well they didn't know and they won't not if you two keep your mouths shut! Now go, I'll drive you home to get something to wear and you can hang out there until Dad gets home."
"Cool we get a ride in Joey's Beamer, I call shot gun!" Jakob yelled.
"Na huh!" Sam yelled backed running after Jakob.
"Problem Armstrong?" Ramona said smiling.
"No Agent Wright, you?"
"Ha, whatever, what did you tell them?" Ramona said crossing her arms.
"Fancy dress party! You staying at your Dad's tonight or what? I'm thinking we could go for a drink with Frankito and Stella."
"Yeah that'll be cool," she smiled and retrieved an outfit for Stella.
"Dam, I only has one outfit that isn't a suit!"
"You can wear a shirt of mine if you want?" Joey offered, "I got some shorts in here as well, if you want?" Joey offered again.
"Dad or Claudia might have something, its okay, thanks. So what did you tell my Dad a boy me having a boyfriend?"
"Well, ha, that's a funny story you see when Kito was taking the piss and dropping hints about us being away for work so much and that I actually knew where you were all week Mike got the wrong end of the stick and assumed we were dating. I panicked and said you had a guy at the Firm you were dating, not me!"
Ramona laughed.
"Oh thanks that's nice, you got cold feet so quickly," she said playfully.
"Ah... no... not that I wouldn't be privileged to have you as a girlfriend, don't get me wrong. And not that I do want you as a girlfriend... I mean your nice but... I'm digging a hole for myself here aren't I?" Joey realized and looked at his feet with a shy smile. Ramona nodded.
"I was teasing Joey, I understand why you lied... " she said.
"Really," Joey announced, they began walking back to the party.
"Yeah, I would have done the same!" Ramona answered him and gave him a playful shove. He laughed and shoved her back.
"And why Dave?" Joey wondered.
"Oh, what?" Ramona answered.
"When you had to give a name why did you say Dave?"
"Oh he'd the first person at work that popped into my head, probably because he's our handler!"
"Yeah whatever!" Joey said playfully.
AT THE BAR - 9:30 PM
"So Joey got all nervous and stuff and blurted out that you had a boy friend at the firm!" Stella explained and Frankito laughed.
"Yeah the idiot didn't even think!" he added, they all laughed as Joey blushed.
Joey looked at Ramona and she smiled, "Cheer up it's cool I'll just turn on the tears to Dad and say we broke up!" she laughed; "Now that will be fun!" she choked.
That sent Stella and Frankito into more laughs and even Joey laughed with them.
"Look at the time we'd better get home, we have work tomorrow!"
Frankito and Stella exchanged glances and rolled their eyes, "Were gonna be the rejects while you two are off doing the secret thing!" Stella moaned.
Joey laughed, "Well then maybe you can sign up!" he suggested and Stella and Frankito protested at the same time.
"Yeah right and lie all the time like you two no thanks, blasphemers!" Stella scolded.
"Say isn't it time you two should be getting home to your beddie-byes!" Frankito said changing the subject at the suggestion.
Joey and Ramona laughed and got up.
After they're good byes they headed to their cars, "Do you guys want a ride home?" Ramona offered Stella and Frankito.
"Yeah I can take someone!" Joey said.
"I'll take a ride!" Frankito said.
"I'm gonna grab a cab to Gerry's thanks anyway though," she said to Ramona.
"No problem!" Ramona said she was happy she, Stell and Kito were on good terms again.
"See you later Ramona," Kito said kissing Ramona on the cheek.
"Yeah see you tomorrow," Joey said kissing her on her other cheek.
"Ramona waved and got into her SUV.
The drive wasn't far from Felton's Bar.
Roxette was on the radio.
Suddenly Ramona noticed something odd, she was being followed, she knew the signs and every sign was pointing to the same conclusion.
"Dam... " she said and pulled out her cell, Joey was on speed dial two.
It rang twice when Frankito answered, "Kito put Joey on... .." a scuffle later and Joey said hello.
"Joey! I'm being followed, I think we were watched at the bar, get Kito to a safe place, I'm going to find Stella!"
Ramona clicked off and checked her rear mirror again; the dude was still following her.
She took a sharp turn up an alley to come out into the adjacent street.
Hopefully to find Stella at the Taxi place there.
She wasn't inside, Dam!
She lifted her cell again and dialled Mike's number. Mike was just leaving Tre's when he answered.
"Hey Mona, what's up, what can I do you for?"
"Ah... hey Mike... listen where does Stella's boyfriend Gerry live? Do you have his number?"
"Sure... why?"
"Don't ask questions yet, can I have the number please its urgent?"
"Oh sure okay... oh... hold on someone's calling!" He said.
"No... Uncle Mike... no... .dam!" Ramona swore and swerved a pedestrian crossing on the road who jumped in shock.
"Okay here goes... 5556289... got that?" Mike said and Ramona sighed, "Thanks Mike!" she said and clicked off redialing the 5556289 number.
"Hey is that Gerry, listen, have you heard from Stella tonight?"
"Yeah... um... who's this?"
"Ramona her friend, listen is she on her way over to yours?"
"Yes she just got into a cab from the bar why?
"What's your address?"
"What?"
"Your address, what is it? I'm coming to see her!"
"Um, 65A Tates Avenue, what's happening?"
"Nothing serious, she left her purse is all, listen when she gets to your place can you get her to call me?
"Sure whatever!" He replied.
"Thanks bye!" Ramona clicked off again.
Ramona knew California like the back of her hand and she took a right, she'd have to lose this jack ass. She turned up a small road beside a field and decided she would crash her car. She turned onto a bridge and took off her boot lodging it under the chair and acceleration pedal. Then grabbed her cell and bag and when the car was hidden behind the bushes that lined the field and bridge she jumped into the river below, throwing her cell onto the bank as she fell.