Legion Of Rockstars

A few days later, I still hadn’t received my first alert via pager to go out on my first mission. I knew Hayley had received her first mission alert the day after the ceremony, but never asked her about the details. I began to grow restless with nothing to do. For the past two months, I’d been busy training; in my spare time, I was usually too tired to do anything but relax in the lounge room with Amy and the Avenged guys, who I’d grown rather close to. Now, I suddenly had all the spare time in the world. So, I’d spent most of the past three days trying to stay in shape, working out in the gym and practicing in the shooting range.

Now, I sat on my bed, my back resting against my headboard as I read a book. On the end table beside my bed, the pager resting there began to buzz and vibrate against the wood. I raised my head and looked around, wide-eyed, at the little black box. Finally, something for me to do!

I snatched it off of the end table and quickly read the message scrolling across the screen—Joan’s office in ten minutes. Swallowing back a yoo-hoo of joy, I saved my place in my book and leaped from my bed. Dragging a pair of shoes on over my sock-covered feet, I grabbed my badge from the drawer in my end table and rushed out the door. As I walked calmly towards one of the elevators on my way to the Recreation Floor, I hooked the pager and badge to a couple of my belt loops, positioning them just right.

As I stood waiting for the elevator, Matt Tuck stepped up beside me, clipping his badge and pager on as well. We smiled at each other, and I felt relieved knowing that another new agent would be with me on this mission. I knew that one or two veteran agents would accompany us on the mission, but I didn’t want to be the only new guy. No doubt I would end up screwing something up, and I didn’t want to be the only one apt to screwing up. Maybe I should’ve asked Hayley about the details of her mission. At least I would know what to expect.

Finally, Matt and I arrived in the lush lounge area leading into Joan and Ozzy’s offices. As we stepped out of the elevator, I instantly recognized Brian from Sevenfold and Pink standing at the window, looking out at the forest. They both turned around at the sound of our footsteps, and I wondered if I would ever look like such a true agent as they did right then. I didn’t know what I saw that made them look so professional and agent-y. Maybe it was just the confidence with which they carried themselves, or their can-do spirit that radiated off their bodies in waves. Whatever it was, it made me want to strive to be a great agent just like them.

The four of us met at the door into Joan’s office. Pink knocked, and Joan welcomed us in. All four of us stepped in, lining up across from Joan’s desk. She sat in her leather chair behind an open Manila folder, probably mission detail or something like that. I wondered if she meant what she said when she told me I could maybe be a director one day. I didn’t wonder for long, however, because Joan began to speak.

“The Hobo Brothers—I mean, Jonas Brothers—have once again tried to brainwash rockers into listening to their shitty music,” she began, a serious look on her face. “They’ve been advertising a concert for several months right underneath the Legion’s nose. Been selling tickets for this concert, too, and making a shit load of money doing it. But it’s not a Jo Bro concert: they’ve been advertising it as an Avenged Sevenfold concert.”

Brian made an indignant noise of disagreement at that news. Hell, I would too if those idiot brothers were using me against my own fans.

“So, everyone arrives and piles into the concert hall, excited about seeing Avenged Sevenfold. But when everyone gets inside, the doors close and lock. Everyone’s trapped in there. The next thing they know, they’re being told this is a Jonas Brothers concert, not an Avenged concert. Of course they’re mad and try to leave, but they can’t. They start to play Jonas Brothers songs...” Joan shuddered visibly at the thought. “Anyway, everyone’s scared and having a horrible time. It’s our job to stop this concert and help the concert-goers recover. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” all four of us answered in unison. Joan closed the folder and handed it over to Pink and Brian.

“Help Asher and Matt, you two,” Joan told Brian and Pink. “This is a difficult mission, but I think they can handle it. They did graduate top of their class.” Joan smiled proudly at the two of us, and Matt and I smiled back. “Good luck, all of you.”

We thanked Joan before walking back out the door.