Misery Business

Aubree’s POV

“Morning Sammy!” I sang as I yanked my mug of hot green tea with a dab of honey out of my big brother’s hands and breathed in its sweet essence before taking a huge gulp. It tasted like pure heaven. “Sweet Jesus this stuff is fantastic!”

I was in an extra chipper mood today; I would be assigned to my very first partner and mission after completing my advanced Spy training. After flying through it and ranking in the top of my class, I knew I would be a shooin’ to get paired up with an amazing elite.

I could just see us beating up bad-guy ass… as long as it was stated to do so in the instructions, of course.

“Glad you like it,” Sam chuckled. “Are you ready for today? Mom and dad would be so proud of you.”

I curtly nodded my head as I walked over to the coat-hanger and slipped on my black trench coat, forcing the thought of my parents out of my mind. It was my fault, and Sam knew it, yet he insisted on bringing them up every time we talked about this Spy stuff. I was “following in their footsteps” after all.

“Okay, well I have to go now! Commander Winchester said I was supposed to be there at 10:00 sharp!” I gave Sam my best fake smile and walked out of the door with the mug of tea still hot in my hand.

“Good luck! I hope you get a partner who is worthy of your talents.”

“Thanks!” Smirking for real this time I closed the door behind me.

Since my apartment complex was stationed just a few blocks away from HQ, I skipped taking the car and walked there instead. By the time I reached the grounds my hands were shaking and I had broken a sweat… something I never did.

All I could do was stare at the enormous building, disguised as ‘Wisconsin’s Better Bank’, before me. After looking at the picture in the manual for so long being up close to the real thing made this whole experience even more surreal.

BAM!

“Oh my goodness,” I gasped as the wind gets knocked from me and I hit the ground with a thud. I quickly pick myself up, embarrassed that I let my thoughts get the best of me, and the fact that my once delicious tea was now running down the shirt of a total stranger.

“Are you okay,” I heard a monotone voice ask me as I dust myself off. I looked up to see a brown haired woman before me trying to wring the excess liquid out of her top.

“I guess so,” I replied solemnly as I looked down at my now empty cup, which was the only thing keeping me fully together. “But there went my morning pick-me-up!”

“Real sorry about that, but maybe next time you should look at where you are going,” She snapped at me like an angry rattlesnake and sauntered off without another word, leaving me alone in the middle of the street looking like an idiot.

“God, I wonder what poor soul has to have someone like that for a partner,” I grumbled under my breath as I finally reach the building and scan my eye for access as instructed. I then walked into Headquarters and made my way to the perspective room I was assigned to. I was soon greeted by a peppy blonde sitting behind a huge oak desk.

“Good morning, Agent Thatcher. Just sit down right there and the Captain will inform you when he’s ready for you to meet your new partner!”

I didn’t know if it was just my head or not, but I could’ve sworn the look in her eyes had a sense of pity in them when she looked at me.

A few minutes later there was a muffled voice inside the little, block box on her desk.

“Go on ahead inside, dear. They’re ready for you.”

I took a big gasp of air as I forced myself to get up and walk over to the door. I closed my eyes and with shaking hands pushed open the double wooden doors and walked inside.

“Agent Stone I'd like to introduce you to your new partner, Agent Aubree Thatcher; I think you two will make an excellent team,” The commander said to my partner then giving a huge smile in my direction.

I started to hyperventilate.

This was real. This was actually happening.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” I heard a fairly recognizable, irritable voice reply pulling me away from my panic attack as I felt all of the color drain from my face.



“So,” I start nervously as I sit down in the passenger seat of Agent Stone’s red Jeep Liberty, which I remember is not on the list of approved vehicles, too flashy, and too in your face. It’s a big change from the small car I’m used to driving, but I ignore it.

“I’m really, super sorry about what happened earlier… I was just so nervous about finally getting to meet you and actually put my training to use!”

“It’s fine,” Agent Stone says flatly, turning up her radio apparently having none of my antics. A song I never heard before blasts through the speakers and I almost fly out the window. “Ew, I don’t want to listen to this song right now.” Glancing over with an eyebrow raised she takes her iPod out and a softer melody fills the car.

“What’s this,” I ask her yelling over the music and trying to get on her friendly side; which didn’t seem to be working very well.

“If it Means a Lot to You by A Day to Remember. Not big on rock music?”

“Well I like some rock, like alternative and stuff…”

“Oh, okay. That’s cool.”

I’m not sure of what else to say because obviously she’s not ready to make friends, so I just listen to her music until we’re at my flat to pack up my stuff.

Commander Winchester not only assigned me a new partner, but also a new apartment. I was now to live in the same complex as Agent Stone. I can’t say I’m too happy about it, but orders are orders so I have to follow them if I want to go anywhere.

Plus, at least he assigned me a different roommate, even though I had the sneaking suspicion that was her suggestion and not his.

When we get inside there’s a note on the table from Sam telling me that he had to go out for a while and hoped I had gotten acquainted with my new comrade alright. The joke was on him seeing as my partner was kind of a buzzkill.

“Okay my room’s this way, Agent Stone,” I begin walking down the hallway into the back room carrying two boxes with me along the way.

She crinkles her nose up at me. “Just call me Patience. We are partners now.” She then begins the moving process by taking a box and starts looking around my tidy room as a place to begin.

“But you’re my elite,” I blurt out following behind her. “I’m supposed to show you respect at all times. That’s one of the most important rules.”

“Trust me, rules just slow you down. Also, I really think whoever wrote those rules had a nice dose of drugs the morning before. Patience is my name.” She turns her back on me again and opens my closet. “Are you kidding me? You organize your closet by color?”

“Well yeah! I have to know what outfits are suitable when I’m on a mission or assigned to work in Headquarters and then which ones I’m free to wear on personal days. I’ve got to say that it makes things a whole lot easier—“

I’m cut off when Patience’s phone begins to ring and she raises her hand to end my rambling.

“Shit. Okay, we have to make this snappy. We’re wanted at headquarters as soon as we finish moving you in.” My partner then begins throwing my stuff in boxes like crazy. “It looks like you’re going on your very first mission, kid.”

I feel my stomach build up with butterflies.