Episode2
1670 Words
USA — Virginia
Saints Residence
The smell of freshly baked cupcakes filled the kitchen.
It was one of the few things that could still make the Saints’ house feel like home.
Micaela carefully placed the final plate on the dining table, adjusting the position of the forks and glasses as she heard laughter coming from the living room.
Real laughter.
Not the polite, forced laughter her mother had been giving everyone lately.
She paused for a moment and looked toward the living room.
Patricia Saint sat comfortably on the couch, laughing so hard that she had tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
Kevin was sitting opposite her, dramatically explaining another one of his ridiculous stories.
Micaela smiled.
Seeing her mother like this was becoming rare.
For months, Patricia had been trying to convince everyone that she was fine.
She smiled when people visited.
She told doctors she was feeling better.
She reassured Micaela that she shouldn't worry.
But Micaela saw the truth.
She saw how slowly her mother walked now.
How long she slept.
How sometimes she struggled to even hold a cup.
The doctors said there was nothing wrong.
But something was stealing her mother away from her.
And no medical test could explain it.
So seeing Patricia laugh genuinely tonight meant more than Kevin would ever understand.
"I left him standing under the sprinklers, and I might have intentionally splashed water on him when I drove past him."
Kevin ended his story with a proud shrug.
Patricia burst into laughter again.
Micaela walked into the dining area, shaking her head.
"Now who is being petty?"
Kevin looked offended.
"He deserved it."
"He sure did," Patricia immediately agreed.
She and Kevin fist-bumped.
Micaela stared at them.
"Mum, you're always on his side about everything."
Patricia looked innocent.
"Am I?"
"Yes, you are. Even when he stole my diary in high school because I wouldn't tell him who my crush was, I complained to you and you told me, 'Friends shouldn't keep secrets from each other.'"
Patricia shrugged.
"And I was right."
Kevin fist-bumped her again.
Micaela stared at both of them.
"Mum! That was my privacy!"
Kevin leaned back.
"I wanted to know if we liked the same person."
"You invaded my diary!"
"I was sixteen. Curiosity is a disease."
"You were annoying."
"And yet, you are still friends with me."
Micaela opened her mouth but couldn't argue with that.
Kevin smiled.
"Besides, sometimes secrets will slowly destroy you if you keep them buried."
The words were meant as a joke.
But they struck something deep inside Micaela.
Her smile faded slightly.
Secrets.
She had so many.
The visions.
The things she saw.
The impossible ability she still couldn't explain.
She looked away quickly.
"Mum, is the soup too spicy?" she asked suddenly.
Patricia looked confused by the sudden change.
"It's fine, dear."
"I can make another one if you don't like it."
"No need. It's perfect."
Kevin raised his plate.
"I'll like some more salad and more of those cupcakes, please."
Micaela looked at him.
"You are a glutton."
She shook her head.
"I wonder where all that food goes."
Kevin proudly rolled up his sleeves slightly.
"Obviously my skin. Don't you see this glow? healthy nutrition does that."
He stretched out his arm.
Patricia laughed.
Micaela laughed.
For a few minutes, everything felt normal.
Like they were just a family having dinner.
Then Micaela remembered.
She had not told her mother.
"Mum..."
Patricia looked up.
"I'll be flying to Greece tomorrow."
The smile slowly disappeared from Patricia's face.
"How long will you be staying this time?"
Micaela looked down at her plate.
"I don't know yet. Until the mission is complete, I guess."
Silence filled the table.
Patricia lowered her fork.
"Will you be safe?"
Micaela looked at her.
The worry in her mother's eyes hurt more than she expected.
"Don't worry, Mum."
She reached across the table and held her hand.
"It's just gathering intel. Nothing dangerous."
Patricia didn't look convinced.
"Anita will always be around until I'm back."
Micaela squeezed her hand.
"I promise."
Patricia nodded slowly.
But the fear remained.
A mother's fear never disappeared just because her child offered reassurance.
The rest of dinner continued.
Kevin continued telling stories.
Micaela continued arguing with him.
Patricia laughed.
But not as loudly.
And Micaela noticed.
Greece — Athens
The plane landed at Athens International Airport in the afternoon.
Micaela stepped out with a small suitcase beside her.
Beside her walked Thomas Miller, another CIA operative.
Unlike Kevin, Thomas was quiet.
Focused.
Professional.
They had worked together before, and Micaela trusted him.
As they walked through the airport, she scanned the crowd.
Not because she was suspicious.
Because it was habit.
Every exit.
Every camera.
Every person standing too still.
Her eyes noticed everything.
She searched for their transportation.
Several drivers held signs.
She checked each one.
Then suddenly—
Someone bumped into her.
"I'm sorry."
She immediately turned.
"I didn't see you there."
The man standing in front of her was tall.
Extremely handsome.
But what caught her attention wasn't his appearance.
It was his eyes.
Golden.
Unusual.
Almost familiar.
For a second, she felt something strange.
A flash.
Darkness.
A voice.
"You have no idea what you are."
Then it disappeared.
Micaela blinked.
The man smiled slightly.
"It's fine."
His voice was calm.
Then he walked away.
She watched him for a second longer than she should have.
"Kayla?"
Thomas' voice pulled her back.
She looked away.
"Nothing."
She continued walking.
But deep down, she knew.
That feeling wasn't nothing.
They found their cab not long after.
Cullen Residence
Robert Cullen sat alone in his living room.
A glass of whiskey rested in his hand.
A tablet rested in the other.
On the screen were hundreds of locations.
Ancient records.
Family histories.
Names.
The Saints.
For years, he had searched.
Generations of searching.
Generations of failure.
A man entered the room.
"So you're still obsessing over the Saints after all these years."
Robert looked up.
He smiled slightly.
"The Saints are the only way our lifespan continues."
He looked back at the screen.
"Imagine what I could achieve with unlimited time."
"You still think you're some kind of god."
Robert looked at him.
"And you still think your life is a curse."
Silence.
"You cannot run away from what you are, Zeus."
Zeus looked away.
Robert continued.
"You abandoned this family for years."
He stood.
"Now that you're back, you might as well join the family business."
"I'm not here for the family business."
Zeus turned away.
"You have Ares."
Robert studied him.
"Then why did you come back?"
Zeus didn't answer.
He walked toward the stairs.
"Zeus."
He stopped.
"One day, you'll finally accept who you are."
Zeus said nothing.
He continued upstairs.
Three Days Later..
Maximos Mansion.
The heart of Greek politics.
Micaela adjusted her camera while Thomas checked their fake press credentials.
They were no longer CIA agents.
Today, they were journalists.
Their mission was simple.
Find proof.
If Greece was truly selling weapons to Iran, someone high enough had to know.
And there was one person they needed to investigate.
Prime Minister Robert Cullen.
They entered the press room with dozens of reporters.
Micaela studied everything.
The exits.
The guards.
The cameras.
The security patterns.
Before the press conference began, she approached one of the guards.
"Excuse me, where is the restroom?"
The guard pointed down the hallway.
"At the end on the left."
"Thank you."
She walked away.
But she wasn't looking for the restroom.
She was mapping the building.
She counted cameras.
Four.
Security guards.
Six.
Blind spots.
Two.
She returned moments before Robert Cullen entered.
The room immediately became filled with flashing cameras.
The prime minister stepped onto the podium.
"I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate events that occurred a week ago in Antikythira Island."
His expression was serious.
"It remains unclear whether the bombing was an act of terrorism or a declaration of war."
He paused.
"Bombing an entire village is a barbaric act."
Micaela watched him carefully.
Something about him felt wrong.
Then suddenly she remembers the crying woman. The burning village in her visions.
"I promise to find and bring the culprits to justice."
The reporters shouted questions.
But Robert ignored them.
"Today we grieve the lives lost. Further investigations are ongoing. We will not be taking questions at this time."
Then he walked away.
Later that evening, Micaela and Thomas planted a tiny camera outside the mansion.
They waited.
Eventually, the prime minister's convoy left.
They drove from a distance ahead.
Their destination.
The Cullen residence.
Minutes later they park inside the woods close to the Cullen residence. They moved.
Using the trees for cover, they approached the property.
The security system was advanced.
But not advanced enough.
Micaela saw a camera turn.
A second before it happened.
She grabbed Thomas.
"Wait."
The camera moved.
Then stopped.
Thomas looked at her.
"How did you know?"
She ignored the question.
They used a device to distort the feed.
They had one minute.
They climbed over the fence.
Inside.
They moved silently.
A guard passed.
Micaela pulled Thomas behind a wall.
Seconds later, the guard disappeared.
They entered the house.
Their plan was simple.
Plant listening devices.
Leave.
But nothing was ever simple.
They found uniforms.
A housekeeper.
A security officer.
A perfect disguise.
They separated.
Thomas moved downstairs.
Micaela moved upstairs.
Then she heard a voice.
"Take the deal or lose your wife and child."
Prime minister Robert.
She froze.
The voice was coming from downstairs.
Thomas was nearby.
She moved quickly and found a door.
She opened it.
Slipped inside.
Closed it silently.
She turned back.
And froze.
Someone was standing in the darkness.
Golden eyes stared directly at her.
The same eyes from the airport.
"You must have a death wish."
His voice was calm.
"Thinking you can break into the prime minister's house and get out unscathed."
Micaela couldn't move.
Surprise.
Anxiety.
She felt them all at once.
- Writer
