Page 31 of The Eagle (Spy Girl 2)
"The world is saying The Priest is dead. What say you?"
"You sound like a pirate." I laugh.
He laughs too.
"He should have gotten out. But if he had, he would have come for his son."
"What happened?"
I tell him about the men who came and all that went down.
"Sounds like the same mercenaries that were at the bank."
"Unless they were Russians."
He tells me about the base takeover in Tartus. That maybe someone is trying to push us toward World War Three.
It all just makes my head hurt.
Just before landing in London, I'm given a military uniform to change into, so I am not recognized. The boy is taken off the plane inside a large duffle.
Once we get loaded in the armored Range Rover, Intrepid unzips the duffle, and Chauncey pops his little head out and goes, "That was fun!"
We are driven to Notting Hill and let out at a side entrance, where we are greeted by Lorenzo and the smell of bacon cooking, even though it's after two in the morning.
Lorenzo pulls me into his arms and hugs me tightly. Since I'm carrying the boy, he's hugging him too.
He smiles and says, "I'm Chauncey."
"And I'm Lorenzo." He shakes the boy's hand.
"Chauncey," I say. "Lorenzo is the King who granted my knighthood."
The boy's eyes get big as saucers. "Really?"
"Yes, he is." I tell Lorenzo how Chauncey was very brave and how he saved my life. "I think he deserves to be a knight, too."
Lorenzo takes the boy out of my arms and sets him down. "Being a knight is a great responsibility. Are you up for the challenge?"
"I am." Chauncey nods seriously.
Lorenzo holds out one hand for the boy to take and the other for me to take. "Let's go into my study."
When we get into the richly decorated room, Lorenzo grabs a staff out of an umbrella stand and positions the boy in front of him.
Chauncey's eyes are wide with astonishment. He's adorable.
"Wait here," Lorenzo says, then comes back a few moments later wearing his royal dress uniform and looking like the king he is.
"Woah," Chauncey says. "You really are a king."
Lorenzo smiles at him. "Please kneel."
The boy takes the position. He clearly knows the drill.
"A true knight is a man who shows courage and bravery against all odds. You have proven your valor today, and it is my honor to offer you knighthood. You must promise to uphold the knight's code. Knights are honest, true, and valiant. They must always seek justice and truth. They are noble, chivalrous, and generous. Do you promise to uphold these values?"
"I will," he says.
Lorenzo taps the staff on the boy's right shoulder, then gently raises the staff just up over his head and then taps his left shoulder. "With the power vested to me by country and crown, I make ye a knight of Montrovia."
The boy stands up beaming.
Lorenzo bows to him. "I offer you this staff."
"I get to keep it?"
"Yes, you do. Is Sir Chauncey hungry? I smell bacon."
The boy rubs his tummy. "I smell bacon too. Let's go!"
After a very early morning breakfast, we tuck Chauncey in.
"I'm not tired yet," he protests. "Can you tell me a story?"
Lorenzo sits on the edge of the bed and proceeds to make up a story about knights and fair maidens. It's not long before the boy is fast asleep.
Lorenzo takes my hand and leads me into his suite.
"A bed has never felt as soft as this one has," I say, sprawling myself across it, desperately needing sleep.
"You are very upset, Huntley, even though you are putting on a brave face for the boy. Tell me what is going on."
"Can we talk about it after I sleep? I haven't slept in . . . I don't even know how long."
"Well, sleep will have to wait a few more minutes. I need some answers."
"Very well," I say, sitting back up. "Chauncey is the son of the assassin who killed my mother."
"What!? How could that be? Why is he with you?"
"It's a long, crazy story. Let me start at the beginning. Ari and I were sent to the location of the assassin's next hit. Our job was to find him and follow him. We had no idea he was going to shoot Clarice until she walked out of the building--then it was too late. She was shot. Ari went to her and I went after the assassin. Did she make it?"
Lorenzo shakes his head.
"I'm so sorry."
"I spoke with your brother. He filled me in on all that happened to that point. What I want to know is if you kidnapped his son."
My eyes get huge. "No! I would never do something like that!"
"Then tell me the rest."
"Long story short, I followed the man home. I had him on his knees in his living room in the same position he had my mother in. Then the boy spoke from behind me. I didn't know he was there. The assassin begged me not to kill him in front of his son. It was then that I told him about what he did to my mother. He told me that he didn't know I was there. That he was just doing his job. And now, more than ever, I understand. He was given a job, and he did it. Just like I was given the job to kill him. I was trained to complete my missions at all cost. To never question my orders."
"But you are?"
"Yes. Even before his son spoke, I knew I couldn't kill him in cold blood."
"Huntley, you're not a machine," Lorenzo says, joining me on the bed. "You have emotions and feelings, no matter what you were trained for. But if you didn't kill him, why is the American government reporting that the President's assassin is dead?"
"Because that's what I told them."
"Are you saying you lied to your government?"
"I don't know. He may have died in the explosion." I quickly explain the rest of what went down.
"Do you think he could have gotten away?"
"I don't know why he didn't. He was supposed to be right behind us."
"So as far as Black X is concerned, you c
ompleted your mission. Can't you just quit now? Tell them you got the revenge that you wanted, and you are finished. Then you can come live in Montrovia with me. Have a simple life."
"Growing up, we were constantly on the move. I never really had a friend."
"You have me now," he says, pulling me into his arms.
"I know, and it means more to me than you know. But I can't quit. Honestly, I don't think they will let me."
I tell him about Josh and my school.
"I can keep you safe in Montrovia," he suggests.
"I appreciate the offer, Lorenzo, but you can't even keep yourself safe. And there's more going on here. More to the story. I'm starting to believe that my training and missions are somehow connected to my mother's death, and I have to figure out how--with or without the help of Black X."
"Then what?"
"I retire. To your country. If you'll still have me at that point."
"You will be welcomed with open arms, Contessa. Always."
I put my head on his shoulder with a contented sigh and quickly fall to sleep.
MISSION:COMPLETE
I am awakened by Chauncey, who is riding atop Lorenzo's shoulders. "Time to get up, sleepyhead!"
I glance at the clock by the bed and see that it's nearly noon.
"We're going to play with bubbles!"
"I need a shower."
"He said you would say that." Chauncey laughs out loud. "We're going to the park."
I squint my eyes at Lorenzo.
"It's a large private courtyard," he states. "We'll be perfectly safe."
I smile as the boy pats Lorenzo's shoulders and says, "Giddy up, horsey," causing Lorenzo to rear up and trot around the room.
"Have a good shower," he tells me. "I had clothing and personal items delivered for you and the boy this morning. Yours are in my closet."
"Thank you," I say gratefully.
He gallops over and kisses me. Then he licks up the side of my cheek, which causes Chauncey to giggle. "That's a horsey kiss!"
After I shower and dress, I meet them in the courtyard.
"Is Daddy still on a trip?" Chauncey asks.
"Yeah, he is," I reply. He nods and then dips the wand back in the bottle and blows more bubbles into the air. I take a seat on the bench next to Lorenzo.
"We're going to have to tell him the truth eventually," he says.
"I know. I guess I just haven't given up hope that he's alive. That he will come find me."
