Chapter 20 - Epilogue

                                    

                                          
Grandpa and Grandma Hale's house
Location redacted
Somewhere outside Washington D.C.
June 16
1100 hours
                          
I was back at the Hale's house for another afternoon lunch. This time for my birthday. To be honest, I had completely forgotten it. With all that happened, and the excitement of a mission, it just slipped my mind. Before I joined spy school, I would have been planning it out for weeks, trying to figure out who would be invited or if Elizabeth Pasternak would be willing to come. Now, it just seemed less important.
                          
It was Erica that reminded me. We were all exhausted after flying iver night to Washington D.C. And had arrived back at the campus in the middle of the day.
                          
As we grabbed our bags from the back of the van, she sad, "Happy Birthday," and gave me a peck on the cheek. "My parents invited you over tomorrow. It won't be a party or anything. Just us. Mike can come too, but he can't mention anything about Trixie in front of grandma."
                          
"I don't think he wants to do that. Thank you. I'd love to come. I actually completely forgot my birthday is tomorrow. You're not giving me another tooth are you," I asked, smiling.
                          
She smiled back and turned to leave.
                          
"Hey," I said. "By the way, you still haven't told me your birthday."
                          
She looked back at me over her shoulder "You're a spy, figure it out."
                          
"I'll just ask your mother," I said.
                          
She scrunched up her face and narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything in response.
                          
I did have some reservations about going there again. After all Erica's grandmother would be hosting. But Erica reassured me later that it would be okay. Her father had spoken with his mother about us. I wasn't sure that was such a good thing. But, it turned out, Erica's grandma that had suggested an afternoon birthday party for me. I knew Alexander could be a smooth operator, but I wasn't sure how he pulled that off. Part of me suspected she was plotting to prison me.
                          
After Mike and I arrived, Erica told me she had to finish her training with her grandfather. I was a little surprised she wouldn't take a day off for my birthday, but also knew the kind of person Erica was. I was also surprised Cyrus had already returned from scoping out Murray's condo. I took this to mean that he hadn't found anything. I went out to the back porch to watch her in the backyard, working through an obstacle course and set of weights. Mike and Trixie set off somewhere by themselves, trying to stay out of her grandmother's sight. I was staring through the screen when I heard the back door spring strain as it stretched open, then slam shut. I didn't turn to see who it was, assuming it was Catherine or Alexander, and it wasn't till they were standing next to me that I realized it was Grandma Hale. She was the last person I wanted to talk to, but really couldn't say this.
                          
I stiffened and straightened myself, trying to remove any slouch, and any reason for her to be critical of me. She spoke first, as I braced myself.
                          
"She's amazing, isn't she?"
                          
"Yes, she is," I said.
                          
I must have looked relieved, because she turned and looked me up and down.
                          
"I'm going to tell you something, Benjamin, and I want it to stay between you and I. I know you think I've been hard on you. And, maybe, I have been a little unfair. I do know what you did to help Erica, and Trixie." She had piqued my interest so I stayed quiet. She continued, "Not many know this. Even Erica doesn't. I was once a field agent for the CIA." My eyebrows raised and I turned sharply to her. "This was before Alexander was born. It was actually how I met his father, Cyrus," She sighed and I could see her face soften, and eyes look off into space like she was imagining a distant past. "It was a passionate affair."