Mission Manhattan by James Ponti

Author:James Ponti
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2024-02-06T00:00:00+00:00

17. Improv

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES—PRESENT DAY

IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE he’d met Mother, Rio had become a spy, a brother, and now even something of a hero. But part of him would always be the Amazing Encantado. It was so ingrained in him that if he were dropped onto Copacabana Beach in front of a group of tourists, he could still perform his old act from memory without missing a beat. Not that it was ever really memorized. The key to his success had always been that he ad-libbed about half of it. That’s what kept it fresh and funny.

He’d found the same was true about spy work. It was usually a fifty-fifty mix of careful planning and flying by the seat of your pants. But not this week. This week everything felt improvised, and that had him worried. They’d come to Washington to protect Beatriz but were still making up basic mission elements as they drove from the airport to the British embassy.

“Where’s our rendezvous?” he asked. “In case something goes wrong.”

“Great question,” Mother said as he tried to think of one. “How about…”

“There,” Monty offered as she pointed through the windshield. “But on the other side.”

They’d just crossed a bridge into the city and were approaching the back of the Lincoln Memorial, one of the most famous monuments in Washington.

“Perfect,” Mother said. “It’s easy to get to, open late, and there are plenty of tourists to help us blend in. The Lincoln Memorial’s our emergency RV.”

“What about a panic word?” Paris asked.

“I know we’ve used it a couple times lately, but I like Apple Jack,” Brooklyn said. “It’s easy to remember, and it’s been good luck for us.”

“I like it too,” added Sydney.

“Done,” Mother said. “If you hear ‘Apple Jack,’ that means it’s time to scramble and meet up in front of old Honest Abe.” He paused for a moment and let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m really sorry that this feels so scattered.”

“It couldn’t have been helped,” Monty said. “I think it’s amazing that we’ve pulled it together as well as we have.”

It had only been three days since Brooklyn and Kat had identified the bombers and their possible threat to Beatriz in Washington. There simply hadn’t been enough time to plan a full-fledged mission.

“What else do we need to figure out?” Sydney asked.

“It doesn’t matter because we’re already here,” Monty said as they pulled up to the embassy’s guardhouse. “Don’t worry. We’re going to do fine. You all have the skills, and more importantly, you all have the right instincts. What’s the Motherism? The essential part is that you trust your heart. When the time comes, you’ll know what to do.”

“Or, put another way,” Mother added with a wry grin, “ready or not, here we come.”

Once they’d cleared security, the team was greeted by a young man from the protocol office. Sydney took an instant liking to his sense of style. He wore a maroon two-button blazer and a pair of classic black oxford shoes and kept his hair long on the top but tapered on the sides.

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