My Aunt isn't ashamed of me. That's not why she dropped my arm and makes me sit ducked in the taxi. But part of me still thinks that's the reason. It's not. I'm ducked over so no one spots me with her. I don't think anyone will though. I think that's just my aunt worrying.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

So, I sit ducked over, even as I want to take the city in and see all it's beauty that it holds. Maybe my exchange family will take me on a tour when we meet tomorrow.

"When we get to the hotel you'll get in first and wait in the lobby while I get us checked in."

"Sounds good." I turn my neck to look at her. She sits rigid and looks out the window.

"And when you see me walk away from the desk wait two minutes before following me."

I nod. Is this a test? Is she making sure I can follow orders? "Do you really think anyone at the hotel will recognize you and ruin our plan?"

She sighs and turns to me. "You never know, so it's better to be safe than-"

"Sorry."

She beams. "Good. So you understand where I'm coming from?"

I nod. The hovertaxi pulls to a stop. The window separating the driver from us slides down as the door slides open.

"I'll see you inside," my aunt says before turning to the driver.

I nod before getting out and heading to the trunk. The driver already has it popped open for me, my suitcase waiting for me. It takes me a moment to heft it out of the trunk but I finally manage it, wiping sweat off my forehead afterwards. Before I can even close the trunk the driver is speeding away. I furrow my brows. Did my aunt already get out? I glance towards the door that slides shut.

Shit.

I pull my handle out and race into the building. How can I already be messing this up? This part isn't even the mission.

The door slides open as I'm an inch from it. The cool air slaps me in the face. It's weird to enter a building that is cooler than the biodome. Back home the buildings tend to be hotter. Dad always said it's to help the dying environment, but I'm starting to wonder if that was really true or if home was just too poor to spend money on the nice expanses.

The hotel is even bigger on the inside. The walls look as if they're made of gold, and fake plants litter the lobby. I guess even the richest countries can't risk spending money on the real stuff. I slide my gaze around the room while making my way over to the seating area.

My aunt stands at the desk, her fingers tapping loudly as the lady helping her sweats. I plop down in one of the big red oval armchairs that faces the room and has my back to the wall. The longer my aunt waits the louder and faster her fingers tap.

I almost feel bad for the lady.

"Why can't I just scan my chip?" my aunt demands.

The lady's gaze flicks up from her holocom. "Our scanner broke this morning. We have someone coming to fix it today but right now we're back to doing it the old way."

My aunt sighs. "Well hurry up! My feet are sore from travelling all day and I want to rest!"

The ladys eyes widen as she turns back to her screen. "Right, of course. Sorry."

It takes another few minutes before the lady asks for my aunts arm. She grabs a little square from her desk and holds it above my aunts chip. A blue light emits from the square before it dissolves in her fingers. "There you go ma'am."

"Took you long enough." Then my aunt spins and heads down the hall to the elevators.

Two minutes. That's all I have to do. I keep my gaze on the lady behind the desk. She slumps back and lets out a breath. My aunt wasn't that scary, was she? Then, as if I aren't already on edge I notice how empty the lobby is. Only me, the lady and the guard by the door.

I don't look at either of them as I stand up. But one of their gazes is on me as I follow my aunt. I resist the urge to turn around, I can't bring any attention to myself. I walk normally. Why am I so nervous? My mission hasn't started yet.

My mouth drops open as I spot the elevators.

"Why are you gaping like a fish?" my aunt asks from where she stands beside them.

I close my mouth and try to regain my composure. "We don't have the disc ones," I tell her. "We still have the high-glass ones."

Her eyes widen. "I didn't realize just how far behind you all are. How is my sister still living out there?"

I shrug.

She shakes her head. "That doesn't matter. Lets just get to the room and debrief you." She holds her chip up to the scanner. A blue light emits from it and moves back and forth above the chip. A beep fills the space as the light turns green and disappears. The door curves open, allowing us to step onto the disk. My aunt heads in first and I trail in after her with my suitcase. The door slides shut. Before I can blink the elevator snaps into motion, leaving my stomach behind.

My aunt taps her foot against the disc, the sound filling the small space. It takes five seconds for the elevator to slow to a stop. The doors slide open with a whoosh. We step off and into the brightly lit hall. Black doors line the white walls with plants and paintings between each one.

"We're looking for room 523." We start down the hall. I look on one side while she looks on the other.

"Why are we staying in such an expensive hotel?" I ask. When my dads on missions he tends to stay in motels.

"The fancier hotel we're in the last chance anyone will see the two of us together."

I nod. It makes sense. If anyone spots us together now that could throw the plan later on.

"Here it is," my aunt says, stopping before a door.

I turn. My gaze flicks to the number on the door. 523. I look around the hall as my aunt scans her chip and the door swings open. We head inside and finally, I can drop my suitcase. I take in the room, two simple beds, a nightstand between them and a dresser and a tv. It doesn't like as fancy as I think it should but right now, I don't care. I flop back onto one of the beds and kick my shoes off. A sigh escapes me.

"Are you tired?"

I nod.

My aunt sighs, the disappointment in it filling the room. "Fine. You can have ten minutes, but then we should talk about your mission."

"Thank you."

But those ten minutes go by too fast. The next thing I know I'm sitting crossed legged on the bed as my aunt sets up her projector. It's a tiny silver box that floats a little off the floor and projects onto the gray hotel room. My aunt brings up her chipscreen and connects it to the projector. Her screen is projected and I watch as she swipes through it to find a folder titled Exchange Student. She taps it open, bringing up a bad picture of me and a school transfer paper. I remember sitting beside mom as she filled it out and stressing over some of the questions. "This is where we'll start." My aunt turns and faces me. "Do you know what information is on this?"

I nod. "For the most part. It's just basic schooling info and home info."

She nods. "Good. Now you shouldn't be quizzed on any of this but just in case, what school did you go to? Where are you from? What grade are you in?"

I sigh. "I went to O'neily high, I'm from Old Africa, and I'm in grade eleven."

She smiles. "Good." Her finger flicks her screen and the projection changes to a picture of a family. "This is the Mars family."

"I know." I hop off the bed and point at the man in the back who has short blonde hair and unforgiving green eyes. "That's Mr. Mars and his wife." My finger moves to the women beside him. Her blue eyes unwavering and her face stern as not a single piece of her dirty blond hair flies out of her bun. Then I point to the girl before her who is a mirror copy of Mr. Mars, just, a girl version. But she wears a smile. "That's their daughter, Samantha Mars. Or Sam. She goes to Orndill High School and is in grade eleven. She spends her time there on the dance team and taking photos for the yearbook." I look up at my aunt and smirk. "She's also my ticket to getting the information we need."

Pride flickers in her eyes. "Good." She points at the little boy beside Samantha. "And who's that?"

I grin. "That's Jax. Samantha's little brother and the Mars' youngest child. He's six years old and just starting grade one."

"So you did study."

I nod. "I wanted to make sure I was ready for this and knew everything I could." It helps me to have a grip on the situation.

My aunts eyes harden. "Now, just because you know a lot about the family do you know what you're after?"

"I'm gathering as much information as I can about their secret robot." I sit back on the bed.

She nods. "And you need to make sure you get it before they announce it."

I roll my eyes. "I know."

She's hovering above me in an instant. My eyes widen as her face glows with anger in her shadow. "Do not talk like that. This is important."

I gulp and nod. "I'm sorry."

She backs up and fixes her hair behind her ear. "Don't do it again."

I nod as I wrap my arms around myself.

My aunt sighs. She walks over and joins me on the bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." She wraps her arm around my shoulders. "But this mission is important. Not just for me but for our whole family."

"I know," I whisper. Her hand rubs my shoulder. "It's just that I've gone over the information a hundred times and I know it all. So why do I have to go over it even more?"

"We just want to make sure you're prepared. We don't believe that the Mars are going to fall for this. Do you know how hard it was to convince them to take an exchange student?" I shake my head. "It was hard." She laughs. "And if that was hard I think it'll be hard to get any information out of them if they're skeptical of you."

I push away slightly to look into her eyes. So much like moms but so different at the same time. "Then I'll prove to them that they can trust them."

"It won't be that simple."

"I know that!" My voice raises. "But it's worth trying! I won't disappoint any of you."

Her gaze softens. She pulls me back to her side. "We hope you won't."

I gulp, the words not reassuring me at all. Is that really what they think? That I'll fail the mission and let them all down? But I don't get to ask. She stands up and moves onto the rest of the slides. I only half listen as I let my thoughts swirl around me.

Before I know it the powerpoint is done and my aunt is getting ready for bed. I move through the routine in a daze. Maybe it's better if I move like a robot for a little bit. The worry and anxiety won't be able to sink in that way and then I won't have to worry about messing everything up.

I won't disappoint any of them.