I run through all the possible kinds of suspicious things I need to look for, inside my head. Recording, listening and transmission devices, sharp weapons, fake IDs, weird looking vials. Anything that can help me reach an appropriate conclusion.

It is a good thing that the windshield of the car and the windows are heavily tinted because any passersby would have gotten a wrong idea if they happened to glance in. My feet were planted on the back seat and my arms were flailing around near the front as my torso awkwardly balanced in the place between the front seats.

I probably looked utterly bonkers.

I don't find anything of interest, unfortunately. If there is, it's hidden carefully by Dad and is absolutely undetectable to a rookie like me. With a frown, I scrutinize all the nooks and crannies once more, gliding my fingers over all the hard surfaces. But there's nothing.

I'm about to push my body back when I see my father stepping out of the diner, when my hand accidentally brushes against the cold, reinforced polymer surface of the radio system.

Click.

A small hatch eases out of it's lock before moving forward to make way for a horizontal lever behind it connected to a series of gears. I watch as the complex vault opens seamlessly, without a single sound.

Dad is barely a few feet away, his mouth curved into a scowl.

Fuck!

I crane my neck to see what's inside the vault in the front. The doors are locked and I have the car keys so I'm safe for now. A sleek black file sits inside the vault idly. Just as I reach out for it, Dad's face appears on my side suddenly and I let out a loud scream.

He's pressed his face against the driver's side window to look inside and he looks absolutely furious. I'm overcome by a tidal wave of pure panic as he steps away.

I grab onto the file and hug it against my chest as I curl up in the back seat. With a sigh I fling open the file, Dad will need some time to figure out how to open the car doors without a key.

There isn't much in the file for obvious reasons- just a few photos and a passport of someone named Nathaniel Mirsalehi. As I scan through the pictures quickly, I'm alarmed to find my yearbook picture looking back at me.

Nervous tremors running up my fingers, I slip the picture into the back pocket of my shorts when suddenly the alarm system of the car roars to life before dying down into dead silence within a second.

It turns out I grossly underestimated my father's intellect and emergency control training, because the next moment the driver's seat door opens and he slips into the car before clicking all the locks into place.

My breath hitches. I hadn't noticed the heart rate escalating before but it hammers wildly and I can feel my pulse on all my finger tips and ears. A bead of perspiration runs down my back and disappears into the hem of my underwear. I utterly hate it when that happens.

I swallow my biting fear and sit straight, clutching the file in my hands close to my chest like a vibranium shield, "What the fuck is going on?"

"Mind your language when you talk to me Ariya." Dad's jaw clenches as he turns behind to look at me.

His expression is icy and I cower back slightly, biting my tongue.

"Yes sir." I mutter.

"Hand me that file."

"No."

"Stop behaving like a child, Ariya." Dad grits his teeth, "It's not fitting for your age."

"This is self preservation!" I glare, my chest heaving rapidly, "This file that undoubtedly has information about some military activity, had my picture in it. If you wanted to use me, the least you could have done was take my permission."

Surprise flashes across my father's features momentarily, but he masks it quickly. He remains silent, fingers twitching towards the gun concealed at his waist like he does when he's nervous.

I watch him wordlessly, eyes following every small movement as he presses a couple of buttons on the car dashboard. A strange sort of vibration fills the interior. I strain my ears to make out a sound, but there isn't any. I suspect it's an ultrasonic blocking device.

"What made you suspicious?" Dad asks finally.

I roll my eyes. Out of all the things he could have asked about, he chooses to ask me whether his plan of keeping things under wraps is faulty.

"Well, firstly this bug embedded under the rubber floor mat, and the earpiece you're wearing were dead giveaways. But honestly, if you hadn't taught me how to identify all these gadgets I probably wouldn't have cared to look twice." I reply, trying hard not to sound cocky and hostile, "And did you think I wouldn't notice the sudden mushiness? For seventeen years you've treated me like a cadet in training whenever I'm with you- preached punctuality and tolerance to hardships and all that. And then suddenly you're lifting my bags and asking me where I want to eat and all that cute fatherly shit. Honestly, I wonder why I took as long as I did to realize something was amiss. You simply want to use me for whatever ruse you've created for your mission!"

Dad hums in response, unbothered by my outburst before saying, "I see that you're sharp as ever."

My jaw drops. Shaking my head, I toss the file onto the seat beside me and cross my arms in front of my chest.

"I'm waiting for you to explain."

"Very well then." Dad nods clasping his fingers together, "What would you like to know?"

"Everything."

Dad stares at me silently, face devoid of expression, "It is in our interest that you only know what concerns you."

I shrink slightly under his heavy gaze and nod slowly.

"The intelligence service has enlisted me to help hide a foreign national, a royal crown prince, whose safety has been compromised by an unknown organization. He's about your age and will be under my care for the next few months. He shall pretend to be my godson, only child of my martyred best friend from my former unit in the army." Dad answers carefully, "I figured the ruse would be more believable if I had my own daughter staying with me."

It takes me a few moments to digest the information I've been entrusted with.

"Does Mum know?" I raise my eyebrows.

My father's face pinches with a wave of guilt.

"Right." I say in a clipped tone, "I thought as much. I wonder when you were planning to tell me? Was it before or after this dude showed up at our front door and asked for you in a weird accent?"

"I was going to tell you once we were in a more secure environment. Preferably at the intelligence base once we reached, but this situation is unprecedented." He answers stiffly.

"Of course," I shake my head, "I'd prefer if you could tell me everything about my role and this prince we're talking about. Albeit informal, this is my first stint as an intelligence agent, and I do not want to make a single mistake. Dad are you listening?"

It feels like I've warmed up to the idea too fast, without giving it much thought. I don't think my brain has had enough time to process the fact. And I'm ranting, a nervous habit of mine that I really thought I was getting over.

My father ignores me. He turns the car key into ignition and starts the engine. I almost forgot that we still had three hours of traveling left to reach the coast.

Mumbling incoherently, I rub my temple. I have questions- a lot of them but I doubt Dad is interested in my overenthusiastic rambling.

"Ok at least tell me which royal family are we talking about? English, Spanish, Japanese, Arab..."

"You haven't heard of it." He cuts me off and places a laptop on the broad hand rest between the front seats, "Go through the non disclosure document and make a digital signature at the end of it. You'll find all the required information in it."

"But..." I start.

"Read the document first, Ariya." Dad repeats sternly and I shut up, shifting my attention to the laptop sitting on my thighs.

I bite my cheek lightly as I switch on the immersive reader and rest my back of my head firmly against the headrest. I have motion sickness and but despite its mildness it's fucking annoying. I can never read or watch videos and movies in moving vehicles. It makes me fucking nauseous.

Listening carefully, I make brief mental notes and store them to memory.

"Where's Volatis?" I ask aloud, as I simultaneously search the keyword on the secure web browser that Dad's computer has access to.

"I cannot tell you that." Comes his prompt reply.

"Is it a disputed province in the Middle East or Africa?" I rephrase.

No answer.

"Do I need to learn a new language to communicate with the prince?"

"No."

"Wait, this says I need to continue my mixed martial arts training in order to provide basic protection to the prince. I thought I was just a part of the ruse. Aren't you supposed to have trained people for the purpose of protection?" I ask curiously, "Like, I wouldn't entrust myself with the life of someone who could be a magnet for danger."

"The boy is to attend school with you and you can't have older people following you inside. Besides, only the topmost officials in the intelligence bureau have clearance to this protection program. The lesser the people that know, the easier it will be to find moles, if in future someone were to sabotage the mission." Dad answers patiently as he navigates to the next bypass and exits the highway.

"Why not train him?" I whine obnoxiously.

When I receive no response, I sigh and scan through the document once more before laying back and close my eyes.

"Fine, I'll train but I'm not running every day. My body cannot handle so much torture."

I picture lactic acid collecting inside my muscular tissue and its after effects.

"And..."

"Ariya, some rest would do you good." Dad interrupts my rant, "I take it that you've read through the document already, so why don't you go ahead and sign it? I'll be taking you to meet the program chief in the evening."

"Is there a specific dress code?" I lift my brow, "Because I didn't anticipate this and I brought only shorts and skirts. I think I need to go shopping now."

"Ariya?"

"Yes Dad?"

"Go to sleep." Dad grinds his teeth in frustration.

"Yes Sir."

I'm already exhausted, and sleep doesn't take long to engulf me into its midst.

•><•

Guess who's going to make an appearance in the next chapter?

Do vote, comment, share and don't forget to spread the love!

Also, what do you do when you're nervous?
As much as I hate to admit it, I eat comfort food -_-