Coded By Heart

Coded By Heart Copyright of DM Carter 2009 Prologue “Run!” I screamed at myself. The factory started exploding; this was a trap, a very clever one. “Alex, you will die here and now.” I ignored the voice. I ran away for my life, partly conscious to the urge to run back. I fell just outside of the front doors, crying then silenced by something falling heavily on me. CHAPTER ONE I sneezed, yet again. “Guh, I hate hay fever!” I said through clenched teeth. It was spring time here in Australia, when the baby animals are born, great weather, the long wait to go to the beach after winter, new spring clothing sales. But also, drug dealers getting more variety, people pulling stupid stunts, all the guilty come out to play, but who against? Me? Against my laser antique ring, my ‘death sleep’ powder kept in my large and long locket? Why am I talking like this? I’m a spy actually. Agent Thorn, the title I’m aiming for. My parents both died in what was to be believed as a plane crash. Huh, I knew better. “Alexia, take those Telfast tablets! You’re spreading germs around!” yelled my ‘aunty’. Ashleigh wasn’t my real aunty, but she stuck around as if she were one to me. “I just did!” I yelled back. God, hay fever has its ups and downs. Up side, no school, down side, I can’t hang with my mates and have to catch up on work. I sneezed again and I cried in frustration. I threw my pillow at my door and then Ashleigh came through it, almost tripping on the pillow. “Hey, I got some eucalyptus cream here to sooth the nose.” She said awkwardly. Oh, God no. “Ash…” I started. “It’s this or sneezing 24/7 Alex.” I glared at her. I hate the smell of eucalyptus. Sheesh I can smell it from here.

“Alex…” she said sternly. I groaned and sat still. She came closer and softly dabbed some cream under my nose. I had my eyes closed but at the first whiff I jumped away. “For God’s sake Ash, that stuff stinks!” “Good medicine tastes and smells bad.” She quoted. “It isn’t medicine!” I said in my smartass way. She sighed. “Having dinner at five?” I pouted then mumbled, “I’m not hungry.” She left not before picking up my pillow and tossing it back to my tones of green bed. As I hated to admit it the cream was working, I didn’t need to breathe through my mouth anymore because both nostrils were blocked. I walked across the hall into the bathroom. A nice and modern one I might add, Ashleigh was making big bucks at the local football, basketball, netball, and softball and cricket clubs. She’s so into the sports, she teaches kids and has her own teams. So, the house we live in is good, her husband drives a taxi. But who cares? There’s food on the table and a house we can afford. It’s a nice but small one, only for three. I looked into the mirror. I still looked normal. But that red nose! Sheesh! I have long and thick dark brown hair that looks black at times, milk chocolate eyes bordered with long thick lashes. She has freckles and a pale and slightly tanned complexion. I pulled a face at the mirror. Sure I looked pretty. That’s it. I hate to wear fancy stuff. What is the need? It’s the 21st century dudes… I sighed and walked back to my room. I was sick and tired; staring at the ceiling wasn’t much fun either. ************************************************ Beep. Beep. Beep. I groaned. Beep. Beep. Beep. I stuck my head under my pillow. BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!!! “What the hell!” I said, fully awake.

Then everything was like an explosion. The blinds opened from the window and the strong and bright sun shone through and the wardrobe and bedroom door opened. “Morning Alexia, I believe its quarter to eight.” An electronic voice said. “Oh crap!” I was going to be late. I jumped into the shower, my hair was tied into a bun on the top of my head and it takes ages for my hair to dry. I was brushing my teeth at the same time. I dressed into my boring school uniform. We’ve got a new range of jumpers, the school blazer was simply a ‘must’ but the school was modest by saying ‘optional’. “Today’s lesson will consist of, Sport, English, which has a topic test, then recess, followed by Humanities, lunch and ending with Chemistry. You also have a highly important meeting with Mr. Wall this very afternoon. Your bus leaves in twenty minutes, have fun!” the electronic voice said. “Stupid system…” I muttered. Twenty minutes? I’ll skip breakfast. I had to pack lunch, sport clothes, books, my laptop, phone, feed the cat and try to clean the kitchen. Ashleigh cooks for breakfast, but does a messy job of it. It took fifteen minutes to get to my bus, crud. “Morning Alex, you’re going to be late.” Brady told me. He was washing the dishes, good less to do. I looked at him, an idea forming in my mind. A smile slowly crept on my face. He saw this and quickly said, “Alex, the exercise will do you good.” “Yeah but I have Sport today and I’ll be doing that for seventy minutes, please…?” I whined and begged. “I got to go and drop something off at the post office.” “My bus stop in along that way, just drop me off their and I’ll run the rest.” He raised an eyebrow, “Through traffic?” “That or the whole way…” I taunted. I really thought that instead of being homeschooled, living a ‘normal’ life was easy. Homework was the tip of the iceberg cold hard work. He sighed. “Fine, get in the car now.”

I was running, racing through the highway cautiously.

I was hurrying too, I could see my bus approaching. I ran harder, only to be nearly hit by and fast moving car. It stopped, its shiny black hood and windows casted the sun in my eyes. “What the fudge?” I said angrily. “Sorry Miss didn’t see you.” A voice said. A sudden strong wind sent me staggering. Oh God, it was the bus. I saw it keep moving forward, past my stop. I grumbled to myself. I distinctly heard a door open and closed harshly. “Do you know the directions to Dromana Secondary School?” a cool voice asked but it was desperate. “Yeah, follow that bus I missed.” I growled. Dammit, dammit, dammit! I finally looked at the guy. Oh, God. Checklist: Hot, tick, tall, tick, brunette, tick, grey eyes, tick, smiling, tick, real, blank. “Sorry, I’m in a crappy mood today.” I said. “Would you like a lift then?” he asked gesturing to the car. “I can…” I started. “Come on, traffic is building.” He smiled. I sighed and followed. “You know, I’m not supposed to be talking to strangers and accepting car rides from them. We call it ‘Stranger Danger’.” I chatted nonchalantly. “I’m not a stranger, just a fellow student.” He was still smiling. “Which way now?” the driver asked. “Follow this road until I tell you to turn.” I said. I memorised this, seeing I lived not that much far away, possibly three kilometres. During some courses with the agents, I thought to be polite. “My name is Alexia Thorn, and you?” I said holding out my hand. He looked at my hand. “Is that a laser ring?” I froze. “Wha- what are you talking about?” Crap, crap, crap, crap! “You’re the daughter of the agent legends, Heidi Thorn and Rick Thorn. I was at their funeral, not that much after your coding.” I wasn’t looking at him anymore. “They’re dead. And I should be too.”

I saw in my peripheral vision that he looked down and sighed. “Turn right?” the driver asked obliviously. “Yeah, then turn left and left again.” I responded. “Well I’m Justin Clark. My parents weren’t that legendary but they were rich.” He said it like it was a bad thing. “Rich? And they’re sending you to ‘Drugmana’? Are they mentally impaired?” I said incredulously. He laughed, “No I’m assigned here.” We were passing through the school gates now.”No, I’m assigned here.” What a doofus. “Huh…” was all he said We came round the front of the school, and once the car stopped I bounded right out. “That’s the general office. I’m sure they’ll hire a tour guide for you.” I said and left for my sub school. I was originally assigned here. I was living here. I’m the undercover spy here! No one can take it from me! Someone already did, a nasty voice said in my head. “Shut up!” I said darkly. A few Year 7’s stared at me but who cared. I heard someone ‘trying’ to sneak up to me. “Hi Indy, nice try, I already know you always breath to hard when you’re going to do something dramatic.” Oops, that one slipped out. “How would you know?” the wavy blonde girl asked me. I sighed, I knew because she wrote it in her diary and I read it during her party last year, I came late and I was changing in her room from my netball uniform to some casual clothing. Her diary was hidden under the small space of her bed. “I have good hearing and I’ve known this for ages, I observe a lot.” I lied. Good thing I like lying, especially for my lateness to classes. Spies lie frequently. “Uh huh…” she drawled. “So, I saw you nearly got rammed by a car.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Whatever, I’m fine, right here and breathing aren’t I?” I said. She didn’t look convinced in the way she wanted it to be. “Who was the hot guy?” “The driver wasn’t hot.” Said ‘Smart-ass Alex’.

She raised an eyebrow at me but I kept on walking, “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?” She thought for a bit, “Besides fewer accidents on court, yeah everything is ‘normal’.” I chuckled heartily only to be stopped by someone walking to us, the Principle. “Alexia, this is Justin Clark, he will be starting in your class today.” He smiled. Maybe he was offered a lot of money. “Hey Alex, we meet again?” Justin said, one of the cheesiest things to say in this conversation. “Am I showing him around?” I said with my fingers crossed in one pocket, hoping I wasn’t. “Just to your form room and sub school is alright, I guess your form teacher will find someone to show him around.” “Oh, okay.” I said quietly. We silently walked up to the lockers, Indy, Justin and I. “You can get a locker later…” I said as he walked to a locker that was empty, the one above mine that is. Can he irritate me more? “This is the only one here left, Alex.” He said. “I’m going to go to my locker and then we came go back down to see Tianna.” Indy said, traitor. “Sure, I like to meet all of your friends.” Justin smiled. I didn’t want to be rude so I kept quiet and shoved my school bag into the middle locker. “Um, Alex?” he said. I turned, and almost fell into my locker. He was so close to me I could’ve pushed him away with my knees without lifting them. “Do you mind?” I said harshly. He frowned and his grey eyes looked hurt, everyone here knew me. I rather to study before dating, I’m studying to be a field Agent. Duh! But of course no one knows about that. Except for him… He stepped back when I continued to glare at him. “What other gadgets you got?” he said slyly.

I wasn’t going to talk in front of these people so I simply said, “My keys, which I know can cut real deep.” I knew this because I was walking back from school when I was sent on a mission. I cut the guy’s hand when he was going to shoot some guy. I save lives. He raised an eyebrow at me, as if he didn’t believe me. I sighed and I grabbed his hand and he smiled at that but then I turned him around and tripped him over, pinning him to the ground. “Care to help demonstrate?” I said. Everyone was silent and the teachers weren’t around. “Alex, get off him!” Indy came back. I sighed and released him. Sure he was taller than me and muscular than me but I pinned him down. I grabbed Indy’s shoulders and wheeled her around to the stairs. “What was that about.” She accused. “Nothing, you won’t understand.” I muttered. “I can understand anything, just tell me!” she whined. I stopped, “No, you don’t! Do you know what it’s like to live without parents, living with their close friends that aren’t like you? You never had a pet, never relaxed when you were out in public because danger is everywhere! Whatever you say can be tracked!” I cannoned out more, but in my head. Indy looked startled at my outburst. I think I said a little too much information to an outsider. Why is this day getting worst? I did the most stupid thing ever. I walked away. I was walking back up the sub school, thinking about going to my locker only just spotting Justin there, so I walked to the basketball courts near to the secret passage door I came across earlier in the year. I went through the door and stumbled over some low tree branches. Muttering to myself, I grabbed my phone out. The signal at this school was horrifying, but with this cool phone? It didn’t matter. I checked the time, only two minutes until the first bell rings and when Form Assembly will start. I dialled the most important number at that moment, the Agency. “Hello Alexia Thorn, this is Calla West, may I help you?” said a cheery voice. I could imagine Calla being bored at an office but I smiled at her pretence. “Did you have a late night again, Calla?” I asked casually.

I heard Calla sigh, “Yes, but a good reason too, he was hot.” “Anything happening with the two of you, or you was just a chicken?” I asked. I heard her scoff, “He’s gay! How would I look if this guy just constantly talks about how his pores look dry?” “Good point,” I laughed. “Did you want to talk to Boss?” She asked. “Yeah, tell him I’m not happy!” I said, suddenly angry. I heard Calla mutter something before she put me through. So now I had to go through annoying procedures. A voice modifier, a ton of passwords, my secret question followed by a multiple question of answers, then I had to answer the Boss’s question (What his favourite tissue texture was) and finally I heard the cheerful voice I was so angry with. “First, you don’t tell me that I have someone else in my area; then you just arrange a meeting this afternoon, for sure I would know about the news! How, could, you?” I said the few last words separately. “Miss Thorn, how nice to hear your happy voice, I hope you are doing well!” he said. Talk about an understatement. “Answer me.” I growled. “Miss Thorn?” he said happily confused. “Who is Justin Clark, the new spy who is now in my area?” “Who did you say?” he said. The bell rang. “You know what I said. Answer me!” I yelled, but not loud for the students on the basketball court. “I never sent a Justin Clark to the Area of Mornington Peninsula.” “Oh sure, like… What?” I said belatedly. “You’re the only one in the area, under cover as well.” “Then why is he here? He knows about me.” I said, hoping he understood the double meaning. “I’ll send for a Agent to take you after school, just blend.” He answered seriously. “Like I couldn’t ‘blend’ for almost half my life!” I assured him. “I’ll notify Ashleigh and Brady about your absence, oh, and I’ll disconnect your home system, can’t be too careful now.” He said.

“Fine, I’m going to class now.” I said then hung up cutting off his farewell. I raced to my locker, getting my gear for first lesson; I’m already late as it is. I raced down the sub school, to the last room on the left. Everyone was there. Just as I come in I heard the teacher say my name. I sneezed in response and then meekly said ‘here’. “Do you have a note for your absence Alexia?” the teacher asked annoyed. “And late pass?” “I’m not late and I was in a hurry to catch my bus I forgot to ask for a note.” I said truthfully. “Sit down.” She sighed, as I walked towards my usual seat. I bet you can guess who was seated next to it too. I sat down and ignored everything else. I observed Justin in the corner of my eye, being sneaky. He didn’t notice, he was being silent, like all new students would do. “Alex?” someone whispered from behind me. I turned around and saw Acacia smiling uncertainly. I raised an eyebrow at her then she handed me a note. Acacia’s Spring Party! Come and dress up in spring colours! Guys, wear fancy spring clothing. Girls fancy dresses in spring colours (or any colour). It’s a formal night, full of mysteries. Define your look with a mask and dress/suit. It’s a Masquerade! Love Acacia I smiled and nodded. Then she passed a note to me. I’ll text you the night it happens so you better find a dress and mask quick! Trust her to be suspenseful. I nodded again. “What’s that for?” Justin asked when roll calling was over. “It’s a party invitation, why do you ask?” I said. “I was just wondering, you don’t need to hold my hand and enjoy tripping me over.” He rebutted. I rolled my eyes and stuck my middle finger at him. Too bad the teacher saw. “Alexia, detention at Recess,” The teacher said, I rolled my eyes again, some things never changed.