Lauren couldn't believe her ears.
Is Mia trying to be funny or something?
They had just walked into her office and she had started the breakdown of the mission they were getting assigned to.
"You're saying that our mission is to look after some spoiled brats?! Like a bodyguard?" Lauren asked.
"I thought you were going to send us off to stop a bomb from exploding or something. That's usually our job description." Kat said in disappointment.
"Not this time," Mia said tossing them all different file jackets.
Kat opened the file and felt blood rush into her cheeks as she flipped through the file, page by page.
"Woah," she said in surprise.
"They are all princes?" Simi asked, finding herself drawn to the first of the quadruplets with brown eyes.
"Yes. All born on the same day." Mia said, eyeing the girls as they concentrated on the file.
"You could have just called them quadruplets" Kat reasoned.
Mia had a weird way of saying things and they were almost close to getting used to that.
"They are our mission? " Lauren asked again.
"Yes. Your job is to look after them and make sure they remain safe." Mia said.
"You say it like they've been attacked once." Kat said.
"Yes."
A picture of the last of the princes appeared on the projector. His name, age, and other basic info was displayed on the screen.
"Mark was almost abducted a week ago." Mia offered.
"Don't they have guards or something?" Simi asked.
"I wasn't thinking princes would be needing help." Lauren said mockingly.
"The king, Suda, asked for help from John even after doubling their security. He said he needed eyes on the boys besides the security guards." Mia explained.
"So we're going to prove ourselves by babysitting?" Lauren asked
"They're all twenty years old. We are the kids if you think about it." Simi said with a shrug.
"You're not helping." Lauren mumbled.
"You will be going undercover at their school…" Mia started
"We're going to school?!" Kat asked in excitement.
"Yes. But your mission priority are the princes and as for the school stuff...well it's whatever." Mia said
"The most important thing about this mission is that the princes must not know they are being watched. EVER" Mia adds.
"Well, that's rich," Lauren said
"You're to keep watch of each of them. You would be assigned to each of the princes to cover more ground." Mia looked around to see if her words made sense to them.
"Simi, you're with Ryan. Lauren, you're with Jason .Kat you're with Oscar and Naomi you're with Mark." Mia said.
"Fair enough," Kat said with a shrug, studying her target, Oscar.
"Since that's settled, you girls should go pack up. You're heading out today." Mia announced.
"Have I ever mentioned how terrible John's planning skills are? I don't know, I'm just saying." Lauren said with a shrug.
Naomi took her to leave making everyone turn as she slammed the door shut behind her.
"What a freak," Lauren said.
"Don't say that about her!" Simi warned
"You are overdoing your team leader thing, Simi. It was a joke." Lauren took her leave.
Simi sighed. Is her humour broken?
*****
They made their way to their dorm in silence, each walking towards their respective beds.
The room had two bunk beds and a workstation large enough for a conference room.
That is all.
Nothing else.
This was their own home and it was as simple as simple could be.
"So we're accepting this mission?" Lauren asked with absurdity in her tone.
"Yes, we are," Simi said.
"A babysitting job? Simi? '' Lauren asked
"This mission is to prove we're not relenting and that they were never wrong to have placed us in the most dangerous missions in the first place." Simi reasoned.
"All our missions, we have always been in classic hotels and lovely penthouses but now? A SCHOOL?!" Lauren yelled
"It's no different from the program here, Lauren. We take classes, don't we?" Simi reasoned
"If we chose a normal life, we would be in the final year of high school," Kat said.
"Of course, you're happy to go to school!" Lauren taunts.
"Yeah. And our protective details are so handsome!"Kat said giggling.
"Of course. I hope you know boys smell like seaweed." Lauren rolled her eyes.
"Seaweed doesn't smell bad." Kat said laughing at Lauren's silliness.
"Have you met Rick?" Lauren asked.
Normally, seaweeds don't smell but when you're unfortunate enough to stand any where close to Rick of a security guard, you smell all sorts of things.
Even seaweed.
"I think I get your point now," Kat shrugged.
"Come on! Let's accept this detail and move out of camp! I've been here for a year. All of us. Any mission to leave this place would be a complete yes to me." Simi said with honesty.
"Even if you would be babysitting…." Lauren asked.
"Come on Lauren. It will be fun" Simi assured.
"Whatever." Lauren walked towards her bag and gathered her toiletries.
"I'm so excited!!" Kat said as she packed up her devices.
Simi walked towards the bunk and sat beside Naomi who just stared into space.
"Hey, what do you say about the mission?" Simi asked
"You already accepted it. Why do you need me to say anything?"
Naomi asked.
"I'm sorry about your sister Naomi. I know it sucks" Simi said
Naomi looked away.
"Don't you have to pack?" Naomi asked.
Simi smiled.
"Of course" Simi smiled. She hurried towards her bedside and started packing all her stuff.
"I'm starting to think my protective detail is going to be a lot of trouble," Lauren said.
"Come on, you haven't even met him." Simi reasoned.
"Trust me, I know trouble when I see one and he has it written all over his handsome face." Lauren said.
"You don't even have to talk to them, you know? They are not supposed to even know we exist it." Simi said.
"What if something happens? If we are going to be in the same class, they are bound to know us right?" Kat reasoned.
"Yes. Nothing more than that. No communication is allowed. No matter the situation." Simi said.