Collins decided to stay in Boston to continue graduate school, while the others went their separate ways. Jack and Collins saw each of their siblings off before leaving last.
"Finally free," Jack said, sitting in a cab, holding Emily's hand and gazing at the blue sky with a long sigh.
"I'll take you home first, then I need to think about something," he added.
"Think about what?" Emily asked curiously, gripping his hand tighter.
"About us," Jack said, his thoughts wandering. It wasn't entirely true, but he felt it was the right thing to say at the moment.
Emily's eyes lit up. She tilted her head playfully and asked, "Do you really think you can save $600,000 in a year?"
"Almost," Jack replied with a smile. "My annual salary is around $500,000 to $600,000, and with additional benefits like travel and housing allowances, it adds up to another $100,000."
"That's amazing!" Emily clapped her hands, swaying excitedly. "Then we can…"
"Then we can what?" Jack asked with a teasing smile.
Jack loved Emily. Not with the fleeting passion of first love, but with a determination to care for her for a lifetime. He believed no one could love her more than he did, and he was certain she would never love anyone else.
Emily's cheeks turned crimson, a sight Jack adored. "You're so bad!" she whispered.
"Bad?" Jack chuckled. "Well, they do say, 'women love bad boys.'"
"Who loves you?"
Under the golden sunset, Jack gently pulled Emily into his arms. "Give me a little more time. Once everything's ready…"
Emily's gaze softened, and she closed her eyes, whispering, "It's okay. I'll wait for you."
The cab driver stared blankly ahead, his thoughts far away. "Young love… it's sweet, but I'm getting sick of it," he muttered under his breath.
However, the life of a homebody isn't for everyone. Jack spent over a month at home, his daily routine limited to driving Emily to and from work, then either gaming or staring into space.
By mid-August, on a lazy Friday afternoon, Jack and Lilian had just spent hours playing PS5. Frustrated, Jack exclaimed, "Is this all we do? Eat, sleep, and repeat?"
Lilian set down her controller and raised an eyebrow. "What else do you want to do?"
Jack thought for a moment. "I don't know… maybe catch spies, fight evil organizations, or protect the nation?"
Lilian rolled her eyes. "Catching spies is CIA territory. Evil organizations? Task Forces 1 and 2 handle those. As for protecting the nation, your paycheck from the government is already contributing."
Jack sighed. "Can I at least get a job?"
Lilian smirked. "You earn $50,000 a month, and it's not enough?"
"It's enough," Jack admitted. "But this lifestyle is so boring. I'd rather take on villains than waste my youth on shopping and gaming."
Lilian gave him a long, scrutinizing look before nodding. "Alright, I get it. Fine, I'll approve your application. Go find a job to entertain yourself. If anything comes up, I'll call you. If you have any issues, you can call me. Do you have my number?"
"No," Jack said, a wave of relief washing over him. "Can I get it now? I owe you a dinner for this."
"One more thing," Lilian said, her tone serious. "I heard you've been showing your badge to your friends?"
Jack froze. Lilian continued, "Some things are fine for your parents or girlfriend to know. But flaunting your badge? What do you think this is?"
Under her stern gaze, Jack felt a cold chill run down his spine.
"People aren't as simple as you think," Lilian said with a sigh. "Every rule in the handbook exists for a reason… mostly to safeguard against human nature."
Jack left the villa in a daze. Watching him go, Lilian smiled faintly before calling out, "Jack!"
"Yes?" Jack turned back.
A dark object flew out of the window. Jack instinctively caught it and realized it was a set of keys. "Take my car. I won't need it for a while."
A Lamborghini keychain dangled from the set. Jack's eyes lit up. "You're letting me drive this?"
"Just don't embarrass the Special Ops Division," Lilian said with a smirk. "I'm off to Atlanta tomorrow. The car's yours until I return."
Jack wasted no time, rushing to the garage. He slid into the car and felt like he was dreaming. "A Lamborghini," he whispered.
True to her word, Lilian flew to Atlanta the next day. As soon as she left, Jack turned his attention to the one thing he'd been pondering for months: how to remove the device on his wrist.
He hated the constant surveillance. The thought of being tracked like a beacon, even by the government, made him uneasy. "I'm not a machine. If I'm not breaking any laws, they have no right to control me!"
Jack examined the device's underside with a small screwdriver. "No needles. No visible connections to my nerves," he muttered.
He had read the manual. It warned against tampering, stating that any attempt to remove the device could result in a catastrophic explosion. Still, Jack couldn't help but wonder: if someone could turn into fire or sand, how could this device harm them?
Even after transforming his hand into liquid metal, the device remained attached as if fused to his being. Jack knew it wasn't physical stimulation. Perhaps it was chemical? Or something else entirely?
"Maybe there's an antidote?" Jack mused, his mind racing with possibilities. Yet, he felt like a general anticipating an invasion but clueless about where it would strike.
"Forget it," Jack finally said, closing his laptop. "I'll figure it out later. First, I need a job."
He began browsing job listings, determined to shake off his boredom once and for all.
Jack opened his laptop and logged into a job search website.
"What are you looking at?" his mother asked as she walked over.
"Looking for a job," Jack replied without turning around, continuing to browse through the listings.
"A job?!" his mother exclaimed in disbelief. "What about your accounting job? Did they fire you?"
"No," Jack explained. "That job is still there, and I'm still getting paid. I just want another job to keep myself busy. Sitting around at home is driving me crazy."
"What?" His mother looked even more shocked. "You're staying home all day, and they still pay you? Tell me the truth, Jack. What exactly is going on with that job at the National Security Agency?"
Jack quickly denied any issues. "Nothing! I'm still working for the NSA. They're fine with me taking on a side gig. Please, stop overthinking this!"
His mother frowned skeptically. "What kind of job lets you stay home all day?"
At that moment, Emily arrived. It was the weekend, and she had come to visit Jack's mother, only to stumble upon the heated conversation.
"Yeah, I've never seen him go to work either!" Emily added with a laugh.
Oh no! Jack's NSA contract had strict rules against revealing his abilities or his true work to family or a significant other. He gritted his teeth and replied, "I'm telling the truth! I still work for the NSA, and I'm allowed to take on a side job. That's all."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "If that's true, why do you need another job? Why not just stick with what you have?"
Jack's mother crossed her arms and declared, "I'm going to your workplace. I want to see with my own eyes if the NSA actually pays people to stay home and lets them take on side jobs!"
"Our office isn't open to visitors," Jack protested.
"Then how did I get in before?" Emily smirked triumphantly.
Jack had no choice. He picked up his phone and called Lilian. "Commander, my mom wants to meet you."
Lilian sounded baffled. "Meet me? For what?"
"She doesn't believe you approved my request to take on a side job," Jack explained helplessly.
"Have her talk to Captain Jackson," Lilian replied curtly before hanging up.
A few days later, Jack drove his mother and Emily to the NSA's classified facility located in the outskirts of New York. As they approached the military warning signs, his mother's jaw dropped.
"Jack, what kind of job is this?" she demanded.
Jack sighed. "I'm telling you the truth, Mom. I work for the National Security Agency. Once you meet my supervisor, you'll understand."
Twenty minutes later, their car passed through a secured gate surrounded by high walls and electric fencing. Emily finally broke the silence. "So, everything you said was real…"
Jack nodded. "See? I wasn't lying. Come on, let's meet the captain."
"You're with the NSA?" Jack's voice rose as he struggled to keep his composure. "I've told you the truth, so why won't you believe me?" He gestured toward the nearby sign. "Please stop doubting me. This is a restricted military zone." Driving past a barren expanse of sand, he pointed at the buildings in the distance. "Once we're inside, don't say a word until we meet my supervisor. These people carry guns, and they're serious about security!"
His mother and Emily fell silent, their earlier skepticism replaced by a mix of curiosity and apprehension. When they reached the main gate, Jack handed over his ID, and both women noticed the armed guards inspecting their car.
"Agent Jack, your route is to take a right and proceed straight. Park in space 12 at lot 3," the guard instructed in a clipped tone. He handed Emily and Jack's mother forms to sign. "Captain Jackson is expecting you, your mother, and your… fiancée. Please ensure they adhere to all regulations." With that, he waved them through.
Once inside, Jack's mother whispered, "Son, this place is beautiful. Why are there so many rules? What are the regulations?"
The facility was stunning, with charming little buildings nestled among trees and streams. Small bridges connected the eclectic structures, giving the place an almost resort-like feel. If not for the armed personnel patrolling the grounds, Jack's mother might have mistaken it for a retreat.
"The rules are simple," Jack said gravely. "Don't ask questions. Don't look where you shouldn't. Don't talk unnecessarily. Don't touch anything."
He parked the car and gestured toward a Gothic-style building with a sign that read "Division 6, Special Task Force." "That's our headquarters."
His mother held his hand tightly. "Son, I'm sorry I doubted you…"
Emily, meanwhile, stared at Jack, her mind racing. Finally, she whispered, "So, when you said you make $8,000 a month, that was a lie. It's actually $50,000, isn't it?"
Jack's mother immediately turned to him. "$50,000 a month? You told me it was $8,000!"
"Can we save this conversation for later?" Jack groaned. "Let's just go inside."
He led the way into the building, where a young woman sat reading at the front desk. "Is Captain Jackson upstairs?" he asked.
"Yes," the woman replied, standing up quickly when she saw Jack and the two women. "He asked me to wait for you. Please, follow me."
Despite a slight limp, the woman's grace and beauty were striking. Jack followed her to an office door with a plaque that read "Division 6, Special Operations Task Force." He knew this was Jackson's office. Before he could knock, Emily leaned closer to him and whispered, "Jack, you're an accountant. What are you doing in Special Operations…" Her eyes widened as realization dawned. "Wait… are you a spy?!"