Arena spent the several days before the competition at the beach surfing. Lorna often went with her to watch, along with the Decoy assigned to them for the day. She felt rusty after spending all that time underground, but she knew she didn’t have to win, just look proficient. Most of the group tried to dissuade Lorna from coming, so she could rest, but Lorna sedately refused and came anyway. She was subdued since her return, and although Arena was glad she was okay, she missed Lorna’s bubbly spirit. Yates and Sterling tried to get as much information from her as possible, since the office building had turned up little other information.
Australia was in its fall nearing winter, and breezy enough that Arena needed a full wet suit most of the time. Hawaii was entering the summer months, but it was rarely cold. The water was clear and bright tropical fish swam underneath the waves.
Arena had entered the amateur intermediate adult level, which was about on target for her ability, but she really couldn’t compete against professional or even amateur full-time surfers. It was a hobby but never her first love. Sometimes in Hawaii it was the only thing to do on a tiny island, and there was much less to do on Molokai than the larger islands. She wasn’t qualified to work as a surf guide in the minds of many of the islanders. She was a local and allowed to surf in local spots without hindrance but not considered top-notch by any means.
She stopped to rest and returned to where Lorna and the Decoy named Allen were sitting on the beach on beach chairs under an umbrella. Allen looked cheerfully awkward in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and black socks and tennis shoes. Lorna was engrossed in fantasy novels with elaborately painted covers. Arena plopped down on a towel next to them, dropping her surf board next to her. She didn’t care if sand covered the board so much anymore, since her muscles were telling her it was time to stop.
“Having any luck?” asked Lorna, putting down her book.
Arena shrugged, “Not so much about luck. Surf is pretty consistent here today, at least. Much more predictable than where I’m from. But the water is still pretty warm, so that’s good.”
Lorna nodded absently. Allen was smiling with an odd expression, but didn’t seem to really be paying attention to them. “Let’s go back,” said Arena. “See what’s for dinner.”
Lorna nodded, and her and Allen began picking up the gear. Arena stripped off her wetsuit down to her bikini, and put some clothes on over it. The wind whipped her black hair around her face, and she kept pushing it out of the way so she could see what she was doing. They managed to stuff all the gear into the van, and started to head back to the townhouse when Arena noticed that Lorna seemed puzzled.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Are you alright?” she asked, reaching out and touching Lorna’s shoulder. Lorna jerked, and looked up at her sharply, which startled Arena, too.
“Oh, yes, I was just remembering something,” she said. “One of the men with Celeste made a comment that when they got back to Washington D. C.--their boss wanted to see the hoverboards. And something about ‘the organization’, and then he mumbled something. I had been asleep and had just woken up, so I think they thought I didn’t hear them, and I wasn’t sure I heard them right either. But, I thought when he was whispering that he mentioned something about a torchbearer. Torchbearer for what? How is that related?”
Arena shook her head. Maybe Lorna misheard or it just wasn’t important. “We probably should bring it to Sterling anyway,” Arena said. Lorna nodded, somewhat hesitantly.
They got back to the townhouse, and Lorna related her memory to Sterling and Yates. Sterling said he had heard the use of the term in several secret societies, but it could mean a number of things, and that he would do more research. Yates said nothing, but looked like he was considering various possibilities. Finally, Yates just said, “Certainly look that up, but I’m not sure we can get anything from just that without knowing what else he said. See if you can try to remember.” Lorna said she would do her best to remember, but she seemed doubtful.
Sterling was already off to research the mysterious torchbearer. Yates pulled Arena aside. “I know we’ve asked a lot of you, but do you think you are ready to do this?”
“The surfing competition I can handle,” she said. “But I’m not sure what I could do if something happens and no one is nearby.”
Yates folded his arms, his posture upright and planted on both feet. “Sterling and I have been contemplating just that, and the problem of being recognizable to Celeste and anyone else who may be affiliated with the CIA. Now that Lorna is back, we can utilize her expertise in disguises, and I think we’ll put several full agents near you who can best protect you. Bertha is too easily recognizable, since she was with you when Lorna and Nate were taken, but Lorna and Sophia have both agreed to stay near you. They are both easier to disguise than Bertha or Sterling. I will also stay nearby. Celeste knows me fairly well, but I can’t believe she’ll be expecting me to be here since we cut off her access to the CIA as soon as we found out she was colluding with the group. We’ve installed Sterling in the announcer’s booth as a technician, so he should be able to see everything without being seen, and several of the Decoys will be scattered through the crowd. Bertha will be driving the van and advising on comms.”
It sounded like a reasonable plan, but so far not a single mission had gone according to plan, not even the practice mission. “Are you sure Lorna is ready to be back on the field? She’s been awfully different since she came back.”
Yates sighed. “We have to take that chance. And she is a longtime professional and knows what is at stake. I think maybe getting back into a mission might help.”
Arena knew there was nothing really she could do to talk anyone out of Lorna participating, but it still really bothered her. “Well, I am about as ready as I can be, all things considered. I don’t really know what else I could learn before tomorrow,” she said.
