Chapter 10: JUSS Recruitment

“So that’s our plan.”I said, clearly relieved to get it off my chest. Melana and Chelsie just kept on eating their sandwiches.

“So, you want us to corner two kids and drag them about seven miles to the JUSS base?”Melana clarified. 

“Yea, um, a lot of things can happen in those seven miles,” Chelsie added.

“We are going to persuade them. Like do a bunch of cool stuff,”I said. They still stared at me critically. 

“Don’t worry. My plan is going to go perfectly.”

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Peter waited patiently in the bench area for Allan. 

Finally (after thirty minutes), Allan rounded the corner and kept sprinting towards Peter.

“What took you so long?”Peter asked.

“Shh . . . don’t yell. I think I am being stalked,”Allan whispered harshly. 

“By who?”

“Three girls. One of them is the Pan girl.”

“Ooo, you are in big trouble.”

“I didn’t do anything. All I did was put Pop Rocks in Nick’s fruity pebbles.”

Peter thought for a moment. 

“Well, we can’t just wait here for them to find us.”

“You’re right,”Allan said. 

Peter collected his backpack and they casually walked towards the school’s entrance. That’s when they spotted the three stalkers. They just kept walking very cooly and exchanged a couple of small laughs here and there. 

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We saw the two boys exit the school. We have been following Allan for a while but lost him in the crowds. I looked towards my friends as a signal. We started approaching them.

“Excuse me,”I said. 

They stopped and looked at us. 

“May I speak with you?”I asked.

One of them shook their head and said,”We’re grounded and have to go home immediately.”

Then they started walking away. We just kept staring and soon enough, they started running. So. we ran after them. 

The boys weaved through the crowd, trying to lose us but we knew better. 

“Cut them off at the bicycle stand,”I whispered. Melana nodded and sprinted off. 

As soon as we broke through the crowd, I saw Melana holding their wrists. 

“What do you want?”Peter asked. 

“We need you, Peter,”Chelsie said.

He looked a little taken back that we knew his name.

“Again, what do you want?”Peter asked. 

I cooly gave him and Allan an envelope with the JUSS seal on it. 

They tentative;y took it and read the note:

You have been recruited as a trainee of the Junior United States Secret Service. 

Accept or reject this offer in 24 hours.

“Woah,”Allan said, “This is like the real deal, do you feel this paper and seal?”

“Yea, I see,”Peter said. Then they turned away from the girls. 

“What do you think?”Allan asked Peter. 

“Do it if you do it,”Peter replied. 

“Yolo.” Then they turned back.

“We accept,”Peter said.