Aiden’s Got a Mission
by JCB
To prove his worth, Aiden constantly snatched up missions. He darted his eyes around the room. His success was crucial. Escape would be impossible if he got caught; his target was a powerful man. At the moment though, the man was sound asleep. Aiden could do this.
Aiden got on the floor and slithered, or at least, attempted to. It’s not easy to slither on carpet… he took more time than necessary to figure this out. The guard came out of the adjacent room to check on the boss, and Aiden half-tumbled half-plopped behind the nearby side chair. He could hear the guard dog sniffing in his direction and knew he was in trouble. He knew there were two guard dogs, but when he prepared to keep them away, one was asleep. So, he gave all the lunchmeat-wrapped dog treats to the other. So many treats, it would fatten up and be too bloated to move, but the one coming near him was the one who was sleeping earlier, and Aiden didn’t have any more treats.
Before Aiden could adjust his planning, the dog’s eyes fixated on him. Aiden stared back, pleading for it to keep quiet and continue past him, but these dogs were trained to pounce, not growl. The dog pounced at him, but Aiden dodged it in the nick of time. The guard heard the commotion though and shouted after Aiden’s retreating figure. Aiden desired only a temporary retreat so that his original plans would not have to be altered, but it all depended on the guard’s next actions. He glanced a peek at the guard, who currently wielded a knife for chopping up the victim in the other room. Although the only guard present, this guard was second to none, the most reliable, and the target’s right-hand. Sometimes, it even seemed as if she had more control at the base than did the target. Truly a formidable foe.
The guard chose not to pursue Aiden, either due to thinking he was a fluke to the eyes or because her other duties were of more priority. Aiden lingered in the shadows until the guard wholly attended her other duty and even better, also called the guard dogs to patrol the grounds. He could not waste a chance as good as this, especially since the time the other guards clocked in was undetermined. Although there was a method to it, Aiden had not been able to comprehend it yet. Aiden’s mind buzzed as he knew he could not let this chance slip away.
With that in mind, Aiden darted across the room full throttle. If his target awakened, then he knew his mission would have inevitably failed, but if his target continues to sleep, then success belongs to him. He ducked behind the sleeping figure and uncapped the destructive weapon. Aiden sprang into the air ready to strike, but then, the telephone rang.
Aiden’s target snatched up the phone and spoke a deep groggy, “Hello?” Aiden tried to hear who was on the other end but couldn’t. It must not really have mattered since the man snarled, “You woke me up for that!” He hung up and slammed the phone against the table. Aiden held his breath. His target was awake. Had he missed his chance? Should he sneak away now?
Huh? The man was snoring again! Aiden’s intel was that the man was a deep sleeper, but this was incredible! The time was now. Aiden jumped into the air, landed on the back of the recliner, and sketched all over the man’s face. Cows, pigs, horses, houses, balls, apples, cookies, clouds, poop, and—
“Aiden,” the guard, Aiden’s mother, said sharply, “what do you think you’re doing?”
Although unable to escape, Agent Aiden dropped his weapon to the floor before the man’s large hands gripped his son’s sides. “Is this a sneak-attack, you rascal?” He twirled his son above his head, bringing Aiden enjoyment but also a bit of queasiness. The man stops when he notices the bandage on his wife’s hands. “Did something happen?”
“It’s nothing. I just hurt myself again while cutting up a whole chicken.” She wasn’t only sheepish for admitting this but also because she was restraining her glee. “Hon’, perhaps you should wash up now before dinner.”
“Huh?” The father understood his wife’s subtleties, stopped flying his son around the room, and ventured into the half-bath. Aiden slowly creeped out of the room, but his father sprung into his path and said, “Aaaai-dennn, where do you think you’re going?”
Just at that moment the other guards, Aiden’s siblings, appeared. “Whoa, Dad. What happened?” Nathaniel asked.
“Smile, Pop,” Violet instructed cheekily before snapping pictures of their father on her cell.
Aiden’s voice filled with hushed gratitude as he said, “Agent Violet.” Aiden's target still held onto Aiden like he was a football, but his target was using his other hand to cover his face from the guard who turned out to be an undercover infiltrator.
Mission—success.