Volume 2: Issue 2
By: Skylar, age 16, VA
photo by Samantha Huffaker
Mia was in her bedroom, pondering what had occurred. Just a few minutes before, she had overheard two men plotting to rob B.A.R.F. during the gala tonight. She wasn’t sure what to do about it, but she knew she had to do something. She could a) tell the Bureau what she’d overheard and hope they would believe her (unlikely), b) tell her parents and hope they didn’t think it was a prank, or c) try to stop them herself.
The likelihood of the first two options’ success was dismal, so she decided the third one was her only hope.
She started strategizing. The Bureau had given a tour of the facility to every summer camp, so she knew the layout. Now all she needed was a plan to stop them. Alone.
Then she grinned. She knew exactly what to do.
No one noticed the petite woman in the slightly-too-casual yellow dress at the gala that night, but she noticed them. She noticed the chubby family who brought their dogs, the woman who sat alone in a corner, the agents in their uniforms, and the two shifty-looking men in second-hand suits whispering to each other from the sidelines. They seemed to be observing everyone, too.
As the gala progressed, not much seemed to be happening. Some danced, the children ran around and chased the little dogs, the two men stayed put. Mia tugged at her dress self-consciously as the hours progressed. Maybe she’d been wrong about this.
Then, a few minutes before midnight, the two men slipped away through a backdoor. Mia followed them.
She stayed far behind them so they wouldn’t notice her, ducking into doorways and behind cleaning carts whenever they looked back. The further they got from the gala, the more relaxed they got. Soon Mia didn’t have to hide at all.
She could tell by the way they kept referencing a map that they didn’t know where they were going, and by the direction they chose, they were headed for the money vault. It was time to put her plan into action. Mia found a cleaning smock in a closet. Pulling it on over her dress, she ran after the burglars. Mia found a cleaning smock in a closet. Pulling it on over her dress, she ran after the burglars.
“Excuse me, sirs,” she said loudly when she neared them. “You’re going the wrong way.”
They started and turned to her, but their panic turned to amusement when they saw her.
“Girl,” said the taller one, leaning down to her level, “go back to the party. This is no place for you.”
Mia’s heart was pounding, but she forced herself to act nonchalantly. She rolled her eyes. “Please, the gala’s boring. I’d rather help you steal from the Bureau.” She smiled at their shock. “Of course, if you’d rather, I can go tell them your plans.”
“They wouldn’t listen to you,” scoffed the shorter, broader one, but his eyes showed uncertainty.
Mia raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t be so sure.” He was right, but he didn’t need to know that. She cleared her throat. “And, anyway, you’re going to the wrong vault.”
“No, we’re not. The map clearly says–“
“You really think that they would release an accurate map of the facility to the public?” Mia giggled, trying to ignore her racing pulse. “They’re not that dumb.”
That quieted them. Finally, one said, “If we give you a small cut of what we steal, will you show us where the real vault is?”
“Of course.” Mia turned and led them back the way they’d come. She knew this building like the back of her hand.
Hoping to confuse them, she led them on a zig-zagging path that frequently cut back on itself. Finally, she stopped in front of a vault that looked similar to the one they’d been headed to.
“Here we are.”
They pushed her aside, setting up their tools to open the door. For seemingly incompetent people, they had highly competent tools. The door opened in no time. Then, just as Mia had hoped, they went inside.
Mia shut the door to the empty vault before they had time to figure out what was going on. She heard a shout of “Wait, where’s our money?” but the lock was already in place.
When B.A.R.F. found them three hours later, they were impressed to learn that they’d been caught by a young woman. Only days later, B.A.R.F. was clamoring to get Mia to work for them.
So, in the end, Mia’s dream came true: she was a secret agent.
Skylar,
I loved reading Part I of The Fantabulous Tale of a Real-Life Secret Agent, Skylar, and I was excited to realize the positive outcome of Part II. I. Was. Not. Disappointed!
I can totally relate to the main character, Mia, and I imagine many others can as well.
For one, Mia was grossly underestimated. Second, she was determined not to quit, regardless of the odds. Lastly, she was going to find a way to be successful despite being mocked and made fun of because she had a job to do, even if she wasn’t the obvious choice to do it.
I found Mia to be tenacious, secure in who she was, determined, and relentless in her pursuit to live out her dream of working at B.A.R.F.—and brave as she stopped a crime in the making, all by herself. Most of these traits are things I did not have at her age and, as an adult, traits I still strive for.
When Mia went in to apply at B.A.R.F., the secretary’s response to her being too young reminded me of my favorite story in the Old Testament- the story of how King David came into his position of power and influence.
Directed by God, the prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem to find a future King—one who God had anointed. When Samuel got there, he asked David’s father, Jesse, to bring out his sons since God told Samuel His anointed one was there. Jesse did as he was asked but left out one massive detail: his youngest son David, who was tending to sheep.
When Samuel saw one of Jesse’s sons, Eliab, due to his size and stature, he thought for sure he was the one who was chosen by God. However, God said something that I wish Mia had been told: “Don’t judge by his appearance or height for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” And man, did Mia have heart!!
King David went on to be one of the greatest Kings Israel has ever known. If there was a Part III to your story, Skylar, I imagine Mia would become the greatest agent B.A.R.F. has ever known as well.
To me, the moral to your wonderful story wasn’t that Mia captured the bad guys but that she pushed through and didn’t give up when challenged. She believed in herself and wasn’t going to let anyone’s opinion of her keep her from what she was called to do.
No matter our gender, background, age, or stage-of-life differences, we should all have the traits Mia possessed. Imagine what we could all accomplish if we did?
Great job, Skylar. Please don’t stop writing—we all need to hear what you have to say.
Melanie, writer and youth ministry leader, Huntersville, North Carolina
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