{Elder Amanda/now just Amanda}
I can't believe my choices that I made as an Elder backfired on me. As far as I'm concerned this is a nightmare and I'm going to wake up and still have my title as an Elder and not be headed back to Boot Camp. I didn't train as hard as I did to become an Elder and lose my spot thanks to Queen Amore.
If Triple X hadn't gone to Queen Amore and just submitted to me and let me get my way then I wouldn't be this mess. Triple X said that he was the best one to make me learn how to grow up well, I'm going to give him a challenge he'll regret taking on. With any luck, he'll divorce me and I'll go on my merry way as if nothing ever happened.
But I won't be the same ever again because of being demoted to a Class D Cadet. I was so sure that my crime wasn't that serious. Then again, I kind of understand Queen Amore's reasoning. Even being just a secretary or a Lawyer would give me some sort of power over others and I would go back to doing what I did as an Elder. I probably do worse things at those types of jobs so it would be better to put me where I have no control over others and others have control over me.
I bet when my family finds out about what I did they will look at me in shame. Although Triple X seemed rather satisfied with my punishment. George and Branden seemed relieved to be rid of me. Now they can say they got divorced from one of their spouses and that spouse they divorced was me.
I also have a feeling living arrangements will be somewhat different now when I get home.
But that's okay because what everyone doesn't know is that I have a faction of my own that I've been running under the table so to speak. I've called my faction Chaos. My soldiers respect and carry out my orders to the fullest. I won't order them to kill Triple X, nope he's not worth wasting my resources for petty revenge thank you very much. I can get my own revenge without my soldiers' help.
Of course I can't kill Queen Amore either. But what I will do is use my resources to derail Operation Slaughterhouse now more than ever. I need Rogue Agents to know that I'm on their side because now more than ever I know what it feels to be punished by the Organization and I want the Organization as a whole to pay for it.
I was just about finished packing up my stuff in what used to be my office when I got a call from the secretary. "Mrs. Dawning, you have a visitor."
I sighed, "Fine. Send them in."
Then I muttered underneath my breath. "I swear if it's Liam I'm going to punch him and knee him in the balls and I wouldn't care if I got in trouble for it."
"Who's Liam?" I heard a familiar voice say. "You aren't cheating on Congregation Leader Triple X already are you? Damn sis, I know you're all about challenging orders and whatnot but I didn't realize you'd so far to fuck everything up this bad! Tsk, tsk and Mom and Dad had high hopes for you when you became an Elder. It's too bad that you don't have to fake your own death when you get chosen to be an Elder."
I turned around and saw my brother, Finn smirking at me. Finn's right because for some strange reason you don't have to fake your death when you become an Elder probably because it's like being a regular Agent. The Crow Bird Congregation where I was shipped out to after my training has mostly Elders and Congregation Leaders coming from it. People that are trained to handle classified missions.
The congregation I originally came from was called: Army and Army is the lowest ranking congregation. It's funny because A-Circle and Army are the congregations where Sergeants and Lieutenants come from. Sergeants are the second highest ranking job you can get in the Organization besides becoming an Elder.
Coming from a family of Sergeants I was expected to be a Sergeant too when I became of age.
My parents were shocked and proud when I became an Elder. Of course my brother wasn't too happy because I was considered the favorite of the family and me getting to be an Elder was just another reason for him to be jealous. However, when he got shipped out to the A-Circle Congregation he finally had something to gloat about because that's the congregation that I wanted to be shipped out to.
"What are you doing here? Come to gloat about my defeat?" I asked.
Finn's smirk turned into a grin. "Oh you know I am Mrs. Favorite of the Family. I hate your guts and that's never going to change. This is what happens when spoiled brats like you gain power over others. Oh and Mom and Dad aren't too happy with you. Not only did you not introduce your husbands to them, you wound up getting fired and divorced from two of them. If you'd played your cards better you would've been able to have children with a Super Agent! But at least you're still married to a Congregation Leader and who knows how long you'll stay married to him."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah I get it. Now you can be the favorite child! How nice for you."
Finn kept his grin. "I hate to burst your bubble but that's not happening and at the moment I'm glad I'm not the favorite of the family. Because once you're held up on a pedestal when you fall, you fall hard. At least if I screw up it won't affect me as much as it will affect you. So once you're finished packing up here Mom and Dad want me to bring you home.
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"They already have permission to keep you at home until Congregation Leader Triple X comes to pick you up. And that'll be for a few days at least. I have another Sergeant with me to escort you out in case you decide to make a scene like the spoiled brat you are."
I was going to say something but I decided not to. So I shook my head and followed Finn out the door.
***
{Branden}
Eve's due date was about a week away so after the trial I still had to return to her home to help her keep control of her powers. I still believe that the baby is going to be a boy and Eve and Levi refused to find out the baby's gender because they wanted it to be a surprise. But my instincts are never wrong about gender.
I was just talking to Eve as she sat down on the couch in the living room eating a huge bowl of eggs. According to Eve when she was pregnant with Zoey she just wanted buffalo chicken a lot and now that she's pregnant again for whatever the reason she wants eggs with cheese on them.
While she was eating her water broke. I called for Levi and he came over in a panic. "The baby's coming! The baby's coming!"
I gave him an amused look. "Yes, the baby's coming, the sky isn't falling. Come on, let's go get her to the hospital."
Levi called for an ambulance and as we got to the hospital Eve was rushed to the delivery room and Levi and I were right beside her. What worried me was Eve had shallow breathing at first but the screaming pain didn't start happening until she was told to start pushing. I know Agents have never died during childbirth because of how indestructible they are but I couldn't help but worry.
"That's it Eve! Push, push," the Doctor encouraged her. "I see the head one more pushâ¦"
The cries of a newborn baby filled the room. The Doctor smiled in triumph. "It's a boy!"
The nurses worked fast to clean the baby and hand it over to Eve. Eve gave a weak smile and looked at Levi. Levi smiled and said, âWelcome to the family John!â
Eve handed John over Levi and once Levi had the baby safe and secure in his arms she passed out.
***
Eve woke up just fine the next day and shortly after that I was able to go back home and go back to my job as a regular Boot Camp Instructor. When I got back I ran into George.
âHey George,â I said.
âOh hey Branden come over here and help me plan for Juniorâs birthday party. Itâs coming up soon,â George said.
âOkay what's the theme?" I asked.
George shook his head. "I have no idea but I hope it's not race cars again. It's been race cars for the past two years!"
I laughed, "Well I still think it would be best to go by whatever Junior wants. It's his party after all. You know I'm glad we don't do the 'surprise party' thing. I don't want to have to get our stories straight and then have a party be something he doesn't want."
"That's a good point which is exactly why I'm calling a Family meeting while Amanda's not here. Because knowing her, she'll probably challenge Triple X's order to not show up and try to get involved anyway because she's the 'stepmother.' She really thinks she has some say so in this family. Not on my watch she doesn't," George said.
I snickered at that thought. The fact that Amanda thought she had a say in anything judging by the fact that she put down in her petition for divorce that we made Junior automatically hate her. If I was Junior I'd hate her too if my stepmother forced her way into the family and tried to have a say in things.
Of course I'm not Junior and I hate her regardless. I'm glad that her target wasn't me with this marriage. I got off easy and now that I'm divorced from her, I'm relieved I don't have to put up with that responsibility. I'm also relieved for George that he doesn't have to put up with that anymore either. But I feel sad for Triple X. But he wanted to take on the responsibility. At least it was his choice this time around.
George had me follow him to the living room where Junior and Triple X were already sitting on the couch talking.
"I still don't get why you want to keep the evil stepmother around but as long as I don't see her I'm perfectly fine with that," Junior said.
I had to do my best to keep myself from laughing at that comment. Evil stepmother is right! Of course when it comes down to me it's the evil ex-wife.
"Junior, not stepmothers are like that you know," George said as he sat down on the couch.
"No, she's evil because she forced her way into the family. That's just not cool at all," Junior said. "And she'll keep being the evil stepmother for the whole entire time she's here. She's not going to become the angelic stepmother anytime soon."
I burst into laughter. "Okay now that was funny!"
"Branden! Don't encourage him!" Triple X scolded.
"What? He's got a point. Amanda did force her way into the family for no good reason," I growled. "Anyway, let's stop talking about her, everything's said and done with her. Let's talk about Junior's birthday party instead. That's what we're here for right?"
Junior nodded. "Yup! I'm going to officially turn four!"
"So what theme do you want for your party?" I asked.
"Please don't say race cars, please race carsâ¦" George chanted underneath his breath.
Junior must've heard him because he smirked and said, "I want race cars!"
George groaned. "Seriously? Again?"
Junior laughed, "No I'm just kidding."
Triple X laughed and I laughed with him.
When Triple X composed himself he said, "Oh that's a good one Junior!"
"I want a cat themed party this time," Junior said.
George raised an eyebrow. "A cat themed party huh?"
Junior shrugged. "Why not? I can turn into a Puma, you can turn into a Puma, Zoey can turn into a Lioness and Aunt Eve can turn into a Lioness and I have no doubt that whatever sibling Zoey gets will be able to turn into a Lion or a Lioness. Not to mention Zoey told me that Aunt Eve allowed her siblings' crib to have a cat theme as well."
"Oh that reminds me, Eve just gave birth to her child yesterday so I'm allowed to come back home and go back to my regular job as a Boot Camp Instructor," I said.
Junior perked up. "Really? What sibling does Zoey have? A boy or a girl?"
I shook my head. "Nope. That's not my place to say. Let's let your Aunt Eve and Uncle Levi tell you."
Junior pouted. "Aw man!"
"So, cat themed huh?" George asked again.
Junior nodded. "Yup! Cat themed."
We talked a little bit more about what the party set up was going to be and I must say this party is going to be interesting.