Stratagem by Christina Hagmann

Author:Christina Hagmann [Hagmann, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orange Hat Publishing
Published: 2020-04-11T20:00:00+00:00

chapter 16

When my father had first introduced me to the woman who would be my stepmother, I was surprised. Beth was the opposite of my mother. She was small and agreed with my dad on everything while my real mother and father got into epic fights that ended with a lot of kissing and probably other stuff I didn’t want to think about. My mother’s personality could fill the room while Beth faded into the background. I didn’t know then, but that was why she was the perfect operative for the Agency.

Ginger and Georgia were still young when my dad brought home the auburn-haired, mousy-faced Beth. Like any woman auditioning to be a stepmother, she was kind to us, but there was always a coldness about her. I knew I could never get close to her because Dad told me not to share my secret with anyone, which meant I couldn’t even let my guard down at home.

At first, I couldn’t believe Dad had betrayed our family that way, even though it had been years since we had last seen my mother. But Dad still talked so lovingly about Mom and was so different around Beth, I soon realized Beth was not a replacement, she was a stand-in. If and when Mom returned, Beth would be dropped in an instant. Which made Beth tolerable but also made me feel a little bad for her, until I found out she betrayed our entire family and had been working for the Agency the entire time.

That was why I was speechless at first when Aaron told me I would be shifting into the woman who betrayed me, the woman who had taken the place of my mother, and who, even though she had been cold, had pretended to treat me like a daughter. Yet, I listened intently to Aaron’s plans. I could see many ways in which it could go wrong but focused on the way it would go right. When it did go right, I would be reunited with my family.

The switch would take place at the zoo, where my father would be taking my sisters and stepmother. This was all orchestrated by Smith, who had someone in the Agency who could get to my family. A secret double agent. My father told my stepmother about the planned trip, and she, in turn, informed the Agency. It was a pretty great plan. It was clear the public place was necessary just in case people were watching. Even the Agency wouldn’t risk a shootout at the zoo. At least that was what I hoped.

“How does that sound?” Aaron asked. I was surprised he wanted me to weigh in. Then again, I was the expert on my family.

I shrugged. “I mean, there are things that could go wrong, but the same can be said for every plan.”

“We’ll have a back-up team waiting as well.” Aaron closed his computer and looked between me and Brody.

“So when does this happen?” I asked, reaching up to my naked ear to twist my invisible earring.

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