Mundanely, and so obscured

The three spies/college students shared a table. Alex, Clover, and Sam, reunited once more by fate, the inevitable conclusion of every prior event in their lives and the circumstances that birthed them. If they did not feel the solemnity of the occasion, it was only because the distractions of the momentary were made all the more severe by the menacing laughter of one Clover Ewing.

“A ha ha ha. So it comes to this.” Clover covered her mouth with the palm of her hand, laughing coquettishly. “Alex, my dear, what would you say is a worthy punishment for standing up your friend?”

“Hmm. That’s a toughie.” Alex tapped a finger to her head. The erstwhile yellow-suited friend was wearing a matching yellow blouse and fingerless gloves, which only accentuated the gesture. “Really, for something like that. Breaking the bonds of sisterhood. Hmm.”

“Betraying my trust. Boo-hoo.” Fake tears slid down Clover’s face.

“Ah, I got it!” Alex jumped up, placing her hands on the table. The remains of their lunch were shook about. “You have to do whatever Clover says for one whole day.”

Sam, who had been holding out hope, let the flame of despair consume her.

“End me now.”

“Now, now. No rest for the wicked.” Clover put a reassuring hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, your punishment doesn’t start until tomorrow, so you can have today to reflect on your upcoming servitude.”

“Great. Fantastic.”

Clover sat back down. “Already I find myself forgiving you. After this we’ll be closer than ever.”

“And if there’s a mission tomorrow?” Sam already knew the answer.

“We’ll just have to resume the following day, won’t we?”

“Of course.”

“Aw, I’m feeling left out.” Alex pouted. “I want a Sam **** for a day.”

“You can’t have her :p.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Girls. Girls!” Sam pushed the two, who had joined up in fisticuffs, apart. “I get it. Can we move on?”

“Fine.” “Fine.”

The two crossed their arms and looked away from each other. Sam swore to some divine and ineffable ****. The things she put up with for her friends.

It was then that she was saved from further pain by the appearance of their sometimes fourth member. Britney set her plate down next to Sam’s.

“Looks like you girls are almost full. Hope you don’t mind me joining at the end.”

“Nah, you’re good.” Britney had grown on the girls, Alex most of all.

“Couldn’t help but overhear some of your conversation. Seems like you’ve got it rough, Sam.”

“Tell me about it. Or don’t.”

“Well, afraid I can’t help you on this one. But if you ever need me for work, feel free to call.”

“Speaking of which,” Clover interjected, “it’s been so quiet lately. Wonder what’s the deal.”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” Britney took a sip of a bit of her soup. “That’s always been my saying.”

“I don’t recall you ever saying that.” Sam couldn’t let it go that easily.

“I just say it when you’re not around.”

“I bet. Anyways, I’ve got to go. Networking 304 isn’t waiting for anyone. No async attendance allowed.”

“Was that a computer joke? Blugh.” Clover mimed puking. “I’m so grateful I don’t have any afternoon classes on Friday.”

“Me too.” Alex and Clover high-fived. Britney shared a long-suffering look with Sam, both of them having labored profusely under their own work ethic, having taken on more courses than advised.

“Hit me up some time, Sam. There’s this cave diving spot that I’d love to take you to. You girls too if you want.”

“Cool, yeah sure.” Sam nodded at Britney before departing. The three remaining friends conversed behind her, but her mind was already focused on her next class, and so they faded to murmurs.

Sam was playing a video game. Some idle clicker she had found on her phone. Something to pass the night with. Not really sufficient with respect to keeping her attention, but at least it kept her hands busy. A stream on her computer was playing in the background. Some girl walking about Kyoto. Both the game and the stream were part of a nebulous chatter that filled the room.

Her fingers paused in their tapping.

Maybe it was time to take a vacay. One of the benefits of being a spy in a world-spanning super organization was that there were no limitations on where she could go. From Malibu to Timbuktu. Or Kyoto, if the subliminal advertising in the background was having any effect.

She gave it some thought. She had been to a lot of places, but most of them were temporary sojourns, there to fight the villain and leave right after. Wouldn’t it be nice to go to Greece and truly experience it? To lay on a beach in a bikini and be fanned by hot studs as they fed her grapes. Ahh. Not that she couldn’t get that here in Malibu if she really wanted, but there was too much here for her to wholly let go. That niggling worry worming in the back of her mind. Like maybe she was forgetting something, some homework, a dinner date, whatever. You have to leave to get away.

Speaking of which, her phone chirped with a text message alert.

“Hey, gurl. I’ve figured out what we’re doing tmw. Meet me at my apt. We’re going for a drive :o.” A message from Clover then.

“K.” Sam texted back.

Clover responded with a picture of a small island. It took Sam a moment to realize it was a cay. Hmph. Humor was ever the domain of the victor. Sam let out a small, sensible chuckle, the only concession she’d give.

Was the picture perhaps a double entendre? Showing where she was being taken? Sam kind of doubted it. Clover was like a cat, in that she toyed with her victims. No easy surcease for her prey.

Uhghhh.

She’d shoot Jerry a text tomorrow seeing about that vacation. Heck, he might even have a good suggestion or two. The old man was pretty worldwise himself, though it was sometimes easy to forget under his gentle exterior.

She spun on her chair and brought her hands over her keyboard. With a few commands, her photo albums were brought up on the screen. There, ensconced in ones and zeros, were her memories made permanent. Pictures of Alex, Clover, and Sam on various missions. In high school. At university. Pics of her mom and her hanging out, going shopping, hiking, going to an amusement park.

She scrolled through the images one by one, never spending too long on any one image.

Suddenly the pictures felt flat to her, as flat as their 2d nature sometimes hid. What did they matter, truthfully? Like she would forget what really mattered. They kept alive the little things, but those things were so trivial.

The current picture had Clover behind Sam, holding up a pair of devil’s horns. Alex was doing a cute pose. Sam was holding the selfie stick. A relatively recent picture. She felt her eyes tearing up. She brushed them off with her sleeve.

The things she did for her dear, dear friends.

Well, that was tomorrow. Tonight, she had another way to pass the time.

Sam put on her gear and navigated down to her program.

*Click*