Hello everyone! Here is an official sneak peak of Perception and Deception IV! This is the absolute FIRST time my readers have ever seen anything from this book, so it's an exciting night for author and readers alike!
Faith grew up believing that her parents were normal people...a banker and an accountant. It has been talked about in the series that she was fifteen years old when she discovered that her parents were actually...secret agents (what?!). But have you ever wondered how Faith discovered this? How did she react? What happened?
Well, if you've ever asked yourself these questions (because I know I have), then you're in luck. This prologue describes the night these very events unfolded. But pay close attention, because once the story returns to present day, this life changing night will prove to be more important than Faith had ever initially realized...
May God bless you all with an amazing week! Due to current events, I firmly believe it's important to spend a little time each day feeding your soul. Do yourselves a favor of self care and read a favorite Bible verse first to get your mind in a loving, worry free state (I think we could all use that right about now). If you need help picking one, check out Matthew 6:25-34. It's all about not worrying about anything. God's got you covered.
Say a prayer.
Then sit back, unwind from the day, grab a snack, and enjoy this exciting piece of fiction below! You deserve it!
Prologue
Faith
Age 15
Growing up, my dad had a friend named Cesar Perez. Not only were they friends since childhood, but they worked together as bankers when they became adults. Cesar was an interesting fellow who always made our dinners livelier, family bowling more hilarious, and life lighter in general. He was almost like an uncle to me.
I liked him.
My mom liked him too.
In fact, everyone who had the good fortune of stumbling across this man’s fluorescent path found themselves with a little more comedic joy than before they’d met him. However, he had an overall mysteriousness about him that created an insatiable curiosity in me as I grew older and more inquisitive.
This man wasn't normal.
For example, he never liked talking about work. However, when work needed him, he had to drop everything and leave immediately no matter the time of day – no matter what he was in the middle of doing.
Banker's hours? I don't think so.
Sometimes, he would show up at our house with a completely new hair color and style, only for it to return to normal soon after.
His conversations were always maneuvered toward the present. Discussions of his past and future were off limits. As I grew older, I realized I didn't really know anything about him.
Cesar had a son who was much younger than me, but I hardly ever saw the boy. There was no wife in the picture, and details as to why weren’t shared with me.
Again, off limits.
Then, when I hit a certain age, I realized that Mom and Dad were mysterious too. They were unusually private people. They never let anyone into the house except for a very select few, including Cesar.
They didn't own cellphones.
There were a handful of times in my life where we suddenly had to pack up in the middle of the night and move to a new home with no explanation.
Their work hours were also inconsistent with their jobs.
Their appearances changed frequently.
I realized that my parents and Cesar were actually incredibly similar in their strange behaviors.
But it was one incident in particular that finally unlocked all of their secrets to me. And if it weren't for Cesar, I may not have lived on to tell the story. Every person has a few defining moments in their life, and this was certainly one of mine.
One night, I was sitting on the family room couch, doing my homework in front of the TV. Textbooks and paperwork were sprawled across the coffee table.
Well…
Ok. I was actually pretending to scribble with my pencil while I watched my favorite action series about FBI agents, which aired every Friday at 7:00pm. My eyes bugged out of my head as I watched a man point a gun at the cashier of the convenience shop.
The cashier held his arms over his head. "Please! Don't shoot! I have a wife and four kids!"
A seemingly innocent bystander suddenly ripped off a wig and sunglasses before whipping out his FBI badge and gun.
"Drop it!" the agent barked.
Moments later, the robber was arrested.
"How did you know he was going to rob the store?" the wild-eyed cashier asked the agent. "How did you know to be here?"
The agent crossed his arms. "We've been watching this guy for a long time."
The cashier suddenly grabbed the agent's hand, shaking it profusely. "You saved my life! I get to go home to my family tonight because of you."
The agent smiled broadly. "All in a day's work."
Ah man, I wanted that to be me someday. I had an overwhelming urge to help people in the world of crime. But Mom was an accountant, and Dad was a banker. I didn't think they'd ever want me going for that sort of dangerous career.
Mom suddenly walked by and caught my eyes watching the screen instead of my notebook.
"I'm sorry," I said, muting the TV.
She smiled and came over to sit next to me on the couch. "Need some help with your homework?"
"I think I got it. Well, actually, there is a science project I have to get started on, and I wanted to ask you something about cell structure–"
The front door suddenly swung open, and my dad walked into the house. I startled when I realized he had another man in tow, who I didn't recognize. The stranger seemed to be in his early thirties, had blond hair that went down to his jawline, and a dusting of stubble across his face. His eyes were darting about quickly, from my dad, to me, to my mom, to the house…and he was sticking so close to my dad that I could barely see a sliver of daylight between the two.
Mom's eyes grew wide when she made eye contact with the stranger, and then she shifted her gaze to Dad as though she were willing him to walk right back out that door.
I picked up on it right away. "Who's this?"
My dad looked at me and smiled. "Just a friend from work, Faith. He's going to be spending the night on the couch. Just keep studying."
It made me nervous to see how unnerved this stranger appeared.
Cesar suddenly came stumbling in through the front door behind them. He was out of breath as he made eye contact with my dad.
“Everyone ok?” Cesar asked.
Dad glanced at me, and when Cesar spotted me on the couch, he shut his mouth.
His thick, black hair had its normal cut and color. He was a man of almost shorter stature, and his build was that of someone who jogged and lifted weights.
There was one thing that was different about him, though. Tonight, he had a short mustache and beard. He was usually clean shaven.
Dad glanced at him. “Sit with Faith a moment while I talk with the others. If you don’t mind…”
Cesar looked at me and nodded. There was some silent agreement between the two men that I didn’t understand.
Dad placed his hands on the stranger’s shoulders in a calming way and then guided him toward his den down the hall.
Mom stood up. “I’ll be back, sweetie.”
"Why did he bring him here to spend the night?" I asked.
Mom didn't make eye contact, still staring down the hallway. "His A/C went out at his house, so your dad offered for him to stay here. Excuse me."
She nodded at Cesar and then disappeared down the hall.
Cesar slowly walked over and sat down in an armchair. “What’s going on, kiddo? How’s life as a teenager treating you?”
I smiled. “Hi, Mr. Perez. Just working on some homework.”
He nodded.
There was certainly something unusual going on, and I had a strong desire to ask him about the nervous stranger, but I knew I'd only get a generic, non-informative answer.
So instead, I stayed quiet, hoping to hear the conversation going on down the hall. But once the door to the den was shut, I couldn't decipher a thing. Dad's den was soundproofed with foam panels. He said it was because the work he did for his clients was "confidential." And so was the paperwork he kept in there, so I wasn't usually allowed inside.
Another mystery…
Cesar clapped his hands together. “So, what do they have you working on?”
“Cell structure.”
He nodded and glanced up at the TV. The next episode of my show had already started, and I couldn’t help but shift my attention to the beginning of the story. I glanced down at the remote, wanting to turn up the volume, but I didn’t want him telling on me.
He picked up on it right away and chuckled. “I won’t tell.”
I smiled and turned the volume up.
“We have a difficult case to work on,” the FBI agent said. “We have a possible kidnapping of a man, but we don’t have any leads.”
I’d seen this episode before. But the story still sucked me in as though it were the first time.
Cesar must have noticed my eyes cement to the television, because he laughed again. “You really like these shows, don’t you?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
Cesar seemed to be studying me, and I finally shifted my eyes to him.
“Have you ever thought of doing something like that?” he asked.
I felt almost embarrassed to say yes, so I didn’t respond right away. When I finally did, a different answer came tumbling out.
“I would never dream of it.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Why is that?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know. It’s dangerous. Mom and Dad would never approve.”
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. “Well…you never know.”
I furrowed my eyebrows and wanted to press him for further details, but my cellphone suddenly chimed. I was finally allowed to have one after begging my parents for years. But Cesar stared at it uneasily as though it were a ticking time bomb.
"What's wrong?" I asked as I picked up the phone.
"You know I don't believe in cellphones."
"Neither do Mom and Dad."
He shook his head and stopped talking.
I opened a text from a friend at school. She wanted to know if I could hang out that night. I automatically glanced up at the clock, and Cesar noticed.
“Thinking of going out?” he asked.
“Maybe.”
He nodded. “Word of advice. I wouldn’t ask your parents tonight. They’re going to say no.”
How would he know?
He looked at me very seriously. “Trust me on this one, Faith. Lay low tonight.”
I did trust him.
I nodded. “Ok.”
I texted my friend back that I had too much homework to do and set my phone down. We watched the show for about five or ten more minutes before Cesar glanced down at his watch.
“You should probably wrap up your homework now,” he said. He nodded toward the hall – toward my parents. “Part of that laying low plan I was telling you about.”
I turned the TV off and started working while Cesar picked up a newspaper off the side table and read quietly.
Just as I was wrapping up, I turned around and realized my dad was in the kitchen. He was quiet like that my whole life. I'd never heard him enter a room before. I watched as he opened the fridge.
"Hey Dad," I said.
He smiled. "Hey. How are you?"
I had an idea.
"Good. Hey…why is your coworker staying with us?"
He reached into the fridge and retrieved a couple of sodas. "Oh, just a little spat between him and his wife.”
I raised an eyebrow. Mom had said it was because of an A/C issue.
Cesar cleared his throat without looking away from the newspaper. Dad glanced at him.
“And he’s got some other things going on,” Dad added slowly. “No big deal. He'll be out of here first thing in the morning. Excuse me."
Dad closed the fridge and left quickly.
Two different stories. I looked over at Cesar.
He finally lowered the newspaper a few inches so I could see the top of his face. “Faith, what was that?”
“What was what?”
“You asked both of your parents the same question. Why are you digging for information?”
I looked down. “Mr. Perez, something strange is going on. I can just feel it.”
He set the newspaper down in his lap. “You’re acting like one of your FBI agents.”
I smiled.
But his face stayed serious. “Listen to me closely when I say this. Lay low. Don’t ask your parents about anything. Got it? Did you finish your homework?”
I nodded.
Cesar cleared his throat. “Good. Good. Well, watch the rest of your show, then.”
I turned the TV back on, but as the both of us sat there and watched the show, I looked over and noticed the corner of his beard beginning to…peel off near his ear.
It was fake.
I slowly returned my gaze to the television.
Lay low, Faith.
Cesar suddenly bolted upright and I startled. He froze, almost like he was listening to something.
“What is it?” I asked.
He didn’t respond right away.
He looked down the hall, and then at me. “Faith, I have to go. Tell your parents I’ve left and lock the front door for me after I leave, alright?”
“You’ve got it.”
I watched as he got up and left through the front door, closing it behind him.
My eyes drifted back to the show. A few moments later, the front door opened again.
It was Cesar. “I said to lock the door, Faith.”
I jumped up from the couch. “Sorry.”
“And tell your parents I left.”
He gave me a somewhat stern look as I walked over. He closed the door again, and this time, I locked it.
I went down the hall and paused when I reached the den, trying to listen again. But I couldn’t hear a thing, so I knocked.
Dad opened the door and stood in the way so I couldn’t see past him. “Are you ok?”
“Cesar wanted me to tell you he had to leave."
Dad's eyebrows furrowed and he rubbed his chin. "Really? I'll need to call him and find out why."
"How can you call him if you don't have a phone?"
I always wondered that and always asked.
"Get ready for bed, Faith. We'll be up to check on you in a little bit."
He closed the door.
I shook my head, muttering to myself as I went down the hallway and upstairs to my bedroom. Why all the secretiveness?
I opened up the drawer to my dresser and pulled out a pair of thick, pink pajamas and set them on the end of my twin bed in the center of the room. Then I walked over to the window and closed the white curtains.
Teeth. I needed to brush my teeth first. I left and went to the bathroom.
As I was running the water, I heard a strange thumping sound. I stopped brushing and turned off the water for a moment to listen. It almost sounded like something had bumped the side of the house.
I waited a few moments, and when there were no other unusual sounds, I turned the water back on and finished brushing. Afterwards, I pulled my hair out of its ponytail and combed it out.
I yawned as I shuffled back to the bedroom and closed the door behind me. As I picked up my pajamas to change, I felt a draft and looked up to see the curtains open…and so was my window.
My heart palpitated and I stared at it for a moment.
Before I could even think, I suddenly felt a set of arms wrap around me from behind. Just as I was about to scream, a hand went over my mouth and muffled my voice. I struggled against the person's grip.
"I'm going to let go," an unfamiliar voice said. "But I have a gun. Don't yell, or I'll shoot. Do you understand? Do you?"
I nodded, wide eyed. He let go.
I instantly turned around to see a younger man with already graying hair and a light dusting of stubble. He was dressed in black and crossed his arms as he stared at me. I realized he wasn't lying about the gun when I saw one placed in a holster at his hip.
"I'm going to ask this one time," he said. "Where is Tom, and where are your parents?"
I stumbled backward a step. "I…I don't know what you're talking about. I've never heard of Tom. And…I don't know where my parents are at."
He sighed and grabbed his gun from the holster. "Wrong answer, Faith."
He knew my name.
He pointed the gun at me. "Guess I'll just have to search for them myself."
My eyes widened. I stumbled back, falling onto the bed behind me.
The bedroom door suddenly burst open, and Cesar came flying in. The stranger turned the gun on him, but Cesar ducked to the side, and a bullet shot right through the bedroom wall.
I yelped. "Mr. Perez!"
He lunged forward and threw the stranger to the floor. The gun fell out of his hand and skipped across the carpet toward me. I automatically jumped off my bed and scrambled for it. Cesar sat on top of the stranger and tried holding him back as his opponent tried grabbing for the gun.
I beat him to it. Once I had the gun, I stood up and pointed it down at him, my hands shaking. This was the first time I'd ever held one, and there was no way I was going to fire it.
The stranger suddenly stopped struggling as Cesar sat on top of him. At first, I thought it was because I was pointing the gun at him. But after Cesar finally stood up, the stranger continued laying completely still.
I realized he was unconscious.
"What…" I stammered. "Why…? How…?"
Cesar knelt down beside the man. "I used a tranquilizer dart on him. See it here in his neck?"
I was still pointing the gun at the stranger.
"You can lower the weapon now, Faith. He's not going to wake up for a long time."
I held it out to Cesar, who took it carefully and set it on the dresser. I was shaking.
He walked over and made direct eye contact with me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright? Slow your breathing down, or you're going to pass out."
I didn't realize I'd been hyperventilating. "I'm fine."
My parents suddenly ran into the bedroom with their new friend trailing close behind. They froze as they took in the entire scene…the passed out man on the floor, and Cesar trying to console me.
Their eyes all widened.
"Faith!" Mom said. "Are you ok?"
She rushed over and protectively embraced me. I hugged her back.
"That guy came in here through the window," I said quickly. "Mr. Perez saved me."
Mom looked up at Cesar while still holding me tight. "Oh, Cesar! How can we ever thank you?"
"How did you know?" Dad asked.
Cesar looked at my dad. "I was in my car, getting ready to leave…when I looked up and saw that guy climbing in through her window. He used a hook and cable to get up here."
"You know him?" Dad asked. "Is he one of them?"
Cesar glanced at me momentarily with worry in his eyes, then looked at my dad and nodded. “I think it may have been her cellphone.”
Dad glanced at my phone sitting on the bed. “Impossible. We…” He looked at me for a moment. “We were careful about where we got it from.”
Cesar shook his head.
Dad swore under his breath. "We have to leave this house. Now. Faith, pack a bag. And give me your cellphone."
Everything else that happened after that was a whirlwind. Dad took my phone and I never saw it again. Without telling me what was going on, Mom helped me pack a bag and Cesar stayed with us while my dad ran back downstairs with the nervous guest to do who knows what.
"We're out of time, guys," Cesar said quickly as he picked up my bag. "Off you go."
He shoved it into my hand and guided us out the door and down the staircase. Dad and his guest met us by the front door.
Cesar turned to my dad. "I'm going after him. You just focus on keeping him and your family safe."
Dad nodded.
Cesar took off out the front door, squealing off in his car. The rest of us all got into my parents' car and drove off in the opposite direction. Dad was driving way over the speed limit.
Dad touched his ear and started talking. "They've found us. Tom is safe and we're driving south. We need a safe place to go."
It took me a moment to realize that Dad wasn't talking to anyone in the car. I looked over at Mom, who was sitting in the backseat with me. She gently held a finger to her lips, telling me to stay quiet, so I did.
We ended up going to a small motel with adjoining rooms that night. Dad slept in one room with Tom, and Mom and I shared another.
They still didn't offer me an explanation, and I knew not to ask.
Lay low, Faith.
***
Early the next morning, I awoke to the sound of voices coming from Dad's room. Glancing at my clock tiredly, I suddenly sat up in confusion when I realized it was 5:30am.
Mom was gone.
But the automatic panic I felt for her disappearance vanished when I heard her voice talking to my dad through the wall. What was everyone doing awake so early?
I got out of bed and quietly crept toward the door that separated the rooms. It was already open an inch, so I just stood near and listened.
"Are they here yet?" Tom asked.
My dad chuckled. "Almost. They should be here any minute."
"I can't thank you enough. I really can't. If there's anyway I can ever repay you for what you've done for me–"
Mom's voice cut in. "There's no need to repay us. This is what we do."
Suddenly, there was a soft knock at their door. As I heard it open, I heard several gasps and the sound of…was that a woman breaking into sobs?
I furrowed my eyebrows and very carefully pushed the door open a few more inches so I could see what was going on. Nobody seemed to notice me as I saw something that changed my life forever…
Tom was being embraced tightly by a woman, and they each had an arm wrapped around a very young girl who was so obviously their daughter.
This family…they were being reunited. It was obvious they hadn't seen each other in a long time.
Why were they ever apart in the first place?
"You guys are safe now," Dad said. "Go live your life. Charles Bradshaw will never come after you again. Cesar got him last night, and he's behind bars for good this time."
"Thank you," the woman kept repeating through tears. "Thank you, thank you."
"Why is Mommy crying?" the girl kept asking.
A few moments later, the couple left with their little girl. My parents were left alone by the front door, staring at each other.
"It's amazing bringing people back together again," Dad said.
Mom held a hand to her chest. "It always gets me emotional. We should get a little more sleep. We have a big day ahead of us."
"No kidding."
He kissed her on the lips. That was my queue to leave. I turned to walk away, but that was the precise moment Dad seemed to spot me eavesdropping.
"Faith?"
I startled as he stepped forward and pulled the door open the rest of the way. The look he gave me was a mixture of worry and empathy.
"I'm so sorry about everything you had to go through last night," he said. "We'll explain everything. I think we owe you that."
Mom nodded.
But I only wanted to know one thing in that moment. "Why were they apart?"
Mom shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't understand."
"Those people just now. You brought them back together. Why were you helping them? Why was there someone put behind bars?"
Dad cleared his throat uncomfortably. "That's…classified. Come in and sit down. We'll explain what we can."
I walked into the hotel room, and Dad gestured for me to have a seat at the foot of one of the beds. They both stood in front of me, arms crossed, and eyes filled with concern as they stared at me.
"We wanted to be able to tell you this in our own time," Mom started. "We wanted to wait a few more years."
She turned to my dad, willing him to take the reigns on this difficult confession.
Dad took a deep breath. "Alright. Faith…your mom and I aren’t – we don’t – I mean…" He turned to Mom.
"We don't have normal jobs," Mom supplied. "We both work by helping people in secret."
I didn't quite understand, so I just shook my head.
"We work on solving cases," Mom said. "Crimes."
My eyes widened. "You're police officers?"
"We're undercover agents," Dad said.
I gasped. "No way! Like for the FBI?"
Mom and Dad looked at each other.
Mom sat down beside me. "We worked for the FBI for many years. That's actually where we met. Then we decided to do something different. You see, there is a lot of supreme talent from all around the world – people with brilliant minds who can't get work with the FBI because they don't meet the minimum academic requirements. So, we started a program where people like this can work – as agents – and earn a degree at the same time. We assist the FBI frequently and help solve cases that need a little extra help. Cesar is one of those agents too. Do you understand?"
I looked down at my hands that were folded in my lap. "Wow."
There were so many feelings rushing through me. I didn't even know where to begin…it was cool and amazing. But yet, I felt almost hurt that they hadn't told me until now.
Mom seemed to read me instantly. "We couldn't tell you, honey. Not until you were old enough. We were worried someone would talk to you and get info out of you. But now…we know you're old enough and strong enough to keep this a secret. You can never tell anyone about this."
A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Then what about your work offices? I've been to both of your workplaces! There was no secret agent business going on."
Mom frowned. "Those were fronts. RLIP has several."
I furrowed my eyebrows. "R-L-I-P?"
"Real Life Immersion Program. It's the name of our organization."
"Why that name?"
"Our main focus is putting agents undercover and having them blend in with society," Mom said. "We place them where we need them. They either protect, find, or collect."
"People?"
"People…information. Anything, really."
I stared at my parents quietly. They just stared back at me. Nobody said a word.
I stood up. "When I finish high school, I want to work for the organization."
"Nooo!" they both practically shouted.
I blinked and took a half step back.
Mom seemed to calm herself, taking a deep breath. "This work is incredibly dangerous. You saw that last night. We have close calls every day. We can't allow you to get involved because of our decisions."
"It's not because of your decisions," I said. "I've been thinking about what I want to do. I want to protect people. I want to do the right thing. I've even thought of being an FBI agent, but this…this could be–"
"Out of the question," Dad said firmly.
I waited a moment and then finally nodded. "Does…does this mean we're going to have to move again?"
Dad sighed. "I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry."
"New school?"
He nodded.
I paused momentarily and then shrugged. "I'll adjust."
Mom and Dad both smiled and then enveloped me into a hug.
When they released me, Dad looked at the clock on the nightstand. "Let's get a couple more hours of sleep, we'll go get some breakfast, and then figure out our next course of action together. Sound like a plan?"
Mom nodded. "Sounds good."
I went to go lay back down in bed and stared at the ceiling. I never did fall back asleep that morning. There were too many thoughts racing through my mind.
Someday, I was going to work for RLIP.
My parents just didn't know it yet.
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