I did feel at ease when the detective unit took over to investigate what happened at the mansion before we set off. However, I did have this unnerving feeling that this mission would never end.

**

It was the 24th November - 12.00pm at Nashville. We all sat around a table eating lunch. After we set off the from the mansion, we had the night at a hotel in Nashville and well, we ended up here all pondering on how to get the next clue as nothing interesting had popped up. That was until we heard a huge explosion. For a second, it caused the plates as well as the chandeliers that hung on the ceiling to vibrate.

From where I was sitting, I could see smoke coming from a place not far from here and Elmer knew that something was up.

"Let's investigate," said he. Immediately, we cleared our plates (by eating or throwing away) and was already walking towards the source of the explosion which was a few blocks away. We were in such a hurry, on our way I nearly bumped into a lamppost, a man on a hoverboard walking his dog and almost dodging a cranky old lady who insulted me as I scurried past.

As we approached the scene, a middle-aged man with his wife stood on the pavement in front of a crater where their house once stood. Elmer went to console the man and his wife while the rest of us went in to investigate more closely. We slid down the steep slope of the crater and there were pieces of what was left of their home dotted around. However, there was nothing interesting about it apart from a metal box right in the centre and a metal safe sat on top. We neared it from all directions also being cautious and checking our surroundings. Valerio was the one who was directly in front of it, he reached out and took a note attached which he read out loud: "Well done, you found another clue, but first must crack open the safe and it'll be inside. However, if you get it wrong, this half of the city will go... Kaboom! And you caught up in it. You only have two attempts and you have... less than 24 hours left to find me."

"How on earth are we supposed to open this?" asked Libby who stood on the left side.

"Use our gadgets?" I asked unsurely.

"Exactly." agreed Armani, "we need a safecracker. Probably one of the newest versions as the safe does look difficult to crack."

"Thinking like a Spymaster, I like it," said Valerio impressed as he nudged her.

"I'll look for one," volunteered Libby as she dumped her bag carefully on the floor, rummaged through until she took it out - it was small and rectangular with a black rectangular screen at the top. She attached it to the front but in the corner away from the screen, covering the door, containing the numbers needed to be entered in order to open it. However, we didn't use that, no. She activated it and a range of numbers popped up. I felt the atmosphere become tense and the hairs on my neck stood on end. We waited for a few minutes until sparks flew from the cracker and the following words on the safe read "Attempt failed." Also, a countdown commenced. We only had one minute. We were all worried.

"Elmer!" I hollered. Then I told the team, "the note never said there will be a countdown. Elmer!" 59.

"I totally agree with you." Said Valerio looking at the note.

It took Elmer a second to get down to our level. 58, and 10 seconds for Valerio to explain the situation. 48.

"We should use one of the older versions," Armani suggested, "Does anyone have one? Search your bags quickly!" 43.

We all did. We rummaged through our bags furiously and all of us apart from Armani herself had one. She took it out and asked, "Is this the one?"

"Yes." Said Elmer and Valerio.

"Look, we only have 20 seconds!" Libby pointed out.

"Quickly!" Elmer urged. 18.

She placed it on the safe and activated it. I stood there biting my nails, but in the corner of my eye, I saw a silhouette of someone emerge from behind the next door neighbour's hedge. I swiftly kneeled to the floor, picked up a rock, attached a Tracker from my pocket and threw it to the silhouette's head who dropped to the floor most likely stunned.
"We did it!" Armani sighed. I returned my attention to the current situation and looked at the screen which was frozen on 4 seconds.

Valerio opened the safe and took out the black and red card with Iwan's initials on the back. On the other side, there was a picture of a "Big Apple?!" Libby exclaimed, "Some lame clue if you ask me."

"No, it's not lame, it's rather easy." Valerio smiled.
Then our phones started to vibrate.

"Quite correct." A voice said. We all took out our phones.

"We seriously need to update our phone security." Said Armani.

"We'll do that when we get back to the HQ," replied Elmer.

"Can I talk now?" asked the voice whose face was projected to reveal Iwan Isaacs.

"Go ahead, mate. No one's there to stop you," said Libby.

"Ah, Libby Hale. I've always hated you."

"And since when did you know me?" she sneered.

"Forever dear, Forever." He cackled but then stopped, "Where's Mr President? He's not here. Hmm... I'm guessing he thinks he's too holy to bring himself to this meek neighbourhood where two more of his precious protectors reside..."

My first thought was that Iwan was referring to the man and his wife who stood, at the top, watching us and were worried. I thought they may be significant to the President somehow.

Then I saw Elmer put his phone away started tapping on his watch.

"Ooh," Iwan continued, "One more connection. A full house, great! Even Mr President's there!"

"Where?" I mouthed to Valerio.

"US HQ. "He mouthed back.

"So, onto the clue eh? By now you must've figured out what the answer to the clue is, correct?"

"Correct." We all answered.

"Where is it?"

"New York City."

"Good luck finding me there! Oh! Don't forget to hand in the resignation letter to the White House or," he dragged the President's son by the hair and only The son's head was in view and his mouth was duct taped, "Mr President, your son dies and the Spy Association get sued; a win-win for me as well as T.O.S in both ways." He laughs in an evil way heart so often in movies or TV series and cuts of the connection.

"To New York then." I sighed.

**

Just before we set off to NY, Elmer told the man and his wife, who I have learnt their last names like Douglas, that all housing issues will be sorted by the Org. Also, as we got a ride, according to Valerio the Douglas family are the only living relative of the President. Elmer also added in that Mr President's family had had a bad history with the T.O.S.

"So what I'm getting from this is that gaining his position is not the only thing that the T.O.S want to achieve but also to make sure that their name is erased," I said comprehending the situation.

"And that they want their family tree to discontinue," Libby commented.

"Both of you are correct," said Valerio, "which means that his ancestors or grandparents probably did something terrible–"

Armani interrupted, "That will be a total mystery and this is one of the mysteries which literally has a sign 'Do Not Touch'."

I could tell all of us felt smug for making good deductions. And that this is the Alpha Team's first and most difficult – no, long mission.