Solo Mission

I woke up very early the next morning, not that I managed to get much sleep that night anyway due to how scared I was of how this morning will go down. Mario gave me strict instructions of where I must go and what I must do, but at the same time, there are so many things that are unknown and could go really bad. I was stood in my bedroom after getting ready for the day, my mother and Reece will be over in a moment to give me the items which I'll drop off for Mario. I hope and pray they haven't tried to discreetly tamper with these items, my father doesn't have to die for them to get more information. A knock at my door soon snaps me from my thoughts, I take one last look in the mirror to make sure I was fully ready before telling the person to come in. The door opens and in walks a smiling Jackson, a glass of water and what seemed to be a breakfast bar in his hands. 'I know you're going to be too nervous to eat or drink, but it's important that you're on your A game to meet Mario and drop these items off." He smiles reaching out his hands to hold the items closer to me, I nod my head with a smile taking the food and drink in my hands. 'This may be a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyway, how are you feeling?" He asks with a little chuckle at his question, which also does make me let out a little laugh along with him. 'I'm just nervous, there are so many ways that this could go wrong but what other choice do we have? My father is already going through the unthinkable, I don't want him to also have to die because I did something wrong." I say whilst taking my first sip of water, I didn't want to mess this up somehow and be the reason for him getting hurt. 'You are going to do just fine Ally, I will be able to have eyes on you the entire time, you won't need me but if you do, I'll be there in a flash." He says placing his hand on my arm with a smile, I nod my head feeling better that he would be there but before I could speak, the sound of the front door knocking tells us my mother and Reece are here. 'I'll get that, you take as much time as you need." He smiles giving my arm a squeeze before turning around and leaving the room, while I remained where I was still holding the items in my hands. I look at myself in the mirror and saw the terror, which was in my eyes, something I knew I needed to hide before seeing Mario. I didn't want him or anybody who works for him to see how nervous I was, I need to show them how determined I am to get my father back and how I won't stop until I do. With a gulp of the water and a deep breath, I look back into the mirror this time with my game face on. I place the cup on my bedside table whilst slipping the breakfast bar in my pocket, perhaps I'll eat that on the way to calm my nerves. I grab my phone and also stick that into my pocket, that being the only way Mario has contacted me so far. I soon leave my room and head towards the stairs, where over the exposed walkway balcony type way I see Jackson speaking to my mother and Reece. Once I reach the top of the stairs though, they all turn to watch me walk down. 'Are you ready for today, Ally?" Reece asks sending me a tiny smile, I shrug my shoulders reaching the bottom of the stairs and start to make my way over to them. 'As ready as someone who is about to do what I am can be." I say placing my hand into my pockets, I didn't want to show them how nervous I was as I know what my mother is like, she'll try to pull me away from this whole interaction which is something that can't happen. 'These are the items Mario requested." My mother says handing me over a brown cardboard mini box, I nod taking the box in my hands sighing a little. 'Can Ally and I have a minute?" She asks looking over at the two guys, they both nod their heads before heading towards the front door, Jackson sending me a smile before fully leaving the house. 'This is something I never wanted to happen, when I started working this case all of those years ago, I would have done everything in my power to prevent him ever getting you involved. Even though I would love nothing more than to send someone else, we both know that can't happen." She sighs once we were fully alone, I mean starting this job that she does really wasn't trying everything in her power to make this not happen, but as I have to keep reminding myself, it isn't her fault. 'I understand how scared you're probably feeling but you need to try and put that in the back of your mind, just do exactly what Mario is asking and then leave and head back to Jackson. Don't try to trick him or get more information from him, just stick to the plan okay. I don't need you being taken from me too." She says placing her hand on my cheek as she spoke, this being one of the only times she has ever really shown me that she cares. 'Don't worry, I keep reminding myself that I'm doing this to keep dad safe until he can finally come back to us. If me doing this little thing enables him to stay alive, so be it." I smile putting on a brave face so she wouldn't worry, this comment does make her smile. 'I'm so proud of you Ally, even though I wasn't there for most of your life, you're really stepping up to the job and showing me what a great person your father raised you to be." She smiles but before I had time to comment, the front door opening and Reece poking his head through gets out attention. 'It's time to go." Is all he says which did make a tiny piece of fright make its way through me, but I shake that off and put another smile on my face. 'Let's show him no one messes with the Carters." I smile which did cause my mother to also laugh, while stepping away from me so that I could walk to the car. Who knows how this is going to end? Not long after, Jackson and I were on our way to Westcombe Park, the box of items placed in my lap as we drove. Neither of us spoke, I was unsure if we even had the words to try and make sense of this situation. I know I have been looking into Mario more and have been put in some dangerous situations, but I have always had Jackson by my side where I know he will protect me. But now I'm having to walk through this alone, I was terrified. Road signs with Westcombe Park indicates we were close, causing the feeling of fright in the pit of my stomach to make an appearance. Before I knew it, Jackson pulls over the car to sit outside of the entrance of the park. The huge black gates in front of us acted as a type of barrier, my protection will be on the other side when I'm inside. The white bandstand he spoke about partially hidden by a huge oak tree, that fact also scaring me slightly. 'You have ten minutes." Jackson says breaking the silence that was swirling around the car, why did Mario choose such a specific time? 'Then I guess we have enough time to split the breakfast bar." I smile holding up the bar he had given me that morning, I could see he also hadn't eaten a thing out of nerves for me. I open up the packet and spilt the bar in two, which he soon takes with a smile. The car falls silent again as we both sit there and eat, but the worried tension which was in the air before was still ever present. 'I think I'm more worried that you can't be there with me, throughout this whole experience it's been you and I battling our way through, but now it seems like it's just me and I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it." I say breaking the silence once again, I look over at Jackson who sends me a worried look whilst taking my hand in his. 'You can do this Ally; I may not be right by your side, but I'll be right here waiting for you. If I see or hear anything I don't like, I'll be there before you can even blink, I promise." He tells me looking me right in the eyes as he spoke, but I was still very much terrified at what may happen without him. 'It's also cutting me up that I can't be there with you, but I know it's only a few moments apart before you're right back at my side again. Nothing he can do will ever break up the little team we have, you're just going on your first solo mission." He smiles trying to break the tension with his humour, which did work a tiny bit. 'I can do this, for my dad." I say taking a deep breath in with smile, he smiles also placing a kiss on my cheek before nodding his head. 'Of course, you can." He smiles as I turn to look at the time on his cars clock, it read the time 9:20am, telling me I had one minute to get there. 'Let's do this." Jackson smiles giving my hand one last squeeze before we both get out of the car. The wind whips through my hair as I stand by the car with the box in my hands, the nervous feelings refusing to go away as I looked out into the park. I take my first steps towards the gates of the park, but quickly turn my head to look back at the car. Jackson stood leaning up against the car with his arms crossed, the smile still on his lips. 'I will be right here." He reassures me before I turn back to look where I was going, entering the park alone. I can do this.