Brad watched the people walking by with a sullen look on his face. It was as if Agent Driver and Michaels were trying to destroy every shred of dignity that Brad James had left. Pretending to be a beggar was possibly the lowest he had ever gone. Brad had a hard time understanding why Michaels was proud of the ratty, cardboard sign he had given Agent James to use. It was like the other agents’ concept of a stakeout was warped by the desire to humiliate Brad.
The tin plate he was given had several coins in it and occasional passer-bys would drop a few more cents as they walked by. Agent Driver even had the gall to suggest that Brad could keep all of the money he made on his stake out. It seemed so demeaning. It should have been some consolation that he did not have to act like a street performer like Agent Michaels was, but Michaels looked like he was enjoying his post across the street a little too much.
“I should record this,” Agent Driver’s voice said in the ear piece. “You are definitely in the zone, Regg.”
“Do you really enjoy degrading yourself?” Brad growled louder than he meant.
“I don’t lower myself to anyone’s level but my own,” Driver sang out loudly. “Pride is just an illusion of wanting to be someone else.”
Agent Michaels had collected quite a bit of money in the worn out guitar case that was opened next to him. Brad had to admit that Michaels was pretty good at singing and playing the guitar, especially since he was making up most of the songs on the spot. Still, how could he so easily just perform on a street corner as if it was his normal way of life? Not to mention the people who so carelessly dropped their money into the guitar case and Brad’s tin plate. Brad could not understand why these random strangers would just offer money to a person who was doing nothing but sit on a street corner.
“There’s one who hears all, coming down the road,” Agent Michaels sang out as he switched songs. “I’m trying to be sneaky, so I hope I am ignored.”
“Oh, I’m sure Tech figured out that message,” Driver laughed into the ear piece. “Just ignore him and keep an eye out for suspicious behavior.”
Brad stared crossly at the tin plate. It took him several moments realize that Agent Driver was talking about a person and not some computer whiz. He had remembered that lanky and silent boy from a month ago. As far as Brad was concerned, it was a fluke that the kid had actually been able to find one sound in a crowded mall. Agent James figured that it was just some sort of trick.
Shoes continued to parade by the cardboard sign and tin plate. Brad glared at the ground rather than at the people passing by. Why was he in such a humiliating position? A person tossed a coin down and it missed the plate. Rather than just let it roll away, the person stopped and bent down to grab the coin and pull some more money out of their pocket. Brad looked up to glare at the stranger who was giving him undeserved pity.
“You really don’t want to be here, do you?” the young man asked with a smile. “It’s almost as convincing as Regg’s performance.”
“Wait, what?” Brad jerked his head up and tried to get a good look at the man.
“The difference is that he is putting everything he can into it and you’re putting absolutely nothing into it.”
Brad glared as the young man picked up the dropped coins and put them into the tin. Whoever this person was seemed to know a lot. Agent James was really upset that Driver had ordered this mission to be carried out with no weapons. If this person was an enemy, then Brad was at a serious disadvantage pretending to be a homeless person. Someone tapped their foot, waiting for the young man and Brad was surprised to see that it was that supposedly sonic hearing teenager.
“So, you might want to keep an eye on the guy with the bucket hat and the one in the designer shoes,” the young man said as he pulled out an extra bill and put it into the tin. “Good luck with everything and sorry I can’t help more, but I have some more important business to take car of.”
“Regg,” Driver said over the radio as the young man walked away. “Carmine just gave James some people to keep our eyes on.”
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