Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Code Names - Excerpt from Super (Market) Spies


“We should have code names” Kiwi said, excitedly clapping her hands as she clipped a spray painted tool belt around her waist.

“We should not have code names” Britt glared at her.

“Code names would be really fun though! I’ve always wanted a code name!” Kiwi took the brush from the dresser top, pretending it was a walkie talkie.  “Fruit Salad to Barbie Girl, come in, come in”

“If we get code names mine is not being Barbie Girl” Britt huffed. She helped Zeke adjust his bow tie that was disguising a microphone. Zeke looked happy with the arrangement.

 “You don’t get to pick your own code name, those are the rules” Zeke said, zipping up the back of Britt’s black cat suit.

 “That’s unfair; I want to be Fruit Salad” Kiwi complained.

 “Is that because your name’s Kiwi?” Ethan laughed. He twisted his shoe laces into a quick double knot then turned around to help me with the clasp of my sash.

 “No. I like the sweet”

 Zeke snorted which caused a ripple of laughter around the room. “Fruit Salad is not a good code name”

 “And Barbie Girl is?!” Britt slapped Zeke’s arm in mock anger.

“I never said that! Don’t slap me I bruise like a peach”

 “Zeke’s code name is now officially ‘Peach Boy’”

 “That’s unfair!”

 “You don’t get to pick your own code name, those are the rules!” I grinned, giving Kiwi a high five. All five of us had finished getting our gear on; now Britt was adding the final touches to our make-up.

 “Don’t come near me with that blush, B” Ethan said, slapping away the make-up brush she was waving in his face. “I demand manly war paint only.”

 “I second that motion” Zeke said.

 “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer a bit of peach bronzer, Zeke?” Britt poked him gently in the arm this time.

 “I regret talking to you all.” He said, but put his arm around Britt’s shoulders to prove the opposite.

 “What are our code names going to be then?” I asked, applying my own version of Ethan’s manly war paint. “If we’re picking each other’s then we need to be serious.”

 “Code names are not meant to be serious” Kiwi pouted, but agreed to the terms and conditions as if she hadn’t read them.

 “Kiwi, you can be Tooty Fruity” Ethan declared, using a umbrella to knight her. Kiwi took the umbrella then placed it on my shoulders.

 “Meg will be Fruit Cake” she smiled sweetly in my direction. “Nutmeg is a key ingredient after all.”

 “YOUR NAME IS NUTMEG?!” Zeke shouted. Ethan punched him in the side. “Ouch!”

 “Shut up, doofus, you knew that already.”  I held the umbrella over Britt’s head. “I pronounce you Barbie Girl”

 Britt looked upset for a second before her face changed to a fake smile. “I am perfect, aren’t I?” She flipped her hair in a truly cheerleader fashion then grabbed the knighting ‘sword’. “Zeke, you can be my Ken”

 “Ken is my code name? I think I prefer Peach Boy” Zeke protested.

 “OK, Wizard then”

 Finally, Zeke looked at Ethan and christened him ‘Action Man’

I gave a loud whistle once everyone had finished cheering. “It’s spy time!”

 “What a cliché.” Kiwi giggled, but followed as I led the way out of HQ.

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