Chapter 2

• It was amazing how quickly the agency processed my new information as a new individual. I now have a new name, age and identity, entirely. I remembered that from when I was younger, I've always been thrilled at the thought and idea of working undercover, but I was still grounded on the fact that it was always a dangerous and invasive mission. Sometimes, agents who embarked on undercover missions, return home at the end of everything, much different persons than who they had been before. Others came back sullen, traces of a former life still hanging on them. But, even with all these downsides, I was ready for the mission. It wouldn't be easy but what has ever been easy? From when we're born to when we grow up, even till death, nothing is easy. Besides, a lifetime of hard work and constant planing has made me variable in all that I do, especially in the system of the organization I work.
• These days, getting up is a boring chore so I eagerly look forward to the job. I have been continually processing information necessary for the task. Also, I needed my mind off of things.
• Granted, I'd initially been against it and had proposed a guy taking my place but hey, if anyone can do it, it's me. I get up from bed mangled with the sheets, ready to face the day.
• I'm trudging towards the kitchen when the doorbell rings, and I go to open the door to find a pretty young girl standing there. She was holding a small black box and a bag, both with the inscription; bang bang in sparkly pink letters. Her hair packed in two neat pigtails had the same colour of pink highlights.
• "Hi!" She says cheerily.
• "Hi," I say also. "You must be Lateesha."
• She bobs her head rapidly at me and I wave her in, closing the door firmly behind her.
• "Can I get you a drink or something?" I ask.
• "Sure."
• I get a glass of juice for her and a cup of coffee for myself. I invite her to sit but she stands to look over my living room.
• "Your house is nice." She says.
• "Thanks," I reply, just as she sits and takes the drink I offered her.
• "You must be new, I haven't seen you before."
• "Yes, I just started. But I assure you am good at what I do. You'll absolutely love my work."
• I offer her cookies as well and she thanks me.
• "I love your hair."
• "Thanks, I did the highlights myself." She says and I nod approvingly.
• "Should we begin?" I ask after.
• "Absolutely, if you're ready." Lateesha says with a cheery smile.
• "I am."
• "Okay."
• "We'll do it in my room," I say. "Shall we?"
• "Sure." Lateesha nods and I lead the way while she follows closely behind me, carrying along the little black box and bag.
• I go to sit by the dresser, but she shakes her head at me and picks a chair which she props by the open window.
• When I sit on the chair, she brings out a silk wrapper from the bag and wraps it round my neck.
• Next, she starts arranging tools by the windowsill.
• "You're going to look absolutely beautiful." She tells me, smiling. I notice the piercing in her tongue then.
• "I better do else you won't get your commission." I say jokingly but Lateesha pauses to look at me, so I assure her; "I'm just kidding."
• I look at the different equipments, all sparkly pink and black.
• "Can I play some music?" She asks waving her phone at me. "I never do any work without music."
• "Sure," I tell her and she thumps rapidly at her phone until the rousing tunes of Katy Perry's roar fill the room. She bobs and sways to the rhythm.
• "You like?"
• "Katy Perry? Yeah I do."
• "Me too." She says picking up a scissors and coming over to me. She bends my head a little.
• "We're going to go with the proposed style, yeah?"
• "Yes we are." I say, putting on some cheer.
• "You ready?" She asks, bringing the scissors dangerously close to my ear.
• "Yes, I am." I tell her and immediately, tendrils of my hair start to fall noiselessly to the ground.
• As a part of changes mandatory for my mission, my hair had to be cut and styled. Lateesha was one of the workers in the mega salon the agency usually comissioned for works like this, including facial makeovers, wardrobe planning and arrangement and more. The owner of the place is a plastic surgeon in affiliation with the agency.
• "Why didn't you want me sitting by the dresser?" I ask her as part of conversation.
• "Oh, I don't want you seeing the process. That way you'd be absolutely wowed by the end results."
• "I see. Do you always do home services?"
• "Not always. I just started, so I'm still building my clientele you know, because home services pay a whole lot better." She trades the scissors for one of the tools she has lined up by the window.
• "Hmm, I'll be sure to give some references then."
• "Oh, I'll love that! Thank.."
• "If, I love the work." I quickly say, interrupting her.
• "Oh you will." She says and goes on working quietly with the music spurring her on. It surprises me that she is quiet. Other hair dressers I've encountered usually chatter away.
• Thirty minutes later, she was done with cutting my hair, and goes on to the next process. Even though the agency has probably informed her the colour to use, she still displays the different hues of contact lens she brings out from the box. I of course, pick the purely black shade as I am supposed to. She dyes my black too and after fixing in the contacts, announces that she is done. I stand up, welcoming the breeze fluttering on the back of my neck.
• The face looking back at me from the mirror is familiar but startingly new. The haircut has my cheeks more pronounced and even the eye colour fits. I glance still at the mirror then thank Lateesha who is still looking me over.
• "Everything to your liking?" She asks.
• "Yes, it's beautiful."
• "You're beautiful." She says.
• "Thanks."
• When I walk her out, I make sure to tip her nicely, assuring her that I will give her a good reference.
• Just as I lock the door after her, there is a knock again.