Episode 4: The Silent Watch 👁️🗨️
Scene 1: Early Morning – Vega Mansion
Sunlight slips through the curtains like quiet spies of its own. Three alarm clocks go off in chaotic harmony.
Sam groans and throws a pillow over her head.
Sander blindly reaches for her clock and knocks it off the table.
Sarah is already half-awake, staring at the ceiling like she's negotiating with reality.
The door opens.
Miss Bani walks in, sharp and composed, holding her ever-present clipboard like it contains the secrets of the universe.
Miss Bani:
Rise and shine, girls. The ISS needs your expertise, so get ready. Exercise first, then we leave in two hours.
Sam slowly lifts her head, eyes half-open.
Sam:
Do we really have to go to the ISS… after just starting school yesterday?
Sander sits up, hair a complete rebellion.
Sander:
For once, I agree with Sam. And what exactly is our cover story to the principal this time?
Miss Bani raises an eyebrow, unimpressed.
Miss Bani:
Girls, you seem to be forgetting something important.
She walks further into the room, her heels clicking like a countdown.
Miss Bani (calm but firm):
You are not exactly entitled to attend a regular school. Publicly, you are iconic models under my enterprise… and my adopted children.
Sarah suddenly sits up, fully awake now.
Sarah (excited):
Wait—really? Does that mean we don't have to go to school anymore? We can just stay home?
Miss Bani pauses… then gives her a look that shuts down that dream instantly.
Miss Bani:
Absolutely not.
She sets the clipboard down and crosses her arms.
Miss Bani (firm, but slightly softer):
Just because your lives are… unconventional… doesn't mean your future should be unstable. School is your cover, yes… but it is also your foundation.
She walks closer, her voice lowering slightly.
Miss Bani:
One day, you may choose not to be agents. Or models. When that day comes, you will need something real to stand on.
The room goes quiet.
Even Sam is now fully awake.
Miss Bani (final tone):
Now up. Training in ten minutes.
She turns and exits.
Silence lingers for a beat.
Sander flops back dramatically.
Sander:
So basically… we're living three lives and still have homework.
Sam (groaning):
This should be illegal.
Sarah smiles slightly, already getting out of bed.
Sarah:
Or… maybe we're just built differently.
The other two glance at her.
A small moment of realization.
Then—
Sam:
…still doesn't mean I like mornings.
Scene 2: ISS Headquarters – Surveillance Room
The sisters take their positions, screens glowing like a digital constellation.
Agent Instructor:
Your task is to review surveillance footage from the day of the ISS robbery… and the weeks leading up to it.
Identify any suspicious patterns or individuals.
Surveillance Begins
Sam scrolls through footage lazily at first.
Sarah is already structured, tagging timestamps.
Sander watches… not just the screen, but the system.
Sam:
So basically… we're stalking people legally.
Sarah:
It's called intelligence gathering.
Sander (dryly):
With better lighting.
A figure appears on screen.
Sarah (suddenly focused):
Pause.
The footage freezes.
A girl walks through a corridor like she belongs there.
Sam (frowning):
…Amanda.
No surprise. Just confirmation.
Sarah:
She shouldn't be anywhere near ISS facilities.
Sander:
Yet she's not sneaking.
They watch closely.
Amanda doesn't look around.
Doesn't hesitate.
She moves like someone who already knows the map.
Sam (quiet):
She's done this before.
Another feed loads.
A different corridor. Different time.
A boy walks through frame.
Relaxed. Hands in pockets.
Unbothered.
Sam (blinking):
Wait… isn't that—
Sarah (leaning in):
Jace.
A softer reaction this time.
Not suspicion.
Recognition.
Sam:
What is he doing here?
Sarah:
Maybe he's just… visiting?
Sander doesn't respond immediately.
Sander (low):
People don't "just visit" places they're not supposed to find.
Sam watches the screen a second longer than necessary.
Something about it lingers… but she pushes it aside.
Restricted Access
Sarah:
Let me pull up the east wing timeline.
She types.
ACCESS DENIED.
Pause.
Sam:
Okay… that's new.
Sander:
Try another sector.
Same result.
ACCESS DENIED.
Sarah:
But we're assigned to this case.
Sander (eyes narrowing):
Assigned… not trusted.
Sander's Quiet Decision
Sander leans back slightly.
Sander:
Maybe it's just clearance levels.
But under the desk… her fingers move again.
Silent.
Precise.
A hidden interface flickers.
ISS MAINFRAME ACCESS POINT
She slips in.
No announcement.
No hesitation.
Just intent.
Pattern Recognition
Later… the three regroup.
Sarah:
There are repeated movements across multiple restricted areas… all before the robbery.
Sam:
Amanda shows up more than once.
Sander:
And always near sensitive zones.
Sarah:
That's not coincidence.
Sam (thinking aloud):
But Jace…
She hesitates.
Sam:
He only appears once.
Sander (carefully):
Sometimes once is enough.
Sam doesn't like that answer.
Scene 3: Night – Vega Mansion
The room is dim. The day exhales.
Sarah is already lying down.
Sam is on her back, thinking.
Sander sits upright, restless.
Sam:
Amanda being involved… I get.
Sarah:
But Jace?
Sam:
That part doesn't make sense.
Silence.
Then—
Sander:
There's something I didn't tell you.
Both turn.
Sarah:
What is it?
Sander reaches for her device.
Sander:
Those restricted areas… I didn't ignore them.
She activates the projection.
A massive blueprint unfolds in light.
The ISS.
Bigger. Deeper.
Layered like a secret trying to stay buried.
Sam (sitting up):
…Sander.
Sarah:
You didn't—
Sander:
I did.
Beat.
Sander:
I accessed the mainframe.
Silence.
Heavy.
Sam:
That's not just risky…
Sander:
It was necessary.
She zooms in.
Hidden sections appear.
Entire areas missing from official layouts.
Sarah (whispering):
These aren't in the system we used.
Sander:
Exactly.
Sam (slow realization):
So ISS is hiding parts of itself… from its own agents.
Sander:
Or from us.
The room feels colder somehow.
Sarah:
Why would they do that?
No one answers immediately.
Sam (quiet, steady):
Whatever it is…
She looks at the glowing map.
Sam:
…it's connected to the robbery.
Sander nods once.
The blueprint flickers softly… like it knows it's not supposed to exist.