The Black Box was in a state of "Code Red," but for any other family, it would just be a Tuesday. It was Astraea Solene's first day of preschool admission and "Orientation," and Keifer was treating it like a deep-cover extraction mission.
07:30 AM: The Tactical Briefing
POV: Jay
I walked into the kitchen to find Keifer and Keigan standing over a high-tech floor plan of the "Sunshine Academy." It was a prestigious school, but Keifer had it mapped out like a high-security bank vault.
"The perimeter is weak, Jay," Keifer muttered, pointing to a line on the screen. "The playground has three blind spots, and the 'napping area' is too close to the emergency exit. I'm thinking of installing a private facial-recognition system at the gate."
"Hubby, it's a preschool, not a CIA safehouse," I sighed, handing him his coffee. "They have finger-painting and nap time. They don't need biometric scanners."
"She's a Watson," Keifer rumbled, his eyes narrowing. "She's a target. I've already assigned Percy and four undercover units to sit in the parking lot."
"No. Absolutely not," I said, putting my foot down. "We are going in as normal parents. No suits, no earpieces, and definitely no 'undercover units' in the sandpit
09:00 AM: The "Normal" Arrival
We arrived in the SUV. I had managed to convince Keifer to wear a polo shirt instead of a three-piece suit, but he still looked like he was about to buy the school and fire everyone.
Astraea was vibrating with excitement. She was wearing a tiny black backpack (which Alexander had stuffed with a compass and a "tactical" juice box) and was clutching Ghost's collar as he tried to jump out of the car.
"Ghost stays, Astra," I warned. "Dogs aren't allowed in the classroom."
"Ghost... s-security!" Astraea pouted, doing the legendary Watson lip-quiver.
"Let the dog stay in the car with Rory, Astra," Keifer said, kneeling down to her level. "He'll be watching from the 'Nest.' You have your mission: make friends, don't use your 'ninja' moves on the teacher, and report back at 12:00."
10:00 AM: The Interview
The Headmistress, a soft-spoken woman named Mrs. Higgins, sat across from us. She looked at Astraea, who was currently trying to see if she could dismantle the clock on the wall.
"She's very... active," Mrs. Higgins smiled nervously. "And her records say she's already proficient in basic mathematics and... 'threat assessment'?"
"She's a quick learner," I said quickly, kicking Keifer under the table as he opened his mouth to explain Astraea's training with Erdix.
"Does she play well with others?"
Suddenly, a little boy in the corner tried to take a toy truck away from Astraea. Astraea didn't scream. She didn't cry. She simply stepped to the side, used the boy's momentum against him (a move she definitely learned from Alexander), and gently reclaimed the truck.
"Sharing is a... work in progress," Keifer noted, looking incredibly proud.
"She's very protective of her assets," I corrected, rubbing my temples.
11:30 AM: The Playground Incident
While we were finishing the paperwork, we heard a commotion outside. We looked through the window to see Percy (Blue Eyes) wearing a ridiculous "Gardener" disguise, complete with a straw hat and fake mustache, pruning a bush near the slide.
"Is that... your gardener?" Mrs. Higgins asked, squinting.
"He's... very dedicated to his flora," Keifer said through gritted teeth. I could see him mentally calculating how many hours of night-watch he was going to give Percy for being spotted.
Astraea, meanwhile, had organized a group of toddlers into a "squad." She was leading them toward the sandbox, pointing and giving hand signals.
She's a natural leader," I whispered to Keifer.
"She's organizing a perimeter, Jay," Keifer replied, a smirk finally breaking through his stoic face. "That's my girl."
12:00 PM: The Admission Granted
Despite the "gardener" in the bushes and Astraea's tactical playground maneuvers, she was officially accepted.
As we walked back to the car, Astraea was holding her "Welcome" folder like a trophy. She ran to the SUV and pounded on the window. "Ghost! I'm s-school!"
"You did good, Princess," Keifer said, lifting her onto his shoulders. "But tomorrow, we're having a talk about 'Low Profile' maneuvers. Uncle Percy almost got us kicked out."
"Nee-ja!" Astraea cheered.
As we drove away, I looked at Keifer. The "Monster" was looking at the school's brochure, circling the "Parent-Teacher Association" meeting date.
"You're going to join the PTA, aren't you?" I asked, laughing.
"I need to ensure the snack-supply chain is secure, Jay," he said seriously. "And the playground needs reinforced fencing. I'll bring Keigan to the next meeting. We'll talk logistics."
Poor Mrs. Higgins," I muttered, leaning back. "She has no idea what she just let into her school."
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