The Envelope (Fiction Review)

THE ENVELOPE

Here is where your
presentation begins

Setting a purpose for reading.

As you read, think about how the main character's character traits influence the events in the story.

The Envelope

The phone rang for the third time. This time, Shalini picked up the
phone call. Her superior’s voice crackled over the phone.
“Agent Reddy, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. What’s your
report?”

She took a deep breath.
This was how it had all started.

They had landed in New York City to a cloudy, gray sky. Manhattan
stretched out in front of them as the helicopter touched down on the
helipad in the Financial District, right next to the river. The water was
choppy, and the minute Shalini Reddy stepped down and smelled
the air, she knew there would be a storm.

Multiple Choice

Based on the details about the weather and Shalini’s reaction, what might the storm foreshadow about her mission?

• The storm creates a sense of calm, suggesting Shalini feels relaxed about her mission.

• The storm is unrelated to the story and has no effect on the mission.

• The storm builds suspense, hinting at possible danger or challenges she might face.

• The storm suggests that Shalini will leave New York City soon.

The Envelope

“The falcon has landed.”

Shalini looked back at her colleague, Lola O’Connor, dressed in a
black suit and earpiece similar to her own. “Falcon? When did that
become the ambassador’s code name?”

“I don’t ask questions,” Lola said with a shrug. “Whatever the boss
wants.” One of the other guards waved at Lola, and she jogged over to help him unload the helicopter.

“I’ll take the blame for that,” the ambassador said. He slowed down
to walk alongside Shalini. His suit was gray to her black and his dark
hair was windswept. “I convinced them when you were on your lunch
break earlier. Falcon sounds a lot better than Brown Bear, doesn’t
it?”

The Envelope

“Mr. Ambassador, I really can’t have you changing protocol without
informing me.”

“Shalini,” he said with a grin. “How many times have I told you to
call me Jay? You’re my bodyguard, not my butler. And I’m sorry, I
didn’t know it was a breach in protocol.”

Shalini tried to look annoyed, but it was hard to stay mad at Jay. She
sighed. “It’s okay. But we only have a few more hours till your speech
at the UN summit. Let’s just try to keep things simple, till then,
Yeah?”

Jay saluted at her. “Sure thing, captain. If you call me Jay.”

Multiple Choice

When Jay tries to lighten the mood by joking about his code name, what does this reveal about his character?

• He does not take security threats seriously.

• He enjoys taking risks with his security team.

• He wants Shalini to treat him more formally.

• He values a lighthearted approach to stressful situations.

The Envelope

Shalini rolled her eyes. Jay Merchant was the youngest U.S.
ambassador in history, and sometimes it was obvious. He was only a few years older than her and Shalini had to admit that the last few months she had spent on his detail had been some of the best in her career. Aside from the fact that Jay was one of the easiest and most professional people she had worked for, he was also funny and kind. There was a reason he was considered almost a celebrity in Washington, DC, a reason he had so many followers on Twitter.

The Envelope

And it was exactly the reason why she was going to quit—right after
she got him to his speech at the United Nations. Shalini reached inside her jacket to confirm her resignation letter was still there. She had written it a week before but had wanted to see this last mission through before quitting her post. It was becoming too hard to pretend she wasn’t invested in her client, especially because he needed to remain that—just a client.

Shalini hadn’t had a crush this bad since middle school when she had followed Miles Trent around to all his classes. This time she was getting paid to do so, but Shalini worried it was compromising her work.

Open Ended

What factors are driving Shalini’s decision to resign from her position?

The Envelope

“Shalini? What’s on your mind?” Jay said, his hands in his pockets.
He had that easy smile on his face. It invited her to tell him all her
troubles.

“Nothing,” she said. “Just focused on getting you onto the FDR highway and up to the UN headquarters. I’ve timed it all out and we should get there in 20 minutes, including traffic.”

“Business as always,” he said.

She nodded. “That’s my job.”

An expression flickered across his face. It looked like sadness, or
disappointment. But Shalini couldn’t read into it too much. Sure, they had many moments between them. Maybe even a few moments that would be considered romantic. However, she had to consider her duty.

Her duty was to protect her client, first and foremost.

The Envelope

Shalini and the other guards formed a circle around Jay as they
walked away from the helipad and toward the car waiting for them
on the street. That was the first thing she should have noticed in the
moment they had arrived.

The car wasn’t in its assigned spot, despite assurances that it would
be.

“Lola, what’s going on?” Shalini said, turning to her colleague and
friend.

“It’s farther south,” Lola said. “Had to move because of traffic.
Almost got a ticket, the driver said.” She noticed Shalini’s expression.
“It’s pretty routine, Shalini.”

The Envelope

Shalini nodded, the tension in her chest easing. Jay had given a
strong speech at the last UN meeting a few months ago, and his
threat level had increased since then. That happened when you were
an ambassador willing to stand up for others—it could mean making
enemies.

“It’s farther south,” Lola said again. “The driver had to park near the
East River Esplanade.”

Shalini frowned. That was half a mile away. Not a far walk, but
farther than they had planned for. She gestured at the rest of the
team to fold in and tighten their circle around Jay. She didn’t like
having him out in the open like this, not after all the threats they had
received recently. To be as good as she was at her job meant looking
for every possibility and planning for every possible issue. Shalini
didn’t like it when plans changed, presented itself as an impenetrable
force.

Multiple Choice

What is the first indication that something might be wrong with their security arrangement?

• The ambassador’s code name change.

• The car not being in its assigned spot.

• Jay forgetting an important protocol.

• The ambassador being unprotected.

The Envelope

At least anyone who saw their team of agents would think twice.
Shalini had been assigned to the ambassador’s detail a few months
before, and she knew some of the other agents. Some she had worked with before, like Lola, and others she had heard of from her boss. It was a trusted group.

They made their way to the car. The other agents were relaxed,
joking, and tossing barbs with Jay as they walked. The other agents
were alert, but acted relaxed. However, Shalini was tense. Her gaze
followed all the joggers and early morning strollers on the long path
to their right that bordered the river. Soon, she began to relax. The
joggers were just getting their morning exercise, and everything was
fine. There was barely anyone on the walking path and streets this
early on a Tuesday morning, and those who were there looked like
they needed their morning coffee.

The Envelope

Shalini stole a glance at Jay. His face was lit up as he told a story to
the other agents. He had them in stitches. That was the thing about
Jay. He could make anyone laugh and instantly put them at ease. It
was the first thing she had noticed about him, other than his wide
smile and warm eyes.

They were close to the car now, only a few feet away. Some of the
tension in Shalini’s shoulders eased as she realized they would get
into the car safely. That was often the hardest part of these transfers.
Jay would be secure in the armored town car, where it would be much
easier to defend him and make new decisions on the fly regarding his
safety.

It also meant that they were closer to the moment when she would
have to hand Jay that envelope.

The Envelope

Agent Marks spotted the town car and spoke into his earpiece with
the driver. The driver exited the car and tipped his cap at them.

“Sorry about the trouble,” he said as he approached. “Traffic laws
are over the top in this city.”

They broke their shield formation and Shalini ushered the other
agents forward to clear the car and the surrounding space. She stood near
the back to oversee it all and keep an eye on their backs. This
time when she looked at Jay, he was staring back at her.

Like he had been looking for her. Her heart stuttered.

“Shalini, I—”

The Envelope

Something caught the edge of her vision and Shalini turned, just in
time to see a flash of metal slide toward Jay. Shalini lunged forward
and caught the edge of the driver’s knife across her forearm. She
winced from the pain, but it was only a flesh wound. Jay stumbled
back and Shalini yelled for the other agents as she grappled with the
driver. Lola ran over and pulled Jay away.

Shalini had known something would go wrong. She yanked the
driver’s arms behind his back and used her weight to force him
upward.

“Who are you? Who are you working for?” she said to him. She could
feel anger rising in her throat.

The driver grunted but kept silent.

“Tell me!” Shalini said.

“I wouldn’t be worried about me,” the driver said.

Multiple Choice

The author uses suspense to build the rising action of the story primarily to

• suggest the driver was following protocol

• create suspicion towards the driver

• create interest in being an agent

• suggest Lola would save Jay

The Envelope

What did that mean? Shalini motioned at one of the other agents to
take the driver into custody. She would get answers, eventually.

That’s when she noticed that Jay wasn’t in the car.

“Shalini!” Jay’s voice was frantic.

But he was with Lola, which meant—

Shalini whipped around and scanned the nearby area. Now Shalini
understood the driver’s words. She turned around to see Lola
pulling Jay in the opposite direction toward another black car near a
stoplight.

The Envelope

She chased after them. Lola was normally fast and ran laps around
Shalini in training, which Shalini knew because she considered Lola a
friend—had considered Lola a friend.

“Stay back!” Lola said, holding onto Jay.

Why was Lola trying to kidnap Jay? Several possible reasons flitted
through her mind, but they didn’t matter.

Shalini charged at Lola. Lola was using Jay as a shield, so she went for
Lola’s side and tried to break her grip.

Lola saw it coming. She threw Jay in front of herself, and he fell with
a grunt.

Shalini briefly checked his pulse—he was alive. But Lola was getting
away and if she did, they’d never know who was behind this. Or why
Lola had betrayed them.

The Envelope

Agent Marks caught up with them and Shalini motioned at Jay.

“Take care of him,” she said. “I’ve got Lola.”

Shalini ran after Lola, down the path that led to the seawall. The first
trickle of water hit her face. She had been right—there was a storm
arriving.

She spotted Lola around the corner of a building and followed. Shalini
pulled all her strength together and sprinted after Lola. It was now or never.
There was a boat on the other end of the seawall, probably
Lola’s other escape route if her initial plan failed.

The Envelope

Shalini pumped her legs and tackled Lola to the ground. Her former friend
groaned at the impact but remained silent as Shalini pulled her
arms behind her and handcuffed her.
She tugged Lola to her feet.

“Why?”

Lola looked away. “It wasn’t personal, Shalini.”
Of course, it was personal. They had been close friends—Lola even
knew how she felt about Jay. What could have driven her to do this?
To risk her career?

The question must have been clear on her face. “It was a lot of
money, Shalini. You know my mom’s sick. You know what I’d do to
help her,” Lola said softly.

Shalini’s shoulder drooped. She did know. But she also knew this
wasn’t the way.

“I’m sorry,” was all Shalini said. “I have to take you in now.”

Open Ended

Analyze Lola's motivations for betraying Shalini and Jay. In what ways does the author make Lola a sympathetic character despite her actions?

The Envelope

The steady beat of monitors beeping filled the room. Shalini sat in
the seat next to Jay’s bed, where she had been since the morning.

“Shalini?” His voice was weak and drained.

“How are you feeling?” she said, immediately getting to her feet.

It was somehow worse to see him awake than when he had been
asleep. Awake, it was clear that something was off. Jay was supposed
to be healthy and smiling and laughing. Not sitting here in a hospital
bed.

She had to leave. He was here, in this hospital bed, because of her
inability to do her job. This was her fault.

“Don’t go,” he said, struggling into an upright position.

The Envelope

“I’ll be right back,” she said. “Let me get the nurse.”

“I don’t need the nurse,” he said.

“Still, let me—”

Jay grabbed her hand. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have
known.”

That’s where he was wrong. “You don’t understand, Jay. I should
have known. If I hadn’t been so distracted, I might have noticed
something about Lola.”
“Distracted?” Jay’s gaze was sharp. Almost like he knew exactly what
she meant.
“I can’t see this happen again,” she said. “It’s too—”

“Painful?” Jay chuckled. “I agree. A bruised thigh bone isn’t fun, but
you know what’s worse? What I’d feel like if you left.”

The Envelope

Shalini didn't know how to react to that, so she reached into her suit
jacket and thrust the envelope at him, trying to avoid his eyes. Jay
gave her a curious look.

“I’m not opening that,” he said, tossing it onto the side table. “And
I’ve already phoned your boss. I don’t want a replacement, I want you
to stay.”

Shalini shook her head.

“It doesn’t make you weak, you know?” he said. “Feelings. Or
even . . . love.”

Her head shot up. Love? Did he mean—

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of Shalini's internal conflict regarding her feelings for her Jay at the end of the excerpt?

• It highlights the tension between her professional responsibilities and personal emotions, suggesting that her feelings may compromise her work.

• It shows that she is completely dedicated to her job and has no personal feelings.

• It indicates that she has already decided to quit her job and is no longer invested in the mission.

• It demonstrates that she is fully confident in her ability to separate personal feelings from her professional role.

The Envelope

“If you hadn’t been concerned for me, you wouldn’t have stopped the
first assailant. You wouldn’t have that nasty gash on your arm.”

Shalini looked down at her bandaged forearm. She had forgotten
about it.

He grabbed the envelope and handed it back to her. “So, stay. Figure
it out with me. I’m not saying it will be easy, but it might be worth
it.”

The Envelope

Shalini let the envelope sit in her hands, thinking of everything it
meant if she tore it up. And everything that might be at risk. It wasn’t
just that he was her client, or that she hadn’t been able to protect
him. They lived different lives and had different duties. They were
nothing alike.

But maybe that didn’t matter. Maybe all that mattered was that she
was willing to try—to take the risk.

Shalini took a deep breath and said—

Open Ended

Explain how Shalini's character traits influence the events in the story.