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Covert Operations Report At Approximately 0900 Hours On Saturday, October 14, Operative Morgan Was Given A Stern Lecture By Agent Townsend, A Tracking Device By Agent Cameron, And A Very Scary Look From Operative Goode. (she Also Got A Tip That Her Bra Strap Was Showing From Operative Mchenry.) The Operative Then Undertook A Basic Reconnaissance Mission Inside A Potentially Hostile Location. (but It Wasn't As Hostile As Operative Baxter Was Going To Be If Everything Didn't Go According To Plan.)

-Ally Carter

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Covert Operations Report At

Ally Carter

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Covert Operations Report At Approximately 0900 Hours On Saturday, October 14, Operative Morgan Was Given A Stern Lecture By Agent Townsend, A Tracking Device By Agent Cameron, And A Very Scary Look From Operative Goode. (she Also Got A Tip That Her Bra Strap Was Showing From Operative Mchenry.) The Operative Then Undertook A Basic Reconnaissance Mission Inside A Potentially Hostile Location. (but It Wasn't As Hostile As Operative Baxter Was Going To Be If Everything Didn't Go According To Plan.)

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I Suppose A Lot Of Teenage Girls Feel Invisible Sometimes, Like They Just Disappear. Well, That's Me—cammie The Chameleon. But I'm Luckier Than Most Because, At My School, That's Considered Cool. I Go To A School For Spies.

I Could Have Lied. I Could Have Fought. But Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures, So I Took A Chance And Called Upon A Gallagher Girl's Weapon Of Last Resort. I Flirted

Desperate Measures

So The Quesiton Is," Bex Said Slowly,"how Far Are You Willing To Go?" I Looked At My Three Best Friends In The World. "how Far Is There?

Give Me Everything You Have," I Told [preston]. "really, Cammie. I Never Knew You Thought Of Me That Way.

Every Decent Con Man Knows That The Simplest Truth Is More Powerful Than Even The Most Elaborate Lie.

You Know,' I Whispered, 'some Girls Might Think It's Creepy Having A Boy Watch Them Sleep.' He Smirked And Pointed To Himself. 'spy.' 'oh.' I Nodded. 'right. So You're A Trained Peeping Tom.' 'product Of The Best Peeping Academies In The Country.' 'well, Now I Feel Much Better.' 'you Should.

What About Him?" "what's Going On With You Two?" "nothing," Kat Said, A Little Too Quickly. "yeah, And Why Is That Exactly? I Thought You Two Were Getting All Relationshipy. But Now You're Gone Half Of The Time And He's ...angry." "no, He's Not." "yes, He Is." Gabrielle Gave A Short Laugh. "he Doesn't Like You Going Off, Doing These Jobs On Your Own.

That's For Me To Know, And For You To Find Out.

So, Your Dad's Hot." "thanks. He Was That Way When I Met Him, So I Can't Really Take Credit.

If Anything Happens, Marcus Will Save You. Won't You, Marcus? Hale Asked, Looking Up At The Man, Who Nodded. It Would Be An Honor, Miss.

Do You Have Any Idea How Hard It Is To Tail An Eighty Year-old Woman Its Hard. Really Hard. Really...slow. -grabrielle

You Were Right, Hale. It Was A Bad Job. It Was A Bad Call. You Were Right To Leave." "kat..." Hale Tried To Reach For Her, But Even In The Sand, Kat Was Quick And Sure On Her Feet, And She Moved Nimbly Away, Leaving Hale With Nothing But A Fistful Of Salty Air. "thanks For Coming Back And Helping Me Find Her And All, But..." She Looked At Gabrielle, Who Stood Leaning Against Simon, Still Bruised And Almost Broken. " I Think I've Got To Take It From Here.".... She Was Sure Right Up Until The Point When Hale Said, "no.

I Always Finish What I Start

Wait. Far Be It For Me To Say This" — Hamish Looked Around The Compartment — "and If Anyone Tells Uncle Eddie I Suggested Being An Upstanding Citizen I'll Kill 'em, But Aren't There...laws And Stuff? I Mean, Can't You...you Know...sue Him Or Something?" Asked The Boy Who Had Once Stolen An Entire Circus, All Three Rings.

"good For Him," Hale Said. And Then He Stopped. There Were Four Other People In The Room, But Hale Only Looked At Kat, And Something In His Gaze Burned Her, Froze Her, Made Her Want To Run.

I Love Your Bracelet!’ I Said To The Brunette Next To Me, Because, While Most Girls Are Onto The Whole Stranger-with-candy Thing, The Strangers-with-compliments Strategy Is Still Remarkably Effective.

It Felt As If Maybe The Curse Had Lifted, The Tide Had Shifted, But Then The Breeze Picked Up And A Skeet Took A Very Unfortunate Turn. Seconds Later, Angus Was Pulling His Shot Far To The Right, Shooting A Large Hole In The Second-story Galley Not Ten Feet Above Marcus's Head.

If You Don't Want To Be A Victim, Don't Act Like One." It Was Fairly Safe To Assume That That Was The First Time Anyone Had Ever Spoken To W. W. Hale The Fifth In That Manner. Kat Was Also Fairly Certain It Wouldn't Be The Last. "i Might Lose My Grandmother's Company." Kat Gave A Smile And Held Hale Tight. "you Won't Lose Me.

I Saw The Gun. I Sensed The Van As It Rushed Forward, Seconds Away And Coming Faster. I Heard The Screams Of The Fight Behind Us. But Nothing That Night Was Louder Than The Masked Man's Astonished Whisper As He Looked At The Boy Who Stood Beside Me And Said, 'you?

Listen To Me, Cammie. There Are Things In This Life…in This World…there Are Things That You Don’t Want To Remember.” - Rachel Morgan

Okay, First Thing Tomorrow We Hit The Streets Around Taccone's Place. Somebody Saw Something.' 'i Got It Covered.' 'the Dimarcos Might Be In Town.' 'actually, They're In Jail.' 'all Seven Of Them?' Hale Shrugged. 'it Was An Interesting October.

I Mean She's Cleopatra... Shouldn't She And Antony Have Known Better? They Were So Different..." "variety Is The Spice Of Life" "and From A Thousand Miles Apart" "absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Another Door Swung Open, And Another Guard Appeared, This Time With Gabrielle, Who Wore A Black Catsuit And Rappelling Harness.

Even Though Kate Had Only Known Hale For A Little More Than Two Years, She Had Seen Him In A Lot Of Situations.

Quietly, Macey Went Through Her Options. Even Though The Masked Men Were Asking For Cell Phones, The Gunmen Were Making So Much Noise That She Was Sure Someone Had Already Called 911. The Obvious Exits Were Blocked, And The Elevators Had No Doubt Been Disabled. The Men Moved With Confidence And Order, But They Weren’t Trying To Be Quiet. There Was Nothing Covert At All About This Operation. Unlike The Boy Beside Her.

Don't Let Two Men Fall In Love With You, Girls. It's Not The Sort Of Thing That Ends Well." -uncle Charles

Falling In Love

I Sprung You Because I've Got A Message For You" "doesn't Your Family Own A Cell Phone Company?" "only A Little One

Dancing. Come On. You Can Do It. It's A Lot Like Navigating Through A Laser Grid. It Requires Rhythm.' He Moved Her Hips To The Beat Of The Distant Music. 'and Patience.' He Spun Her Around Slowly And Back Toward Him. 'and It's Only Fun If You Trust Your Partner.' The Dip Was So Slow, So Smooth That Kat Didn't Know It Was Happening Until The World Was Already Turned Upside Down And Hale's Face Was Inches From Her Own. Count Me In, Kat.' He Squeezed Her Tighter. 'you Should Always Count Me In.

Crouched On The Roof Between Bex And Liz, I Wasn't A Girl Who Had Just Broken Up With Her Boyfriend; I Looked At My Watch And Check My Gear Instead Of Crying. I Had A Mission Objective And Not A Broken Heart.

Hamish Smiled And Rubbed His Hands Together. "sure We Can. What Do You Say? Pigs In A Blanket?" He Leaned Over The Cool Counter And Raised His Eyebrows At Gabrielle. "the Only Way I'll Get Under A Blanket With You Is If Both Of Us Are On Fire," She Told Him.

In A Place Where Everyone Knew My Story, It Was Nice To Know There Was A Chapter That Only I Had To Read. :)

Good-bye Dr. Steve,' I Said, Then Climbed The Stairs And Went To The Fifth Floor To Die.

But I Should Have Known That It Doesn't Take That Long For Change To Happen - It Takes A Second.

Hello, Gallagher Girl --zack

Kat Looked Down At Her Lemonade. 'do You Think He Betrayed The Love Of His Life...because Of Us?' 'she Used The Name Romani, Kat,' Was Gabrielle's Answer. 'and Besides...' She Let The Words Draw Out. Her Gaze Went To The Distance, And There Was A Sense Of Peace In The Way She Said, 'we're The Love Of His Life.' She Raised Her Glass Again. 'to Family.

You See, Greg, My Mother Is Going Through A Feline Phase. Blinky Is A Persian,' Hale Said Simply, As If That Should Explain Everything. 'binky Has A Nasty Habit Of Shedding All Over The Living Room Furniture, You See.' Gregory Wainwright Nodded As If He Understood Perfectly. 'and So We Had To Get New Living Room Furniture, Which, Unfortunately, Does Not Go With The Monet.' Kat Stood There For A Moment, Staring Into That Small Window Of The World Where Someone Would Tire Of A Monet Simply Because It Clashed With The Couch.

Across The Room, Hale Smiled Slightly. 'we Can Draw You A Diagram If You Need It.' 'no Thanks,' Nick Said. 'i Think I've Got Everyone But You.

Go To Bed, Cammie,” My Aunt Ordered, Sounding Exactly Like My Mother. “no,” I Said, Sounding Exactly Like My Aunt.

Tell Me Cameron Ann Morgan, What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?... Alive

It’s The People You Hold Closest Who Have The Most Power To Make You Bleed.

Cammie's Going To Be Mad She Missed This," Macey Said To Fill The Silence. "excuse Me?" Hale Asked. "nothing." She Shook Her Head. "i Just...i Have A Friend Who Really Likes Air Vents. And Dumbwaiter Shafts. And Laundry Chutes. Of Course, The Last Time I Was In A Laundry Chute, Cammie And I Fell About A Dozen Stories..." "well, That Sounds Like Fun." "it Was Either That Or Get Kidnapped By Terrorists, So I Guess We Got Of Easy.

They Promised Me That This Would Be My Home. That Girls Like You Would Always Be My Sisters. But They Weren't My Sisters, Were They?" Catherine Asked, But Then The Lunacy Broke, A Quick And Fleeting Crack, And Through It I Saw Anger And Bitterness And Rage.

Turns Out, You Can Take The Girl Out Of The Spy School, But You Can Never Take The Spy School Out Of The Girl.

Its Vermeer" Kat Turned To The Boy Who Lingered In The Doorway. "it's Stolen" "what Can I Say?" Hale Eased Behind Her And Studied The Painting Over Her Shoulder. "i Met A Very Nice Man Who Bet Me He Had The Best Security System In Istanbul." His Breath Was Warm On The Back Of Her Neck. "he Was Mistaken.

She Pulled Away And Looked At Him. 'i Kissed You And You Left.' When Kat Heard The Pounding, She Thought It Was The Beating Of Her Heart. It Was Too Loud, She Thought. Hale Was Going To Hear It; He Was Going To See It; And He Was Going To Know How Much Power He Had To Hurt Her.

The Older Generation Sat Looking At The Younger, And Kat Wondered Exactly When And How The Baton Had Been Passed. She Wanted To Know If It Was Too Late To Give It Back.

I Didn't Know There Were This Many Math Guys," Hale Said As They Stepped Onto The Crowded Concourse. Kat Cleared Her Throat. "and Women," He Added. "math Women.

Should Alcoholics Go To Liquor Stores?

That's Why We're Going To Disrupt The Lunch," She (kat) Said. "you Know," Angus Said, "i've Got A Little C-four That I've Been Saving For A Rainy--" "we're Not Blowing Up My Company, Angus," Hale Said. "righto. Carry On, Kitty.

Cammie: I Never Knew There Were This Many Stars. Zach: I Can't See Them. I Just See You.

Ooh..i Want One" - Bex They're Not Puppies." -cammie

That Wasn't Your Mom In You—that Was Your Dad.

But I Wasn't The Girl I'd Been When I Left, And I Knew It.

It Was Epic. It Was Awkward. It Was Epically Awkward.

Hey I Bruise," Hale Said. "also, You Are Freakishly Strong.

What Is A Gallagher Girl? She's A Genius, A Scientist, A Heroine, A Spy... A Gallagher Girl Is Whatever She Wants To Be.

Ambassador Winters, Allow Me To Introduce My Aunt Abby And Her....boyfriend.' Townsed Tensed. Abby Glared. And Rebecca Baxter Looked Like She Was Going To Choke On Her Chewing Gum.

Maybe Liz Was Right And She'd Wanted Someplace Safe. Maybe Mr. Solomon Really Did Understand That Running Was The Only Way Macey Would Find Out If We'd Run After Her. Or Maybe, Like Me, She Just Wanted To Disappear For A Little While

Gabrielle Was Insulted And Didn't Even Bother To Hide It. 'oh, And I Suppose You Think Your Dad Was Alone When He Free-climbed The Kyoto Banking Tower On A Windy Day Last September.

The Bagshaws? They Didn't Know She Was A Nun!

When The Woman Took The Earbud, He Didn't Ask Another Question. She Was A Woman On A Mission As She Placed The Tiny Device In Her Ear And Said, "this Is Special Agent Abby Cameron. Let Me Talk To Macey Mchenry.

Don't Put Your Characters On A Treadmill. They Need To Go New Places, Face New Challenges And Do New Things.

Sometimes It Takes An Outsider, Someone With Fresh Eyes To See The Truth.

Hale Looked At Macey, Who Added, "seven Minutes Since Shots Fired." "kat What's The Emergency Response Tie In Midtown Manhattan?" "not Long Enough If They Want A Clean Exit," She Told Him. Macey Hadn't Heard Kat's Words, But She Looked At Hale Like She'd Read His Mind.

They Were Both Totally Laughing, And He Was Twirling Her, And Her Hair Was Flying Around Like She Was In A Shampoo Commercial. Seriously. She Could Have Sold Conditioner To A Bald Man The Way She Looked Out There.

Most People Believe Me When I Lie. I've Learned How To Say The Words Just Right. I Have A Trusting Kind Of Face. But The Boy In Front Of Me Was A Trained Operative, So Zach Knew Better. And Besides, Zach New Me.

Hey Anyone Who Thinks A Non-military–grade Rappelling Cable Can Support The Weight Of Two Grown Men And A Miniature Donkey Deserves To Fall Off A Cliff.

I Know Too Well How Dangerous Hope Can Be, How It Grows And Sometimes Dies, Taking Its Host With It. It's More Powerful Than Anything Dr.fibs Keeps In His Labs, More Precious Than All The Secrets Inside Sublevel Two.

Why Do I Feel Like I Can't Trust You Anymore?' I Wanted Him To Lash Out. I Wanted Him To Fight, To Protest, To Argue- To Do Anything But Look Deeper Into My Eyes And Say, 'because The Gallagher Academy Doesn't Admit Fools

What About A Princess Bride?" "where Are We Gonna Find A Six-fingered Man On Such Short Notice?

There's A Power That Comes With Silence. I Had Grown To Fear The Unsaid Thing. So It Felt Like A Release To Say It-to Admit That The Risk Wasn't Just Inside Our Walls-it Was Inside My Skin. I Was Willing To Claw, Scratch, And Bleed Until I'd Found It.

Macey Was Just Starting To Argue When Abby Asked, "what Can You Tell Me About The Gunmen?" "they're Amateurs," Hale Said At The Exact Same Time Macey Told Her Teacher, "they're Pros.

You Should Have Had The Decency To Die When You Needed To." “sorry,” I Admitted. “i’ve Been Going Through A Bit Of A Rebellious Streak. I Swear It’s Almost Over.

"cammie!" I'll Never Forget The Tone Of Macey's Voice In That Moment. "cam," She Said Slowly, Moving Toward Me, "i Know How It Feels To Be Watched Every Second Of Every Day. I Know What It's Like To Trust Fewer And Fewer People Until It Seems Like You Are Completely Alone In The World. I Know You Think The Only Things That Are Left In Your Life Are The Bad Things. I Know What You're Feeling, Cam." Her Hands Were On My Shoulders. Her Blue Eyes Were Staring Into Mine. "i Know."

You Know" - Hale's Breath Was Warm Against Kat's Ear In The Chilly Ballroom- "i Don't Know That Both Of Us Really Have To Be Here...." The Slide Changed. While Hundreds Of Mathematicians Waited With Baited Breath, The Boy Beside Kat Whispered, "i Could Go Make Some Calls... Check On Some Things..." "play Some Blackjack?" "well, When In Rome..." "rome Is Tomorrow, Babe," Kat Reminded Him. He Nodded. "right.

There Are Some Secrets We Keep Because We Can't Bear To Let Them Out And Some Because It's Better To Keep Them In.

Thanks To You, Gabs, We Just Figured Out A Half Dozen Ways Not To Rob The Henley.

How Are We Doing, Simon?" She Whispered Into The Small Microphone In Her Collar. "just About..." Simon Started Slowly. And Then He Stopped. "wow." "what?" She Asked, Panic In Her Voice. "nothing," He Said Too Quickly. "what?" She Asked Again. "well...it's Just That...your Boobs Look Even Bigger On Tv." Kat Took That Opportunity To Turn And Glare At The Nearest Security Camera. In His Bathroom Stall Thirty Feet Away, Simon Nearly Fell Off The Toilet.

Either We're A Team Or We Aren't. Either You Trust Me Or You Don't.

If You Don't Want To Be A Victim, Don't Act Like One.

The Whole Summer Lay Ahead Of Us-time To Rest, Time To Wait. And When The Future Comes-no Matter What Comes With It-i'll Be Smarter. I'll Be Stronger. I'll Be Ready.

I'm Fine I Said For The 2,467th Time This Semester. (i Know. I Was Keeping Count)

I Wonder What Kinds Of Songs Preston's Father Sang To Him." Zach Raised His Eyebrows. "i Wonder If He's In A Cell Humming Them To Himself Right Now." I Should Have Said Something-done Something. He Was In A Dark Place, There In The Moonlight. But Before I Could Say A Word, Zach Took A Deep Breath And Looked Up At The Fortress. "i Wonder If I Should Join Him.

And I Remember "normal" Might Never Be The Same Again.

You're Girls!' He Shouted As If The Fact Had Totally Eluded Him Until Then.

When His Phone Rang, He Had To Dig Through His Pocket To Find It, And His Fingers Brushed Against A Pair Of Tiny Earbuds He And Kat Had Last Used In Monte Carlo. Hale Smiled A Little, Realizing He Hadn’t Worn The Tux In Ages. It Was Just One Of Many Ways His Life Had Change In The Years Since A Girl Named Katarina Bishop Crawled Into His Window And Into His Life." — Double Crossed By Ally Carter

"we're Going To Be Okay." Here's The Thing About Being A Spy: Sometimes All You Have Are Your Lies. They Protect Your Cover And Keep Your Secrets, And Right Then I Needed To Believe That It Was True Even When All The Facts Said Otherwise.

The Bagshaws Aren't Boys. They're Bombs With Very Colorful Fuses.

...there Was No Such Thing As Curses. People Make And Break Their Own Fortunes -they Are The Masters Of Their Own Fate.

Your Memory Is Your First And Best Weapon, Ladies. Learn To Use It.

Oh.' I Shot Upright. 'i Was In Mongolia.' Note To Self: Learn To Be A Less Extreme Liar.

...nothing Ever Happens Quickly (except When It Does). Nothing Is Ever, Ever Easy (except When It Is). And, Most Of All, Nothing Ever Goes Perfectly According To Plan (except In The Movies).

She Watched Him Stop To Pat The Mayor On The Back. He Stumbled A Little In The Crowd, And His Left Hand Disappeared Ever So Briefly Inside The Mayor’s Tuxedo Pocket. It Was Over In A Flash, A Blink, A Second. And Macey Was Quite Certain She Was The Only Person In The Entire Room To Have Seen It, But That Was Just As Well. At Least, Macey Had Seen Enough. And At Last, The Boy Made Sense." — Double Crossed By Ally Carter

Yes, Of Course. But ... How?" Kat Felt Her Crew Around Her: Hamish's Arm Hung Around Simon's Shoulders; Gabrielle's Delicate Hands Draped Through The Arms Of Angus And Nick. Kat's Own Hand Found Hale's, Then, Fingers Interlacing, Palms Pressing Together So Tightly That Kat Knew Nothing Could Come Between Them. Nothing. She Looked At Him. No One. "it's Easy," Kat Said, "when You Don't Have To Do It Alone.

You Don't Need A Search Warrant To Go Through Someone's Trash. Seriously. Once It Hits The Curb It Is Totally Fair Game - You An Look It Up.

Despite Popular Belief, Hitting Someone With A Closed Fist Actually Hurts The Hitter Almost As Much As The Hittee.

Kat Didn't Know What To Say. It's Good To See You Too? Thanks For Getting Me Kicked Out? Is It Possible You've Gotten Even Hotter? I Think I Might Have Missed You?

Listen To Me." He Grabbed My Arms, Holding Me There. " I Couldn't Find You. And I Will Never Forgive Myself For That. Ever.

The Kids Kept Walking, Moving Through The Henley's Halls Like A Tide, But When Kat Turned To Leave, She Walked In The Opposite Directions. She Wasn't An Ordinary Kid, After All. Katarina Bishop Followed No One.

When Hale's Hand Disappeared Inside His Tuxedo Jacket, Macey Wasn't Exactly Sure What He'd Find Inside The Pocket. It Could Have Been Another Phone Or A Breath Mint. Really, Nothing Would Have Surprised Her. Well Nothing Except... "is That An Earbud?" She Whispered. He Smiled. "are You On Comms?" "shhh," He Told Her Softly.

If You Don't Mind Me Saying, Mr. Hale. She's A Keeper." He Pointed In Kat's Direction.

I'm Someone Who Doesn't Have Anything To Lose.

Time, The Greatest Thief Of All.

And As Every Spy Knows, Common Enemies Are How Allies Always Begin.

Hale." Kat Sighed. "the Headmaster's Car? Really? That's Not To Cliched For You?" What Can I Say?" He Shrugged. "i'm An Old-fashioned Guy. Besides, It's A Classic For A Reason." He Leaned Against The Window. "it's Good To See You, Kat." Kat Didn't Know What To Say. It's Good To See You, Too? Thanks For Getting Me Kicked Out? Is It Possible You've Gotten Even Hotter? I Think I Might Have Missed You?

You Look Disappointed To See Me, Zach," Macey Teased. "don't You Like My Jacket?

Nick Sat Beside Simon, Who Was At His Computer. Marcus Stood At Attention Beside The Food. Hale Had His Feet On The Table, Reading The Morning Paper. And Someone Had Given The Bagshaws A Gun. 'pull!' Hamish Yelled, And Angus Pulled A Cord And Sent A Skeet Flying Across The Deep Blue Water. A Split Second Later, A Loud Crack Was Reverberating Across The Deck. Kat Jumped. Hale Sighed. The Shot Went Far Wide, And Marcus Never Moved A Muscle.

The Subject Has Really Blue Eyes That Twinkle When He Looks At Someone Like She's Maybe A Little Bit Insane.

Easy There," Zach Said When I Stumbled Into Him. "now's Probably Not The Time To Get Handsy. You Might Want To Control Yourself.

She Didn't Protest As Hale Slid His Arm Around Her And Pulled Her To Rest Against His Chest. It Was Somehow Softer There Than She Remembered.

...maybe It's Only Fitting That Relationship That Started With A Lie Would End With One.

Where's The Fun In That?

And Zach Was Taking His Jacket Off And Draping It Around My Shoulders, Which (according To Liz, Who Double Checked With Macey) Is The Single-sexiest Thing A Guy Can Do.

Someday You Will Know That The Heart Is Not Always As Wise As It Is Strong. - Uncle Eddie

Of Course, The Downside Of Attending A Fictional School Is That Our Lacrosse Team Sucks.

You'd Better Not Be Trying To Steal That," She Said. The Boy Shrugged And Reached For The Small Rolling Suitcase At Her Feet. "i Wouldn't Dare." "because I'm An Excellent Yeller." "i Don't Doubt It." "and Fighter. My Cousin Gave Me This Nail File... The Thing's Just Like A Switchblade.

"no," Preston Snapped. But He Didn't Protest Long Because, If I'm Going To Be Honest - Which Is Kind Of The Point Of These Reports - I Was Already Unzipping His Pants.

It Seems You Don't Approve Of The Family Business Katerina. Or Of Me. But These Chances You Take... These Things You Do... This Is A Dangerous Life To Live... Alone.

I Love Being A Pavement Artist; Seriously, I Do. It's Like When Guys Who Would Normally Hate Being Freakishly Tall Discover Basketball, Or When Girls With Abnormally Long Fingers Sit Down At A Piano. Blending In, Going Unseen, Being A Shadow In The Sun Is What I'm Good At. Seeing The Shadows, It Turns Out, Is Not My Natural Gift.

Zach Walked Away, But I Stood There For A Long Time, Wondering If I Should Go To My Mother; If I Should Go To My Friends; But Instead I Slipped Into The Corridors I Hadn't Used In Months, Pushed My Way Through Cobwebs And Darkness, Trying To Walk Away From The Tears That Burned Hot Down My Cheeks, Because Maybe I Didn't Want To Admit Weakness; Maybe I Wanted To Wallow In My Solitude And Grief. Or Maybe Crying Is Like Everything Else We Do—it's Best If You Don't Get Caught.

Unusual Financial Activity: None, Unless You Count The Fact That Someone In The Family Is Way Too Into Civil War Biographies. (can This Be A Possible Indication Of Confederate Insurgents Still Living And Working In Virginia? Must Research Further.)

I Don’t Understand Hate. I’ve Seen Its Power. I’ve Known Its Wrath. I’ve Even Felt It Coursing Through My Veins, Pushing Me On. But I Don’t Know Where It Comes From Or Why It Lasts, How It Can Take Hold In Some People And Grow.

You Shouldn't Judge Someone Until You've Walk A Mile Through An Underground Tunnel In Her Uncomfortable Shoes

Kat Felt Her Heart Beat Faster, Adrenaline Pumping Through Her Veins, And She Knew He Was Right. She Studied Him For A Long Time. "do You Believe In Curses, Hale?" He Looked At Her. "i Believe In You.

Now, Now, Hear Me Out," Hamish Went On. "we Don't Have To Kidnap Garrett. Not If We Kidnap The Buyer." "or Distract Him," Angus Added. "like The Bulgari Job," Hamish Said. "you Mean The Job That Landed Half The Dimarco Family In A South African Prison?" Kat Said. Angus Shrugged. "nobody Said It Was Perfect.

When Zach Said, "im Going To Kill Dr. Steve." It Wasn't The Angered Threat Of A Worried Boy; It Was The Calm, Cool Statement Of An Operative Trained To Do Exactly That. And That, I Think, Is Why It Scared Me. But It Wasn't As Terrifying As The Look In Bex's Eyes When She Said, "not If I Find Him First.

But In The End She Merely Shrugged, Knowing At The Very Least It Would Be Interesting. Knowing, In Her Gut, It Might Just Be The Beginning.

Like So Many Aspiring Writers Who Still Have Boxes Of Things They've Written In Their Parents' Houses, I Filled Notebooks With Half-finished Poems And Stories And First Paragraphs Of Novels That Never Got Written.

And So That Means..." "we Have To Rob The Henley," Simon Said. Kat Sank Onto A Truly Uncomfortable Sofa. "again.

But The Downside Of Being Con Artist Is That It Very Hard To Con. Even If The Lies You Tell Are To Yourself.

You Still Don't Get It, Do You, Margaret?' Kat Smiled Almost Sadly. 'we Never Had To Steal The Antony. All We Had To Do Was Get It Next To The Cleopatra And Switch The Signs.

His Hands Are Off," Gabrielle Pointed Out. "posture's Wrong," Kat Said. "he's Still ... Hot," Gabrielle Said, As If It Were The Greatest Insult In The World. "i Feel So Objectified. So ... Cheap," Hale Told Them.

That's When I Heard The Sounds Of A Certified Genius Spinning Around In Circles Like A Dog Chasing Its Tail.

Spinning Around

Even The Best Thief In The World Can't Steal Time.

Sometimes The Biggest Lies We Tell Are To Ourselves.

Kat Had Been Picking Things Up Since Her Third Birthday, When Hamish And Angus's Father Took Them All To The Circus Because He Needed To "borrow" An Elephant.

Even Though Cammie Is Fluent In Fourteen Languages And Capable Of Killing A Man Seven Different Ways With Her Bare Hands, She Has No Idea What To Do When She Meets An Ordinary Boy Who Thinks She's An Ordinary Girl.

I Think The Canary Left Some Feathers In There After You Ate It.

You Should Always Trust The Instincts Of Children.

You Know You're Smarter Than All Of Them, Right?" Hale Said Flatly. "in Fact, If You Wanted To Prove It..." He Glanced At The Blackjack Tables. Simon Shook His Head. "i Don't Count Cards, Hale." "don't?" Hale Smiled. "or Won't? You Know, Technically, It's Not Illegal." "but It's Frowned Upon." Sweat Beaded At Simon's Brow. He Sounded Like Someone Had Just Suggested He Swim After Eating... Run With Scissors... "it Is Seriously Frowned Upon.

There Are Six Reasons Anyone Does Anything: Love. Faith. Greed. Boredom. Fear..." He Said, Ticking Them Off On His Fingers; But He Lingered On The Last, Drawing A Deep Breath Before He Said, "revenge.

Hale, Stop It.” Kat Reached Out And Grabbed His Arm. “you Are Many Things, But Stupid Isn't One Of Them.” “i'm Too Close.” “you Don't Get It, Do You? Being Close Is Good. Caring Is Good. I Love That You're Emotional And Passionate And Can't Turn These Things Off.” “it Makes Me A Bad Thief.” “it Makes You A Good Person.

Kat Looked At Hale. "i've Never Heard Marcus Talk This Much." "yeah," Hale Whispered. "i'm Trying To Decide If I Like It." Just Then, Marcus Took The Ruler And Struck Eddie In The Stomach. "hale Men Speak From The Diaphragm!" Hale Nodded. "i Definitely Like It.

That's A Lovely Piece," Kat Said, Pointing At A Louise Xv Armoire Near The Fireplace. The Man Raised His Eyebrows. "did You Come To Steal It?" "darn It," Kat Said With A Snap Of Her Fingers."i Knew I Should Have Brought My Big Purse.

The Window Can Be Fixed, Katerina. I'm Far More Concerned About Him.

To Know A Piece Of Grass, You’ve Got To See The Ground That Grew It. Maybe That’s Why I Remember Every Detail Of That Night, Every Inch Of Ground We Covered, As I Followed Zach To The Place That Had Made Him, Seeing Them Both With Fresh Eyes.

You Don't Have To Do This, Kat." "i've Been Hearing That A Lot Lately." "he's Right." "i Didn't Say Who Had Said It," She Countered. "you Didn't Have To." He Looked Out At The Water. "you Two Are Good Together." "we're Not Together," Kat Said Automatically. "sure You Are. You Just Don't Know It Yet.

Lies," Mr Solomon Said The Next Morning As He Walked Into The Classroom. "we Tell Them To Our Friends," He Said. "we Tell Them To Our Enemies. And Eventually...we Tell Them To Ourselves.

If You Can Be Still Enough And Common Enough, Then It's Really Easy To Be Invisible.

Rules Exist For A Reason. Rules Exist Because When People Don't Follow Them, People Get Hurt.

The Older Man Cocked His Head And Gave A Laugh, "we Get All The Ladies. But For Some Reason I Don't Think You're Here Looking For Me." "i Don't Know," Kat Said. "i'm Always In The Market For Good Rappelling Harness." "for You, My Dear, Nothing But The Best." "but You Are Right About Something. I'm Actually Trying To Find---" "young Mr. Hale, I'm Assuming." Kate Blushed. "let Me Guess--i'm Not The Only One?" "maybe. But You're The One I Hope Finds Him." He Gave A Wink And Walked Away, And Kat Didn't Feel Alone Anymore In The Big Room Full Of People.

You Might Think Being The Target Of An International Terrorist Organization, An Amnesiac, And A Girl With Hair Dyed In The Middle Of The Night By Macey Mchenry Would Make People Stare At You. Well, Try Walking Into The Grand Hall With Seriously Puffy Eyes While Holding Hands. With A Boy.

Either We're A Team Or We Aren't. Either You Trust Me Or You Don't." Hale Took A Step Toward Her. "what's It Going To Be, Kat?" It Is An Occupational Hazard That Anyone Who Has Spent Her Life Learning How To Lie Eventually Becomes Bad At Telling The Truth; In That Moment Kat Didn't Have A Clue What To Say. I Carn't Do This With Out You Sounded Trite. What They Were Doing Was To Big For A Simple Please. Hale I-" You Know What? Never Mind. Either Way, I'm In Kat." He Seemed Utterly Resloved As He Slipped On His Sunglasses. "i'm All In

Tell Me Or I'll Yell For Mr. And Mrs. Baxter, And You Can Find Out How Bex Became Bex

I Drink Caffeine" She Said Calmly "lot's Of It Gives You Pep

Even The Longest Con Was Never More Than An Assortment Of Moments That Were In Themselves Very Very Short.

I Needed To See You. And Touch You. And Just... Know

Abby Must Have Been The One Who Found The Safe House, Because Townsend Didn't Like It. "the Building Across The Street Is Under Construction," He Snarled As Soon As We'd Carried Our Bags Inside. "the Elevator Has Key Card Access, And I've Hacked Into The Surveillance Cameras From Every System On The Block," Abby Argued. "we Have A Three-hundred-sixty-degree Visual." "excellent." Townsend Dropped His Bag. "now The Circle Can See Us From Every Angle." "don't Mind Agent Townsend, Girls," Abby Told Us. "he's A Glass-half-empty Kind Of Spy." "also Known As The Good Kind," He Countered. Abby Huffed.

Surveillance Cameras

She Looked At Him And Shook Her Head, Smiled A Litle As She Told Him, "you Are So Like Your Father." Then She Looked Past Me And Zach, Past Bex And Abby, To Where Agent Townsend Sttod By The Door With His Arms Crossed. "what Do You Think, Townsend, Darling? Isn't He Just Like You?" She Looked At Zach Again. "i Think He's Just Like You." And Then She Closed Her Eyes And Drifted Off To Sleep.

I For One Like Chaos. Chaos Looks Good On Me.

You Are Back, Cam. Which Means For The First Time Since You Left, It's Okay For Us To Be Mad At You For Leaving. - Macey

Mariano The Second Had Been The Son Of A Fisherman, But He'd Suffered From An Unfortunate Tendency Toward Seasickness And Was Forced To Find A Respectable Career That Could Be Safely Conducted On Dry Land. So He Built Boats. Mariano The Third Built Bigger Boats. And By The Time A Girl From A Very Different Type Of Family Business Arrived At Their Shopfront On The Mediterranean Coast, Mariano The Fourth Had Built And Patented At Least Half A Dozen Of The Most Advanced (and Justifiably Expensive) Watercrafts In The World.

Mr. Solomon Was Right The Worst Kind Of Torture Is Watching Someone You Love Get Hurt.

Someone You Love

Fear Is A Weakness. It Makes A Person Lose Her Nerve And Her Cool. It Makes People Jumpy And Organizations Nervous, And When That Happens, There Is Always A Chance To Take Advantage.

I'm The Guy Who Happened To Be Home The Night Kat Came To Steal A Monet."- Hale

I Think It's Kinda Nice.' And I Did. My Mom Isn't Famous For Her Pies. No, She's Famous For Defusing A Nuclear Device In Brussels With Only A Pair Of Cuticle Scissors And A Ponytail Holder. Somehow, At The Moment, Pies Seemed Cooler.

For All The Days Of Our Lives," We Finished And I Felt A Little Like A Character In One Of My Grandma's Soap Operas.

She'd Absolutely Adored The Library_an Entire Building Where Anyone Could Take Things They Didn't Own And Feel No Remorse About It.

Townsend Shrugged. 'with All Due Respect To The Good Doctor, I Highly Suspect He's A Moron.

So I Hear We Get To Go To Town This Weekend. Want To Catch A Movie Or Something? --z P.s. That Is, If Jimmy Doesn't Mind. Translation: This Weekend Might Be A Good Chance For Us To See Each Other Outside Our School In A Social Environment, Free Of Competetiton. I Do Not View Other Boys As Threats, And I Enjoy Making Them Seem Insignificant By Calling Them The Wrong Names. (translation By Macey Mchenry)

Sometimes People Run… To See If You'll Come After Them

First Time It's A Stranger. Second Time Its Just A Coincidence. Third Time It's A Tail

Like Cammie Is Fine," Macey Said, Then Glanced At Me. "no Offense." "none Taken," I Said. "i Think.

The Things That Are Most Precious To Us Are Sometimes The Most Secret.

Excuse Me, But Aren't Boys Forbidden On This Floor?' Macey Said On Our Way To The Suite. 'that's The Advantage Of Being The Only Boy,' He (zach) Said. 'no One Actually Comes Right Out And Makes Rules Like That.

Maggie Threw Her Head Back And Laughed. 'so You're Going To Try...what? Birds Of A Feather?' She Quested. 'of Course Not,' Kat Said. 'everyone Knows The French Government Banned The Importation Of Peacocks In 1987.

Hey, Macey, Sorry To Drop In But Cammie Just Had To Be Alone With Me. You Know How She Gets.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

The Time For Crying With Your Girlfriends About A Broken Heart Is Over Chocolate Ice Cream And Chick Flicks—not Stun Guns And Bulletproof Vests.

Because Death Is The Only Thing That Could Have Ever Kept Him From You.

Basement?' Hamish Cried, Then Glanced At His Brother. 'you Hear This Fellow? He Thinks We Can Just Go On Down To The Furnace And Start Tinkering?' Angus Laughed. 'he Probably Wouldn't Care At All If The Whole Place Went Boom, He Wouldn't.' At This The Guard Bristled And Stood Up Even Straighter. 'now See Here---' 'no, You See, My Good Man. Out Here, See, We've Got Snow. So In There, I'd Bet, You've Got Heat. And Where There's Heat There's Gas; And Where There's Gas There's...' Angus Trailed Off While His Brother Said, 'boom.

Yes?' Joe Solomon Sounded Like Someone With Far Better Things To Do. 'is There Any Homework?' She Asked, And The Class Turned Instantly From Shocked To Irritated. (never Ask That Question In A Room Full Of Girls Who Are All Black Belts In Karate) 'yes,' Solomon Said, Holding The Door In The Universal Signal For Get Out. 'notice Things.

Do You Understand Any Of This?" He Said, Pointing To The Lines And Symbols That Covered The Massive Screens. "some People Understand The Value Of An Education." Hale Stretched And Crossed His Legs, The Settled His Arm Around Kat's Shoulders. "that's Sweet, Kat. Maybe Later I'll Buy You A University. And An Ice Cream." "i'd Settle For The Ice Cream." "deal.

Zach,” I Said As I Lay There “where Did You Go? When You Were Looking For Me?” I Shifted In His Arms, Looked Into His Eyes. “crazy.” His Voice Was A Whisper Against My Skin. “i Went Crazy.

Seriously", Macey Snapped. "go. Kiss. A Baby" "can You Believe Her?" Preston Asked, Coking His Head Towards Macey." Everytime She Sees Me, All She Does Is Call Me Baby And Talk About Kissing." Macey Looked Like She Wanted To Kill Him. But I Kind Of Wanted To Laugh.

Oh, And Cammie," At The Sounds Of His Voice, I Spun Around, Expecting To Hear Him Crack A Joke Or Call Me Gallagher Girl. The Last Thing I Expected Was To Feel His Arms Sliding Arounds Me, To Sense The Whole World Turning Upside Down As Zach Dipped Me In The Middle Of The Foyer And Pressed His Lips To Mine. Then He Smiled That Smile I'd Come To Know. "i Always Finish What I Start.

Or Maybe Crying Is Like Everything Else We Do- It's Best If You Don't Get Caught.

Hiding Is For Amateurs.

He Was Beside Me Then, His Arms Wrapped Around Me, Holding Me Tightly. "i'm Not Crazy," I Whispered. "i Know." Believe It Or Not, That's The Most Romantic Thing Zachary Goode Ever Told Me. And I Kind Of Loved Him For It.

Denying The Undeniable Just Makes You Sound Like A Fool As Well As A Liar.

The Princess And The Pea?" Gabrielle Suggested. "not Enough Time," Kat Said "where's Waldo?" Gabrielle Went On. "no." Hamish Recoiled. "i Am Still Not Allowed Back In Morocco.

That’s The Thing About Spies. Most Of The Secrets We Keep Are From Each Other.

Trust. We Stake Our Lives On It, But It's A Subject That Not Even The Gallagher Academy Can Teach. When Do You Let Your Guard Down? Who Do You Let In? And I Knew At That Moment, As I Sat Beside My Mother, Bathing In The Warm Spring Light, That Those Were The Questions A Good Spy Never Stops Asking

Tonight It Taco Night" -rachel (cam's Mom)

''women Of The Gallagher Academy, Who Comes Here?" She Asked. Just Then, Every Girl At Every Table (even The Newbies) Stood And Said In Unison, "we Are The Sisters Of Gillian." "why Do You Come?" My Mother Asked. "to Learn Her Skills. Honor Her Sword. And Keep Her Secrets." "to What End Do You Work?" "to The Cause Of Justice And Light." "how Long Will You Strive?" "for All The Days Of Our Lives," We Finished And I Felt A Little Like A Character In One Of My Grandma's Soap Operas.

So This Is The Young Man Who Has Intentions Toward My Little Girl." Bobby Shifted In His Seat And Crossed His Legs. "it Is Not Fun On This Side Of The Table, Is It, Robert?" Uncle Eddie Huffed, And Kat Had To Remember That Once Upon A Time Her Mother Had Been A Dark-haired Girl In That Kitchen, And Her Dad Had Been The Stray She'd Brought Home. She Watched The Two Men Looking At Hale As If They'd Never Before Laid Eyes On Him. "he's Better-looking Than The Last Vagabond I Had To Take In," Eddie Said, Standing And Carrying Empty Bowls To The Sink. "i'll Give Him That.

You Switched The Days," I Said, Dismayed. "you Blew The Tire. You..." I Trailed Off, Probably Because The Next Words Out Of My Mouth Were Either Going To Be "you Are Enough To Do This?" Or "you're Destined For A Life Of Crime." It Was A Toss-up Either Way.

And Yet, She Knew She Could Be.

If You Die Of Pneumonia,i'm Pretty Sure There Are At Least A Dozen Guys Who'll Try To Kill Me And Make It Look Like An Accident (hale)

She Looked At Him, Watched Hum Toss The Remote On The Table And Say," So Maybe I'm Going To Handcuff Myself To You The Next Time You Decide To Take A Stroll.

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