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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.

-Ally Carter

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I Love Being A

Ally Carter

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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.

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You Should Always Trust The Instincts Of Children.

You Know, It's Okay To Admit A Little Weakness Now And Then, Cammie. It Won't Kill You. In Fact, I Hear It Makes You Stronger.

If He'd Looked Like A Cross Between Mr. Clooney And, Say, One Of The Hobbits, I Probably Would Have Been Far More Capable Of Coherent Thought.

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.

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.

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

My Name Is Cammie!” I Didn’t Think About All The People I Could Have Woken, All The Alarms That Might Have Gone Off. I Just Snapped, “how Did You Know About Boston? Why Are You Working With Mr. Solomon Now? Are You My Friend Or Are You My Enemy, Zach? Or, Wait, Let Me Guess, You Can’t Tell Me.

I Never Knew There Were This Many Stars." "i Can't See Them," He Told Me. "i Just See You." "that's One Of Your Cheesier Lines," I Told Him. "it's The Altitude," He Told Me. "i Don't Have Enough Oxygen In My Brain." "i See.

But The Heaviest Things, I Think, Are The Secrets. They Can Drown You If You Let Them.

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

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

After Finals And Winter Break...after I'm Back To Full Strength, We'll Go Get Preston. Whether Mom And Abby And Joe And Townsend Like It Or Not, We'll Go Get Him. And Then...' I Trailed Off. 'and Then We'll Finish This. Next Semester, This Thing Ends.

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

I Think You’re Freaked About What Happened At Cambridge. I Think It Scared You." “i’ve Been Through Worse, Bex,” I Said, Joining Her On The Lower Stairs. “way Worse.” “oh, Not The Attack.” Bex Raised Her Finger In Contradiction. “what Happened Before The Attack. I Think You Saw The Future. Which Is Kind Of Freaky When - Two Months Ago - You Didn’t Think You Were Going To Have One.

The Older I Got, The Smarter My Teachers Became.

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

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

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.

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.

You're Late." Kat Said As Soon As Hale Put The Phone To His Ear. She Wasn't The Kind Of Girl To Wait For Hello. "what Can I Say? Macey Mchenry Has Been Throwing Herself At Me..." "see, That's The Kind Of Thing That Would Make Me Jealous If She Weren't Way Out Of Your League." "you Know, If I Had Feelings, That Might Have Hurt Them.

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

What Are They After?” Kat Asked. “hard To Say,” Hale Said; Again, He Eyed The Room. “who Is That?” Macey Asked. “the Reason I Wasn’t Flirting With You,” Hale Told Her.

Do You Know What Pain Is, Cammie? It’s The Body’s Physical Response To Imminent Harm. It Is The Mind’s Way Of Telling Us To Move Our Hand Off The Stove Or Let Go Of The Broken Glass.

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.

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.

Don't Believe Everything You Read. It's Very Difficult To Be Accepting Of Our Own Bodies. This Topic Deserves It's Own Book, But Since I'm Not Qualified To Write It, I Won't. Instead I'll Just Say This: The Pictures Staring Out At You From The Supermarket Checkout Stands, The Images We Are All Supposed To Aspire To? They Lie

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

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.

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

But Then The Girl Moved, And Smiled, And Pulled Her Hand From The Grate- A Gorgeous Green Stone Clutched Tightly In Her Grasp. It Was Covered With Dust And Cobwebs, But It Was Uncracked And Unharmed. And, Of Course, Completely Fake.

Every Head Turned To See Two More Security Guards Appear, Each Holding A Bagshaw By The Back Of The Neck (which Might Have Been Considerably Less Conspicuous Had The Bagshaws Not Been Dressed As Chimney Sweeps). Kat Turned Back To Hale. 'the Mary Poppins?' 'seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time.

Security Guards

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.

...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).

I Thought You Might Need A Ride.' 'the Headmaster's Office Called Me A Car.' He Shrugged, Indifferent But Amused. 'and Here I Am In A Submarine.

Hiding Is For Amateurs.

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.

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

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.

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

Spinning Around

You Can’t Really Yell At Your Boyfriend For Stealing Your Seat And Your Best Friend. You Also Can’t Yell At Your Best Friend For Stealing Your Boyfriend. Or You Can…but Hi Seemed Like A Much Easier Way To Start The Morning.

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

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

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

Kat!” Gabrielle Hissed. “you’re Going To Get Caught." The Smile Kat Flashed Over Her Shoulder Was Almost Wicked. “i Know.

Because Sometimes Not Liking Someone Is Easier.

I Thought About How There Are Two Types Of Secrets: The Kind You Want To Keep In, And The Kind You Don't Dare To Let Out.

I Don't Want Tea, I Want Justice!

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.

Hes Gone. Hes Just Gone.

"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.

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

If You Ever Put A Student At This School In Danger Again-' 'oh, I Thought You Gallagher Girls Were Immune To Danger.' Despite The Hundred Girls The Filled The Foyer, No One Moved Or Gasped Or Tried To Defend Our Honor. We Stood Silently, Waiting For Our Headmistress To Say, 'oh, We Are Quite Used To Being Underestimated, Agent Townsend. In Fact, We Welcome It.

Well, See, There's This Cave In Switzerland I Really Need To Find.' She Slipped On Her Sunglasses; Was Already In The Middle Of The Street When She Turned And Looked Back At Hale And Gabrielle. 'you Coming?

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

Sleep Every Chance You Get. Eat Every Chance You Get. Those Were Two Of The Many Lessons That Kat Learned At Her Father’s Knee And Her Uncle’s Table.

Now I Know That, From This Point On, We'll Be The Ones Doing The Chasing. And Iike It.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Two Days After My Dad's Funeral, My Mom Went On A Mission. I Never Understood It Until Then--that Sometimes A Spy Doesn't Need A Cover So Much As She Needs A Shield.

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

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

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.

I Didn’t Know What Was More Disturbing—the Fact That Something Was Obviously Wrong, Or That Three Faculty Members Of The World’s Premiere Spy School Had Forgotten To Lock The Door.

Faculty Members

Don’t Mind Me,” I Said. “i’m Just The Person Who Tried To Rob The Place Last July.” “no, You Diddn’t,” Abby Said, Appearing On The Roof. She Was Wearing A Trim Suit And Tall Black Boots. Her Hair Was Pulled Into A Sleek Ponytail At The Nape Of Her Neck, And Either I Was Imagining Things Or Townsend Wasn’t Quite As Good A Spy As I Thought, Because I Could Have Sworn I Saw Him Drool A Little. Note To Self: Your Aunt Is A Hottie.

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

We Don't Have To Do This. Just Say The Word And I Can Have A Jet Here In An Hour. We Can Go Anywhere

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.

It's Not Cam's Fault," Bex Told Her. "we Rigged Her Bed So That If She Gets Up, I Get An Electric Shock." "liz Designed It," Macey Said, And Bex Shrugged "we Told You We Were Taking Precautions." Of Course. Because At Gallagher Academy, "precautions" Usually Equals "voluntary Shock Therapy".

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.

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

I'll Be Here When You Get Back.

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.

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.

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

There Are 6 Reasons That A Person Does Anything: Love, Faith, Greed, Boredom, Fear... Revenge.

What Kind Of Plan B?" Hale Asked. He Was Almost Holding His Breath When A Voice Answered, "my Kind." Macey Tried To Read The Look On His Face Then, But It Was Gone In A Flash. It Had Been A Simple Moment Of Peace And Joy And Pure Happiness. That Voice Made Hale Happy. It Kept Him Calm. It Was His Backup And His Conscience. Macey Couldn't Help Herself, She Envied Him.

So You're Zach." Townsend Didn't Even Try To Hide The Judgement In His Voice As He Looked Zach Up And Down In Some Sort Of Silent But Dangerous Examination. Zach Huffed But Smiled. "so You're Townsend." The Two Of Them Stared For A Long Time, Wordless. It Felt Like I Was Watching A Documentary On The Nature Channel, Something About Alpha Males In The Wild.

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.

Gabrielle, Hale?" Kat Smacked His Shoulder. "it Wasn't Bad Enough That You Got Me Kicked Out Of School, But You Had To Use Her To Help You? Gabrielle!" "i Can Hear You," Her Cousin Sang Beside Her. Hale Looked At Gabrielle And Gestured At Kat. "she's Adorable When She's Jealous." Kat Kicked His Shin.

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

The Operative Tried To Implement The Purusey Breathing Technique, Which Has Been Proven Effective At Fooling Polygraphs. There Is No Conclusive Evidence As To Whether It Is Effective At Masking The Internal Lie Detectors Of Fifteen-year-old Boys.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Um…” Simon Started Slowly “at The Risk Of Stating The Obvious I Feel I Have To Point Out That Interpol Has The Worldʼs Best Database Of International Criminals.” “thatʼs The Idea ” Gabrielle Said With A Nod. “and I Feel Compelled To Remind You That Weʼre International Criminals ” He Finished But Kat Was Already Smiling. “donʼt Worry Simon. Itʼs Not Like Anyone In There Knows It Was A Bunch Of Teenagers Who Robbed The Henley.

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

So I Stepped Away, Reminding Myself That When You're A Spy, Sometimes All You Can Do Is Go On. One Foot In Front Of The Other, Wherever The Narrow Path Might Lead.

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

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.

Excuse Me, Abigail, But Whose Shift Did She Get Away During?' Townsend Asked With A Glare. 'excuse Me, Townsend, But Who Was Supposed To Booby-trap The Doors?' 'i'm An Agent Of Her Majesty's Secret Service,' Townsend Said, Indignant. 'i Do Not Do Booby Traps.

It Was So Rare To Find Someone Who Was Both So Young And So Wise, Both So Fresh And So Jaded.

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.

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.

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

Oh You’re Heist-drunk Kitty Kat. And You Have Been Since The Henley.

Ooh, The Silent Treatment.

Silent Treatment

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

I Suppose You Should Her It From Me That I Met Your Mother" He Smiled A Litte Sadly. "well. . . When I Say Met I Mean One Time I Tried To Kill Her." "do Me A Favor" Zach's Voice Was Low And Dark And Dangerous. "next Time Don't Just Try

Hello, Ladies," Joe Solomon Said, But Not Before I Snatched The Piece Of Paper And Crammed It In My Mouth, Which Ordinarily Would Have Been Really Great Spy Maneuvering Except That Josh Didn't Use Evapopaper. "how's The Lasagna?" Mr. Solomon Asked, And I Started To Say Something Before I Remembered That My Mouth Was...well...otherwise Engaged.

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.

Angus Looked At Hamish. "i Hate It When Mom And Dad Fight." Hamish Smoothed His Brother's Messy Hair. "me Too.

The Only Way Bex Would Miss This Would Be If She Were Unconscious. And Tied Up. And In A Concrete Bunker. In Siberia.

"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.

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.

And That's How The Peacock Saved The Chameleon

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

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.

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.

Sure, This Was Where Her Father Had Planned The De Beers Diamond Heist When She Was Three. It Was The Very Room Where Her Uncle Had Orchestrated The Hijacking Of Eighty Percent Of The World's Caviar When She Was Seven.

And Yet, She Knew She Could Be.

Hey No One Makes Me Do Anything. Not My Family. Not Your Family...not Even 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.

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

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.

All These Years I'd Thought Being A Spy Was Challenging. Turns Out, Being A Girl Is The Tricky Part.

I'll Be Back. And When I Am,i Promise I'll Have Answers.

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.

And I Didn't Choose It, Kat. I Chose You.

Because Even Though The Truth Can Set You Free, That Doesn't Mean It Won't Be Painful.

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.)

Sitting There That Day, I Knew That The Only Thing I Could Do Was Keep Putting One Foot In Front Of The Other, Hoping None Of The Secrets On My Shoulders Would Make Me Lose My Balance.

"what?" He Cut A Grin At Kat When He Saw The Impressed Look On Her Face. "corporate Espionage Is My Second Greatest Passion." "with Your First Being..." Kat Prompted. "gelato," Hale Said, And Turned Back To The Group.

Look At The Way The Walls Curve,' Macey Said, Her Gaze Panning Around The Strangely Shaped Room. 'it's Almost Like...' 'the Library,' Liz Said, And Immediately I Knew That She Was Right. It Was Exactly Like The Library At The Gallagher Academy, From The Position Of The Fireplace To The Tall Windows That Overlooked The Grounds. 'how Do You Know?' Zach Asked. Liz Looked Totally Insulted. 'because...uh...library.' 'okay.' Zach Threw Up His Hands. 'point Taken.

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.

You Cannot Con An Honest Man.

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.

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

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.

Your Test Had Cheese Meteor Questions?" - Bex To Liz.

You Really Saw Some?" Liz Said An Hour Later. Sure, We Had The Stereo Blaring And The Shower Running, But Liz Still Whispered, "they Really...exist?" "liz," I Whispered Back, "they're Not Unicorns." "no," Bex Said Flatly, "they're Boys. And They're...good.

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.

What Are You Looking At? Hale Asked. Why Are You Smiling? I Worry When You Smile.

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.

Aren't You Going To Introduce Your Little Girlfriend To Your Mother?

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

You Were The Only One Who Looked At Me And Didn't See Her

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.

And, Of Course, There Are The Perfect Day, Perfect Moment, Perfect Life Dreams That Come Sometimes And Make A Person Hit The Snooze Button For Hours, Trying To Go Back To Sleep And Make The Perfect Moments Last.

It Is An Occupational Hazard That Anyone Who Has Spent Her Life Learning How To Lie Eventually Becomes Bad At Telling The Truth.

I Know In The Spy Movies It Always Looks Really Cool When The Operative Goes From A Maid's Uniform To A Slinky, Sexy, Ballgown In The Amount Of Time It Takes An Elevator To Climb Three Floors. Well, I Don't Know How It Is For Tv Spies, But I Can Tell You That Even With Velcro, The Art Of The Quick Change Is One That Must Take A Lot Of Practice (not To Mention Better Lighting Than One Is Likely To Find In A Tunnel That Was Once Part Of The Underground Railroad).

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

Did You Say Something Macey?' I Asked, But She Cut Me A Look That Could Kill. She Reached Into Her Bag, Ripped Off A Sliver Of Evapopaper, And Scribbled: 'can We Study Tonight? (tell Anyone, And I'll Kill You In You Sleep!)

I Came Back, Uncle Eddie. Last Year, After The Henley, I Could Have Gone To Any School In The World -- I Could Have Done Anything, But I Came Back." "you Ran Away, Katarina." "and Now I'm Back." "you're Still Running.

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.

Like Many Authors, I Caught The Writing Bug During My Teenage Years. I Don't Remember The Exact Day Or Year, But I Remember That Reading S.e. Hinton's 'the Outsiders' Sparked My Interest In Writing.

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.

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.

Kat Picked Up A Folder Labeled Senior. "what Are These? Bank Records?" She Did A Double Take, Looking At Hale. "did Your Dad Really Pay Two Million Dollars To The Campaign To Elect Ross Perot?" "i..." Hale Said, Stumbling For Words And Thumbing Through Another File. "wow. I Guess My Cousin Charlotte Isn't Really My Cousin." "don't Worry," Kat Said. "it Looks Like There Might Be A Kid In Queens Who Is.

The Bagshaw's Blew Up An Armored Truck One,' Gabrielle Offered.

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.

Maybe Wrist Corsages Cut Off Circulation To The Brain? I Mean, Is That Why So Many Girls Do Stupid Things On Prom Night? I Was Really Going To Have To Investigate This Further, I Decided

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.

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.

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.

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

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

I Wouldn't Mind Meeting A Dashing Thief," The Woman's Friend Whispered. Hale Winked At Kat. Kat Raised Her Eyebrows And Whispered, "i'd Like To Meet One Of Those, Too.

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

Time. I Would Have Gone Somewhere To Buy Time.

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

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.

Pretend And It Will Be True.

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

Turn," Liz Said, Trying Not To Hide Her Impatience At Being Forced To Read At Non-speed-of-light Pace.

How'd You Get In Here?" She Raised Her Eyebrows. “you Pick Pockets.” Kat Watched His Hand Fly To His Back Pocket. “i Can Pick Locks. Looking For This?” She Asked, Holding Up His Wallet. “oops. Maybe I Can Pick Pockets Too.

Do You Want To Hold It?' She Asked, Dangling The Padded Envelope In Front Of Hale With Two Fingers. 'no.' 'do You Want To Touch It And Kiss It And Wear It Around Your Neck?' 'don't Be Silly,' He Told Her. 'everyone Knows Green Isn't My Color.

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

Someone You Love

So You Just...left?' Zach Huffed. 'all The Cool Kids Are Doing It.

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

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

Did You Hear That? I'm Special.

So Far Kat Has Been Through All The Wa's She Could Think Of, But Hale Hadn't Admitted To Being Walter Or Ward Or Washington. He'd Firmly Denied Both Warren And Waverly. Watson Had Prompted Him To Do A Very Bad Sherlock Holmes Impersonation Throughout A Good Portion Of A Train Ride To Edinburgh, Scotland. And Wayne Seemed So Wrong She Hadn't Even Tried. Hale Was Hale. And Not Knowing What The W's Stood For Had Become A Constant Reminder To Kat That, In Life, There Are Some Things That Can Be Given But Never Stolen. Of Course, That Didn't Stop Her From Trying.

Hamish's Right Arm Was Around Angus's Waist As The Two Of Them Tangoed Past.

Life Is Classified. There Is Always So Much That Goes Unsaid.

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.

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 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.

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.

But Hale Wasn't Just A Member Of Her Crew Who Had Messed Up. He Was Hale. Her Hale. And Kat Just Wanted Him Back.

Not Knowing You Can't Do Something, Is Sometimes All It Takes To Do It.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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?

So... I Take It That's The Man In Your Life.

Sometimes You Forgive People Simply Becuase You Still Want Them In Your Life.

"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."

Of Course. Because At The Gallagher Academy, "precautions" Usually Equals "voluntary Shock Therapy.

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