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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.

-Ally Carter

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She Looked At Him,

Ally Carter

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

Just So You Know Gallagher Girl,' He Whispered Softly, 'i'm Going To Kiss You Now.

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.

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.

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.

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

It's Every Little Girl's Dream," She Said. "interpol Surveillance. And Kittens.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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

For A Genius Thief You Really Are A Stupid Girl Aren't You?

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

"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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We Wear A Lot Of Labels In Our Lives, And It's So Very Easy To Be Defined By Them. We Have Grown Somehow Accustomed To Thinking Of Ourselves As A Size Eight Or A Size Fourteen, As A Capricorn Or A Taurus, As Single Or In Love.

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

Someone You Love

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)

Waffles. Im Craving Waffles." Bex Rolled Onto Her Side. "tell Your Waffles Hi For Me.

A Gallagher Girl's Real Grades Don’t Come In Pass Or Fail—they're Measured In Life Or Death.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 Heard Someone's Playing Hooky,' Zach Told Me. He Smiled. Standing There, It Felt Almost Like Nothing Bad Had Ever Happened- Or Would Ever Happen Again 'there's A Boy In My Life,' I Told Him. 'he's A Very Bad Influence.' Then Zach Nodded. 'bad Boys Have A Way Of Doing That. But They're Worth It.

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.

The Older I Got, The Smarter My Teachers Became.

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

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

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?

Eventually, We All End Up Alone.

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.

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

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

You Should Always Trust The Instincts Of Children.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Should Alcoholics Go To Liquor Stores?

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

Where's The Fun In That?

Note To Self: Rachel Morgan Is A Totally Awesome Liar.

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.

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

I've Thrown Enough Punches In My Life To Know When Someone Is Hurting.

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

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

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.

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

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.

Can I See You Outside For A Second?" Kat Glared At Hale, Then Walked To The Patio Doors And Out Onto The Veranda. As Hale Closed The Door Behind Him, Kat Heard Angus Say, "ooh, Mom And Dad Are Going To Fight Now.

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 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.

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

That's Good; Don't Deny It. Denying The Undeniable Just Makes You Sound Like A Fool As Well As A Liar. In This Profession, You Can Be One- Sometimes The Other. But Never Both.

And There's A Cop Over There." "what?" The Boy Said, Glancing At The D.c. Police Officer That Stood At The Corner Of The Street, "you Think That Guys Can Do A Better Job Protecting You Than I Can?" Actually, I Thought Liz Could Have Done A Better Job "protecting" Me Than He Could, But Instead I Said, "no, I Think If You Don't Leave Me Alone, I Can Scream And That Cop Will Arrest You." Somehow The Boy Seemed To Know It Was A Joke.

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.

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

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".

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.

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

Ooh, The Silent Treatment.

Silent Treatment

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.

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.

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.

It Is A Little-known Fact About Covert Operations That You Will Spend A Lot Of Time With People You Can’t Really Trust. They May Be Traitors And Liars. We Call Them Assets Or Informants. But Mostly, In Those Days, I Called Him Zach.

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.

Might Have A Couple Of Kinks To Work Through," Hale Admitted Then Reached For Her Hand. As Soon As He Touched Her, Kat Knew There Was No Such Thing As Curses. People Make And Break Their Own Fortunes--they Are The Masters Of Their Own Fate. And Right Then Kat Wouldn't Have Changed A Thing.

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

At The Core, I Try To Write Characters Who Are Real People With Real Insecurities, Fears, Hopes, And Dreams, Which Is Why Hopefully Readers Can Identify With Them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

And Then Zach Said A Really Bad Word, But I Doubt Deedee Noticed Because It Was In Farsi

I Wrapped My Arms Around My Knees And Stared Through The Window's Wavy Glass. The Red Velvet Curtains Were Drawn Around The Tiny Alcove, And I Was Enveloped By An Odd Sense Of Peace, Knowing That In Twenty Minutes, The Halls Were Going To Be Crowded; Music Was Going To Be Blaring; And I Was Going To Go From Being An Only Child To One Of A Hundred Sisters, So I Knew To Savor The Silence While It Lasted.

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

It Was The First Time In Years I Didn’t Wonder If My Father Was Out There, Looking At It Too.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

There Are Aspectsof This Life-- Of This World-- From Which You Can Never Walk Away. Ever. The Fact That Almost Everything You Say To Almost Everyone You Love For The Rest Of Your Life Will Be A Lie Is One Of Them.

Rest Of Your Life

Hiding Is For Amateurs.

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.

''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.

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

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

Talent Katerina Is A Dangerous Thing

Dangerous Things

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

Love Is The Biggest Con Of All

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.

Pain Seared Through Me Again-a Hot, Burning Stab In My Gut-and Yet My Body Found Strength I Didn't Know I Had, Correcting As I Fell.

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

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.

She Thought She Was Only Seeing Him Because She Wanted To See Him... It's A By-product Of Very Dramatic Kissing.

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.

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

You Cannot Con An Honest Man.

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.

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.

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

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.)

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.

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.

Our World Is Built On Adrenaline And Getting Away With It. Different Cities Different Names. Its A Far Simpler Life To Lead When There Is One Around To Tell You When You Are Being Stupid. Believe Me Dear Cousin I Know Better Than Anyone. - Gabrielle

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

If It Works, It Works,' Kat Told Him. 'and If It Doesn't?' He Asked. She Looked At Him. 'if It Doesn't, Then I've Heard Monaco Has The Nicest Prisons In All Of Europe.' 'it Does,' Both Hamish And Angus Said In Unison. And With That, It Was Decided.

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

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

That's Cool." Hale Nodded, Unfazed. "but Just So You Know, That"---he Pointed To The Piece Of Metal Peeking Out From Behind The Stage---"is A Hurst 5,000 Psi Hydraulic Spreader-cutter, More Commonly Know As The Jaws Of Life." "so?" "so I'm Not A Normal Boy.

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

I'm A Spy, Cam. I Was Born To Do This- To Be This. It's In My Blood. And I Will Do It Until The Day I Die. It's Who I Am... The Thing Is I Don't Think You Realise Is... It's Who You Are Too.

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

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.

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.

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

You Should Stop And Listen To Yourselves Sometimes. 'we're Practically Adults, Let Us Run Wild.' 'we're Only Kids, Leave Us Alone.'...you Can't Have It Both Ways.

Will You Still Want Me If I'm Poor, Kat?" "what Kind Of Question Is That?" "no. Seriously. You're The Planner. Simon's The Genius. The Bagshaws Are The Muscle. And Gabrielle Is . . . Gabrielle. But What Am I, Kat? I'm The Guy Who Writes The Checks." "no. You're The Most Naturally Gifted Inside Man I Have Ever Seen. And I Was Raised By Bobby Bishop." She Made Him Look Into Her Eyes. "i Don't Care About Your Money.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

I Also Packed Explosives." -liz

I Don't Want Tea, I Want Justice!

She Thought She Kept Seeing Him Because She Wanted To See Him," Macey Explained. "ooooh," Bex And Liz Sighed Together. "it's A By-product Of Very Dramatic Kissing," Macey Went On Like A Doctor Identifying A Common Side Effect.

Acting Like You Don’t Care Is A Whole Lot Easier When You Don’t Care

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And That's How The Peacock Saved The Chameleon

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Sometime Years Before, I Had Dragged An Old Bean Bag Chair To That Place. I Watched Zach Sink Onto It, And Then He Pulled Me Down To Lean Against Him. I Felt His Arms Go Around Me, Holding Me Tight. I Was Safe. I Was Warm. I Was Home.

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

I Always Finish What I Start

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

Boys! Are They Always This Impossible? Do They Always Say Cryptic, Indecipherable Things? (note To Self: Work With Liz To Adapt Her Boy-to-english Translator Into A More Mobile Form—like Maybe A Watch Or Necklace.)

As Buckingham Talked, I Couldn't Help But Remember That There's A Reason They Call Us Gallagher Girls. It's Not Just Because The Youngest Of Us Are Twelve. It's Also Because Our Founder Was Under Twenty. From The Very Beginning We Have Been Discounted And Discredited, Underestimated And Undervalued. And, For The Most Part, We Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way.

You're The Gallagher Girl. Figure It Out."- Zach

He Looked As Though I'd Just Run Over His Pet Puppy (though No Actual Puppies Were Harmed In The Formation Of That Metaphor).

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

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.

He's A Boy, Kat. I Hate To Break It To You, But We Are Fundamentally Different.

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

And I Remembered With A Pang What Had Happened To Me The Previous Summer - That Even Gallagher Girls Aren't Always As Strong As They Need To Be.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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Jawaharlal Nehru

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