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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.

-Ally Carter

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That's Good; Don't Deny

Ally Carter

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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.

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

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.

Eventually, We All End Up Alone.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Love Is The Biggest Con Of All

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.

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

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

I Tell You, I'm Half Tempted To Break Into Cia Custody Just So I Can Break Joe Solomon Out Of Cia Custody Just So I Can Break Joe Solomon.

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.

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.

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.

You Should Always Trust The Instincts Of Children.

I'll Be Here When You Get Back.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Hale!' Kat Cried, But The Boy Only Stared At Her. 'fine,' She Conceded. 'i Love Your Boat.' 'ship.' 'ship ... Your Ship Is Beautiful.

I Am Practical By Nature, And I'd Heard That Being A Writer Or An Artist Is A Good Way To Starve! So I Was An Economics Major At Oklahoma State, And Then Received An M.s. From Cornell In Agricultural Resource And Managerial Economics. I Knew If I Wanted To Write I Would Do It On My Own, But I Knew I Wouldn't Make Myself Study Economics On My Own.

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.

Why Don’t I Know You?” “does Anyone Ever Really Know Someone Else?” “you Think Your Cute,” She Told Him. “you Think Your Gorgeous. But I’m The One Guy Here Who Knows Better.” “so I’m Not Gorgeous?” Macey Challenged. “of Course You Are,” He Started Away, Turned Back At The Last Minute. “but I’m The Guy Who Figured Out That’s Not All You Are." — Double Crossed By Ally Carter

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.

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.

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

I Don't Want Tea, I Want Justice!

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

Hiding Is For Amateurs.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Time, Ms. Mchenry," Townsend Said. "it Can Be A Cruel, Cruel Thing

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

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

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.

Hes Gone. Hes Just Gone.

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

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.

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.

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

Talent Katerina Is A Dangerous Thing

Dangerous Things

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.

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.

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

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.)

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

Sometimes The Biggest Lies We Tell Are To Ourselves.

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.

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

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

Real Strength Is Not Hitting When What You Most Want To Do Is Kill.

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

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.

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.

And That's How The Peacock Saved The Chameleon

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Macey Couldn't Decide Whether To Be Intrigued That Hale Was Walking Around With A State-of-the-art Covert Communications Device Or Be Jealous Because She'd Been Caught Without One Of Her Own.

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

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

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 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.

In A Restaurant, Tangoing Couples Circled Past, And The Look In Hale's Eyes Was Especially Mischievous When He Told Her, "oh, I See. You Brought Me Here So You Can Have Your Way With Me On The Dance Floor.

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

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

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.

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

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

Hello, Gallagher Girl --zack

If We Hadn't Hated Him A Lot, We Might Have Liked Him A Little At That Moment. But We Did. So We Didn't.

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.

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.

"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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.)

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.

Pretend And It Will Be True.

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.

Kat," Hale Groaned, Then Fell Back Onto The Pillows. "funny, I Didn't Hear A Doorbell." "i Let Myself In; Hope That's Okay." Hale Smiled. "or The Alarm." She Stepped Inside, Tossed A Pocket-size Bag Of Tools Onto The Bed. "you're Due For An Upgrade." Hale Propped Himself Against The Antique Headboard And Squinted Up At Her. "she Returns." He Crossed His Arms Across His Bare Chest. "you Know, I Could Be Naked In Here.

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.

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.

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.

...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).

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.

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.

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

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.

Teenage Girls Read In Packs. It's True Today, And It Was True When I Was A Teen Growing Up In A Small Town In Northeast Oklahoma.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

His Mother Got Her Purse. His Father Reached For The Door. "scooter," He Said, By Way Of Good-bye, "have Fun With Your Friends." But Hale Was Shaking His Head. He Put His Arm Around Kat's Shoulders. "she's Not My Friend, Dad. She's My Girlfriend." Hale's Parents Must Have Walked Away, But Kat Wasn't Looking. She Was Too Busy Staring Up At Hale, Trying To See Into His Eyes And Know If He Was Okay. The Sadness That Had Lingered For Weeks Was Fading, And The Boy That Held Her Was The Boy She Knew. A Boy Who Kissed Her Lightly.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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

Spinning Around

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.

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

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.

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?

Ooh, The Silent Treatment.

Silent Treatment

''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.

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.

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

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

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?

Should Alcoholics Go To Liquor Stores?

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?

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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.

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

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.

Time, The Greatest Thief Of All.

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

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

The Older I Got, The Smarter My Teachers Became.

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

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.

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

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.

And Yet, She Knew She Could Be.

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

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

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

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 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.

We're Seniors." "i Know," I Said "so Aren't You... Curious?" "about What?" "about Life. Out There. Life!" She Said Again. "tell Me, Cameron Ann Morgan, What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?" We'd Reached Another Door, And I Stopped And Looked Up At The Camera That Monitored The Entrance, Just As I Whispered, "alive.

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

"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."

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

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

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.

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Jonathan Kellerman

Saffron Burrows

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