Background Image

...

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

-Ally Carter

...

Please Wait....
Translating....

You Know,' I Whispered,

Ally Carter

...

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

Views: 81040

Topic

More From Ally Carter

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.

Hes Gone. Hes Just Gone.

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

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

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.)

"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.

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

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.

Did You Hear That? I'm Special.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

I’m Sorry If I’m Not Flirting With You. I’m Kind Of Spoken For.

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.

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.

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

And Then, Despite Everything, I Smiled And Looked At The Note And Knew That Spring Would Come —it Always Does. So I Stared Out That Cold Window, Watching My Breath Collect On The Glass, Trying Not To Think About My Life After The Thaw.

Eventually, We All End Up Alone.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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".

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

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

No One Would Have Ever Guessed That Seven Of The World's Most Talented Teenagers Were Coming To The Henley That Day For An Entirely Different Sort Of Lesson.

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?

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.

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.

Time, The Greatest Thief Of All.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

You Get Some Sleep, Abigail," Townsend Told Her. "i'll Keep Watch." "that's Very Gracious Of You, But Being That We're On An Airplane..." Even After The Plane Took Off, They Kept Debating Security Perimeters And Protocols. I'm Pretty Sure They Argued For Forty-five Minutes About Where The Best Place For Cappuccino Was Near The Colosseum.

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

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.

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.

You Know, Ms. Morgan, That Was Your Mother You Just Hammered," Mr. Solomon Said.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

It's Good To See You, Little One." He (uncle Eddie) Scanned Her Short Skirt. "i Only Wish I Were Not Seeing Quite So Much Of You.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Hello, Gallagher Girl --zack

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

"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."

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.

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.

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

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

Spinning Around

Sometimes The Biggest Lies We Tell Are To Ourselves.

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

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.

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

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.

And Yet, She Knew She Could Be.

Time. I Would Have Gone Somewhere To Buy Time.

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.

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.

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

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.

Pretend And It Will Be True.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Step 4: Cough And Gag. Step 5: Repeat Step 4 Until It Feels Like Maybe Your Lungs Aren't Inside Your Body Anymore. Step 6: Remember That A Really Cute Boy Is Beside You, So Try To Cough In A Far More Attractive Manner.

As Soon As She Was Close, She Whispered, "you've Got To Get Out Of Here." "no, You've Got To Get Out Of Here," He Told Her. "go Downstairs. Go Now." "no," She Countered. "you Go." "why?" He Asked. "you Tell Me First." But Before They Could Say Another Word, The Last Elevator Slid Slowly Open And Two Men In Masks Rushed Out. From The Opposite Side Of The Of The Ballroom, Shots Rang Out, Rapid Fire, Piercing The Ceiling, Plaster Falling Onto The Dance Floor Like Snow. And Then Hale And Macey Whispered In Unison, "because Of That.

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

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

I Always Finish What I Start

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.

I'll Be Here When You Get Back.

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.)

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

The 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

The Older I Got, The Smarter My Teachers Became.

And That's How The Peacock Saved The Chameleon

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Love Is The Biggest Con Of All

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.

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.

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

Talent Katerina Is A Dangerous Thing

Dangerous Things

You Cannot Con An Honest Man.

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

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 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.

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

''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.

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

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.

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.

So Instead She Settled On, "did My Father Put You Up To This?" Hale Exhaled A Quick Laugh And Shook His Head. "he Hasn't Returned My Calls Since Barcelona." He Leaned Closer And Whispered, "i Think He Might Still Be Mad At Me." "yeah, Well, That Makes Two Of Us." "hey," Hale Snapped. "we All Agreed That That Monkey Seemed Perfectly Well Trained At The Time.

Where's The Fun In That?

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.

Trending Author

Christopher Eccleston

Solomon Ibn Gabirol

Category