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

-Ally Carter

Please Wait....
Translating....

Zach Walked Away, But

Ally Carter

Topic

Mother

Grief

Long

More From Ally Carter

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.

Jobs

Boys

Thinking

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

Knows

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

Doubt

Said

Bad Word

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.

Boys

Rome

Play

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

Nun

Knows

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

Sorry

Hey

Know How

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.

Crazy

Believe

Arms

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

Running

Liz

Safe

Because Sometimes Not Liking Someone Is Easier.

Liking Someone

Sometimes

Easier

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

Lying

Boys

Years

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.

Feet

Secret

Balance

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.

Dream

Sleep

Perfect Days

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.

Ties

Long

Mind

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

Moments

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.

Hale

Crew

Members

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

Epic

Awkward

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

Liars

Self

Notes

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.

Lunch

Four

Saving

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.

Special

Ears

Agents

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.

Alarms

Pockets

Naked

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.

Couple

Eye

Past

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

Girl

Stupid

Thieves

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.

Boys

Men

Phones

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

Liars

Sound

Fool

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.

Baby

Believe

Kissing

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.

Girl

Doors

Class

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

Believe

Heart

Long

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

Enemy

Spy

Allies

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.

Mom

Nice

Thinking

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

Wise

Strong

Uncles

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.

Teacher

Abby

Arguing

Time, The Greatest Thief Of All.

Thieves

Heist Society

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.

Phones

Hands

Pockets

Sometimes The Biggest Lies We Tell Are To Ourselves.

Lying

Sometimes

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.

Hurt

Heart

Loud

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

Men

Should Have

Eyebrows

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

Team

School

Lacrosse

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.

Giving

Generations

Too Late

Learn Her Skills, Honor Her Sword, And Keep Her Secrets.

Skills

Secret

Honor

I Don't Want Tea, I Want Justice!

Justice

Tea

Want

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.

Mother

Doe

World

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

Girl

Facts

Ifs

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.

Half

Custody

Break

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

Cousin

Stupid

Believe

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.

Father

Sleep

Eye

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.

Dad

Thinking

Kyoto

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.

Winter

Aunt

Gum

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

Powerful

Lying

Men

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

Common

Invisible

Easy

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?

Fighting

Gun

Boys

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.

Girl

Eye

Boys

It Was Easy To Believe, Between Lessons On Shakespeare And Dickens And Austen, That All Of The Great Stories Had Already Been Written By Dead Europeans. But Every Time I Saw 'the Outsiders', I Knew Better. It Was The First Time I'd Realized That Real People Write Books.

Real

Believe

Book

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

Mother

Said

Solomon

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.

Two

Voice

Long

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

Hey

My Family

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.

Games

Needs

Looks

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

Giving

Drink

Said

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.

Doors

Secret

Majesty

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.)

War

Virginia

Research

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

Mother

Spring

Light

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

Tails

Firsts

Coincidence

Pretend And It Will Be True.

Being True

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

Want

Puppy

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.

Mom

Winter

Finals

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

Liars

Self

Notes

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.

Summer

Waiting

Stronger

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

Mother

Aunt

Bed

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

Girl

Years

Challenges

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.

Girl

Way

Twenties

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.

Liars

People

May

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

Mom

Brother

Dad

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.

Couple

Fate

Hands

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

Thinking

Canaries

Feathers

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.

Letting Go

Pain

Moving

And Yet, She Knew She Could Be.

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

Girl

School

Spy

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.

Jobs

Two

Laughing

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.

Cousin

Jealous

School

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

Worry

Hale

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.

Jobs

Thinking

Air

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

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

Running

People

Four

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

Cute

Thinking

Guy

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

Romantic

Needed

Knows

Love Is The Biggest Con Of All

Love Is

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.

Girl

Dust

Hands

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.

Military

Fall

Men

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

Doors

Black

Harness

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

Ideas

Two

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.

Liars

Sound

Fool

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

Memories

Use

Weapons

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.

Morning

Your Boyfriend

Way

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.

Girl

School

Waiting

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.

Men

Hair

Laughing

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

Boys

Hands

Allies

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.

Girl

Boys

Men

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?

Thinking

Car

Guy

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

Princess

Men

Short Notice

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

Hurt

Someone You Love

Kind

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.

Running

Boys

Liz

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.

Feet

Spy

Goes On

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

Want

Might

Easy

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

Nice

Stories

Chapters

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.)

Scary

Location

October

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

Secret

Sometimes

"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.

Long

Pants

Honest

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

Truck

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.

Fear

Organization

People

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

Bye

Drs

Stairs

"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.

Passion

Cutting

Groups

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

Liz

Tests

Meteors

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.

Girl

Son

Land

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

Gallagher

Gallagher Girl

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

Girl

Stupid

Mean

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.

Girl

Teenage

School

I Always Finish What I Start

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.

Math

Guy

Hale

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.

Girl

Compliment

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.

Thinking

Who I Am

Blood

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.

Princess

Enough Time

Morocco

"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.

Lying

Believe

Secret

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.

Europe

Doe

Prison

You Should Always Trust The Instincts Of Children.

Children

Instinct

Should

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.

Senior

Growing Up

Doors

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

Hate

Boys

Different

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.

Basketball

Girl

Hate

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.

Sweet

Ice Cream

People

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.

Stronger

Weakness

Littles

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

Beautiful

Boys

Ships

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.

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

Happiness

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

Apology

People

Forgiving

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.

Dream

Real

Writing

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.

Morning

Lying

Enemy

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.

Uncles

Father

Sleep

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

Girl

Kissing

Gallagher

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.

Secret

Bears

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

Phones

Cells

Littles

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?

Switzerland

Sunglasses

Needs

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.

Brother

Men

Thinking

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!)

Sleep

Cutting

Bags

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

Years

Ideas

Tails

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

Girl

Left

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.

Powerful

Two

Secret

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

Wicked

Caught

Shoulders

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

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

Promise

Answers

I Promise

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.

Writing

Artist

Oklahoma

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.

Father

Thinking

Two

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.

Pain

Hot

Burning

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

Loses

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

Love You

Gun

Macey Mchenry

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.

Sorry

Should Have

Almost Over

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.

Cute

Boys

Trying

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

Kids

Cool Kid

Left

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

Mean

Mad

Leaving

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?

Three

World

Said

Is Joe Your Father, Zach?' I Don't Know Where The Question Came From, But It Was Out, And I Couldn't Take It Back Even If I'd Wanted To. 'no.' Zach Shook His Head. 'i Never Knew My Dad. I Don't Know Anything About Him.

Dad

Father

Wanted

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.

Simple

Voice

Joy

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.

Spy

Use

Pieces

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.

Fall

Men

Fire

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.

Hands

Eyebrows

Pockets

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.

Grandma

Character

Opera

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

Character

Challenges

Needs

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.

Crosses

Has Beens

Ifs

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

Lying

Artist

Hard

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

Said

Fine

Semester

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

Friendship

Missing

Would Be

Eventually, We All End Up Alone.

Ends

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.

Song

Father

Dark

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

Looks

Chaos

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

Guy

Liz

Shoulders

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

Fate

People

Break

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.

Mom

Dad

Fighting

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

Mind

Hale

Keepers

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.

Girlfriend

Heart

Gun

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.

Teenager

Different

World

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

Broken Heart

Mom

Dad

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

Mean

Sofas

Said

Talent Katerina Is A Dangerous Thing

Talent

Dangerous

Dangerous Things

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

Inspirational

Girly

Knowing

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

Boys

Bombs

Colorful

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

Girl

Desperate Measures

Weapons

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.

Should Alcoholics Go To Liquor Stores?

Liquor Stores

Should

Alcoholics

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.

Thinking

Boston

Names

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.

Girl

Voice

Cracks

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

Sorry

Flirting

Kind

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

Girl

Forgiving

Arms

Hiding Is For Amateurs.

Hiding

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.

Jail

Interesting

Might

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

Thinking

Secret

Ifs

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.

Stealing

Antony

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

Hours

Jet

I Can

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.

Wall

Taken

Hands

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.

Government

Bird

Trying

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

Father

Years

Firsts

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

Cry

Caught

Ifs

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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