Spy and Don't Tell

Chapter Two

PROS AND CONS OF YOUR FAMILY BEING HIGHLY TRAINED SPIES. A LIST BY Z GOODE.

PRO: They can do really good brush passes

CON/PRO: They tend to have a feeling of someone spying on them when there's someone spying on them.

PRO: They tend to talk about classified information when they think you're asleep.

CON: They talk about classified information in a different language so it takes a moment to translate what they are saying meaning you're about two to three sentences behind on what they are saying.

CON: If one of your family members picks up on you being there, they all pick up on you being there without a single word spoken.

-

"Z, you might as well just come here into the light. We all know you're there." Grandpa Joe said rearranging his cards. I walked into the kitchen with an innocent smile as I walked over to Grandpa Joe's chair and leaned on the back of it.

"Honestly, Z. You should know better then to spy on spies." Aunt Abby said passing a card to Dad.

"Yes well you see, I come from a family of spies so it's only in my nature to spy." I said with a smile. "By the way Mom, Dad, that brush pass of those aces and kings was a good move, but I would have traded threes and jacks." My parents glared at me as I mouth the word halo to them and pointed to above my head.

"Well I think the whole go to bed statement was not a suggestion." Dad said. "As in Z, go to bed."

"Aw, you're no fun." I pouted as I walked up the stairs and back to my room. I walked over to my bed and plopped down next to Lexi who didn't need to say a word to let me know that I needed to tell her everything. "For spies who are great at brush passes, they aren't great at brush passes while playing poker." I said. Lexi glared at me as if to say that that is not what she meant by spill. I ignored her glare and climbed into bed. She sighed and did the same. A few minutes of having a staring contest later, we both fell asleep.

-

The limo pulled into the driveway in front of the Gallagher Mansion. I looked at my parents who smiled at me then to my grandma who was already climbing out of the car. I followed her and as soon as I was out of the limo with my bags they drove off to wherever my brother's school is. I fell into step with Lexi who came out of nowhere as we walked up to our room.

"So, you ready to start our sophomore year?" Lexi asked as we got to our room. She threw opened the door and rushed to her bed. I rolled my eyes at her childish behavior. Then she started snoring. Like actual full on snoring. I sighed, walking over to her, and pulled the blanket over her. To be honest, I don't blame her for falling asleep. We got up pretty early to make sure our bags were packed and to say bye to our parents and to go on a morning jog so we could miss breakfast so Chef Louis can make us breakfast. (Don't tell Grandma.) I walked down the empty halls of the mansion that will be full of girls a few hours from now tomorrow. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew that I wanted to walk around the place I call home seeing I never really stayed in the same house long enough to call it my home. I finally stopped walking when I got to the P&E barn. Since I was already in clothes I could work out in, I did exactly that. It's a great way to let off steam and clear your mind. I guess that's why I plugged in my iPod to the speakers and started playing my music. I guess that's why I pulled my bright red hair back into a pony tail and wrapped my knuckles in the special tape as I walked over to the punching bag.

I guess that's why I didn't realize Dad was standing off in the shadows watching my every move till I was pinned to the ground. And I guess that's why I also didn't realize Mom was sitting up in the rafters till I was pinned to the ground.

"What is this? Spy on Z day?" I joked as Dad got off me and helped me to my feet. Instead of taking his hand to get up, I pulled him down onto the ground next to me. Mom laughed till she fell off the rafters and on top of Dad who pushed her off so she was next to him.

"Honestly, Zach, she's your daughter. How did you not see she was going to pull you down onto the ground?" Mom teased propping herself on to her forearms. Mom and Dad started bickering about what happened till I interrupted Dad mid sentence.

"Okay, don't mean to be rude, but shouldn't you two be in Buenos Aries?" I asked standing up and grabbing my iPod from its spot on the shelf next to the volume control for the speakers.

"No, actually. We should be helping Bex in Russia but she found an old friend to help her out so she doesn't need our help as of the moment." Dad said still laying on the floor.

"Okay and? That still doesn't explain as to why you are here. In my school's P&E barn." I crossed my arms over my chest and popped out my hip.

"Since we don't need to be helping Bex out in Russia yet, we decided to spend the last day of summer with our lovely daughter." Mom said answering the question as she sat up.

"Okay, again. Why me? Why not Morgan? I'm pretty sure he would love to spend the last day of summer at who knows where he goes to school at." Mom and Dad were now up on their feet with their arms around my shoulders as we walked back to the mansion.

"We spent the last days with him last year." Mom said as Dad opened the doors of the mansion to reveal Grandma giving them a glare that could kill. (She probably could if she wore the right glasses or contacts.

"Cameron, Zachary, you should know better then anyone not to sneak onto the mansion property." Grandma scolded. I stifled a laugh and wiggled out of my parents arms and next to Grandma.

"Mom, Dad, it's awesome you want to spend the last day of summer with me but I have to finish an essay for COW... So bye!" I rushed up the stairs to my room on the third floor that must have been an attic at one point long ago where my best friend was sleeping. Well, that was till I burst threw the door and started telling Lexi everything that happened moments ago. From the point where I was just wondering around to the point where I lied to my parents about COW homework, Lexi listened to every word. When I was finally finished, all Lexi did was nod her head.

"I can't believe you forgot what day it was." Was all Lexi said. "I can't believe I forgot and just fell asleep." I looked at her confused and thought that she hadn't heard a word I said. Then she pulled out a box that was only a little bit bigger then a box for a pair of shoes or backpack. It was wrapped in Happy Birthday wrapping paper with a perfect bow on top. I face palmed my self when I saw it.

"No wonder they're here and not with Morgan. They must have found out about my little rant about last year." I took the box from Lexi and ripped off the bow and paper to reveal an Anderson Co box. I looked at Lexi with a raised eyebrow but she just continued to smile giddily at me as a way to tell me to continue opening the birthday gift. I took of the lid to the box and took a look inside. It was a backpack that was a bright blue and fluorescent pink color. I opened the backpack only to find a pair of black tennis shoes with the same bright blue and fluorescent pink for the laces that were on the backpack.

"The backpack is fire, water, explosive, dirt, bullet, and electric proof. The shoes are the same." Lexi explained. "I think. I don't know. It's been a while since my parents told me what they were-proof."

"Thanks so much Lexi! You'll have to remind me to tell your parents thanks as well next time I see them, okay?" I said giving her a hug. She nodded when we pulled apart. "I should probably go tell my parents I lied to them so I could get out of their hugs because I forgot it was my birthday." I stood up from my bed, put the backpack and shoes down on the bed, then walked started walking back down stairs to where my parents were. As soon as I left the third floor, I ran into Mom.

"Hey, I was just coming to talk to you." Mom smiled. I wrapped my arms around her in a hug. It was obvious that I took her by surprise but I didn't care.

"Thank you." I mumbled into her shirt. Mom let out a laugh.

"For what?" She asked.

"For you and Dad deciding to spend the last day of summer with me." I looked up and her and smiled. "It's the best birthday gift I could ever ask for seeing I wouldn't see you for a long time." She kissed the top of my head like she does and whisper a Happy Birthday Z before the two of us went to go find Dad.