Barking Up the Wrong Lead - A Gallagher Girls Story

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

We woke up the next day to the sound of a bugle.  That’s right.  You heard me.  And old fashioned, military school, Reveille-playing bugle.  Alice (who, might I just say, snuck in at an hour which was significantly later than lights-out) was on her feet at the sound of the horn, ready to go.

I, on the other hand, rolled out of bed—in the literal sense that is.  “What time is it?”  I asked from the floor, the little clock in my head insisting that it was too early to begin ticking.

“Three o’clock,” Alice answered, ripping a brush through her southern belle hair. 

“Like… AM?”

“That’d be the one, morning glory.”

I’d like to tell you what happened next—really.  I would.  I’d like to impress you with all the details I remember and the eloquent conversation I had, but I just cant.  Honestly, I think I was just taking part in some advanced stage of sleepwalking because I don’t remember a thing.  I’m just glad I remembered to put pants on (and, really, I think Alice may have been greatly responsible for that).  The first thing I remember from that morning is stepping on to the plane.

It was small enough to be a private plane, but the cabin was set up a lot like commercial.  Our seats were already assigned in alphabetical order, reminding just how much the people of Blackthorne liked order.  I guess I shouldn’t have expected much different from a place that was disguised as a military school.

It was just my CoveOps class and the boys from the exchange.  As I took a seat I remember thinking—for probably the first time in history—that airplane seats are super comfy.  Soon enough, I saw Matt and Scout board.  Scout sat behind us, next to Will and Bill (who sat next to one and other because, of course, both of their last names started with the letter K) and Matt slid into the seat next to me.  He had been smart enough to bring a blanket.  Always thinking, that brother of mine.

I’d only seen him a couple of times since Dad told us and each time he had looked progressively worse.  That day he looked sleep deprived and after a moment I realized that maybe the three AM wakeup call wasn’t completely to blame.  He wore a look that only a series of sleepless nights could cause.  With one look, a hundred words were exchanged.  I’m really sad.  I’ve never been more scared in my life.  I miss Mom, we seemed to say to each other.  But most of all, I’m sorry I left you alone.  Neither one of us felt the need to explain ourselves.  Neither one of us felt the need to say it out loud.  I, for one, was just glad to see him again.  So Matt pulled the armrest back out of the way, draped his blanket over the both of us, and then leaned against me, asleep within seconds.  Then I did what little sisters do best and I followed his lead.

- - -

I was shaken awake at the far more forgivable time of 8:06 AM.  At least, that’s what time the little clock in my head was telling me, but when I looked out the windows, I noticed that the shadows were far too short and far too strong for that time of day.  “Mags, wake up,” my brother said, shaking me again.  “We’re in London.”

London?  What were we doing in London?  Before I had time to ask, I was being shuffled off of the plane, down the stairs, and into an unmarked white van.  Honestly, I want to know what superspy genius came up with the concept of the unmarked white van.  You might as well just write not a secret agency on the side while handing out free candy to small children from the passenger seat.  So stupid.  But I didn’t object as we filed in, each of us finding a seat.  I was too tired.  Maybe I just didn’t care.  Maybe I didn’t care about anything anymore.

My mind wandered back to another restless night months before this one.  The night after my very first op when I caught my CoveOps professor sitting in the shadows.  “You’re tired, aren’t you?” she had said to me.  “Your body aches and you feel like you might be able to sleep forever.  That’s what it feels like, except it’s worse because they don’t come back.”