Only The Goode Spy Forever

Chapter 36: The Birthday

Annalise Goode was pacing in her suite. Her brother's message was clear. It was a warning. Her friends were trying to calm her nerves.

"Maybe it's not even about Cason," Caroline said.

"Ya, maybe this is just random," Bree agreed. Diana and Anna both shook their heads. They knew that Chase wouldn't risk getting caught just to send a random letter.

"No," Anna said firmly. "There is only 1 reason that he would sent this to me. He knows." Caroline shivered.

"How could he? We're the only ones that know," Bree countered. Anna shook her head. Bree wasn't like her roommates. Bree was 2 years older than them and had no idea what Anna's brother's school was. It could be a school for spies, but its main purpose was to train assassins.

"Ann's brother is a spy. And he's good. Really good. No matter what it, always seems like he knows too much," Diana explained. Anna agreed. Chase always did know too much. Everything that her parents had classified for her wasn't classified for him.

"But if Chase knows what's going on then that means that someone else does too," Caroline said softly. Anna nodded.

"Chase is at school 10 hours away. They don't leave. Someone else had to have told him," she agreed.

"But how do you know? What if there was a school field trip or he just had a gut instinct?" Bree countered. Anna laughed, a small mocking sound.

"They really don't leave," she stated. Bree looked at her questioningly, but finally nodded. The girls were all stressed trying to figure out who knew what. Caroline was chewing her nails, Anna was pacing, Diana was snapping at everyone, and Bree kept braiding and unbraiding her hair.

"If he wants us to be smart then that's what we'll do. Now that sneaking out is becoming dangerous, I think we can all agree that you won't be doing it alone," Diana said. The other girls nodded. "Somehow, we need to know what's going on, so we know if we need to come save you."

"Comms," Anna said. Then her friends could hear her and know what was going on without being there. She could talk to them if needed.

"Great idea, Ann, but Mr. Solomon has all of the comms units in his classroom. None of us have access to the sub levels," Caroline reminded her. Bree started laughing.

"Why do you always forget that I'm not an itty bitty 8th grader like the rest of you? I'm a sophomore and in case you've forgotten, I take covert operations," Bree said with a smile.

"What if Solomon notices? He's a really good spy. What if you get caught?" Diana asked.

A devilish smile came to Bree's face. She looked exactly as a spy as she said, "I won't."

*                                      *                                              *

   The weeks passed. Annalise made a point to see Cason at least once a week. Her friends tracked her on the comms that Bree had successfully smuggled from sublevel 1. Anna got to know Cason better. She fell for him more and more every time that they were together.

   "Hey, what's your favorite color?" Cason asked as they walked.

   "Green," she said with a smile. Cason gave her a look.

  "Green like the swamp?" He asked with a grin. She laughed.

  "No, I mean like a deep, shiny green. Like my brother's eyes!" She exclaimed before she realized what she had done. She held her breath, hoping Cason wouldn't catch the truth that she told. If he did hear, he didn't care. He smiled and nodded.