Up to No Goode

Chapter One

"Get up!" Yelled Dr. Steve with a nasty edge to his voice. It wasn't even dawn yet, but we Blackthorne boys were used to getting up early. Everything here was routine.

Hastily, we all stood up and put on our bright yellow jumpsuits, our shined black boots. We made our beds with hospital corners and folded our clothes neatly on the foot of our bed. None of us had much... you couldn't in a place like this. Then, we all marched over to the stalls (Blackthornes bathrooms) and were given ten minutes to use the bathroom, wash our faces, and brush our teeth.

"Are you delinquents ready yet?" Snarled Dr. Steve. "You have thirty seconds to get out here, or you'll regret it." He didn't have to tell us HOW we were going to regret it. Blackthorne punishments were tough, torturous even. All fifty of us boys were lined up ready for inspection.

"Grant," began Dr. Steve in the sort of calm demeanor that could only belong to a monk or a madman. (I don't think you need me to tell you that Dr. Steve was the latter) "Please explain to me why your shoelaces aren't tied" Grant could easily take Dr. Steve. Dr. Steve was barely 5'10 and for a blackthorne boy, was rather scrawny. Grant was 6'1 with strong arms, but his voice quivered when he said "My mistake sir, they must have gotten untied"

"My mistake sir" mimicked Dr. Steve. "Take off your boots Grant."

Grant did as he was told, and handed them to Dr. Steve.

"Excellent" said Dr. Steve, "Now everyone, lets go on our run."

We all looked at Grant with pity. Our run was through the mud, over sharp rocks and branches. His feet were going to be destroyed by the end of our morning drills.

"Lets go boys, tighten up." Said Dr. Steve.

And then we were running in unison, our voices turning into one. We chanted:

These boots were made for walkin'

And that's just what they'll do

If all you're doing is markin' time

They'll walk all over you.

These guns were made for shootin'

And that's just what they'll do

And if we get a mission

We'll drill a hole in you.

This Army's trained for fightin'

And that's just what we'll do

If you pick a fight with us

We'll walk all over you.

When we got back to the Barracks (safely out of sight from Dr. Steve) Grant groaned in pain. His feet were bleeding. Swiftly I grabbed the med kit we kept by the door and started cleaning his wounds. "Thanks man," he said "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Anything for one of my best buds" I said wrapping his feet in clean white bandages. "Besides, they'd probably get even more mad about you tracking blood in on the sheets."

"True." Smiled Grant "Come on, it's time for breakfast."

"Excellent" I said, mimicking Dr. Steve. Jonas cast a nervous glance in my direction. "Careful, we haven't done a bug sweep this morning. He could be listening."

Wordlessly, we walked into the mess hall.

"Slop." I said feigning enthusiasm "my favorite." We ate a gray, mushy mess for all of our meals with dry bread and mushy fruits on the side. It was hard to choke down, but after running five miles, a growing boy was hungry. I grabbed the cold, metal tray and walked back to my seat.

"Excuse me boys" Said a voice that sent prickles down my spine.

Joe.

I hadn't seen him in years. Not since Rome.

Not since he left me here.

Not since mom.

I looked up to Joe as a father, but I never knew my father. He was all I had, but I only got the occasional dead-letter drop, encrypted note.

Why was he here?

"I believe I have a rather interesting announcement to make." he said with a glance at me. "This semester is going to be a exciting one. We are going to be selecting fifteen of Blackthornes top performers to participate in a exchange program with another school."

There's another school? For spies?

"The Gallagher academy is the finest institute in the world, educating young ladies with genius level IQ's in the finer points of the clandestine services."

Every single boy stopped eating. There was no clatter of silverware, none of the distinct chatter usually found in the mess hall, not even the sound of one's breath. Joes voice echoed across the silent hall.

"It might be a bit different then you're used to. They have their cover, and we have ours." He said "But, I'm sure our top pupils will not have a problem with it. Think of it as your best undercover assignment yet. The girls of the Gallagher academy won't know anything about you. They, as of this moment, don't even know you exist. As an alumnus of Blackthorne, I know you boys were taught how to keep a secret. Lets see how well you do, shall we?"

He called off a list of names. I heard Jonas get called, which was unsurprising because Jonas was the smartest kid in the school. He once hacked into the school security system and told me that I was on the watch-list. I looked down, certain I wouldn't be called. A few names later, Grant got called. He wasn't the smartest academically, but that boy was the best athletically.

"Great." I thought to myself "I'm going to be all alone without my friends this semester."

"Zachary Goode" Said Joe, without emotion.

My heart lifted up out of my chest.

I was getting out of here.