Up to No Goode

Chapter Six

Life at spy school had never been so easy and difficult at the same time. I had a lot on my mind. Cammie absolutely hated me, so I had to work on that. And Joe was so busy all hours of the day I could hardly get a word in with him.

I was finally able to corner him at Friday mornings breakfast. "Joe" I said "Just the man I wanted to see."

"Hello Zach," He said "How's all of your classes?"
"They're good. Hey, I wanted to ask you something."

"Is this about Miss Morgan?" Asked Joe mischievously

Oh Joe was good.

"she just seems so... familiar somehow." I say shaking my head. Joe looked alarmed for a fragment of a second, before his calm, cool demeanor set over him once more.

"There are somethings you don't want to remember" He said "But perhaps you should know I was friends with her father." He looked at me as if I should understand what he was saying, but I didn't. I knew better than to ask though.

"Zach" he said suddenly, looking at me. "Promise me something"

"Anything"

"If you do decide to get into relations with Cameron Morgan, treat her well. Make sure she's safe." He said. There's urgency in his voice, a sort of fear I'd only heard once before. We both look at her. I knew instinctively that it must be something to do with the circle. "Because I couldn't keep her dad safe."

Joe's face was calm, his breathing steady, his voice even. But no amount of strength can hide your sorrow from your eyes. He looked toward the ground, lost in sad memories.

"I promise." I said.

"you know, she's remarkably like her father." He said

"Really?"

"Yes, she's the best pavement artist I've ever seen." He said with a grin. "She's been crawling through these walls for years now. Blackthorne isn't the only place with secret passageways you know."

We both look at the group of girls sitting at the sophomore table, and my eyes find Cammie staring intently at a smooth metal pitcher of orange juice.

And I knew I'd do anything for her.

The rest of the day was dull until covert operations. As soon as Joe Solomon walked towards us in his pressed white shirt and black slacks, pulling on a jacket I knew that keeping that promise might be harder than I thought. As Joe led us through the open doors, into the cool, crisp air into the ruby red Gallagher academy vans I was thinking it might not be well, possible.

Cameron wasn't exactly the most cautious person on the planet. Like me, she was kind of rules-optional. I sat in the front next to Joe, trying to keep my breathing steady and even. I wouldn't be able to protect her if I wasn't cool headed. So I pretended to remain indifferent to the fact that I was I was scared. I stared out the open window.

"I say, Mr. Solomon" Said Dr. Steve "You've done an excellent job with these young ladies. Just excellent."

Why is Dr. Steve so God Damn HAPPY all the time now? What happened to the rigid drill-instructor that we were so used to back at Blackthorne?

"You ladies need to pay attention to this man" Dr. Steve droned on "He's a living legend."

"Just as long as they remember the most important part of that is the living" said Joe Solomon, and I thought he was about to throw Dr. Steve out of the car right there. It's what I wanted to do at least.