Chapter 1

'Somebody knows. You shouldn't act like there aren't any answers just because you haven't taken the time to look for them,' his voice was clear in my head as I walked up the familiar streets of Roseville. He was right, as always, someone knew, and there were answers out there. I've spent the last four and a half months looking for those answers, and now my search has brought me full circle, back to the very place I forced myself to leave at the end of my sophomore year. I passed by the gazebo where I had stood with two very different boys. My first boyfriend, Josh, and my…well I'm not sure what Zach was really. I'd spent almost a year trying to figure that out, and the same question still boggled my mind. Who was Zachary Goode really?

I continued up and down the streets of Roseville waiting for my signal. I wore a pair of jeans and a pull-over hoodie hiding my utility belt. My hair was hidden under a straight black wig, and green contacts hiding my eyes. I had even thrown on a pair of fake glasses that were at the bottom of my bag. Freckles were dotted around the bridge of my nose and I heard the chime of the church bell in town. Three-o-clock, it should almost be time. I pivoted on my right foot and continued back down the street I had come, nothing around me changed. A good sign, but not good enough.

I had been dreading this day for the past three weeks as the plan had been developed. I tried to find a way around it, but the truth was this is where I needed to be. More than anything I needed to find the journal of Matthew Morgan. The last time I had seen it I was handing it over to Zach. I don't think I've regretted anything more. I needed to find out what was in it that the Circle needed, because whatever was in there was a matter of National Security. My dad had information that they needed, what that is, well I'll figure that out when I get the journal back.

Two months after I left Gallagher I found the Circle's base in Paris. I'd like to say that I broke in and took them down, but that would be a lie. Truth is if I hadn't met Agent Jacobs I would have left France with as much as I had gone in with. Agent Jacobs was a CIA agent who had gotten inside the Circle. Problem was after being in deep for three years, he couldn't get out. Before I left France he was able to get me copies of some files the Circle had on my dad. Turns out they didn't know much more than me. They had captured him and he refused to talk. After that he bounced from jail cell to jail cell in numerous Circle bases all over the world. The last entry of his location was a base in Dayton, Ohio. That was two years ago. Naturally the first thing I wanted to do was get on a plane straight back to America and bust him out, but that wasn't possible, not yet.

The night I left Paris, Agent Jacobs gave me a coded message that had been sent from somewhere in Germany to the director of the Circle base in Paris. Fortunately after all the help he gave me, Agent Jacobs returned to his double life without anyone being the wiser. Unfortunately, he didn't know the code, and wasn't able to decode it. I've been trying to figure it out ever since with no success. I knew someone who could, someone who would be able to figure it out no problem. Liz Sutton. God, I missed her, Macey and Bex too. My mom, Courtney, Tina, Eva, Anna, Mick, even Zach. Okay, especially Zach. The thing is, being out there on my own all this time I had to learn the one rule we never learned in Cov. Ops., something no one ever thought to put in a text book, and something my mom never told me. Being a spy was lonely. I was truly on my own. Even though I knew that in the back of my head, I never knew how lonely I could be. I missed Sunday dinners with my mom in her office. I missed the meals I had in the dining hall that were prestigiously prepared. I missed Zach's smirk and the cryptic way he always talked to me. I missed my friends, Bex, Liz, and Macey. Most of all, I missed Gallagher, my home.

Well, now I was back, kind of. I was in Roseville, and when Agent Jacob's partner from CIA gives me the signal, I would start the walk to Gallagher. The plan was simple, get in, get what I need, and get out. There were two things I needed. My dad's journal and some way to crack the code in this note. I had no way of knowing where the journal would be, or if it was even here. Who knows what Zach could have done with it, but this was the last place I saw it, and the one place I knew better than anyone in the world. As for the code, if it can be cracked, Liz's code-cracker will crack it. Liz used to keep it in our room, I'm just hoping she hasn't moved it, and that I could get in and out of there without getting caught.

I turned a corner and saw a man walking up the street towards me. His head was down and it seemed he couldn't see where he was going. He bumped into me as we passed each other and he mumbled and apology as he kept walking, head down. I walked a little further before I shoved my hands in my pocket. I felt a piece of paper crumple that wasn't there before. I took the paper out and scanned the sheet. It was red and written with black ink it said:

'Good Luck'

I shoved the paper in my mouth and it dissolved within seconds. (Gotta love Evapopaper.) This was my signal, it was time. I followed the streets until I reached Gallagher. I walked by slowly and a guard eyed me as I walked. I gave the school my best impersonation of the Gallagher Glare and turned up my nose I as continued to walk. I walked another mile or so and walked into the trees for cover. I knew that there was a hole that I could just barely squeeze through. As I walked I thought about how much time I would have to get to the entrance of my favorite passageway. 57 seconds. It would be pushing it, but what choice did I have?

I came to the hole in the fence and I seriously thought about not going in, but the only way to find out why the Circle wanted me, and maybe even where my dad was, was to get in there. I took a deep breath and laid on the moist grass. I took another breath as I wiggled myself through the hole. I felt my arms and legs being scratched by the metal, but I kept going. Once my feet were through, I sprung to my feet and sprinted to the walls of my school. I found the entrance to the passage and ducked in. 48 seconds. Not bad. I smiled to myself as I felt along the wall. I came up behind the old tapestry and peeked out. Nothing. That was good, I hadn't set off any alarms, but I still wasn't safe. I never would be, not when I was surrounded by over 100 girls who were training to be spies. Plus the teachers who were spies.

I waited for three minutes until I stepped out from behind the tapestry and walked down the hall to the East Wing which should be empty at this time of day. I walked in and froze. It should have been empty, except, it wasn't. Well, I guess it was, but it wouldn't be for long. I peered into the rooms that were equipped with beds and desks. Closets full of pants, shirts, and shoes. They were back. Blackthorn was back! I continued down the hall and veered out another door that would take me through a wall and put me a few feet away from my room, or my old room. I was about to step into the passage when I stopped and turned around. Zach was here. He was at Gallagher and he could have the journal with him. I debated what to do. I had no other lead as to where the journal could be. I was about to turn around and figure out which room was his when I heard something behind me. Footsteps. Someone was coming and I didn't have time to hide.

"Wha-?" he looked confused. I smiled shyly at him and he narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, my friends didn't think I could get in here to…" I trailed off and mocked embarrassment. His expression softened, but only slightly.

"To…?" he prompted crossing his arms over his chest.

"To take a picture of Zach's room…" I looked at the floor, avoiding his eyes.

"Zach Goode?" he questioned trying to suppress a smile. I just nodded as he chuckled. "Look I'll help you out this once, but just so you know Zach's taken," he smiled when I looked up at him with horror in my eyes. This however was real horror. I mean, I know Zach and I weren't ever really together, but he…he kissed me multiple times, and he asked me to run away from the Circle with him.

"Really?" I whispered only half in control of my emotions.

"Yup, sorry. He's really hung up on her too from what Grant says," he shrugged and started walking when I didn't move he turned around looking at me. "Coming? Don't you have a picture to take?" I smiled weakly and followed him. "So what's your name? I haven't seen you in any of my classes."

"Cayla," I said without hesitation. I had a mission and Zach couldn't interfere. "I'm new here this year, I just started seventh grade."

He nodded and turned into one of the rooms. "Well snap your picture quick." I pushed some hair behind my ear and actually did snap a picture of the room. I sighed and was about to turn around when I heard him.

Zach. And Grant. Coming down the hall. I shot my 'tour guide' a worried look and he shrugged. I looked around desperately and looked back up at him. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed this boy and kissed him. He was taken aback, but caught on and snaked his arms around my waist. He pushed me up against the wall. Ugh, he was enjoying this way too much. After an excruciating 27 seconds I heard someone clear their throat. I broke off thankful for the interruption. Grant and Zach were standing in the doorway. Zach looked disgusted and went to sit on his bed. Grant just looked amused. I avoided both their eyes and looked at the floor.

"Matt, you couldn't have waited until you got to your own room," Grant snorted.

"Sorry man. We'll get out of here," Matt said as he took my hand and led me out. He closed the door behind us and smiled. "You owe me," he said as his grip on my hand tightened and he led me into another room. He shut the door behind us and pushed me against the door.

"I have to get back to my friends, sorry," I tried to wiggle out of his arms, but his grip on me tightened. He smiled and started to lean down towards me. I so could not deal with this now. I used all my force to shove him off me, and before he could recompose himself I kicked him in the gut. Hard. While he was doubled over in pain I grabbed a napotine patch out of my utility belt and slapped it on his arm. I caught him as he fell and lugged him over to one of the beds then threw him on.

I peeked out the door into the hallway before slipping out the door. I heard muffled voices coming from Grant and Zach's slightly open door. I paused and tried to listen but couldn't really hear anything. I hurried to the wall at the end of the hallway when I remembered something. Before I went to Paris I was in Bosnia for a week and managed to swipe a mobile bug prototype from a guy involved in the black market. I found the part of the wall that slid in and out of place, slid it out of place and slipped into the wall. I closed it behind me and pulled the spider-like bug out and its remote. It had a mic and camera on it, and I could control it from up to two miles away. Once I had practiced maneuvering the bug I slid the wall open slightly and placed it on the floor. I directed it into the room and sat it down in a place where I could see both Grant and Zach. Then I just watched and listened.

"I just can't," I heard Zach say quietly.

"Please, this cannot be good for you. You have to stop thinking about it," Grant pleaded from his bed across the room.

"How can I? I have to know she's okay! If anything were to happen to her it would be my fault!" Zach turned to look at Grant with a murderous glare.

"How does that make sense?"

"It was my idea. I told her that the two of us should run together. That the Circle wouldn't kill us."

"Look, Cammie's no idiot. I'm sure she would have thought about it sooner or later," Grant said quietly walking over to Zach. He said something quietly to Zach but I wasn't listening. Me? He was worried about me? I cleared my head and tuned back in to hear Grant say, "Look, I told Jonas I would meet him in the library to work on some COW extra credit," Zach nodded and Grant walked out the door.

Before I could stop myself I slid open the wall and stepped out closing it behind me. I watched Grant walk out the door and around the corner. I ran to Zach's room. I stepped in and locked the door behind me. I took a breath before turning around and he was there, ready. He pinned me to the wall, a choke hold around my neck.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He asked angrily.

"Zach…" I started and I saw something in his eyes, recognition maybe, but it was gone in an instant.

"Answer me!" His hold on my neck tightened.

"Please," I choked out. His glare hardened and he started to reach for something in his pocket. I didn't give him a chance. In an instant my foot was on his chest and I kicked him off of me. He landed on his back, but was only down for a second before he jumped back up coming at me. "Wait!" I screamed and then I looked at him, "Give me one minute to explain," he looked at me and nodded. He moved towards the door blocking my way out. I took a deep breath and ripped off my wig. I let it fall to the floor and carefully took out my contacts. I sighed and turned to look at Zach. His expression was unreadable so I took a step towards him. "Zach…" I started but he cut me off.

"Cammie?" He whispered looking at me. I nodded and he frowned. "What the hell?" He came at me and pinned me to the wall again this time holding me by my arms. "Where have you been?"

"Um, around," I half smiled, when he continued to frown I dropped my voice to a whisper. "I can't really say."

"So what are you doing here?" he hissed.

"Look don't be mad, I had to do this. I had no option!" I said a little angry at him.

"No option? You could have stayed here! You could have been protected!"

"You and I both know that's not true," I whispered. I looked down and he continued to stare at me, dropping his arms from mine and brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. He was so close. I hadn't seen anyone n almost five months, and now here I was standing mere inches away, in a locked room, from a boy who had once asked me to run away with him.

"But you're back now?" he asked only slightly hopeful. I put a hand over his and left them both on my cheek. I looked at him and shook my head. "Then why?" he asked, hurt in his eyes.

"I need something from you."

"Really?" he said roughly pulling his hands away from me. "You disappear for almost five months, have everyone in the world looking for you, then you come back and tell me you need something from me?" he stalked across the room to the window. "Do even know what you've done? To Macey, Liz, and Bex? To your Mom?" he paused, "To me?" he said the last part in a whisper.

"Do you think that I don't think about that every day? Do you think I've just been on vacation for all this time? Please! Not one day has passed when I don't think about just giving up and coming back here. But you know what kept me going? My dad! Okay Zach? I need to find out what happened to him!" I was crying by the time I was done. It was all true. The only reason I didn't come back was because of my dad. I was so close to finding him.

"Gallagher Girl…" he said as walked towards me. He stopped about a foot away and put his hands in his pockets. "Please, it's not worth your life," he said, his gaze never leaving me.

"Excuse me?" my head snapped up and I took a step towards him. "Not worth it? He is my father. Even if he's dead, I need to know what happened."

"I know! Believe me, I know. I know what it's like to not know where your dad is. To not know what happened on that last mission. I know," his voice got quiet at the end. That was something Zach and I had in common. We both knew what it was like. We stood in silence until he looked back up into my eyes. "Please, just stay here. Stay here with me," he pleaded quietly taking one of my hands in his.

"I can't," I rubbed my thumb up and down the back of his hand, "if you don't want to help me, that's fine, I'll go."

I started to turn and pull my hand out of his, but his grip tightened on my hand. "What do you want from me?"

I turned back to him and looked into his eyes, those beautiful emerald green eyes that I had first seen in the elevator in DC. I looked down and took a deep breath and cleared all the emotion from my face before looking back into his eyes. "I need my dad's journal."