Emma Dobson's life has always been uncertain. The details hazy, if not definite at all.
Her father? Returned, as if back from the dead after seven long years.
Her mother? Still in a state of shock.
Her brother? On another one of his "school trips".
Things have always been sketchy in the Dobson household. And over time Emma has grown accustomed to the fact that she must overlook such things. For asking too many questions only leads to less answers – which she hasn't been getting a lot of lately. And she's just fine with that.
It isn't until she meets a boy that things start to change.
He's cute, charming and has his way with everyone. So why does he have such an interest in her?
Little does Emma know, her story is just a piece of the puzzle.
The puzzle behind the mystery that is...
Zachary Goode.
AN: Hey everyone! This is my first fanfic - ever. So don't hate, please :(. I am a huge fan of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls and I've been reading a lot of your stories. As much as I love them all, I feel it's time for something different. A tragedy. Well, a bit of one. But you get it. I've always loved Zach Goode's character and wondered if he's had relationships with other girls. He is a spy, afeterall. Sorry for the sucky summary by the way, I've always been really bad at those. So here's the prologue, because I'm too lazy to give you an entire chapter. :) a bit of a different feel, different characters... different world. But still the same GG universe.
**This takes place after GG2**
**Zach is not in this prologue. But he is in the first chapter!***
--can't disclaim anything here--
Prologue
Moonlight cast its willowy stare upon the pasty white face of Abigail White, only defining her flawless, prominent features she so proudly flaunted when faced with the daily opportunity to do so. She moved feasibly through the slanting shadows. Her long, cascading locks of gold, rippling though the cool autumn breeze. Dampened tree branches merely twitched at her graceful passing.
It wasn't until she reached her final destination that she slowed her quick pace and came to press her manicured fingers to the chiseled stone wall. She heaved one last drag of her cigarette and tossed it to the moist ground before stabbing it with the heel of her boot. With one toss of her hair, her brilliant blue eyes came to meet the streak of moonlight that so effortlessly captured the glint of mischief that flickered beneath her angelic exterior.
As if right on cue, a luminous grin breached across her face.
"What a thrill," She whisper-exclaimed, her tiny figure not bothered by the sudden blast of autumn wind. The smell of smoke had melted into her leather jacket and woven itself into her hair. It was almost unbearable to be around her when she reeked of weed and alcohol – which was practically every day. And it wasn't like she hid it very well. "Emma…?" Her darkened blue eyes frantically searched the surrounding area. "Emma Dobson? Where the fuck are you?"
At the screech of my name – twice – I allowed myself to slip out of the shadows. The breeze caressed my bare arms, engulfed in Goosebumps of every size. Merely a thin tank top clung to my thin, pale frame as heavy sweatpants hung off my narrow hips, swallowing the pair of Pumas hidden beneath it.
My words tasted crusty and dry as they slipped through my parched lips. "I'm right here, Abby." I said, feeling the unfortunate truth in my words.
Yes, I was there. There to break her out – again.
Her smile brightened. "Tonight, we're doing something different. The big finale. Brayford High is going to be all ours. No teachers, no students, no janitors… I was thinking, we light up, get a little 'out of it', if you know what I mean, then cause as much havoc in that school as we possibly can." She let out a laugh. "Monday morning, the poor bastards won't know what hit 'em!"
When I didn't respond she dropped her shoulders and looked me up and down.
"You're not excited." She acknowledged.
Well why would I be? We'd been doing this for four months. Surely someday her parents would learn to invest in some high end security measures. What good was I doing in helping her to escape?
"I am." I lied through gritted teeth. "I'm just tired, that's all."
She rolled her eyes and stuck her boot to a small hole in the wall. "Is that all you're wearing?" She muttered. She started to climb. "It's freezing."
"I noticed." I mumbled, regretting not having worn a sweater.
"Idiot." I heard her whisper to the wall.
I flinched as I always did whenever she called me that, which hadn't been that long. It seemed like, no matter what I did, I always ended up the idiot in every situation. And most times I felt like one, with or without Abby's sharp commentary.
She had reached the top by then, and was happily swinging her stick-like legs like a child on a swing.
"Let's go Dobson! I don't have all night!"
In the short four months I had known the mysterious Abby White; never did I ever feel in control. She was that beautiful, spoiled, yet rebellious new girl no one could quite figure out. She was the bitch in class who shouted out sarcastic answers, got sent to the principal's office then would skip the rest of class for a drag outside the cafeteria doors. Brayford High had never met a girl like Abby White, at least not one who was willing to risk so much. So how did I, little, quiet, Emma Dobson, find myself as her closest and only friend? How was that even possible?
"Stop being such a fu—"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I snapped and pushed the toe of my sneaker into the same slot she had.
"You're so slow…" She groaned and threw her legs to the other side of the wall and disappeared. The sound of her heavy boots on the steps of the ladder were barely audible from where I was.
Once I reached the damp top of the wall, my fingers feeling the moist patches of moss between cracks in the stones, I caught sight of the ladder. From below, safe on the ground already, stood Abby. Impatience was written all over her face—
"Jesus, Emma!"
…and etched in her words.
I was about to match her annoyed remarks with some profanity of my own, when I saw it.
A flash of car headlights tore through the darkness. My eyes stung from its spiteful glare. Abby jumped as the engine roared.
"Emma Dobson. Get over here, now!" Came a booming voice.
Abby's small, manicured hands rolled into fists. She whipped her head around, sending her movie-star locks to slice the frigid air. She shot me one of the deadliest looks I had ever seen.
But I was barely looking at her.
I could feel Abby's eyes on me, burning a hole in my face. But that was nothing compared to what was running through my mind at that very moment.
The car door slammed shut.
And just as reality slapped me to my senses, fear took hold of my throat. It clenched, seized, then retracted. My breathing, labored.
Because there, standing before me was the man I hadn't seen in seven years, and still, the sight of his face didn't differ from what had been engraved into my mind. He was mad, there was no doubt about that. But I knew his smile, though he refused to show it there and then. I knew him. He knew me. And I knew exactly who and what he was.
Saying it only made it certain and I didn't know if I was ready for that. But there was no other time, no other place.
The word tasted foreign in my mouth. I hadn't said it – meant it – in so long, never to someone who was actually my—
"Dad?"
AN: sooo? Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 and we'll see how fast I post the next chapter ;)
NEXT CHAPTER: It all started with a Deal