Looking over the centre console at the two agents in the back seat of the black SUV, Ms Petrie mused, "Perhaps it would be better if I were to explain the D.E.B.S. initiative, and its ties with the gymnastics community, to Ms Graham. If she responds well, you can offer her the opportunity to join us, as a part of your team—after she completes the required training. If she doesn't respond positively, I will explain to her that we are looking for recruits with great potential and that we feel she could be of great service to her country working with the agency. I don't think it will be necessary to mention her perfect score, that will only add pressure to the situation. How does that sound?"

"I think that sounds like the best option," confirmed Amy. Max simply nodded noncommittally.


"Girls! Girls? Has anyone seen Haley?" Burt's voice rang out across the wide gym floor.

"Uh, I think she was out by the front gate again." Wei Wei called from her position at the end of the beam. Mina pulled a face as Burt passes them, swearing under his breath.

"Haley! Haley!" From back at the building, Burt could see Joanne's arms and legs flail as she tried, and failed, to stay perched on the steel fence that borders the grounds of the gym.

"Vick! I've totally been trying to get her to come back into the gym," she squeaked as she jumps to her feet, brushing red dust off of her pink and white leotard.

"Okay, Joanne. Haley!"

Haley was too busy hurling herself and her bike toward the six-set of steps just outside of the gates to notice Burt's calls. Poot was standing half-way down the set, while Frank was at the bottom, both poised and waiting to take aerial shots of the 360 hop. She laughed as she landed; both boys jumped to be the first to high-five her.

"Dude, so delish."

"Check out the shot I got, you look so badass."

"I got one, like, right under you."

Burt pushed past the boys before Poot gets a chance to show his picture. "Poot, Frank, always a pleasure. Nice to see you. Goodbye." He turned to face the gymnast, "Haley, what have I told you? I can't have you breaking your leg doing some kicking-flip-thing on that death trap. Come on!"

Frank and Poot shared a glance, barely holding in their laughter. "Jeez, chill Vicky."

"Vick—who told… Haley!"

Haley lifted her head, squinting in the morning sun at her trainer. "Inside," Burt clicked his fingers in the direction of the main gym, "there's someone here to see you."

Haley jumped off her bike, saying goodbye to the boys with their customary handshake. "Bye-yuh."

"Later, Cracker."


Haley stopped outside Burt's office, rounding on him and raising an eyebrow. "So, who is it? Another college scout? I like to be prepared."

"Just get inside, Hale."

"Oh, come on Vick, tell me." Burt angled himself around her and reached for the handle of the door. "It's just easier to let them explain."

Inside, a woman who has well passed middle-age sat in Burt's desk chair. On the other side, two girls around Haley's age stood leaning on the edge of the desk. Haley took a moment to take in their outfits—white shirts, plaid skirts and ties, white stockings, one in pumps and the other in combat boots. Haley shoved her hands in her pockets and rocked herself back on her heels.

"Soooo," she raised her eyebrow at her coach, "not from UCLA then?"

All three faces stared back at her, and she quickly pulled the smirk off her face, "Oh-kay. Tough crowd."

Haley rocked herself forward and walked slowly to one of the chairs, and dropping herself down into it, turned around to face the two teenagers. "What are you, like, bodyguards or something?"

A look passed between the pair before the blonde remarked, "Or something."

"Ms Graham," the older lady in the tailored suit joined her hands and laid her forearms on the desk, "my name is Ms Petrie. I'm—we are from D.E.B.S."

Haley whipped around in her chair, her eyes narrowed at Burt. "Debutantes!? Are you kidding me, Burt?"

Burt pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning against, coming to a halt behind Haley and squeezing her shoulders. "Haley, just shut the hell up and listen, will ya?" The only response he received was a scoff and a gratuitous eye-roll.

"Haley, what I'm about to tell you is classified information. You are under an obligation to keep this conversation to yourself. Telling anyone, and I do mean anyone, is a felony akin to treason. Do you understand?"

"What you just said? Yes. Why I'm being given classified information? Nope."

"Yes, well, I will get to that, as soon as you assure me that what is said in this office will not be repeated outside of these walls."

"Sure, whatever."

"Haley, D.E.B.S. is a government agency which recruits young women who have a natural ability to lie, cheat, and fight. We hide a secret test within the SATs which measures this ability. When we deem girls eligible, they are brought to the Academy and trained in espionage. These two young ladies here, are Amy Bradshaw," the blonde nodded, "and Max Brewster," the dark-haired girl nodded, "and they are two of our best agents." Ms Petrie's eyes searched Haley's face for some sense of understanding, or interest. However, Haley's face was almost blank, save for the slight arch in her eyebrow. Ms Petrie looked at Amy, wondering if this speech was coming across as stilted as it felt leaving her mouth. Amy smiled shyly in response, encouraging her Director to continue.

"For many years, D.E.B.S. has used elite gymnastics academies to recruit young women who show extreme promise. Once they've taken their SATs, we look at their track record in the gymnastics world, and we evaluate whether or not they would be a valuable asset to the agency. As you're already in peak physical condition, and undertake a regimented fitness schedule, you would be entered into an accelerated training programme which is specially designed to this type of recruitment."

"Wait, hold up. You're saying you want me… to leave VGA… to become a spy?" Haley's eyes were wide, disbelief written all over her face. "That is absolutely ridiculous. You realise this, right?" She rounded on Burt again, "if this is your idea of a joke, your sense of humour is truly going in your old age, Vicky."

"Kim Probable, will you zip it?" He walked around to the front of her chair, and hunkered down in front of her, "Hale, everything Ms Petrie is saying, it's true. I know, I know it sounds absurd, but can you just trust me?"

"Spies? Espionage? A secret test in the SATs? Burt, this is like something out of a cheesy early-noughties movie."

Burt swiveled around to face Ms Petrie, holding his hands up in apparent defeat.

"Haley, you show great promise. Your test scores are impressive to say the least, not to mention the waves you've made in the gymnastics world since your return. We feel you could be an invaluable addition to our team."

"Little ol' me? What about that business of my criminal record? How can I be a cop, or a spy or whatever, with that?"

"Ah, yes. At D.E.B.S., things like that actually stand to you. We are looking for young women who excel at lying, cheating, and fighting, after all. We believe it will help you integrate better into undercover situations, where you may have to interact with criminals—some low-level petty thieves, or internationally wanted terrorists. Of course, if you choose to join us, we have the power to make that record, I guess you could say, disappear."

Haley sat chewing her lip, silent. Amy took the lull in the conversation as an opportunity to jump in. "Look, I know it sounds insane. Most girls at the Academy had to see it to believe it, but it's true. What we do, it's important. We're an elite force of covert operations law-enforcers who handle big cases in terrorism and espionage. But it's more than that, you become part of a team, and that team becomes your family, they'll stick with you," the two agents shared a look that was heavy with unspoken words, "even when you don't deserve it. You have a lot of potential, Haley. You could use it to really serve your country."

Haley's eyes searched Burt's, begging him to help her, give her some advice.

"Ms Petrie, girls, can you give me a minute alone with Ms Graham?"

At this, Max seemed to lose her cool, taking two big steps toward them so that she stood looking down at Haley, arms crossed just beneath her chest. "Look. We want you. We don't need you. We recruit gymnasts because they're usually very good at taking orders. You don't seem to follow that blueprint. That means that Ms Petrie here thinks you'd be a good fit for our team. Me? I'm not about to let somebody piss all over what we do just because she can do a back flip—"

"A back flip? A back flip?" Haley pushed herself out of her seat, launching herself right at Max, hands poised and ready to choke her the hell out.

"Haley," Burt pinched the bridge of his nose, an action synonymous with Haley Graham, "you think running from the cops in Hicksville, Texas is exciting? Try giving what these girls do a shot. I think this could really be good for you, Hale. This is it, this is the reason I wanted you to stay here so bad."

"So, what do I do? Run around with a gun, stopping bad guys from taking over the world?"

Amy and Max looked at each other, and then back at Haley.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Basically."

Haley heaved out a sigh and rubbed the heels of her hands into her eyes. "And if I go, what? I just drop my training, kiss Nationals goodbye, pack up and leave my friends again, and start a new covert life? What about college? What about my friends? Christ, I'm just starting to get along with my Dad again."

"It would mean an end to your gymnastics career, at least your competitive career. You would have to come and live at the Academy, but we are only an hour away from VGA, so you could still see your friends and family. As far as they are to know, you will be attending a private college. You will be living at the D.E.B.S. house, which passes as a sorority house, so you can have visitors, but it is not encouraged. As far as college goes, this would be a career, we train and educate you, you wouldn't need to go to college." Ms Petrie's eyes softened. She realised how much she was asking this young girl to give up.

Haley continued to chew her lip, worrying at the sleeves of her hoody. Max, still standing over Haley's chair, eyed the gymnast. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. You might not even make it through the training."

Haley lifted her eyes, meeting Max's with a defiant look. She raised her eyebrows, before very purposefully turning towards Ms Petrie and declaring, "I'm in."

Max turned around, a smirk on her face and a twinkle in her eye. She had always been a good judge of character, and it seemed she had been right: nothing would light a fire under Haley Graham quite like a challenge.