A/N Hey all:) So longest chapter yet. Sorry that nothing overly important happens but I promise you'll get some action next chapter. I'll try to post it tomorrow. In the meantime favorite, review and keep on reading. Lots of love.

I wake up to Macey throwing a pillow at my face. "Wake up," she hisses, "it's time." Bex throws my clothes at me when I don't get out of bed immediately.

"I'm up," I groan. "I'm up." I roll out of bed and look around. Liz had put a row of four backpacks near the door. She was currently wrapping two of her laptops in bubble wrap. I laugh. "Liz, what are you doing?"

"Every time we sneak out and go on a mission, something bad happens to us. I figured that since this time we are sneaking out, getting on a private jet in the middle of the night, flying to Rome and kidnapping an ambassador's son, I would rather be safe then sorry." We all burst out laughing when we realize just how true that statement is. Then we stop really fast, realizing just how true that statement is.

I can hear Macey swallow. "We'll be fine," she says. "It will all go according to plan. It will be fine."

"Damn right it will be," Bex says with enough confidence to burn through a good portion of our doubts.

I look at the clothes Bex had tossed at me. Black cargos, a tight black t-shirt and black running shoes. Very Bexish. At least it isn't the black dress she made me wear the last time we snuck out to save a friend. She tells me that we'll change into out disguises on the plane and I sigh, knowing that I just completely jinxed myself. I grumble as I pull on my clothes and grab my backpack, sitting on my bed and waiting for everyone else to be ready. When Liz finishes bubble wrapping the last of her techy gadgets, she looks up. "Lets go."

We make it to the tunnel that I left out of last summer without any problems. Liz was thankfully refraining from being her usual clumsy self and we hadn't heard a single "oops-i-daisy" all night. As we enter the tunnel, I can't help but wonder about the wisdom of our latest mission. I haven't had much luck with Rome in the past and I have a feeling that this mission isn't going to go anything like we planned it. I seriously doubted that it would be as simple as Liz disabling the security system, Bex and Zach keeping the guards busy, and Macey and me grabbing Preston. I tell myself to shut up as we emerge from the passage and see Zach standing next to the plane that Macey had called in. I walk toward him smiling, but can't seem to push my doubt from my mind. I ignore them and kiss him quick and hard before climbing onto the plane.

The flight isn't that long and I am able to sleep for most of it. I don't dream at all. It's a relief. When I wake up it's to man shaking my shoulder. "Wake up," whispers a low voice. It sounds like my dad.

"Five more minutes daddy." Saying that sends a sharp pain through me, but I can't figure out why.

"Gallagher Girl. Wake up." The voice is more insistent now. Not dad. I remember now. He's dead. Dead. My eyes fly open. I let out a strangled moan and Zach's arms go around me. I bury my face in his shoulder, allowing myself a moment of weakness in a world that requires strength. My moment is up. I force myself to pull away. As I do, my hand brush a cold, hard metal lump at Zach's hip. A gun. I recoil from him.

"Why do you have that?" He doesn't answer. "Zach. Why. Do. You. Have. That?"

"I have a bad feeling about this mission," he says keeping his eyes on the ground. "If we're in a bad situation, I want to have an out."

"Why the gun though?"

"Do you remember what Abby taught us on your first Covert Operations lesson back from your summer?" I nod. Of course I do. I'd almost killed Dr. Steve after that lesson. To bad I hadn't. Zach continues, oblivious to the thoughts going through my head. "She taught us that if you need a gun it's because its to late for you to be safe. That they are for the offensive. A last line of defense against death. I can hit a target that can barley be seen by the naked eye. There are some targets I'd really like to hit. If we come across them in Rome, I want the chance to hit them."

I nod. There are some targets I'd like to hit myself. " Alright. I get it. Sorry." I give him a quick kiss and go to change into my disguise. Thankfully Bex had chosen only a pair of blue jeans, flats, a nice t-shirt and a black wig. When I've put it on, I don't look like myself but it will still be easy to be the chameleon .

I go out to our seats and participate in the last minute plan check conversation. Everybody is disguised. Macey in jeans, a peasant blouse and converse high-tops. The look is finished off with a long red wig. Liz has on a dress, leggings, a jean jacket, heels and a straight brown wig that covers up her long blond curls. Bex is in red skinny jeans, a black t-shirt and a black hoodie. She is in running shoes and has glasses. Zach is in a pair of jeans and a lose grey t-shirt. He is also wearing running shoes and is sporting a new nose. When we've finished checking the plan we all go back to sitting quietly, Liz watching what looks like Captain America on her lap-top. Ten minutes later the plane lands. 45 minutes later we are at our hotel in the heart of Rome.