Chapter 3

Previously on The Origins of Butterfly and Gecko:

The room was quiet again until Bex finally said "you're right, it isn't rational for them to think the books are real… but what if they aren't thinking rationally?" There it was the question that was hanging over their heads. Sammi was known for her daydreaming and if Sarah had shared this with her, well it wouldn't be a surprise if Sammi mentioned that it could be real.

At this point no one knew what to say or do until an unexpected voice broke the silence…

Third Person POV (At Macey's house)

"What if we're the ones not thinking rationally?" Bex snapped her head over towards Andrew, who at this point was wondering if Bex was going to kill him.

"What do you mean? Our orders were to keep them safe, not to tell them the bloody truth about everything, and reveal the spy world!"

"Maybe so, but is it really right to keep this from them, this 'spy world' would have been their life if their parents weren't… well… you know." Andrew trailed off, no one wanted to remember what happened to the girls' parents. "The point is they deserve to know, and you and Cammie are the ones who should tell them."

"We can't, if we told them they would hate us…besides our orders prevent us from telling them. Sarah and Sammie are never meant to know about the spy world, end of discussion." Andrew looked at Bex, she was slumped against the wall, eyes closed and you could tell she felt defeated. Everyone else had left the room, they knew the discussion that was about to happen could end well, or turn into a massive fight.

"Bex you know better than anyone that I want to keep Sarah safe, Sammie too, but maybe it's time to consider that not knowing puts them in more danger than if they were to know. I know that you and Cammie teach them self defense, and they probably use the books to practice spy techniques, which means they might have seen me and Alex. That's proof that this life, the life they were supposed to have, can't be kept from them; it shouldn't be kept from them. I know you want to protect her, and Sammie, but you can't always be there, they need to know."

Bex thought for a moment about what Andrew said, she knew he was right. She couldn't keep them from this world any longer, but it didn't mean she had to like it. "Fine, we'll come clean, we'll tell them everything from the very beginning, but we leave out you and Alex" she whispered the last part so softly he could barely hear her.

"What? why?! Me and Alex are just as involved in this mission as you are! You can't just keep us a secret, that's just cruel!"

"I can and I will Andrew, they only know what the books say and you're not in the books. So for now, you and Alex will be a secret, for yours and their protection."

He knew by the tone of her voice the conversation was over. He made his way over to the door but not before looking back and saying "she'll figure it out, she's not dumb and when she does you'll be the one explaining another lie to her." He knew it was a low blow but he was angry, frustrated and conflicted, she deserved to know he was protecting her, he wanted her to know he was protecting her.

Bex felt another pair of eyes watching her she looked up and her eyes met Cammie's. "He wants her to know who he is."

Cammie slid down the wall next to Bex, "I think he likes her. He's just like Zach, overprotective, loyal, and caring; so what's the problem if he does?"

Bex sighed, she really didn't want to have this conversation right now, "I don't know what you mean, the fact is she doesn't need to know about him, and neither does Sammie need to know about Alex; it's for the best."

Bex got up but before she left she heard Cammie ask "best for who Bex?"

~Line Break~

Third Person POV (At Bex and Sarah's House)

Surrounded by a nest of papers and a whiteboard that was no longer white, was Sarah and Sammie. "So, what do we know?" Sarah asked.

"We know that the books are real, we had our memory erased, we're actually sisters, and our whole life is a lie." Sammie answered.

"So… we know nothing at all. SUGAR MUFFIN! FOUR HOURS OF BLOODY RESEARCH AND WE'VE FOUND NOTHING!" Sarah screamed before flopping on the couch; sending hundreds of notebook paper into the air and onto the floor.

"I mean it's not a whole lot but it's something, you sound like Bex by the way."

"Thank you Sammie for that oh so helpful observation" she responded, her words dripping with sarcasm. "I just don't understand, why erase our memory? There has to be a reason, maybe a classified one, but still a reason!"

"You said so yourself, they're spies. This is what they do, of course they do usually have an ulterior motive…"

"EXACTLY! So what's the motive?" Sarah rolled off from her spot on the couch and grabbed Sammie's computer, she sighed "I wish I had my computer, I tricked it out you know. I modified it so that I could access CIA files easier, and hack the Pentagon… I mainly did it because I couldn't find the answer to a homework question."

Sammie looked at her strangely "what the heck does the CIA and the Pentagon have to do with homework questions?"

"Well obviously I couldn't find the answer on Google so I figured the CIA would have it, but they didn't so I found it on the Pentagon. It was actually pretty simple to do. The point is I miss my computer, but Liz had to upload some software or something…" she trailed off.

"Uh… Sarah you were saying?"

"Liz said she had to upload some software, but my computer didn't need new software."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Liz took my computer for a different reason, maybe they suspect that we know something, and if they do they might try to erase our memory again." Sarah closed Sammi's computer and started grabbing papers and putting them into her backpack.

"Uh sis, gosh that sounds weird to say, what exactly are you doing?"

"Don't you see Sammi? We need to leave if we're going to figure out this mess" She snapped a picture of the whiteboard before erasing it.

Sammi was motionless as she tried to process everything her crazy sister was saying, "so you're saying we just pick up and leave? Is that wise, I mean we have no money how are we going to go anywhere, more importantly where would we go?!"

"Easy Sammi we get the money from Macey, well from her bank account, and then we go where Cammie went during the summer."

"You mean… follow what the books say? We're not even sure if they're real!"

"Exactly, and the only way to figure the truth is if we leave. So are you in?"

"Of course!" With that both girls started packing a small travel bag with a change of clothes, Sammie borrowed some of Sarah's, and then they headed for Walmart, since they needed an ATM. They hadn't walked far when Sammi remembered something, "uh Sarah don't you need your laptop, you know the one that Liz has?"

"AH SUGAR MUFFIN! I completely forgot she had it, well I guess we're stopping at Macey's house."

"Why Macey's house, unless you think that's where they are discussing our oh so lovely future?"

"Exactly! See we are totally going to make great spies, now let's go!" With that the two sisters set off toward Macey's house.

~Line Break~

Third Person POV (Back at Macey's House)

Cammie sighed as Bex left, she knew this was hard on her but she also knew that they needed a plan. Since Andrew and Alex were recognized by the girls it was safe to say The Gang would need backup. Sighing again Cammie dialed a number she knew by heart, it rang for 2.5 seconds before a deep, gravelly voice answered "hey Gallagher Girl."

"Hey Blackthorne Boy, I need your help."

AN. Well that's a wrap! Thanks for reading, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Anyone else excited that Zach has finally entered the story? Major Zammie moments coming! Stay tuned!