Chapter 4: I See You

Previously….

"You think we missed anything, Cammie?"

The rest of the eyes turned to look at me and I squirmed. Bex noticed and started to stare at me with wide eyes and an adoring face, while edging closer to me. I gave her a tired smile, and said,

"No, that covered everything. We are going to kick some serious Blackthorne bootey."

And we were going to do just that. We will send them crashing of their pedestal of cockiness, that Macey said that they would undoubtedly have, and kick their asses. We were going to win.

Sorry for taking so long to update! Here you go!

Enjoy!

Joe landed the plane smoothly; there was hardly a bump. We collected our gear and were putting in comms units when Joe walked in.

"Alright ladies. All of you in the R&D track will have a computer to keep track of everyone else. You will be assigned a few girls each and I expect you to keep track of them, as well as their tailers. Do not tell your subjects who is tailing them if you spot them, as you will be disqualified and awarded a fail on this test."

Liz visibly shuddered, and I saw Macey grip her wrist reassuringly.

"You will be required to pass this test, to hack into the security cameras and monitor all of your subject's tailers, without leaving a trace, and find your tailer. Your tailer will be on the same track as you, so they will be tailing you remotely. You must keep tabs on them at the same time while monitoring your selected classmates. If you tell your subjects who is tailing them, you fail. If you are compromised, you fail. If you are caught, you fail.

"All of you on the Cov Ops track must find your tailer and compromise them to pass. They will be notified at the end of the mission. You must notify your Technological Operator when you identify your tailer, and you can get extra marks for intercepting your subject and an automatic A* for tailing them back without being compromised or suspected .

"Ladies, we haven't beaten these boys for a long time, and I don't want to lose on my first time doing this. I expect all of you to pass with flying colours. Good luck."

And he left. We were dumfounded. Not by the mission success criteria but by the urgency in his voice. We all thought that Bex was competitive, but in comparison, he was ahead by at least two miles. There was definitely something behind this; an ulterior motive made achievable by our success.

We had to win this.

Not just for Gallagher's reputation and our dignity, but for Joe. I didn't know what he was hiding; we usually told each other everything, but whatever it was, it must be important enough to keep from me. We had practically the same clearance (he had one level more than me), which meant he wasn't bound by law to tell me most of everything.

I looked at my sisters and from their expressions, it seemed like they had a new aura of determination.

We were going to win.

Time Skip

I was sitting with Liz in a coffee shop, while she tapped away at her keyboard.

We had exited the plane in groups of 2 or 3 one after the other, leaving at random intervals, and began the 4-minute walk to the mall, as Joe had later instructed. He had forgotten that essential piece of information amidst the detailed instructions of our mission and we had to go back and ask him. He had to have been very distracted to have forgotten something that simple.

Bex, Macey, Liz and I had all originally sat down at the coffee shop and bought coffees, while we mindlessly chatted about this and that. Our cover was a group of girls meeting up for a shopping spree and to study for college, and since we weren't as young and naive anymore, we were allowed to assume a more reservative cover and not act like ridiculous teenagers with weird greeting rituals.

Macey and Bex had decided to go shopping about ten minutes earlier, and I was having a one-sided conversation with Liz.

To disguise her talking to Bex and Macey about what hairstyles go with what through comms, she had brought up a video recording of someone talking and placed headphones in her ears. She had a screen cover on the laptop face so that it looked like she was talking to someone, so that if anyone was looking at her screen it would seem like she was having a conversation with them while tying a school paper, when in fact she was scouring the security cameras to try and find her tailer.

She had told me absent-mindedly that she had set up a software that would notify her if there was anyone scouring the cameras near us. So far, the only hits she'd had were Courtney and Kim, who were also on the R&D track. She had started to talk to herself a while ago, and I had begun to tune out her incomprehensible mumbles (even though I've been told I speak fluent mumble).

I had stayed with Liz partially because I didn't have to follow anyone and it would be weird if I went out on my own. Being the tailee was much easier than tailing because I had no limitations.

It was much easier to sit and sip coffee to seem normal and inconspicuous, than it would be rushing around using every counter-surveillance technique in the book. It would be more noticeable to run around like a paranoid Mr. Smith, than to sit at a coffee shop without a care in the world. Even Liz had to look up occasionally and scan the shop to see if I was still there, before realizing that I was still next to her.

I had sunk into the core of my inner pavement artist to stay hidden and she was my 'canary in the mines', so to speak, informing me that it was working. Liz looked up.

"Cammie…..", she whined. "You're supposed to tell me when you leave….. I don't want to have to search for you two…."

"I'm still here Liz.", I said while reclining in my chair with a coffee cup in hand and a slightly bemused expression on my face.

"Geez, Chameleon, you can tone it down a bit you know. That's the 5th time this minute.", said Bex through comms

"I'm not doing anything…... Princess. It's not as if I have an off switch!" I said indignantly, not moving my lips and using another one of her hated aliases.

I was gazing out the shop window, nonchalantly looking for my tailer. No-one had caught my attention so far, but there had been a boy that had fit my description walk by earlier. The second I saw him come back, I would start moving.

"Oh God."

I turned to Liz, all while keeping the shop window in my peripheral vision. She had a notification announcing a fellow hacker scouring the cameras. She started typing madly and from what I could gather from the flashing screen, she was trying to isolate all cameras on us so no-one could access them, and move them on their axis so we couldn't be seen. I relaxed into my seat when Liz's hands stopped flying over the keyboard, while holding Liz's hand and rubbing her thumb under mine. I resumed my people-watching.

We had discovered a few years ago during a particularly aggressive anxiety attack that Liz calmed down a lot faster when having human contact. She liked the reassurance of someone tangible being next to her rather than a voice in her ears. That's the second reason I had stayed with her. I was going to remain in my seat till she found her tailer, and then I would start to make my way around the mall.

She resumed her typing so I let go of her hand and continued my staring contest with a dog that had taken a particular interest in me. Apparently, my chameleon skills did not spread to animals.

"Gotcha!", exclaimed Liz. She had found her tailer; a lanky boy, sitting in a library on the other side of the mall typing furiously into a computer.

"Winter, tall boy, loose green shirt, blue jeans in the library on the east side of the mall."

"Chameleon, you aren't supposed to be compromising targets that aren't your own.", came Joe's voice through the comms.

"Uhh, Bookworm is, umm, otherwise occupied at this moment in time…?"

I was staring at Liz in disbelief as she looked at him in the computer with googly eyes. I didn't know she could crush on someone, to be honest.

The boy who had walked by earlier came back into view, and I was thankful of the sun on my face. I had a pair of aviator glasses on, masking my line of vision, allowing me to observe him while seeming like I was staring somewhere to the right of him.

He seemed to be trying to seem cool and relaxed, but I could see the desperation in his eyes. In his mad scanning of the mall, he turned his head to the side, and I saw that his ears seemed to be filled in. A comms unit. Bingo.

I bid goodbye to an unresponsive Liz, and headed to the restroom. I opened the door to a small, empty bathroom and replaced the brown contacts in my eyes with green ones and added some freckles to my skin with a pale eyebrow pencil. I then gathered my hair and pulled the top half into a loose pony, halfway down my head. Once I was finished with my adjustments, I compromised my target.

"Winter, tall, dark hair, broad-shouldered, wearing a tight blue shirt, dark blue jeans, outside Maggie's Coffee Shop."

"Well done Chameleon.", came a woman's voice through comms.

"Heart-Breaker?!" I questioned, excitement rising inside me.

"Hey, squirt."

"What are you doing here?! I thought you were in Istanbul?"

"Ahh, I finished that 3 months ago. I'm teaching at Blackthorne now. Well done on compromising your target, he was the best in the class…. Well not saying that they're very good most of the time…. How did you get it?"

"His eyes didn't match his facial expression, and I could see his comms."

"Jeez, you would have thought they would know better. Anyway, congratulations. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Ah, well, I have my moments.", I said sarcastically. "Really sorry but I want a good mark so I'm going to start moving."

"Alright squirt. Knock em dead."

I walked out of the restroom and headed for the door. I had taken off my glasses and left the coffee shop, walking slowly while putting in headphones. Liz had made extra small comms to be even less noticeable, and also allowed headphone access.

"Bookworm? Where's my tailer?", I said.

"In front of Starbucks. Take the next right and it's on the left at the end of the row of shops.", she replied dreamily

I walked casually to my destination while taking out some folders with fake notes and clutching them to my chest. I window shopped as I walked, searching for my target in the reflective glass. I spotted him walking out of Starbucks. Here we go, I thought to myself. He started in my direction and I made my way into his path. He bumped into me, causing me to drop all my notes.

"I am so sorry." He said, bending down to help me pick up my notes.

"It's fine, don't worry. You don't have to." I said gratefully.

"No I insist.," he replied.

"Chivalry isn't dead then…", mused Macey in my ear. She was in Starbucks, gazing at the menu as she cued. I suppressed a smirk.

"He's a hottie, Chameleon.", she observed, and I blushed.

He handed me most my notes, and smirked knowingly at my blush. I looked down as he asked,

"So what is a pretty girl like you studying?"

"Phycology." I answered, blushing deeper. It was the most recent topic that Liz was studying and the first that came to mind.

We chatted for a few minutes before I asked, "So, where you looking for someone? You seemed distracted when you bumped into me."

"Yeah, my little sister. She was supposed to meet me in Maggie's coffee shop but she didn't show. I figured she came for Starbucks, but I guess not…", he trailed off.

"Hey, it's been really nice talking to you, but I'm supposed to meet my friends at Macy's. I'll see you around?

"Yeah…" he replied, scanning the crowd, before turning back, but I was gone.

I raced to the nearest restroom, and changed my disguise by putting on a brown wig and putting onmy green contacts again. I changed my clothes and exited the restroom.

"Bookworm?", I asked again, silently asking her where he had gone.

"Forever 21, south side.", Liz replied, sounding a bit more composed. She had probably already hacked into Blackthorne and started scanning for information on her tailer in their database.

I caught sight of him performing a tail scanning technique, and immediately turned on the water-works. I held my phone to my ear and quietly whispered,

"Peacock? I need you to pretend to argue with me as if you're a deadbeat boyfriend."

She promptly started hurling insults and typical poor arguments at me while I argued with her. My voice gradually raised until I was screeching into the phone.

"We are done, Carter!" I screamed into my phone, in a Southern accent. I practically fell onto the bench behind me and let the tears flow down my face. I saw my tailer glance at me though the corner of my eyes and I started to shake my shoulders, as if rising to hysterics.

If I was right, his narcissistic self would stroll over and pretend to be a gentleman, picking up the pieces someone else had left. He would probably go back to his friends boasting that he had picked up a random girl in a mission and she had fallen into his arms. And that was exactly what I was going to do.

Just as I predicted, he casually walked over and sat down next to me. I remembered one of my first Cov Ops lessons with Joe. A good spy doesn't approach their target. They get their target to approach them.

"You okay?", he asked tentatively after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"No, I'm not okay. Do I look okay to you?!", I looked up at him and prayed that my makeup had stayed true to its word, and was not waterproof. Judging by his facial expression my mascara was pouring down my tear stained cheeks and my eyes were red from crying.

He quickly looked away and I waited for about half a minute before doing anything. I then slumped onto his shoulder and resumed my shaking, while babbling about my now no good ex-boyfriend.

"He was soooo good to me, you know?! He would get me flowers and remembered our anniversary and everything! And then that girl, Macey, came along and ruined everything!" I practically yelled at his slightly scared but patronizing face.

"You know, he's gone now. You can do way better than him, in my opinion.", he said, so originally. Note the sarcasm.

I paused, as if considering his statement

"You know what? You're right. He's gone and I never have to see him or his sorry excuse of a skank ever again!", he winced at my harsh words and I heard Macey mutter in my ear,

"Jesus, Chameleon. I thought I meant something to you".

I suppressed a smirk.

"I'm sorry, I'm a mess. I don't know what I was doing! I practically jumped on you!", I said, wiping my makeup and tears from my face.

"Ah, no its fine. I came over to you first anyway. Couldn't leave you over here crying, now could we?", he paused.

I laughed.

"My name's Zach, you?", he questioned.

"Abby.", I said, hearing Aunt Abby chuckling in my ears.

"Well, Abby, would you like to go to Starbucks with me?". Caffeine addict.

"I'm sorry no thanks. I was going to the library to finish an assignment I have to hand in tomorrow. Thank you, really, though.", I declined.

"Ah, well. You can't blame me for trying. Good luck with your assignment!", he called as I walked away.

I headed straight for the nearest shop with fitting rooms.

I rushed out and did it all over again.

Over the next hour, I was Sue, Olivia, Brooklyn, Grace, Tanya, Char and Cathy, leaving Joe and Aunt Abby in fits of laughter at my various acts and the inside jokes I fed into my many conversations with 'Zach'. He didn't even change his name when I met him repetitively, so I assumed my tailers name was Zach.

He seemingly gave up and started to head to wherever he had been instructed to go when the mission duration had finished. He weaved through the crowds, using every counter-surveillance technique I've ever seen; the first good decision I'd seen him make all day.

He reached his destination just outside the mall in a side alley, where Aunt Abby was waiting. She stood leaning against the wall and probably tuning in every villain I'd ever seen and a few more, as Zach hesitantly walked up to her. She must have a certain hold over them as he was approaching her with his head down and eyes averted. Oh, I loved it when Aunt Abby sacred the crap out of people. It's quite entertaining.

"Mr. Goode,", she drawled.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Will you relay the mission and its result to me?"

"My objective was to find, compromise and tail a female agent without being compromised. I failed this mission and its objective.", he said, a slight hint of tightly controlled disbelief leaking into his voice.

"No, Mr. Goode.", replied Abby.

"Ma'am?"

"No.", she said simply.

"You were, in fact, found by your target, compromised and tailed by them."

I saw a group of boys littering the alleyway at the back, presumably his classmates. They were muttering quietly about what they had just heard, which had been the only thing that had alerted me to their presence. , apparently must have been the best at this from what I had gathered, and I had just beaten him at his own game.

"With all due respect, Ma'am,", he began, guardingly.

"I don't believe you.".

Gasps were heard from the boys behind them.

"You don't?", said Abby, as if talking about a simple matter of food preferences.

"Well, would you like to meet them?", I stepped in, remaining in the shadows.

His head whipped round, along with the other boys, to face the place my voice had come from.

I stepped out of the shadows.

"Hi,", I continued.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced. You must be Zachary Goode."

He stared at me blankly.

"You may know me as Sue, Olivia, Brooklyn, Grace, Tanya, Char and Cathy."

His face morphed into confusion and annoyance at my crypticness.

"I'm so sorry, I'm a mess. I don't know what I was doing! I practically jumped on you!", I said to him, adopting the Southern accent I had used in my act. His eyes widened.

"Hi, I am doing survey for quality of service for mall. Do you have any time to give me?", I said in the French accent and poor english I had used for Grace.

"But…..but.. but you're a… a girl, for crying out loud!", he responded naively, when he regained control of his tongue.

"Oh dear, no Zach.", I said patronizingly, with an innocent look pasted to my face. I leaned forward, as if about to tell him a secret.

"I'm a Gallagher Girl."

I fell into the shadows and Zach spun to face Abby.

"Who was that?", he questioned, all respect thrown out the window. Specifically, the window of safeness and self-assurance I had broken along with the walls of the safe little world he had made for himself, out of his self-absorbedness of being the best. Well… that window was definitely shattered.

"That was one of the best spies I've ever met.", I heard as I raced away through the shadows.

AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it is extra-long as promised. Please review!

BYE ;)