Chapter 4
Cammie POV
After two hours of crying and talking to my best friends in the world (seriously, they were the best) we got up and walked out of the library. It was now around 10PM and apparently, way past curfew.
"Ladies, I do believe it is not wise to be wandering around here at night," a voice came from behind us. How had we not noticed? I turned to see Dr. Steve. Dr. Steve was good.
"I'm sorry, sir, we were just-" Bex started but was cut off.
"No, I don't tolerate excuses. Now you girls go back to your bunks and get a good three hours of sleep. You'll need it…" he put his hands behind his back and turned on his heels. We waited until the faint sound of his buckled shoes couldn't be heard (which has to be pretty far for an operative in training).
"What did he mean by three hours?" Macey asked and we immediately started running silently to our room.
When we got there, our schedules were on our desks with our uniforms placed nicely and folded on our beds. Our uniforms (instead of the usual skirt) were black shorts that went down to mid-thigh and white shirts with the words 'Blackthorne Detention Center' on the back. Macey said something about the white shirts being see-through and the shorts looking like spandex but I ignored it and looked at the other item of clothing. We were given yellow jumpsuits identical to the ones the guys were wearing this morning and at dinner.
"OH MY GOD!" Macey screamed, "We are NOT wearing this!" she picked up the jumpsuit with two fingers and grimaced. "No one could look good in this!"
Liz and I just laughed while Bex looked at her schedule.
"First period War strategies, Second period Weapons use and Espionage, Third period World Languages, Fourth Period Cove Ops, Fifth Fitness and Mixed Martial Arts, and Sixth Study Hall," Bex told us and we already had it memorized.
Once we had our uniforms and luggage unpacked, we got ready for bed. I had on one of my dad's old baggy sweaters and a pair of sweatpants. It felt colder here than it did at Gallagher but I was pretty sure it wasn't because of the lack of a quality heat ventilation system or even the steel walls and half empty rooms. I couldn't quite place why, but an odd feeling swept through my body and caused me to shiver visibly under my covers. So I snuggled closer to my bed and took deep breaths. Soon I was asleep.
"GET UP! INSPECTIONS! GET UP Mr. Newman, or I WILL FAIL YOU!" I heard Sargent Mason walk down the hall. I heard Bex and Macey groan in their bunks and restrained from laughing. Liz shook me.
"Come on, Cam, we have to get up!" I looked up at her and saw the worry in her eyes.
"Liz what's wrong?" I asked.
"I have no idea what inspections are! I didn't get any notes or time to study! And it's 1AM" she said practically pulling out her hair.
I laughed and patted her back.
"Just get Bex up. And we can clean up the room a bit," I thought of the rooms that I saw only a few hours ago. The boy's rooms. And they were probably spotless for a reason.
Liz got Macey and Bex up (but it involved toxic lipstick, a hair dryer, and wax tape) but we didn't have time to clean up the room because Sargent Mason walked into our room.
"Hope your decent, ladies!" he said and walked into the room, eyeing Macey's Victoria Secret bras all over the floor.
"I don't know if you know this, girls, but here at Blackthorne we like to be precise and agile. I expect you to be alert and ready for anything, which you clearly weren't tonight. Or else you should not be here, girls, do I make myself clear?" he gave us a stern look and we straightened up.
"Yes sir," we said in unison and he nodded.
"Get your suits on and be outside in five minutes."
We heard him giving the same speech to some Gallagher freshman next door while we changed into the yellow jumpsuits.
"You. Can't. Make. Me," Macey crossed her arms.
"Yes. We Can," Bex and I said.
"I CAN'T WATCH!" Liz screamed and ran into the bathroom.
"Come here, Macey, Macey, Macey!" Bex whistled to her like a dog.
"!"
The four of us arrived outside with 15 seconds to spare. Macey was tied up when finally got the jumpsuit on her without her screaming (well, that's because she has duct tape covering her mouth) and Bex was carrying her over her shoulder.
We saw the group of sophomore boys on the far left of a huge field when it occurred to me. We don't know where Blackthorne is.
I looked around to see mountains covered with snow and bare trees in the middle of winter surround us. It made sense that a detention center would be in the middle of nowhere. Just like a school for spoiled, rich, all girls prep school would be in a small town next to a freeway.
I saw Grant and looked away. Zach was smirking and Tyler was next to him looking more awake than he did earlier (tired during the day and energetic at night? Is he a vampire or something?).
We were walking towards them when I stopped short and nudged Bex.
"I'm just going to go sit over there until Sgt. Mason gets here, kay?" I told her and didn't wait for an answer. I just couldn't stand being anywhere near Grant while he thought I was some loser with his posse who just happened to have a very cute boy in it.
I walked to the other end of the field where there were trees with low branches hanging. I climbed up onto one of the branches and sat there when I heard rustling above me.
It was Zach.
No just kidding it wasn't him, but Tyler.
"Hey," he said leaning his head against the tree with one leg dangling and one knee bent for balance.
"When did you get up there? I just saw you over there with Grant…" I said and he smiled. Wow he had an amazing smile. Especially with the moonlight…
"Well let's see. Trained Operative. Secret Passageways. Cover of nightfall. Hmm," he stroked and imaginary beard and I had to laugh.
After a moment of silence he said, "I don't think I've done it properly before so, I'm Tyler Grazia," he held out a hand and I took it in mine.
"Cammie Morgan," I said back and he closed his eyes for a split second. His hazel eyes stared up at the crescent moon then back to me.
"So you're the famous Chameleon, eh?" he said releasing my hand.
I shrugged, "I guess."
He just smiled and stared back up at the moon. He looked so innocent sitting on the bare tree branch above me. You would never suspect that he was a spy. Well, the electric fence 15 feet away threw off the innocence.
"Is Mason always this late?" I asked and he let out a laugh.
"Oh, yeah, that's what he does. Wakes you up really early in the morning then makes you wait for at least an hour after the deadline. But, if you're not there by the deadline he will know. Then that means an extra 25miles. Which means missing his Cove Ops class," he explained.
"Is that why you guys were late yesterday?" I asked and I swore I saw him flinch but recovered so quickly I didn't think it actually happened.
"Sort of. Oh hey, he appears," Tyler nods his head into the direction I came earlier to see Sgt. Mason power walking over to my friends and the sophomore class.
"Let's go," I said and jumped out of the tree and he followed behind me.
We reached the line before Mason did. Everyone was standing at attention with their hands behind their backs so we imitated them.
"Listen up! Tonight you do 600 push-ups, run 10miles around the field, then 600 sit-ups and 15 miles and repeat three times and report back here," he dismissed us with a wave of his hand and I dropped to the floor.
It's not like we didn't do intense workouts at Gallagher, but man! This was tiring. And it was 3AM when we finished.
We were all back in line. Liz and Jonas were breathing heavily while Macey was trying not to giggle at whatever Nick was whispering in her ear. Apparently they got close while doing those sit-ups, if you know what I mean.
My eyes went over to Tyler who barely broke a sweat. His gaze met mine and he winked when I motioned my head over to Macey and Nick. Grant and Bex were nowhere to be found, and I was glad for that. Bex said earlier when I was crying that she had some plan for him but I have no idea what she's doing.
Once those two showed up, Bex was giggling and Grant had on a smile that I haven't seen in four years. Mason told us to pair up and search for the hidden cameras and bugs that he hid in the woods so I started to head to Tyler since my friends already paired up with the guys (Bex/Grant, Macey/Nick, Liz/Jonas).
"Ah, Mr. Grazia, please go with Mr. Herian," he pointed Tyler to a guy with pale skin and orange-red hair that looked really greasy. "Ms. Morgan, you can go with Mr. Goode."
I internally groaned and turned to face a smirking Zach.
"Hey Gallagher Girl, you look disappointed. But don't worry, I can fix that," he said and I rolled my eyes.
"I beat you once, Zach, I can and will do it again," I said and his smirk grew wider.
"We'll see about that," he walked in pace beside me.
We were walking for a few minutes until he stopped me suddenly, checked for bugs or cameras then turned back to me.
"Are you okay?" he asked me.
"What?" I asked confused.
"Are you okay? I mean about what happened last night," he asked with concern in his Emerald eyes.
I looked down from his gaze and shook my head. "Why would you care? I barely know you?"
"Because Grant is my best friend and you said he's your brother. Were you telling the truth?" he asked.
"Why would I lie about something like that? You don't know how it feels to lose your family! For them not to recognize you after years of searching," I yelled at him and noticed he was closer o me than I realized. I took a step back, on the verge of more tears.
"My dad is MIA. I have an idea of how it feels," he said darkly and I looked up at him in astonishment.
"Oh…I'm sorry Zach I didn't mean…my dad's MIA too," I said the last part quietly and he nodded.
We stood staring at each other for two minutes and 17seconds until I snapped out of my daze.
"Let's just find the bugs," I said and he seemed to go back to normal.
"I know where they are already, Gallagher Girl," he said and I stared at him as if asking 'how?'
He pointed to himself "Spy," I rolled my eyes and followed him as we picked up ten bugs along the way back.
We were the second group back, Jonas and Liz were first, so Mason said we could go back to our rooms to sleep for two hours at most. So we did. Except Zach insisted on walking with me.
We walked in silence until we got to my room and we stopped in front of the door.
"See ya 'round, Gallagher Girls," he said and disappeared into the dark halls.
I stood there confused. Zach acted like a cocky jerk, and then sympathetic, then caring, then he goes off being all cryptic?
I shook my head and walked into my room to take a shower and sleep.
Bex and Grant walked into the F&M (fitness and martial arts) gym talking and laughing together. If this was Bex's plan to get back at him for hurting me, it wasn't working. At all.
"Okay, everybody, we'll be sparring today to see how sloppy you all got during your Winter Breaks," the guy (Mr. Mirome or something) said and he put us into pairs.
"Hey, Cammie," Tyler said as he stepped onto my mat and we got into fighting positions.
"Hey, Ty," I said and he gave me his amazing smile. I felt a pair of eyes glaring at me but ignored it.
"Go," Mr. Mirome told us and I lunged and tripped him when he sidestepped. He kicked my side and used that moment to get back up. I roundhouse kicked him but he grabbed my leg and pulled me onto the mat with him. He put me in a headlock but I elbowed him in the gut and flipped him so his arm was behind his back. He kicked my back and my grip loosened a bit so he could roll on top of me and pinned me. His grip on me tightened. I couldn't move.
"And Mr. Grazia wins this round," the boys erupted in cheers but Tyler just got off of me and held out a hand. I grabbed it and he smiled a bit before sitting next to me with the others.
"Next we have…Mr. Newman and Ms. Baxter by a special request," there were a lot of 'oohs' and 'ohohohos' but Bex gave them all a smile and whispered in my ear, "And this, my friend, is revenge. Get ready for your brother to be screaming 'Bloody Murder' when I'm through with him. Poor guy doesn't know my strength yet," she smiled devilishly.
"This was your plan the whole time? The flirting and everything?" Bex's grin got wider and nodded. How I love that British maniac of a Best Friend.
Grant said something like, "I'll go easy on you, babe, don't worry," Bex gave a giggle and smiled flirtatiously. I almost felt bad for my brother. Then again he didn't remember me and called me a 'loser' so the hell do I care? Yes, I just cussed mentally.
"Ready, GO!" Mr. Mirome said and Bex jumped at him. He immediately fell under her weight and she put him in a headlock. He rolled on top of her but she wriggled out from beneath him, grabbed his leg, flipped him, and hit his pressure point on his back and he passed out.
She got up and dusted her hands off as the boys just gaped at her. Huh, Grant was supposedly the best fighter and he just lost to 'a girl'. Were Gallagher Girls, get used to it.
"Thank you so much Bex!" I said hugging her when she sat down and she laughed.
Zach got up from his spot in the corner.
"Ty, come help me get him to the nurse, would you," Tyler got up from his seat next to me.
"See ya, Cams," he said ruffling his light brown hair and smiled. Do I have to say it looked hot? But no, we're just friends…Just friends. I don't want another Josh incident. Then again, Tyler was a spy. A sweet, funny, hot, spy. No you don't like him like that, Cammie!
I shook my thoughts away and Macey stared at me with an eyebrow raised.
"What?" I asked and she grinned.
"Oh, nothing," she said and whispered something into Nick's ear and they laughed. Weird.
After dinner, everyone went to their rooms to sleep even though there wasn't supposed to be night drills tonight. Curfew was at 10PM but I still had a half hour to search the place.
The place felt more like a military camp than a spy school as I walked down the halls. I slipped into the library when the memory of the night before clouded my thoughts.
I thought about how dad would be so disappointed to see me right now. Not knowing what to do about Grant or anything. I wonder what he would say if he found out Grant didn't even remember him.
Grant was sleeping in the nurse's office, by the way. He had a couple of broken ribs and was still unconscious. I guess Bex just has that affect.
I walked towards the table the guys were sitting at last night and sat in the chair Grant sat in. I sighed and put my feet on the chair beside me when I noticed a tiny circle directly under the table on the steel floor.
I got down on my knees and pushed it down. And then I was falling.
It was a secret passageway that had a series of dark tunnels that I could choose from but instead, stepped into the middle one and came to a door. I pick-locked it and opened the door cautiously.
There I saw a wooden desk with a black office chair, a couch facing the other direction, and a small lamp in a corner. I walked over to the desk and sat in the chair. I searched it for bugs or cameras and didn't find any. I looked for any notes or journals and still nothing.
That's when I heard the faintest sigh. I looked over to the couch and saw Zach sound asleep. His almost black hair was messed up in a good way, his arms were folded across his chest like he fell asleep in here while thinking. I started to walk towards the door.
"You're not supposed to be here," he said. I was stunned that he noticed me in here at all. I'm the Chameleon after all and I didn't make one sound.
"Oh, so why are you allowed here and I'm not?" I asked, cocking my hip to the side.
He sat up slowly and stared at his feet with his elbows resting on his knees.
"Thinking," was all he said.
"Yeah, and that's what I was doing too. Except it seems I do it more often than you," I said and he smirked.
"You are really something, aren't you Gallagher Girl," he said standing up.
"Yeah, I'm a spy," I said pointing to myself as he walked a little bit closer.
He walked up to me so that we were about three inches apart. I couldn't help but look into his amazing green eyes.
"That…Is…" he leaned in so there was half an inch between our lips. I felt his hot breath on my face as he said, "Mine." He leaned in a bit closer and I closed my eyes.
I felt him step back and my eyes shot open. His smirk was so big I wish I could slap it off of his face.
"Goodnight, Gallagher Girl, since you think so much, I bet most of your thoughts tonight are going to be about me!" he smirked and disappeared once again.
I'm so confused.
A couple of days later, Grant woke up the day after Bex beat him up. He completely ignored me the whole time. Tyler and I became closer and I felt like I've known him for years and it's only been four days. Zach kept appearing and disappearing and when he did talk to me he was either cryptic or had his annoying smirk on. Macey and Nick got…close…like 'I saw them making out in the library yesterday' close. And Liz and Jonas were as competitive as ever.
For some weird reasons, my twin brother thought that Bex beating him up was quote, unquote, sexy. PUKE! So he's been trailing after her while she ignores him and occasionally slaps him on the arm.
I was walking down the halls again, looking for passageways when I heard voices.
"If it's dangerous for her at Gallagher, than how is it safe for them both being here?" I heard Sargent Mason say.
"They would never suspect them both to be here. And they need both. Remember what happened last time when they only captured him?" I heard Mr. Solomon.
"I know, Joe, that was my fault. I was outnumbered," Mason said and I strained my ears to hear more through the door but they were whispering now.
When suddenly, "No! You can't tell them yet! They don't even speak to one another. He has no idea who he is," Solomon said.
"Well he has to remember sometime!" Mason said darkly and I almost shivered. Almost.
"The deadline is almost up. Soon things should come back to him. For now they both are to not leave the grounds. Not for Cove Ops or night drills, Dan," Solomon said and Mason sighed.
"Okay, I'll find something to occupy them with so they don't get too suspicious," Mason said and I heard chairs sliding across the floor so I ran.
I ran to the passageway I found the other night and sat on the couch with my knees pulled up to my chest. So many questions were going through my mind. I knew it was Grant and me they were talking about, but who was 'they'? I wondered.
"Hey, Cam? Is that you?" I heard Tyler turn around in the desk chair and we stared at each other.
"Oh, uh, yeah, sorry I didn't know you were, uh, here," I said but he just smiled. The lamp shining in his eyes.
"No, it's cool," Tyler said and sat next to me on the couch.
"So what were you doing down here?" I asked, trying to get the thoughts out of my head.
"Reading stuff," he answered simply and I nodded.
"So, I here your teacher from Gallagher wants Blackthorne to go to Gallagher next Friday for a ball?" he asked and furrowed his eyebrows in worry. I laughed and he smiled.
"Yes, Madame Dabney was my Culture of the Worlds teacher," I told him and he nodded.
"So I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go with me to the dance. Escort you I mean. Or maybe save a dance for me. or-" he rambled on.
"Yes. Yes I will go to the dance with you, Ty," I said looking at his nervous hazel eyes turn back to normal with the usual flecks of gold in them.
"Really? Because that was really lame what I just did…" he said smiling his dazzling smile.
"It's okay, I thought it was sweet," he said and his smile dimmed into a straight line.
"That's what I was going for," he said quietly as our faces were only a couple inches apart and his hand was dangerously close to mine.
"Well you succeeded," I said trying to keep my breath steady as he closed the space between us and I felt his lips on mine.
He deepened it and I wrapped my arms around his neck as his snaked around my waist, pulling me closer.
I felt a rush spark through my body and knew that this was perfect.
We went on like that for four minutes before we broke apart, breathing heavily. His warm breath tickling my face.
"Cammie, I think I'm falling for you," he whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear it.
"I think I'm falling for you too," I said and he pulled me into a softer kiss.
The whole time I felt a pair of eyes staring at us.
A.N. Hope you guys liked this chapter! Thanks again for all of your reviews! So tell me what you thought about this? Any ideas? All comments are accepted :D
~Akira