I froze my expression in place. Instead of giving in to the stuttering and shock he was expecting, I tried to surprise him by coming off calm.

"Well that's just wonderful isn't it? Any relation to Zachary?" Christian didn't look surprised, not at all. In fact, I had a feeling that this reaction was exactly what he was waiting for.

"Of course," he replied, eyeing me once again,"2 years his senior. You couldn't imagine what it was like having that douche as a brother," I grinned in reply, immediately warming to him.

The more I looked at him really, the more I could see the resemblance. They had a completely different facial structure, but I could definitely see it in the colouring. The dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, tanned olive toned skin. And the swagger. Oh yes, the swagger. It was in everything he did, every move he made. He didn't just sit down, no, Christian Goode lounged. He didn't just walk, he strolled. Everything he did seemed to be permeated by an everlasting self-confidence, that I could definitely relate to Zach.

"I couldn't possibly try," I murmured, sitting down in a chair beside him. "so you'll just have to tell me,"

He laughed and took the seat as everyone else but Massimo left the room. I felt comfortable in his presence, and immediately went back to staring at Christian. Did friends call him Chris? Did the brothers attend Blackthorne together? Bond over their parents…absence?

He wore a nice suit and some sort of dog tag that had writing I couldn't make out on it. He was fiddling with a ring and pretending not to look at me. I knew he was studying me and immediately grew self-conscious. Had Zach asked him to talk to me? To examine me, see if I was worthy of him? To get information out of me and when I question why he responds 'spy'? I internally sighed. There were things we would never know-never hope to understand-and boys, I knew, were one of them.

"Another time," he murmured looking around the room and smirking briefly at Mass who glared in return. What was going on there? I calculated a second and realised they were the same age and probably went to Blackthorne together.

"Right now," he continued, "you have to see our dear boy Zachary," I bristled in response

"I do now?" I raised my eyebrows and put my hands on me hips and tried to look as intimidating as I could sitting down, all made up looking somewhat like a Barbie doll.

He merely rolled his eyes and said "Yeah, you do."

"And who says so?" I replied wiggling my eyebrows flirtatiously. If you had asked, I couldn't tell you where the flippant attitude had come from, but at the moment, I had much more concerning things on my mind.

"I do," he grinned as if he knew what I had been thinking. He probably did, he was Zach's brother. Zach's older brother, I reminded myself.

Without another word he grabbed my arm in a not-so-friendly way and pulled me towards the door. Massimo stepped in front of him and didn't say a word. He gave Christian a look and crossed his arms. Christian gave him a look right back and it seemed they were having a silent conversation. One I, of course, wasn't a part of. I glowered at both of them and stomped my foot on the linoleum tile. They both turned toward me blinking.

Great I thought sarcastically I'm not that unnoticeable am I?

I looked pointedly at Christian and then at the door. He smiled and took my arm again as Massimo stepped out of the way. I gave him a reassuring smile as I left, hoping to silently soothe any worries he might have. There was more to this story, but I accepted that it was for later.

We stepped into the constant commotion of the hallway and I followed him down a route I'd never been before. Unsurprising, considering the fact that I'd only been here once and had been kind of distracted. Ahem, Josh.

"So," I started, wondering how covert any conversation could be surrounded by people who specialized in all things covert. "why is Zach here anyways?"

"All of the Blackthorne boys that were at the event are here. I know you saw them." He glanced at me apprehensively.

"I did actually," I confirmed, "yet that still doesn't explain why they're here. Or were there," I looked straight at him him and he smiled.

"Well I'm sorry Ms. Morgan but I can't tell you that," he replied.

I shrieked in frustration and threw my hands in the air, resisting the urge to whack him.

"What can you tell me?" I tried to tone my voice down a little. "And is that like the standard answer? That Robert guy said that half a dozen times, which is partially why I thought he was a robot."

He laughed at the memory and I tried, unsuccessfully, not to blush.

"Speaking of that," I stopped and grabbed his tie and put my face right in his, "you will never, ever, repeat that to anyone again. If I find out you did tell anyone there will be consequences." I didn't have trouble putting on a rude face, I wasn't in a great mood.

"Oh yeah," he cocked an eyebrow, "the little girl that's still in school is going to beat up the big bad CIA agent?" he accentuated this by patting me on the head. Damn, why was he so tall.

I gave him a sage look and smacked his hand away as we continued walking.

"No." I replied honestly, "But I have friends who will." I grinned, as a sudden image of Bex swatting a baseball bat against her hand filled my head.

Becoming frustrated with the company, I simply stopped, resolving to find my own way to Zach. Problem is I had no idea where I was going. Confusing much? Go straight—find long hallways with numerous others branching off. Go left- Visitors Area. Go Right- Development of Poisonous Gases. Looking over the Oxygen Masks Mandatory sign beside it, I sighed and took the left anyways. As I did, I glanced back to see Christian looking surprised at my discovery and reluctantly following. I rolled my eyes, seriously Visitors Area or Poisonous Gases. One of the harder questions my exceptional education had led me too.

Once I turned into the hallway everything seemed to go quiet. There were less people here, and everyone of them seemed to unanimously notice my presence. Feeling as if I had nothing to lose, I walked up to a seemingly innocent boy standing by the water cooler with a few friends.

"Hey, do you know where Zachary Goode is staying?" Wordlessly and with wide eyes he nodded. I waited a second. Then another.

"Well are you going to tell me or are you a mute?" I snapped. Did I mention my horrible mood earlier? Yeah well, one of my best friends was in the hospital after someone tried to kidnap her (kill her?) and I couldn't even visit. Besides, I missed dinner, can you blame me?

"Uh...room 117," His voice cracked as he spoke, out of fear or teenage-boyness I didn't know.

Christian appeared to be in a deep conversation with the administrator, and using this as a distraction, I slipped down the hall. Even in a room full of boys I was still the Chameleon.

When I got to his door I hesitated, holding a hand up. Finally I took a silent deep-breath and knocked on his door. I heard a dull shuffling of feet and Zach opened the door. I studied his face, his eyes particularly. They were bloodshot and had bags under them and he looked extremely confused and distressed.

"Hey. I met up with you're brother and he said I had to see you..." I trailed off unsure because really I had no clue why I was here.

He seemed to snap out of whatever state he had been in and enveloped me in a huge hug, dragging me into his room. If it wasn't for my shock I probably would have done something, I swear. He just held me there for a second before pulling back to look at me as if checking I was really there. Then I was in his arms again and this time he was kissing me. I had no clue why he was acting so weird but one thing he said was right. Josh could never give me a kiss like this. Only Zach could.

Only Zach.