Chapter 7

A distinctive figure was prancing around the hall, doing a circuit around me.

"Ah, Max!" Keegan breathed. "You ever have a day so perfect, you feel like you could fly?"

"I feel like I can fly every day, regardless of my mood," I said dryly.

"Oh, you know what I mean," Keegan laughed.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked. For some reason I couldn't figure out, I genuinely wanted to know.

"Niles and I are going steady," she said happily. "You know Niles, right?"

"Uh-huh," I said. I hadn't wanted to learn the names of everyone in my class, but it had happened anyway. There weren't very many of them. Niles was a kid who was very, very blond and had broad shoulders. All in all, sorta-kinda cute.

"Niles has been the best boyfriend ever," Keegan said dreamily. "You know what that's like, right? Having the best boyfriend ever?"

"Yeah, I'd say so."

"Oh, I know you do," Keegan said. "Fang. He's flippin' hot, isn't he?"

"So I've heard," I said.

"Niles is the best," Keegan said. "He's so respectful, and he really, really listens."

"Yeah, but in the end it comes down to one thing," I said. "He's a person. Doesn't matter how much you trust a person, you end up regretting it. A person will say they love you, and then they'll sell you for ten grand, or betray you to the bad guys, or just walk out on you…" Keegan stared blankly. "But you know, I'm biased," I said quickly. "I'm sure Niles is super-cool."

"Max!" I heard Nudge yell. She ran over to me. "Oh, Max, Aaron asked me on a date out of town! How awesome is that?"

I smiled. "Well, that's really nice, Nudge, but we're still not sure if we can trust this guy."

"But Maaaax," she whined. "He really likes me. He's not a traitor."

"Even if that's the case," I said, "if you were alone with him that would be the perfect opportunity for someone to ambush you. It can't happen, Nudge, I'm sorry."

"Fine," she muttered. "But I still think it's mostly you who the people are interested in."

"Well, maybe they'd think that kidnapping you would be a good way to get to me," I said. "Which would be totally true, by the way. You know you're my best sister, don't you?"

"Yeah," Nudge muttered. "Thanks. You're right. I'll tell Aaron no. So, still haven't found out anything about the ICBG?"

"No, I—"

I paused as I caught something out of the corner of my eye. At the mention of the ICBG, Keegan had gasped and gone pale. I stared at her, burning a hole through her with my laser-focus raptor eyes, daring her to explain what that reaction had been about. She stared back for a few moments, then nervously slipped off. I let her.

Keegan's little move there served as a potent reminder for something that I certainly didn't need to be reminded of…

"Nudge," I said. "You're forbidden to see Aaron ever again. That's an order."

…Trust no one.