Chapter 7:

Cam POV

There had been no speech between my brother and I yet. We were making our way through the Tombs. Everything appeared so eerie at night. All of the shadows seemed to claw their way at me. Joey was the first to start talking, "Cam, what exactly do you know?"

I shook my head immediately, "No way. You tell me what you know first."

He shot me a side glance, "I asked first."

I scoffed, "You're going first Joey."

It took a few seconds but soon he had broken down. He recapped everything from what I assumed was the beginning. He had been sneeking down to the Café for a midnight snack when he'd seen Zach. Something seemed fishy to him so he followed him. Everything got even fisher when Zach started heading towards the Tombs. Joey followed him the whole way to his mother.

This really surprised me. I had read Zach's file while getting changed out of my school clothes and into my black long sleeved sweeter and dark grey pants. It said that his mother was deceased. I also then looked up her. Joe had seen her die in an airplane accident. She's was alive though and braking arms.

Joey recapped the whole night everything from Angus's fate to the temperature of the air. His recap was very detailed; Joe would have been proud.

We were turning the corner when he asked, "so how did you figure it out?"

I brushed my bangs behind my ear, "Well do you remember Christmas Eve?"

He nodded, "Yeah we snuck out and slept in the barn."

"Yeah, well I got cold and had to go get more blankets. When I got back you were talking in your sleep. Most of it was gibberish but I got pieces here and there."

"Like what?" His eyes softened.

"To be honest it was all very confusing. The only things I could be positive about were that you couldn't move. You were screaming that you didn't say anything. Then you started saying names." I averted my eyes from him. "You called out for mom and dad; then Joe and I. Then I'm not sure exactly what happened but you started pleading with Zach to stop whatever he was doing. And then with Grant."

It wasn't voice that echoed against the stone, "Wait what?!"

Joey and I both turned around to see Zach standing their looking stunned. My brother went to talk, but was interrupted. "What did you say about Grant?"

He looked mad; I didn't dare beat around the bush. "I said that Joey was calling for him to stop in his sleep." I crossed my arms gaining back some confidence, "So where is he?"

Joey was the one to answer. He spoke slowly, "Cam he's not involved."

My eyes whipped on him, and then Zach. All that could come out of my mouth was, "Oh."

We all stood there silently for what seemed like an eternity. My gaze was focused on Zach while his was on mine. Joey kept changing glances between us. I was the first to speak, "You don't know what to do, do you? "

They both looked at me strangely as I continued, "Without your mother here, you have no clue as to what to do next. So the question rises what are you going to do?"

He seemed unfazed by my questions and statements. A smirk hit his face when he spoke, "Killing you would raise too many questions, but is it a big enough risk to see you all tied up. So the question rises should I kill you both or let you live?"

His expression waved when I spoke, "You're obviously not going to kill either of us. Especially after that meeting with Solomon and our parents this morning." It was my turn to smirk, "and on top of that you haven't gotten permission from mommy dearest yet."

It was Joey's turn to ask the question, "So the question rises what do Cammie and I have to do?"

Zach POV

I was making my way back to my room after our secret meeting when she caught me by surprise. Cam seemed to come out of nowhere. Her form almost melted out of the shadows. I'd seen her walk the other way with Joey. She should be in her room by now. Even so, here she was standing a mere four feet in front of me. My eyes glanced to the stairs that would take me straight to my room as she whispered to me, "Why are you doing this?"

I was taken back. What was she saying? Had nothing we'd talked about tonight stuck. My voice came back hushed but urgent, "I thought it was pretty obvious."

She shook her head, "No. I meant why are you working for the Circle with your mother?"

Silence engulfed the hallway. Both of us stood perfectly still. My eyes trailed the shadow her body formed on the ground adjacent from me. It looked long and sinister while its maker looked so pleading and caring. Was that her true form? Was she this terrible beast hiding behind an angelic face?

Our eyes locked; in my mind deadbolts clicked and keys twisted one after another to seal us together. Her eyes pleaded with me for honest answers. I had no idea how my eyes looked. Scared maybe? Frightened to the point of caving in on myself?

Her lips parted for a slow second before she begged, "Zach?"

Gulping I knew only one way to answer. I turned on the balls of my feet and started heading away from her. She called again; this time her plea was too much. How could I leave her like this? She wasn't accusing she just wanted to know why.

As my feet continued to slowly take me away from this girl who'd turned my world upside down, I spoke loud enough for her to hear, "Why are you training to be a spy? Is it because you were spontaneously born to o so? Or is it because your parents did it? Is it because it's the family business? Is it because you father is a living legend? Is it because you had a choice? Or is it because it was part of your duty to your family?"

I stopped walking. I couldn't hear a sound coming from her, except her slow shallow breaths.

"We all have family ties Cam. Mine are just a little darker."

She didn't stop me from walking away; she just stood there like a widow morning at a grave. Completely still and somber.

Zach POV

"You okay man?" My eyes shot open. I'd been asleep but with Grant still violently shaking my shoulder, it was no wonder I was now awake.

My shoulder jerked away from him as I answered, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Jonas was the one to call from across the room, "Well, you slept in and you were mumbling so I think we're both safe to assume you are indeed not 'fine.' Grant, do you agree?"

Grant just nodded, as I got out of bed. They were both completely dressed. I glanced at the clock and noticed the three of us are usually at breakfast by this time. As I spoke I threw off clothes and jumped into others, "Well Why did you two not wake me up earlier?!"

Grant chuckled as he replied, "Because you never get to sleep in. You're always up so early."

I shook my head as I grabbed my tie, "Your logic is ridiculous." I was the first one out the door. I was still tying my tie we walked the halls. I left it a little looser than usual. "Let's go. I'm starving."

Soon Grant had shouted, "Same!" The three of us were racing to the hall within seconds.

When we arrived Jonas was completely out of breath while Grant and I were just pumped. Jonas looked up at us pleading for some help. We both just laughed and pointed at ourselves, "Spy."

Jonas in turn pointed at himself and said, "Research Track." This had become a huge inside joke between the three of us in grade seven.

As we walked in it became very clear who we'd be sitting with. Grant basically sprinted to Bex's side and soon enough the two were back to their extreme flirting. Jonas sat across from Liz and I was left with Macey.

Cam was nowhere to be found; I glanced over at where Joey and Tanner usually sat and was surprised to see his seat was vacant.

Macey, the mind reader asked in a way only a politician's daughter can, "Are you looking for Cam?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Is she sick?" My fake worry didn't seem to fool her.

She shook her head. "No, when we got here she grabbed some food and Joey and left. I don't know where they went."

"Oh, okay." And those were the last words I said for the next half hour because the five of them jabbed on about pointless topics. Everything from Winter Break events to the late Michel Jackson. I had quickly zoned out. With everything that had happened since the girls had got here I deserved at least that much of a mental break.

Joey POV

When Cammie had gotten to the hall for breakfast, she and I had locked eyes. She'd then gather a bunch of food on two plates and basically dragged me away from Tanner. We were now on Blackthorne's West roof with our makeshift picnic.

As we both plowed into the food I spoke, "Hey Joey, can I ask you something?"

He shook his head, "You just did dummie."

Shaking him off I went ahead with my question, "Do you think Zach is a bad guy? I mean from what you've told me and what I've seen of him he kinda' just seems like a kid following his mom's orders."

"Are you kidding me Cam? He's horrible! He just stood there while she broke my arm! And he's being tailing you for the last twenty four hours like an insane stalker." His rant slowed. I could tell he really wanted to make his point to me, "Cam, Zachary Goode is a nice guy. He can't be trusted. If he thought that killing us would be the best way to save his own skin he'd do it in a heartbeat."

Defeated I smiled softly and took another bite of my muffin. "Alright, you know him better than I do."

Joey's good arm grasped my shoulder, "Please Cam I know it's hard but stay as far away from him as possible."

"Okay, but Joey what are we going to do about Angus?"

Joey recoiled quickly from his confident seating towards me. "I don't know I'm still figuring that one out."

I shuffled over so that our bums were closer. Turning in my waist I hugged him. He tried jerking away but I just held tighter. "Joey, we can figure out how to save him together."

After a few seconds Joey's head had been pressed against my shoulder. "Angus was one of my best friends."

"I know." I did know. For the last two weeks of summer vacation when we'd learned the news of Angus and his family, Joey had been devastated. My dad had taken it hard as well.

"Tanner brought it up the other day; I was almost sick. I mean I lied point blank to his face." His voice softened to a whisper, "Who does that?"

"A friend protecting another friend." Three seconds after I finished my sentence the bell rang. Within ten second we were both on our way to classes in different directions.