I'm back! :D I've had loads of great reviews that have encouraged me to write what I have so far =D umm, I've had a couple where people didn't seem to like my story and how it was progressing, but I'm trying to make this story as best I can, and I love writing it :)

SO, I hope you like this chapter, the action is starting now xD *happy dance*

Let me know what you think! :D

Oh, i have forgotten so far, but: Disclaimer - I own nothing but the plot!


Un-Known Places


Cammie

Zach kissed me. He actually kissed me. I don't know why I feel so surprised, I let him kiss me. It's not like I didn't kiss him back. But I've been waiting three years for a boy, and once I finally get it in my head I should move on, he kisses me, and I'm back at square one. So I'm sat looking out at Rome as it moves past me as Zach drives. I don't think I do it. I don't think I can just drop everything and fall into his arms. He managed to bring down the walls I kept securely around me since my father died, and I let him in. Then he left and my walls went immediately back up and everyone else got blocked out. Even my mom. I kept everyone at arms distance because of this boy. I stopped opening up to my friends, my mom; things became less important without him. But then suddenly I realised I wasn't going to let my life come to a stop because of a boy who saw our time as a fling. Nothing. Even if it meant something to me, meant everything. I wasn't going to be one of those girls whose life falls apart, and there grades drop, and they mope around in bed because of a boy. I was going to finish school, and become a spy. What m goal was before I even met Zach. Could I go through it again? I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Zach's voice.

"Cammie? Are you okay? Did you hear what I said?" Zach's smile was forced. I could tell.

"Um, no, sorry I was, uh, thinking. What did you say?" I smiled back. Where do we go from here? Is it going to get awkward? I look around us and realise the car has stopped and we are in one of the rougher parts of the city. It's all alleyways and dumpsters. The street corners are littered with gangs of mostly men smoking, drinking, and fighting. I tried to burry myself lower into my seat.

Zach smiled "I said we should start looking for these people. There are about six names and it's getting late. I don't want to hang around here long. And I can tell you want to be out of here as well" He smirked and nodded his head towards my hands clutching my seat belt.

I looked down at my hands, as if they had done it on their own, and released the seat belt. "Oh, no I'm fine. I'm fine. They taught us about these kinds of situations at Gallagher. So, who are we looking for first?" I tried to seem cool about it, as if it didn't faze me. I didn't want Zach to think I was an armature and didn't know what I was doing.

"You're not at the Gallagher Academy anymore Cammie. This is it."

"I know that." I snapped. I saw his face harden and immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I guess I am sort of nervous. It's my first mission y'know?" I smiled at Zach and saw his relax at my tone and smile back at me. God, this was going to be harder than I thought. His left dimple was more pronounced than his right, and you could practically see the laughter dancing in his eyes.

"Yeah I know. My first mission pretty much sucked. The guy I was with slept with anything he came across, so I ended up doing most of the paper work and sorting out where and what we were going to be doing. Total disaster. But I got better. And so will you. Luckily you have me on this mission, so everything will be fine." Zach winked at me with a cocky smirk on his face, but then he fell serious. He leaned forward so our faces were inches apart. He took my chin in his hand and gently ran his thumb over my chin and the bottom of my lip. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Okay? I've got you. Don't worry." Never tearing his eyes from mine, I knew his words were sincere. He closed the gap between us and very gently brushed his lips across mine. Then he pulled away and smiled at me before sticking a piece of paper in his back pocket.

We both got out of the car and made our way over to a group by what looked like a big run down factory. Zach leaned down and whispered "Let me lead." I nodded in agreement and kept walking. Once we approached the group, they visibly got on guard and turned to us.

Zach stepped forward. "I'm Zach. This is my business partner. I'm looking for Diego Hardy. Know where I could find him?" Zach shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. How was he being so cool about all of this?

"Who wants to know?" A voice came from the back of the group and a man is mid twenties, with his trousers way to low, walked – well, shuffled – to the front of the group.

"I'm Zach. I wanted to talk to you about Mason Lewis." Zach repeated himself.

The man immediately stiffened his stance and lifted his head. The others around him all moved in, apparently knowing about this Mason Lewis as well. "Why do you want to know about him? How do you know that I had anything to do with him?" The man put his hand on his belt, as if to be ready in case we tried anything.

"We are from New York. We heard about Mason Lewis. We know he is good at what he does, and we want in." I said, trying to save the situation. I noticed more and more people had started to take notice of us, and I knew it was going downhill fast.

"Shut up. You little bitch. You think I don't know what the two of you are doing? You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know what you are doing her?" Zach froze next to me. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. I saw Zach reach out to me, trying to push me away, but I didn't understand why. Then I looked towards the group of men and say that Diego had pulled a gun from the waist band of his trousers. I felt like I couldn't breathe. He was talking, shouting, I could see his lips moving, but I couldn't hear the words. He suddenly rushed forward towards me. He was aimed at me. I saw Zach move forward and I tried to grab his arm, to keep him back but he didn't stop. I knew he was going to try and take the gun from him. It was basic P.E skills you learnt at Gallagher. But then he heard the shot. It rang out and my ears throbbed. I heard a scream and looked for Zach. I couldn't see him. I was panicking. Only then did I feel the white hot pain in my lower leg. The scream was mine. The world seemed un-even all of a sudden. Off balance. I was on the floor and then I saw Zach. The look in his eyes showed real concern. And anger. He reached back and pulled a gun from the waist band of his jeans. Zach had a gun? Since when? I didn't understand what was happening. It was all getting too much, and my eye lids felt heavy. The pain in my leg was only getting worse, and I felt my hot salty tears streak down my face. Then I was weightless. I was moving, but I wasn't the one doing it. I forced my eyes open and saw Zach's face. He looked down at me and his eyes were glassy.

"I've got you baby. Don't worry. Try and stay awake for me." I heard his words but they seemed far away. I couldn't help but close my eyes, I was just so tired. And it didn't matter now. Zach had me. I was okay.