AN: Hallo, meine Freunde! OK no-one got the last language but it was Greek! This one makes me laugh soooo much: I love it! OK first off sorry it's been so long, reason why? I was on holiday in the Lake District (yes the weather was rainy. Very rainy). And so I was away from all internet. I would have warned you but I forgot in my last chapter and didn't get chance to update before I went on holiday. Meanwhile I have read Out of Sight, Out of Time (phew! I couldn't hold on much longer). It was fantastic, I enjoyed every minute of it. Now hate Dr Steve. Then came Easter so Happy Easter everyone, I hope it was great for you and you got lots of chocolate regardless of your faith. Today has been the Grand National which is the biggest horse race in the English calendar. I had my money (yes I did bet) on Cappa Bleu (4th), Because I Couldn't See (fell) and Seabass (3rd). Basically for those of you that don't know The Grand National is a giant horse race in which the top 40 finest British horses and jockeys compete to win. This year was a photo finish between Neptune Collonges (1st) and Sunny Hill Boy (2nd). Well done to the 15 horses that finished (rest fell). Well Done to every horse that raced you all did brilliantly to get this far. R.I.P. Synchronised (the favourite) and According to Pete (another popular choice) both of whom had to be put down during the race after suffering fatal injuries when falling after Becher's Brook (the highest fence in Britain). It was wonderful to watch the race and for those of you who haven't seen it. WATCH IT NOW ON YOUTUBE. Type in The Grand National 2012. It will be there. OK shoutouts: (drum roll) they're not puppies (well what are they then … kittens?), RadicalT0aster (I wish I had a radical toaster, it would be so cool), Pianist707 (I play the piano, random fact of the day), Infinite678 (Have you heard the 789 joke. I didn't get it at first!), ClassifiedZammieluvr (I think it's fair to say we should all love Zammie!), pinkgallaghergirl619 (I'd love to be a Gallagher girl-especially a pink one!), blackrosewitch1996 (I was born in 1997, so you know one year out), maryclumsy (I know I've done you before but I am a fan of your stories soo … yeah!), Gabby22 (I used to have a friend called Gabby. She sat behind me in English and flicked my back!). Anyway on with the story
Disclaimer: I regret to announce I do not own the Gallagher girls however now I've read gg5 I do worship Ally Carter more than before! GG6 to go guys!
Gallagher Academy: The Final Stand
Chapter 14: Rebecca's POV
Kick. Punch. Hit. Spin. Slide. Flip. Jump. Dodge. Breathe. Yeah, don't forget to breath. My arms which had been pumping for 3 hours straight now were getting sloppy. The punch bag hung permanently dented and my feet were beginning to show signs of blisters. The punches were coming slower and were failing to reach the target smoothly and so with one final spin I kicked the punch bag with whatever strength I had left, watching swing like a pendulum. I stood there breathing, in, out. My pants became less frequent and I collapsed in a heap onto the floor.
The Protection and Enforcement Barn was especially peaceful early in the morning but now was the middle of the day. I had a free period before the seventh graders were in. The dust motes were particularly frenzied after I'd swirled them up so much. The sun shining on half of them, the other half of them in darkness: like the moon. Like lots of little moons. I smiled at that, the moon had always fascinated me. Whilst most kids looked at the Sun, I looked towards the moon: with its stillness and mystery, it was intoxicating. I guess it was like an analogy; everyone was like the Sun (obvious, and innocent) yet I was part of the small moon clan, if you can call it that (hidden, secret and different).
There was a shuffle from the door and I turned my sweaty face to see the seventh graders, standing there awaiting the gruelling tasks that were to befall them. I smiled at them and got up to greet them.
"The usual. 10 Laps around the grounds and then we'll get round to stretches and hand to hand combat. You have 5 minutes. Go, go, GO!" And with that they immediately took off, at a neck breaking pace. I chuckled to myself, I probably looked rather intimidating. A crop top and some exercise leggings, my muscles showing and well the Baxter aura. Or at least that's what I had come to refer to it as.
With 32.5 seconds to spare, the newbies made it back and quickly started to stretch. Many of them resorted to the splits. Well, it was a very effective way of stretching, but none of theirs could ever beat Kim Lee's who had the best splits I'd ever seen. In fact she probably was the most flexible girls I'd ever met.
"Alright. We've covered sophomore year work … more or less. Today we move onto Junior Level," I stalked in between them "Ok, the Smith Slip. Named after Matthew Smith. It works if in a lockdown with the enemy. Hughes up here!" I gestured to the strongest P&E student. I got into a fighting stance and she mirrored me. Using her as a demonstration I showed the class when to use the move and with our opposite arms locked together in a cross, we began. I talked through we were meant to do and then with a quick wink Lisa Hughes, I ducked down. The force she'd been exerting against me now became her enemy and she lost her balance. Quickly I whipped my leg round whilst in a crouching position and knocked her legs out from underneath her before flipping out of the way. Lisa went tumbling to the ground before quickly picking herself up in a crouch prepared. I smiled at her and the class clapped.
"Right then, pair up and try. NOW!" and then I turned "Oh and Hughes?" Lisa turned to look at me, "nice reaction." I said, smiling at her. She mock bowed in response with a grin before facing her roommate and practicing.
With a roll of my eyes I went over to a wall and sat down. Reaching into a bag I started to search for the chocolate bar, I'd packed when my hand came across a package wrapped in tin foil. Curious, I pulled it out: a sandwich. A ham and cheese sandwich. There was a message attached.
Bex,
You've been killing yourself working. So here's a sandwich to cheer you up.
Hope it works,
Liz
PS. Do you honestly think I don't know how many chocolate bars you've been stealing! It's bad for your health!
I smiled to myself. Liz was probably the kindest person in the world. I chuckled and started to devour the homemade sandwich. By the time I had finished, the period had finished and the seventh graders had mastered the Smith Slip and so with a quick grin and wave I dismissed them. As they went chatting I turned back to the punch bag and continued to beat the crap out of it.
There was a cough behind me and small, tentative "Miss Baxter?" giving a final flip I turned and found myself face to face with Grace Darlston: a small girl, with what I'd discovered to be a big heart. She reminded me of Liz with her wavy blond hair and tiny figure yet she was tanned. And she could give a mean kick.
"What, can I do for you Grace?" I asked. She looked so … nervous. Her hands were behind her back and she was shuffling awkwardly.
"Well, I had a question for you," I gave her a quick, comforting nod "and um … it's about the war. Well what happens if we don't win? … I'm scared. I'm petrified, I don't really want to die. What if I don't make it, Miss Baxter?" she whispered the entire speech out and I stood shocked. What are you supposed to say in a response to that? I knelt down until I was her height and put my hands on her shoulders.
"Grace Darlston, you have been in these past few weeks one of the most hardworking people in your year. If anyone has a chance of making it through the war in your year it will be you. Well, you and Lisa Hughes. Because quite frankly you two are the most prepared and … if the worst comes down to the worst, at least it will be quick. I promise. Here, if you're so worried you can come down anytime, OK? I have to go now because it is lunch but feel free to stay here." I looked her square in the eyes. The next thing I knew she was hugging me tightly and crying silent tears.
"Shhh … shhh … shhh," I hushed trying to calm her. She gave one final sniffle and then whispered
"Thank you," and with that she turned and went back to the mats and started to practice over and over again. And like that her walls were back up and she put on a poker face – the only tell tale of her break down were red rimmed eyes and blotchy cheeks. She would be a great spy.
Lunchtime at Gallagher was fabulous but these days I'd spent it with a chocolate bar in the P&E Barn. However to thank Liz I was going to go and her visit her in the Labs down by the Subs. I'd managed to get changed and steal some bread, pasta and chocolate cake for her. The corridors were deserted as all the students were in the Grand Hall eating. Suddenly beyond the corner, I heard footsteps. Definitely masculine footsteps. I peeked around the corner and saw Grant looking down at the floor just wandering. He'd told me once he liked to do that. I whipped back and took a deep breath whilst using the window opposite me to sort out my hair and slightly smudged make-up.
I gave an encouraging nod to myself in the window and then rounded the corner trying to look as natural as possible. It worked.
"Bex!" cried Grant, "what are you doing not in the P&E Barn?" he looked genuinely startled and happy. His spy senses were slipping but I smiled as brightly as possible.
"Oh nothing. I thought I'd have lunch with Liz in the Labs, I stole her some food from the Kitchens. What about you?" I asked my heart beating rapidly. Grant had a way of putting of me at ease and exciting me like no-one or anything had. If I hadn't been a spy I would have blushed.
"Just wandering." Grant responded with a grin and my heart fluttered. Keep calm, keep calm. There was an awkward silence with a bit of feet shuffling and in my case a lot of staring at Grant.
"Well …" I said after what felt like hours.
"Well …" Grant repeated.
"I should probably get going … before lunch is over. Bye Grant" I said before walking away and inwardly groaning at myself.
"Wait, Bex!" Grant shouted behind me, I turned around a little too quickly to be casual and looked at him hopefully. I was desperate to know what he was going to say.
"What!" I said maybe a little over-eagerly.
"Err, actually it's nothing. See you later," I was about to protest but he'd already turned the corner. I groaned. I really liked him that much was obvious. What was worse was that I was so bad at keeping that a secret. My face lit up like a child on Christmas Day when he was near me. And for one second back there I thought he was going to tell me he liked me too. Like that was going to happen. With a final sigh I heaved my body down the corridor toward the Labs.
Liz had been working constantly throughout the past week or so trying to perfect many concepts of hers and Dr Fibbs. When I approached her she seemed to be staring at a computer screen and talking into a Comms Unit. Cammie and Macey. Well, Abby, Mick and Zach as well but mostly Cammie and Macey. Prototypes were strewn haphazardly around the lab. One in particular was a pair of leggings that seemed innocent enough but who knows what sinister purpose they really had. On the back worksurface were piles and piles of chemicals all lined up in alphabetical order, ready for when they were needed.
Liz saw me come in and smiled at me briefly before talking back to Cammie.
"Yes, there should be a hill in the centre. Go around the outside and up the edge, it will be on the other side…"
I looked onto the Computer screen to see the Athens coast line. In the centre of the screen was a small island and making their way towards that island were five dots.
"Hey Liz," I whispered "I got you lunch, how are they doing down in nice and toasty Greece". She looked at the pasta, bread, chocolate cake and coffee and smiled gratefully up at me. "I see you, got your sandwich," she whispered back. I nodded
"It was gorgeous and so I decided I'd come and spend lunch with you as a thank you!" she hugged me.
"You're awesome, I've not had lunch with someone else in ages!" She turned back to the computer screen and ate a large piece of pasta. She mumbled something under her breath and then gave another instruction to Cammie, as I sank down into the chair next to her. And that's when it happened. The CODE BLACK alarm went off. It screeched down my ear, making me quake with fear. OK this was it, you could make it through this. It's happening. No practice this is for real.
"Oh, no!" exclaimed a trembling Liz. I put a comforting arm on her shoulder.
"ttong, manghal, sseulegi, dodaeche!" I exclaimed in Korean. The connection in the Comms Unit went dead as security switched off all of the connections to the outside world. Liz picked up her stuff and ran out to meet Dr Fibbs and so I ran upstairs to gather everyone together.
Upstairs was chaos, bodies scrambled in a mad rush and you had trouble going in any direction. The initial shock was beginning to wear off and as Senior's and teachers gave of orders, everyone was beginning to get into an organised mess. Groups were forming and heading where they were instructed. Anna Fetterman was doing a very good job of guiding some eighth graders upstairs.
The plan was simple. Juniors and Seniors on the Covert Operations track would fight alongside CIA Operatives, teachers, Blackthorn Boys and parents in the grounds. Seniors in the Research and Development Track would be in charge of years of students. Liz had the tenth graders. The younger years would be in charge of protection in random areas of the Castles whereas seventh graders would go down to the Sub Levels and come out only if completely necessary.
I ran down the main staircase to the front door, my heart in my mouth, my ears ringing. The screams were too loud, the scent of fear too strong. I didn't like it. The bodies rushing against me were becoming too hot.
"Bex!" A voice shouted from behind me. I turned around and saw Grant running towards me.
"Grant! What's wrong-" I didn't have time to finish before a pair of velvet soft lips came crashing down on me. A shudder went down my spine and my toes curled. I don't know how long I stood shocked but soon I was relaxing into him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Grant's hands found mine and squeezed them tightly as we pulled apart. Dazed I gingerly reached up and touched my lips.
"I guess, I should have done that a while ago," Grant suddenly chuckled under his breath. I turned my gaze up to his sparkling blue eyes in shock. He laughed at my expression and I smiled in wonderment. For once Bex Baxter had been silenced.
"Come on, let's go!" Grant said above all the maddening noise. And with that he pulled me along to the main door, hand in hand, ready to fight.
Ok guys review! It was absolutely brilliant to see 45 reviews, I couldn't have asked for anything more. 9 Reviews WOW! Please review. Oh and one more message before I finish: After the next chapter we will be counting down to the finish. I am going to do one chapter in each of the POV's (so Cammie, Bex, Liz, Macey, Zach, Tina, Eva, Courtney, Mick, Anna, Kim but not necessarily in that order) and then there will be an finishing chapter. No epilogue! So guys 12 Chapters to go and then this is a decently sized story. I'm doing this because the battle from one person POV isn't … detailed enough. Many things happen in a battle so many different losses and discoveries happen to different people that I feel just doing Cammie wouldn't be enough to cover them all. The surprises I have in store. Next chapter is Cammie and then the countdown starts so look forward to it! Now REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW, just hit that little Review button down there! Let's try and aim for 10 reviews. Okay bye, woop!