A/N: So it didn't take me even close to as long as last time to update. But you have to understand, I haven't been home in 5 weeks. But now I'm on the plane home, so I have time to write.

The time passed quickly for Alex, though he doubted the kids felt the same way. At last it came time for the team to be selected. At least ten teens would be joining Alex if not more. The sergeants and captains had to write reports about each candidate for the team. Many kids weren't even considered, their performance had been so bad.

The night after the last day of training they (the sergeants and captains) met to discuss the selections. The teens had been given the night off after an early dinner. Alex had overheard some of them talking about a party. He wished he could join them and be a normal teenager for once.

They met in the mess hall. A white board and projector had been set up. Alex took a seat next to Wolf. In the next five or ten minutes, everyone was seated. Then, the side door opened abruptly, and who should walk in but Alan Blunt, followed closely by Tulip Jones. Alex scowled when he saw them.

"So..." said Blunt. "You have trained the students for a while now, so I assume you know them and their abilities well. You will stand one at a time and place your report on the projector. Then you will list the members of your group who you find capable to participate in this mission and tell us about them. Then you will sit, and the next person will proceed. Understood?"

There was a mumble of agreement and some nodding. "Good. Sergeant Spider, Captain Panda, you may start." said Blunt. He took a seat at the table while two vaguely familiar men stood and began their report.

Alex drifted in and out of the meeting, only catching bits and pieces, such as: "Good running, panics a lot though..." "Smart kid, nice karate technique..." et cetera. Finally it was Alex's turn. A few of his group were not quite up to par, so he didn't talk about them. He gave a brief description of each of his five selected group members, then quickly sat down again.

After Alex, three more men presented, and then it was time to decide. Alex participated a bit more actively. Each name was brought up and people put in comments. The student was kept in the running based on the mutual opinion of his/her instructors. Eventually the list was narrowed down to about twenty, among them was Tom, Alex noted happily. Not many girls made it that far, but their were four.

Pieces of paper were passed out, and each was asked to write five names of their choice for the team. Alex wrote Tom, and the four girls, because he hadn't been paying attention and he didn't particularly want to have a lot of arrogant guys getting in his way on the mission. At least the girls would probably stay out of his way.

The votes were cast and a team of eleven was chosen. Tom and the four girls were on it, apparently Alex was not the only one who chose them. The team was as follows:

Thomas "Tom" Harris

December "Ember" Greene

James Warton

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Fentsworth

William "Will" Gordon

Paul Darcey

Benjamin "Ben" Modley

Daniel "Dan" Sherry

Todd Hudson

Drew Freeman (A/N: This is a girl people.)

Riley Miller

Alex was given a copy of the list, as was each other sergeant. Blunt dismissed the meeting, and the group dispersed.

As he walked toward his bunkhouse, he heard faint music and laughter coming from the girls dorm. He guessed that this was the party he had heard about. He decided to have a look, it couldn't hurt. He trudged up the hill and knocked on the door. He heard a bit of scuffling as someone made their way to the door. When it opened, he saw a girl standing there. She was average height with light brown hair that went down to the middle of her back. She had bright hazel eyes. She was thin, and she wore jeans and a blue t-shirt with a purple rhinestone horse on it.

"Hi." she said, "I'm Ember. You must be Alex. You want to come in?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah, sure." replied Alex. "Thanks."

She turned, and he followed her into a crowd of teens. Someone had smuggled an iPod and speakers into the dorm, and a bunch of kids were dancing. Others sat on the beds, chatting. Alex quickly spotted Tom and went over to him.

When he walked over, Tom looked up and smiled. "Hey! How was the meeting?" he asked.

"Boring." replied Alex. He was supposed to wait to tell anyone who had made the team, but he didn't really care. "You're on the team." he told him. "Don't tell anyone, I'm not supposed to tell yet." Tom nodded, and Alex sat down beside him. Soon a bunch of other guys walked over and they started a heated debate about football (A/N: Yes, I do mean soccer, for those Americans [like me).

About ten minutes later, Ember found him sitting on the bed with the guys. "Hi!" she said. "Having fun?"

"Yeah." replied Alex.

"D'you want to dance?" she asked him.

"Er... all right." he replied and stood. She took his hand and led him into the throng of swaying and twirling kids. She began to roll her hips and move her shoulders in time with the music.

"Oh, come on Alex! Let go!" she told Alex, who was feeling a bit silly. Soon however, he was moving to the music, twirling Ember a couple of times.

After a bit, the song ended. Alex expected she would leave and find another partner or talk to her friends, but she moved closer and put her hands on his shoulders as a slower song started up. Alex put his arms around her waist and they swayed side to side a bit.

"Having fun now?" asked Ember.

Alex grinned. "Yeah."

They danced till the end of the song. Alex took Ember's hand and led her off the dance floor.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked her, "It's getting kind of loud in here."

"Sure." she replied, and they stepped out into the dark.

They walked in silence for a while, holding hands. They reached a little pond. There was a log next it.

"You want to sit down?" he asked, gesturing to the log. Ember nodded and they sat.

"So... I hear you're a spy." said Ember.

"Yeah." replied Alex. "It's really not as great as it sounds though. I wouldn't do it, but Blunt and Jones are blackmailing me. They have been since my first mission."

Ember frowned. "That's horrible!" she exclaimed. "I thought blackmail was illegal anyway."

"The only problem is, they are the government, so they can do pretty mush anything they want."

"I don't believe it!" said Ember.

"I don't think I could stop now though. It's my life. It's part of me now. And it's in my blood. My father and my uncle were some of the best agents they had." Alex said.

Ember looked at him. Alex met her eyes. Slowly, their heads moved closer, and their lips met. For a moment, all that Alex could feel was Ember. He buried his hands in her long brown hair. Her arms wound around his neck pulling him closer. They broke apart for a second to breathe. Then they came back together again, kissing more passionately this time.

Alex had never really had time for a girlfriend, Sabina was the only girl he ever had feelings for. But now, kissing Ember, he felt something he had never felt before. They broke apart again. Ember leaned against him and he put his arms around her.

They stayed like this for a while, before they stood and began to walk back, stopping to kiss every so often. At last they made it back to the girls dorm, and with one parting kiss, Ember slipped inside. Alex walked to his own dorm and fell into his bed. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

A/N: So there you have it. I think it's one of the longest chapters I've written. Remember, R&R! XOXO

Paige