Disclaimer: I own nothing – all rights go to Ally Carter

Chapter 9

I hesitated; I still didn't trust Joe – not completely. I didn't know why he was bothering. He was the one that said I was a lost cause.

"I've told you before Joe, I'm fine!" He gave me a look that clearly said `I don't believe you'. I rolled my eyes but kept eye contact with him.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong Cammie?" Joe sounded desperate but I didn't fall for it. That's one of Joe's main flaws (as well as his strengths) – you can never tell if he is being honest with you. I decided he was bluffing and just continued staring intently.

He sighed and I mimicked him - that got me an annoyed look but I smiled innocently at him. I could see the irritation boiling in him as I pushed him over the edge. As I stood up and started to walk away. I saw seven heads peering around the door. As I got loser to them I suddenly found myself lying flat on my face. I gasped in surprise when I felt pressure on my back.

Joe hissed, "Cameron Anne Morgan, tell me what is wrong now," he said it dangerously but I didn't dare flinch. I felt my anger boiling just as his had a few moments ago. So I used the momentum from his hand to flip him so he was underneath.

I looked at him with daggers and yelled, "You want to know what's wrong – I have spent the last nine years of my life pretending that everything is okay! You want to know how I really feel? I'm broken. I hurt every moment of the day. Do you know what it's like, knowing that it's your fault that someone died? My father jumped in front of that bullet to save me. And you know what?" I took a deep breath and continued:

"The worst thing was that it didn't even help. They're still out there, how do you think I got the name Chameleon? Why am I one of the best spies out there? They're always coming for me and yet somehow I'm still here. Do you know how hard it is pretending that everything is okay? Putting a smile on my face every single day and saving other people!" I got off of him and lowered my voice. "I just don't know if I can do this anymore."

I turned and ran the rest into the building. Just as I felt tears sting in my eyes I ran straight past my friends and the boys. I ignored their calls and ignored them completely as they ran after me.

I turned through corridor after corridor until I came to the one that I stumbled upon a few days ago. I quickly pushed against the brick and the door opened swallowing me before my friends rounded the corner.

They wouldn't find me here. I sighed in relief and walked over to the computers. I switched them onto the CCTV from the hallway and saw my friends looking around in a daze. They knew I was good – for all they knew I had just disappeared in the middle of the hallway.

I sighed and picked up one of the gold books that I had found the last time I was in here. I turned it round at all angles when I spotted something sticking slightly out the top of the spine.

A note!

I hastily pulled it out. It was addressed to me! I got comfortable in the large leather chair and opened it out.

It was dated ten years back; which meant that I was only seven at the time, who would be writing to a seven year old? I looked further down the page scanning the text and recognised the handwriting instantly.

...It was my dad's.

My breath caught in my throat and I choked out a dry sob. I let my eyes drift back to the top of the page and started to read.

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