Hi, all! How have my readers been? Good? That's good. So, I'm glad y'all liked the last chapter, and what'd you think of Zach's little story? I thought it made sense, since Liz was always the more fragile one, ya know? Anyways, without further a do, here's the next chapter!

Enjoy!

Simply,

Sam.

Later that same night, while Bex, Macey and I were laying in bed, I asked them their side of the story. It didn't make me feel any better than Zach's side had.

"Cammie, Zach was completely right. We were all totally devastated." Macey started out. "I, of course was pissed, Bex was cursing up and down, Liz was in complete hysterics, and your mom and Joe were pretty calm, it was scary. Zach wasn't as put together as he made himself seem, I'm telling you that right now. He was kind of a mixture of us all. He would just sit, staring at us, as if he were studying us or watching us to make sure we didn't do anything rash. He seemed like himself, but the look on his face…" Macey trailed off, not sure how to put it.

But apparently Bex knew how to put it, because she continued where Macey left off. "The look on his face was a complete blank. As if he'd just seen someone he unconditionally loved get murdered right in front of him. I'm being totally serious here. Our pain was obvious, but his was so subtle, that it was actually kind of scary. About a month after you left, Liz still wasn't doing any better, so the superiors suggested the drink to her. She accepted it right away. The rest of us didn't have any, because we dealed better than her, but after a couple of weeks, we realized it was really hard. All her memories of you were gone, and we couldn't even mention anything that involved you, because that could've triggered her memory, and we would've been back where we had started. So we all took the tea, except for your mom and Joe. And it was blissful, Cam, it really was. To not have a constant, nagging pain in us, and to be able to say whatever we wanted without having to worry about saying something that involved you. It was magnificent, Cam."

"And then when we got that note, we were all shocked. We had no idea who Cameron Morgan was, and Joe and your mom told us to get you and that they'd explain it all later. So we went to go get you and when you went to get dressed they gave us the thing that reverses the effects of the tea and, well, you know the rest. "

"Yea, I do. You guys, I'm so sorry. Trust me, there was a very specific reason for my leaving but if I told you.."

"You'd have to kill us. We know, Cam. We know spies live on a need to know basis, and while we'd love to know your reason, we also know that it's not something we need to know. At least, not right at this moment."

"I promise that one day, I will tell you, but now I can't. I can't tell you any time soon, but I absolutely promise, before we turn 40, you will know my reason."

"That's a long space of time, Cam."

"Yea, I know."

The next morning, the letter was waiting for me to open it on the kitchen table and everyone was still looking through those damn files! "Seriously? Are you guys just looking through the same files to make it seem like it's a lot?"

"No, Cam, seriously, it's your own damn fault for angering so many people." Macey says calmly flipping through one of the magazines. "How the hell did you anger a 6 foot, 225 pounds, most of those pounds from muscles, Russian? Really, Cam, what the hell did you do to him?"

I grab the folder from her and hold it behind my back. "That was, uh, trumped up. I really didn't do anything, you know, I was just the one he saw… And then, I mean, it was the dogs' own fault, it got in the way! But, um, you don't need to know that so, uh, I'm gonna read the letter now!" I open the letter and read it aloud:

Ms. Morgan,

Once again, well done yesterday, and I apologize sincerely for the messenger. Children these days just don't have any manners. Now, for today's activity, you will want to dress in clothes you are most flexible in. You will do a lot of running and the like. Also, it should be clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. There will be mud involved. You may take one person with you, but since Mr. Goode already had a turn, he's out of this round. Choose your partner wisely, Ms. Morgan. Be at your local park by 5 today. My messenger will not wait any time past that.

7

"So, who are you taking with you, Cam?" Macey asks after a few minutes (3 minutes and 32 seconds, to be precise.)

"Well, either you or Bex, obviously." Zach says. "7 said she couldn't take me and it's already been said that no matter what, Joe and Rachel can't tag along. So that leaves you and Bex. Who you taking, Cammie?"

"Well, who ever would help me most, I suppose…"

"Take Bex."

"What?" I shoot a perplexed look to Macey.

"I want to go on the next one, if there will be a next one. So take Bex for this one. Plus, you guys snuck out of the academy together longer than I was there, so you both know each other well enough to sense each other's moves. So take Bex."

"It's decided then, I guess." And Macey was right, Bex and I knew each other better than we knew ourselves, or at least it seemed that way sometimes. "Let's get ready then, Bex."

Two hours later, Bex and I were waiting at the park. It was almost time, and we were both getting a little anxious. "What do you think will happen today?" She asks me, looking around us nonchalantly.

Just then, I see a boy walking towards us, carrying a large box. "Who knows, but I think we're about to find out." She stands as she sees the boy and I follow suit. I can feel my heart beating and my palms actually start to sweat. I haven't had this reaction to a mission since I firt got into the field, and even then I'd already had some experience from the academy, so I wasn't so nervous. Maybe I'm having such a strong reaction because it's about Liz. Poor, sweet, naïve Liz….

"Ms. Morgan and Ms. Baxter?" The boys' question momentarily shocks us both, but we confirm right away. How in the world did 7 know that I would bring Bex with me? He hands us the box. "This is for you. Go to that play set over there, and open it once you get inside the yellow tube, no sooner. Once you've read the instructions, go to the red monkey bars. Then you have to go through the tire swing with the green chains. You have to do that, if you don't it could put everything in jeopardy."

"Is that what they told you to tell us?" Bex asks, slightly menacingly, so I put my hand on her arm to calm her down.

The boy simply nods, as if he's not scared at all. "Yes."

"Is that it?"

"Yes." With that, he turns on his heel and walks away.

"Well," I sigh. "To the yellow tube it is."

"A DVD player? Really? That's what he's giving us?" Bex exclaims once we're safely in the tube and the box is open.

I roll my eyes. "Play it, idiot." And so she does. It's not a recording, but merely a type of letter. And it says, "Do exactly what the boy told you and the game starts then. Once you go through the tire swing, there will be a man waiting by the tall oak tree exactly 25 ft in front of you. Follow him, but keep a close eye on him, because he will go fast, I promise you that. If you catch him before he reaches the final destination, then you get a free pass. In other words, you don't need to do an activity tomorrow, but you automatically get the answer. If you don't catch him, you'll be receiving a new set of instructions tomorrow. Here's a hint to where his final destination might be: blue and white. And no, Ms. Morgan, it's not the store you and Mr. Goode attended yesterday afternoon. It's completely different. Now, good luck to you both. I hope you and Ms. Baxter really do work as well together as you seem to think you do.

-7"

"And that was awesome." Bex says sarcastically.

"Let's go." We do what the boy said, and we make sure to go through the tire swing with the green chain. And when we look to the tallest oak, we see a man, waiting for us. As soon as he sees us see him, he takes off, and we're hot on his trails. "Shit!" I exclaim as I slip in the raining.

"Cam, you okay?" Bex stops and turns towards me.

"What are you doing? Go after him! I'll catch up!" I yell and she does exactly what I told her to do. I pick myself up off the ground and instead of trying to clean myself up, I take off running again. We run for exactly 5 minutes and 36 seconds, always getting closer to the target, and one of us always slipping. Finally, we get close enough to the guy to where all we have to do is do one long jump, and we'll be able to tackle him to the ground.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!" We yell out in unison and jump onto the back of our target. He falls to the ground with a thump, and we cling on as tight as we can. "Damn, boy, you're built!" Bex says, surprised. I'm a little surprised too; he didn't look as if he had a lot of muscle while we were chasing him. I hear him chuckle a little before he raises himself, with us still on his back, as if he were doing a pushup, and pulls out a voice recorder from his pocket. He places it on the ground and pushes play.

"Congratulations, ladies! You caught the target, and that's always good for a spy, right? Now, since you two caught your target I will be giving you the answer. Tomorrow. Tomorrow you will be receiving a letter with the answer. Which means, tomorrow you may rest. Talk. Research what you've learned so far. Then, the day after tomorrow, you will be getting a new set of instructions. I'm glad you and Ms. Baxter were able to succeed, Ms. Morgan. Oh, and tomorrow, when you get the answer, I know it will say anybody, but I'm telling you now, it must be Mr. Goode. Good luck."

As we get off the target, I ask, "So did 7 know we were going to catch you?"

"7 was hoping that you would catch me, and it's a good thing you did, because if you hadn't, tomorrow's activity would've made you want to completely forfeit from this."

I had a sudden suspicion. "Did 7 tell you to let us catch you."

That got a laugh from him. "No, of course not. Actually, he told me to try to get rid of you."

"What?" Man, this 7 was confusing.

"I really must be going now, but remember Ms. Morgan, blue and white." With that, he turns and walks away.

As we're walking back to the car, I exclaim, "What the hell is blue and white supposed to mean?"

Bex shrugs. "Don't ask me, I don't know."

"Fine. We'll just go home and wait for tomorrow."

"Yep. Hey, how did he know I was coming with you?"

"Who the hell knows." I say with a shrug before I slam the car door. Who the hell knows.

So, how did y'all like it? Rate and comment please!

Thanks!

Simply,

Sam.

PS. I'll be posting up a new story soon, a continuation/sequel of "It's Been A While" So if you haven't read "It's Been A While" please read that one first. I mean, it's not necessary, but I would prefer it.

Thanks again!