Now We're Onto Something Golden

Credits to Ally Carter

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Out of everyone that Cammie Morgan could have turned to at this point in her life, no one would have guessed she would end up at this certain door.

She didn't look like herself. She was tired, bags hung under her eyes, her hair was longer, lighter (from being in the sun all day), and she had even gotten her cartilage pierced.

If you had asked her she would claim it was to change her appearance but secretly she knew she was on a rebelling streak.

After all, she had left everyone. She had escaped from the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women once again.

This time, everything was going to be on her terms. She was going to find answers, in her own time, however she wanted.

The Circle of Cavan wasn't going to find her, the CIA, MI6, MI5, NSA, Interpol, and FBI weren't going to find her either.

Neither was Rachel Morgan, Abigail Cameron, Edward Townsend, Joe Solomon (if he ever woke up, that is), Rebecca Baxter, Macey McHenry, Elizabeth Sutton, or even Zachary Goode.

She knew she could do this.

Since leaving the Gallagher Academy our heroine had developed a sense of over-confidence, even cockiness, you could say (maybe from hanging around that Goode kid too long?).

She knew she was a legacy. But she still knew to be careful.

There was a reason she was called the Chameleon.

So she found herself at the door of an acquaintance. An acquaintance anyone would overlook. No, it wasn't DeeDee, or God, not even Dillon Jones.

No, she was far away from Roseville, Virginia, though God knows that would be a good hiding place. Who would expect her to be so close to home?

But no, she was at the home of an acquaintance of hers. She knew this person was the only occupant in the great mansion, as she was getting lonely, and only thought of one safe place to turn where no one would find her.

Cammie thought of twenty-nine different ways to easily break into the mansion, sixteen including a tree branch, and four including her cartilage earring.

But she simply knocked on the door, and waited for her acquaintance to answer the door. After all, it was only eleven twenty three at night, not too late.

After thirty-two seconds the door opened and Cammie smiled.

"Hi, Preston. Remember me?" She lifted an eyebrow at the confused boy holding open the door.

"Cammie?" He asked, disbelieving. "Macey's not here—" he started nervously, staring at the dangerous girl in front of him. He knew she and Macey shared a secret, and he also knew not to ask, and although the girl had saved his life, he knew to be cautious around her.

"Oh, I know." Although tired of running, Cammie was happy to see a friendly face. "I thought I'd pay you a visit though, Preston. We are friends though, aren't we?" She stepped closer to him. "I mean you are dating my best friend."

He pulled the door back, inviting her in. "Of course," he smiled. "Come on in, Cammie."

Cammie stepped in, taking in every detail of the Grand Foyer of Preston's New York mansion. The Winters family was quite rich after all, and their Grand Foyer was quite pretty.

She felt a pang in her heart as the Grand Foyer reminded her of the only home she ever had at Gallagher.

She turned around to him smiling. "How are you, Preston? I mean, I knew you were never big on the whole 'First Son' business." She followed him into a dimly litted library. "Although I do think you're good for Macey. You're definitely a change in pace for her, but in a positive way. I like the way she talks about you, the way she acts in general when she's with you. It's cute, really." She shrunk back into a leathery armchair adjacent from Preston Winters.

Preston picked up a glass that Cammie presumed was gin from the smell and color. She raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "Well thank you, Cammie." He said, staring into the fire he had lit previous hours ago. "I really do like Macey. I may even love her." He shrugged. "But what are you really doing here? Are you in trouble?" He leaned toward her as she eyed him with amusement. "I know you left Gallagher Academy. Macey told me. She and your friends and mother are extremely worried." Cammie frowned but Preston continued. "She even mentioned some guy. What was his name? Zach, I think? He's apparently a depressed wreck and ran off on a binge after you." He stared at the ice cubes he was swirling around in his alcoholic beverage. His lack of attention from his parents and overall loneliness from the fact that his girlfriend was always away at an all girls boarding school had left him a tad depressed. "You got him good."

There was a couple minutes of silence before Cammie spoke as she stared into the crackling fire. She curled her legs beneath her. "I'm sure Zach is fine. I'm sure they all are. After all that's why I left." She turned to look at him and smiled weakly. "But enough of that. Enough of this sadness. You want to know why I came here, Preston?"

He looked up at her and nodded numbly.

She leaned toward him and smiled. "Because we're alike Preston. We have no where to go, no purpose, people just need us. We are always needed and wanted but people never take a step back to see if we need something. Something like peace." She lifted an eyebrow. "Attention? Love? We just don't want to be jerked and pulled. And we also want answers."

He raised his glass. "Amen. But answers? I'm not searching for anything." He smiled at her.

"But Preston," she stood up, no longer grinning, and the atmosphere changed suddenly. "You have my answers." He gulped visually, and set down his glass.

"What do you mean, Cammie?"

She smiled almost menacingly. This wasn't how he ever pictured Cammie Morgan to act. "It wasn't a mistake for you to be on that roof with Macey and I, was it? You just played the part. And its certainly not a true that you're really dating Macey McHenry. You're using her to get to me. Why? Because your father is a pivotal member of the Circle of Cavan, and now it's your turn, isn't it Preston? Now we're onto something golden, aren't we? Hit the jackpot, haven't I, Winters?" Her hand closed around Preston's throat, effectively choking him.

He clawed at her hands, desperate for air.

"Of course, you were never trained in any defense mechanisms. You have no way to defend yourself against me. But you know what?" She let go of his throat. "I'm not going to kill you. That's right, Winters, I'm going to spare you. Because I'm not that kind of girl...yet, anyways. You're going to tell the Circle that they will never be able to find me. I'm taking them down one by one, and you can tell her," Cammie spit with venom, "that she will never get what she wants from me, and that she better stay the hell away from Zach or I will personally make sure she dies in the next explosion." Preston cowered in fear away from the dangerous teenage girl in front of him. "And you stay the hell away from Macey McHenry, got it? Or I will rip you to shreds, Preston Winters. I don't care who you are, where you are, or who's protecting you. I will get you, and I will kill you. Why? Because I'm a Gallagher Girl, and not just any Gallagher Girl. I'm Cameron Morgan, and don't you forget that, Preston Winters. I will haunt you in your dreams until your very last breaths and I will be the one strangling your breath out of you." She punched him in the gut, leaving him trembling from the hit and the adrenaline pumping in his veins. "Great to see you, Preston." She taunted before turning and leaving the room, leaving the piteous boy shrinking and feeling vulnerable in his wealthy seat.

Because he knew to be more afraid of Cammie Morgan than the Circle of Cavan.

Cammie walked out the front door just as a limo pulled up, and she knew who was going to be exiting that limousine.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," Cammie commented as the figure exited. "Ever again. He's not safe, Macey."

The girl stared at Cammie in shock. "Cammie?"

"He was working for the Circle. I'm sorry, Macey, I really am. I know you really liked him, but he's a threat and he needed to be eliminated."

"YOU KILLED PRESTON?" Macey yelled, panicked. "Why the hell would you do that? He's not part of the Circle!"

"I didn't kill him," Cammie shook her head. "Maybe I should have. But he is part of the Circle, and he was using you. I couldn't let that happen."

"I don't believe you." Macey said stubbornly.

"Fine," Cammie shrugged. "Go inside and see him. He's probably still shaken up from when I strangled him and threatened his life. And told him to deliver a message to the Circle for me." She turned away from Macey and the limousine. "Oh and he's a bit tipsy."

Two steps later Cammie heard Macey utter a single word, "Why?"

Cammie turned around briefly. "You were an easy target. Honestly, I'm sorry Macey. That's why I left. I'm to dangerous. I'm not worth the trouble. You should know I miss you, but I don't regret my decision for leaving. It's not worth having you all around me if all that I do is destroy the people around me."

"But that's not true!" Macey protested, taking a couple steps toward her best friend. "There's no way I'm letting you walk away from me again! Do you know what you did, Cammie? You mother refuses to get out of bed, and your Aunt spends all day trying to convince her to get out of bed, and trying to locate you. Mr. Solomon is still in a coma, and who knows if he's going to wake up!" She yelled angrily, throwing her arms. "Bex is in a constant bad mood and is a bitch to be around, and Liz cries at any mention of you, and spends all day trying to locate you. I don't know who to turn to anymore and nothings the same!" She paused. "Oh, and lets not forget the fact that you left Zach! You knew you were the only one he trusted besides Solomon! It broke his heart that you left, and the fact that he can't find you. Don't you know his whole life is dedicated to protecting you? Don't you understand how much we all love you? How much we would all sacrifice to find you? Tina, Eva, Kim, Mick, Courtney, Anna, and all of your other sisters are on vacation but we're all still in contact trying to find you. Every government and terrorist organization ever created is out looking for you Cammie, and you outsmarted us all. Why?"

Cammie looked sadly at the broken girl in front of her. "I'm sorry, but it's better this way. I told you I would return when I found answers. I haven't gotten them all yet, but I promise to return. Alive." She turned to leave, trying not to cry.

"You can't keep that promise!" Macey screamed after her. "What happens if you get caught, Cammie? You have before!" She yelled. "What if you don't come home? What am I suppose to tell everyone? What am I supposed to tell Bex, Liz, your Aunt, your Mom... what am I supposed to tell Zach? Am I supposed to tell him his reason for existing is gone? Am I suppose to tell your Mom that her only daughter died when I could have saved her and brought her home? No, I'm not going to do that Cammie." Macey took in a deep breath.

"What are you trying to say, exactly, Macey?" Cammie questioned.

"I'm begging you, please, Cammie. If you won't come home, at least take me with you! Please. I have nothing to lose, and I don't want you out there unprotected. Come on! We've battled the Circle together before, and won. We're sisters, doesn't that mean anything to you? Please, Cammie, please, please, please!" Macey begged, almost on her knees.

Cammie's eyes threatened to tear. The desperation present in Macey's voice, the fact she didn't want Cammie on her own—didn't want Cammie to die, it was all heartbreaking. This confrontation was harder than when Cammie decided to leave Gallagher on her own.

"You know I can't." She whispered, before turning around and fleeing into the dark, leaving Macey behind. "I'm sorry!" She called behind her, praying that when she returned Macey would forgive her.

If she ever did return, that is.