"I HATE you!"

Rebecca Baxter was standing in the living room of her home in London, facing her parents as they tried to explain what they thought was logical.

"Darling" Mrs. Baxter began "We care about you more than anything. All we want is for you to be as safe as you can be. In just two years, you'll be off having your own missions. Right now, while we can, we need to keep you safe."

Bex stomped her foot, this makes no sense; she thought wildly, I always go with them! Always! They never would have made it out that one time in France if it wasn't for me! And I was eleven!

"Mum" she said in a strained voice, "I always go with you guys. And I'm always fine. And you're right, if I'm going to be going on my own in two years, I need the practice I can get! I need to be ready."

Abe jumped in then "Rebecca, sweetheart, you go to Gallagher. You will be ready. You're on the top five in your grade, people are going to start asking you to work with them soon. If something happens to you before that, it will all go to waste."

"It won't"

"Maybe we should tell her some of the details, before she makes all them decision herself, Abe" Mrs. Baxter says to her husband, clearly saying 'shut up'

"Right" Abe says, relaxing his shoulders a little "Bex, what we're suggesting is that you go to a safe house in Kansas, with top of the art protection. It will be like a five star hotel, except CIA acquitted."

Wait, what? Bex imagination took a new turn. Didn't they just mean her staying home or with Grandma or something? "And why" Bex said, in haughty voice "Would I need to go to a CIA protected house instead of just staying here?"

"Because" Mrs. Baxter said softly "Cammie would be there too"

This stopped Bex short.

Cammie said she would be staying with her mom somewhere safe for the summer, but didn't know where, just that it would be in Kansas, Bex was thinking. She said "I don't know what will happen this summer, but I'll see you next year, I promise." The way she had said 'I promise', like it wasn't certain, had kept Bex up all night. Maybe seeing her would be the worst way to spend her summer.

Except…..

"But mum" Bex said softly "I see her all year. I love her more than anything, but I never get to see you and dad except for the summer and breaks. And now you're just shoving me away?"

"We're not shoving you away," Abe says softly, reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder "We're going this so we can keep seeing you year after year after year. This isn't a normal mission, honey. It will take time. Months, probably. We don't know were we'll always be staying, but it won't always be pleasant. Taking you along wouldn't make us good parents; it would make us horrible ones."

"Right" Bex says is a high pitched voice, raising louder "That's supposed to make me feel better. You telling me you're going on an incredibly dangerous mission all summer, that I would probably die on if I went! Yea, ok, that's better, so bloody better!"

What are my parents doing? Bex thought over and over. Something worse than that time in Moscow? What could possibly be so dangerous? I went with them on the trip to Egypt, and yea, I'm traumatized from it and can't stand needles anymore, but they still took me when I wasn't even trained! What makes then think they can do this? O my god, what if I never see them after this? What if-

Her mom started stroking her hair, her eyes filled with tears and sniffing "We'll be ok, Rebecca" she said softly "These people, they mostly want kids. Teenagers. We're working with good people. We'll see you right after, I promise"

I promise.

There is was again.

Bex hated promises, because in the spy world, they really are meant to be broken.

"We don't need you for this" Abe said softly, "Cammie does"

Another things spies are good at?

Playing dirty.

Look out Kansas, Bex thought, here comes Bex Baxter.

As if I had a bloody choice.

"Zach, where are you planning on staying this summer?"

"I dunno, around" Pause "Ma'am"

"Please, call me Ms. Morgan"

"I'de, um, actually prefer Ma'am, if that's ok."

Rachel Morgan smiled from her stop in the headmaster chair, and said "understandable."

Zach was sitting in the chair across from her desk, looking significantly less comfortable than Rachel did.

Actually, he looked like he wanted to bolt out of the chair as first opportunity. When Mr. Smith had told him that the Headmaster wanted to see him, his first thought was "holy crap, she's going to shoot me."

It was a nine days since the Blackthorne Battle, and except for the time when she told him that he would be staying at Gallagher for the rest of the trimester, when she first saw him with the journal, and that one other time in the halls, he hasn't seen her.

OK, maybe he has seen her a bit, when you think about it.

But every time he worries about what she's going to say. For one thing, he's sure that she hates him. I would to, if I was her, Zach thinks. Actually, I'd probably have killed me a long time ago.

He doesn't know what to do with himself. Well, scratch that, he does.

Zach knows that he wants to go after the Circle; he wants and is able to kill them all.

Well, all but one.

He's not fully sure what he would do if it came to that.

And he's 100 percent sure that Headmaster Morgan knows that.

He just prays that her daughter doesn't.

"-with Cammie"

Zach opened his mouth, and almost said 'wait, what?' because he totally hadn't been listening. But then realizing that that would be very un spy like, ranked his brains for the part that tucked away what she had been saying.

Safe house.

That's what it was.

Something about a safe house with Cammie, and from the fact that she had asked where he was staying, and had said 'with' either she was telling him about her living arrangements with Cammie, or was referring to him being with Cammie.

Either way, he had no idea how to respond to that.

So he just said "Well. I was sort of planning on just hanging around this summer, no gangs or anything, totally legal, haha….."

Rachel just rolled her eyes "Zach, come on. This isn't optional. We need you to be somewhere safe, and preferably where we can watch you. Either you go somewhere alone, or somewhere with Cammie. You have a week to choose."

Oh, of course they want to watch me, Zach thought. And let's see, either be completely alone all summer, again, or with somebody I actually like and who actually cares?

Duh, he was staying with Cammie. Who in there right mind would pass up a summer with Cammie Morgan, legend of the CIA?

And a girl with really nice eyes and smile and personality and -

Anyway.

"I'll think about" Zach said, smiling a charming smile.

Rachel nodded "Very well, you're dismissed" she said, formally, and then softened up "Zach, we're here for you, really." She said "We all just want what's best for you" she reached out her hand to put on Zach shoulder, but the minute content was made he flinched away

"I'll just be going," he said quickly, before bolting out of there at last.

"I'm not going"

"Yes, you are"

"No, mother, I said I'm not, and you can't make me"

"Stop behaving like such a teenager!"

"Newsflash, I AM a teenager!"

"And teenagers still have to listen to her parents, and when they say you're coming with us on vacation, you GO with them on vacation!"

"This isn't vacation, don't even pretend it is!"

Macey and her mother were facing off in their Mansion in DC, standing in the dining (also known as meeting) room. Senator McHenry was sitting down in the head chair, watching the drama unfold before him but never really jumping in, as per usual when these two were fighting.

Which was every time they spoke to each other, basically.

This time, Macey felt like the had a legitamate reason for being so mad, as opposed to some other times when maybe, maybe, she was being a little bit irrational.

But now, she thinks, I can call it my cover, so we're cool.

God, I love boarding spy school.

"Honey, it might not be a usual family vacation, but we're not a usual family, so what do you expect? Camping in the woods?" Her mother said, through a tight lipped smile.

Yea, right, you're one of the most usual families I know, Macey thinks. And camping? God no, I'd rather die.

Shit, I'm going to have to camp at some point in my life, aren't I?

Maybe I can book hotels for missions. I'll have to ask Cam.

Macey had perfected her haughty look so well by know, all she had to do was stare at her mother with distaste and not even say anything to convey what she was thinking.

Which basically was 'you disgust me.'

Senator Mchenry then stood up "Macey" He said, "You were so great during campaigning last year. Even with…other things going on….."

"If by "other kinds" you mean me almost being kidnapped, no big deal or anything, or at least not to you, obviously-"

"Don't talk back to your parents like that!" The Senator snapped, before breathing a deep breath. "Macey, of course that was a big deal. But the point is, you were great than .a real trooper, if I do say so myself. I was proud to be your father-"

"blah blah blah" Macey injected, rolling her eyes.

"Macey" Ms. McHenry chided

"Yes, mother?" Macey said, putting on her sweetest look and batting her naturally long eyelashes

"Enough!" Senator McHenry roared, "Macey, you're going on tour with us, and that's final! Now go pack your bags, and only four this time!"

You want me to pack my bags? Macey thought wildly. Fine, I'll pack them. Pack them, and leave. Get out of here as soon as possible. Cam said she was going to Kansas, I'll go there to. Even a summer in Kansas would be better then a summer on a political tour with my parents.

And without another word, Macey turned on her two hundred dollar heel and stalked out of there, up the staircase, and into her room.

And slamming the door on her way.

I havn't quite decided on what the other genre is going to be besides friendship... Re: Zach – I always liked the idea of Rachel trying to be like a second mom to Zach, and him shying away from the attention he's unused to. Re: Macey- This wasn't the only reason she's leaving, it was just the last straw after lots of problems with her parents. I'll get her to the safe house in the next chapter, probably. Next chapter = Cammie! Liz won't be in the house, because she actually has a nice happy family But they'll be in touch with her, no worries! Review!