Gallagher Girl Anthem

A/N::: Got a couple announcements. Um, for those of you that are reading Victim, it's gonna be on a SLIGHT hiatus. I have to plan it out first, because I just typed it up with no game plan. So… I've been making it up as I went, and I have a feeling it's gonna backfire, so I have to plan it out. And, for those of you who care, PARAMORE IS COMING OUT WITH A NEW ALBUM SEPTEMBER 19TH!!!! Ehem, so that means more ideas for stories XD. And I might rewrite this story. I had another ideal way of writing it, but, if you guys like it, then I won't. =) this song is by the awesome band Superchicks. It's called Anthem. So, enjoy.

Disclaimer::: I don't own the series or have any association with the song (sadly)

zzzNzzz

Cammie p.o.v

I glanced into each of my comrades faces, and realized they all, every seven of them, understood. They understood how important this last final exam was. That, if we made one single mistake, while we were this far, it would all be over. One slip-up could cost every one of us our future. They all understood that. And oddly enough, I felt proud.

"Delta team, you get south corner. Tell us what you find." Tina and Anna nodded.

"Charlie team, you guys get east corner." Mick flexed her fingers, grinned and nodded with Eva.

"Beta. West corner." Courtney and Kim Lee nodded. I then stole a quick side glance at Bex- my best friend, and the girl I'd always choose to have my back. And then there was Macey; the girl who had convinced my mother and Joe Solomon to let her participate in our senior exam (at our risk of course). And probably the first and last girl in the history of Gallagher to skip eleventh grade, should we pass. "Alpha team, we'll scour north corner, since it seems that that's where most of the guards will be, and most likely where the disk will be. Remember, we have a time limit. It's taken us fifteen minutes to break through NASA's security, and only ten to get out. I expect everyone to survive. Don't waste time, but don't get sloppy. It only takes the bad guys once chance. And most importantly; get good. Or get dead." Repeating what Mr. Solomon had told us on his first day here made me feel better and made them realize it wasn't a game anymore. Getting in was easy. Getting out alive would be tough.

We were crouching and whispering on CIA ground at 11:37:29 pm to retrieve, yet again, the Gallagher alumni. It was kind of easy slipping past the security guards and knocking them out. A bit challenging to knock out every guard roaming the grounds. But we were warned that the ones inside the building aren't aware of the situation. They aren't exactly in the loop, which means they'll shoot at us, given the chance. Why? Because this was our final exam. Liz was part of it even, five good minutes away, helping us break in, get us in the right directions, and ready to whip by and get us out.

I nodded, letting them know it was time to start. We each head to our designated area, waiting for my signal. But when I signaled everyone to enter, Liz blurted out in our ears, "Watch out! Black-" but it was too late. And I knew everything had been leading up to this. We were caught off guard, and so were they because I knew it wasn't going to be easy. It never was.

zzzNzzz

Here's to the ones who don't give up

Here's to the ones who don't give up

Here's to the ones who don't give up

This is your anthem, get your hands up

When our doors opened simultaneously, we were caught off guard. None of us had expected what we found. There, in the center of the room, were seven Blackthorne boys wearing all black and pointing guns at us. When I heard someone mutter "Holy Jesus Christ" in my comm. unit, I yelled "Move!" and pulled Macey and Bex down behind a nearby lab table just as shots rang out and glass shards flew from broken beakers.

"Find them!" A masculine voice yelled. "Don't let them get to the disk!" The sound of running feet filled the room, and I was thanking the gods for having a thirty feet distance from them.

"Cut the lights, Liz!" I hissed in my comm unit.

"I'm working on it!"

"Charlie? Delta? Beta? You guys okay?"

"Yeah, but not for long. They're closing in on us Cammie!"

"Just hold out a bit longer, Chit Chat." I looked around, only to see Bexs' excited face and Maceys' worried one. There was no time to dwell on the fact that the boys were here, or that Zach could be. No time, because someone was approaching from the far right wall. And I wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking as I wrapped my fingers around the neck of a cool hard beaker that had survived the bullets as Grant rounded the corner, gun in hand. I saw hesitation in his eyes as he registered who we were. But the glass container was already out of my hand when the lights went out. I saw Grant's eyes widen as he saw it flying towards his head. And when everyone realized the lights were out for a while, the punches and kicks began.

We are fire inside, we are lipstick and cleats
We are not going home, and we are playing for keeps

I felt a rush of air as Bex left my side to slap a napotine patch on Grant. "Item 24," I murmured into my comm unit, even though my intuition told me my friends already had their night vision glasses on.

We are girls with skinned knees, we are concrete and grace
We are not what you think, you can't keep us in our place

I quickly slipped on my own and watched my friends beat up boys. Tina was thrown across the room, but Anna, who was on the floor after tripping her own opponent, grabbed one of his ankles and twisted while jabbing his other knee, paralyzing it. And when he started to fall back on her, she kicked his shoulder blades donkey style, causing his neck to snap back and sent him sprawling, all the while getting up gracefully. All in five seconds.

And Mick was literally allowing no mercy. She took a shot at his face but missed and jerked her knee towards his man area, but he caught it. But she shifted her weight, dropped and landed on her hands and sent a barrage of kicks (she has great upper and lower body strength).

Eva and Courtney were each busy, using their small statures to an advantage. Eva was dodging most, but got a mighty knee to her gut, sending her backwards, limbs flailing. Courtney tripped him to distract him, but another guy pulled her up by her hair, making her (as well as me) gasp. I mean, grabbing a girl's hair was a low blow. And I knew he was so going to pay for it.

Here's to the girls on their boards with bruises and scars
Here's to the girls whose fingers bleed from playing guitar
Here's to anyone who never quit when things got hard

She tried spinning out of his grasp, but he tugged harder on her thick blonde hair. She tried jabbing at his wrists, but he knocked them away and kicked her, still holding her by her hair. And then she did something I'd never forget. She pulled out a dagger from her thigh sheath. And instead of stabbing his thigh, stomach or leg, she arched her arm back and over her head and sliced off her hair.

You'll never let them say

you'll never get that far

The strands fell limp in his hand and she blurred as she stood and punched him across the face. That was a true Gallagher girl, I thought as she slapped on a napotine patch. A truly unpredictable Gallagher girl.

And just when I thought I'd go straight for the disk, I turned to see Macey struggling with an opponent. He'd cinched her arm behind her back and pushed her head forward, as if daring it to snap off. She was on her knees, and had small cuts all over her face with smeared blood, as if she was hit in the face with… a glass beaker.

I reacted almost instinctively, running and round house kicking the jerks face. He had no right damaging the presidents' daughters' face!

He skidded to a stop, but showed no sign of fatigue, except for the gash across his forward, and I couldn't help but smirk. Go Macey.

We are fire inside, we are an army asleep
We are a people awaking to follow their dreams

I ran and faked a right hook, kicking at his ribs. He caught both, and swung me towards the wall. I slowed my deadly momentum with my free arm, but just barely. I still hit the wall, but not as hard. I smashed my heel into his knee, hearing the bone snap sickeningly.

"You bitch!" he cried, his leg buckling from the impact. I then made a mistake. I glanced at Macey, who now had Bex by her side. Click. I froze at the sound of a ready trigger. I turned back to see a gun pointed at my face.

I didn't have time to wonder when he'd taken it out, or if we'd pass the exam. All I knew was that sometimes you just have to go by instinct and move. Or you die.

We don't have time for your games
We have our own goals to score
There are trophies to win instead of being one of yours

I dropped in a fast crouch, the bullet grazing my head. I redirected his arm to point skyward as the second bullet went off. I jabbed his inner elbow and sprained his wrist. I quickly snatched the gun and put the Blackthorne boy out of his misery. I hit his pressure point and smacked on a napotine patch.

You'll never let them say

you'll never get that far

"You won't make it…" he muttered drowsily. "You won't get…"

"Oh shut up," I hissed as he finally blacked out. I looked around to see three Blackthorne boys against a bruised-looking Eva and a fatigued looking Kim Lee. I saw Macey's and Bexs' heads bobbing as they checked on our fallen comrades. "Everyone okay?" It wasn't until I was leaning against the wall that I realized I was worn out.

"What are you doing!? You're supposed to be getting the disk, Chameleon!" Bexs' loud voice made me flinch. "Go find it. NOW!" I was already searching for a way up.

Here's to the ones who don't give up

It wasn't until I looked up that I realized that my answer was just above my head. Which made me think of how, when you have an idea, a light bulb clicks. For me, it's a steel ladder.

Here's to the ones who don't give up

I started up the metal ladder, praying no one would spot me. But then I heard the inevitable "She's going up! Get h-" but the owner of the voice grunted and thumped to the ground. I made a point not to look down as I reached the top.

This is your anthem

"Show me the way, Liz," I muttered. The perimeter of the building was big. There was a walkway that blended in with the ceiling. There were five doors on each wall, which gave me a big choice of twenty ways. Not an easy choice, as you can see.

"The door directly across from you." Liz's voice was comforting as I flew across, skipping the twenty seconds of running across. I practically ran down the dim corridor until I met a wall, and a minimized choice of two doors. Lucky me.

"Liz?" I glanced down both halls. Empty.

"Right." My heels clip at a fast pace, doors and walls passing by as black blurs.

"Tell me when," I panted. My eyes scan each door, searching for any light, any sign of something going on.

"Stop." I freeze immediately. My muscles hurt from being tense, and I quickly realize it's still Liz speaking. "Go in the door on your right." I slip through and glide across, only to meet a wall. Dead end.

"Liz?" I'm quickly searching for another way, with only one door on my left.

"Take the door, Chameleon. Calm down. Think before you go." I do what she says and burst through, only to meet a dark room. "Be on your guard, Chameleon." I see the shadows shift, and I know I'm not alone. How many can there be? One? Five? Twenty?

I soon get my answer as a figure flies out at me. I duck and jab at the clumsy guy who let his guard down. I get his torso and thigh as he's airborne for a second, and hits the wall with a grunt. I'm on his back, gripping his arm and leg before he can blink.

"Tell me where the disk is," I hiss in his ear. His face is hidden from me, and I had dropped my night glasses somewhere.

"It's nice to see you too, Gallagher Girl." My breath catches in my throat. No. No. No. No! it can't be! He can't have the disk! Shock pulses through me, but the split second is too long. He was suddenly on me, his weight crushing my small body. "Nice suit." His voice was huskier than I remembered, and he felt different, not like the boy I thought I knew. I can feel him smirking, and I want to slap it off him. But he doesn't know that I've gotten stronger. I was ready (somewhat) for this.

I bring up my leg, my knee to his chest, and heave him off. He hits the wall again, and I'm on him, ready this time. I dig my heel into his right tibia, my gun to his head. I feel his muscles stiffen, his whole body stiffen at the black metal.

"The disk." My voice was flat and calm. The way my heart should be. It shouldn't be beating fast and skipping beats. I've trained for this. I'm ready.

"Not going to say." I scowl at his stubbornness. I dig my heel in a half inch more, his skin giving way to a flowing liquid. He gasps in pain. I smile, surprised at how easy it was. But he shakes his head. my smile falls as I move the gun to the back of his neck, the cold metal touching his skin. I search him. "Touchy touchy, Chameleon. I know you love me, but marr-" I smash his leg bone, a sickening crack breaking the silence in the room. he cries out, and it hurts me as well. My heart thumps painfully in my chest, but I check his pockets. Empty. The way I'm feeling now.

"Where's the damn disk." It isn't a question.

"I don't know what you're talking about." His voice is barely above a whisper, and I nearly move back and run. 'Don't' I think. 'It's a mission. What do you do with a useless witness?' I bit my lip as I force my heel into his broken legs. 'You kill them.'

"Zach," I whisper. My voice comes out raspy. "Tell me. Tell me where the disk is." Before I can think, I say "Please." His head swivels to look at me, and I can only see his bright green eyes. They disappear under lids, and his shakes his head. so I pull off the safety of my gun. "Tell me," I plead, my finger on the trigger. He shakes his hanging head, his slumped shoulders unmoving. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "I'm so sorry." And I pull the trigger.

zzzNzzz

This is your anthem

"Chameleon!" Bex burst through the door, and I stare at her. Such radiant beauty. Probably one of the most deadliest girls alive. A deadly rose.

"Oh Cam, you didn't." her voice is soft when she sees Zach's slumped figure in front of me, still on his knees. For some reason, I can't move. "Cam," she whispers, her voice soft as kittens fur. "Jonas had it all along. He was in another room. They made it so Liz tracked the fake one to here. I have it now,: I look at the slumped figure and then at the gun in my hand.

"I… I couldn't… do it." I drop the gun and bury my face in my hands. "Zach… I almost did… but I… I shot the ground at the last second. I couldn't do it. I'm sorry. I just-"

"I know." Her bluntness makes me look up. "I'm not mad. I doubt the others will be. But…" she stands straighter. "We have to go. Now." Her gaze is a dare as I nod slowly. Even though leaving Zach here was worse than hurting him.

zzzNzzz

"They were all fake." When Solomon said that, there were gasps. "All real CIA agents. And you ladies did excellent. I didn't expect all of you to hold your own against them, but you did. As you realized, they were the boys that visited. During that period, we realized you had gotten close to them. And it took guts and determination to knock them out. I'm proud of all of you." He smiled. "I'm honored to call you all my students.

A fake Zach. Huh. I didn't believe it. Until a note appeared in my pocket on our way back to Gallagher Girl on plane. It was a handwriting I recognized. Too well.

Don't feel bad Gallagher girl. I'm all right. I saw you.

You were amazing. Don't let them say you won't get far.

-Z

I almost cried. I could've. But I held the note close to me, knowing that Zach would always be there. Knowing that I hadn't hurt him.

But it's not like I can't take care of myself. I'm a Gallagher Girl. Give me some credit. I don't need a Blackthorne boy telling me not to let others underestimate me. Because I've never let anyone, and never will let anyone say that I won't get far.

zzzNzzz

A/N::: Okay, how was that? I know I know, wayyy too long. But like I said, I do have another version of writing this. So tell me what you think.

And, just a totally random question, how many of you would read a story about an eye-seeing dog if I posted it? I wrote it a while back ago for a contest, but I didn't make the deadline. .

So review. just press that middle button and type a few words. Critiques are welcomed, as long as they're not too mean… =P

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