IT'S NOT EASY BEING A SPY

disclaimer - I don't own the Gallagher series; Ally Carter does.

"Cammie! Come on!" Bex screamed at me. Meet Rebecca Baxter, my best friend.

Cammie, that's me. Full name, Cameron Ann Morgan; Code name, Chameleon. I'm a living legend. I have a legacy to protect. I'm the world's designated future top spy. I go to the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. Location, Roseville, Virginia; Occupation, 11th grade student; Parents, Rachel Morgan and Matthew Morgan. Rachel Morgan, my mom, is the head mistress of the Academy and my dad; world's best pavement artist disappeared. He's been officially MIA for 8 years ever since he left for a mission. No one knows his whereabouts and to be honest, probably no one ever will.

I had one boyfriend, which was a mistake. Josh, a civilian, first boyfriend, first kiss, first time I got in major trouble. I broke up with him last year after he almost ended my career as a spy and endangered my teacher. Until then, I never realized that spies can't be with civilians and civilians can't be with spies. Spies marry spies and civilians marry civilians. If you think about it, it's quite a simple concept, but until you come to love someone and you're feelings get in the way, it gets hard. That's when all the lying starts, and the sneaking out, and the act, which is a lot to think about when you just want to be in a simple relationship. I just want to lead a normal life, well, a normal spy life at least, but let's get real, when is that ever going to happen.

"Ugh, Bex, I'm coming, be patient." I replied calmly.

Bex, the impatient one, well, that's one word that could describe me, but there are many more and I'm not even going to get into it there are so many. World's third future best spy is a given for me. I am sure going to beat the hell out of the person who stole number two from me. I plan to go into Britain's MI6, where my parents work. I have two parents and love them so much. I don't really miss them even though they are half way across the world right now. Mrs. Morgan is basically my second mom.

I'm Duchess. I have no clue where that code name came from, but I hate it despite all my friends calling that. It's official, I'm Duchess; whatever. I can speak fourteen different languages, can kill someone seven different ways with just my hands and if you ever call me Rebecca, I will personally make sure that you will never be able to speak again. I have never had a boyfriend. I mean, sure, there is some good eye candy out there, but they are civilians. Please, us spies can do way better than that. Ugh, I have no clue what went on Cammie's mind when she was dating Josh. I want a gorgeous, hot, smart and strong spy to date - not an average civilian.

"Bex, did you finish Smith's extra credit essay?" Liz, my other roommate freaked. I shook my head, what a crazy girl.

Ugh, where is that essay? I cannot find it anywhere. Where did I put it, think Liz, think. Oh, I can just print it off my laptop again. Why didn't I think of that in the first place?

I'm Elizabeth Sutton, best hacker at Gallagher. I'm a little different from Cammie and Bex. They are going into the field and I'm staying on the research and development track. I like staying in the office, running things, and hacking. Not the fighting part. I swear, I will never learn to use a gun in my life. I hate risk taking, but being Cammie and Bex's best friend, that's kind of hard. I have a 4.0 GPA. I like to keep it at that. Cammie and Bex have been my friends since 7th grade. We are sisters, so we stick together during everything. My parents are dentists, so they aren't involved with the whole spy thing. They don't even know what kind of school Gallagher really is.

My codename is Bookworm, which Bex always called me. I guess it suits me, so unlike Bex, I am fine with it. I never need it though, well, unless I'm going on Cammie's secret missions. I'd rather stay out of Covert Operations. Sure Joe Solomon is hot and all, but I couldn't stand being in the field on a secret mission. It scares me to death.

I'm never having a civilian boyfriend. After what happened with Cammie...well, let's just say that it was a disaster, and I'm a quick learner.

"Liz, shut up, you'll be fine!" Macey screamed. I frowned.

The senator's daughter, the infamous Macey McHenry. Can't stay in one school for a semester without getting expelled. Gallagher is different, first, it's actually interesting and second, I actually get all of it. I love Gallagher. And though I'm behind in some of the classes, I'm trying as hard as I can, because I want to be able to continue into an agency with Bex, Cammie, and Liz. I am in their CoveOps class which is amazing, but I still need to complete a couple other classes including languages which suck. At first, I was a total bitch to my friends, but now, everyone actually likes me and I have friends and I have a career planned. I'm finally stable. I have tons of boy experience and fashion and makeup experience; so basically, I'm the girl in our room. And by the way, I'm Peacock.

Guys, seriously, I agree with Bex now. We have got to get a move on. We're going to be late for dinner and mom has something important to announce." I yelled, Bex at my heels as I walked out the door.

"Yeah, come on Macey, do your make up later. We're not dressing to impress. Liz, look for your essay after dinner." Bex said, impatiently. She was hungry.

"Fine, Mace, let's go, put on your eyeliner later." Liz said, hurrying after us.

"Coming, coming, man, what's the rush?" Macey asked, catching us with us, already descending the stairs.

"Mom and Solomon are announcing something super important. She said we couldn't be late." I snapped. This got Bex's attention.

"Oh! Do you know anything about it?" Bex wondered.

"Nope, not one clue. The whole summer, mom and Solomon have been locked up in her office, and running out for three day 'errands'." I said, air quoting errands. "Oh, and I forgot to tell you guys this, the East Wing has been closed off."

"No more secret passages ways for us then." Macey said. I was notorious for finding secret passage ways throughout the mansion.

We entered the dining hall and the usual chatter was spread throughout the room. Tina Walters was babbling about the latest gossip which was most likely untrue, Anna Fetterman, only half listening to her. The seventh graders were quietly keeping to themselves, looking around at all the upperclassmen. We sat at the end of the junior table, where there were only 4 vacant seats, and nobody sat there. Those we reserved for people that we let sit there. Also, we didn't want anyone overhearing our conversations. There was a feast set in front of us, but everyone knew that you weren't allowed to eat without the headmistress in the room.

My mom walked up to the podium at the front of the dining hall looking as gorgeous as ever.

"Welcome back girls. I hope that you all had wonderful summer vacations. Mr. Solomon and I have some very important news for you. Pay attention, I will not repeat myself." She spoke to all the girls in the hall.

I stared intently on my mom, waiting for her to tell us what the important news was, eager to know what was classified before this very minute. Bex was practically jumping out of her seat and Liz, was, well being Liz, looking worried that we might be having a pop quiz that she didn't study for. Macey just looked plain bored.

"Next week, the Blackthorne Institute for Boys delegation will be staying here for the year." She said smiling. I stared in shock.

"The boys will learn with you, train with you, be with you." Mr. Solomon said to all the girls who had forks with food in midbite, mouths wide open. I looked at my friends. Macey smiled mischievously, Bex was looking around at everyone else and Liz was of course, wondering what they will be like, who the best hacker at Blackthorne will be and will be hooking up with any of them. From the looks of the other girls, they weren't shocked about there being another school for spies, but that boys were coming to our school. Uh oh…

"You're not serious are you!" I yelled up to me mom. All heads turned to me. I turned bright red. Did I really just scream that in front of the whole school?

Mr. Solomon answered, "Yes Ms. Morgan, in fact, I know some boys who I think you will be good friends with." I looked at him astounded. I just shook my head. Boys, invading our school; there is reason it's an all girls school. All girls mean no boys, no boys mean girls are focused on studies and their careers. Boys mean that there will be 30 minute hair, makeup and outfit checks every morning from Macey McHenry. Boys mean a chance to push me from the top. Boys mean that I may not be the best. I got up from my seat and walked out. The other girls followed except Bex who raised her hand and asked, "Where will the boys be staying?"

"Why, in the East Wing of course." Professor Buckingham responded. After that, Bex left to come follow us. We quickly rushed up to our rooms and closed the soundproof door.

"Okay, what the hell." I started.

"Boys, coming to Gallagher." Bex said.

"What does this mean?" Liz asked.

And, of course, Macey being Macey responded, "Hot, spy guys will be coming to our school. I know exactly what we have to do. Get some of the boys and make 'em ours."

Since it was a Friday night, we didn't have classes until Monday. We stayed up talking about the boys coming to our school. In some ways, I was furious with mom and Solomon for keeping this from me. I had to right to know. Liz and Macey were trying to decipher what it meant when Solomon said that we could be good friends with some of the guys. Then an idea popped into my heads.

"Guys, I got it." The three of them turned to look at me, because I haven't spoken in a while. "We are going to hack into the Blackthorne database." The looks they gave me said that it was a brilliant idea.

"That is a bloody brilliant idea Cam." Bex said smiling. Liz was already pulling out her special hacking laptop and Macey was turning my iPod up so just in case, someone could hear us, the music would mask it.

"Okay, just keep in mind that this might take a while because I have no idea where to get a source and I have no clue where to find the database. It's not like we can just type in Blackthorne Institute and it will pop up." She said worried. I smiled. Oh Liz.

"I got it. Go to the CIA database and hack that first, then look for a list of designated spies being accepted into the agency. If there is one, then there will be a place where they came from." Macey told us.

"Wow Mace, impressive!" I said, actually really impressed. Macey wasn't big on technology hacking and that stuff. Her favorite class is Disguise and Concealment.

"Hack the CIA?" Liz asked unsure of what she just heard. We nodded.

"You've done it before, so why not now?" Bex asked.

"Because I only did that as a challenge; as soon as I got into it, I stopped. I didn't look for any information or anything. I could get in huge trouble." Liz informed us. Trouble, which was one of Liz's most hated words.

"Just do it Lizzie, I'll take the blame." Bex said, offering herself to get in trouble. She nodded still unsure, but went to work right away.

Twenty minutes later, we were in. The four of us were crowded around the massive 18 in laptop Liz was using.

"Found it!" Liz announced.

Sure enough, there was a document titled "Future Agents for the CIA". Liz clicked on the document and it popped up.

Field Operatives

Cameron Morgan (Gallagher)

Zachary Goode (Blackthorne)

Rebecca Baxter (Gallagher)

Grant Newman (Blackthorne)

Courtney Bauer (Gallagher)

Nick Slaine (Blackthorne)

Tina Walters (Gallagher)

Mick Morrison (Gallagher)

Logan Covell (Blackthorne)

Macey McHenry (Gallagher) ?

Research & Development Agents

Elizabeth Sutton (Gallagher)

Jonas Anderson (Blackthorne)

We stared at the document long and hard. We dissected every letter of it. And then someone spoke.

"I wonder what this Jonas Anderson kid's GPA is." Liz muttered. Bex, Macey and I groaned.

"What?" Liz said defensively. We just shook our heads.

"Wait, why do I have a question mark next to my name?" Macey asked. We shrugged.

There were hyperlinks to each person's file so we clicked on Zachary Goode's. 7 pages of information about him came up. Liz hit print and went back to the list. Next she selected Grant Newman's and did the same. She then printed Nick Slaine's and Jonas Anderson's files. They all quickly printed and Liz put them in a file folder labeled "Operation Blackthorne Boys".