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Chapter One

“Just be yourself," my mother said, as if that were easy Which it isn't Ever Especially not when you're fifteen and don't knohat language you're going to have to speak at lunch, or what name you'll have to use the next time you do a "project" for extra credit Not when your nickname is "the Chameleon"

Not when you go to a school for spies

Of course, if you're reading this, you probably have at least a Level Four clearance and know all about the Gallagher Acade school for privileged girls, and that, despite our gorgeous rounds, we're not snobs We're spies But on that January day, even otten that when you've spent your whole life learning fourteen different languages and how to co but nail clippers and shoe polish, then being yourself gets a little harder—that we Gallagher Girls are really far better at being someone else

(And we've got the fake IDs to prove it)

Myto be okay, kiddo," as she guided on City Mall Security cameras tracked our every move, but still my mother said, "It's fine It's protocol It's normal"

But ever since I was four years old and inadvertently cracked a Sapphire Series NSA code apore, it had been pretty obvious that the term normal would probably never apply to me

After all, nor to the irls don't get suirls very rarely feel like hyperventilating when their mothers pull a pair of jeans off a rack and tell a saleslady, "Excuse hter would like to try these on"

I felt anything but normal as the saleslady searched my eyes for some hidden clue "Have you tried the ones from Milan?" she asked "I hear the European styles are very flattering"

Beside ered the soft deniot ruined at the cleaners"

And then the saleslady pointed down a narrow hallway A hint of a s room number seven is available" She started to walk away, then turned back to me and whispered, "Good luck"

And I totally kneas going to need it

We walked together down the narrow hall, and once ere inside the dressing room my mother closed the door Our eyes met in the mirror, and she said, "Are you ready?"

And then I did the thing we Gallagher Girls are best at—I lied "Sure"

We pressed our palroarm beneath our skin

"You're going to do great," Mo myself wouldn't be so hard or so terrible As if I hadn't spentto be her

And then the ground beneath us started to shake

The walls rose as the floor sank Bright lights flashed white, burning my eyes I reached dizzily for my mother's arm

"Just a body scan," she said reassuringly, and the elevator continued its descent farther and farther beneath the city A wave of hot air blasted est hair dryer "Biohazard detectors," Mom explained as we continued our smooth, quick ride

Time seemed to stand still, but I knew to count the seconds One minute Two minutes…

"Alh a thin laser beae light pulsed, and I felt the elevator stop The doors slid open

And then my mouth went slack

Tiles ranite and white marble stretched across the floor of the cavernous space like a life-size chessboard Twin staircases twisted fro forty feet to the second story, fraranite wall that bore the silver seal of the CIA and the motto I know by heart:

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free

As I stepped forward I saw elevators—dozens of the the wall that curved behind us Stainless steel letters above the elevator froed spelled out WOMEN'S WEAR, MALL To the right, another was labeled men's room, roslyn metro station

A screen on top of the elevator flashed our nalanced at Moed CAMERON MORGAN, TEMPORARY GUEST

There was a loud ding, and soon DAVID DUNCAN, IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS REMOVAL DIVISION was e from the elevator labeled SAINT SEBASTIAN CONFESSIONAL, at which point I totally started freaking out—but not in the Oh-osh-I'm-in-a-top-secret-facility-that's-three-times-more-secure-than-the-White-House sense No, -that's-ever-happened-to-, I'd teotten ere here

"Co h the atriu stairs They carried newspapers and chatted over cups of coffee It was al half his nose and one ear, and I thought about hohen you're a Gallagher Girl, nor

"Welcouard said "Place your palms here" He indicated the smooth counter in front of him, and as soon as we touched the surface I felt the heat of the scanner that wasto life soes

"Well, Rachel Morgan," he said, looking at ht in front of him for a full minute, "welco to read the badge in his hand

"This is hter, Cameron"