Page 10 (1/2)

He walked with hter And when he saw her, he didn’t even break stride

"Why do I get the feeling you didn’t coium for an education?" Nick pulled the straps of his backpack over his shoulders and squinted against the sun that reflected off the gold buttons on his private-school blazer

"Oh, I’m definitely here to learn" Kat couldn’t help but smirk as she stood and sidled closer

"I’h "Do I have to ask how you found me?"

"This is the best international school in Brussels--all the European Union bigwigs send their kids here Congratulations on your mom’s promotion, by the way Interpol Liaison to the EU, very fancy"

"Thanks," he said "Of course she hates it Too desk-job-y"

"I’ll tell my dad I’m sure he’ll send his condolences"

"I’m sure he will"

Kat had to wonder for a minute what that would feel like--ho to carry your bag That was her life once Alan School, pulled her back into her oorld, just like now he’d been pulled back into his

"So why are you here, Kat?" Nick asked

"Maybe I was craving waffles"

"Kat…" He let her name draw out "I’m pretty sure this is the part where you tell hed "Or rob the Henley…"

Kat’s face stayed blank, but so in her eyes must have shifted, because Nick tensed

"No" It was like he’d read her , "No No No Just--"

"Hear me out, Nick"

She touched his arm, but he jerked away "Are you crazy?" he said "No Strike that I know you’re crazy, but I didn’t know you had a death wish"

"It’s not what it sounds like"

"It never is with you, is it? And that’s the proble from you" Kat rolled her eyes "I remember a time when you couldn’t wait to rob the Henley with me Don’t you? Maybe I should ask your ood idea, Kat Sheto arrest your father"

Kat started to fire back, but then stopped Her breath slowed and she looked up at hihed a little "I honestly have no idea"

"Okay," she said "As long as I’ether down the cobblestone street, silent for a while until Kat said, "So, school, huh?"

"You know, these days a lot of teenagers are experiular epiderin "That’s kind of the idea" He shoved his hands into his pockets and kept walking "So, where is he?"

Kat stopped cold on the street, and Nick guessed the truth

"Wait Are you telling ain--without Hale?" He sounded both confused and i it for Hale"

Nick laughed "Youat the Henley W W Hale the Fifth can’t buy?"

"It’s complicated"

"What else is new?" He looked off into the distance "What do you need?"

"A blind spot And soht"

"The Basil E Frankweiler?" he asked with a grin "Oh, Kat You are the craziest genius I know"

"I’ll take that as a compliment Noill you help lorified bureaucrat now She wouldn’t have that kind of information"

"Come on, Nick You and I both know that all the world’s museums keep their security specs on file with Interpol"

"And Kat, you and I both knoe’re not at Interpol"

"You mean to tell me the official Interpol Liaison to the European Union doesn’t have database access?"

He couldn’t tell her that, and she knew it So Nick shifted his backpack and started down the sidewalk "I’ll see what I can do"

The airport outside of Brussels was busy, but not busy enough, in Kat’s opinion She kept her bag on her lap and her gaze on the tar boarded for New York, and Kat was half tempted to catch it--to run all the way back if she had to, and beg Hale to forgive her; but forgive her for what, she didn’t exactly know

"Madeent said, but Kat didn’t look up Heavy gray clouds gathered outside, and Kat was trying not to think about the turbulence; her sto up and down She’d felt queasy for days

"Madeain, and Kat suddenly remembered that McMurray was the nalish with a heavy French accent

"Merci," Kat told her, then picked up her bag, handed over her ticket, and joined the long line of passengers crossing through the glass doors and heading toward the plane

As soon as she stepped outside, the damp breeze hit Kat like a slap Mist was heavy in the air, and she could feel her short black hair beginning to frizz as it blew across her face, clinging to her cheeks For a second, Kat thought the as howling, that hertricks on her when she heard so heavy, and Kat could see nothing but a dark shadow running from the airport doors toward her "Hale?" Kat asked But no The shape rong The voice was off

"Wait!" Nick yelled He was al when he came to a stop beside her "Hey"