Hide & Spy (a.k.a. Gallagher Girls NG)

Chapter 16

Grandpa had a tight grip on my shoulder as he escorted me back to Grandma's office, probably thinking that if he let go I would run again. I can't say he was wrong, when we arrived at her office in front of the sound proof door all I wanted to do was run.

I have never seen Grandma or Grandpa Joe lose their cool and I have given them many reasons too over the years. When I borrowed Grandpa's throwing knives or accidentally lit Grandma on fire, they both remained unusually calm. But as I walked into the room with the directors of the government's top two institutions for operative training and development, you could feel the temperature in the room just drop. It didn't help that I decided to run off like I did.

"Have a seat, Morgan," Grandma politely ordered as she pointed to the chair in front of her desk. I didn't move. I knew I was in trouble, deep trouble but in that moment I was angry. Angry and frustrated at myself.

"I really don't want to," I said and heard Grandpa Joe shut the door behind us. In that moment the teenage...well pre-teenage girl outweighed the spy girl.

"Sit," Grandpa Joe ordered.

"I think I'll stand, actually," I said as I crossed my arms. "After all I do have two legs that aren't broken."

"It wasn't a request, Morgan," Grandma said, matching my stance as Grandpa glared at me. There we all stood, both of them glaring at me, and me wondering how long it would take for them to force me to sit down, three seconds at most. I knew that they were the headmasters of two elite schools, but they didn't look as such, they looked more like my grandparents . Something I knew about my grandparents was that they have a lot of patience, so much that not even my stubbornness could rival that, but it didn't mean I couldn't try. "Morgan Ann, sit down."

Reluctantly, I dropped my arms and sat down. Then Grandma continued. "The skills of the sisterhood are not to be used on the sisters, both in this building and those who have graduated. I didn't think I needed to tell you that."

I avoided eye contact at all costs, my shoes seemed more interesting than looking up at them. "I didn't use them on a sister," I mumbled. "I used them on Matt."

"Regardless," Grandpa Joe said, not letting his voice reflect any emotion (his eyes, however, were doing just the opposite). I had lived with my grandfather long enough to know when he was disappointed. "The Blackthorne and Gallagher academies have an alliance going back decades, perhaps even before the time of your grandmother and myself. Matthew may be your uncle, but he is as much your brother as Gabs and Cassie would be considered your sisters. Blood doesn't always matter."

"But-"

"No, Morgan," he snapped. sounding just like my grandfather and not like a headmaster.

Silence filled the room. It wasn't my turn to speak. It wasn't my turn to do anything. I knew I should've sat there, just like any other student, and be scolded for my actions, but I couldn't. No one was saying anything and Hobbes' lesson came floating back into my memory. I couldn't stop it. "Why am I here?"

"You know why, Mag," Grandma said.

"No," I said. "I mean, why am I here at Gallagher Academy? Do you think I have what it takes to be a spy? Is that why you taught me how to notice things or the split kick? Do you think I won't make it as a spy?"

I haven't learned how to read people yet, apparently that's something you learn in freshmen year, but for a split second I thought I saw confusion in their eyes, but that couldn't be right. The two of the have never been confused a day in their lives. "Did Hobbes tell you that?" Grandpa Joe asked.

"No," I said a little too quickly. "I guess-I just thought that maybe you spent all those years teaching me because you thought that I would never make it in the spy world. That I would never live up to the expectations that you have for me."

Grandpa Joe adamantly shook his head. "No," he said simply. "We were under no obligation to teach you anything. We taught those things to you because we wanted to not because we were preparing you for anything."

"And if we didn't teach you," Grandma said with a smile. "I can guarantee that Matthew would have."

"Morgan, you're twelve," Grandpa Joe added. "You don't have to make any career choices yet. You shouldn't even be worrying about that right now. You have plenty of time to decide what you want to do with the exceptional education that Gallagher Academy provides, despite what you think Morgan, you don't have to be a spy. Years from now, if you choose to work behind desk somewhere I can't lie and say that I won't sleep better at night."

I remember thinking that Hobbes was right, that me being a spy was a huge mistake. After all, Joe Solomon envisioned me behind a desk somewhere.

However," he said. "If you don't think that being the first student to ever successfully break into the Sub-Levels is a sign that you can be a spy, maybe it won't be for you. But in my book, that shows potential." Grandpa's eyes were faded, but felt as sharp as any blade as they cut right into me. "And lots of it."

Grandpa broke his gaze and made his way toward the door. "If you'll excuse me, ladies. I have a CovOps to teach and I need to have a word with that son of mine." Before he opened the door he pointed at me. "Oh and you are still in trouble. Over the break, you and I are going to have a nice long conversation about using your training inappropriately." Great, I thought as I gave him a weak smile.

"Bye," Grandma and I both said as he left. Then he was gone.

Sitting in the office alone with Grandma, was more intimidating than sitting in an office with both of them. "Something on your mind?" Grandma asked. She always did know when something was wrong. I always wondered how she did.

"I just keep thinking about Mom and Dad," I said. "What they're up to. If they're okay. What they would say about this if they were here."

"You're parents are very proud of you, Morgan."

My grandmother was hardly wrong about anything, after all she was the one that predicted I was going to be born a girl, but I couldn't shake that she was wrong about this. About me. "I don't think I'm doing as well as they would expect."

"What do you mean?" grandma asked as she pulled up a chair and sat across from me. "Sweetheart, the only person you should be focusing on is yourself." She took my hand in hers. "Despite what you may think, you're not your mother and you're not your father. You are your own person. You know that, right?"

I wanted to say yes. That I was sure of who I was and what I was doing, but I couldn't it. So, I managed a shrug and said, " I guess."

Grandma didn't believe it. She wasn't one to be easily fooled. "Mag, listen to me. Just like your grandfather said, you have a lot of time to decide about what you want to do with your life. Your future, but right now you need to enjoy being a child. Make mistakes, have fun. And when the time comes, your grandfather and I, your parents, and your uncle. We will all support whatever it is you choose. "

"You promise?"

"I promise."