Tailing the Chameleon [Gallagher Girls Fanfiction]

Chapter Three

I followed Cameron the the nearest elevator. She was about to press the button, but I beat her to it.

"Hey," I said, and did one of those head nod things that all girls seem to fall for.

"Hi," she replied, and pushed the elevator button again.

She seemed tense. When the elevator doors slid open, I stepped inside, even though one of the first rules of tailing is to not get too close to the subject. I decided to make small talk to calm her nerves.

"So," I pointed to the crest on her coat. "The Guggenheim Academy-"

"Gallagher Academy," she corrected.

"I've never heard of it." Well, actually, I had, but I couldn't say that.

She seemed annoyed. "Well, it's my school." She kept looking at the elevator doors, as if the human brain could open them.

"You in a hurry or something?" I asked.

"Actually, I'm supposed to meet my teacher at the ruby slipper exhibit. I've only got twenty minutes, and if I'm late, he'll kill me."

Knowing Joe, he might do something of the sort. I decided to keep playing dumb. "How do you know?"

"Because he said, 'Meet me at the ruby slipper exhibit.' "

"No," I smiled and shook my head. "How do you only have twenty minutes? You're not wearing a watch," I asked, even though I knew she had a mental clock that all spies seemed to have.

"My friend just told me." She started to wring her wrists.

Liar. I could see it in her eyes. Joe needed to work on that with them. "You fidget a lot," I observed.

"I'm sorry. I have low blood sugar. I need to eat something."

I pulled out a bag of M&M's that could knock a man out just by eating a few pieces. "Here. I are most of them already," I lied.

"Oh...um..." Her eyes shifted to a corner of the elevator and then back to me. "That's okay. Thanks, though."

Smart girl. Someone had taught her about strangers and candy. "Oh," I said, shoving the bag back into my pocket. "Okay." If I can't make her unconscious, might as well make her late.

The elevator door slid open and Cameron stepped out into the dark Mall. I followed her.

"Thanks again for the candy," she said, looking over her shoulder at me and walked further.

I caught up with her.

She stopped and spun around to face me. "Where are you going?" Cameron asked, her voice full of frustration.

"I thought we were going to meet your teacher in the wonderful world of Oz," I said innocently.

"We?!"

"Sure. I'm going with you."

"No, you're not."

Man, she's cute when she's mad.

"Look," I explained. "It's dark. You're by yourself. And this is D.C. And you've only got fifteen minutes to meet your teacher."

Cameron quickened her pace. "Fine," she pouted.

I attempted to make conversation to slow her down. "You can really walk fast."

No answer.

I tried again. "So, do you have a name?"

"Sure," she replied. "Lots of them."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Look, thanks for the chivalry and all, but it isn't really necessary," she muttered. She pointed at the Museum of American History. "It's just up here. And there's a cop over there."

I eyed him. "What? You think that guy can do a better job of protecting you than I can?" I could totally beat him in a fight.

"No," she snapped. "I think if you don't leave me alone, I can scream and that cop will arrest you."

She's totally joking. She would never do that. I stepped back and smiled.

"Hey," Cameron called to me. "Thanks anyway." She smiled.

I nodded and she darted through a door into a narrow hallway.

Just two more minutes until she's late.
I entered the doorway and took a little, shall we say, shortcut through an air shaft. I met Joe in a dark corner.

"Ten seconds to go," he stated.

We waited. Cameron appeared twelve seconds later and admired the shoes.

After two seconds, Joe stepped out from where we were. "You're four seconds late," he scolded.

Cameron spun around to face him. "But I'm alone."

Joe looked in my direction. "No, Ms. Morgan. You're not."

I stepped out of the shadows and met her eyes, smirking. "Hi again, Gallagher Girl."