Ally Carter

“How are we doing, Simon?" she whispered into the small microphone in her collar. "Just about..." Simon started slowly. And then he stopped. "Wow." "What?" she asked, panic in her voice. "Nothing," he said too quickly. "What?" she asked again. "Well...it's just that...your boobs look even bigger on TV." Kat took that opportunity to turn and glare at the nearest security camera. In his bathroom stall thirty feet away, Simon nearly fell off the toilet.”

“I wouldn't mind meeting a dashing thief," the woman's friend whispered. Hale winked at Kat. Kat raised her eyebrows and whispered, "I'd like to meet one of those, too.”

“It's good to see you, little one." He (Uncle Eddie) scanned her short skirt. "I only wish I were not seeing quite so much of you.”

“Listen to me." He grabbed my arms, holding me there. " I couldn't find you. And I will never forgive myself for that. Ever.”

“You shouldn't judge someone until you've walk a mile through an underground tunnel in her uncomfortable shoes”

“You know you're smarter than all of them, right?" Hale said flatly."In fact, if you wanted to PROVE it..."He glanced at the blackjack tables.Simon shook his head. "I don't count cards, Hale.""Don't?" Hale smiled. "Or won't? You know, technically, it's not illegal.""But it's frowned upon."Sweat beaded at Simon's brow. He sounded like someone had just suggested he swim after eating... run with scissors... "It is SERIOUSLY frowned upon.”

“Do you understand any of this?" he said, pointing to the lines and symbols that covered the massive screens."Some people understand the value of an education."Hale stretched and crossed his legs, the settled his arm around Kat's shoulders."That's sweet, Kat. Maybe later I'll buy you a university. And an ice cream.""I'd settle for the ice cream.""Deal.”

“You know" - Hale's breath was warm against Kat's ear in the chilly ballroom- "I don't know that both of us really have to be here...." The slide changed. While hundreds of mathematicians waited with baited breath, the boy beside Kat whispered,"I could go make some calls... check on some things...""Play some blackjack?""Well, when in Rome...""Rome is tomorrow, babe," Kat reminded him.He nodded. "Right.”

“I didn't know there were this many math guys," Hale said as they stepped onto the crowded concourse.Kat cleared her throat. "And women," he added. "Math women.”

“Kat," Hale groaned, then fell back onto the pillows."Funny, I didn't hear a doorbell.""I let myself in; hope that's okay."Hale smiled. "Or the alarm."She stepped inside, tossed a pocket-size bag of tools onto the bed. "You're due for an upgrade."Hale propped himself against the antique headboard and squinted up at her."She returns." He crossed his arms across his bare chest. "You know, I could be naked in here.”

“Hello, Gallagher Girl--Zack”

“Where's the fun in that?”

“Might have a couple of kinks to work through," Hale admitted then reached for her hand. As soon as he touched her, Kat knew there was no such thing as curses. People make and break their own fortunes--they are the masters of their own fate. And right then Kat wouldn't have changed a thing.”

“It seems you don't approve of the family business Katerina. Or of me. But these chances you take... These things you do... This is a dangerous life to live... alone.”

“love is the biggest con of all”

“Hey No one makes me do anything. Not my family. Not your family...not even you.”

“Talent Katerina is a dangerous thing”

“Our world is built on adrenaline and getting away with it. Different cities different names. Its a far simpler life to lead when there is one around to tell you when you are being stupid. Believe me dear cousin I know better than anyone. - Gabrielle”

“For a genius thief you really are a stupid girl aren't you?”

“Um…” Simon started slowly “at the risk of stating the obvious I feel I have to point out that Interpol has the worldʼs best database of international criminals.”“Thatʼs the idea ” Gabrielle said with a nod. “And I feel compelled to remind you that weʼre international criminals ” he finished but Kat was already smiling.“Donʼt worry Simon. Itʼs not like anyone in there knows it was a bunch of teenagers who robbed the Henley.”

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to tail an eighty year-old woman Its hard. Really hard. Really...slow. -Grabrielle”

“I'm an agent of Her Majesty's Secret Service. I do not do booby traps.”

“Abby must have been the one who found the safe house, because Townsend didn't like it."The building across the street is under construction," he snarled as soon as we'd carried our bags inside."The elevator has key card access, and I've hacked into the surveillance cameras from every system on the block," Abby argued. "We have a three-hundred-sixty-degree visual.""Excellent." Townsend dropped his bag. "Now the circle can see us from every angle.""Don't mind Agent Townsend, girls," Abby told us. "He's a glass-half-empty kind of spy.""Also known as the good kind," he countered. Abby huffed.”

“Whatever pain meds Dr. Steve was taking for his shoulder, they must have been the strong ones. I mean the really strong ones, because he had gotten two of his shirt buttons in the wrong holes, spilled coffee all over his sling, and he was grinning like he was six years old and someone had just given him a puppy.”

“It’s the people you hold closest who have the most power to make you bleed.”

“Do you know what pain is, Cammie? It’s thebody’s physical response to imminent harm.It is the mind’s way of telling us to move ourhand off the stove or let go of the brokenglass.”

“But that’s the thing Artie. What if Romani isn’t a man ” Amelia said leaning forward. “Great. We’ll alert Scotland Yard and tell them they’re looking for a vampire. Or a werewolf. I’m assuming you’ve cross-referenced this with the lunar cycles.” “What if it’s a name ” Amelia said undaunted. She spread the files across the desk. “A name that has been used by a lot of people for a very long time.” “Excellent.” Her boss pushed the files aside and returned to his order and his lists and his life. “You cracked it. Great work. I’ll call the Henley right away and tell them Leonardo’s Angel Returning to Heaven was stolen by a name.”

“Even the longest con was never more than an assortment of moments that were in themselves very very short.”

“Every decent con man knows that the simplest truth is more powerful than even the most elaborate lie.”

“Oh you’re heist-drunk Kitty Kat. And you have been since the Henley.”

“Hey anyone who thinks a non-military–grade rappelling cable can support the weight of two grown men and a miniature donkey deserves to fall off a cliff.”

“You cannot con an honest man.”

“Of course. Because at the Gallagher Academy, "precautions" usually equals "voluntary shock therapy.”

“Life is classified. There is always so much that goes unsaid.”

“I for one like chaos. Chaos looks good on me.”

“Kat felt her heart beat faster, adrenaline pumping through her veins, and she knew he was right. She studied him for a long time. "Do you believe in curses, Hale?"He looked at her. "I believe in you.”

“After finals and winter break...after I'm back to full strength, we'll go get Preston. Whether Mom and Abby and Joe and Townsend like it or not, we'll go get him. And then...' I trailed off. 'And then we'll finish this. Next semester, this thing ends.”

“You know,' I whispered, 'some girls might think it's creepy having a boy watch them sleep.'He smirked and pointed to himself. 'Spy.''Oh.' I nodded. 'Right. So you're a trained Peeping Tom.''Product of the best peeping academies in the country.''Well, now I feel much better.''You should.”

“Good-bye Dr. Steve,' I said, then climbed the stairs and went to the fifth floor to die.”

“Excuse me, but aren't boys forbidden on this floor?' Macey said on our way to the suite.'That's the advantage of being the only boy,' he (Zach) said. 'No one actually comes right out and makes rules like that.”

“Look at the way the walls curve,' Macey said, her gaze panning around the strangely shaped room. 'it's almost like...''The library,' Liz said, and immediately I knew that she was right. It was exactly like the library at the Gallagher Academy, from the position of the fireplace to the tall windows that overlooked the grounds.'How do you know?' Zach asked.Liz looked totally insulted. 'Because...uh...library.''Okay.' Zach threw up his hands. 'Point taken.”

“Is Joe your father, Zach?'I don't know where the question came from, but it was out, and I couldn't take it back even if I'd wanted to.'No.' Zach shook his head. 'I never knew my dad. I don't know anything about him.”

“Excuse me, Abigail, but whose shift did she get away during?' Townsend asked with a glare.'Excuse me, Townsend, but who was supposed to booby-trap the doors?''I'm an agent of Her Majesty's Secret Service,' Townsend said, indignant. 'I do not do booby traps.”

“So you just...left?'Zach huffed. 'All the cool kids are doing it.”

“Townsend shrugged. 'With all due respect to the good doctor, I highly suspect he's a moron.”

“I saw the gun. I sensed the van as it rushed forward, seconds away and coming faster. I heard the screams of the fight behind us. But nothing that night was louder than the masked man's astonished whisper as he looked at the boy who stood beside me and said, 'you?”

“I heard someone's playing hooky,' Zach told me. He smiled. Standing there, it felt almost like nothing bad had ever happened- or would ever happen again'There's a boy in my life,' I told him. 'He's a very bad influence.'Then Zach nodded. 'Bad boys have a way of doing that. But they're worth it.”

“Gabrielle, Hale?" Kat smacked his shoulder. "It wasn't bad enough that you got me kicked out of school, but you had to use her to help you? Gabrielle!" "I can hear you," her cousin sang beside her. Hale looked at Gabrielle and gestured at Kat. "She's adorable when she's jealous." Kat kicked his shin.”

“Why do I feel like I can't trust you anymore?'I wanted him to lash out. I wanted him to fight, to protest, to argue- to do anything but look deeper into my eyes and say, 'because the Gallagher Academy doesn't admit fools”

“Ambassador Winters, allow me to introduce my aunt Abby and her....boyfriend.' Townsed tensed. Abby glared. And Rebecca Baxter looked like she was going to choke on her chewing gum.”