Ever since that night in the woods me and Sam have grown closer. She hangs out with me at school and no longer ditches me and leaves me alone at her house. It's strange, and doesn't give me a lot of time to sneak around and find information on her family. But, I can't help but enjoy it too. Sam is so sweet, and earnest, she's so unlike her parents that I find myself wondering if they even gave birth to her.

There's even been these... moments. I'm not really sure if I should call them that or if I'm just hoping that they're there. Times when I catch her looking at me from across the room, or moments when we watch movies where I think she'll grab my hand. But then it's over in a flash and her eyes are on the front of the room and her hands back in her lap.

I wish they were true, but they can't be. I have to keep my mission as my first priority, and that's getting harder everyday. Ever since Sam made me promise to not ask her parents any questions about their secret project I haven't been able to find anything. My Aunts suggested trying to get into their basement, and trust me, I've tried. They've got it locked airtight. I haven't been able to crack the code, and when I think I've gotten close the keypad just shuts off on me. Some sort of security measure they have in place, and when I told my Aunt that, she wasn't happy.

"There is something we can try," my Aunt says now. She stands in front of her floor-to-ceiling windows in her office.

"What's that?" I ask. I'm skipping lunch for this meeting. Skipping time that I could be spending with Sam for this. All totally for the mission. Yep.

"We could get Blake to hack it."

My brows furrow. That's one mystery I still haven't figured out yet. "What do you mean, get Blake to hack it?"

She spins to face me. "Right. You don't know."

I roll my eyes. "Care to fill me in then?"

She narrows her eyes at me as she makes her way to her desk. Closer to me. "Blake was our original spy."

I try to keep my face calm, to not reveal how surprised I am by that. I knew I wasn't the first one to be sent on this mission, but the fact that it was Blake who was? That's shocking.

"We originally sent Blake to be our spy since they were already close to Emma. Wonderful hacking skills that one has," my aunt continues as she sits down. "Unfortunately they were caught. At least that's what they claim." She shakes her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there's no way to prove it but many of us believe they intentionally got caught and broke up with Sam. Couldn't deal with lying to her."

I snort. I never thought my aunt would be interested in teenage gossip. "So what makes you think they'll help now?"

She smirks. "We have our ways."

Before I can ask what that means the bell goes, warning that the next class is about to start.

"You worry about school for the rest of the day, and then come back here to discuss."

As I stand up I pick my bag up off of the ground. "You think Blake will be willing to help that soon?"

"And they'll have the app done by the end of the school day."

***

I try to not let the day drag by but I find myself glancing at the clock almost every minute. Sam catches me a few times and starts to shoot me some looks but she doesn't say anything.

When the last class rolls around I can't pay attention. My leg bounces up and down and my gaze never leaves the clock above the board. Even as the teacher assigns our homework for that night I can't pay attention. There's only two minutes left.

Then one.

Then the bell rings and I'm out of my desk and the room in a heartbeat. I don't notice my shadow until I'm at the principal's office. "Sam?" I turn around as her footsteps fall silent behind me.

"Is this why you've been so antsy today?" She glances at the door behind me.

I nod. "I have a check-up with her today. To see how I'm fitting in and adjusting. Regular exchange student stuff."

Her eyes narrow but she only nods. "Do you want me to wait for you out here?"

I shake my head maybe a little too fast. I don't want her running into Blake. Either for me or for her, I'm not sure. "No. I'll meet you at the car. The meeting shouldn't take that long."

She looks at the principal's door again. "Alright. I'll see you in a bit then." And with that she turns and heads back down the hall towards her locker.

I wait until she's disappeared behind the corner before turning to the office and walking in. The desk lady doesn't even look up anymore, used to me walking through here so much.

The door to my aunt's office is ajar, and two voices reach out of it. Guess I'm the one who's late. I push the door open and walk in. My Aunt's eyes flash up to me but don't linger before returning to Blake. I take a quick look at their ears to see purple dangling hoops.

They both turn as I walk in but only spare me their gazes for a few seconds before turning back to each other and their conversation.

"Make sure to close the door," is the only thing my Aunt says to me, even as she still pays attention to Blake.

I sigh but close it before taking the last seat and joining their conversation. Or, I try to at least.

"I was able to add three components to the app," Blake says.

"Wonderful. Emma?"

"Hm?"

"We need you to hold out your chip," Blake tells me. "And then I'll connect ours so I can download the software for you."

"Oh. Sure." I hold my arm out over the space between mine and Blakes chair. She lines her own up along mine and pops up her own chip, digging around until she finds a cord.

"When did you get a new chip?" my aunt asks as Blake connects the two with the cord.

"Oh." I'd almost forgotten about it. It was still so jarring to see smooth skin uninterrupted by silver. "Just the other day."

She narrows her eyes. "Who did it for you?"

I sigh, already knowing the questions I'll get from revealing the answer. But I don't have much choice in telling her. "Mr Mars did it."

"And how do you know that he didn't see any information regarding your mission?"

"Because he transferred all the data there with me watching. There was no way for him to get a hold of it without me noticing."

"Actually there is a way," Blake chimes in, her gaze still lasered in on her own chip.

Thanks Blake. I shot her a glare.

"See Emma? This is why you can't let anyone near your chip."

"It's fine. I have measures in place so even if he did get something he wouldn't know what it meant." I might still be new to this but I'm not an amateur.

"He has hackers."

"Aunt Val, it'll be fine. Everything I have looks like nothing."

She doesn't respond besides a hum. Her gaze turns to mine and Blakes chips and the wire connected between them. "How's it going?"

"The software is downloading." Blake looks up at me. "While we wait I'll explain to you what all the software can do."

I shrug. "Sure. How long will this take? I kind of have Sam waiting for me."

"Not long. Now, one of the tabs will allow you to download another person's software from their chip. It'll show you everything they have on it without them knowing you have it."

"And I can use that to access any of the Mars' chips?"

Blake nods. "As long as they don't have something in place to stop it. Which they shouldn't since their programming won't know what kind of code to look for."

"Alright. What else will this be able to do?"

"Another one will allow you to make a map of their basement and the lock pad. That you'll give to me and I'll be able to whip up something to get you through it."

"And the last one?"

"The third and final one allows for you to download any of the information you find without them finding out about it."

"Seems handy but I already have something like that."

"But it doesn't cover your tracks," my aunt snaps.

I hold back an eye roll. "Alright. So is it downloaded yet?"

"Almost."

"Emma, dear."

"Yes?"

"Please do try your hardest to get into their basement and find any information you can on the robot. Don't hold back. Use whatever you can to your advantage."

I swallow. Has she seen what has been happening between Sam and me? Does she mean to use... Sam? "I'll do anything." Even playing with Sam's feelings to get what I need.

My Aunts smile is sharp. "Wonderful. Remember that you don't have much longer."

"I know."

"It's downloaded," Blake says, breaking some of the tension in the office. She unplugs the cord and closes both of our chips.

I rub at the chip, not quite different but something prickles there. "Thank you."

"Have a good night," my aunt says. "And get that information."

I nod before turning my back to her. "Of course."