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Chapters (117)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. The Cast of Characters
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. The Recruits
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  23. The Missions
  24. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  25. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  26. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  65. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  66. The Game
  67. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  68. CHAPTER SIXTY
  69. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  70. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  71. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  72. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  73. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  74. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  75. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  76. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  77. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  78. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  79. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  80. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  81. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  82. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  83. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  84. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  85. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  86. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  87. CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
  88. CHAPTER EIGHTY
  89. CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE
  90. CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO
  91. CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE
  92. CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
  93. HOME
  94. CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
  95. CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
  96. CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
  97. CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
  98. CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE
  99. CHAPTER NINETY
  100. CHAPTER NINETY-ONE
  101. CHAPTER NINETY-TWO
  102. CHAPTER NINETY-THREE
  103. CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
  104. CHAPTER NINETY-FIVE
  105. CHAPTER NINETY-SIX
  106. CHAPTER NINETY-SEVEN
  107. CHAPTER NINETY-EIGHT
  108. CHAPTER NINETY-NINE
  109. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
  110. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE
  111. Acknowledgments
  112. Discover More
  113. About the Author
  114. Reading Group Guide
  115. Discussion Questions
  116. A Conversation with Leila Meacham
  117. ALSO BY LEILA MEACHAM

Her grayish-green eyes lit on Alistair, of all people, and he felt a chill brush his skin. It was as if she’d heard him call her name. Her glance passed on, but he was left with the traitorous urge to throw away his little black book and forget he’d ever seen her. To think of all that beauty, strength, and poise possibly destroyed…He put the thought from his mind as he rose and slipped out in the hubbub of spectators that surged down to the floor to congratulate the girl, wondering if she’d remember him when their paths crossed again.

From his back seat in the bus to Station S that June morning of the candidates’ departure to hell, Alistair had watched the rest of the thirteen candidates board, none speaking for fear of breaking the rule that would get them expelled from the program. At the estate, they would be assigned cover names by which to communicate. Alistair noticed that the candidates spread out with no obvious intent to sit next to a particular person, but the fisherman, track coach, and civil engineer chose to sit together. By the time the blond head of Bridgette Loring appeared above the boarding rail, only two seats were available. One was next to Victoria Grayson; the other beside a mousy young woman with lank hair and owlish spectacles worn low on her nose. Alistair had observed that everyone had bypassed the seat next to the fencer. All others had seemed intimidated by her glacial beauty and patrician reserve, but not Bridgette Loring. Without another second’s hesitation, Bridgette took her seat next to Victoria, smiled, and said, “Hi.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Indeed, there was nothing tentative about Bridgette Loring. Alistair, still doodling, sipping on his third club soda under the twirl of the tavern ceiling fan, shook his head. Of the five, she was the most amazing for the simple reason that no one expected such physical strength and pure guts from a five-foot, blond, doe-eyed, dainty young woman who looked about as threatening as a lace glove. Alistair figured she’d had to spend most of her young life so far trying to prove herself to overcome other people’s presumptions based on her size and delicate appearance. Her school records bore out his perception. Among her numerous accomplishments, she’d graduated valedictorian of her class, won the title of state champion of Michigan’s junior chess tournament, earned the crown as winner of the state’s high school debate competition, had been elected school class president each of her years in high school, and served as captain of the school’s softball team, on which she played shortstop. Her coach noted that she’d been called “Slugger,” a nickname he felt she resented because it “diminished her femininity.”