Zach's Lie

“Jack felt a mixture of terror, anger, and shame at his helplessness.”

Jack wishes he could have been like the superheroes he admired as a kid or as strong as his dad to have stopped Aznar. Jack’s powerlessness at the start of the novel and the antagonist’s victimization of him and his family are thriller genre conventions. By the novel’s end, Zach, with Sam’s help, has the power to defeat Aznar and save his family.

“The only way you’ll be safe is with us. We can protect you, Mrs. Osborne. We can protect your children.”

Agent Pelton’s ominous warning alludes to the threat the family faces and foreshadows that they will not be as safe as Pelton declares. Lies and broken promises feature prominently in the relationships that develop in the novel; they test the characters’ commitment to trust and their ability to forgive.

“All that mattered to her was protecting the children.”

Patricia compartmentalizes her own feelings of betrayal and broken trust to ensure Jack and Joanne’s safety. Patricia’s focus shows her strong maternal instinct and love, aspects of a strong family connection.

“How could Dad do this to us?”

Neil’s actions devastate Joanne. She cannot understand the magnitude of the changes their lives will have to undergo. Zach echoes her comment when he acknowledges his own suppressed anger, wondering “How could he do this to us?” (90). The children’s feelings towards Neil take time to resolve; Joanne, especially, needs time to forgive.

“That’s the problem with diaries…How do you keep your private thoughts private after you write them down?”

Neil builds the Jack in the Box to keep Jack’s journals safe and their contents secret, but his comment is portentous. It foreshadows the exposure of Zach’s journal and Neil’s own use of the box to keep his information about Aznar secret.

“I gave up everything I loved and nearly got you all killed.”

Neil finally recognizes the magnitude of his actions. Not only has he potentially lost his family forever, but he has also endangered their lives. Neil’s love for his family helps drive his decision to turn informant to the DEA, showing again the importance of family ties.

“If you take the ‘v’ out of lives, what do you get?”

Zach feels like his new identity is one big lie, and struggles to transition from the “old Jack” into the new Zach. Peter uses this excerpt from Zach’s journal to intimidate and blackmail Zach. This quote illustrates both the themes of the importance of truth and lies, and identity conflict.

“That was about anger, Zach. I saw it in you the first time we met.”

Sam channels Zach’s repressed anger into the punching bag. Zach’s anger is a product of his helplessness and lack of control over everything that his happened, and his frustration with his new identity. Punching the bag and acknowledging and releasing his anger makes Zach feel clam and relieved.

“Blue lies, Zach thought.”

Catalin likes the color of Zach’s eyes, but for Zach, the compliment is hollow: his blue contact lenses help disguise his identity. They are part of the mask that keeps his true self hidden from those around him. Zach wishes he could tell Catalin the truth, but too much depends on him maintaining his cover story.

“Everyone knows Everything about Everybody.”

Darrell explains Elko’s three “E’s,” creating tension for the reader, who knows that the Granger’s safety depends on their secret. His comment foreshadows the revelation of the Granger’s cover story.

“We don’t get to pick our parents or where we live.”

Catalin has a happy family life, but Peter, to whom she refers in this line, does not. Her remark excuses Peter for some of his hostility, which she blames on his family’s influence. Zach adds that kids also do not get to pick their names. Both comments illustrate the themes of the importance of family and its impact on identity, and the lack of agency teenagers have over their lives.

“He watches over us.”

Catalin feels that Sam cares for all the students at the middle school, and Benat believes Sam is a Basque at heart. Sam has successfully transformed his identity into Unai, the “shepherd,” leaving behind his life as a KGB spy. Sam can empathize with Zach’s struggle to create a new identity.

“I think there’s a lot more to him that he isn’t saying.”

Catalin is curious about Zach’s past because she likes him and wants to know more about him. She suspects he is not being forthcoming with her. Lying to Catalin makes Zach uncomfortable because he cares about her and wants to be truthful. Zach’s lie about his identity is necessary but could undermine her trust in him.

“Never show them what you have. Keep a poker face. Something as small as a twitch of an eye can give your hand away and the game is over. Be patient.”

Peter’s parents’ life-advice is based on gambling and deceit. Peter embraces this philosophy and uses bluffs and double-cross to expose Zach’s secret for his own gain and to extort additional money from Aznar. While Zach’s lie is protective, Peter’s schemes are destructive and come back to haunt him in the end.

“I’m wondering if I can trust you, Peter.”

Pretending to be Hector Jones, Aznar plays on Peter’s sense of greed. Both Peter and Aznar lie to each other, Peter by withholding information and Aznar by deceiving Peter about his identity and intentions. Even their “trust” is a lie, illustrating the theme that lies breed secrets rather than trust.

“I thought about how Dad used to be, and what’s happening to him now.”

Wanda’s thoughts about Neil are “the saddest thing” she can think of to inspire her in her audition (158). For the first time, Wanda reveals her true feelings about the loss of their father: She misses and loves Neil as much as Zach does. Her admission makes Zach feel closer to her and illustrates the impact of family bonds.

“Whatever you do, don’t read this journal!”

The discovery of Neil’s journal is the culmination of hints and foreshadowing that appeared earlier in the novel. It increases narrative tension because Zach is now in greater danger than before and has the new responsibility of keeping the journal safe.

“Continuing the journal is the only thing that has kept me sane through this.”

Zach’s journals are crucial to his emotional and psychological wellbeing. His past journals represent the years when there was certainty in his life and writing in his current journal is Zach’s way of processing the complex changes he is experiencing with his family and his new identity.

“There comes a time, Zach, when you have to trust someone.”

Knowing that Zach cannot handle the dangerous situation alone, Sam shares the story of his past, hoping to gain Zach’s trust. Sam knows that truth, not lies, engenders trust.

“Real spies use anticipation, guile, deceit, and they are very good at setting traps.”

Sam eschews firearms, relying on trickery to get results as a spy and outwit Aznar. The ethics of deception remain an important question in the novel, but in this case, deception helps save the lives of Zach and his family.

“None of this is your fault.”

Zach blames himself and his journals for ruining the family’s cover story. He does not agree with Sam’s “spy logic” that Aznar found them independent of Zach’s actions. Zach’s feelings of guilt reflect how much he cares about his family Catalin, and Benat.

“Inside the backpack was the key to his father’s cell. Outside the tent was an innocent girl who had nothing to do with this.”

Zach faces a difficult choice: keep Neil’s journal and protect his father and family or give it to Aznar and save Catalin’s life. Zach shows his strong moral character and selflessness by giving up the journal.

“A shepherd stays with his flock.”

Sam embraces his role of protector and refuses to enter the Witness Security Program, choosing to keep the identity he has maintained for the last twenty years. Sam demonstrates that even in hiding, Zach can live an authentic life.