Zack let his chin drop and rest on her head. Then he said something that he had never said before. “I wish mom and dad were still here. They would have known what to do and say.”

Zara stilled in his arms while he began mentally cursing himself for his stupidity. Their parents were another subject they never talked about.

“Are we having that conversation today as well?” Her voice was completely devoid of emotion. It was a scary side of his sister that only came out when their parents were mentioned.

“No, no, forget I said anything! It was just a slip of the tongue and nothing more, I swear!” He tightened his arms around her until he felt her relax. His inability to control his tongue was really becoming an issue.

It was a stupid thing to say in the first place; it wasn’t like he really remembered them anyway. He didn’t even remember their names or what they looked like. They had died when he was five and Zara had been just over two years old and beginning to walk. It was only due to Albion’s policy that existing family members stay together inside the welfare system that they weren’t separated.

Of course, once someone showed interest in taking them both, little was done in checking to make sure they were fit parents. That was how they had ended up inside the research institute, or as was more likely the case, he believed they had simply been sold by someone inside the orphanage.

Zara had no memories of them, period, but she still had never forgiven them for the part they played in them ending up at the institute. In truth, neither sibling even knew if their parents had died or simply vanished. Zack remembered taking care of his sister alone for a few days, and then government officials had come to take them away. The official word was they had died; however, they had never been told anything more or allowed to see the bodies.

They didn’t even know where or if they had been buried, and unfortunately, it was too late to discover anything now. They had been entered into the government system with no last name, and Zack certainly couldn’t remember what it had been.

There was no way for them to learn anything more than they already knew.

“I don’t think I’m hungry anymore,” She muttered softly into his chest after they had been standing in silence for a few minutes.

“I’m not either. It was a bad topic to discuss during dinner. I’ll put the food in the coldbox and clean the dishes. Why don’t you go and clean George? I’m sure he has been soaking for long enough at this point.” She nodded, the top of her head banging lightly against his chin.

They separated after another moment and went about their individual tasks. Each lost in their own thoughts on topics it was best to avoid.

Zack transferred the food over to one of the few containers that had made the move with them. With that done, he began cleaning the table and the dishes that they had gotten from the cafeteria. The small kitchen hadn’t seen much use since they moved into the dorm. It was simply easier and cheaper to go to the academy-funded dining facility.

“Thanks for fixing George,” Zara said gratefully, as she came out of the bathroom a while later. Her arms were wet, and there were some soap suds clinging to the front of her shirt.

“Of course, where is he?”

“I put him in the sink. That way the rest of the water can drain out of him while he dries, without causing a mess.” She sat on the couch and stared at him. “What did you think of your first day of classes?”

He shrugged and dropped the small hand towel onto the front of the sink. “That’s tomorrow. Today was really just introductions to the facilities and some of the teachers. I think I’ll struggle in the regular classes until I have worked with Edith enough to catch up. As for the more Portal-oriented classes, I’ll probably be fine, especially once we go through it.”

They sat and talked until Zara couldn’t contain her yawns any longer.

Zack lay in bed that night and mentally reviewed everything that had happened that day. The people he had seen and met in his classes, and more importantly, everything that had occurred after talking to Edith.

His memories of the man they kept referring to as the Major had faded since the rescue. He remembered the promise the man had made and little else. Zack had been more worried about Zara’s condition at the time than anything else.

He wanted to trust that the man and his squad of subordinates had their best interest at heart. Their time living alone had drilled home a different lesson, time and time again. People looked out for their own interests first and foremost.

He could only believe that while the Major and his people may actually be interested in helping them, there was some other goal in mind as well. Thinking of it that way made everything easier for him to process and understand. He was fine with being used in that manner; it was a part of the natural order of things. As long as whatever they were being used for didn’t harm them in any way, why should he care about those plans?

His mind settled at last, Zack rolled over and fell asleep.

***

There was a large group of nobles talking quietly outside the classroom when Zack arrived the next morning. They stopped talking as he drew close and separated without a word so he could enter the empty room.

Choosing the same spot as the day before, he sat in the back and waited. It was the ideal spot to watch the other students, while also remaining out of the way.

The group of nobles and rich kids, including the snooty brat with slicked-back hair, traipsed into the room. It was impossible for him to hear their whispered words, but from the way they kept looking towards him, it wasn’t hard to determine who they were talking about.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” The brat asked suddenly. He stepped to the front of the group, his eyes zeroing in on the sole person in the room, not part of their conversation.

“What’s me?” Zack asked in a bored tone. He knew where this was going. It was undoubtedly related to the question the smarmy idiot had asked the day before. Undoubtedly, word had already made the rounds after he and Zara had both shown up at the cafeteria the night before, and then again that morning.

“The orphan,” The rich teen said the word as though it was a filthy curse. “The charity case we’ve all heard about. The reason behind this academy's prestige currently being dragged through the sewer!”

From the corner of his eye, Zack saw the wide-muscled frame of their teacher pause outside the room and listen to the conversation.

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not,” Zack looked each of them in the eye as he answered. “What does it matter to you all either way?”

A few of them snorted and scoffed in shocked disbelief.

“I believe that answers the question right there,” The same teen said, lifting his head some to look down at Zack. “Only an uncultured and uneducated orphan would dare to say something like that to us.”

Zack was quickly growing tired of the way the boy kept saying, orphan. It wasn’t as though he had any control over what had happened to his parents.

Quinn coughed as he stepped into the room, his gaze pinning down the group of overly privileged youngsters. “I believe we had part of this conversation yesterday.” He glanced down at a loose sheet of paper in his hands. “Spencer VanCamp? Any relation to Peter VanCamp?”

“Uh, yeah, I mean yes. He’s my father,” The boy perked up, believing the teacher might be swayed by the connection.

“I thought so. You both like that ridiculous hairstyle, and if you are anything like him, then I pity whichever group gets stuck with you.” Quinn limped farther into the room and sat on the edge of his desk, where he could see all of the kids. Both the ones that were there before him and the ones that had followed him in.

“And how would a washed-up retired Traveler know my esteemed father?” Spencer questioned, momentarily diverting his attention away from Zack.

Quinn broke into laughter at the query. “Esteemed huh, sure kid, keep telling yourself that. I told you yesterday, I have worked with most of your parents or other relatives at one point or another. The only reason I remember dear old Peter is that he is the single-most incompetent waste of space I ever had the displeasure of working with. And-“ He stood before Spencer could say anything. “He is the reason I walk with a limp to this day.”