The next day brought their very first free session since the start of the term. Professor Elliott, to the class’s delight, had had a serious accident in the Gymnasium while preparing it for their next class, and was now to be found in the Medical Wing, under the care of the Healers. Alec was particularly glad of the time off, as he did not feel much up to navigating through any more horrible booby traps to rescue any stupid dummies at the moment, and it would be the first time since yesterday that he had been left truly alone to think. He had travelled up to the Hades Dorm with Javon and Ethan the previous day, Maddison storming ahead of them in such a fury that other students littering the path were parting before her as though pushed out of the way by the force of her rage.

She reached the Dormitory before any of them, and apparently stayed there for the rest of the evening. Dinner between Alec, Javon, and the rest of their roommates was an almost silent affair, the only words spoken being forced and awkward conversation.

Now, Javon, Jonah, and Zachariah were downstairs in the common area playing cards again, with Ethan off somewhere else along the schoolyard, probably making trouble with the other students. The other boys had asked Alec to join them as well, but he had refused, feeling far too resentful to devote himself to a silly card game at that moment.

The worst part about his anger was that he knew perfectly well that everything Wildfire had stated was completely true. Maddison certainly was a loner, who seemed determined to be irritated by the mere existence of the people around her; Ethan, of course, admitted himself that he had not a care in the world so long as he did not have to return home, for whatever reason; Javon clearly was hiding something; and Alec . . . had he really been so obvious? Ever since his first day here he had been worried about how he would fare at Helix, seeing as though the other students would surely be worlds above him at nearly every category.

Their first few classes had proved, however, that he had been false in this assumption: the Poseidon and Zeus students seemed to be roughly on the same level as Hades in most areas as far as he could see, with only a handful of obvious exceptions, like Maddison and Damon Messus.

No, he had already known where his shortcomings lay, even if he had thought that he was getting a little better. What really bothered him was the bluntness to Wildfire’s comments, the obvious lack of care for his pupils. Maddison was right: Wildfire was supposed to treat them better than he had, yet he had seemed far more worried about his reputation than his own students’ wellbeing.

Maddison was evidently still as furious as she had been the day before. According to Javon, who had checked in about a half hour before, she had spoken to Professor Wyatt, head of Hades, and inquired whether or not they would be able to receive a more willing squad leader instead. Most unfortunately, he had said no, explaining that there were only very few alums who had been free or willing enough to fill in, and all were presently taken. Alec, however, was not as enraged by this statement as his peers. A tiny part of him did not wish Wildfire to leave. He had seemed caring enough at the site of his accident nights before, when he had been determined to remain conscious to ensure Alec and Dusty’s safety, even at the risk of his own (already deteriorating) health. On top of that, he was the only Elemental whom Alec could identify at the school — the only person who could give him precisely the type of assistance he needed with his powers.

He lay in bed, cursing Wildfire, himself, Professor Wyatt, and the other assessors, who had surely been the ones to assign squads and their leaders, by whatever criteria they judged.

He could not bear to think about the shortcomings of this week any longer, as each thought registered with a fresh surge of anger. Instead he allowed his thoughts to stray to his home life, the life which he had left behind, which seemed years away. On a Wednesday such as this, he would have been at Clerenwell High with Dusty, possibly sitting in a boring Chemistry class, anxiously awaiting the final bell so that he could head home for a delicious, home-cooked meal. His mother always made the best meatloaf. . .

A frown suddenly creased his brow. He sat upright in bed, a feeling of incredulity spreading through him. He had been here for several days, and not once had he thought to call his family, check in, let them know he had settled in all right, so caught up he had been in this strange new world. . . .

Coming to his decision, he heaved himself out of bed and strode downstairs, to the common area filled with happy students who had also escaped the horror of Professor Elliott’s class, and out into the broad sunlight. Brilliant golden rays streamed down upon the school, bouncing off the gleaming walls. He passed many students on the way; others who had free sessions as well, or who were heading to other classes. The curious stares he had received on his first two days here had subsided, and now instead most people would simply smile or wave, if they even noticed him at all. Apparently the arrival of the youth who had defeated Shadow Shifter in their midst had lost its intrigue now. This was how Alec would prefer it. The extra attention always made him feel uncomfortable.

Now he simply strode through the school, moving with a welcome easiness, up to the front office, where they kept the phones. Alec wondered how the devices were operational, since there couldn't possibly be much service to be gathered on a remote island way out at sea, but there they were. Fully functional and available for use for students for up to twenty minutes a day.

For a moment, he couldn't remember the number he was supposed to dial. Then it came back to him, accompanied by a rush of relief, and he entered it. His father's voice answered, curt and weary, not at all sounding his usual self: “Hello?”

“Dad?”

His father's tone changed very suddenly and very dramatically. “Alexander? Is that you?”

“Yeah, it's me, Dad. Is Mom home?”

“No, you just missed her, she left for the supermarket a few minutes ago,” Mr. Michaels said bitterly. “She'll be devastated she wasn't here.”

“I'll call back tomorrow,” Alec promised. “As soon as I get the chance. Sorry I haven't done before, it's just —”

“No, no!” Mr. Michaels said earnestly. “I understand, and I'm sure your mother will too. A place like that? Bound to sweep you up. It's fine. You're mother and I are all right. But how are you? What Dorm are you in, Marsha really wanted to know.”

“Oh . . . um . . .” Alec felt an unpleasant surge of shame. Everything he had ever been told about the three Dorms now came rushing back to him, and he suddenly found that he did not wish to relieve that piece of information at all. It was like showing his father a report card lined with D’s.

“Son?”

Alec started, realizing he had been silent for quite a while. “Oh, right, sorry, Dad. Yeah it's . . . Hades,” he said quietly.

“Hades? Erm . . . er — that's the one with the owl banner, yes?”

“Yeah,” Alec said, still waiting for the blow to fall.

“Your mother would love that!” his father exclaimed, taking Alec aback.

“What?”

“Oh, absolutely! That's the Dorm your grandfather was in! Of course, there was always some controversy surrounding that Dorm, but overall it's produced some pretty talented people. Personally, as long as you're happy at Helix, I couldn't care less where you were placed. But I'll let you break the news to her on your own.”

Alec’s face broke into a gracious smile, and he leaned against the wall, a feeling of solace flooding through him. “Thanks Dad.”

“And is there anything else you wanted to tell me?”

“No, I'm . . . yes, actually,” he said suddenly. In a rush of rising indignation, he relayed as much of what happened the past few days as he could, including Ethan’s causing of the confrontation with Damon Messus, his issues with the rest of his squad, and the trouble with Wildfire. He was positively seething when he had finished, and fully expected his father to rage and storm on his behalf. He was quite surprised, therefore, when his father said, “And you're angry . . . because?”

“What? Dad, I just told you —”

“You told me what I imagine were some deeply unpleasant circumstances to experience,” Mr. Michaels said, sounding rather severe now. “Bad, but not horrible enough to warrant this reaction. And instead of trying to work past them you decided to — what? Sulk? Roll over and accept defeat? Doesn't sound like you at all.”

“But —”

“If you want to progress at Helix, you'll need Wildfire, and your teammates. It is crucial, no exceptions.”

“But they don't want —”

“Yes, they do,” Mr. Michaels said firmly. “All of them, from what you have told me, seem to want the same thing: to stay and move forward at Helix. All you need now is to learn how to cooperate. So — find — a — way. They refuse to listen, you say? When has that ever stopped you? Don't tell me Helix has made you soft?”

The word was like a catalyst, transforming Alec's sudden shock back to a surge of blazing fury. “Soft? I'm not soft —!”

“Excellent,” Mr. Michaels said happily. “So you know what to do now. Make sure you have an update when you call back. Goodbye, and good luck, Alexander.”

It was certainly not the reaction that he had expected, yet he could not deny that it was efficient. His father's words seemed to have galvanized him, struck up a new flame of determination. They had a job to do, and they were going to do it.

On that note, he called Dusty. At this point, they would have been having lunch, and cellphones weren't allowed at Clerenwell, but you could usually count on Dusty to break school rules. Sure enough, he answered almost immediately.

“Yello,” said Dusty.

“Hey, Dusty.”

“Alec? Is that you? Wow, I thought — where you were going — you wouldn't be able to call —”

“Yeah, I have no idea how, but this island actually has internet and phone service,” Alec told him, grinning. “You wouldn't believe it.”

“That's pretty fricking cool. But hey, how are you? Settling in okay?”

Alec thought for a moment — should he tell him. . . ?

“Yep, going great.”

“Awesome. It's pretty cool back here too. In fact, I was just about to go take care of some business with a couple other kids. Can you call back later?”

Alec was slightly disappointed. “Oh . . . oh yeah, man. No problem. . . . Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow, give you some details.”

“Nice. Okay, later. Take care, man.”

“You too.”