Every fiber in Lucas’ body itched to eliminate the threat. However, a part of his brain reasoned with him. Undercover, he reminded himself. If Auden hasn’t made a move, it can’t be serious. He remained tense, and yet didn’t move.

“I said…” the voice began.

“Oh shut up Thomas, stop trying to scare the newbie,” Auden finally spoke up.

Lucas felt the grip tighten for a moment before the pressure disappeared completely.

“Ah, come on Auden. I was just playing,” the guy called Thomas said.

Lucas turned to get a look at him. He was about the same height as Lucas and also pretty built. His brown hair was cropped short and his grey eyes had a calculating look to them. He was currently sizing Lucas up.

“He’s a weird one. Didn’t even put up a struggle. What kind of man is he?” Thomas asked with obvious dislike.

“Thomas,” Auden scolded.

Thomas shrugged. “Just saying.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re not on the Karate team, are you?”

Lucas shook his head.

“Phew,” Thomas told him. “We can’t do with any wimps. Do me a favor.”

Lucas waited for what it was.

“When you see me, don’t talk to me,” Thomas told him. “Otherwise, things may get rough.” He cracked his knuckles, glowering.

Threat, Lucas decided, though he didn’t feel threatened in the least. Somehow, after staring down the barrel of a gun a few times, cracking knuckles didn’t work. Can be taken care of if he gets aggressive. His eyes darted down to Thomas’ right knee. The way he’s holding himself suggests former injury. However, I conclude that avoiding him at all costs in order to not fall into conflict is the best option. Besides… he looked back up at Thomas’ face and resisted the urge to snort, Not worth my time.

Auden shook his head. “Is Train here?” he asked.

Thomas turned his attention away from Lucas, acting as though he were no longer standing there. “You just missed him. Practice ended a little while ago.”

“I see,” Auden replied. He let out a sigh. “I guess I’ll have to track him down later then.” He looked like he didn’t really want to do that. “Well then, we might as well head back to the dorms. You going too, Thomas?”

Thomas, still ignoring Lucas, shook his head. “I’m staying to practice until dinner.”

“Of course,” Auden replied. “Well then. See you around.” He turned and head to the cart.

Thomas walked past Lucas and back to the dojo, ignoring him completely. Lucas didn’t head him any attention as he hurried after Auden. Who knows, maybe that’s just how high school kids are, he thought as he got back into the golf cart.

“Well, looks like we have a bit of time before dinner,” Auden told Lucas as he began to drive. “By the way. There are two dining halls.”

Lucas already knew.

“One’s near the classrooms where we eat during the week the other is connected to the dorms and is for weekends.” They sped along the road at a fast pace, making some students jump out of the way just in time to save getting hit.

Finally, they reached a large building. Unlike the others, it had a round center with what looked like four long buildings coming out of it.

“Each section is a different dorm,” Auden explained. “Altogether we have four. You’re lucky enough to be placed in dorm three.” He grinned as he brought the cart to a stop. “Well, here we are.” He got out and Lucas followed.

They walked towards the round building. A bunch of guys sprinted past them, seeming in a hurry to get somewhere.

“Hey, Auden,” one yelled.

Auden waved in reply. “You can enter directly through a side door into any dorm during the day. But those doors close at six. After that, you have to go through the main doors,” Auden explained. “It’s to prevent anyone sneaking out or sneaking someone in. Curfew is at eleven. At that time all doors to the dorms are locked. If there’s any reason you can’t make it, you need special permission from your dorm head; namely me. Every night at eleven I do a check in the dorm to make sure everyone’s in. If you aren’t, you get personal penalties and points from your dorm deducted. Get enough penalties and you’ll face suspension followed by expulsion.”

Sneaking out is going to be difficult, Lucas noted. Most likely they’ll have people patrolling the grounds at night. “What are dorm points?” he asked in order to sound interested.

Auden grinned. “A system the dorms work on. You collect points for your dorm from intramurals, game nights, internet parties, paintballing…pretty much any event involving one dorm against another. Collect enough points and your dorm can get cool things. Last semester dorm two had enough that they got their own small private 3D theater built in.” They reached the door. “Mind you, not all events have points as the prize. Sometimes we have other things, like extended curfew for the whole dorm or meals from a top chef for a week. At those events the loosing team usually gets some punishment, such as doing the other dorms’ laundry.” He opened the door.

They entered into a large room filled with couches. There were two pool tables, a table tennis table and an air hockey one. A huge TV sat at one end and a large fire place was at the other. A large glass door led into another room, through which Lucas could make out tables and chairs. He guessed it was the dining room. His eyes darted around.

Four cameras, he counted the ones he could see.

“This is the main lounge,” Auden told Lucas. “It gets pretty crowded at night. Basically, it’s the place where all the dorms can hang out together.” He headed right for another door labeled Dorm 3. Some had hung up a sign which said Beware in red letters. Below it hung a sign which said Warning; now entering a restricted area. Dorm 2 residents may not enter.

“All the dorms have somewhat of a rivalry,” Auden explained as they walked up to the door. “Dorm 2 is pretty much at the top of the list to beat on as they won most points last semester.” He pushed the door open and noise erupted.

Lucas found himself going up two steps before he was suddenly in a long hallway with doors on either side.

Four guys were rollerblading down it at full speed, hockey sticks in their hands as they chased a ball. As it suddenly disappeared in a room, the guys followed. A yell and a crash signified their pileup or collision with something inside.

“Dorm three isn’t known for studying,” Auden grinned. “It’s a party until lights out every day.” As they walked, Lucas paused just in time to avoid a ball hitting the side of his head. Instead, it flew from one room into another.

“The laundry is at the end.” Auden pointed to the end of the hall. “Everyone does their own here. You don’t need coins. Detergent is also provided. If you don’t know how to do it…get someone to show you.” He kicked a shirt that way lying on the ground into the open door beside it. “Clean up, Paul. Next room check is soon,” he told the guy inside when they passed.

The guy raised a hand to show he had heard.

“Room checks happen every two weeks,” Auden told Lucas. “Just clean up before it and you’ll be fine. I’m warning you now though, we also do room raids to check for anything you may have brought that isn’t allowed on school grounds. You’ll find a list in your room.”

Two guys sprinted past them, laughing as a third tried, wearing a helmet of some sort, to chase them down. Auden ignored them.

“Just for a quick overview though, it includes all the usual. You know: knives, drugs, alcohol, weapons of any kind, explosives.” He grinned. “You never know with people these days.”

Lucas smiled, as though taking part in the joke. If only he knew, he thought as he remembered some of the things he had used on jobs in the past few years. Explosives was just the beginning..

“Oh yeah, an important one. No cell phones. We have phones in the dorms which you can use. If you have a cell phone, it’ll be confiscated and you get a penalty.”

Of course, Lucas thought. It makes it easier to control conversations going on with people outside of school. All the phones here must be tapped so that they can listen in. However, even that knowledge hadn’t stopped him from smuggling one in. He needed an untraceable line on him for this job. As for where he could use it…he’d have to find somewhere where he wouldn’t be watched. So far three cameras in the hallway, he noted.

“By the way, there’s also another smaller lounge next to the laundry room. It’s a place for dorm 3 residents to hang out. It just gets pretty crowded at times.” They came to a stop before a closed door just as a guy in only his boxers ran down the hallway. “All right. Room 315. This is it,” Auden told Lucas. He seemed immune to everything that was going on around them.

3 for dorm 3, the information flashed through Lucas’ mind. 15 for the room number.

As Auden knocked, Lucas noticed that the room next door was slightly agar. Someone was watching, suspicion on his face.

“Hey, Jamie.” Auden noticed him too.

The watching eyes remained unblinking.

“When’s the next apocalypse happening?” Auden asked.

“Twenty fifth August,” the boy replied before he quickly shut the door.

Auden chuckled. “According to Jamie’s predictions, the world’s already ended eight times. Makes us pretty lucky to have survived, right?” He grinned. “Apparently aliens were going to invade last semester and he was sure another student was a zombie. He’s your neighbor by the way.” He turned to Lucas. “A genius, but something’s a bit…” he tapped his head as if that explained it. “He takes time to warm up to strangers.” He turned and knocked again.

There was a muffled ‘come in’ from inside.

The first thing Lucas saw when the door opened was a guy with brown hair sitting at a desk with a bunch of school books opened before him. He glanced up.

“I’ve brought your roommate,” Auden said as the door opened all the way.

Lucas took in the room in a quick glance. There were three desks spread out, each with their own office chair and a desk lamp. A chest of draws stood next to each one and three closet doors were in the wall to the far side. His luggage stood in front of one.

The room went up a step and three beds stood there. There was one bunk bed, and a single to the other side of it.

The bottom bed of the bunk bed must be mine, Lucas thought as he noted that the other two beds had posters on the wall next to them. The window next to it is a good rout for escape. He looked up. A vent as well. With the door that makes three possible exits and entry points.

His eyes darted to his right where an open door to one side showed a good sized bathroom. Next to it stood a handsome guy slightly darker skin and black hair. He was wearing the school uniform, minus the jacket, and had the tie tied around his head so that it hung off to one side. A football was under one foot, not just any football, but the one Zack had given Lucas when he had dropped him off. Upon meeting Lucas’ eyes, the guy grinned.

“So, you’re the mysterious roommate?” he asked as he left the ball behind and walked over. He held out a hand, his eyes twinkling. “I’m Nathan.”

“Lucas,” Lucas replied as he shook his hand. Most likely an athlete. Doesn’t radiate any sort of threat. However, it’s the ones that don’t that actually are. Very slight accent but almost not detectable. I’m assuming Korean.

“Brian,” the guy at the desk grunted.

Lucas nodded in greeting. Talks the same way as the receptionist. From the area? Conclusion: he must live nearby. Threat? Inconclusive for both of them.

There was a loud crash in the hallway. “That doesn’t sound good,” Auden said. Someone began to yell. “I should check it out.” He turned to Lucas. “Well. Get along.” He left the room in a hurry.

“Did Auden give you a tour?” Nathan asked.

Brian had turned back to his text books.

Lucas nodded.

“Phew. You’re a lucky one. At least he brought you back,” Nathan told him.

“Why?” Lucas asked as he walked over to his things. He picked up his duffle bag and dropped it on the lower bunk before he zipped it open.

“Last tour he gave, he told the guy to wait for him half way through cause he forgot something,” Nathan explained as he followed Lucas much like an eager puppy. “Ended up forgetting him altogether. The guy waited for three hours before someone found him.”

“Ah,” Lucas replied as he pulled out a pile of shirts. He walked towards the drawer next to the only desk that had nothing on it. Finding the drawer empty, he dumped the shirts in the top one.

“Is that all your brought?” Nathan asked skeptically as he eyed the duffle bag and the backpack.

“Yup,” Lucas replied.

“Not a lot for a whole semester if you ask me,” Nathan told him.

I don’t plan to be here long, Lucas thought in reply. “I don’t need a lot,” he said out loud.

Nathan nodded. “Better less than too much. You should have seen some people in the first week. They had so much stuff one would think they were girls!” He laughed. “Speaking of which. You got a girlfriend?”

Why is that one of the first things they ask? Lucas wondered. “No,” he said.

“Phew,” Nathan let out a sigh of relief.

Lucas shot him a questioning look.

“If you have a girlfriend it makes you somewhat superior around here,” Nathan grinned. “Now I at least know we’re around the same level. You can join my mission if you want. I plan to get one by the end of this semester or be forever doomed to being alone.”

Brian picked up a set of headphones and put them on, giving Lucas the impression that he didn’t like noise from other people when doing homework.

“I actually have a sister in Bel, so I have connections,” Nathan continued. “If you see someone you want to get to know just say the word and I’ll get her number for you.”

Turning his attention away, Lucas scanned the room again.

No cameras that I can see. Still…the bathroom is probably the only place that I can be certain that there are no eyes watching.

“So, where are you from?” Nathan asked.

“Dunston,” Lucas replied automatically naming a city not far away. “You?”

“Everglane.”

Lucas raised his eyebrows. “You don’t have the accent.”

“Nah,” Nathan grinned. “Moved over from Seoul five years ago cause of my dad’s job.”

“South Korea,” Lucas said, confirming his suspicion had been right.

“Yup,” Nathan nodded. “So, which class are you in?” he added.

“3H,” Lucas replied as he walked back to his duffle bag. Pulling out a few more clothes he put them away as well.

“I’m in 3F.” Nathan leaned against the wall. “Brian is all the way in 3A.” His eyes widened. “Hey, we’re all juniors!” he said excitedly.

“True,” Lucas replied as he pulled out his laptop. His plopped it down on his bed and unpack a pair of shoes next. Then he walked over to the closet where his luggage had been standing. Upon opening it, he found three school uniforms already hanging inside and two pairs of dress shoes to go along with them.

He was aware of Nathan watching his every move.

“You have any particular hobbies?” Nathan asked.

“Hobbies…?” Lucas replied somewhat distractedly as he looked over the uniform.

“Yeah, you know. Things you do for fun.”

Fun? Lucas paused. When was the last time I did anything for fun? He couldn’t recall. Teenagers love to play computer games, watch TV, do sports, collect stamps, you know…all that kind of stuff, Conner’s voice echoed in Lucas’ mind.

“I collect stamps,” Lucas picked a random one.

Nathan looked surprised. “Really?”

Lucas simply shrugged as he turned his attention to his backpack. He paused and glanced at Brian to see that the boy was hunched over a text book, his eyes skimming the contents.

Nathan saw the direction of his glance. “Brian spends most of his time studying,” he said. “He doesn’t talk too much so it was getting kind of lonely. But now that you’ve finally come things ought to liven up!”

“Shouldn’t you be at practice, Nathan?” Brian asked without looking up.

“Got canceled today,” Nathan replied. “And how can you still hear us?”

Brian didn’t reply.

With a shrug, Nathan walked back towards where he had left the football.

Lucas reached into his backpack only to pause as his hand touched a set of headphones. Though they looked like the average sound canceling set, they had a hidden compartment where he had stored a whole bunch of bugging devices. I need to find a time to go around and set these up, he thought. If I have ears everywhere I might hear something useful about my target.

“Practice may be canceled today but it’s back to normal tomorrow again. Every day at four and Tuesdays and Thursdays at seven am. We’re also doing one weekend in the mornings and one in the afternoon. Sundays are always off, if we’re lucky coach cancels Saturdays at times.”

Why’s he telling me this? Lucas wondered. “Okay,” he said out loud as he turned away.

“You want to go play some later on?” Nathan asked as he tossed the football and caught it. “I hear you have a wicked kick.”

That made Lucas pause.

“Coach seemed super excited by adding you on. What was your position again? Midfield?”

What?

“It’s awesome that we’re not only roommates but also teammates,” Nathan continued.

“Teammates?” Lucas turned around.

“Yeah,” Nathan grinned. “You and I are both here on a football scholarship, right?”

Lucas’ mind whirled. This was the first he was hearing of this. “I’ve got to use the bathroom,” he announced as he headed toward it. He closed the door. There was no lock. He turned to glance around. A shower stood in one corner with a blue shower curtain. There were two sinks with a large mirror in front of them, a toilet, and a few drawers. As expected. No sign of cameras.

Lucas leaned against the door. He lifted his foot and pressed a small button on the end of his shoe. A part of his shoe, as thin as a card, popped out. Lucas pulled out the cell phone specially designed by ECHO. It was undetectable and untraceable.

Going to contacts, Lucas began to call the number under the name ‘friend’.

Someone picked up on the second ring. “Well that was faster than expected,” Zack’s voice said at the other end. “I was going to give you at least a full day and yet here you are already. What’s the problem? You didn’t kill anyone did you? Or it couldn’t be that you’re already done, are you?”

“Why wasn’t I informed?” Lucas asked in a low voice.

“I’m sorry?”

“Football scholarship,” Lucas replied.

There was a pause. “Weren’t you briefed?”

“No one mentioned me playing football,” Lucas said.

“Is it a problem?”

“I know nothing about it. If I get out to play my cover’s blown!”

“Well, that would suck,” Zack sounded far from concerned. “Listen. I can’t help you on this one. ECHO needed a way to get you in. Football was the route they chose. They set up records of you playing in other schools. With a little creativity they also got video evidence. It can’t be changed.”

Lucas gritted his teeth.