Blackstone Academy: The Rogue

29. Troy Roman

Troy P.O.V

Date: October 22, 2238

Jax and I fell in behind the crowd of students, leaving the cafeteria and heading to the gym. As we passed through the entryway, I looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Lightning brewed in the dark clouds, streaking the sky in silent white flashes.

A gust of wind blew, bending the tree branches and ripping the last of the leaves from them. Amber-colored leaves swirled in the air before joining the blanket of leaves covering the front lawn.

"They couldn't have waited until after we finished eating breakfast?" I grumbled, turning away from the window.

"What do you think they called us together to tell us?" Jax asked, biting into the buttery biscuit he'd managed to swipe off the food counter before they had made an announcement calling every student and teacher into the gym.

"Don't know." I half heartedly shrugged. "Why? Are you hoping they will cancel the games?"

"No way! They better not after all the hell you put me through these last couple of weeks."

"Training with me wasn't that bad. Was it?" I asked as we entered the gym.

"Yes!" He shouted through a mouthful of crumbs before swallowing. "Yes, it was. But it will be worth it once I see Larry's face after we crush him and the senior team." His voice dropped towards the end as we passed the bleacher section designated for the seniors.

I chuckled as he picked up his pace, rushing towards the second section of bleachers, where the sophomore class sat. After quickly ascending the stairs, he sat at the top next to Nova and Stacy, leaving a space for me.

A space that just so happened to be right between him and Nova. I licked my suddenly dry lips and joined them.

Nova leaned closer and whispered, "Have you spoken to Kayden?"

My eyes automatically searched for him in the crowd. And coincidentally, he's looking at me.

I turned away and stared straight ahead. "No."

Since confronting him in the elevator, he'd pretty much steered clear of me. And there'd not been a single effort made on his behalf to rectify the shit between us. So fuck it.

Before Nova could delve deeper, Dean Winston entered carrying a microphone over to the center of the room.

"I apologize for interrupting breakfast," he said. "And as soon as I finish this announcement, you can return to the cafeteria."

"Dean Winston, no one ever told you breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" A dark-haired senior boy teased, reclining on the legs of the students behind him.

"I know that. Does it look like I've ever missed a meal?" Dean Winston jokingly replied as he patted his stomach, hidden behind the dark green suit he wore.

The response incurred laughter and a few claps before everyone fell silent again.

"But this announcement is important, and I know you all have questions about Ms. Jacob. So I would like to apologize to both the students and teachers." Dean Winston waved his empty hand towards us, sitting on the bleachers, then to Mr. Lennox, Dr. Rivers, and Sergeant Carter standing by the wall near the door.

The mood in the room shifted as soon as he spoke her name, and everyone's smiles disappeared.

"What's happening with Ms. Jacob?" A girl sitting in the front row of the bleachers softly spoke, her voice carrying easily in the quietness.

"Yeah, why haven't you told us anything?" A deep voice yelled from the right side of the bleachers, but I didn't look.

"Wait, wait!" He shouted, holding his hand up to silence the murmurs floating around the room. When they stopped, he continued to speak despite the rough and scratchy tone of his voice. "I hope you can forgive me after I explain everything."

Forgive him? The hair on the back of my neck rose as those two words left his lips. I glanced at Jax and Nova. Both of their gazes remained locked on him, enthralled by his every word. Softly sighing, I turned back to face Dean Winston.

"I purposely withheld this information until I was certain. The security team examined the videos and questioned the teachers and staff regarding what happened on Family Day. A senior named Mary was working in the Lab when she was accidentally exposed to a contaminated blood sample. Alone and scared, she began transforming into a mutant." He paused and looked down at his feet as he sniffed.

And when he lifted his head, a red ring surrounded his eyes and covered his nose. He briefly tapped the microphone against his leg before moving it back towards his mouth.

"Joseph Hall was a brave young man." His voice cracked. "During Mary's escape from the Lab, she attacked Joseph when he tried to stop her. Then... she attacked Ms. Jacobs. En route to First Foundation, Mary began to transform. One of the guards guarding her was able to stop her before she harmed anyone. Again, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for keeping this information from you and forgive Mary Winston, my daughter, for starting this." Tears slid down his cheek as soon as he said the girl's full name.

It was silent as everyone processed his words before Dean Winston turned and left. Chatter filled the room as soon as the door closed behind him as everyone tried to confirm what they had just heard.

"Bullshit! No way he's telling the truth." Jax glared at the doorway as his cheeks turned red. "Why would he confess?"

"I d-"

"Do you think he knows you two went into his office?" Jax turned to me, his chest rapidly rising and falling.

"I don't know. What do you want me to say, Jax? Huh?" I paused, struggling to keep my voice from rising and drawing unwanted attention from the people around us. "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to stand up and tell everyone we have less than thirty seconds of footage of one guy almost threatening someone? You think people will believe me without proof?"

"He's right, Jax. And I don't even know all of the details." Stacy agreed, nudging Nova. "But at the moment, there is nothing we can do." She added with a sly smirk on her face.

The lights in the room blinked off and on as the thunder cracked outside, capturing everyone's attention. It was silent as everyone waited to see if the lights would completely go out.

"Alright, everyone. Let's head back to the cafeteria." Sergeant Carter commanded. Everyone slowly stood and walked down the bleachers, no longer in a rush to eat.

"I knew you weren't telling me everything. You and Nova knew that Ms. Jacobs was dead, right?" Jax asked, still not ready to accept defeat.

"Yeah. We kind of figured that she was dead, but we couldn't be sure. Ms. Jacobs was holding her throat while the mutant... Mary stood over her." I answered as brief images of that day flashed in my head.

"What else happened? Tell us everything. You showed me the footage of the warehouse and the picture. Was it really his daughter? You didn't find a more recent photo?"

"Yeah, it could be Jax. We didn't spend too much time looking at the girl. She looked no older than sixteen in the picture, and we only glimpsed the mutant's face. So there wasn't much we could compare it to." Nova told him.

Jax's shoulders slumped as he leaned back against the wall. "So that's it?"

"Yeah, Jax. Look around. Everybody feels sympathy for the man who just lost his daughter. What do you think will happen if you stand up and call him a liar?"

"You mean besides the ones that won't believe me?"

"Yep."

"I'll just be painting a target on my back for whoever that guy was on the video."

"Exactly." Nova and I simultaneously said, now that he finally understood.