Rhombus [h.s]

14

14

Murdock was coughing more than usual that Wednesday, and then he was coughing more on Thursday, then a whole lot more on Friday. I was really starting to worry about him. He'd gasp for air after a bad coughing fit, and it was tragic to watch, and just watch. He looked like he's had the life sucked out of him.

I told him to go see a doctor, but he was insanely stubborn and insisted that he'd be alright, that it was just his "asthma" acting up. He was sure. So sure. But I wasn't. I knew he was sick. I knew something was wrong.

When I got back to my dorm one Friday night in February, I saw him sitting outside my room. He was thinner, much thinner. Maybe it was the light, but he looked a little jaundiced. He was coughing and holding a handkerchief to his mouth as if he'd just been, or was about to be, violently sick.

When he saw me, he stood as if rocks were tied to his feet.

"Howler," he said, making a determined effort at a smile.

All I did was wince. "Everything alright?"

"I got the copies," he said, voice hoarse. "Operation Red Death is a go."

I walked in, leaving the door open behind me.

"You got your notorious crew?" I asked. It had been a month and a half since the launch of the Operation and I haven't heard him speak about it until today.

He threw his bag on Emily's bed and lied down. He coughed a bit and said, "You'll meet them tonight, Howler. At the North Study. I told them to come in at ten minute intervals, one guy after another, you know, just to avoid suspicion? We need to be wary. I mean, we're gathering a guerilla posse here. Plus, Payne will be there. Liam Payne, remember him?"

I nodded.

"Louis loves still-hunting this guy," he said. "So we must take precautions to protect ourselves and our guys from the falcon. Better safe than sorry." 

"Okay." I said. "So, when's the execution of this whole thing?"

"Primera parte will be executed during the Stein Ball."

"The Stein Ball?"

He sat up. "It's like the SLSU version of Oxford's May Ball, just less elaborate and lavish but fairly political. Students go crazy about it. There's a copious amount of food and alcohol, entertainment, loud music, fireworks, the like. It's a yearly thing, and a white tie event, in honor of the university's founding dean, James E. Stein"—he cleared his throat—"Nobody knows the exact date of foundation other than it being in the second week of March, so in '65 then-headmaster Geoffrey King issued an ultimatum that it'd be set on a Friday. See, the guy was a Friday freak."

"What's a Friday freak?" I asked.

He paused, thinking hard, then shrugged. "A freak of nature."

I nodded my head slowly. "I see."

We looked at each other for a moment. Then I asked him, "What's primera parte?"

He grinned. "You."

"Me?"

"I need you to do something for me."

I rolled my eyes. "Christ."

"I love the enthusiasm." He said and I rolled my eyes again.

"Now, Howler, I'll be going over the majority of the details tonight, but let me give you a brief overview of the plan. Operation Red Death has three parts: Exploitation, Eradication, and Emancipation. A review team from the Higher Learning Commission will be coming over after the Stein Ball. Just our luck, huh? HLC monitors and advises on standards and quality in US higher education. Universities and colleges must pass their reviews to get government support, including student loan funding."