The Academy - Book One (Published)

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine
Ah'Taria - The White District

"I'd be loathe to ask why we are here?" Kaelen stared at the dingy old buildings that cluttered the area as he sat down on a bench facing a five story apartment.

"Did you have something better to do?" drawled Jacob looking up from his hand held device.

Kaelen shrugged and mumbled, "Kayla wanted to go walk around the Water District."  He glared at Lucas. "The person that was supposed to take her said he had something important to do."

Lucas smirked as he replied, "If I see another fountain-"

Cutting him off Jacob asked, "But don't you miss spending time with her?"

Lucas glared at them as they both smiled brightly waiting for his reply. Finally he sulked and said, "I want to spend time with her not escort her to look at some bloody running water. We wouldn't even be alone."  Realizing that her new escort was with them he smirked, "So how'd you get out of it?"

Shifting uncomfortably Kaelen looked at the ground, "Joshua and Isaiah thought it would be a good idea to go on a picnic."

Jacob cocked a brow and asked sarcastically, "What would make them think that?"

Staring at his hands he said guiltily, "I implied that Acadia and Celeste wanted to go on a romantic picnic with them."

Just when Jacob was about to say more the spell started to transmit two voices inside the home.

*********

"Dion I'm happy you were able to make it so early," said Leslie as she held out her bony hand for him to take.

Dion took the hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for inviting me."  He followed her into her cramped home as she walked into a small room at the back.

"I've been doing a lot of analysis from my home on those markers and I have a lot of questions that I'm hoping you can answer," she stated professionally.

He stared at the screen projected on the wall that showed the markers and nodded.  "Before we begin I was wondering if you can tell me how you got the samples you are using?"

She laughed as color fused her cheeks, "I found the sample by accident while running tests."

Mentally rolling his eyes at the apparent lie he asked, "You don't know who the blood came from?"

Turning to look at Dion she shook her head, "The blood in question comes from two sources." She pointed to the screen and showed two different pictures. "The markers here are active and these are not."

Dion stared bored at the screen. "I see.  And where did these samples come from?"  As he asked he walked over to her paper strewn desk and reached for some of the papers.

She cut his reach off then said hurriedly, "I would prefer you didn't.  The people are of no concern. I'm more interested in solving the mystery behind the markers."

Dion stared at the woman impatiently, "I have given you what little information we have about Laurel Mace, but you are not sharing why you wanted this information."  He watched as her mouth opened and closed as she tried to figure out the next lie to tell him.

"The blood is from someone visiting from Nah'Bye that was injured," she stated slowly.

Dion cocked a thin eyebrow at her as he took in her words, "And who is the other sample from?"

Looking back at the wall she said, "His sister."

Dion felt a rush of excitement as he stared at the images.  Oscar had been trying unsuccessfully with other Maces for years to get the results he was looking at.  Rubbing his hands together he looked at Leslie, "What are the names of the two people?"