The Game

4: About a Year and a Half Ago

About a Year and a Half Ago:

Virtus parit Scientiam the building reads above the double door main entrance. I snap a picture of it on my phone deciding to look it up later. Before I move to enter the building, I feel a presence beside me. I stay quiet and wait.

"Roughly translated, it means 'knowledge gives birth to power'." Tom. I turn to face him and take in the sight of him still holding on to whatever machinery he had earlier today.

"Are you following me?" I state bluntly. He squirms and shakes his head.

"N-no. I wasn't. I'm sorry, I was just going to work on my project in the robotics lab. And I saw you take a picture of the..." his voice drifts off as he gestures helplessly to the words above the door. I let him squirm for a few more seconds before laughing.

"I'm teasing you. Here let me help you carry something." I reach and grab some of the loose pieces he's holding, lightening his load a lot. "So this is going to be a robot?" I inquire, genuinely curious but also knowing almost all shy nerds feel comfortable when talking about something they know and love.

"Yes," he nods eagerly and I open the main door for him the step back and watch as he uses his key card to unlock the next set of doors to get into the building. "But not one of those stupid fighting robots or a robot that will be your butler."

"Oh bummer," I say, "I was really hoping to have a robot do my school work for me."

"Oh.. I can help you if you need it." He offers nervously while staring at the floor, walking quickly on his short legs while I keep up easily with longer strides.

"No, Tom. I didn't mean you and I was joking. I think I'll be okay on my own." Damn this guys is really having a tough time here. Being so young and smaller than everyone else must be a big challenge.

"Oh right. Sorry," he apologizes again but recovers quickly seeming to accept the fact that I am not an enemy nor do I need something from him.

"You'll have to lead, I don't know where anything is yet." I step to the side to let him go first and follow him down a large hallway. He tries to walk quickly but his arms shake and the robotic pieces teeter dangerously in his arms so he slows his pace.

We pass administrative offices and two of the designated counselor rooms.

"Sydney hasn't given you a tour of the building yet?" Tom asks as we pass each room and get to an elevator. I step in next to Tom and he presses the button marked B. The elevator doors sweep shut and with a quick shudder, we are off.

"Ah no," I respond, "we are going after dinner tonight. She's going to show me where my classes are. So they put the robotics lab in the basement? I would think the wifi or reception isn't as good down there."

"It wasn't. But I found a way to resolve that." Tom stands a little taller, proud of himself. He waits for me to exit the elevator when it stops then he leads me down a dark hall, the lights flickering on as we approach each section. Motion sensors, I guess. Cameras are glaringly obvious in this hall and Tom notices me staring because he says, "they don't work. Those cameras have been broken for years. Most people don't know that but it's pretty obvious."

I smile politely and keep following him down and around a corner and we stop before a door while he types in a code on the pin pad. I don't hover over his shoulder, I don't want to scare him off, so I take a moment to search the ceiling. When he opens the door, the frosted class splashes sunlight across the hall and I am able to spot a few hidden cameras winking at me in the sunlight. They are hidden pretty well, but I know what to look for. I can't help but wonder if Tom secretly knows about the other cameras. He seems too smart not to have noticed but with what I know about him so far, I wouldn't put it past him to be so focused on his robotics that he missed them.