Superior

CHAPTER SEVEN: Raiker

It's been about three days since the cafeteria incident. They went as per usual, with me 'guiding' Aisa through the confusing corridors of our Superiot. Apparently, even third-years still got lost. I don't see how it's so hard to understand the basic layout of it.

But again, these kids didn't have access to the maps like I did. My great-uncle had played a pivotal role in building this thing. So, I had memorized them, making me one of the very few people here who knew that the servants' floor didn't have an emergency escape route, and the Superiot bathrooms' plumbing system was directly connected to the Inferior workers' kitchens. I also knew that Aisa's dorm room was directly connected to an escape route that the LibPro had managed to hijack this summer. And the fact that our government isn't as great as it makes itself up to be.

I already knew a lot of things, but I just recently found out how incredibly annoying Zander was, and how he's probably going to be the greatest hindrance to the smooth execution of my plan, and how much it incensed me when Aisa refused to go a single hour without seeing him. Seriously. Lessons had begun the day after the tour, and despite the fact that I was her guide and mentor who took every opportunity to help her, Zander immediately snatched it away from me. Every single lesson, I dropped her off to her classroom, and by the time I returned from my own classes to pick her up, zander''s there, smiling like a fool as Aisa chats his ear off. Then when I approach, he ever so gently tries to walk her in the opposite direction with his hand on her back. Then she sees me, the bell rings, and before you know it, she's hurrying to her classes with me at her side, directing her.

I don't know what Fatima's doing about it, because all she seems to do is trail behind him silently wherever he goes. Once in a while she isn't even near him, giggling incessantly with a gaggle of girls in the corner. f

In fact, this was happening right now. Aisa was outside her beauty classroom, and Zander was approaching with Fatima. She broke away from Zander when she saw a red head, walking over to her, heels clicking on the marble floor with the rapid pace of her movements. Aisa saw him, and everything went exactly as I described.

Fatima looked away for a moment, distracted. I caught her eye, tilting my head at her. Her eyes immediately flicked away, her hands beginning to fidget nervously as she conversed.

Looks like I, too, needed to have a few conversations with certain people.

***

"Ashe. I would like to have a little... meeting with Fatima. She hasn't been doing too well around here, and I'm very concerned about her performance. Also just put in a little warning about her and Zander Perin through to headquarters, will you?"

Beep. The Receiver sent in the message to Ashe through a safe channel.

00:37. I yawned. It was getting late. I was about to collapse onto my bed when the Receiver beeped with another message. It projected the video of an unexpected face onto the wall.

"Hey Raiker... It's Aisa. You already know that, unless you forgot what I looked like..." She chuckled slightly, looking embarrassed. "Anyways, I'm sorry about the past few days, with me, uh, making you late for your classes with my... inconsiderate chatting. I wanted to thank you for showing me around and being so patient with me. So, um, sorry again for taking your time so late in the night, and thank you once again. Goodbye!" She clicked off, and as pleasantly surprised as I was, I couldn't help but smile. I walked back up to the Receiver, opening up a new message.

"Hello, Aisa. Yes, I do already know that. It's impossible to forget you," My mind momentarily wandered to the image of Aisa smiling and joking around with Zander, and I felt an unexpected pang go through me. Snap out of it, Raiker, I told myself. I continued, "It's quite alright, but I would appreciate if you didn't dilly-dally so much before your classes. I don't mind at all if you message me with any of your concerns, Aisa. I would, in fact, encourage you to do so, since it is my duty to help you, after all." I paused once again, contemplating my words of goodbye to her. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good night." I said, and before I could change my mind, quickly hit send.

I sat down on my desk chair instead, saving her contact.

Another beep sounded, and the wall lit up with a different face.

"Mister Denlow, I have arranged a meeting with Fatima, tomorrow after your dinner with Miss, uh, Aisa Farrow. The headquarters would like you to keep them posted on the situation, sir, and uh, please be careful about any kind of confrontation, for it may blow your cover"

I rolled my eyes. How stupid do the LibPro think I am? Jeez. They seem to forget that I'm practically their founder. I shook my head, and leaned back against the chair.

01:35. Damn. I don't think I've talked to somebody for that long before. She's probably not going to reply at this hour, but I couldn't stop myself for looking for her response on the Receiver. I felt strangely disappointed when I didn't find one.

Nonetheless, it was time for sleep. My heavy eyelids fell shut as soon as I hit the bed, pulling me down into a deep slumber.

***

It was around ten fifteen in the evening. I had just dropped Aisa off to her dorm and was walking out to the back of the third year building, where Fatima was supposedly going to be waiting for me.

Aisa had been more cooperative, but kind of awkward the whole day. She didn't bring up last night's messages at all, and had cut me short when I attempted to, right before I dropped her off. Ah, well.

I erased all thought of her from my mind. It was time to focus on the matter at hand, which was the lonely silhouette of a dark haired figure shivering a few metres away from me. I crossed the distance with long strides, standing a foot over her. She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with a fearful sheen. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself, turning away from my heated gaze.

I hated intimidating people, inspiring fear in them, but I had come to realize that it was necessary not only for obtaining what I wanted, but also for leading people well. Of course, I don't always do this, but this situation called for it.

"What are your assigned duties here, Fatima? Do you know?"

"I-" She paused, gulping. "To distract Zander Perin, keep him occupied and to keep students of the Superiot unsuspicious of the actions of all the members of the Libra Proelia working here," she said with a resigned sigh.

"And do you think you're doing that job, Fatima?"

"Yes, I am! Stop putting my name at the end of your every sentence!" She snapped, glaring at me.

"You're in no place to tell me what to do," I told her, keeping my cool composure, "and, in my opinion, gossiping with random seniors is not helping any of the LibPro members. In fact, it is detrimental to the organization"

She looked like she wanted to defend her 'friends', but she kept her mouth shut and muttered a sullen "Okay, sir" instead.

"I'm having you transferred to Aisa Farrow's classes. I want you to keep a close eye on her as I put the plan into place. Remember, she has to be with us by the end of this semester, no matter what. And we only have two and a half months left at most."