The Secret War - 1st novel in the Shadow Series

Chapter 36 .

Vai

The next day in school we had a different substitute again. This time it was someone from medical who taught us basic first aid which we had already learned. That was okay. At least it was something applicable to me. Especially now that I knew about the Corruption. I would most likely have to defend myself in the future. Owen and I had agreed to help Esther kill people with the Corruption. In either of those situations, first aid might come up. I hadn't told either one yet about the captain. After my phone call with Shel the day before I had just shut myself in my room and avoided contact with everyone else. I had no idea how we were going to kill her and I had a feeling they might delegate the task to me since I could easily - or easier than them - access the bridge.

I didn't really have a chance to speak with Shel, Minmin and Owen before class started. I had hoped this substitute would be late, but they were a little early. Right before class ended I got a message on my okulus.

«Meet me in Owen's room as soon as your class is over.

It was from Esther. Owen looked at his Okulus and then whispered to me, "But I'm in my room right now." Only his mind was in the ansible. His body was probably lying on his bed like mine. He looked at his okulus again as if he doubted what he just read. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard. I'd be unnerved too if Esther told me to meet me in my room while I was currently in it.

Class ended and the teacher signed off before the rest of us. Spencer looked across the room at us, but he hadn't said anything to us since Minmin beat him up on Mazax VIII.

"We should go to my refuge and talk about things," Shel said.

His refuge was the silver beach. I wanted to go back there, but . . .

"Can't," Owen said.

"You need to explain things better to us," Minmin said.

Shel and I exchanged a glance. I didn't think Shel told Minmin about his private conversation with me the previous night. I hadn't told Owen yet either.

"It's not that we don't want to meet with you," I said. Most of the other students had signed off and there wasn't anyone around us, but I whispered, "The mystery girl just sent a message to meet."

"Yeah," Owen said, but his eyes grew distant. The three of us stared at him until he blinked and turned back to us. To me especially. "Do you want to go to my room first? I'll stay in the school program a few more minutes. I'm kind of afraid of what I'll see in my room when I sign off the ansible. It would be nice if you're already there."

"She's meeting you in your room?" Shel said. "I'm not sure I like her."

"It's probably the safest place for her right now," Minmin said.

"Yeah, but it's his private room," Shel said. "And she just goes in like it's nothing."

"It's not like it's her first time in his room," Minmin said.

"That doesn't make it better," Shel said.

"I'll go first," I said. "Is your dad home?"

"I don't know. He usually is, but how could she get passed him?"

"I'll go now." I waved goodbye to Shel and Minmin and signed off. I took my okulus off from around my head and reshaped it to fit around my wrist.

"Did you have a good day in school, sir?" Warpaint asked as he held out an algae bar.

I took it and bit into it. I walked out of my bedroom and out of my quarters into the corridor. Warpaint followed close behind as I took a second bite.