“Even though the two who tried to murder you were new students?” Lucca challenges me.
Frowning, I watch him glare at me. We’ve never disagreed on anything, other than stupid things like what movie to watch. Sucking in a deep breath, I said, “You all know what it’s like when people start panicking. Everyone is going to want to go after the new students. Instead of beating the shit out of students who could be allies, let’s be the level-headed ones, not the assholes.”
There were reluctant nods and mumbles of agreement as our friends started filtering out of the room.
“There has been another murder.”
Dean Christie’s voice rang out in the Great Hall. There’s an uneasy shifting of feet, a low, agitated murmur sweeping through the crowd like a dark wind. “You likely already have heard that Morgan Wilson was found early this morning in his suite. We have just found JuanMuñoz in the gym.”
The noise rose to agitated chatter and some shouting until she snapped, “Silence!”
Two more dead students and still, the Dean’s power silences the crowd. “Students will meet with their division academic advisors now to receive instructions. Until further notice, you will all walk in pairs everywhere you go. I am instituting a curfew, every student must be in their rooms by 7pm. There are no exceptions.”
Her chilly gaze sweeps the crowd, and I wonder if she’s looking for suspects. “I assure you that a thorough investigation is underway. However, if any of you decide to take matters intoyour own hands, you will be dealt with severely. You may be students, but you are also experienced professionals in our world. I expect you to behave like it. You are dismissed.”
Wrapping my arm around Mariya’s shoulders, I said, “Where are the Spies meeting?”
“The gym,” she sighs, “I hope they’ve gotten poor Juan out of there first. What about you?”
“The Leaders are staying here in the Dean’s building to meet with Professor Fukumoto.” Running my hands down her arms, I said, “I’ll walk you to the gym first.”
“No, you won’t,” Mariya kisses me quickly and slips out of my reach. “I’m not a fragile little flower. You’re going to have to accept that.” She joins Tatiana and they’re out the door as Lucca joins me.
“Are you hating letting them go as much as I am?” he sighs.
“More, if that’s possible,” I said, looking around the room. The Leader’s division is much smaller than the other three majors, there are only so many firstborns. It means we’ve all gotten to know each other pretty well. Even here, though, students are clustered in little groups, keeping away from the others. “This is bizarre, we’ve known some of these people for years, and no one will look at us.”
“Except those two,” Lucca nods at our two late-night visitors, Jamilla andGünter, standing together and uncomfortably aware of the unfriendly stares some of the other Leaders are giving them. They take his nod as an invitation and approach us.
“So, this just gets more and more fucked up,” Jamilla says. “I’m waiting for the torches and pitchforks any minute now.”
“The Dean scared the shit out of everyone with that ‘will beseverelydealt with’ speech,” I assure her, “and most of the Leaders are level-headed. Have you two heard anything from the other newcomers?”
Her eyes narrow, “Is that the only reason you’re willing to speak to us in public?”
Lucca frowns, “You’re-”
“Hold up,” I said, “I told you last night that we want to believe you have nothing to do with this. But if you two know something, you have to tell the Dean.”
She and Günter look around. It’s clear they’re not spotting any allies. “We don’t,” she said. She looks exhausted.
“Have you been getting any sleep?” I ask.
Günter snorted bitterly. “When? Could you sleep if you thought your roommate might stab you the minute your eyes were closed? We don’t have any friends here.”
“Whoever’s doing this wants us all to turn on each other,” I said, offering my hand. “Let’s not give them what they want.”
He hesitates before slowly shaking my hand, and then a tight-lipped Jamilla does too.
“Thank you three for displaying what I came to discuss with you all.”
Professor Fukumoto is right behind us, making Günter jump half a foot and his silent approach reminds me that Fukumoto was a high-level Yakuza before he “retired” to teach here.
“All of you,” he said sternly, looking at everyone in the hall. “You are our best and brightest here at the Academy. I expect everyone of you to show the kind of leadership that will keep the other students calm. Mr. Turgenev is correct, whoever is doing this wants you to be paranoid and careless. Do you all understand?”
Everyone in the room nods, some more reluctantly than others.
“Good,” he said. “Now, we’re going to go through emergency protocol. You will oversee directing other students if we’re faced with a threat beyond the guard’s ability to handle.”
