“Confused. Concerned. They asked a lot of questions. Some I had answers to, and the rest I couldn’t explain without telling them other things that I don’t think they would be ready to handle yet. I’m not cut out to be a spy.”
“You and me both,” Blayne said. “I honestly don’t know how Dr. Hennigan keeps track of all the lies and her real life. The number of balls she has in the air is beyond me. We’re both busy guys, but I don’t think we come close to her level of busy. I can barely handle graduate school, teaching and dating you. She did that and worked as an international assassin on the side.”
“Eat your sandwich,” Ethan said. “You’re going to need your energy today, dear.”
Blayne picked up the croissant layered with scrambled eggs, sausage and cheddar and took a bite.
Ethan let a breath out through his nose. “Is there any chance I can convince you not to go to campus today?”
Blayne shook his head as he chewed.
“I didn’t think I could, but I had to ask,” Ethan replied. “So, it looks like you’re stuck with me. Everywhere you go, I go. Unless I’m at your side, I won’t have you running headfirst into danger. Is that understood? Oh, and if we go out in public, we might be accompanied by at least one of my guards.”
“Don’t you think Mr. J. would attract attention in a crowd? He’s not exactly inconspicuous,” Blayne asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
“Oh, I don’t want him to be inconspicuous. I want him to be a big-ass deterrent.”
Blayne chuckled. “Fair enough. What did you tell him?”
“As little as humanly possible. I deflected more than anything. Thankfully, the guys helped me with ‘operation deflection’. I think he’s suspicious—but doesn’t know what he’s suspicious about.”
“Well, fingers crossed, this is all over in eight hours,” Blayne said.
“From your mouth to God’s ears.”
* * * *
Ms. Z. showed up in an SUV to drive Blayne and Ethan to a drop-off point right at the opening of the quad. Inside the spacious SUV, Blayne and Ethan sat beside each other, their fingers gently intertwined as they stared out of the windows. Ms. Z. skillfully maneuvered the vehicle through the labyrinth of cars and pedestrians.
“Geez, this is turning out to be quite the circus,” Blayne commented.
“We’re going to have to get creative,” Ms. Z. said, her voice laced with determination. “Everyone’s headed to the quad. I will do my best to get as close as possible—but not sure how close that will be.”
Blayne could see the Unity Tower in the middle of the quad through the front window. News vans were scattered along the street, impeding traffic. The campus police were supplemented by the Houston Police Department. Still, they seemed a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. Honestly, it reminded Ethan of the first time the band had shown up at a television studio, and they were greeted by throngs of fans hoping to get seats inside. The television studio, just like the campus, was clearly overwhelmed by the turnout.
Blayne leaned forward slightly, surveying the chaos unfolding before them. “Yeah, you can drop us off anywhere. I think you’ll have a better chance of finding an actual parking space in the western lot, on the other side of the medical center.”
“Are you sure?” Ms. Z. questioned. “I’m supposed to stay with you.”
“The guys are already here. I’m sure they’ll have the rest of the crew with them.”
“Fine, but I’ll double-check before making any decisions,” Ms. Z. confirmed.
Ms. Z. pulled out her cell phone and quickly called Mr. J., who gave her the okay and told them they’d meet at the entrance to the Harmony Gardens.
“What’s the deal with this place?” Ethan asked.
Blayne, in his best tour guide voice, replied, “The Unity Quad is a major feature in the southern part of the campus. In the heart of the quad stands the magnificent Unity Bridge and Tower, a majestic structure that gracefully bisects the west and east sections of the quad. The tower is a powerful symbol of connection and convergence, drawing people from all walks of life toward a shared destination.”
“Uh…you sound like you’ve said that a few too many times,” Ethan joked.
“I spent my first summer working as a campus tour guide. Not the most glamorous job, but it kept me fed.”
Blayne explained that unity is broken into four distinct concepts—harmony, synergy, collaboration and purpose. “The Harmony Gardens is in the Southeast part of the quad. I can’t imagine how much water they use in that part to keep all the flowers from dying in the Texas heat. From there, we have the southeast section, Synergy, where ‘students and faculty come together, fueled by a collective spirit of cooperation and innovation.’ I don’t think I’ve ever seen faculty and students there, but there is a small playground and a bunch of picnic tables. There are also more trees in that part of the quad than in the other three. From there, we have the Northwest part, which is Collaboration, and is ‘a haven for interdisciplinary projects and joint ventures.’ Yeah, I think they have an outdoor art show once a year. They hold honors graduation there as long as it’s not over ninety degrees outside. Last, but certainly not least, is Purpose. This is where the main rally will be held. The western edge has the Purpose Pavilion, allegedly ‘a beacon of inspiration and a gathering point for those driven by a common cause.’ It’s also the location of our free speech zone on campus, which is why all kinds of rallies happen here.”
“Well, it’s nice to know I’m with someone so ready to be my tour guide. I’ll be sure to tip him when we’re done.”
“Here we go,” Ms. Z. cut into the conversation as she pulled up to a spot near the entrance. “I’m going to go park, then I’ll find you. Go straight to this—”
