Celeste POV

2 weeks later

When students at the Academy reach their senior year, they are granted freedoms that none of the other classes get. For instance, off campus days are allowed during week after class hours and not just on the weekends. Students that have completed their driver's course and received a license are permitted to drive one of the Academy's jeeps, though they have to cover any damage done. This morning Seth called me and asked if we could meet somewhere in town and I naturally complied. I'm trying to get as much time back with him as I can.

I drive down the windy road that descends the mountain that the Academy is located on. Chesterfield is roughly ten miles away, but it seems much longer because of the complicated drive. It's later in the day and hotter than usual, but it doesn't necessarily bother anyone that lives in Wyoming. It's nice to get a break from snow every once in awhile. The afternoon is quickly waning away, and by the time I come into view of Chesterfield, the street lights have already lit up for the night. I catch a few people closing shop up early in the square and families walking to dinner. Chesterfield is small enough that you could walk anywhere if you wanted to.

I find a parking spot along the curb two blocks away from the coffee shop where Seth waits for me. Already the temperature has fallen because the sun has disappeared, so I grab my jacket and lock the car behind me. I begin walking down the street, following an older couple in front of me. The newest addition to the sleepy town of Chesterfield has become the hub in the past few months. Espresso Express Coffee Co. is located in a small building at the end of a strip at the intersection of Currie and Merrimac Street. Though as it gets later in the day, the people filter out with their laptops and books and head home. I pull open the door and spot Seth sitting over by the far window, hunched over a book and hot tea. As if sensing my arrival, his head pops up when I step inside. I make my way across the room and sit across from him, hanging my jacket over the back of the chair. "What are you reading?"

Seth holds up the book so I can see the title cover. "Gatsby, huh?"

"Kate recommended it to me while I was... sleeping. Don't ask me how I remember. And don't spoil."

"Lucy is actually gay and rejects Gatsby causing him to go insane and be forced into a mental asylum." I grin when Seth raises his eyebrows and drops the book.

"You're not--"

"I'm kidding. But you're not gonna like the ending anyways. Or at least... I don't think you will. Kate cried when she finished it."

"Kate cries about everything that involves words on paper."

"There are worse things to cry about." I say, and Seth nods. He dog-ears the page he's on and sets the book to the side. A waitress sidles up to our table and grins at me with a row of white teeth.

"Nice to see you two kids back in here. What can I get you, honey?" She asks.

"A Mocha with extra milk please. Just one shot of espresso."

"I'll have it right out."

"Thank you, Carrie."

Seth snorts out a laugh from across the table, but Carrie merely smiles and writes down my order. When she has disappeared back behind the bar, Seth turns to me and shakes his head. "Another thing Kate would cry about is how much milk you put in your coffee and how much espresso you don't put in there."

I slap his hand and lean back in my chair. "So why did you ask me to meet you here?"

Seth shifts in his chair and avoids eye contact with me. "No one ever... No one ever told me what really happened the day Jasper... came. I only know a few details."

I swallow and press my lips together. "What do you remember?"

Seth chews the inside of his lip. "Pretty much everything up until the point when I blacked out. I remember when Jasper's guys came and attacked all of us. I remember fighting and... killing. I killed... God, I don't even know how many. More than I would care to remember. At one point I ran into Joe; we were getting hammered by what must have been about a dozen men," he pauses and makes eye contact with me. "I told him to find you. I made him swear on his life to protect you. I covered him while he ran across the gunfire. I finished them all off and then I went looking for you. I was running through all these hallways and there were people... dead. I ran through all of them, didn't even care to check if any of them were still breathing. I was only thinking about you and if Jasper had already killed you. Then when I found you I just... it was like clockwork. Jumping in front of you was like clockwork." He takes a sip of his coffee when Carrie returns to the table and sets a steaming mug in front of me. I smile at her and she winks back, then waddles away. I wrap my hands around the coffee and look back at Seth.

"Do you remember anything past that?"

Seth nods. "I told you to kill him. It wasn't because I was angry that he shot me. It was because of everything he had done, especially to hurt you. I could care less what happened to me. I just knew that I wanted him dead and gone... It all goes black after that."

I nod my head and stare down at the mug in front of me, which has stopped steaming. "But you know that I shot Jasper."

There is silence across the table. I dare to glance up through my lashes. Finally, "Yes. I know."

There is silence again. I don't know how Seth feels about that... if he's shocked, glad, angry, disappointed. He gives no evidence of how he feels. "I know it's awful but--"

"No, Celeste. It's not," he cuts me off before I can make an excuse. "It had to be done. I can guarantee I'm not the only one who has said that."

"You're aren't. Kate and Preston... Joe. They all said the same thing to me. They all said there wasn't another way." I shake my head and stare out the window at the people that stroll down the sidewalk. The lights that wrap around the tree trunks lining the streets have switched on, making the entire town glow in a yellow light. Seth leans forward and takes his hand in mine.

"You did the right thing." He says. I glance back at him, and he is looking at me with the most sincere face. I know that he's isn't just trying to be a source of comfort. I smile and timidly slide my hand out from under his, which he seems slightly disappointed by.

"How are your classes going?" I ask. Seth nods his head and sighs.

"Good. I'm catching up in most of them. Some of the professors will look at me odd from time to time, like they almost forgot that I was alive. Sometimes they'll ask how I'm doing or if I'm struggling with any of the material. It's slightly offensive." He chuckles at the end, though it's humorless.

"All the professors are a little on edge since April. It's understandable. Are you have trouble with Anatomy?"

Seth purses his lips and shakes his head. "Nah, Preston is in that class with me. He's a genius when it comes to dissections and stuff, as you know. He helps me out."

"Tech?"

"Well, I'm passing. I still feel stupid next to Kate, though."

"Everyone feels stupid next to Kate."

"Fair enough."

I smile as I think of my friend and the brain that's too big for her body. "She's up for valedictorian."

Seth cocks an eyebrow. "Is she? Against who?"

"Harrison Abbott."

"... Who?"

"The lanky kid with red hair and glasses."

Seth scrunches his face up. "Seriously? He has no chance."

"Kate seems worried about it."

"She shouldn't."

We both laugh quietly, then simultaneously take a sip out of our mugs. I wrap my hands around the handle and stare down at the light brown substance. "So what about Phys. Defense?" I press my lips together when Seth sighs.

"It's weird not having Coach there. If we're being honest, I miss how much he used to yell at us. Joe's different... he just stands there and calculates everything."

"Are you having a hard time keeping up?" I ask, tentatively. I'm relieved when Seth shakes his head.

"Nah, I've gained a lot of my strength back. Sure I'll get winded, but not to the point that I think I'm gonna pass out or anything."

I suck at the inside of my cheek. "Do you like... how Joe does things?"

Seth gives me an odd look. "He's a good trainer, if that's what you're asking. I think everyone is too scared of him to argue. It think it's weird having a guy who's only two years older than me telling me what to do."

"Believe me, I've had to get used to it too. But I'm glad he's around. Lockharte likes him too."

"Speaking of Lockharte..." Seth looks at me and grins. "You guys are related."

I give an awkward laugh. "Yeah, yeah I know."

"What's that like?"

I shake my head. "I've gotten used to it but at first... I didn't even know how to talk to him? I felt so different."

"What do you call him?"

"I still call him Headmaster. Whenever I say 'grandpa' it just makes me cringe." I make a weird face and Seth laughs.

"I'm sure he understands. You lived with him all summer right?"

"Yeah, and I loved it. Having someone who's family is... it's incredible," I smile. "And he tells me all about my parents. He has so many memories about them that it makes me feel like they're still alive... like, I know them well." I pause as I feel my eyes start to water. "It just feel so right. I feel like I've never truly known who I was until now."

"You seem happy," Seth responds, "Happier than I've ever seen you, at least."

"I am," I nod my head, "Because everyone is here now. You're awake and Kate and Preston are happy. I have a family with all of you and Lockharte. And Joe, he's here too."

Seth's eyes dart away as I mention the last name. "I was gonna ask you a little bit about him." I blink and close my mouth. Nod my head.

"What's his story?" he asks bluntly. I try to think of how to respond, where to start. What I should and shouldn't tell him.

"Well..." I say, "He's definitely complicated. He turned on Jasper, as you know. He was raised by him, so it was a very hard decision. Whether he knew it or not... he loved Jasper, and Jasper loved him. He was the father Joe never had."

"What happened to his real dad?"

I shrug. "No one really knows. Joe has pretty much drawn the conclusion that he's dead, but there aren't really any sources that he is. All he knows is that he... went insane or something and left when Joe was a little kid."

"What was his name?" Seth asks.

"Michael Vegas."

"He was related to Jasper?"

I nod my head. "They were brothers."

    Seth blinks. "That means... Joe and Jasper were..." he trails off and looks at me. I confirm his speculation with a curt nod of the head. "He's Jasper's nephew?"

    Seth shakes his head, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Now I feel almost sorry for the guy."

    "Yeah don't ever say anything like that to his face." I tell him, Seth glances up at me worriedly. "He's a good person, Seth. His heart is in the right place."

    "I know," he pauses. "Does he know anything about Colleen?"

    I shake my head. "No, he never really associated with her."

    "Does he have any other family?"

    "Not that's alive. His mother..." I pause and look out the window. Seth watches me.

    "She's gone, isn't she?"

    I close my eyes. "She wasn't the same after Michael left her and Joe. She fell into a state of depression... and she couldn't handle it anymore. Joe saw it all happen."

    "Jesus..." Seth says and shakes his head.

    "He's been through a lot. But he's so strong." I pause when Seth presses his lips together and stares at hix coffee. "He visited you sometimes, you know."

    He glances back up. "Did he?"

    "I don't know why. But sometimes I would walk in on him and he would just be sitting there. He wouldn't be speaking, just watching you."

    He doesn't respond, just avoids eye contact with me. I press on. "Did something happen between you guys at any point?"

    Seth looks out the window and nods his head slightly. For a while, I fear that he isn't actually going to answer my question. But then, "We made a promise to each other during the attack."

    "What was it?"

    He hesitates. "I asked him to protect you... we both swore that we would."

    I sit up and furrow my eyebrows. "I don't-- Seth, I don't need protecting. I'm fine on my own."

    "You weren't back then. You changed for a while, whether you realize it or not. You were vulnerable and--"

    "I am not vulnerable."

"I didn't say you are, I said you were. That's why you're not who you used to be."

I cock my head forward. "What do you mean, 'I'm not who I used to be.'"

Seth pauses, like he's taking careful consideration of what to say. "You're just different. I can't explain it."

I cross my arms and glare at him. "News flash, Ashford: You were in a coma for nearly four months. Maybe you're the one that has changed. Things are automatically gonna change. People change, life changes, everything. Changes. It's our job to deal with it in the right manner."

"Celeste--" he reaches for my hand across the table, but I yank away. He looks at me with a nearly dumbfounded expression.

"Don't do that."

His eyebrows furrow. "Why? I was just trying to--"

I hold up a hand and glare at him, and he closes his mouth. His eyes are full of questions that I wish more than anything I didn't have to answer. I swallow and try to slow my beating heart. "Haven't you noticed?"

He blinks. "Noticed what?"

"I'm with Joe. We're... together."

Seth blinks again, shakes his head one time. "Since when?" He's voice has grown deeper.

"I don't exactly know. It was complicated in the beginning."

"Oh, and now it's not?"

I throw my hands up in the air. "He's figuring things out. He was in a dark place, okay?"

"And it was your job to get him out of that place?" Seth counters. I pause and narrow my eyes.

"No--"

"I knew it."

"What?" I say, but Seth has stood. He grabs his jacket off the back of his chair and heads for the door. I watch him go, not even standing up at first. When I realize that he isn't coming back, I jump out of my chair and follow him, nearly forgetting my sweater. He's already walking down the sidewalk by the time I'm out the door. "Seth, wait!"

He keeps walking. I have to jog to catch up and I grab his elbow. "Seth!"

He stops and whips around, staring down at me. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Can we please stop with the whole 5 W's thing."

I blink twice. "You started it--"

"Celeste, why are you even with him?" He asks, his voice even deeper now. I don't know how to respond to the question.

"I'm... we're--"

"That's what I thought." Seth says, and tries to continue walking. I follow him.

"It's because I... I care about him. And he cares about me."

"I care about you too, Celeste!" Seth stops and raises his voice. He looks at me, pained. "I care about you too." he says, softly.

"I know you do, but--"

"No," he cuts me off again, "Not like that. Not like you're thinking."

I press my lips together and stare straight back at his eyes. I raise my hands toward him. "What do you want me to?"

Seth rolls his eyes. "Okay, Blackwood. Now it's time for me to give the news flash: You don't go to a formal dance with a guy, kiss him, constantly watch him for four months while he's completely oblivious, then flat out reject him. That sends really confusing signals."

"I didn't know if I was going to see him again! I thought he was gone!" I say desperately.

"So you just immediately jump all over me?" He asks, "Was I just a backup or something? Is that all I am to you?" He says. He's so hurt, and it hurts me.

"No, of course not." I say, but he clearly isn't convinced. I'm about to continue when my phone starts to ring in my back pocket. We both pause for a few seconds. I pull it out and glance down at the screen. "It's Kate."

Seth doesn't respond, merely glances up at me to see what I'll do. "I'm sorry." I saw quietly, and answer the call. He merely nods his head lightly and laughs under his breath, but there is no lightheartedness to it.

"Just forget it." He mutters, and walks away. I'm about to call out to him when Kate starts jabbering in my ear.

"Celeste! Thank God you picked up! Where are you?"

I watch as Seth strolls quickly down the street, his black hair blending with the night sky. I nearly forget to respond to Kate. "I'm in town at the coffee shop. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. But I think I found something on Colleen. How fast can you get back to the Academy?"

Seth turns a corner and disappears from sight. I breath out a shaky sigh and pull out my car keys. "I can be there in twenty."

"Great. I'll see you soon." Without another word, Kate hangs up. I put the phone back in my pocket. I glance over my shoulder when the opening bell to the shop rings. Carrie hustles outside and stops next to me.

"I saw your friend leave pretty fast there. Is everything alright?" she says and looks at me worriedly. I nod my head.

"Everything is fine, Carrie. Thanks." I reach into my pocket and pull out enough cash to cover both mine and Seth's drinks. "Here, sorry we didn't pay before we walked out."

Carrie eyes the money and then glances back up at my expression. She gently pushes my hand away and gives me a small smile. "Don't worry about it, honey. It's on the house. Get yourself home and get some rest, okay?"

I smile at her and nod again. "Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, honey." She saunters back into the shop, leaving me to gaze at the empty sidewalk where my friend disappeared.

*****************

Kate POV

I sit on the floor against the side of my bed and type furiously on my laptop. I don't even process the words to my research paper as the appear on the screen, one after the other. I pause and adjust my glasses and lean my head against the mattress.

John Edgar Hoover is just not that interesting right now.

I close out my paper and set my laptop on the bedside table. I gaze up at the fan that whirls around on the ceiling and contemplate the ways in which I should procrastinate. I have come to the conclusion that senior year at the Academy is the single most stressful thing I have ever done with my life. I signed up for all honors classes and tutored all throughout the summer to be prepared for this year, and now I'm asking myself if any of that even helped. There is a sudden knock on the door and I jump out of my trance. I stand up and slide the door open and meet Preston's wide grin. "Hey, Hot Stuff."

I walk away from the door and leave it open, giving him an invitation inside. "Don't call me that. You know I hate being called that."

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna stop calling you it." Preston sidles in and collapses on Celeste's bed. I roll my eyes and sit in the desk chair across from him.

"Is it just me, or have you gotten even more annoying since we started dating?"

Preston shrugs. There is a pause before he glances at all the papers scattered across my desk. "You've been working?"

I nod and brush my hair away from my face. "It's never ending."

"How did your test go today?"

I sigh and blink a few times. "Test...?"

"Computer ethics."

I nod in remembrance. "Right, yeah... I think I did okay."

"I'm sure you did better than okay." Preston says and leans forward. I shake my head and close my eyes for a few minutes.

"I was up all night studying for it... Celeste eventually wrenched the text book out of my hands and told me to go to sleep." I force my eyelids open and catch Preston's careful eyes, always watching me. "I haven't gotten much sleep lately."

Preston presses his lips together. "I know. Your head does that bobbing thing a lot."

Despite the stress, I let a giggle escape. "I almost crashed in Johnson's class at one point. Celeste had to pinch me at least twice." Preston shakes his head and crosses his arms.

"Maybe you should slack off a little bit. You've still got eight months to go."

"Ugh. Only eight months." I cross my fingers. He smiles at me and pauses for a minute, looking down at his lap.

"Have you gotten anywhere with Colleen?" He asks, glancing at me through his eyelashes. I bite my lip and shake my head, slightly embarrassed.

"No, she's like a ghost. I haven't found anything. I've looked everywhere... through her records, her softwares, any of her devices that weren't confiscated by the FBI. Nothing." I let a frustrated sigh out.

"What about her colleagues?"

"The ones that weren't arrested are gone too. They probably don't even associate with her anymore for fear of getting caught."

Preston sighs and rubs the back of his neck. His eyes go to a faraway place and stare at nothing. I watch the thoughts go round and round in his head, questions that he knows can't be answered yet. "Have you talked to Lockharte?"

"No, I don't think that would be a good idea. What if he doesn't want us getting involved in the investigation? At this point, it's up to the FBI or even the CIA to find her depending on where she is. The last time we go involved, things went south."

"Yeah, but we also saved hundreds of lives," Preston counters. "I mean God, Kate. You stopped a bomb from blowing us all up. Celeste took down one of the most dangerous people to the Academy. We're not helpless."

"I know. I just... I wish it was easier." I say, sounding defeated. Preston's eyes soften and he reaches across and takes my hand.

"Look, I know we're all counting you right now, and I know this is all gonna be rough for you. But we also all believe in you. You have to do what you think is right, because usually you are. That's the first thing I learned about you."

I let myself smile and squeeze his hand. "Thank you," I pause and chew the inside of my lip for a few seconds. "I think we should talk to Lockharte."

Preston returns my grin and leans back. He stands and offers my a hand, which I take. He hoists me up like I'm a small child. "Then we'll talk to Lockharte."

He opens to door for me and we walk outside, down the hall, and out into the courtyard. Weekends at the Academy are usually pretty slow, but sometimes the student leadership board will hold events outside. Tonight, they're holding a welcoming party for all the incoming freshmen. The newcomers can easily be picked out, as they all walk around wide-eyed, sticking to the few students that they know. Preston and I stick to the sidewalks until I see another senior girl jogging towards us. "Kate! Wait!"

Preston and I pause and watch as Claire Peterson stops in front of us and smiles, wiping sweat off her brow. "Hi," She says bluntly. "Are you busy, currently?"

I glance at Preston and he shrugs. "Um... I guess not. What's up, Claire?"

"Great. So we're holding the freshman fair as you can see, and it's where they find out their mentors and all that jazz."

"Okay?"

"Well... the professors recommended you as a mentor."

I cock an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

"Well yeah... because you're up for valedictorian and everything. So... do you want to meet her?"

I blink. "Who?"

"Your apprentice. She's here."

"Oh... oh okay." I say, shaking the confusion from my head. Claire can be hard to follow sometimes.

"Yeah, so... follow me, I guess." she responds and stalks away back towards the crowd. I watch her go before glancing at Preston again, who motions for me to follow her. I do, and soon I am surrounded by a bunch of incoming high schoolers, most of whom are taller than me. I fit right in. I slip through the crowd and find Claire standing near the fountain, talking to a girl with light brown hair and olive skin. I take my hair out of the bun and fluff it a little, the straighten out my shirt.

The girl looks at me curiously when I stop in front of her and Claire. She's the same height as me, which is odd considering she's three years younger. "Kate, this is Lynne Cutshall. She'll be your apprentice this year."

"Hi," I say, and offer my hand. The girl, Lynne, takes my hand and shakes it timidly. I think I hear a high pitched "hello" at some point. Claire watches us both awkwardly and clears her throat after a few seconds. "So, I think I'll leave you guys to it."

She charges away without another word, leaving the two of us in awkward silence. I finally turn to Lynne and offer her a small smile. "Where are you from?"

Lynne glances at me from under her bangs. "Alabama."

I notice that her accent is slightly southern, but not overbearing. "That's nice. I live with my dad in Georgia during the summers. He owns a peach orchard."

"How did you get into the Academy?" The girl asks.

"My mom's side of the family is involved with the government. Her brother is an agent for the NSA."

Lynne nods her head. "My dad is FBI, that's how I got in here. My mom does agency work too."

I smile politely. "That's nice. Are you happy you're here?"

She looks around and shakes her head. "It's all just so overwhelming. I came here from a public school system. It's different."

"I can relate. I felt the same way my freshman year. You get used to it. It's not so bad after awhile." I say, "What classes are you taking?"

"All the intro ones. Computer ethics, field work, physical defense, chemistry. I'm taking French for my foreign language."

I smile. "That's good! I took French for my first two years. Professor Lawry is a good teacher. She keeps the class interesting."

"She does" Lynne uncrosses her arms and straightens her shoulders. I think she's a little more comfortable now. "I stink at the conjugations."

"Well," I say, "Why don't I help you out with that sometime?"

Lynne smiles for the first time. "I would like that."

"You can come to me whenever you need to," I say, "Seniors are on the top floor of the dorms. I'm all the way at the end of the hall. You'll see a sign on my door. It has my name and my roommate's on it. Her name is Celeste. I'm sure she can help you out whenever you need it too."

The girl nods her head and takes the information into account, storing it away for later. Her eyes are ice blue and give a stark contrast to the warm tone of her skin. She's pretty, even looks mature for her age. I think I already like her. "Hey, I've got to get going. I actually have a meeting with someone," I say. "But if you ever need anything, you can find me in the school system or wherever. Don't be freaked out to talk to me if you need to." I say and offer her another small smile. Lynne returns it this time. I touch her shoulder and turn to walk away, pushing through the crowd of disoriented freshmen. I can feel Lynne's eyes following me the entire way to the sidewalk.

Preston is waiting for me right where he was before. He grins when he sees me and raises his eyebrows in a question. "Well? What was she like?" He asks as we start our trek to Lockharte's office.

"Extremely shy, but super sweet. She's gorgeous too. I think she's pretty smart from what I could tell. Her name is Lynne Cutshall."

"Cutshall?" Preston repeats, "That's a big name with the Academy."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's a legacy student. Her dad was a big deal back in his days here, her mom too. They were both friends with my dad. They probably knew Celeste's parents too since they were all around the same age."

"Huh... interesting. Do you think they had any ties to the Vegas family?" I ask.

Maybe. Hard to say unless we can actually talk to them." The Headmaster's office comes into view and I quietly knock on the door when we reach it. I hear his voice welcome us in through the wood.

"Ah, Miss Sanders. Mr. Haynesworth." he says and sets his pen down when we sidle in the door.

"Good evening, Headmaster." I say and sit down across from his desk. Preston stays standing and puts his hand on the chair.

"What can I do for you two?" Lockharte asks as he laces his fingers together.

"Um..." I try to think of where to begin. "It's been months since the last time we saw Colleen McCleary, and we were wondering if you or the FBI had found anything to her location."

Lockharte leans back in his chair and gazes at the two of us. "I'm afraid we haven't, and if we had then it's not information that I am permitted to share with you. This is a case that doesn't concern the Academy at this point in time."

"Sir, with all due respect, it does. Colleen was in league with Jasper, who targeted the Academy directly." Preston says.

"I understand that, Preston. I wish that I could do something, but my power only extends to a certain point. It's best for you two to not worry about such things. This is your senior year at the Academy, your last year. You should be focusing on your work and enjoying your last few months."

"It's not just us that want to figure this out, Headmaster."

Lockharte grins and looks down at his. "Yes, I know that my granddaughter still has it on her mind as well."

"Seth does too. Even Joe is curious."

Lockharte inhales through his nose and shakes his head. "I am sorry, Miss Sanders, truly. I can't give out any confidential information."

I lean back in my chair. "Is there any information you can give us?" I ask desperately.

"How is your French elective going, Kate?" Lockharte counters, just out of the blue. I blink my eyes, slightly confused.

"Fine. It helps that I took the course freshman and sophomore year."

"Yes, I remember. Top of the class, you were."

"What does this have to do with the subject, Headmaster?" I ask, growing irritated. Lockharte observes me for a few seconds, then shuffles through a few papers on his desk. He grunts then leans down beneath the desk. I can hear a drawer being opened, and more papers being thrown around. I glance up at Preston, who returns the same confused look. We both watch when Lockharte's head pops back up from below the desk.

"Aha, here it is." Lockharte hands a single piece of paper to me. I take it and stare at two lines of writing on the white sheet. I look back up at the Headmaster, who gazes at me with curious and... mischievous eyes.

"These are coordinates." I say, and show the paper to him to prove my point.

"Yes."

"They're coordinates... what does this have to do with French or Colleen McClearly?"

Lockharte leans forward and puts his hands on the desk. "I need you to run an errand for me, Miss Sanders."

I try not to roll my eyes and nod for him to continue. "Yes sir?"

"There's a book in the dorms library that I need you to get for me. It's titled Mayan Culture in the Mesoamericas. It's a little torn up, but the cover is blue. Shouldn't be that complicated to find."

I blink at him and stare down the sheet of paper. "Okay? May I inquire as to why I'm doing this, sir?" Lockharte grins at me.

"I believe that I was reading this particular book not so long ago and I realized that someone had marked in it. Yes, Miss Sanders, someone had vandalized school property. Tragic, isn't it?"

"I would assume so." I say, and furrow my eyebrows.

"If you find this book and return it to me, I would be most grateful. It's quite a crucial book. But before you return it, give it a good read-through. There's some very intriguing information in there."

"About the Mayans?" I say, almost in disbelief. Lockharte merely nods his head. I look at Preston, who is just as dumbfounded as I am.

"When do you need this book by?" I ask.

"Oh... tonight will suffice." Lockharte responds, and picks up his pen and starts to scribble away on a notepad. My eyes widen and I quickly stand up.

"I don't think I can read the entire book tonight, sir."

Lockharte pauses and looks up at me. "You don't need to," he says in all seriousness, "Just look for what matters."

Preston and I both gaze at the old man in confusion. "Will that be all?" he asks. We both take a moment then nod our heads.

"Good, good then. Have a lovely evening, both of you." Lockharte says, and waves us out of his office. We quickly make for the exit and close the door behind us.

"Well, that made no sense at all." Preston says under his breath.

"I know. I'm just as lost as you are."

"Celeste lived with that for three months?"

I shake my head and stare down at the single piece of paper. "I guess we should go find that book." I say. Lockharte's final words are echoing in my head.

"Why? Why is it so crucial?" Preston asks.

"... I don't know." I say, and begin walking towards the dorms.

"Kate, wait!" Preston says and jogs to catch up with me. We reach the building and walk inside, up the stairs and to my bedroom. Preston pesters me the entire time, but all I can think about is the coordinates.

I flip my laptop open inside my room and plug in the coordinates to the tracking software and wait for it to load. It ends up going to the Rosebrough Monument in St. Louis, Missouri. I throw my laptop off to the side in frustration. "What the hell is he asking for?" I say and press my fingers to my temples. Without waiting to see if Preston follows me or not, I charge downstairs to the common room of the dorms. A majority of the books are located there on the shelves that surround the seating area while the library is being rebuilt. No one else is here right now, just me and Preston. I find the history bookshelf and begin scanning for the word "Mayan". I hear Preston come up behind me and sigh with irritation. "Kate what--"

"Shhh." I say, cutting him off. He doesn't speak again. I find the book towards the bottom of the shelf, where they keep some of the older novels. I slide it out carefully and sit down on the couch and open to the cover page. The pages have deteriorated to a yellow color around the edges. Preston plops down beside me. I begin to flip through the pages. It isn't that damaged except for aging and a few circled words here and there. I stop on one page that has a single word circled.

The. That's what is circled.

I stare down at the single word in curiosity. Preston leans over and looks at me. He points at the word and says, "That's an article."

I glance in the corner of the page. Page 58.

"Preston."

"Hmm?" Preston says. He has leaned back on the couch and now has his eyes closed. I whack him on the shoulder and he sits up.

"Preston, check if there's a 58 on those coordinates."

Preston picks up the sheet of paper and scans the two lines of numbers. "Yeah, there's a 58. Why is that important?" I ignore his question and keep flipping through the book. I find another page with a letter circled on it.

City. Page 59.

"What about 59?"

"Yeah, right after the 58."

I write down "the city" on a piece of paper. "What's the number before 58?"

There is one second of silence. Then, "38."

I go to page 38, and find the world "in" circled. I write it down in front of "the city."

"Next number?"

"... 90."

I go to page 90. Nothing is circled. Then I go to page 9. "Of" is circled.

"Okay, what's the next number?"

"Um... 0."

"And after that?"

"... Point 3. 0.3"

I go straight to the table of contents. Sure enough, the title for chapter three has the word "Lights" circled. I write it down. Preston has caught on by now, and is already looking at the final three numbers of the coordinate.

"Okay... okay, the next number is 1."

Page one says "find" on it.

"Okay, page 50. Go to page 50."

My fingers are sweating from the anticipation. I desperately flip to page 50. Two words are circled this time.

"Safe haven."

I write down the words, and close the book. I pull the piece of paper that has the decoded phrase on it and read it five times before it can process through my brain. I whisper it to myself.

"In the City of Lights, find safe haven."

Preston stares down at the phrase too. "Kate--"

"Dans la ville des lumières, trouves refuge." I whisper.

    "What--"

    "France," I say softly, "She's in Paris, France."

    "How do you know that?" Preston asks.

    "The City of Lights is Paris. Colleen is there. That's what Lockharte was trying to tell us. It had to be decoded. He said he couldn't give us confidential information, but he could give us hints for it. I have to call Celeste."

I pull my phone out as Preston stares at the sheet of paper and back at me. "Genius..." he mutters. I pull open my contacts list and scroll to Celeste. The phone rings five times before she finally picks up.

"Celeste! Thank God you picked up! Where are you?"

There is silence for a few agonizing seconds. "I'm in town at the coffee shop. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. But I think I found something on Colleen. How fast can you get back to the Academy?"

"I can be there in twenty."

"Great," I say as I hang up the phone. I look at Preston and grin.

"Looks like we found our guy."