Another few days passed, and we reached the halfway mark of training camp. And with me being bogged down with studying for tests and demonstrations, my investigation had been put on hold.

But that didn't mean I stopped paying attention.

Stacy and Justin remained wary of me, and found no shame throwing me shade in the cafeteria. But Melissa had completely shut me out.

No sideways glances, nothing during any of our classes together... Hell, she barely even made eye contact with me.

Not like I cared.

I figured after our conversation in the bathroom a few days ago she had gotten the hint that I wouldn't be on her side if shit went down. The only bad thing was that I felt I hadn't told her the truth.

The more I thought about what I told her the more I began to regret it.

What if Melissa was involved with whatever was circulating around campus? And what if she had valuable information that I could use to my benefit? She would never tell me anything if she didn't trust my motives.

Maybe a change of heart, at least on the outside, would compel Melissa to tell me the truth.

"Are you coming?" Paige asked as she laced up her shoes.

I snapped out of my thought. "Yeah."

Day twenty-five was important. It was the day that everyone in camp had to prove what they had learned. It was also the day that would determine who would continue to the second phase of training.

And our first test was a physical examination.

I felt most prepared for this exam. Hell, I had come into camp in the best physical shape I had been in for years. Working out every day in prison put me ahead of everyone else. This would be my easiest challenge.

Upon arrival, women and men were separated into groups. We were tested on pushups and sit-ups, which was the easiest part, and then prepared for the two-mile run.

"You have nineteen minutes and thirty seconds to complete the run," our instructor revealed. "Failure to do so will result in a failing grade for your physical exam."

I knelt and tightened my laces just in case. Then my eyes caught Melissa, who was doing the same. Her hands shook against her shoes as she caught my gaze. She rolled her eyes and stood back up.

The sound of a bell signaled our start.

I took off with confidence, knowing I could certainly complete two miles in that amount of time. And the sooner I finished the run the sooner I could get back to my studies to prepare for my other tests.

It took me a few minutes to pass most of my counterparts and take the lead, which felt great. There was just one person I couldn't seem to catch up to.

And it was, of course, Melissa.

I remembered at the beginning of camp when she could barely keep up with me. How, in only twenty-five days, had she managed to outdo me?

An answer formulated, but I didn't want to believe it.

I was feeling good so I pushed harder to gain ground behind her. Eventually she could hear me approaching.

"Melissa," I called, but she ignored me.

Well, how the tables have turned.

Eventually I made it on the side of her, but probably only because she had intentionally allowed it. Yet, she remained quiet to control her breathing.

"I'm sorry," I panted.

She wanted to glance at me. I could see it. But she remained stoic.

"I didn't mean... what I said," I confessed. "I just don't... want to believe... you're using."

The comment hit a nerve somewhere inside because she looked at me. I figured I would get some sort of verbal response this time, but nothing came.

Instead she picked up speed and left me to fight out the rest of the run alone.

This act showed me more than I was prepared to see, and I was afraid that Melissa knew more than she was letting in on. Stacy and Justin had no problem telling me they were using, but Melissa? She wasn't as careless.

I made it to the finish line in sixteen minutes and forty-five seconds. My hands planted on my head as I tried to regulate my breathing. Melissa had finished about a minute in front of me.

We stood together in silence, only the sound of our heavy breathing filled the void.

"Reese and Cortez, well done," the instructor said. "The next exam is in thirty minutes."

Melissa turned away from me but when I went to follow something in the distance caught my eye.

A guy fell to the ground and his body contorted into an abnormal position.

For a moment, I hesitated. Had anyone else seen that? I looked around and noticed I had been the only witness.

I sprinted over to him despite my fatigue. When I approached, the sight of a real live seizure managed to scare me back into reality.

Keep calm, I ordered myself. You know what to do.

I knelt beside him and tried to roll him onto his side. His body convulsed as I turned and called out for help. Melissa looked back at me and bolted to my side.

When I looked up at her she stared, wide-eyed.

"Melissa help me," I pleaded.

She snapped out of her shock and knelt beside me. We both gently turned him onto his side as we waited till the seizure finally passed. Within that time the infirmary nurses had arrived at the scene.

"Thank you," one claimed. "We can take it from here."

I stood but gave the guy one more concerned glance before walking away. What the hell had just happened?

Melissa on the other hand looked white as a ghost. For a second I believed she was about to pass out.

"Are you okay?" I wondered.

"Y-Yeah," she said. Then she left my side.

Had the seizure scared her that much? Or was there more to what she was feeling? Was it possible that this guy had also taken the drug? And was Melissa's reaction a fearful realization that this stuff could also cause seizures?

My mind raced as I decided to take a quick shower and headed for the washrooms.

I hadn't even turned on the shower yet when I heard the door open and close.

"He had a seizure, Stacy."

It was Melissa.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," she hissed.

I could hear one of them pacing. I guessed it to be Melissa.

"Do you know if he...?"

There was a pause. I held my breath.

"I saw him go into the infirmary yesterday," Stacy revealed.

The tension in the room thickened.

"Doesn't this worry you at all?" Melissa asked.

"I haven't had any bad reactions and I've been taking it for a few weeks," Stacy revealed. "Why? Have you tried it?"

There was another pause.

"No," said Melissa. "I haven't."

If only I could see her then I would be able to know if she was telling the truth. But I felt that if I gave away my position, something bad would happen.

"Then there's nothing to worry about," Stacy finished. "Just be grateful it didn't happen to you."

Then I heard the door open and close. I guess Stacy didn't appreciate Melissa's concern, just like she hadn't appreciated mine.

I waited another minute in silence, but Melissa never left.

"Now you know it causes seizures too," she said aloud.

She had known I was here the whole time? Is that why she had brought Stacy here? To help me? Or was it something else?

Then she left the bathroom, and I was left with more confusion.

The rest of the day was a blur after the seizure incident. I kept seeing that guy just convulsing on the ground, spit seeping from him mouth.

Had he taken the steroid in hopes to pass his tests with flying colors? Only for his body to have a bad reaction and put him in the hospital? Did Stacy and Justin still think it was worth it? And who else would become a victim of this drug?

Up until now I hadn't felt like it was dangerous enough to tell Chapman, but now I was having a change of heart. Maybe he needed to know what was going on. And maybe if I found out more he could help me figure out how it was getting in here.

It was now a few days after examinations and everything had yet to return to normal. Everyone seemed to know about the man who had been hospitalized that day, but only a handful knew why.

Me, Melissa, Stacy, Justin and Paige were the only ones that knew the truth, and it had managed to put everyone on edge.

"I need to go to the infirmary," I claimed.

"You're gonna sneak in?" Paige wondered.

I shook my head. "No, I just want to scope it out. See their faces and see if I get a hunch."

"And if you do...?"

"Then I'll sneak in and look around," I confirmed. "But I need a lead."

Paige thought. "Well, you need a reason to go in the first place."

I sighed. "Yeah, I know."

I, of course, had a plan, but would need a willing participant to help me out. So, after lunch I proceeded to the rest of my classes, and waited until Basic Defense to initiate.

I approached Melissa. "I need your help."

Her wary eyes searched mine. "Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

I studied her. I could remain cold to her and show her how I really felt, or I could fake it just like she had done to me months ago to get what she wanted. It had worked in her favor... Maybe it would for me.

"There's too much going on around here to waste energy on the wrong things," I admitted. "That includes my grudge against you."

She raised a brow at my comment.

Whether she believed me or not, I couldn't tell, but she miraculously agreed to help.

"What do you need?" she wondered.

I smiled. "I need you to hit me really hard. Right here." I pointed to my right eyebrow.

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Are you insane?"

"Yes?"

"Why?"

"I need a reason to go to the infirmary," I confessed.

"Alexa you shouldn't be involving yourself in this," she admitted. "If you get caught doing something stupid you'll get kicked out."

"I won't get caught." I paused. "Unless you plan to rat me out again."

She crossed her arms. "You know, if you're not gonna hear the whole story, don't make assumptions."

The instructor entered then, disrupting our conversation. Today we would exercise actual scenarios of hand to hand combat, which was perfect.

Melissa would wait for my signal, and once I gave her the okay, she would hopefully hit me hard enough to split the skin on my brow. It was the only thing I could think of that wouldn't keep me down for a few days.

After we warmed up and did a few rounds I gave her the look.

"Don't hold back," I demanded.

"What if it doesn't work-"

"It'll work if you hit me hard enough."

"It's gonna hurt."

I rolled my eyes. "No shit Melissa. Just do it."

We took our stances and then started. She charged but I blocked. She spun around and I caught her in a choke hold. That's when she brought her elbow back and knocked me in the face.

I winced in pain as I stumbled back. The sensation of warm blood oozed over the edge of my eye and down my cheek.

"Fuck that hurt," I expressed.

"I told you," Melissa said.

"Jesus Reese, tone it down would you?" Our teacher inspected my face. "You okay, Cortez?"

I stood tall. "Yeah. It was an accident. I forgot to block." My eyes met Melissa. "Is it bad?"

"Oh yeah," the instructor said. "Head over to the infirmary to get that thing cleaned."

I left in a hurry. Melissa gave me a look that said "be careful" but she still looked awfully nervous. I was still surprised she had helped me in the first place.

I held my hand over my face to keep the blood from seeping but Melissa had obviously done a damn fine job. I wondered if she had secretly enjoyed it.

When I walked in a nurse spotted me.

"Bad hit?" she asked.

"Very." I removed my hand that was covered in red. "Do I need stitches?"

The nurse just smiled. "This is nothing a butterfly bandage can't fix. Come."

I followed her around the back and spotted a few more nurses. I figured there weren't that many here, maybe six or seven, and I wanted to recognize their faces.

"You're the girl who helped the man who had the seizure," she claimed. "That's why you look familiar."

"Yeah that's me," I admitted. "How is he, anyway? I haven't seen him around."

She gave a sad look. "He's been sent home. Last I heard he was okay, just very soar. I guess they figured he wouldn't test out of exams."

This information caused a sadness to form. If I had gone through twenty-five days of vigorous training only to be sent home... well, I'd probably lose it.

"Wow," was all I could say.

She finished cleaning the wound and was now putting on the bandage.

"Sometimes people can't handle the stress of this place," she confessed. "It's just the weirdest thing. I mean, I had seen him that morning. He was complaining of nothing more than an upset stomach and then the next he's having a seizure."

"Do you know if one of the nurses gave him anything?" I wondered aloud.

She just gave me a funny look.

"You know, to help with his upset stomach," I confirmed.

She shook her head. "We log every dose of anything we give to a trainee. There was nothing on file given to him."

The infirmary wasn't big. A few rooms and a front desk. And there had been a file cabinet in the front. So unless there was another secret room, the files had to be kept there.

"How many of you are there anyway?"

Hopefully she didn't find my prying that annoying.

"There six of us, but we're never all here at the same time," she said.

"Of course."

So six nurses were on duty for this specific camp session.

"I think you're good to go." She stepped back and inspected her work. "Come back tomorrow for lunch to change out the bandage. I won't be here, but one of the other nurses can do it."

I gave her a smile. "Thanks."

I made my way out throughthe office and studied the faces of the other two nurses on duty before headingback to class. Tomorrow I would get a glimpse of the others and determine mynext move.