We were all called into the vacant Dining Hall at the stroke of midnight.

By all, I mean me, Taylor, Crowose, Godwin, and three others, two men and a woman. Apparently we were all chosen to be a part of Megan's rescue crew.

"I wonder why Andy's not here," Taylor whispered. I shook my head, not knowing.

"Now, you all know why've been called here," Crowose began, "And I hope you assume yourselves lucky; you needed high skill to be chosen. This mission will require special training in a bomb shelter a thousand meters below the bottom level of headquarters."

"Why didn't we know we had one of those?" I muttered to Taylor.

"Quiet, Ehvil," Crowose scolded, "You are now one of the very few who know that the bomb shelter exists. It is filled with nonperishable food and water, along with clothing and blankets, for when the Rosary Kingdom actually bombs this place. It's very dark and musty down there, and the walls create an enormous maze. We will train as if that maze is the Rosary Palace and we are on our literal mission. Dr. Gwen, the advanced engineering team, and Madame Lee have set up various traps throughout the bomb shelter. They are real because you have to know what actually happens when you're not cautious. On the mission you will have your weapons, but not in training; you need to know how to defend yourself if you lose your weapon in combat. Now, you must tell no one about the mission. We are the only ones who know that Megan is still alive."

"Wow, I feel so special," one of the men, a young redhead, joked.

"Shut it, Snitterden," Crowose snapped, "You don't have to take part in this."

"You can call me Zack, you know," the redhead continued to tease. He snickered.

Crowose ignored him. "When does this special training start?" the woman asked. She also seemed fairly young, with locks of shiny black hair with blue highlights. Her name is Cloey.

"Same time as tonight, every other night," Crowose replied, sounding much friendlier now, "We'll meet in the Training Dome and we'll take the hidden elevator from there."

"Oooo," Zack joked. Crowose sighed, wanting to slap him. Too bad he had to be a skilled fighter, she thought.

On the way back to our dorm, I yawned every possible moment, still in my flannel pajama pants and t-shirt. Taylor was as excited as ever, full of a new energy. She would not shut up.

"My first mission!" she exclaimed, speaking a hundred miles a minute, "I'm so excited! I wonder what the bomb shelter is like? Oh, and the Rosary Kingdom! What do you think they're doing to Megan? I hope they're not hurting her!" That was only one percent of her whole lecture.

"They're not the best," I remarked, remembering my first mission, which was the reason that we were on this mission.

Taylor put my words down. "Fun sponge," she retorted and stalked away. I had no clue where she was going other than our dorm at this hour; it was nearly one in the morning! I didn't want anything but my bed at the moment so I headed back to my dorm and snuggled deep beneath the covers.

~

Andy had no clue that the rescue mission team was meeting that night. He believed that everyone was sound asleep as he snuck down to the Spy Lab at the stroke of midnight.

So he wasn't one of the computer scientists, but he could be as smart as Dr. Gwen if he wanted to. Inside the lab was all dark as Andy felt his way to Dr. Gwen's computer. He pressed the on button.

The bright monitor scarred his eyes and Andy quickly dimmed the screen. Then he logged on as Dr. Gwen; he had learned the password when he had hacked the account from a different computer. This is what he had been waiting for.

He created a new email and began to type: "Dear President Marigold, We are planning to rescue Megan in a matter of five days. There will be six soldiers, Crowose included. Sincerely, James H. Gwen."

Andy smirked and sent the document. The reply came almost immediately: "Thank you, 'James H. Gwen'."

Andy snickered. Betrayal felt so good.

~

Madame Lee was startled awake when her reflection screamed. She bounced up and came to stand in front of the mirror. "I told you not to do that!" the witch scolded, "But now that you've awoken me, what do you want?"

"It's happened," replied the reflection, "It has been done. They know."

All color drained from Madame Lee's face. She had warned Lilliana but the damage had been done.

~

I was woken up someone banged repeatedly on the door. I grudgingly stood up and answered it. I looked at the visitor, Zack, through crusty eyes. I slouched, my hair a mess, and my vision was fuzzy with tiredness. "What do you want?" I muttered.

"Andy told me to tell you," explained Zack almost as fast as Taylor had spoken last night, "that Dr. Gwen cannot be trusted. He told the Rosary Kingdom about the special mission!"

Before I could reply, Zack moved onto the next dorm. He made his way down the hall, telling tired residents who all slammed the door in his face what he had just told me. I was just plain confused.

As my mind began to wake up, I finally realized what Madame Lee's riddles had meant. But it was too late now.

Later that afternoon, I was once again called into Crowose's office. But I wasn't the only one.

Crowose and Dr. Gwen were sitting while Madame Lee paced. When I arrived she pointed a finger at me and shouted, "Her! I warned her but she was too dumb to figure out my easiest riddles!"

I was too ashamed to argue.

"Madame Lee, that's enough," Crowose scolded, "It is not Lilliana's fault. It is Andy's and Zack's."

Dr. Gwen looked shaken. He slouched in his chair, his gaze unfocused. "Everyone thinks I'm a traitor," he mumbled.

"Not everyone knows about my reflection so we can't prove that it was Andy, not Dr. Gwen," Madame Lee stated angrily, "It's too complicated for most to understand."

"Andy framed me," mumbled Dr. Gwen. He stared into another dimension. He sat in the metal chair beside Crowose, who rubbed his arm, though she looked at Madame Lee.

"So there's no way to convince the order that Dr. Gwen is innocent?" I asked.

Madame Lee and Crowose nodded sadly. Dr. Gwen continued his mumbling. He looked defeated.

"Why couldn't we just take the time to explain your reflection?" I continued to question.

Madame Lee sighed in annoyance. "Again, that's not how magic works," she explained stiffly.

"Then how does it work?"

"If you couldn't solve my easiest riddles, then it'd be too complicated for your brain to register," snarled Madame Lee. I clenched my fists and I felt my muscles tense, preparing to spring at the witch. Crowose gave me a warning glance.

"No one can solve your easiest riddles! Plus, it's not my fault I don't have an education!" I exclaimed.

"Right, because it's your parent's fault," remarked the witch. Crowose realized that she had gone too far too late.

That was it. I sprang, tackling Madame Lee to the floor. She zapped me off with the flick of her wand as Crowose shot up from her chair. "That's enough!" she hollered, her eyes closed.

Madame Lee and I stood up. "It's her own fault," I muttered. The witch glared at me from the corner of her eye as she smoothed her long black skirt. We both faced Crowose and her desk. Dr. Gwen continued his mumbling, still unfocused, as if nothing had happened.

Crowose was fuming, her eyes now open. "If we turn amongst ourselves, how can we ever defeat the Rosary Kingdom?" she scolded, pointing her finger at us. Madame Lee looked her in the eye and I gazed down, my hands behind my back, shuffling my feet.

"Lilliana, you are dismissed," Crowose continued in a lower voice, "I will see you later tonight."

I left without another word until I headed down to the bottom floor for special training, at the stroke of midnight.