(Image: Jack in school uniform)

Frank looked over Angel's shoulder to see who dared interrupt him.

It was that quiet guy who tagged along with Chris, Angel, & Pink-girl.

"Back off, Ex-S." Angel snarled, trying to shrug off Dexter-Suleman's hand, but to no avail. It was a strong grip he held Angel in.

"Angel, your tool does not belong in front of children. There are cameras watching you. Your mission will be ended before it has begun." Dexter-Suleman deadpanned.

Angel seemed to be about to disagree with a hasty retort, but amidst an internal conflict displayed on his features, appeared to decide against the action.

His tool, the rod he still pointed at Francis Montpelier's head, slowly lowered while still clutched tightly in his grip. Soon it was by his side. His expression still held revulsion for the one in front of him.

"Don't think this is over." he shot. "I promise I'll get you, when you least expect it." He smiled viciously. "You'll never see me coming."

"Aww, I love surprises! What are you going to get me? A Le Ferrarri III would really hit the spot." Frank grinned innocently back.

Angel seethed and advanced towards Frank, but Dexter-Suleman caught a tight grip on his arm. Breathing out, Angel turned away, giving Frank one last, meaningful look over his shoulder, before leaving with Dexter.

-

If Syeda could squeal, what they were hearing now was what it sounded like.

"Guys!" Syeda happy-hissed to Jack and Frank at their meet-up point in the school library. Frank raised an eyebrow at Jack who took a look at Syeda and then shrugged back at Frank.

Somehow they'd managed to give Eager-Beaver Chris the slip, who seemed to be intent on tailing them everywhere.

"Contrary to my expectations, I was expecting the text to have lead us to a dead end. But hey, it's allowed me to log the sender's coordinates! One of the apps on my phone that I'd suspected had lacked the patches necessary to allow it to track the device has surprised me; it does contain them after all."

"Sooooo...." Jack begun to ask, unassured, inclining his head to one side.

"I think she means she can trace the mystery texter now." Frank whispered in his ear.

"Ooh, cool." Jack conceded, suddenly looking as if he understood it all. "So how will we find him, Syeda?"

Syeda looked thoughtful. "I have to get home to my computer to configure the app's data properly. I should have it ready by..." Her face scrunched up, like she was doing internal calculations in her head. "Six 'o' clock today."

"That's the time of the Halloween Party." Frank mused.

"Party? There's a Party? Are you guys going?" Jack peppered the others with questions.

"I am." Frank acknowledged off-handedly. "Free food, why not." He shrugged.

"You'd think no one feeds you." Syeda empathised flatly.

Frank batted his hand. "I'm not you, Syeda. I don't shun all social events. Dum vivimus, vivamus*." He replied with an easy smile, fingers now interlaced and elbows on the table.

"So what are you going as?" Jack pressed.

"Abraham Van Helsing." Frank grinned. "The Vampire Hunter."

"Aw man! That's so coooool!" Jack moaned, falling back against his chair, as if in defeat. "What am I gonna go as?"

Syeda couldn't resist a jibe (a girl gotta have fun sometime). "Being yourself probably meets the criteria, Jack." she smiled sunnily.

Jack was not amused. "Ohmygod, their CRITERIA, what did you ask them for, a mark scheme?" Jack growled back.

He continued. "ANY-way, that's a variation of MY joke, that you heard from me when we were kids, amiright?" He asked infuriatedly. Syeda smiled slyly, but didn't humour him.

"But whatevs. As I was sayin'-" he turned back to Frank. "Where can I get a halloween costume real fast?"

Frank checked his watch, amid the hustle and bustle of the library. "It's 1:10 now. Maybe after school you could rush off to your nearby Sainsburys or M&S?" He offered.

"Hmm... Isn't there a John Lewis here?" Jack queried.

Frank rolled his eyes. "First world problems. No one in this town has enough bangers for that, son. It's not London Central."

"There is one in the nearby Milton Keynes." Syeda quietly added, thinking. "Good luck taking a bus there." she smirked.

"Look, your Halloween outfit doesn't need to be Gucci or some random brand, mate. You're only gonna wear it for a day." Frank reminded, unimpressed.

"I know but John Lewis has so much variety..." Jack whined.

"Well whatever, but if you're gonna come, meet me at Christina's house at 6:00pm. It's happening there. Oh, didn't you guys know?" He looked questioningly at both the horrified Syeda and confused Jack. "She's hosting it."

"Christina?!" Syeda managed to finally let out, after staring at Frank as if he'd said it was a Martian hosting.

"Semper idem*, Syeda? C'mon, she's not that bad! A bit chatty, but not more than Jack! Anyway-" He got up, getting his backpack on, and looking at his watch. 1:17. "Three minutes left till next lesson. You guys have Biology now, right? I have Latin. You gonna go or what?

"Well..." Syeda looked indecisive, as she packed, got up, and made her way to class with the others. "I'll try to work a lot faster to finish up at 5:30pm, so I can phone you guys before you get busy with the party." she sniffed. Frank acknowledged and left with a wave, as Syeda and Jack walked towards and entered their Biology class.

Christian de Courcy looked up at them from a table and grinned, waving. He patted the chair next to him cheerfully.

'Oh God.' Syeda heaved internally.

-

Elyka looked carefully again at the person sat in front of her. Syeda. With her bag on the seat next to her as usual, so no one could intrude on her genius-ness (or heaven forbid, try to talk to her).

She'd noticed recently how Syeda was suddenly chummy (or at least, hanging out with) Frank and the new boy.

Syeda had never hung out with anyone since she arrived at the school four years ago.

Elyka itched to know the answer. What was going on? What secret deal was at play here that Frank, the quiet, unobtrusive, (crazily clever; people should see him with his puns, quotes and latin phrases in English class, thought Elyka) casual maverick of the school was hanging out with their other resident genius? What species of magic was going on here?

She noticed how Chris the young Lord was repeatedly trying to catch Syeda's eye (Why?!) or remark something to Syeda across their desks about classwork, until Syeda, after ignoring him long enough, finally gave him a vicious death-glare. That got the message across; Chris timidly kept his head down after that. That other new boy Jack, who looked English (except that he was slightly East-Asian around the eyes), was happily daydreaming out the window in his corner-of-the-class seat, and only looked over at Syeda occasionally, as if to check what she was doing and imitate it as best he could so the teacher wouldn't bother him.

It was only his first day, yet he already seemed best friends with the school's two most elusive, brainiac introverts (well Frank was happy to talk to people, but no one seemed to interest him enough for him to regularly hang out with, despite invites).

Everything aside. This Jack-boy interacted with Syeda as if they were... Friends.

Impossible. Boy, she was gonna get to the bottom of this.

When double Biology was done and school was over, in the background of everyone rushing out the school gates, Elyka walked up to Syeda, smiling keenly.

As of this day, Syeda decided to distrust anyone who smiled like that. Or anyone who smiled. Period.

Elyka guessed her thoughts, and changed her approach completely.

"Syedaaa!" She whined. "How come you're friends with Frank the loser-" "Hey!" Frank objected in the background. "and even the new boy?! How does the new boy know you? Don't tell me he doesn't, I know he does! I may be short, but I'm not blind!"

Jack looked amusedly from Syeda to this petite, curly haired, tan East Asian girl who came up to just below his shoulders (then again, he was 6'2), and back to Syeda, grinning lightly.

It was Syeda's call whether to tell her.

"None of your business, Elyka!" Syeda retaliated, looking more pissed than Jack had ever seen her (and with Syeda's perpetual grumpi-tude, that was definitely saying something).

"Syeda, please!" Elyka badgered, voice shrill. "I'll do anyTHING!"

Elyka was clever. She knew it. She proved it on a daily basis. But all the other really clever kids (Syeda, Frank) were solitary souls, content in their own company – until now! They'd made their own clique and Elyka wasn't in it!

If she wasn't a part of this crew, Elyka was convinced she would never be a part of any.

But what was this? Syeda suddenly looked... interested now?

"Anything, huh..." Syeda repeated, looking thoughtful and sly.

"Yup!" Obviously not anything, but they could believe that for now.

Syeda walked up close to Elyka, leaned in, and stared at her intently in the eyes. "I'll hold you to that, Chua."

Dang; she still called her by her surname.

"How about I tell you exactly what's going on here," Syeda said deftly, "But any sign of you going back on your word,"

Syeda's green eyes, cat-like (Elyka had always thought), behaved like shooting darts, stabbing the Filipino girl in place, leaving her breathless.

"And I will have to make arrangements. But before I tell you anything, you must swear that as of now I have your long-term support, until my endeavour ends. You see, I head-up this roadshow" she gestured her hand gracefully towards the boys.

"I make the rules. You will have to abide by them."

Jack mouthed something to Elyka, 'She's just scaring you! Hurry up and join!'. Syeda gave him a dirty (but not truly annoyed) look, before continuing. Frank had whipped out an ancient-looking book and seemed entranced, but Elyka was sure he was listening in to everything and taking note.

"Elyka, you and I haven't had the best history. You've been a thorn in my side since you arrived here, with your incessant questions-"

Elyka's heart was in her throat.

"Constant pestering,"

Her brain was persuading her tear ducts to soon take action.

"And this persistent chatter that you take everywhere with you, it's like this annoying fly buzzing that you try to swat away but it never quite leaves you alone."

That's it. Elyka sniffed, eyes wet, and began to turn away.

So this was what Syeda really thought of her. Fine with her.

"But, I acknowledge I may have been; no, I have been, unduly harsh and bad-mannered with you. I should have had more patience, and perhaps have tried to see where you were coming from."

"Forgive me."

Syeda held her hand out to Elyka with a slight smile. The most genuine Elyka had ever seen. "A new slate?" She inclined her eyebrow.

Elyka, still breathless from earlier, nodded repetitively, overwhelming relief dousing her, and accepted the outstretched hand, attempting to survive its incredibly tight but well-meaning grip.

"Well then." Syeda finalised. Jack lifted his eyes from his phone (and football updates on Snapple), and got off the wall from where he'd been leaning. Frank bookmarked his page, closed his book gently and stood to attention, looking between Syeda and Elyka interestedly.

"We have an important day ahead of us. I will finally find and interrogate the one who knows his location."

"But first Elyka, it's time for me to tell you all."

Syeda smiled sunnily.

"I hope you don't regret this."

---

Chapter Appendix:

*Dum vivimus vivamus (Latin) - 'When we live, let us live' - Epicurean Philosophy

*Semper idem (Latin) - 'Always the same thing' - Cicero 

A/N:

Next chapter's the Party, guys! It's a big milestone for the story, all our teens are gonna be there, and some shit is gonna go DOWN! See you next chap!