When Corey walks back into the apartment, Alex signals for him to take a seat with the rest of the team.

"Alright Cor, we've taken your lead so far, but I need to know. Who is this bird?"

Corey sighs and hangs his head down in shame. "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Raven asks.

"I mean, all I know is what she's told me."

"Start at the beginning," Axel commands. "How did we get roped into helping a bird we know nothing about.?"

"Earlier today, I saw her coming into the building. I held the door open for her but she just stopped walking. She looked around and then I asked her if she was coming in. Honestly, she looked surprised that I was even talking to her. When her head raised, I thought she was cute, so I started talking to her in the elevator."

At this admission, a slight blush appears on Corey's cheeks. Raven and Brandon look perplexed, while Marc and Axel don't look surprised in the least. Raven raises a brow in Marc's direction to which Marc shrugs, not giving an answer.

Corey continues. "When we were on the elevator, I noticed all she had with her was a bookbag and a small suitcase. I asked if that was all she had with her and she told me a truck was bringing the rest of her things later. Until then, I just thought she was visiting a friend, but that confirmed she was moving in. Since we didn't know about anyone new moving in, I thought I should get all the information I could. I asked if her boyfriend was driving the truck-"

"Subtle," Marc laughs.

Corey glances away as his cheeks heat again before he continues. "She told me she didn't have one, and that she was alone. That didn't sit right with me. We're conditioned to help those in need, so I asked if I could help her when the rest of her stuff got here. At first, she seemed a little apprehensive to accept, but I managed to get her to agree. When I got back in, Brandon and Marc were here, so I asked if they could help me help her. That's all I know."

The rest of the team exchange confused glances. It's not like Corey to have so little information on anyone.

"Alright," Axel nods. "Anybody else notice anything that could help us figure this out?"

"She has a problem with being touched.," Brandon says.

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Marc confirms.

"Me too," Corey adds.

"Abuse?" Raven asks.

"Could she be running from something?" Marc ponders aloud.

"If she was running, she'd know where to go to get food." Axel shuts that idea down with a strike of his hand. "You don't just move into a new place, let alone a new city without knowing at least a little on the surrounding area."

"Like where to get food," Brandon murmurs.

"Right," Axel agrees. "So what is she doing here?"

The Seargent Jasper was an Academy owned building. For them not to know about someone new moving in was highly unusual.

"She could've been sent here," Marc tries.

"If she was, it was without her knowledge," Brandon comments.

"Alright, all this speculation is getting us nowhere." Axel sighs and places his hands on his hips. "Corey, run a background check. I want to know who this bird is, and why she just happens to be living on our floor. Not to mention right across the hall from you."

"Could it just be a coincidence?" Marc asks.

"We don't believe in coincidences," Raven says. "She seems harmless enough, but we can't be sure of anything if we know nothing about her."

"Uh, Axel?" Corey says timidly.

"Yeah?"

"I already ran a background check."

Axel's brows draw together as his eyes narrow. "Then why didn't you tell us what said?"

"Because it didn't say anything."

"What are you talking about?" Brandon asks.

"I'm saying that I couldn't find her. No high school records, medical records. Not even a library card." Corey sighs. "According to the US government, Sang Sorenson doesn't exist."

"She could have given a fake name," Mark suggests.

"She can't lie," Corey responds.

"He's right." Axel runs a hand through his hair in frustration. "I saw her face when you asked what she was thinking. She lied. Her face is an open book."

"And even if it wasn't, the delivery slip had her name on it," Brandon informs the group.

"So either she's incredibly good at manipulation," Axel starts. "Or we have a ghost on our hands."

The room is silent for a few moments, each of the guys lost in their own heads.

"Do you think she knows?" Marc asks after a moment.

"I don't know," Axel pushes out a frustrated breath. "But if it's true and she is a ghost bird, I want to keep this quiet. I don't want the Academy catching wind of this, not yet."

"She needs help, Ax," Corey says with a sad look on his face.

"I know. Which is why we're going to help her. Whatever environment she was in, she's out now. Hopefully, that's all she needed to get a better life, but we'll keep an eye on her. Corey, she seems to trust you. Maintain contact. See if you can get her to open up about where she comes from. What her story is."

"What about the rest of us?" Brandon asks with a raised brow.

"Try and get her to trust you, but don't push," he answers. "We don't know what she's been through, and until we do, we tread lightly. Cor, we'll take your lead on this."

Corey gives a sharp nod, confirming his understanding.

"Good. Alright me, it seems we have a new mission on our hands. Let's get some sleep. Operation Sang starts in the morning."