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I met Chris's gaze with a challenge of my own. They were my parents. I deserved to know the truth.
The corner of Chris's mouth twitched and he raised an eyebrow. He stepped back and shook his head, looking at me as if seeing me for the first time.
“I'll keep you in the loop, Scott.” He offered his hand and a tight smile. “Just try not to make trouble.”
Wondering at his change in attitude, I took his hand and shook it hesitantly.
“What was that about?” Matt asked as Chris left us alone in the office.
“He's your brother.” I shrugged and stuck my hands into my pockets as we got up to leave. My fingers brushed the slip of paper I had found at the crash.
“I forgot to give this to Chris.” I groaned as pulled out the crumpled slip of paper in my hand and looked at it in dismay.
“We could try his cell phone number.” Matt paused with his hand on the doorknob.
“I’ve got a better idea,” I said slowly, “Let’s try this number and see who this Hayes person is.”
“Chris said...” Matt began reluctantly.
“I know what Chris said.” I frowned. I was more interested in what Chris hadn’t said than in what he had said. There were still too many unanswered questions. “But if we leave it to the ‘professionals,’ they’ll only tell us what they think we need to know. Chris only told me that my parents worked with him because we found that card ourselves. I need to know everything. They’re my parents!”
Ignoring Matt’s look of disapproval, I used the phone on Superintendent Hinkly’s desk to dial the number on the slip of paper rather than Chris’s. After the tenth ring, I lowered the phone from my ear to hang up in frustration and try again later.
“Yeah?” gruff voice answered.
“Did you know an Eric McCully?” I jerked the phone back to my ear and winced. This phone number was my only lead, and I wanted to get to the point, but that just sounded desperate.
“Who wants to know?”
“This is his son, Scott,” I answered. “His plane went down a couple of days ago. We found your name and number in the wreck.”
“I ain’t talking to anyone,” Hayes growled, “and I didn’t have anything to do with the crash!”
"I’m not saying you did,” I said quickly. Please don’t let him hang up! “It’s just... You’re my only lead. I thought you might know something.”
“Look, kid, your parents were nice,” Hayes said, his voice softening a little, “but I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Can you at least tell me what information you had for them?” I gave up trying not to sound desperate, even considered begging. If this didn’t work, I was left with waiting on Chris to toss me whatever crumbs of redacted info his agency decided he could share.
“Why should I?”
“Maybe you did have something to do with the crash after all.” I changed my approach. In the movies, most secret contacts weren’t quite friendly with the law. I edged my voice with a sharp threat. “Perhaps I ought to just give your name to the police...”
“No, don’t do that.” Hayes sighed heavily. “I have no idea what a kid would do with my information, but that’s your business. Meet me at Catonsville Community Park at midnight.”
“Midnight?” I bit my lip and glanced at Matt’s irritated expression. He shook his head violently and mouthed something that looked like, “Are you insane?”.
That was two hours after curfew.
“The guys who knocked off your parents might be watching me,” Hayes pointed out. “Midnight.”
“We’ll be there,” I promised and hung up.
“Midnight!” Matt exclaimed, scowling at me. “What’s wrong with you? How are we going to get out after curfew?”
“Over the fence,” I said grimly. “Catonsville Community Park is close enough to walk.”
“We could get in real trouble for this.” Matt lowered his voice and leaned forward against the back of a chair. “We’re not talking about push-ups any more. If we get caught, we’ll be expelled!”
“I know.” I had never broken academy rules before – at least not intentionally - but I had to find out about my parents. Their lives could be at stake, and I was willing to take the consequences of breaking curfew to save them. I crossed the office and opened the door. “Hayes is my only lead, and I have to follow it up. You don’t have to come along.”
“I still think we ought to let Chris take care of this,” Matt whispered as we entered the crowded hall on our way to class. We had already missed the rest of morning formation, but if we hurried, we would be in time for our first period class.
“Don’t you see?” I stopped walking and turned to face Matt. I had to make him understand how important following up on this lead was to me. “I have to find out what happened to them. I don’t even know for sure if my parents are really dead. Wouldn’t you feel the same way if someone just came and told you Chris had disappeared?”
A pained look crossed Matt’s face and he looked away. “Yeah.” He ran his hand through his short brown hair. “But I’m not going to let you go by yourself. I’m sticking with you, no matter what happens or however long it takes.”
I clapped him on the back and gave him a lopsided grin. “I really appreciate that.” Not that I expected any different.
“Yeah, well.” Matt chuckled weakly. “I’d appreciated it if you’d at least try to keep us out of trouble.”
“We’ll be in huge trouble if we don’t get to Physics.” I hustled into the classroom behind another pair of students. “I’m having enough trouble in that class without showing up late to it.”
We slipped behind our desks just as Professor Davidson was beginning roll call.
I really did try to pay attention as Professor Davidson droned on about electrons, protons, and other equally confusing topics. I was already well on my way to failing the class if I couldn’t get my grades up, but the events of the last couple of days filled my thoughts and blocked out the professor’s monotonous lecture.
Dear Lord, please allow this meeting with Hayes to give me some answers about my parents. I really...
“Cadet McCully.” Professor Davidson’s impatient voice interrupted my prayer.
I snapped to attention beside my desk while trying to recall some part of the lecture. I couldn’t remember a word.
“Well, Cadet McCully.” Professor Davidson tapped his pointer against his palm as he frowned at me. “Do you have an answer?”
“Could you repeat the question, sir?” I felt my face grow hot as the other students snickered.
“Would it perhaps help if I repeated the entire lecture up to this point?” Professor Davidson asked dryly. “You can hardly expect your grades to rise if you insist on daydreaming in class. You may be seated, Cadet McCully.”
I caught a sympathetic glance from Matt as I sat back down. Professor Davidson’s remark stung; I wasn’t normally so easily distracted. Forcing aside my swirling thoughts, I kept my eyes focused on Professor Davidson as he called on another student. I wasn’t about to be accused of daydreaming again.
“Cadet Daytona,” Professor Davidson addressed a dark-haired boy seated in the front row.
I groaned inwardly as Winston proudly stood to attention and answered the question easily. “Electrons have the negative charge, sir. Protons are positive.”
“Very good, Cadet Daytona.” Professor Davidson smiled at him as he sat back down. “Perhaps after classes are over, you could fill Cadet McCully in on what he missed.”
“Certainly, Professor Davidson,” Winston answered sweetly, his perfect posture and neatly folded hands adding to the illusion of a perfect student. “If he’ll let me.”
“Hm.” Professor Davidson grunted and directed his next comment at me. “He’d better let someone help him if he expects to pass.”
Great! I slid down in my chair. As if I need to be tutored by him in addition to everything else that has happened.
After we were dismissed, I gathered my books and left quickly to avoid having Winston offer his “help.” Merging into the hallway, I tried to make my way unnoticed to my next class.
“Come on, Scott, wait up!” I turned to see Matt and Trinity coming down the hall. I slowed to allow them to catch up.
“You okay?” Matt scanned my face with concern.
“I guess so.” I yanked open my locker and slammed my physics book inside. “Professor Davidson was right. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to be distracted in class, not with my grades the way they are.”
“What happened?” Trinity fell in step beside me as we continued down the hall. “You don’t usually slack off in class.”
Glancing at Matt on my other side, I sighed and pretended to reorganize my locker. I couldn’t keep putting her off, but knowing that didn’t make finding the words any easier. I blew out a long breath and looked up at her. “My parents’ plane went down outside of town yesterday.”
“Oh, Scott!” Her eyes grew wide. “I’m so sorry.”
Clenching my jaw tightly, I looked back into my locker as a wave of emotion hit me. Talking to Matt about their deaths was entirely different than talking to Trinity. I wanted to explain everything to her, but I couldn't. I couldn’t really even explain it to myself yet.
“What’s the deal with Winston?” Matt changed the subject. “He’s suddenly acting super nice.”
“He’s trying to get in good with the teachers.” Trinity scowled and twisted her locket between her fingers in frustration. “Before Professor Davidson came to class, Winston was bragging that he could make the teachers love him and get away with murder.”
“Well, he’s certainly got Professor Davidson fooled.” I frowned, remembering the look Professor Davidson had given me.
“He’ll have a long road to fool the students, though.” Trinity paused when we came to an intersection in the hall, dropped her locket, and waved. “Anyway, I’ve got to get to my next class. I’ll see you guys later.”
As Trinity turned to head toward her classroom, Matt and I continued slowly toward ours. We had only five minutes between each class, but I was in no mood to hurry.
“At least Winston doesn’t have every class with us.” Matt commented. “I saw him turn down that hall just before Trinity.”
“Leave him alone, you bully!” A muffled voice came from the other hall.
“That sounded like Trinity!” I grabbed Matt’s arm and turned back to the intersection.
“Since when is this any of your business?” A high-pitched whine followed from the same direction.
“And that sounded like Winston!” Matt returned hotly, barreling down the other hallway. “Come on!”