Loud music assaulted Zack’s ear drums from every angle. It took a few moments before Zack could communicate with Scott on any level. As he struggled to adjust to the rise in volume, the pair made their way through the crowds of students.

The room was large and open. Zack saw his buddy smiling at several co-eds, also holding red plastic cups, as he moved through the crowds. Zack guessed the entire floor of the massive building was housing the party.

Several plastic ping-pong balls nearly slammed into Zack had he not jumped out of the way. He turned to see a row of students across the room trying to throw ping-pong balls into a line of plastic cups filled with beer. Zack noted a multitude of superpowers on display. Some were throwing the ping-pong balls with super-strength, though the extra exertion did little to correct the path as they bounced off-course.. Others attempted to telepathically control the balls to hit their target, though after a few drinks, they had considerable trouble leading the ping-pong ball anywhere.

One ball streamed through the air, more steadily guided than all the others. Zack squinted his eyes, trying to see why this ball was doing better than all the other superpowered tactics. Zack got his answer when he beheld a tiny figure on top of the ball, cheering as they steered the ball right into the plastic red cup. The triumphant figure then fell into the pool of beer, as the game of beer pong transitioned into a drinking game.

Zack laughed and shook his head, before turning and nearly running headlong into Rachel. She had traded her form-fitting workout gear for a frilly lavender top and loose denim jeans. She also held a red plastic cup, and was currently using it to shield herself from sight of him.

“Rachel?” he asked. “How the hell did you get here?”

Rachel flashed her eyes at him. “After everything you did today, that is what you have to say to me?”

“It’s just…well…such an ordeal to get up here…and I thought,” Zack stammered.

Rachel sighed. “I took the stairs.”

Zack glared at Scott. “There were stairs?”

Scott raised his hands to defend himself. “It’s a teleporting staircase. Half of the time it’s not even here. Usually it’s in the middle of Yellowstone, freaking out park rangers for some reason. And it’s a closely held secret when it is going to be accessible. It’s way above my pay-grade. You’d have to be a…”

Zack turned back to Rachel, who was turning away from him. “Mind-reader.”

Rachel sighed and chewed her lip. It’s what she did whenever someone was calling her out.

“Okay, so maybe I waited until one of your drunk frat brothers left to puke in the bushes. I didn’t have to do much digging to get the times,” she turned to Zack. “And after what you pulled I felt needed a drink.”

“Rachel, I can explain…” Zack started.

“Oh this should be good,” Rachel rolled her eyes.

“You know what, you’re right. A drink does sound good,” Scott said. “Do you want a drink because I sure want a drink!”

Scott quickly exited, abandoning Zack to this conversation.

“Coward!” Zack said, but Scott had already disappeared in the crowd.

“So…wanna tell me why you thought you should attack my instructor…and my boss…on the first day?” Rachel crossed her hands.

“In my defense, I didn’t know he was your boss until after I challenged him to a fight,” Zack said.

Rachel threw her hand in the air, while struggling not to spill her drink. “So that makes it okay?”

“No! Of course not!” Zack said. “But…I had my reasons.”

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“Of course you did. Everyone has reasons for what they do,” Rachel said. She glared at him pointedly. “Unless you’re a sociopath.”

“Are you seriously calling me a psycho?” Zack said. “Just for a simple sparring match.”

“Sociopath,” Rachel said. “There’s a difference.”

“Oh, well, as long as there’s a difference,” Zack sneered.

“Don’t make me the bad guy. I had to practically get on my knees to apologize my boss for my ex-boyfriend challenging him to a duel in the first fucking day of class!” Rachel said.

“Why would I even know you were together, or care for that matter?” Zack asked.

“He’s just my boss. He’s my advisor. My mentor,” Rachel said.

Zack’s anger welled up inside him.

“You sure he’s not more than that?” Zack asked.

“Don’t be crass, Zack,” Rachel shot back. “He’s almost twice my age!”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Zack said.

Rachel put her free hand on her hip. “Wow, toxic and controlling. Just when I thought you couldn’t stoop any lower, Zack, you continue to surprise me.”

She started to turn away. Zack realized he had made a mistake. Actually he had made several mistakes during that conversation, as it all became clear to him.

Why don’t I just tell her the truth?

Zack reached for Rachel.

“Rachel, wait,” he asked.

Rachel spun around, her eyes flashing with anger.

“After that stunt you pulled, Saber is beside himself. I’ve never seen him like that before,” she said. “All because of that stupid fight.”

Zack stopped in his tracks. Saber did seem really distant after their fight. Maybe he succeeded in pinching his prime suspect’s nerve.

Maybe, just maybe, his actions so far had been optimal, and achieved the desired result.

Unfortunately, his next word proved to be less than optimal.

“Good,” he said without thinking. Rachel glared at him. Then she lunged at him and dumped the contents of his drink all over Zack. He felt cold beer fall down his chins as a series of ice cubes landed down his shirt. He heard several gawking whispers as the music stopped and Zack suddenly became very self-conscious. Rachel stormed off, and Zack didn’t go after him.

Scott appeared next to him holding two drinks.

“I got you a drink, but it seems you already have one,” Scott said, taking note of the beer that now covered Zack.

“That…could have gone better,” Zack said.

“That’s one hell of an understatement,” Scott said as he handed Zack his drink. Zack proceeded to down his.

“Look, don’t judge Rachel too harshly. When you left, well, it really hurt her. It hurt all of us, but it hurt her the most,” Scott said.

“It doesn’t seem to hurt you,” Zack said.

“I was just as angry and confused as the rest of them,” Scott said. “Then I saw Knightbrand on the news, taking the names and I figured you must have been called away on ‘family business’.”

“Yeah,” Zack said gloomily. “Something like that.”

“You know she went looking for you a couple of times,” Scott said. Zack turned to him.

“What?” Zack asked.

“She’d get some leads. or some idea in her head about where you went, and she’d go and start looking for you,” Scott said.

“What did she find?” Zack asked.

“Nothing. At least nothing that she told me. She even dragged me along as her mode of transport a time or two,” Scott said. “Near as I can tell, she didn’t find anything.”

Zack searched the party for any sign of Rachel, but he didn’t see her. Not that he’d know what to say to her if he did. All he knew is that he really messed up with her tonight. And possibly longer than that.

Zack sighed. If he told people, he’d jeopardized his investigation. He might even jeopardize their lives. But it sounded like Rachel had been conducting an investigation of her own. He shouldn’t have underestimated her.

He shouldn’t have done a lot of things.

Scott seemed to notice the shift in his friend.

“C’mon, I got something to show you,” he said.

“Just so long as there’s no climbing or jumping involved,” Zack sighed.

“Just stairs,” Scott smirked.

“Oh so now there’s a staircase!” Zack shot back as he followed his friend. By now, the beer soaking his clothes had become moist and sticky. Thoroughly humiliated, he would rather be anywhere but here.