Zack made his way up the stairs. He once again passed the display case, all filled to the brim with various supervillain gadgets acquired over the years. A swirl of possibilities ran through his head. As a member of Sigma Alpha, he would have access to all of it. Not officially, of course. It was tough to say if Max Mann really would lend up his private collection out for personal use.

He envisioned himself wielding the long spear held at the end of the case. Zack thought about wiping that smug self-superior grin off Dirk Saber’s face while wielding Spearhead’s signature weapon. Things seemed clearer now. Sure, Dirk Saber did actually put on a good show as the professor who truly cares, but he was just as self-serving as the rest of them. And sooner or later, Zack would show him for what he truly was - a murderer.

But those were thoughts for another day. Zack opened the heavy oak door to Max’s office. As Zack entered the office, he saw Max sitting by his desk, already pouring himself a drink. It was ten o’clock in the morning - is this guy ever not drinking?

“I take it that congratulations are in order,” Max said, as he handed him a Scotch.

“Thanks,” Zack said. “It was touch and go for a bit there, but I managed to make it through,” Zack said as he took a seat. Once again, he sank into the rich leather cushions of the rather expensive chair. A slight pain raced through his back. He sighed. “Though I think I might have gotten a sunburn cleaning the roof like that.”

“A little melanoma never hurt anyone,” Max said. Zack simply nodded. He was in a weird mood, riding high from his success, but he still wasn’t high enough to crack cancer jokes. Max gave him an appraising look.

Zack suddenly felt very self-conscious. He had been covered in beer the last time he’d been in this office, and now here he was drenched in sweat and rainwater. He really hoped Max cleaned the plush leather seats in his office. He also felt rather cold. Max apparently kept the air conditioner running on full blast, and after working in the sun all day, Zack struggled not to shiver. He drank his Scotch, hoping that would provide some warmth.

“You made it through in record time,” Max said, from his position at the edge of the desk. “I’ve never seen anyone go from pledge to member in such a short amount of time.”

“How long does it usually take someone to reach member status?” Zack asked, his thoughts drifting back to Scott. How long had he been at that? And would someone like Kaine ever let him advance to full member status? Not likely. Kaine struck him as a bully, and someone who liked having that much power over people.

“Hard to say. Sigma Alpha is extremely exclusive. It usually takes a couple of days to secure a nomination,” Max said as he sat his glass down on his desk. “But for some people it can take years.”

Zack nodded. He didn’t want to lose his cool in front of Max, but something didn’t sound right about this whole scheme. It took years to join Sigma Alpha? Most people weren’t in college more than a couple years. What was so important about this frat? The mixers weren’t that great.

Still, maybe Zack could accomplish a little good for his friends while he was here.

“One of my friends has been at it for that long,” Zack said. “Don’t suppose there’s a way we can get him in too. His name is Scott Stephens.”

Max shrugged. “Unfortunately, I don’t handle personnel decisions. That all goes through Kaine.”

Zack gave him a skeptical look. “Uh-huh. Well, he must not have been too happy to take me on.”

Max gave a pearly white smile. “I may have leaned on him to bring you onboard. But I told him not to take it easy on you. Which he did not, by the looks of it.”

“No, he did not,” Zack said as he took another sip of Scotch, finishing it off.

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So apparently Scott wasn’t going to get into Sigma Alpha except through Kaine. Zack would have to think of another way to get him in. Max might have leaned on Kaine to let Zack in, but he didn’t seem so keen on letting any of his buddies in either.

Max was quiet for a minute. Then he spoke up, “We have to be very careful who we take. We’re at war, this frat is. It’s us against the campus.”

“The entire campus?” Zack raised an eyebrow.

The conversation had taken such a strange, apocalyptic turn, all at a breakneck pace. Zack understood there was no love lost between Max and Innshadow, not when they’d made him jump through all the hoops to get the necessary treatment for his illness. Still, going to war against Innshadow seemed a bit like…overkill?

Max nodded.

“The elites have taken over,” Max said somberly. Zack couldn’t argue with that. Weave and Shaw struck him like every other bureaucrat, corrupt and opportunistic. After all, Zack needed only remember how easily they had let him cut ahead of line to attend classes, and then turned over all their security access to him, even it was under the guise of his father.

Still, Zack fidgeted with his drink quietly.

“You don’t agree?” Max said.

“It’s not that I don’t agree,” Zack said. “It’s just…it’s Innshadow. It’s par for the course. My dad never put my stock in this place.”

“But he must see the same threat emerging,” Max said. “Otherwise, he would have never sent you here.”

Zack looked up to see Max’s eyes wide with excitement and something else, something bordered on accusation. Is that why Max thinks I’m here?

“Don’t tell me that your old man sent you here to broaden your education. I’ve known Zane for years. He always has an angle,” Max said.

Did he?

His father always seemed so forthright in their conversations, sometimes boringly so. Never once did Zack ever get the slightest hint of duplicity. Hell, the guy even revealed his secret identity to Zack when he was all of six years old because he was so honest. He never even bothered to lie about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. The memories brought a smile to his face, but the pain followed shortly thereafter.

On the other hand, I’ve managed to lie to everyone left in my life.

Zack thought about coming clean, but decided against it. He was too exhausted to tell Max everything that had befell him in the last two years. That was a story for another time. For now, he would let Max think he has it all figured out. The best lies are the ones you let the other person think without even speaking them into existence.

“You’re very astute,” Zack simply said.

“Of course I am,’ Max said. “You don’t get to be a hero in this biz without picking up a few things or two. Your generation, with its TikTok tutorial, could stand to pay attention a bit more if you know what I’m saying.”

“Zane…my dad…has some concerns about Innshadow. He didn’t give me specifics. He just told me to enroll and sus it out,” Zack said. “I think he’s testing me.”

Max chuckled at that. “Your old man with his tests. He’s testing me. Yeah, he’s testing my patience.”

Zack chuckled at that remark. “Sounds just like him.”

“But you don’t have to wage this fight alone. You’ve got us backing you now,” Max said.

“Yeah. So what’s next? Freaky guys in hoods chanting?” Zack said.

“No to the freaky rituals,” Max said. “The induction ceremony is pretty basic. Just introductions and drinks really.”

“That’s a relief,” Zack said.

Max folded his hands. “But now that you are a member, it’s a two-way street.”

Zack looked confused. “Not sure I follow.”

Max looked him dead in the eye. “I trust you’ll share any leads with me about your investigation.”

Zack suddenly became uncomfortable, but he wasn’t sure why. Max was a family friend. And Zack badly wanted to bring another person into this investigation, someone he could trust.

But for whatever reason, that time wasn’t now, and that person wasn’t Max. Besides, Zack had more pressing concerns on his plate, like fixing the Knightbrand armor. For all of the talk about Sigma Alpha and their backing, Zack didn’t want to saddle them with that task.

Fortunately, Zack did know such a person who might be up for the job.

For now, he simply said “Will do” before draining his Scotch, shaking Max’s hands, and heading out. He turned at the entrance to see Max gazing at him as he left, and something about the man’s gaze stayed with Zack long after he had left the office.