A gloom extended over the Sigma Alpha House. Scott found it in every corner, no matter where he mopped. His fellow Alphas drearily walked from one room to another, occasionally nursing stiff drinks. Every so often, he heard chatter of springing their leader Kaine from lock-up, but that’s all it was…chatter. The same Alphas who loudly proclaimed their plans to bust out Kaine were later seen huddling around the mini-fridge with their tails between their legs.

Someone needed to do something.

But what?

No one really knew.

Scott sighed and continued mopping up the latest spill from one of his Alpha brothers. Though they weren’t really his brothers, not when he hadn’t even been sworn in yet.

Still, without Kaine there, his job was a lot easier. No one was messing with him. No one was hazing him.

In spite of this, Zack’s mood was just as down in the dumps as the rest of the Alphas. He didn’t know what the future of Sigma Alpha held, and with that, what his own future held. It didn’t help that he had a splitting headache

Thanks Rachel.

And Zack.

Just thinking of Zack brought a pain to his stomach. He cursed the day he had seen him in the Admissions and Records building. He thought seeing Zack again would bring a return to the good times of high school. Instead, his arrival had only brought bitterness, confusion, and ultimately, betrayal.

Rachel, his first honest-to-God crush, had turned on him and whacked him in the back of head.

Perry, one of his first friends from high school, was now spread out on the campus lawn somewhere. Scott didn’t exactly know the exact details of how he went out.

He only knew it was Zack’s fault, in the end.

Scott cast a wistful glance to the office at the top of the stairs. No Alphas ventured up there. No one had seen or heard from Max in days. The Alphas needed his wisdom and leadership. They were lost without it.

He was lost without it.

So Scott started to climb the stairs towards Max’s office. Who was going to stop him? Kaine was locked up on charges for attacking Rachel. Scott knew the charges were false. Kaine may have been a jerk, but he was their jerk, and he was just defending the Alpha House.

Zack was the real instigator. He had gotten to Rachel. He had probably gotten to Perry, for all the good it did him.

But he didn’t get to Scott.

The word was, Zack had finally gone down for his crimes, heading for lock-up in Highrock where he belonged.

But that didn’t do Sigma Alpha any good in the present.

As Zack reached the top of the stairs, he ran his hands across the smooth glass of the display case, looking at all the evidence of Max’s conquest.

He was the leader they needed. Zack had taken Kaine from them, but Max would know what to do.

As Scott admired the display case, he noticed something was missing. Several things were missing, in fact. He could have sworn Amp’s Power Amplifier was in the display case. He still saw several arrows as well as a sword. He subconsciously rubbed the back of his head, where Rachel had clobbered him with the hilt of Kid Achilles’ sword.

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There was something else missing from the display case. There was a large chrome gun in the center of the display case. Who had it belonged to? Thrillian? No, that wasn’t right. There weren’t that many gun-wielding supervillains out there.

A gentle stirring sound interrupted Scott’s query. He turned towards Max’s office. Someone was in here. The next voice sent a chill down Scott’s spine.

“I think I want to talk to my lawyer now,” he heard Zack’s muffled voice.

Zack Kestler?

Here?

He thought Zack was locked-up, or about to be, like Kaine? Had his former best friend broken out already? And if so, was he targeting Max?

It made sense. Zack was that crazy.

Scott bolted towards the door of the office, mop in hand, ready to charge.

Instead, he saw Max Mann casually sitting on his desk, with a glass of Scotch in one hand. In the other, he held one of his challenge coins. The top of the challenge coin glistened with advanced circuitry. As Zack entered, he heard Dean Weave’s voice next.

“You’re about to get your wish,” the Dean’s muffled voice said through the receiver nestled within the challenge coin.

Max, for his point, didn’t seem too surprised to see Scott. He drained his Scotch and then clapped on the top of the challenge coin before setting it aside. Scott realized the challenge coin looked completely intact and normal now.

Max turned to him. “You must be here for the waste basket. It’s starting to smell.”

Scott was at a loss for words. He didn’t know what the challenge coin meant. He was still wrapping his head around whatever was missing from the display case. With no other options, he went with his gut.

“I’m…I’m not in a good place right now, sir,” Scott said. “No one of us are.”

Max turned away from him and began to pour himself another Scott.

“Zack was my friend. I knew him for a long time,” Zack said. Max continued to refill his Scotch, only to stop mid-pour. “Or at least, I thought I did.”

Max then produced another cup and poured some Scotch into it.

Double-fisting? No judgment here, Scott thought. Now’s the time to do it.

“My point is,” Scott said. “I don’t know what to do, and no one down there does either. We’re…lost.”

Scott was surprised when Max handed him the other Scotch.

“What was your name again?” he asked.

“Scott Stephens,” he said.

“Things aren’t as bad as they seem, Scotty,” Max said. “In fact, you could say, they’ve never been better.”

Scott gave the young man a questioning gaze. How were things better?

“With all due respect, Mr. Mann, Kaine-” he started.

“Is being dealt with. And so is your former friend Zack for that matter,” Max said. “Which leaves several vacancies unfilled.”

Scott soon saw Max narrowing his gaze at him.

“We’re the strong, son,” Max said. “This campus has seen what happens when you leave the weak in charge. Now we can show them a better way."

Scott looked at Max and nodded. He drained his Scotch before wiping his lips with his sleeve.

“Mr. Mann, I’m not even an Alpha. I’m just a janitor,” he said.

“Good,” Max said as he set down his Scotch and laid both hands on his shoulders. “Because I need someone to clean up this place. Are you interested?”

Scott felt his spirit stirring. This was it.

This was his moment.

He nodded. Max Mann shook him vigorously.

“We’re going to do great things together, kid,” he said. “Great things.”

Great things.

Scott liked the sound of that.