Ch. 686..690: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 686-690

Chapter 0686

However, my intentions are thwarted when Rafe goes rigid and looks towards the head of the room.

All of our heads turn then, the hall going even more quiet. Beneath the table, Jackson slips a hand onto my thigh, anxious and wanting my touch as much as he wants to give me comfort.

"Cadets," the Captain says, coming to the front of the room. "Please give me your attention."

We all just sit perfectly still, silence reigning in the room, paying rapt attention to the man at the front.

"It gives me no pleasure to inform you," he continues, standing straight and putting his hands behind his back, "that you are being called up to active duty."

Several gasps sound throughout the room but everyone at my table just stills.

"The Generals at the front are making a decisive strike and calling for all hands, including you. Classes have been cancelled for the rest of the day, though each of you will visit your professors in your classrooms in order to receive any special instructions or supplies. Those on command track," the Captain's eyes flick around the room to three or four places, landing on our table last, “should come and consult with me for further information." My heart starts to pound as I realize that it's...it's finally happened. That school has for so long been an exercise - but now we're actually doing it. My friends, my family, my mates, me - we're going to war.

"Board the train at 06:00 tomorrow morning," the Captain says, his voice steady and stern. "Before that, get your rest while you can."

With that, he turns on his heel and leaves the room through his private door.

Silence rings for a moment before whispered conversation breaks out all over the room. My entire table leans closer together and we all stare around at each other with wide eyes.

"Rafe?" Ben asks, staring at my brother, his face pale. "Did you know about this?"

“No,” Rafe answers, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair, his eyes narrowed. "I didn't. But if dad and Roger are calling us up...then things have gotten very...very dire."

A core of fear begins to settle low in my stomach at my brother's words, because I know that they're correct.

"Don't worry," Jackson murmurs, perhaps just to me, though the rest of the table is listening. "We'll get some answers. By tonight, we'll know more."

We split quickly after breakfast,

none of us very hungry or needing much caffeine after the Captain's announcement. There is a great deal of fuss by the doors about who would escort me where and when and how so that I can visit my professors while everyone else needs to be elsewhere.

After about five minutes of bickering Alphas, I roll my eyes and step into the middle of the group with a paper napkin in my hands that I immediately set ablaze.

My boys all go silent and turn to stare at me.

"If anyone messes with me," I say quietly, looking them each in the eyes as I dust the ashes off my hands and to the floor. "I'll just set them on fire. Okay? No more need to escort the Shrimp around school."

Jackson just smirks at me, dead proud, while Rafe frowns and takes a step forward. “Ari –“

"Please, Rafe? say with a sigh,

tilting my chin up to look in his face. "We're going to war, and everyone's busy, and I can do this. Just...let me walk to class by myself. No one has come for me for months - why would they start now?"

Rafe sighs and rubs a hand down his face before he glares at me, more worried than mad. "On fire, Ari," he snaps. "You set anyone who even gives you a dirty look on fire. No questions asked. Okay?"

I grin and nod to him before we all break up, Jackson's wolf giving mine an affectionate nip and Luca comes close to brush his arm against mine before they, too, go in their own direction.

I sigh and move swiftly down the hall, heading directly for Neumann's classroom, wishing Faiza were here so that I could get her advice and whatever tools she thinks might be

al for me at the front. And, if I'm honest, to say goodbye to her.

S

Because tomorrow...

But no. I gulp hard, putting the thought out of my mind, shaking my head against it. Because that's not going to happen - I don't need to say goodbye to anyone, not today, not tomorrow. We're all going to survive this - all of us.

We have to.

Chapter 0687

Jackson hesitates when he and Rafe turn the corner on the upper floor where the Captain's office is. He looks both ways, trying to decide which direction to go.

"What's wrong?" Rafe asks, turning towards him with a frown.

"I'm supposed to meet Hank this morning," Jackson murmurs, looking down the hall to where their normal meeting room is. "I know the Captain wants to meet with us, but...if Hank did come, it would be rude to just let him sit there."

Rafe smirks a little and nods to him. “It's fine - go let Hank know what's going on. But you know you don't have time for a full meeting with him, right?" "No, I get it," Jackson says, running a hand through his hair and starting off down the hall. "I'll just go apologize and say it will have to wait." "I'll stall the Captain," Rafe says, nodding seriously to his friend and starting down the hall to the office. "Come as soon as you can."

Jackson returns the nod and exhales, long and slow, before striding down the hall towards the usual door. When he turns the handle and pushes it open, he's not surprised to see the smaller man sitting in his chair, his laptop open before him, waiting.

"McClintock," Hank says, nodding towards the chair. "Nice to see you today."

"I'm afraid I can't stay long, sir," Jackson says, quietly closing the door behind him and moving to the chair, taking his seat. "We've had some news." "No worries, you're not breaking any secrecy pacts," Hank says, looking seriously at the young man before him. “The Captain told me this morning that my visit today is a bit of a wasted effort. Thank you for taking a moment to stop by, though."

"I'm sorry," Jackson says seriously, "I wouldn't have wanted you to waste your time like this."

“It's all right,” Hank says with a shrug, nodding towards the computer. "I've got enough here to keep me busy. All that's lost is a couple of wasted hours on a helicopter, which isn't a big deal, all things considered. I'll get a nap in on the way back."

Jackson opens his mouth to ask if there's anything that Hank needs to know in the meantime, but then he pauses, his eyes falling to the floor. "What is it, kid?" Hank asks, gentler than usual.

Jackson takes a moment, staring hard at the floor, before raising his eyes to the doctor's.

"I've been giving you as much information as I can, sir,” he says quietly. "But do you have...other sources as well? Information about...inside?"

Hank turns his head, curious now,

because so far Jackson has basically interacted with him as a kind of incomplete encyclopedia on Community knowledge. Jackson answers every question that Hank asks as best he can, with complete clarity, but rarely - if ever shows any emotion about the answers or asks for anything in return.

At the heart of it, Hank knows, is Ariel: that Jackson is answering the questions because Ariel would want him to, because it helps her people, a group which includes the Community as far as she and the Sinclair family are concerned.

But this? The way the boy is hesitating today, asking for news?

Today, it's something else.

"I have people working in the North," Hank says, perfectly transparent. "The Community itself has been hard to breach but we've had some short success. We have more information than we had at

vel.n

Midwinter, but what we have is incomplete. Why?" He turns his head, watching Jackson carefully for his reaction. "What do you want to know?"

Jackson pauses again, clearly at war with himself.

"It's all right, Jacks," Hank murmurs, deliberately calling the boy by Ariel's pet name, leaning forward and stretching an inviting hand across the table. "You're...allowed to ask."

The boy sighs and doesn't look up. "Do you have...names?" he asks, almost in a whisper. “A census, or anything of sort? Of who's in there, who's alive?"

Chapter 0688

Hank waits for Jackson to raise his eyes to his, but when he does, Hank nods and leans forward towards his laptop, searching for a particular file and pulling it up. He puts his hands on the keys, ready to type. "Again, it's incomplete," he says quietly. "But we have something like that. Who are you looking for?"

Jackson shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "It's not precisely...who," he says, staring at the database at Hank's fingertips. "Just..." he sighs and drops his head into his hand. "Do you know? If there are any children in the Community who are...maybe three and a half years old?"

Hank's stomach clenches at the question but he lets no sign of his sadness for the young man in front of him show on his face. "Well," he says, beginning to type. "I'm not sure. Let's see what we can find out."

When I turn the corner to the Chemistry classroom, I see Neumann already at the door, talking seriously with my fellow Espionage Cadets. His eyes flash up, meeting mine, and he sighs before turning back to the few boys before them. As I approach he very clearly wishes them all luck while each holds out their hands, accepting a small packet that Neumann presses into it.

Then they all walk away, not giving me another look.

"What was that?" I ask, stepping close to Neumann, a little anxiety turning in me when I realize that he sent them away so that he could speak to me in private, giving them instructions that are clearly separate from mine.

"That was farewell," Neumann says, uncharacteristically leaning against the door frame and looking after the Cadets as they move quickly down the hall. "Sending underprepared boys off to a war they're too young to remember the start of."

I frown at him as he turns his eyes back to me.

“What?” he asks, the corner of his lip turning up. "You don't like it when I wax poetic?"

"I don't like it when you dodge the question," I answer, crossing my arms over my chest. "What did you give them?"

Neumann smirks at me. "Cyanide,"

he answers, quite calm and serious. So calm and serious that the gravity of his answer takes a moment to hit me When it does, my lips part as I stare up at my professor.

"Are you...are you sending them behind enemy lines?" I ask quietly, remembering what Faiza said - that Neumann has sent everyone he has and that none have returned. I look back at the boys, realizing that they -and I might be all he has left.

"I am," Neumann replies, quite simple, considering me. "The cyanide is...a last resort. A gift, in case things reach their most despicable ends."

I slump, turning back to my professor, looking up into his face.

His expression softens, then, as he looks down at me. "Don't worry, Ari," he murmurs, far more casual than I'm used to him being. "There's none for you. All my pills are parcelled out."

I just stare at him because...what? "Please,” I say, shaking my head. “I don't understand.”

"I have nothing for you, Cadet," Neumann says, standing up straight. "The Captain has heard your plea to go on Command track. You're being reassigned."

“W-what?” I gasp, shaking my head vehemently. "I'm not going to be Espionage anymore? But I -“

"You have talents that take you outside of my grasp, Cadet," he sighs, shaking his head. "It's rather a shame that they finally noticed your merits. You'd have made one hell of a spy."

Tears flood my eyes. "But I want to be a spy," I whisper, devastated.

"You wanted to go to war with your little wolf pack, Neumann says, stepping closer to me, sympathy on his face. And, considering what the Captain reported you can do...that makes sense. You're more useful on

the front line, and cons the

fates of my most recent

W

graduates....honestly, my dear, I am relieved."

Chapter 0689

My mouth turns down in a desperate frown, because even if he's relieved...

God, but I love being an Espionage Cadet. I don't want to be reassigned - I want to study it all.

"I'll talk with the Captain," I say, giving an assured nod. "I'll...I'll do both tracks."

Neumann smirks at me and nods. "We'll see," he says, quiet and sure. "Upon your return. Now you'd better head out - you have other professors to meet with before you get some rest."

I hesitate. "Faiza?" I ask, just a whisper.

He smirks. "Don't you worry about my dashing girl. She will be fine."

"You haven't heard from her?"

Neumann quirks an eyebrow at me. "What kind of spymaster would I be if I told you that?"

"A nice one," I growl, showing my teeth a bit. To my shock, he actually laughs.

"Go!" Neumann says, giving me a little shove on the shoulder. "I have work to do, and so do you."

I sigh, turning down the hall, my head hanging as I process this sudden news.

"Ariel."

The name rings out after me and I turn back, meeting my favorite professor's eyes.

"You stay alive, all right?" he says, clenching his jaw, working hard to keep the emotion from his face.

A tiny grin takes my lips. "Are you being sentimental again, sir?"

"Not at all, Cadet," he says, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Just issuing my standard orders. You're very important to this world, as well as to me. Just...make sure you come back."

"Yes, sir." I say, giving him a steady nod.

And then I tear my eyes away and sniff hard, moving down the hall and not letting myself look back.

When I got to Blaze's gym, it's empty, all the lights off.

I frown because I've never seen it like this - so dark and lifeless. But then I realize that I'm just insanely early for our lesson and cross to the little door in the back, rapping on it softly a few times.

And then harder, a few more.

But there's no answer and nothing in the room changes. I call for him a few times, louder and louder, but again - no response.

Sighing, feeling a bit defeated, I trudge all the way up through the castle to our room at the top.

Of course, I'm the only one here

because everyone else has

professors, and an assignment, and things to do. For the first time since I've been at the Academy I'm at a loss for how to spend my time, and I hate it, because right now I could really, really use a distraction.

I do my best to keep busy, first stealing Jackson's strategy textbook and trying to read through the maps, quizzing myself on the little exercises that he sometimes puts me though in the dream state when

we study together. But when that fails to occupy my mind, I put myself to busier tasks, straightening up the room and then pulling the little ironing board from beneath Rafe's bed and beginning to iron a set of each of our uniforms so that we can be pressed and ready for tomorrow.

But that's agony too far too much space for my mind to wander.

Eventually I just groan and throw myself on the couch with a packet of cookies, stuffing myself silly and passively watching TV on Jackson's little DVD player while I wait for everyone to get back.

When the door finally opens hours later, I groan with relief.

"Finally," I sigh, pouting towards the door as Jackson and Rafe come in, Jesse and Luca on their tail. "Where have you been!?"

"We've been getting ready for war," Rafe says, looking at me like I'm a little crazy and then looking around the room where books and cookies and irons are scattered. "What the hell have you been doing?"

"Waiting!" I moan, somehow managing to glare and pout at them all at once. Jackson comes crosses to me, sitting down and smirking a bit as he senses my discontent and eyes all the cookie wrappers. Luca comes to sit across from me as well asl spill out the story of being reassigned.

To my dismay, none of them look surprised.

"You knew!?" I gasp, staring around at the four warrior-track Alphas.

Jesse grimaces, feeling bad. "The Captain told us this afternoon," he says. "I mean, it gets you what you asked for, Ari - we're all going into battle together tomorrow."

Chapter 0690

"And it was stupid of them to ever think we'd let you go across enemy lines alone as a spy," Luca says as a frown. Jackson nods in agreement. I hold my tongue on that one, not knowing how to respond.

"Wait, what else did you find out?" I ask, looking around at them.

"A lot," Rafe says, sitting on my other side and dropping his bookbag to the floor. As he begins to pull out maps and schematics, though, the door opens again and Ben comes in, Tony on his tail. We all call eager hellos to them - Luca quieter than the rest of us - but my head spins again when I see a flash of red at the door just before it swings shut.

"Room for one more?" Daphne calls, peeking in. "I don't want to interrupt."

"Of course, Daph," Jesse calls, immediately straightening, color in his cheeks as she slips into the room. Rafe turns his head to our cousin and frowns, watching him.

My stomach sinks further as I look between Rafe and Jesse as Daphne closes the door and crosses to us. She doesn't do anything special - just settles on the floor at Luca's side, but still...

The way that Rafe's looking at Jesse right now?

It's clear to me by the troubled expression on my brother's face, even if it isn't to my cousin, that Rafe is figuring things out. And he is feels deeply, deeply betrayed.

Daphne, however, seems completely oblivious to Rafe's tension. "I can't believe you all got called up," she says, staring all around at us as the three newcomers settle into new spots, Tony surprising me by squeezing in on the floor at my feet and glancing up at me with a little grimace. I reach out and pat his head, making him laugh.

"We're all shocked," Luca says, turning to Daphne with a nod. "Does it affect you?"

"Oh, I've been sewing my fingers off all day," Daphne says, holding up her hands to show us that - indeed - her fingertips are all red. "I came up for dinner break but I'll be sewing all night too - uniform adjustments, making sure that we're sending you boys to the front in prime condition."

"Well, I already did that," I say, gesturing proudly to the folded pile of ironing that I completed earlier.

Daphne does a double take at it, gasping and giving me a glare. "Ariel, what did you do?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask, offended as she gets up and scurries over to the pile, holding up each piece like it's a great tragedy. "Oh, Ari, these pants all need front pleats -"

"It's fine! No one will ever know!"

"Oh my goodness, Ariel," she murmurs, giving me a glare like I'm hopeless. "Where's your iron?"

I sigh and gesture towards it at the

base of Rafe's bed and Daphne gets to work, pulling it and the ironing board closer as Jesse smirks and Rafe turns back to the table, spreading out the maps as he was doing before everyone else came into the room.

"Are we getting insider information?" Ben asks, leaning closer with interest.

et

"A little," Rafe murmurs. "It's not widespread knowledge but...worth knowing, for those of us who are going to be in our group. Which is not you, Ben, I'm sorry to say." Rafe turns to Ben with a grimace, but Ben just nods.

"No, it's cool," he says, looking Rafe in the eye. "They already told me that I'm going to be in the command center. I know they're sending you all elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?" I ask, a little breathless, looking around at the collected warriors and assassin. "Where...where are we going?"

"We," Rafe says, pointing around in a little circle that encompasses the rest of us, "are going here."

He points to what looks to me like a random point on the map, which gives the terrain details of the part of the Atalaxian front where the war effort is currently focused. I lean in close studying both the Moon Valley side which is all smooth plain and the jagged cliffside that climbs on the Atalaxian front, where they've cleverly entrenched.

“So,” I say, a little breathless in the quiet room as we all lean forward. “We really are going to the front tomorrow? We're going to see war?"

"Yes, Ariel," Rafe replies. "And if what the Captain says is right, we're going to be right in the middle of it."