"Uh, sorry, Professor," Marshall said, trying to break the silence.

Crossing his arms Z replied, "As much as I'm impressed by your willingness to include new students, Marshall, I don't think class is the best time to do it. Do you?"

Marshall shook his head no, but grinned. Eve relaxed also since Z's tone wasn't harsh. In fact, if she wasn't mistaken, she could see a glimmer of amusement behind his blue eyes.

"Now, as to you, Ms. Rens," Z said, starting on her. Eve felt her stomach drop slightly. First day at a new school and again she was in trouble. Ironically, ina science class and without Adam's help.

It was a typical pattern she and her brother shared, despite her protest. Adam was rebellious and not one for prefered sports and music toacademics, even if he scored high on test. Eve prefered the sciences and english. Likewise,Eve was willing to do what she was told. Yet, for reason she had not figured out, it seemed that everytime they went to a new school, Eve ended up roped into her brother's crazy schemes and in a lot of trouble.

"I apologize if I embarrased you or your brother introducing you like that," Z said, "Principal Durst caught me off guard."

Eve breathed an internal sigh of relief.

"No biggie,Professor..." she paused.

"You can call him Z if you want to," the redhead, who had been silently watching her interjected, "We do."

Eve shot her a questioning look.

"Z?" she said, making sure she heard the girl correctly.

"Short for Zachary," explained Z, "Josie," he looked over at the redhead and added in a joking tone, "And a few of the other students seem to find it more useful to call me by a letter then a full name."

"Hey, it was either deconstruct the name or molecularly deconstruct the teacher," Josie shot back without fear, "Which do you prefer?"

"So where are you from, Eve?" the other girl asked, pulling Eve's attention away from Z's comeback.

Eve turned to look at her.

"Illinois," she replied, "Chicago."

"That's a long way from home," Marshall commented, "And it's just you and you're brother?"

Eve nodded.

" So did you both win a scholarship from Pearadyne?" the brunette boy asked. He regarded Eve coldly.

"Yeah," Eve said, slightly confused, "We both took this special test some guy from the plant or whatever gave us."

"What kind of test was it?" the boy asked. Eve noticed everyone else was silent and waiting for her answer. She began to feel a little uncomfortable.

Shrugging she replied, "Some kind of aptitude test. We both scored well in science and english. Next thing we knew, this other representative of Pearadyne showed up, said we'd been offered two spots at some predigious school, and wa-la here we are."

"Did you meet Victor Pearson at anytime you were recieving the scholarship?" the boy asked. His eyes bored curiously into hers.

"Lucas," Marshall interrupted, "You don't think..."

"Actually, I just met him today," Eve interrupted. Marshall stopped, turning his head to look at her in suprise.

"You did?" he said, his voice raising a little higher.

"Yeah," Eve replied, "He kinda creeped me out."

A sudden change came onto the room. Everyone seemed to relax, and the brunette, Lucas, no longer seemed cold to Eve. Though he watched her with a suspicious gaze.

"Well," Z said, interrupting the silence, "Perhaps you'd like a tour of the shool, Eve? I'm sure Marshall," he smiled at the teenager, "Would love to tell you more about it."

"I would?" Marshall said, and recovered quickly, "I mean, yes. Yes, I would."

"And I'll go with," said Corrine, adding to Eve, "I'm not sure I'd trust a new student toMarshall's un-exact knowledge of the school's history."

Eve snickered. Marshall sent an annoyed glareinCorrine's direction.

"For your information..." he started.

"Come on," Corrine grabbed him before he couldsay anything and started leading him and Eve out the around she called out, "You want to come with us, Josie?"

"Uh, no," the redhead replied, "I need to talk to Z for a few minutes. Some extra credit stuff."

Corrinefrowned, suspicious. Not saying anything, though, and trusting her roomate, sheled Marshall and Eve out the door.

When they were gone Z saidout loud, "I wasn'tunder the impression you had anypoints to make up."

Josie looked up at him with a perturbed look.

"So, what do you guys think about her?" Lucas said, interrupting them with a serious tone.

Josie lookedback at him.

"What I think is," she said, "Is that you need tochill out, Lucas. I mean first there's Vaughn and now you suspect the new kid because shehas a scholarship from Pearadyne."

"Josie's right, Lucas,"Zadded, "We have no actual evidence that Eve, or Adam, are doing anything for I have my doubts that he'd usechildren todo his dirty work. Otherthen possiblyhis son," he added, seeing Lucas's face.

"I'm just saying, we can't exactly trust her,"Lucas replied.

"What else isnew?" Josie remarked. Z nodded thoughtfully.

Does this maze ever end? he screamed mentally to himself. Suddenly, something caught his eye. It was a janitor,who seemed to be making his man looked up, as if knowing he was being watched, and his and Adam's eyes connected. Adam felt a jolt. Uncharacteristically, he found himself following the man. Soon the two were away from the loud hallway and near multiple classrooms. The Janitor walked into one of the rooms, andAdam could make out the outline of a piano. Intrigued, hefollowed the janitor in.

To his utter amazement, the room was empty. It looked as if no one butAdam hadjust walked he could eventheorize about the disappearance, though, Adam found himself walking over to the piano. Softly touching the ivory keys, he took a seat and began to play.