The Academy

I woke up early one morning. It was the first day of spring break. I woke up in my dorm like I always had. I ran upstairs to where the other girls were sitting.
“Did you hear about the movie plans Amy?” My sister Addison asked me.
“The move marathon you mean?” I asked the girls.
“’Course,” Ellie screamed.
“First movie on our list is Spy Next Door,” Addison said. We all went to go eat breakfast. As soon as we finished eating, we all ran downstairs to basement one of four. That was where most of our rooms were, and where we all hung out during the day. Emma turned on the huge 72’ inch flat screen we had in the common room. Ellie fought with the DVD player for a few minutes and then we watched our movie. Around noon we stopped our third movie (We had already watched Spy Next Door, Agent Cody Banks, and we were watching Spy Kids when we paused it.) and went to get lunch. Someone knocked on the front door. All of us looked up; no one had ever knocked on the door before. Ellie looked out the window.
“It’s some man,” She whispered. We all looked around not knowing what to do. The headmaster came out of his office. He opened the door quickly.
“My old friend, welcome, we’ve set up rooms for you and your students.” He said to the man.
“Students,” Ellie whispered questionably.
“No clue what he means,” Emma replied. We all broke out in whispers.
“I’ll bring the boys inside immediately,” The man said.
“Boys,” Addison whispered looking scared. We all laughed at her. The man came in followed by a bunch of boys. We watched the boys come in. I was surprised to see one of them that I knew.
“Addison, remind me to get a hold of Jordan,” I told my sister. I stood up and decided to go down stairs.
“Your students can join our few girls that are still here in their movie marathon,” The head master told the man. I slipped down the stairs before they noticed me.
“I would love to get to know some of the students,” One of the boys said.
“They will be heading down stairs in minutes; right through that door and down the stairs to the left and you’ll be in the common room.” The head master said. The doorknob turned and someone started down the stairs.
“Dancer, quit hiding.” He muttered.
“Abstract? Honestly, you have to quit doing that to me,” I glared at him.
“Sorry Dancer, I forgot how easy you are to scare.” Abstract replied.
“I quit going by dancer when I was nearly killed about a mile away,” I told him.
“So, it’s true, you did quit looking,” He whispered.
“I was nearly killed, I had to quit looking otherwise Addison wouldn’t have had anyone.” I replied. I was crying and he knew it.
“What’s wrong Amy, you never cry.” He whispered walking over to me.
“They’re dead.” I muttered. He hugged me tightly.
“I know, you said that when you called me last week when you were in Egypt.” Jordan said. I didn’t say anything, instead I walked away.

I heard Addison running down the stairs when I got to my room.
“Where’s Amy?” She asked Jordan.
“I don’t understand, last week she needed help in Egypt but she ran away when I mentioned it.” He told Addison.
“Egypt? There’s no way she was in Egypt last week unless it was while she was missing,” Addison said.
“Missing?” Jordan asked.
“All last week, Amy was missing, she disappeared on Monday and reappeared on Friday, she claims that she doesn’t know where they took her,” Addison told Jordan.
“She called me on Tuesday,” Jordan whispered. Addison didn’t answer; instead I heard her bare feet on the cement floor outside my room. The door opened and Addison came in. She walked over to my bed and sat on my trunk like I did when she was sad or sick.
“He called you dancer, you haven’t gone by that since we found you on Thanksgiving,” She whispered laying her hand on my leg.
“Abstract was always a piece of work,” I whispered.
“He’s the one you were with all those years? He’s the one who kept you alive on your missions for the CIA and you quest to find our parents?” Addison asked me crying.
I sat up on my bed and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “Yes, that is him,” I whispered hugging her. Since we had gotten the news that our parents were found dead in the mountains, Addison hadn’t been acting the same. Let me rephrase that, as far as I know, she hadn’t been acting the same.
“They’re dead Amy, and then you disappeared on me. You disappeared less than a week after they found them dead.” She was screaming now.
“I know, I’ve been a bad sister,” I sighed. Addison had everybody’s attention now because next thing I know both Emma and Ellie are in my room. Ellie was lying on Amanda’s bed and Emma was sitting next to Addison hugging her. The four of us had the same basic story.
Our parents worked constantly and we only went home for summer and winter holidays. Even then, Addison went to our grandmother’s where she lived while I traveled the world. Jordan and I started looking for our parents when we were seven, which was two years after his and my parents left on the same mission for the CIA. Neither of our parents had returned.

Addison shook Emma away and ran out of my room. Ellie ran after her. Emma sighed before following them. I sat on my bed alone and cried. I hadn’t heard him come in, so I didn’t pay much attention until after he held me in his arms and was stroking my hair. I cried into Jordan’s shoulder for a little over an hour before I quit crying. He was smiling at me when I sat up and looked at him.
“Just like old times if you think about it,” he whispered pulling me into his arms and kissing my forehead.
“Except were not in Somalia,” I whispered. He nodded solemnly.
“That and neither of us are dying,” He smiled and kissed me.
“Well, at least some things changed.” I whispered yawning. He held me against his chest as I fell asleep. I was quickly dreaming.

I was lost and scared. I knew where I was trying to go, but the streets had changed since I had been in Cario last.
“Can you give me directions to the Chasta hotel,” I asked a man in fluent Egyptian. He pointed down the road and directed me to the right. Of course, now I remembered. I ran down the street to the hotel. A block away I saw a payphone and quickly called Abstract’s phone number. When he didn’t answer I left him a short message.
“Abstract, meet me at the Chasta hotel in Cario, it’s important, Dancer.” I said hanging up. I ran to the hotel quickly.
“Madam Kay,” The manager said seeing me. I noticed an emerald ring on his finger engraved with a symbol.
“A room please sir, and if you see my brother tell him where I am,” I asked the manager. He agreed and grabbed a key card to lead me to the room. As soon as I was in the room I found a pad of paper and wrote Abstract a note just in case they found me.

Abstract, they’re dead.
I might end up the same way,
Protect Addison, Dancer

The door was thrown open and I backed up. A man dressed in blood red came into the room. I was against the window when he attacked me. I ducked and he flew through the window. I jumped from the broken window.

                I was falling, falling, and falling before Jordan shook me awake. He had both my wrists in his hand.
“Amy, breathe,” he whispered, “you remembered something didn’t you?” he asked after letting go of my wrists.
“The hotel was a set up, the manager was with them, I saw the ring but didn’t realize it,” I whispered crying.
“Amy, I know, I saw the broken window. You must have put up a fight though, at the hotel they found one dead man. I did find your note though,” he whispered. I didn’t say anything for a while.

                Emma opened the door.
“Picture moment,” she said. “Not why I came in here though, dinner is ready and we all have to be there unless we are dying,” She said.
“We’ll be up in a few,” I told Emma. She hesitated and left the room.

 I grabbed a black skirt and a white blouse. Jordan quickly left my room as I changed into my school uniform. I pined on my simple school pendent carefully. I pulled my knee socks on and slipped into a pair of lacy black Mary-Janes. I sighed and turned off my bed room light. Jordan opened the door and took my arm. We walked into the great hall. The boys all shot Jordan a worried look before they saw me. Emma, Ellie, and Addison were sitting in our normal places glaring at the boys. I left Jordan and sat next to Addison.

“There’s something wrong with them,” Ellie whispered. I sighed and tuned out of the conversation.

Jordan was sitting and talking with some of his class mates. They all had the same worried expression.

“There’s no way it’s her,” I heard Jordan whisper.

“It has to be her, why would they want the younger one?” a boy told them.

“I doubt it could be Amy, she doesn’t know much about the school.” Jordan whispered to them.

“It’s one of the Kay sisters, why would it be the younger one though?” Another boy whispered.

“Why would they want anyone though? Addison hasn’t been exposed to the world like Amy has, like all of us have.” Jordan whispered. None of the boys had an answer to that. I started to zone out when the headmaster rose. Addison and I looked at one another again.

“We would like to welcome the students from the Areo academy, and we want you to all get to know each other tonight.” The headmaster said. Emma and Ellie groaned. Addison looked like she was going to pass out. Dinner was served and eaten. Addison stood up from the dinner table and passed out.

“Is she okay?” Jordan asked running to where I was sitting on the floor next to her. I felt dizzy and don’t know what brought it about, but next thing I know I was in the nurse’s office. I felt someone’s hand in mine. I knew who it was without even looking at him.

“Abstract, what happened?” I asked him. His hand tightened around mine as he spoke.

“Addison passed out then you were next to her. No one knows how it happened, or why it happened, but you passed out a minute later. The other two girls also passed out. It scared everyone.” He whispered.

“Are the others okay?” I asked him in a whisper.

“The others woke before you,” he whispered kissing my hand. I shivered and fell asleep.

“I’m telling you Jordan, we have to protect the younger one,” Someone whispered late in the night.

“Josh, you know as well as I that they poisoned all of the girl’s dinners, I’m thinking they want the school to…” Jordan whispered.

“Its possible guys, all I know is that we have to protect them.” Another guy whispered.

“Come on Jordan, she needs sleep and she should be fine for the night. Let’s go to the rooms their headmaster set up and sleep.” The first guy said.

“You guys go ahead; I’m not letting her out of my sight.” Jordan whispered squeezing my hand.

“We’ve already set cameras and bugs up in this room, come on.” The second boy said.

“No,” Jordan whispered.

“Fine, get some sleep though, we’ll stay here and keep watch.” The first boy said again. Jordan sighed, but he was snoring five minutes later.

I opened my eyes and looked around. There were three boys sitting around me. Jordan was holding my right hand, another boy was sitting next to my feet, and the third boy was sitting on a bed next to the one that I was sleeping in. I shivered and accidently kicked the boy sitting at my feet.

“Josh, we have to convince Jordan to let up a little. This obsession with her isn’t good for him.” The boy at my feet said.

“I know Mark, he won’t listen to us though,” The boy on the bed said.

“Whoever it was, poisoned all four girls, either their school is in danger, or it’s the Kay’s that are in danger. I’m guessing it’s the Kay’s though.” Mark said.

“Why would they poison four girls who couldn’t… do you think that it’s possible that they poisoned every plate of food, but since we have strong immune systems it didn’t affect us?” Josh asked.

“I doubt that” I said.

“Who said that?” Mark asked. I kicked him in the back.

“Guess,” I muttered.

“How long have you been awake?” Josh asked me.

“Before Jordan fell asleep,” I whispered sitting up. The two boys shared worried glances. I knew what they were thinking.

“I won’t tell anyone,” I muttered. They looked like they didn’t trust me. I lied down and fell back asleep.

I felt soft lips on my cheek the next morning and I woke up. Jordan was leaning over me smiling. I groaned and rolled over. He chuckled and tickled me.

“Fine, I’ll get up as long as you don’t tickle me anymore.” I muttered. He laughed and quit tickling me. I rolled out of the bed and groaned.

“I hate you sometimes,” I said. He laughed at me. I walked to my room with him at my side. When I got into my room it looked like someone had come in and taken a leaf blower to it. Jordan grabbed my hand and looked as if something bad were about to happen. Jordan’s friends Josh and Mark came up behind us.

“Woa, what happened in here?” Josh asked.

“No clue, we’ve been in the nurse’s office all morning,” Jordan said. I ran over to my bed where my jewelry box was. I searched the jewelry box and couldn’t find my gold pendant with blue diamonds in it.

“They took it…” I said biting my lip. Jordan knew what I was talking about. The last thing my mom and dad had bought for me and Addison. I looked around the room and noticed that a few of my other possessions were missing. Jordan noticed certain things missing as well.

“Where’s the fan I bought you when we were in China?” He asked looking at where I had kept it hung up. I sat down on my bed and continued to look through my jewelry box. I was crying when I finished searching both my jewelry boxes.

“The necklace is also missing,” I said sadly. The necklace I was talking about was a simple heart pendent until you looked closer and saw that the diamonds were actually Emeralds. Jordan walked to where I was sitting. He sat down next to me and hugged me.

“What do we tell Addison?” He asked. I guess I went bug eyed because he chuckled. “We won’t tell her yet than.” He whispered. I was trying so hard not to cry.

“So they are after the Kay’s.” Josh said.

“Not necessarily,” Jordan whispered.

“Why else would some of Amy’s stuff be missing?” Mark asked.

“Addison,” Jordan said questionably.

“She only knows about the pendent, she wouldn’t have taken my necklace as well, and she wouldn’t have taken the fan, or the picture of her, me, Jordan, and our grandmother.” I said.

“They know.” Mark muttered.