For the next two days Tag avoided the security people but did not duck the school cameras. He felt certain that they had tied the fight and the theft together and probably knew about how someone was able to avoid being caught on camera. One good thing that happened was that Leila got to retake her test and made a perfect score. The school administrator said that had never been done before and took every opportunity to brag about her. I guess that assures her future, he thought. Of course, she was stunned upon discovering her original test was missing. Or at least the test booklet was missing, and just as he suspected, her interrogation went smoothly. Once they determined she knew nothing, most of the questions were related to her friends and boys she had dated. Tag had also seen her walking around with the new girl. There was something about that girl. He couldnt quite put his finger on it, but she was different. After her interrogation Leila was showing the new girl around and introducing her. They had walked up to his table at lunch where he and Eric were sitting and introduced her to them.
Leila said to them, Eric, Tag, this is Danielle Ashford. Shes just transferred here and Im introducing her to everyone so we can make her feel at home. They stood up and she gave them her hand to shake.
Eric immediately took her hand and said, Nice to meet you. My name is Eric and anytime you need someone to show you around, Im your man. How about Friday evening? Im available.
Leila said, Obviously, Erics the shy one.
Okay, okay, if you insist well make it Saturday, Eric said.
Danielle laughed at Eric and said, Let me check my calendar and Ill let you know.
Then Leila turned to Tag and said, Danielle, this is Tag.
Tag stood up and shook the new girls hand. Hello, he said, welcome to our school.
She has remarkable blue eyes and that blond hair is beautiful. This is one striking girl, Tag thought, and he sensed every boy in the room was staring at her.
Danielle felt like a moth caught in a flame. It was like something electric ran through her when Tag took her hand. This boy looked into your soul. His green eyes met hers and she could immediately tell he was truly looking at her, not just her looks. All she could think to say was, Is that your real name, Tag?
No, Leila said. When we were children, we could never catch him playing tag. Of course as we got older, he got slower and would get caught. But he was Tag in fourth level and hes still Tag today.
Danielle noticed that her hand was still in Tags and she didnt want to let go, but she did. Well, its very nice to meet you, Tag, she said.
Then Leila said something that caught her attention. Tag wont tell you, but hes also pretty smart. Hes actually better at math than I am, and hes second in our class.
Tags face turned red and he looked at the floor; he had no idea that Leila knew that. Heck, even Eric didnt know that. Truth be told, most of his classmates were unaware of how smart he was because he was just so easy-going and funny. His quantitative point average was 99.2 and he didnt think anyone else knew. He had followed his mothers advice and had not done anything that would make him stand out, and he kept his good grades to himself. I wonder how she found out, he thought.
Danielle looked at Tag and wondered, Could this be our Superman? She made a mental note to get Colonel Ortiz to look at his records. They turned to walk away and she couldnt resist saying, Perhaps we can play, Tag.
The young man smiled and responded with, Youre it first.
She laughed as she and Leila walked to the next table. She then surprised herself by thinking, Maybe I am. And maybe you are.
Tag sat down and listened to Eric say, Wow! Hubba, hubba, is she beautiful or what? She even gives Leila a run in the beauty contest. What a smile, what pretty eyes, what a nice shape. Did you see that smile? Her blond hair is perfect. I could look at her forever. Did I ask if you saw that smile?
Eric, Tag interrupted, wake up and try to focus a moment. What are you going to do about your newfound feelings?
Eric made a long face, put his head on Tags shoulder, and said, Alas, Ill limp away brokenhearted. She only had eyes for you.
Youre crazy, Eric. Why would someone like her be interested in me?
You make a very good point, but you have to trust your uncle Eric. I know about these things. She likes you! That means she likes the smart, quiet, ugly ones. One can never account for a womans opinion of beauty. I mean, I was standing right there. How could she have possibly even seen you? By the way, speaking of smart, what did Leila mean by second in our class?
Shes crazy too, Tag said while laughing at Erics running account. Then he said, Ego, thy name is Eric McAnn.
Eric winked and said, Duh. You just now figured that out? Just be thankful I dont make you pay big money to hang around with me. Then they both laughed and continued their lunch.
Leila left Danielle to meet with the school administrator to receive an award for her test results. Danielle pressed the button on her communicator. Go ahead, Colonel Ortiz said.
Eddie, I want you to look into the records of one of the students here that everyone calls Tag. I dont know what his real name is but the school administrator should know.
Do you think he might be Superman?
She said, I dont know, but Leila said he was as smart as she is, and you know how smart that is. Have you had any luck with the boys that have had relationships with Leila?
No. Weve turned up nothing. I think were going to start questioning the smart ones like you suggested. If this whats his name, Tag, is as smart as you were told he is, then hell go into interrogation tomorrow.
Well, let me know whats in his records.
Certainly. Ill get back to you.
Danielle sat down at an empty lunch table and looked back across the lunchroom at Tag and Eric sitting there laughing. When he shook my hand I felt a kind of shock, she remembered. I wonder if hes Superman. Hes not great looking at a distance, but those eyes make him gorgeous up close. I dont think he has any fat on him either. I want to see those eyes again. If Leila is right and hes as smart as she says he is, he would be interesting to talk with.
Tag sensed that Danielle was staring at him from across the lunchroom. When I took her hand I felt something electric happen in the psychic field. I have no idea what it was and Ive never felt it before, Tag thought. When he looked into her eyes, he saw that this girl had more depth than anyone hed ever encountered, other than Leila, of course. Well, maybe even more than Leila. One thing this girl had in abundance that Leila didnt was a quick sense of humor and a quick genuine laugh. Wait a minute, he thought. Leila is the one Im crazy about. After several seconds he said to himself, Arent I? Then he felt Danielles gaze leave him and he glanced over to see her get up and leave the lunchroom.
Danielles com buzzed and she got up to go outside and take the call. Go ahead, she said.
Colonel Ortiz said, Thomas Anglo Gardner is the official name of Tag. I guess they call him that because of his initials.
No, Leila told me that they called him that because as a little boy when they played tag no one could catch him. It fits him perfectly, especially since it matches his initials. What else did you find out?
The boy is brilliant. He has a perfect math score on all his tests. The only reason that Leila is ahead of him is that he missed a test two years ago because he was sick. When he retook it, they deducted thirty points for not taking it on time to teach him responsibility. He is actually number one in grades. He made a perfect score on the test they reduced. His score should be 99.7.
Wow, Danielle thought.
I think youll find his self-defense reports interesting. I know his instructors and theyre good at what they do. Both of them rated him very low in his skills. They say he had no affinity or desire for hand-to-hand combat.