“Nice craftsmanship there,” said Dave, leaning in for a look.
Below the gap in the floor was a hole a foot deep and half a foot wide.
There was a pounding knock on his door.
“Open up, Mr. West! Right this minute!”
Lyle Ogilvy.
Will set the cell phone and charger in the hole, then replaced the loose board and wedged the heavy desk back on top of it. “Feel free to pitch in anytime,” whispered Will to Dave. “You’re doing aces, mate.”
“I have a master key with me,” said Lyle. “And I’m going to use it as soon as I count to—”
Will unlocked and opened his door. “Ten?” asked Will.
Lyle stared down at him, livid with anger. Todd stood behind Lyle, glaring, hands on his hips, flanked by the two lugs from the running team who’d tried to take him out on Suicide Hill. Both had multiple cuts and scrapes on their faces from the spill they’d taken. Behind them in the great room were Brooke and Nick, who was cool and unconcerned, tossing another log onto the fire.
“You can count that high,” said Will. “Can’t you, Lyle?”
Lyle held a copy of the Code of Conduct in front of Will’s face and thumped it for emphasis: “Page five, section seven of the Code of Conduct,” said Lyle. “Suspected possession of contraband objects or materials is grounds for immediate search of said student’s entire residential area.” He turned to Brooke and Nick. “You two open your doors, sit down, and do not move until I tell you to.”
They did as they were told. Lyle lowered his shoulder and brushed past Will into his bedroom. Todd and his posse swept in after him, Todd pausing long enough to eyeball Will with a sneer. Dave had moved from the desk; he leaned on the edge of the bay window, watching calmly. None of the newcomers noticed him.
Just then Ajay came in the front door. He stopped when he saw Will in his room. Will caught his eye, mimed holding a phone, and slowly mouthed, “Call Mr. McBride.”
Ajay nodded, backtracked out, and silently closed the door behind him. Will turned to Lyle and the others, who had begun methodically tearing apart his room. Todd rifled through his desk, while the other two checked the bathroom and closet. Lyle flipped over the mattress, feeling for sinister lumps in the bedsprings.
OceanofPDF.com
#65: THE DUMBEST GUY IN A ROOM IS THE FIRST ONE WHO TELLS YOU HOW SMART HE IS.
“Todd, buddy,” said Will. “If you’re this serious about busting my chops, you should check out my awesome hiding place. Under the desk. You’re practically standing on it.”
Todd stopped long enough to scowl again. “You think I’m some kind of idiot?”
Dave nodded, winked, and gave Will an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
“Hey, just trying to help,” said Will.
“Go in the living room and wait with your roommates,” said Lyle. “Per the Code of Conduct, page nineteen, subsection six—”
OceanofPDF.com
#96: MEMORIZE THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
“No. I’m not doing that.”
“Sorry, what?”
“I’m staying here to watch,” said Will. “Per the Bill of Rights, Fourth Amendment. Protection from unreasonable search and seizure. In case any contraband ‘accidentally’ finds its way into my room.”
Lyle glared at him. “Are you accusing me of planting incriminating evidence?”
“Just make sure nothing falls out of anybody’s pocket.”
The goons came back from the bathroom empty-handed and Todd shook his head. Frustrated, Lyle picked up Dad’s rules from the bedside table. “What is this?” asked Lyle as he paged through it.
The sight of his father’s book in Lyle’s hands enraged Will.
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#30: SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH A BULLY IS TO HIT FIRST. HARD.
“That’s private property,” said Will, walking over to him. “I don’t care what your damn rulebook says. The next time you decide to get all gestapo up in here, bring a warrant signed by a judge. Because if you ever come in here again without one? I will roll up my copy of the Constitution and knock your teeth out with it.”
All four intruders froze. Will ripped the rules out of Lyle’s hand. Lyle turned pale, livid spots blossoming on his cheeks.
Dave hopped down from his perch in the window and went into what looked like a touchdown dance.
“You can’t talk to him like that,” said Todd, stepping between them.
“What are you good at, Todd?” asked Will.
“Excuse me?”
“What are your big talents in life? I mean, aside from ‘second fastest’ and ‘inheriting’?”
Todd’s eyes went as red as brake lights; his whole body vibrated. Lyle put a hand on Todd’s shoulder, but Todd shook him off and got in Will’s face.
“You are so completely gone from here,” said Todd.
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#76: WHEN YOU GAIN THE ADVANTAGE, PRESS IT TO THE LIMIT.
“Get out,” said Will. “Now. All of you.”
Will stood chin to chin with Todd, who flexed his fists, then reached over and knocked the photo of Will’s parents off the bedside table. It crashed onto the floor, and the glass cracked. Fury spread through Will like a time-lapse sunrise.
I’m going to wipe that smirk off your face.
Wild energy rumbled through Will’s chest and throat, an electrical charge firing up his spine, but just as he was about to let loose, Dave leaned in beside Todd and blew lightly into his ear. Todd swiped at his head, completely spooked, spinning around to look for whoever or whatever could have done that to him.
“What the hell …?” said Todd.
Will saw a puzzled, inward look steal over Lyle’s face. He has no idea what to make of it—but he felt Dave’s presence just then.
“Search the other rooms,” said Lyle.
Todd put his head down and stormed out. His running mates fell in behind him. Lyle leaned toward Will and levered his face into a gruesome version of a smile. Will caught a whiff of foul breath and sour body odor. Lyle’s voice was raspy and dry with adrenaline, spittle forming at the corners of his liverish lips.
“I’ve got you all figured out,” said Lyle.
“Do you?”
“You think being good is all that matters. That goodness and virtue have something to do with value. That’s the false comfort losers always fall back on. The pathetic fallacy of the weak.”
Will’s heart beat faster. The blood drained from his face.
“We don’t like you,” said Lyle softly. “We don’t like what your being here means: charity for nobodies. The false promise of a ‘level playing field.’ This field isn’t level. It never has been. It isn’t supposed to be.”
“Who’s ‘we’?” asked Will.
“Your superiors,” said Lyle viciously. “You’re an oik. Oiks don’t belong at the Center. And you won’t be here for long. Count on it.”
Lyle straightened his jacket over his slouched shoulders and left the room. Will followed him out. Brooke and Nick were watching the others try to open the door to Elise’s room. Lyle took out his master key and headed over to open it. Will picked up the nearest black phone and pushed the button.
“Good evening, how may I direct your call?” said the operator.
“Send an ambulance to Greenwood Hall,” said Will loudly. “Fourth floor, pod three. Right away. There’s been a terrible accident.”
Lyle, Todd, and their two goons stared at him. Will picked up the black phone, hefted it in his hand, testing its weight and feel. Seeing that, Nick lifted an iron poker from the fire pit and tapped it into his palm.