Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1)

by Lorenz Font

  Matro looked over his shoulder at me with a questioning look. “You can actually smell them?”

  I nodded.

  “Describe the scent to me.”

  Pushing my gnawing hunger aside, I thought about the best way to explain it. “It smelled like salt, but more like sweat. It felt like something or someone was close by, even though I couldn’t see anything.”

  He sat on the foot of the bed. “You’re right about that … ” His voice trailed off, and he studied me intently.

  I waited for him to say something more, but he didn’t. “Is there anything you know that you’re not telling me?”

  Matro shook his head.

  “I’m going to freak out any time now,” I warned him, sliding out of bed.

  My words snapped him out of his momentary stupor. “No. You’re doing fine. Those bastards just know how to scare humans.”

  He walked over to the door and pressed his ear against it before disappearing without a word. Just in time. There was a knock, and Mom opened the door.

  “Dinner’s ready, baby-boy,” she said.

  “I’ll be right down.” Leaning against the headboard, I plastered a neutral expression on my face.

  She walked in and glanced around. “I thought I heard you talking to someone.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “I’m all alone here, Mom. Who would I be talking to?”

  “Hmm … okay.” She didn’t sound convinced. “Are you keeping something from your mother?”

  “Mom, c’mon, gimme a break. Why would I keep something from you?”

  She still looked doubtful, but thank God she turned on her heel and started for the door. Then she pivoted and added, “Come down now.”

  “I’ll be there in just a minute.” I escaped to the bathroom and closed the door. That had been a close call.

  Matro reappeared, leaning against the wall. “Your mom is sneaky. She suspects something, so it’s better for us to limit our talks.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need some alone time, unless you want to stick around when the bomb drops?”

  He grimaced and was gone in a flash.

  Once alone, I thought about the new teacher, Mr. Ax. I couldn’t tell if my mind was playing tricks on me. After all, I had been under a lot of stress with the whole Prodian thing.

  Matro returned just as I was about to leave my room. “I know there is something else on your mind.”

  There was no escaping a mind-reading creature. “We have a new teacher who started today. He’s…” I tried to think of the best way to explain it. “I’m not sure if it was just my imagination, but I saw his eyes. They didn’t look human. Tell me I’m not going insane here.”

  Matro paled. For a good long time, an uncomfortable silence loomed between us, and when he answered, his voice was hard. “You’re not losing your mind. What’s his name? Describe him to me.”

  “It’s Bon Ax. He’s about your height. What are you, six-foot-three?” Matro nodded. “His hair is almost white, like platinum, silver, whatever, but his eyes were the clincher. They were yellow with a black dot in the middle.”

  Matro bristled. “Go on. Did he leave a scent?”

  “No, not really. Why?”

  Another long stretch of silence passed.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Matro shook his head as if dispelling an unpleasant thought, then he gripped my arm. “Listen to me. Have the Mertest handy at all times, and call on me right away if you need anything. Most of all, be safe. Don’t trust anyone with Shannon’s life or yours, except us and your friends.”

  If his statement was meant to scare me, it had worked. “You’re freakin’ me out.”

  His expression softened. “The portal between Pratrim and Earth is open. Our enemies are in our midst, yet I don’t see all of them. I’ll be damned if I let anything happen to you guys. We’re going to need more sentries to help out.”

  With that, he disappeared again, leaving me and my emotions in upheaval.

  Dinner was low-key. Mom and Dad seemed preoccupied with something, but that was good for me since Matro’s warning was still causing havoc in my mind.

  After dinner, Shannon made her usual appearance, armed with her backpack. I was surprised to see her wearing her pajamas.

  I eyed her warily. “Why are you wearing PJ’s?” I asked, inching away.

  “I figured, after we’re done with our homework, I’d already be dressed for bed.”

  Hmm, this is going to be a long night. I suppressed a groan. “Okay … shall we start?”

  Shannon sat next to me on the floor. I scooted further away when she leaned closer to check on my work, my raging hormones taunting me. I swore to walk her home the minute we finished our work.

  It was past eleven when the last of our assignments were finished. At my wits’ end, I tried to stand up, but my healing rib protested. I shrank back down and clutched at my chest.

  “You better get to bed,” Shannon said, worried.

  That was my cue. Despite the pain, I sucked in a breath, straightened my shoulders, and started gathering her books. “Let me walk you home, and then I’ll get to bed.”

  She looked at me with a puzzled expression. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  I shook my head. “Of course not. I need to take my pain pill, and that will knock me out, that’s all.” Without another word, I opened the door and stuck my head out, getting a feel for my parent’s whereabouts.

  There were faint sounds of the television and conversation coming from their bedroom. It was our chance to get out unnoticed. “C’mon.” I tugged at her hand and led her to the hallway and down the stairs.

  Once we got to her door, I handed her the books. “Same time tomorrow?”

  Shannon didn’t say anything. I felt bad, but I had to do this. I would end up attacking her if I didn’t put some space between us.

  “Don’t forget to bring your camera, and try to have a good night’s sleep.”

  “Okay,” she said and closed the door.

  Weary and worried, I climbed onto my bed, hoping Shannon wouldn’t hold this against me. It was for her own good, and my sanity.

  The next day, I honked twice and waited for Shannon to come out of her house. The moment she walked out the door, her face lit up with a smile. Thank God there were no hard feelings from the night before. Giving her a goofy grin, I waved to her.

  “Are you ready for your first job as a school photographer?”

  “You bet.”

  We chatted about our assignment all the way to school, and everything was right in my world again.

  The pep rally was scheduled for lunchtime. After the end of third period, I waited outside Shannon’s classroom. The hallway was bustling with kids eager to attend the rally or just to have extra time for themselves. The entire school was buzzing with excitement about the homecoming football game on Friday. The good news was our team actually had a chance of beating our cross-town rival this year. Having a decent defense made the difference.

  Shannon walked out a moment later and waved at me.

  “Ready?” I took her backpack and slung it over my shoulder.

  “I’m excited. This is my first gig, and I can’t wait.” Shannon glanced at a few of the whispering girls behind her and glared at them for a brief moment. “Let’s go, baby.”

  That threw me off for a second or two, but I regained my composure right away.

  “That was sweet of you.”

  Shannon acted innocent. “What are you talking about?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” I left it at that and took her hand instead.

  With the busy foot traffic and impossibly noisy exodus to the rally, further conversation between us was impossible. We walked in comfortable silence until we spotted our yearbook team converged not too far from the football field.

  Laying our backpacks on the ground, we busied ourselves right away with getting our cameras ready. Ron, our team leader, ambl
ed toward us. “Brian, your assignment is to take pictures during the pep rally. I’m counting on your quality shots.”

  “Sure thing.” I hung the camera strap around my neck and gave him a thumb’s up.

  Then he turned to Shannon, who was switching to her favorite short lens. “I need you to cover the team picture, as well as their individual shots. Can you handle it?”

  Shannon grinned. “You bet I can,” she said, obviously pleased with her assignment.

  “Better get a head start now.” Ron continued to talk to the rest of the group.

  Shannon beamed, and it was damn near impossible not to be happy for her. “See you in a bit?”

  “I’ll be waiting here.”

  There were too many things going on at the same time with the music, electric atmosphere, and rambunctious kids. I lost track of time as soon as the rally started. The marching band performed well, surprising everyone with music from the eighties. Next were the cheerleaders with their colorful pompoms and swinging short skirts, leading the students in colorful and funny chants against our rival, Belmont High. Next, a student dressed up as Kermit the Frog in our midnight blue football uniform did a short skit with someone else as Gonzo, who wore a tattered uniform from our rival school. Ms. Piggy rocked the scene with her own version of cheers, leaving everyone in high spirits.

  Finally, the football team was called in. This was my cue to cover every angle, from the group running to the middle of the field holding their helmets, to the crowd rising to their feet. As captain, Mark took the microphone and invited everyone to join in singing our school song. In his proud but slightly off-key tone, he led the students through the anthem. Snapping picture after picture, it took some time for me to note that Kevin was missing from the group.

  I scanned the multitude of faces to look for Shannon, and abandoned my post when I couldn’t locate her. Starting a frenzied search, my first stop was the bleachers. She wasn’t there, so I ran to where we left our things, hoping she might’ve finished her assignment early.

  My heart rammed against my chest as sweat trickled down my forehead when I found our things still lying where we’d left them.

  Breaking out in a run, I sprinted across the field, looking for anything that would give me a clue. There were a whole lot of kids, but not Shannon. I found Veronica with the other cheerleaders and decided I didn’t care if I was crossing the popular students’ boundary.

  “Veronica, have you seen Shannon?” I asked, my voice coming out in a croak.

  Some of the girls giggled, but I was beyond caring. The only thing on my mind was finding Shannon. Veronica tossed her honey blonde hair before answering. “No, I thought she was with you.” Then she added, sounding like it was meant for the rest to hear. “I don’t know why she’s hanging out with a loser.”

  “Thanks for helping out,” I said, pointedly, and took my leave.

  Then out of nowhere, the stench I had associated with the Ergans drifted around me. “Oh no, not your nasty asses again.” I checked my surroundings, but not one of those suckers was in sight. This wasn’t good.

  A strident sound came from the direction of the locker room, and I sprinted toward it.

  The distant hooting from the ongoing festivities couldn’t compete with the loud thudding of my heartbeat when I headed to a deserted area of campus. Then I heard Shannon’s pleas reverberating above the din, coming from the locker room.

  Inside, she was struggling against Kevin, who had her cornered against the wall.

  “Get your hands off me,” Shannon shouted.

  “What does that geek-face have that I don’t?” Kevin asked while pressing his filthy body closer.

  That was when I saw red. No one was going to disrespect Shannon this way—over my dead body. Fueled by a burst of adrenaline and red-hot fury, I plowed toward them with speed that even surprised me. Without considering the consequences of my actions, I pummeled into Kevin with force, almost hitting Shannon. Caught off guard, he fell to the ground. As an athlete, he was fast and was back on his feet before I had the chance catch my breath. My ribs protested, but I was not going to give in.

  “Just who do you think you are, barging in here? This area is off limits to weirdos.”

  “Oh yeah? Then what are you doing here, you piece of crap?”

  At my words, Kevin barreled in my direction. Luck made my feet catch a piece of equipment on the floor, and I stumbled backward, avoiding what would’ve been a hard blow.

  Kevin managed to brace his fall by landing on top of me, and that was when all hell broke loose. We grappled together on the ground, rolling, kicking, and exchanging punches.

  “For the last time, keep your hands off her!” I socked him in the face real good, and blood squirted from his nose.

  “Stop it, Stop it!” Shannon’s voice echoed in my ears, but there was no stopping me. I was nowhere even close to easing up. Rage and adrenaline kept me going, landing punches and kicks without pause. I’d had enough of Kevin trying to take advantage of her.

  “You son of a bitch!” Kevin howled and swung at me, catching me across the jaw.

  All of a sudden, a familiar stink drifted around us and we were yanked to our feet.

  “What’s going on here?” Mr. Ax grunted under the force of my resistance.

  “You broke my nose, you dipshit.” Kevin spat out some blood.

  An excruciating pain radiated from my chest, but pride kept me from crying out while I tried to catch my breath. “I’m not done yet, you bastard,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “You’re going to get expelled, you piece of scum,” Kevin roared. His face was a mask of rage as he took a step in my direction.

  Mr. Ax yanked him back, and then tossed him to the ground. “He’s not going to get expelled. You are.”

  Sputtering with anger, Kevin jumped to his feet. “But … you told me to—”

  “Enough!” Mr. Ax cut him off. “You’re in big enough trouble as it is.” Then he turned to me. Behind those dark glasses, I sensed the dagger glare he threw my way. “I’m watching you, Morrison.”

  Shannon rushed over and wrapped her arms around me. “Mr. Ax, thank God you came. It was Kevin’s fault. He was going to attack me. Brian came in time to help me.”

  “If that is the case, then you should come with us to the Principal’s office.” Mr. Ax turned on his heel and found Kevin smirking at me. “You’re not going to like what’s going to happen next. If I were you, I’d cut my losses now and shut up.”

  Once more, we found ourselves being hustled to the principal’s office.

  After several hours of intense interrogation, I walked out of Mr. Delson’s office with a final warning. Engage in another fight, whether it was my fault or not, and I’d get booted out. Shannon testified against Kevin, and Mr. Ax confirmed her statement. The whole process gave me some time to study the new teacher, and more than ever, I believed there was more to the man than met the eye. And I would make sure I found my answers soon.

  The whole event left me baffled. It left so many questions that needed answers. What was Kevin trying to say before Mr. Ax cut him off? And what was the photography teacher doing near the locker room?

  In the end, I was just relieved that Shannon had escaped without a scratch.

  Grounded

  Shannon and I left the principal’s office in a hurry, trying to avoid crossing paths with Kevin again. Now that he’d been expelled, the situation was bound to get worse. We hurried to my car, and once we got inside, Shannon started fussing at me.

  “Brian, you can’t keep fighting like this.” She touched my jaw, and I fought hard not to react under her watchful eye. I won’t kiss her. I won’t kiss her, I chanted in my head.

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, I was trying to protect your virtue.” I pulled away, afraid I wouldn’t be able to control my physical reaction to her proximity.

  “I can defend myself. Besides, you’re going to be expelled if you get in another fight.”

  Shannon
glanced ahead, and we saw Kevin walking out when we passed the school. His expression said it all. He wanted payback.

  For the first few minutes, nothing much was said as we headed home. I had so many things running through my mind, but focusing on them would only provoke my tics. There was no point in worrying about anything other than Shannon’s safety.

  “Did you smell that stink back there? Or was it only me?” she asked.

  At least it wasn’t just me. “It came with Mr. Ax, I swear.”

  “What’s up with him? He scares me.” She shuddered.

  I reached for her hand and held it. “Don’t worry. I’m going to be watching him from now on.”

  Shannon shot me a glare. “Of course I’ll worry. He looks really pissed at you.” She shook her head. “What I’m trying to figure out is what Kevin was trying to say. You heard it, right?

  I nodded, knowing full well we had another puzzle to solve. “From now on, avoid Ax at all times. If he comes near you, run away.”

  Shannon laughed. “He’s our teacher. I can’t avoid him.”

  “I’m trying to look after you,” I whispered.

  “Why? Is there something I should know?”

  It wasn’t something I could discuss with her, but before I could stop myself, I blurted out a different sort of secret. “I … think I’m falling for you … ”

  I let go of her hand and looked away, expecting a rebuff. Shannon didn’t say anything, and an uncomfortable silence followed. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I shot a furtive glance at her.

  Her expression confused me. I’d expected her to laugh or tell me that I’d overstepped a boundary. Instead, she was smiling.

  “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Shannon tugged at my arm. “And don’t let go of my hand.”

  She wasn’t upset. I had been stressing for no reason at all.

  “I’ll call later.” I kissed her hand as soon as we’d parked in my driveway.

  Shannon smiled. “Sure. I’ll be waiting.”

  After I got her safely inside, I got back inside my car and headed down the road. I needed to go somewhere I could summon to Matro without witnesses so I could talk to him and not be seen talking to myself again. Mark’s place would be the safest bet, I figured.