The Academy: Making of a Ruler (The Eagle King's Academy Book 1)

by C. C. Monö

  Heaving himself out of his chair, he went to open the door. He found Mr Nakata standing with his hands behind his back and the usual stone expression on his face.

  “Have you found out if we were hacked or not?” Professor Jackson snapped.

  Mr Nakata shook his head and entered the office uninvited.

  “Not possible.”

  Professor Jackson slammed the door shut with fury.

  “You know that’s not good enough. We must know if our system has been breached!”

  The security manager shook his head again.

  “Again, not possible”.

  Professor Jackson tried to control his temper. God knows it wasn’t easy, especially when Mr Nakata appeared so indifferent. Everyone else, except maybe Principal Cunningham, had the good sense to deflect their eyes when Professor Jackson scowled them, but not Mr Nakata. He feared no one. And the real pisser, what truly got under the assistant principal’s skin, was the fact that the man was the best in his field. If he said something was impossible, then it was impossible.

  Seething, Professor Jackson marched back and sat down with such force, the chair squealed under his weight.

  “So why are you here?” he asked.

  “I show you.”

  Without asking for permission, the security manager waltzed in and placed his laptop on the mahogany desk. He tapped a few buttons on his keyboard and then turned the screen to the assistant principal. Professor Jackson put on his glasses and peered down.

  “What am I looking at?”

  “A video from Chamber today.”

  “Is that Mr Hallman?”

  “Hai. He and Mr Harris work together on Professor Evans’ obstacle course. Professor Evans wanted visual and audio. Listen.”

  Mr Nakata increased the volume on his computer and pressed play. Paul’s voice shot out from the speakers.

  “You’re in a narrow corridor. It’s long, so just run.”

  “And the word?”

  “It says ‘I once had a friend, his name was Bret. He lived alone in a sticky old…’”

  Leaning in, Professor Jackson stared at the image of Axel.

  “Why did Mr Hallman just stop?”

  Mr Nakata made a humming sound in agreement.

  “Hai. Why he not moving?”

  “Hey man!” Paul was yelling. “Why are you stopping? Hello! Do you hear me?”

  “Is it possible to get a front view of Mr Hallman?”

  “No. No camera there.”

  “Come on, Axel! What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Axel staggered, taking a step to the side as if drunk. Then he began to run. Mr Nakata stopped the video.

  “I talk with Professor Evans. She believe Mr Hallman stopped to think.”

  “But you don’t believe that?” Professor Jackson asked.

  Mr Nakata backed the video a few seconds and then played it in slow motion.

  “There,” he said, pointing at the screen. “I think Mr Hallman talk to someone.”

  It was hard to see. The recording had been made with a night vision camera, filmed from above and behind Axel. Yet when Mr Nakata zoomed in, it was clear the young man’s jaw was moving.

  The assistant principal scratched a spot between his eyes, trying to make sense of what he saw.

  “I think you’re right,” he said, pushing back his glasses. “But if Mr Hallman spoke, why can’t we hear him?”

  “Two option,” Mr Nakata replied. “He make no sound, or…someone hack our system.”

  It was like pushing a button. Professor Jackson saw red.

  “Shit!” Slamming his palms against the desk, he let out a roar. “You’ve told me our system is impenetrable!” he bellowed. “This is the second time you’ve told me our system might have been breached.”

  “No system impenetrable,” Mr Nakata replied unruffled. “Especially from inside.”

  “What?” With eyes widening, Professor Jackson felt a terrifying moment when he was lost for words. “Are you saying someone from within the Academy hacked our system?”

  “No. I say if someone hack our system, they did it from inside.”

  “So someone on your team may have hacked…”

  “No!” For the first time during their conversation, Mr Nakata raised his voice, waving a finger in warning. “Never my team. Never!”

  There was a fire in the man’s eyes that even Professor Jackson thought best not to provoke, so he clamped his teeth together, feeling a throbbing headache begin to emerge.

  “If not from your team, then who?”

  “Anyone knowing our systems.”

  “All right, and who outside your team has such knowledge?”

  “People from IT, the developers, and some analysts.”

  Professor Jackson took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. What a mess. As his grandmother always used to say, many a mickle makes a muckle. There had been too many incidents within a short period of time, and many of them connected to Mr Hallman. Only a fool would call that a coincidence.

  “All right, we’ll put a lid on this for now. Not a word to anyone, until we’ve sorted it out.”

  “Humph. The principal?”

  With a flick of his hand, the professor made his point clear. “We don’t know who’s involved, do we? We don’t even know if anyone’s involved, so, for now, let’s just keep it to ourselves, even from our principal.”

  Mr Nakata stood quiet for a few seconds.

  “Is that wise?” he finally probed, thereby breaking one of his own golden rules, to never question an order.

  Such nerve! Professor Jackson’s face hardened.

  “Under the current circumstances, it is!”

  Mr Nakata nodded, albeit with a certain reluctance. Closing his laptop, he glanced at the professor. “We have another problem. Mr Harris brother talks too much. When too much drinking, he becomes liability.”

  Professor Jackson sighed. Life as the assistant principal of the world’s greatest academy wasn’t a simple one. Great leadership demanded great sacrifices.

  “I see. Then tell Ms Brown to have one of the Watchers give him an official warning.”

  A brief smile swept across Mr Nakata’s face.

  “Ah…we gave him warning yesterday.”

  Professor Jackson gave a confirmative nod. He hadn’t expected anything less of Mr Nakata.

  “Good. Then you’re dismissed.”

  CHAPTER 64

  You never know with life. Even a miserable morning could be the start of a wonderful day.

  Professor Plouffe’s guest was none other than the British prime minister, a very charming and humorous individual. They were in classroom E, a small, cosily lit room on the twelfth floor. It reminded Axel of a small library, with stone walls and bookshelves filled to the brim with books of all sizes and colours.

  The professor and his guest were sitting in comfortable armchairs near a wide fireplace where a few logs fizzled among the flames. Axel and his fellow students sat in a semi-circle around the two men, sipping tea or coffee while nibbling on wonderful biscuits brought up from the kitchen. Axel decided that after today’s catastrophic exercise, he deserved something sweet, and thus he took a bite of another chocolate biscuit.

  The prime minister appeared relaxed, talking about the challenges he faced and the difficulties in leading a country. Enjoying a large espresso, he tried to answer Professor Plouffe’s and the students’ questions as honestly as he could. On more than one occasion he brought laughter to the room with his anecdotes.

  “I remember visiting the White House for an unofficial and very sensitive business negotiation,” the prime minister said. “At one point, the president’s wife came by with her dog. While greeting me, the ugly little thing took a particular liking to my leg.” Here the prime minister paused and smiled. “Just to clarify, I’m referring to the dog, not the president’s wife. Come to think of it, that would have been an interesting experience.” As expected of them, the students laughed. “
Anyhow, the incident had a devastating effect on my diplomatic influence. You can’t imagine how difficult it is to appear authoritarian after a Chihuahua has violated your leg. Such things are just not supposed to happen to a leader.”

  “Do you mean leaders have to be flawless?” Axel queried.

  Behind him, a few of the students squirmed in their seats, indicating it had been a stupid question.

  “No one is flawless,” the prime minister replied with a shrug, “but the world expects flawlessness from us. You could say that part of my job is to appear flawless.”

  Axel nodded. That seemed to make sense.

  At the end of the session, it was the prime minister’s turn to ask a few questions. He was curious to know where the students came from, what their dreams were, and why they’d applied to the Academy. When he found out that Axel was from Sweden, he beamed.

  “I met with your prime minister the other day,” he said. “The man’s a friend of mine, actually. He’ll be thrilled to know that one of his countrymen has been accepted to the E.K.A.”

  “I believe he already knows,” Professor Plouffe said with a grin.

  The prime minister leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers.

  “Well, what a little bugger,” he chortled. “He didn’t say a word about it to me.”

  “I’m very glad to hear that, sir.” Professor Plouffe laughed. “He’s signed a confidentiality agreement with us.”

  “As have I, Professor Plouffe,” the prime minister replied. “As have I.” He picked up a chocolate praline and waved it at Axel before taking a bite. “And there you have another frustrating aspect of leadership, Mr Hallman. Sometimes leaders have to pretend to be less knowledgeable than we are.”

  Unknown to the prime minister, the statement gave Axel some piece of mind. He felt bad about having lied to Paul and Professor Jackson about the incidents in the Chamber, but as the prime minister pointed out, sometimes you have no other choice.

  The guest swallowed his praline and continued. “So next time I meet your prime minister, I have to act as if I don’t have a clue about you, even if I know he knows. It’s all very confusing. And should he find out that I know you’re here, then he’ll pretend that he doesn’t know that I know.” The prime minister let out an infectious laugh. “We can’t talk about it even if we both want to.”

  Professor Plouffe chuckled and leaned forward. “Not even behind closed doors,” he said in a conspiratorial tone.

  The prime minister laughed. “Officially? No. Unofficially? You’ll never find out.”

  They all laughed at that.

  At the end of the session, the prime minister thanked Professor Plouffe and his students.

  “I’m honoured that you found my experience and knowledge worth listening to and hope this little meeting will be the beginning of a lifetime of collaboration.”

  Federico grinned and whispered, “I bet he does. He’s just a leader as long as people vote for him. We, on the other hand, will rule the world for our entire lives. Befriending one of us will give him access to power he can only dream of.”

  CHAPTER 65

  TWELVE YEARS EARLIER

  “You’ve got to stop questioning everything,” Lorena said, sounding remarkably troubled. “You’re pissing everyone off.”

  Sarah bent down and smelled one of the roses. The petals were still wet after the mid-day rains and she managed to get a drop on her nose.

  “What kind of world are we living in if we can’t question things?” They were taking an afternoon stroll around the garden, a rare break in their otherwise busy schedules. Sarah loved this part of the premise. It was a place for reflection with its gravel paths, colourful flowerbeds, and tranquil lily ponds. “I believe that if people took their time to reflect upon things, they too might begin to ask questions.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with asking questions,” Lorena said, walking with her hands behind her back like the soldier she was. “One can even challenge the teachers once in a while. That’s fine, but you’re doing more than that. You’re being provocative. It’s as if you’re determined to infuriate the professors.”

  “That’s not my intention.”

  “Still, that’s how you’re perceived. Both by the professors and the other students, I might add.”

  The comment hurt, and Sarah felt her frustration grow.

  “Don’t you think it’s strange that our professors tell us that leaders must be brave and stand up for what they believe in, but they have very little patience for students who don’t share their beliefs?

  Lorena gave her a worried look.

  “And what exactly do you believe?”

  Sarah shrugged.

  “I’m not sure yet. That’s why I’m asking questions.” She paused, turning her face towards the sun. “But in all honesty, I’m beginning to doubt that leaders are as important as the Academy preaches.”

  “Jesus, Sarah!”

  “Oh, please don’t be upset with me. I have to be honest with you, but I would appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone.”

  “Are you mad? They’ll skin you alive if they knew what you were thinking.”

  They rounded a corner and came upon three gardeners pruning a hedge. The workers stopped what they were doing and bowed. Sarah eyed the woman closest to her.

  “Hello, Caitlyn. I thought we agreed that you didn’t have to bow to me,” she said.

  Blushing, the blonde woman took off her straw hat.

  “Yes, Ms Wangai,” she replied in a hushed tone, glancing at Lorena. “I just didn’t want to disrespect Ms De Paz.”

  Sarah laughed.

  “Oh, that’s all right, Caitlyn; Lo’s not worried about such formalities, are you, Lorena?”

  To Sarah’s disappointment, Lorena shifted with unease, eyes wandering in the direction of the main building.

  “I think I better head back to my apartment. I still haven’t completed my assignment for Professor Plouffe.” She gave the gardeners a wave of her hand that made them rush back to work. Leaning closer to Sarah, she whispered, “You’ve got to stop this nonsense. The Academy is not your enemy. You’re here so they can help you become the best of the best. I feel you’re pushing them too hard. If you continue, they’ll snap, and you’ll end up hurt.” She leaned back again, studying Sarah with serious eyes. “Promise me you’ll stop.”

  “You wish me to stop asking questions and do as I’m told?”

  “You’re doing it again.” Lorena sighed. “I give you some friendly advice and you make it sound as if I’m telling you to be a follower.”

  “And how would you like me to take it?”

  Lorena’s face darkened.

  “God, Sarah! You’re hopeless!”

  With great sadness in her heart, Sarah watched as Lorena marched off with long, angry strides.

  CHAPTER 66

  PRESENT MOMENT

  The following evening, long after the sun had set, Axel and a few of the students were resting in the sun chairs by the pool. Above them rain splattered against the glass roof, the sound deafened by the noise of the indoor waterfall.

  The large eagle, called Arthur by the staff, pushed off from his branch and flew over the four students. He made a wide circle above the trees before disappearing towards the southeast corner.

  “That’s it,” said Izabella with a yawn, putting down the paper she’d been reading.

  “Mmm,” Ava mumbled. “Anything new?”

  She, Thabo, and Julie were on their stomachs while skilled masseuses worked an absurd amount of oil into their tense bodies.

  “No, they’re still speculating,” Izabella replied, lowering the back of her sun chair. “One article wrote that Principal Cunningham was seen in Brussels, but since others claim to have seen him in Tokyo, Madrid, Cairo, and New York, there is no reason to worry.”

  “Lucky you,” Julie slurred, half asleep. “Going to New York on Thursday.”

  “I reckon Principal Cunningham keeps a close eye on what�
�s being said about the Academy,” Paul snapped and took a swig of his beer. “He’d be a fool if he didn’t.”

  Izabella giggled.

  “Come on, Paul, let it go. You’ll get to go to New York some other time.”

  “I wonder…” Axel began, watching the slow movement of the palm leafs above his head. “What do you think Principal Cunningham would do if someone found out about the location of the Academy?”

  “He’d move us to a different location,” Thabo said. “Why do you ask?”

  “Just curious. The Academy is always a step ahead, but if someone did find out about the location, how would they be able to make all of this disappear?” He made a random gestured towards the surroundings. “Every box sent from here would be monitored by the press.”

  The others were quiet for a long time. Then Paul laughed and shook his head.

  “No one will find out where we are.”

  The others agreed and soon their conversation turned to other things, but Axel remained quiet. He let his mind wander to matters of greater concern; things he needed to solve on his own. So far he didn’t know what the voice in the Chamber wanted, but if things got ugly…

  “A penny for your thoughts.” Izabella laughed and gave him a gentle push. “What are you thinking?”

  Axel gave her a fleeting look before turning his gaze back to the swaying leaves.

  “Just thinking about something Professor Jackson said the first week we arrived; that few things are more important to humanity than good leadership.”

  “What about it?”

  “Do you think that’s true?”

  There was an awkward silence, filled only by the drumming of the rain against the glass roof. He knew this was one of those questions Professor Evans had warned him not to ask, but the woman’s words from the Chamber remained vivid in his mind. “…billions of dollars are invested in leadership every year. Is the world a better place because of that?” It was stupid question. The Academy wouldn’t have existed if leadership trainings were useless. Yet, the statement touched something deep within Axel, something that stirred up great discomfort in his soul.

  “Of course it’s true,” Julie chided in her thick, French accent. “Leaders have the power to change the world. Good leadership will change it for the better; bad leadership, for the worse. Why do you ask?”