The Academy - Hoax

by C. L. Stone

I winced. He’d said we, and while I agreed with him, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to say anything.

  Corey turned toward me, saying nothing, but silently urging me to speak.

  I looked down at my knees, wishing he wouldn’t blame me for being cautious. Corey was the last one I wanted to cross, and I knew how he felt about his team.

  “We need proof,” I said, trying to sound confident. Saying it out loud in front of him hurt, and I regretted it. Did I really seriously think any of them could have done it?

  “After everything…” He trailed off, and when I lifted my head, it was like looking at his brother, hurt and sadness bubbling just under the surface.

  I swallowed, trying to find the right thing to say so he’d understand. I’d made the guys mad at me right before I went overboard. I’d been wearing a black tracker box that had been ripped off last night. They were the only ones who knew I’d worn it. From the outside, it looked awful for them.

  If Liam insisted we go to authorities about it, they’d be questioned.

  “We all need to know,” Liam said, his voice quieter.

  I was surprised when I looked at him that he was staring in my direction. His expression was odd: sympathy?

  Liam continued, “No offense, but Henry and I need to make sure no one on this team was involved in an attempted murder. We can’t leave any evidence to the contrary. Legally, we shouldn’t even be conducting this investigation, but it gives us time to at least make sure we clear the team before anyone else asks questions. If anyone else disappears…”

  “Let’s stop this before it continues,” Henry said.

  “Well, it wasn’t me,” Doyle said, swiveling back and forth in his seat. His eyes hopped from screen to screen. He wore a headset, too. I was surprised he was listening at all. “I didn’t do it.”

  “We know that,” Blake said with an eye roll.

  “How do you know?” He picked up the cigarette that was on his keyboard and put the butt to his lips. “I could be a killer.”

  Blake scoffed. “The only person you’d kill is yourself with all this smoking.”

  “Hey, I don’t talk about your bad habits.” He shot a look at me. “One of them is in this room. It’s impolite to point it out, though, so I won’t…Kayli.”

  I shot back with a glare, a snarky remark fizzling away before it reached my lips. I personally didn’t care anymore. I was tired, and my head hurt. I just wanted a shower, and some food. I was trying not to kill everyone in the room as it was.

  I was showing remarkable self-control, given the circumstances.

  “We’re assuming it isn’t anyone in this room, right?” Liam said, coming toward the table now. He rolled up the sleeves of his dark sweater and then pointed to the laptops. “We still need proof of where everyone was at the moment things happened. Let’s prove it as quickly as possible. Let’s see where Axel was. Avery and Corey, I’m going to need your whereabouts. Doyle, can you pull up anything from around that moment they went over? We’ll have to take a look at everything.”

  Doyle gave him a dirty look, but complied. He played back what footage he had. He had tapped into the video feeds the security office had. Cameras were only set up in highly populated areas, like the casino, the central atrium, and the restaurants. On the sunning deck where Blake and I went overboard, he had audio on both of us and a timeline set up but no video. The audio was a mess of grunts, clipped words, and the rustle of struggling bodies, barely heard over the noise of the wind. Whoever had thrown us over did so and left quickly, never saying a word.

  Hearing that recording, knowing it was me struggling and fighting, put me in a trance. In my head, I relived every second and could almost pinpoint exactly when I splashed down. I felt the cold water all over again.

  I shook it off, angrier than ever that I had gotten thrown over. I had tried to fight, but in the end I had done nothing to defend myself. But thank God for that, too, because if I hadn’t gone over, Blake might not have survived on his own.

  Security videos with time codes helped determine where most people were at the same time. Axel was still in the dining room when I left during dinner, and got up only when I was involved in the struggle and Doyle had called out for help.

  Before we could look for the others within the video, Avery tilted his head slightly and then coughed once to get everyone’s attention. “Ethan is in a conference room, waiting to hear from Blake and Kayli. He’s pretty worried. Axel is asking if she’s on board yet and what’s taking so long.”

  “Ethan didn’t do this, either,” Doyle said. He clicked on a video clip and played it. “He and Avery were in the specialty dining room with other guests.”

  “We need to talk to Axel,” Corey said, directing his attention to me, his lips tight. “Doyle can show the rest of the videos to Liam and Henry while you go talk to him. He needs to see you.”

  My heart started pounding so hard, I was sure it would be visible. I pressed my lips together, not wanting to see Axel. Before dinner last night, I had been honest with him when I’d told him I couldn’t be exclusive. When he had been worried I wasn’t interested at all, I’d kissed him. I could still feel it on my lips.

  I both longed to feel that again and feared facing him. What would he think of me insisting on him proving his innocence before agreeing to see him?

  Or of what I’d done with Blake?

  Part of me worried he’d reject me.

  “We need to clean ourselves up,” I said, motioning to my hair. “And we need to eat and maybe have a nap.” They were excuses, but I didn’t want to show up to see Axel being so filthy and with my hair crazy.

  “Then you can go see Axel on the way,” Avery said. “Axel needs a break for some sleep. Corey can go with you to the conference room, but after that, I need him to stay with Ethan. He’s as vulnerable as we all are, and none of us should be alone if we can help it. We’ll let Axel know you’re on the way.”

  There was no argument for me to make, so I pressed my lips together. As grimy and as tired as I felt, I was only going to roll around in bed agonizing over meeting Axel and the others, so I might as well get it over with.

  Meeting the Storm

  Corey was given an earpiece so that, with Doyle’s help, he could navigate to the right conference room without running into too many people. The others remained to go over the evidence that had been collected so far and review Blake’s dossiers of passengers who might be likely suspects.

  I was given a hoodie that covered my head and face as much as possible. It was black as well, matching the sweat suit. I probably looked like an emo teenager, but it was better than giving away that I was back. It would have to do for now.

  We left Doyle’s cave and headed toward the stairs. I was quiet as we started walking, absorbed in thoughts of what I would say to Axel, trying to predict what arguments he’d make.

  Corey guided me through carpeted hallways, passing cabins with people sleeping cozily in their beds behind the rows of doors.

  I envied them; they were on vacation. Maybe I needed a vacation. I’d never really been on one. Growing up poor, traveling hadn’t been an option.

  Though I didn’t think I’d ever willingly get on a cruise ship after this.

  As we climbed stairs to avoid the elevators, I began to slow, and by the second level up, I was winded. I had never really been the exercising type, not even at my best. I leaned against the rail, a hand on my chest, wishing I could take off the hoodie, which was making me sweat.

  Corey stopped on the steps, allowing me to catch my breath. “I know you’re probably suspicious of everyone at this point,” he muttered.

  I jerked my head around, assuming he was talking to someone else, or maybe Doyle in an earpiece, but then was surprised to realize he was talking to me. Was he saying he understood my feelings? I was eager to tell him how I hadn’t wanted to blame anyone.

  His lips were tightly pressed together. His eyes shimmered, a depth o
f sadness in them that I hadn’t seen on his face before.

  But was it directed at me? There was something in his expression that I didn’t understand. Anger?

  His hand tightened on the rail, making the muscle on his arm bulk up and his knuckles turn white. “We’re not the enemy,” he said.

  “Corey,” I said, my voice scratchy. “I needed to know.”

  “Because you still don’t trust us,” he said, softer still.

  I moved up a step so my face was level with his. I was tired and angry, and I was doing my best not to hurt his feelings, but he had to let me explain.

  “We all need to be sure,” I said flatly. “Could I ask Blake to trust you or the others to continue without making absolutely certain? Shouldn’t we make sure we could prove it in case the police ask? I don’t want it to be any of you…”

  I stopped and scanned the area, realizing anyone could be listening, and I’d just used Blake’s name. We were supposed to be hiding and not letting anyone know we’d returned.

  Corey checked over his shoulder, and when it was evident no one was around, he continued up the stairs.

  What had gotten into him? Out of everyone on this ship, if I couldn’t get Corey to understand, I wasn’t sure I could get anyone to.

  We moved quickly through the ship, passing through the casino. It was the only way through the ship without going through a closed bar or up a floor and past a concierge desk.

  There were a few employees wiping down chairs and tables and one guest at the blackjack table, although he looked like he had been up all night and was about to pass out.

  I kept my face covered and didn’t look anyone directly in the eye. Corey avoided contact, too. I was surprised the casino was still open, but I imagined Ethan Murdock told his employees to do whatever people wanted. They were all CEOs and influential executives. If they wanted to stay up all night and play blackjack, they were going to be allowed to do just that.

  Corey and I found a hallway behind an art gallery. The hall had many doors, with plaques identifying various conference rooms. Corey found the right one, knocked once and opened the door.

  I followed him into an unadorned room with a row of windows overlooking the ocean on one side and a large wooden table in the middle. The table was surrounded by leather executive chairs and had a large monitor on the far wall.

  Ethan Murdock sat at the table, white shirt buttoned, tie straight, his graying dark hair neatly brushed, but his eyes tired. He’d always had fine smile lines around his lips, but they were deeper now on his tired face, as were the lines around his eyes. He’d been sitting at the middle of the table, tapping at an iPad. He lifted his head the moment we entered, bowing his head at Corey, and then he spotted me.

  His face lit up and he smiled as he stood, hand extended toward me.

  He had always been friendly to me. I liked him; he seemed to have a good heart.

  I came closer, skirting around office chairs to meet him halfway. I was sure I looked a monster, and smelled like one, too, so I tried to keep just a little distance from him.

  “Kayli,” he said, and the smile on his face was genuine. “I heard you were back, but now that I see you…”

  I shook his hand and nodded politely. “I’m all right,” I said.

  “Good,” he said, and then he glanced at my head and then my body and made a short click with his tongue. “No, no, this isn’t good. We should make sure a doctor looks you over. Things should never have gotten this far. Maybe we should get the police involved. I feel like I’ve done this all wrong.”

  I was about to answer him when shouting erupted just outside the conference room.

  Ethan and I froze. Corey went to the door, holding it closed with his palm.

  “I’ve been looking for her,” a male voice said. It was oddly familiar but I couldn’t place it.

  “Well, she should be in the stateroom,” Axel’s voice floated in. “Probably asleep. What do you want with her?”

  “I’ve been to your room, she’s not there,” the other voice continued, and I remembered the young board director, Colt Baker. I pictured his glasses and short dark hair and high cheekbones. I’d stolen his cell phone yesterday. “I needed to talk to her.”

  “What about?”

  Pause. Was that hesitation? I glanced at Corey and then at Mr. Murdock, their lips closed, eyes turned to the door. No one dared to move.

  “I might have a lead about her tablet. She said it went missing.”

  Axel scoffed. “She probably lost it. Again. I can get her another one.”

  It rattled me to be hearing his voice just beyond the door. It was that same stoic, smoky tone I’d gotten used to. My body electrified, not just anxious about Colt, but knowing Axel was nearby. I was afraid to see him and yet wanted to at the same time, and my emotions were a tornado inside me.

  “She had it stolen earlier,” Colt said. “Didn’t she tell you?”

  “It’s been a long day,” Axel said and laughed, too loudly. Had he really been up all night? “I just left the casino. I’ll tell you a trick. If you stay late enough, they get tired, but they won’t kick you out. Then you can convince the dealer to show you a few cards…”

  Had he been in the casino? I hadn’t seen him, but I had been trying to hide my face and could have missed him.

  “Aren’t you wondering where she is at all?” Colt asked louder. “She seems to be missing.”

  There was concern in his voice, as he seemed to be scolding Axel. Was he really that worried about me?

  “She’ll be fine,” Axel said. “Where would she go? She’s probably at the pool. But she’s usually never up this late. She’s probably deep asleep in her room and didn’t answer the door.”

  The two men stopped talking at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. A deep groan sounded, and then the footsteps faded down the hallway.

  Silence.

  Corey took a step away from the door and it opened quickly enough from the outside that a small breeze stirred the room.

  In walked Axel, with Avery following at his heels. How had Avery gotten down here so fast?

  They entered and Avery closed the door. “Sorry, Axel,” he said. “I heard you, so I came down. Glad that stopped him.”

  “Thanks,” Axel said. “He’s been hounding me all night.” He scanned the room, spotted me.

  For a fraction of a moment, it was only Axel and me, meeting each other’s eyes.

  Axel was the oldest in his Academy group, in his early twenties. He had dark eyes that could pierce right through my soul and pluck out everything I was thinking. His face was hard planes, handsome. His sleek black hair was in a short ponytail, but bits of it had come loose and framed his face.

  He wore the same shirt and pants he’d worn to dinner the night before. The white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing the tank top underneath that formed to his chest and stomach. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up his forearms. The dark pants were wrinkled.

  Electricity snapped between us as we took each other in. I stopped breathing, sure he could see all the thoughts inside me, all the fears, all the doubt I had about him, the anger I’d woken up with.

  Through the storm in his eyes, though, I saw he’d been up this whole time, and that storm hadn’t stopped brewing since I’d disappeared.

  In a flash, he was coming around the table. He gripped a chair, launched it at the wall and out of his way to get to me.

  I didn’t move. I couldn’t…wouldn’t dare cower.

  I was showing I did trust him.

  He took me by the shoulders, drawing me in quickly, pulling me to him.

  My arms went around his waist. It was instinct. I needed this.

  He held me, strong and steady.

  As I held on, I found myself biting his shoulder, trying my best not to cry. I wasn’t going to be a victim, and I wasn’t going to let Ethan or Avery or even Corey know how frightened I’d been, or how close to deat
h I’d gotten. It wasn’t the first time my life had been threatened since he’d known me, but his strong hold was giving me somewhere to place all the fears and let them go.

  Except I couldn’t fully let them go. Not now. I couldn’t lie to myself that the nightmare was over. It wasn’t. Not yet—not until we found whoever did this.

  He allowed me to bite him, saying nothing of it as he just held on to me.

  I forgot everything else. Axel was the one who, when I made stupid decisions, pulled me back. He never judged me. He was simply there. All of my suspicions about him faded.

  This was Axel Toma. How could I have let myself suspect horrible things of him?

  “Erm,” Avery said in a small voice somewhere behind me. “I really don’t mean to interrupt, but is this everyone we need at the moment?”

  “Everyone else is busy working,” Axel said, his smoky voice vibrating through me. Despite the fury I felt in him, his voice was still even. He turned just slightly to look over the top of my head toward Avery. “We’ve got murder suspects to search for.”

  “Come, now,” Ethan said. “They aren’t dead.” He coughed. “I mean… we should stop whoever did this, but if we call it murder, then…”

  “Someone tried to kill her,” Axel said. He started to release me slowly while I backed up. He waited until I nodded, indicating I was fine, and then continued.

  “People who met her yesterday are asking questions about where she is. One of them knows she went overboard, and we need to stop them before they try doing that again, or to someone else. The next time might not be someone as strong as Kayli.”

  I wanted to mention that it had been Blake who’d helped me to stay alive, but I assumed he already knew and I didn’t want to complicate the point.

  “I understand,” Ethan said. “But we’ve got a ship full of suspects, and some of them might be involved in this financial matter. If we barge in asking who is murdering people, those who started us on this investigation might run off—perhaps forever, if we threaten that the police might get involved.”

  “This needs to take priority over your financial issue,” Axel said. “You’ve got time to investigate into your father’s accounts, but for now, we’ve got someone who has tried to kill two people.”