They found a quiet place by the tennis courts, and sat against the fence. Trevor was watching Jack the whole way there. She was angry, it was obvious. But even if Jack had done wrong against Benny without a reason, Trevor would still back her up. But what worried him, is that she DID have a reason. They were halfway through their lunch when Jack spoke up.

"Want to know?" she asked. Trevor nodded, taking the last carrot out of his back. Jack sighed, "Maybe it was rude… maybe I was wrong to do that…"

"Jack… you gave up the violence from Outbreak… you don't do MEAN anymore. And suddenly one day you did… he must of really pissed you off, so he deserved it."

"Ya…" Jack said. She looked back at her lunch, and said nothing. A few seconds went by, filled only with Trevor's crunch of carrots, "But you still want to know why…" Trevor nodded again, without looking at her, "He… he was bashing my dad. I'm not saying more then that cause I'll scream." Quickly Jack pulled the chips from her bag and filled her mouth full, concentrating hard on her chewing. Trevor had stopped eating and was looking at Jack. He knew right then, that Jack had held back. That she could have done a lot worse to Benny. She was still angry, and it welled up inside her like a bottle of fire, burning hot and fast. No one spoke badly about her father and got away with it.

After Ian's death, on their way to the ship, Jack had fallen silent. She didn't speak much at all except what few words she needed to, to Trevor. Trevor and Jack didn't need to speak to know what each other were feeling, they could see it in their eyes… and sense it. Words were hardly necessary for these two to communicate. And it was a good thing to, because Jack didn't communicate hardly at all after that day.

She also refused to bring the feelings from when they lived in the Outbreak, back. She refused to fight back to anyone, and wouldn't defend herself even if she was getting ganged up on and knew she could easily win. She wouldn't walk in dark shadows, wouldn't throw a punch, or run when in danger. Trevor overhead the doctors talking about her symptoms, and saw it as I kind of redemption. That maybe if Jack got beaten hard enough, she could forgive herself for not being strong enough to save her father… like getting punched was her punishing herself. Whatever it was, Ian's death had effected her greatly.

It effected Trevor to, as he didn't like to talk about his death either. Although he had been more distraught when his best friend and sister died, Ian was still a big influence in what he was today. Both Trevor and Jack would have been dead, alive and not living if the other hand't been there. They were both each other's hand held out to them, when they thought they couldn't go further.

"Well, you took out Benny in three moves…"

"Two…" Jack corrected, "And I don't want to talk about it." Trevor agreed and continued to eat. Suddenly the bell rang, ringing loud and clear over the field. Trevor looked at his watch.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, feeling Trevor's confusion.

"The bell rang a half hour early… that's strange." He said. He stood up and helped Jack to her feet, "Come on, we'll finish lunch inside."

When they got inside the school, a voice came over the intercom.

"All students report to the gym. Please do not go to your forth hour class. Report to the gym." The voice said. Both Jack and Trevor looked at each other.

"Funny, I don't remember anything about an assembly today." Came a voice that summed up what everyone was talking about. The entire school had gathered from outside and was heading down the main hallway. Jack felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to find Trevor motioning her up the stairs. She followed him up to the second level, where there was only a group or two instead of a crowd. They found their way to the gym and picked the side with less kids around the bleachers. The gym was full of chatter and talk for about five minutes before the teachers all walked in single file, their hands on their heads. The students watched, wondering what was going on. Music wasn't playing, so either they missed their cue for this skit, or it was something else. No one understood what was going on until more men filed in after them, dressed in dark clothes holding guns. Then shouts were heard among students, that if guns weren't allowed in school, why can they bring them. In fact, everyone was wondering what was going on, until two of the men raised their guns and fired off two shots each. Everyone screamed and then ducked. Those bullets were real. The crowd fell silent, everyone suddenly frozen.

"Afternoon everyone. Glad you could make it. I'm taking over this school, in case you didn't get the demonstration a second ago. You should know how this goes. Nobody do anything stupid, and nobody gets hurt. Do what I say, and we'll all leave here happy, alright?" said the man in charge. He was a little shorter then average, but his eyes are what caught everyone attention. They had a look in them that made the kids stop breathing… suddenly frozen where they were. It was the same look the infected had in their eyes before a kill. A bloodthirsty look. A look of being insane, and the will to do anything to make it happen. Everyone recognized it, and those few lucky ones that had never seen the infected kill, felt it. Everyone was suddenly tense.

Everyone at that school had one thing in common: they survived the outbreak. They had seen things, and lived through things that affected their lives both physically and mentally. The outbreak was over, and they thought they were safe. But now this. This terrorist attack on the school. The students knew danger when they saw it… they were stupid. They knew how to stay silent. They knew the consequences. They didn't panic… mostly because it went a lot smoother than it would have if it were the infected taking over. They were alert… watching every move, and suddenly everyone got a dark look on their faces as the survival instincts rose from the depths inside them. Almost half knew how a bullet could make you bleed and the pain it would put you in… and almost all knew how a bullet could instantly kill. It wasn't anything new… yet this event was taking place by one of their OWN. A HUMAN. A bloodthirsty human, yes, but still human.

Jack and Trevor looked at each other. Well that was defiantly one way to take over a school. Just waltz in and announce your taking it over.

"Alright, now, just to ensure you, we're not amatures at this game, I'll clue you in on what might happen if ANY of you try to run. There's motion sensors all over the school. Gas bombs and fire bombs have been placed on all the doors leading outside, so if ONE of you try to open, the whole school blows and we all die. My men have shot people before, and will not hesitate to fire on you. Like I said, just do what I ask and hopefully we'll be out of here by tomorrow morning!"

"Now, if you please listen closely…" the man walked over to the crowd and yanked a boy sitting in the front row, "What's your name?"

"George…" the boy said quietly.

"Well George, can you please tell me what room would be safest in this school? And don't lie because one of my men knows the answer… so you better answer correctly." He said. George's face dropped in horror. Did he know the safest room?

"I… I don't know…" George said.

"that's the wrong answer…." The man started and pulled out his gun.

"Wait! The stagecraft shop…. It's got two doors… no windows… and plenty to hide behind…" George frantically said, flinching at the tightening grip the man had on his neck.

"Good boy… that's the answer I wanted." The man shoved George forward and he tripped and fell to the ground, "you see? Do what I ask and you'll live. Now, we'll be taking you down to the stage craft room in groups of five… girls first. Four of my men will escort you there. You five, up. Your first." The man pulled the first five off the bleachers… all girls. They were sent to the other side of the gym with three escorts and soon left. Then a new group was made of just boys, and sent in the opposite direction. This went on until there were only a few left in the bleachers. The man in charge began to point out the next five, when another man ran in. Quickly he ran over to the man in charge, and turned his back on the audience, and leaned into his ear.

"Trevor… they're going to separate us." Jack said quietly. Trevor picked up her hand.

"It's ok. This'll all be over by tomorrow. You heard him say it. We'll be just fine." Trevor said. Jack looked up at him.

"I'm not worried about THEM." She said. Trevor squeezed her hand.

"You… you, and you…" the man in charge continued to point the next five out. Jack was one of them. She stood up, and let go of Trevor's hand. Quietly she made her way down the bleachers and joined the four girls waiting to be escorted down the hall. Trevor was tapped on the shoulder. He looked up to find a man with a gun starring at him.

"Move it." He said. Trevor licked his lips and stood up. He joined the group on the other side of the gym from Jack. Their were only three boys in this group, with only one escort. He wasn't big and burly like the other escort… but he had a big gun.

"Move." He ordered. They started forward. Trevor looked back at Jack's group, who were just leaving the gym. She didn't look back, so Trevor faced forward. The escort let the boys walk seven or eight feet ahead, his gun under one arm.

"Where do we go?" asked one boy in their group.

"Where I tell you to. Move faster." The escort snarled. Trevor licked his lips.

"I'm Noah." Came a very quiet voice. Trevor figured it was two quiet for the guard to hear, and to clear to be directed to the other boy. So the voice was directed to him.

"Trevor." He said.

"Saw you in that fight with the football team earlier today."

"I didn't fight anyone." Trevor corrected.

"Ya but somebody taught that girl to throw those moves." Noah whispered.

"I didn't teach her anything kid." Trevor said, seeing he was only a sophomore. His voice sounded deep, like a seniors, and he was growing a beard… but his height and weight and the tag around his neck said sohphmore.

"Alright… fine… but you seemed to be just fine with taking on the team."

"You got a point?"

"Ya… there's only one guard… only one gun… and three of us." Noah said. Trevor let his eyes flare a moment before looking at Noah.

"Forget it." He whispered harshly, "what you going to do, knock him out, take his gun and then what? You can't leave… the school will blow. You can't hide… THEY have the security cameras. If you try they'll hunt you down and tan your hide for good." Trevor said. Noah was quiet, a little stunned.

"Wow… I take it you've been through this in your head once or twice then huh?"

"Stop beating your gums!" the guard hissed when Noah got a little louder, "This room here, get in." Noah opened the door, and the boys filed in. It was an empty history room, with only three adults sitting in the empty desks. They looked up as the boys filed in. The escort shoved the last boy, knocking him off his feet. Trevor caught him by the jacket , and gave him his balance back.

"Now… you know we can't lock you in here… it locks from the inside… so we're wiring the door outside. If it feels so much as a tremor, you have five seconds to take cover… and then one second to recover and hold your breath before the gas lets loose. Understood?" They nodded. The guard shut the door, and they heard scuffling and rattling noices outside as the guard boobytrapped the door.

"Thanks." The boy said, looking at Trevor. Trevor nodded.

"You kids alright?" the teacher known as Mr. Wilks asked, "Has anyone gotten hurt?"

"We're fine. I think their was some kind of trouble down in the girl's hallway a little while ago… but I don't know."

"Did they say what they wanted?" another man asked. He was wearing a suit, and Trevor didn't recognize him to be a teacher from their school. His skin was leathery and he had small sunken in eyes.

"No." Noah said, "Only that it will all go well if we do exactly what they say and I'll be over by morning." Suddenly the man in the suit flinched.

"He said that? Are you sure?" he asked.

"Ya… why?" Noah asked.

"I'm, just trying to fit the pieces together in my head." The man said, "What's your name boy?"

"Noah."

"Call me Doctor." The man said.

"Ok… Doctor…"

"Now, did anyone say anything of plans… or anything important?" the Doctor asked.

"No…" Noah started.

"Um… I caught a couple of them planning on how to move the merchandise down the hundreds hall." Said the other boy.

"What's your name?"

"Randy."

"Randy… did they say what exactly this merchandise was?" the Doctor asked. Randy thought on it. Trevor just watched the Doctor's every move. Something began to make frightful sense in his head… but it was to harsh… to brutal to accept, and Trevor thought he was just over reacting.

"Um… some kind of explosives I think. Are they after money?" Randy asked.

"No… we think they are after something money cannot buy."

"Will the police give it to them?" Noah asked.

"I don't suppose the police will even have access to whatever they want." The doctor said.

"They why are they here? DO they know the police don't have it?" Randy asked.

"I would think so." The doctor said.

"They why over run a school?" Noah chimed in, "Why go through all this and risk getting caught in the end?" The doctor hesitated, suddenly biting his tongue and not saying anything.

"Because they have a plan to NOT get caught…" Trevor said. They looked at him.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked, starring hard at Trevor. Trevor didn't miss a beat and surprised the Doctor with a firm and unfaltering glare of his one. He didn't answer the doctors question.

"His name is Trevor." Mr. Wilks said, "He lost his family in the Outbreak."

"Well Trevor… you suppose you know their plan of escape?" the man asked. Trevor's eyes flared, unwillingly, but something about this guy really pushed Trevor to the edge.

"I have a guess… I have a guess that you know more then you are letting on. I have a guess you know why and where those explosives are in those halls. You know their plan."

Trevor said nothing, and neither did the doctor. They continued to glare at each other.

"Is that right Doctor? Or should I say agent. You're no doctor." Trevor said. The man's eyes flared a moment, but then eased, and he relaxed in his chair. He folded his hand neatly on the desk in front of him.

"My boy, how did you come to that conclusion?"

"Even the infected can sense authority. Don't think of me as a dump kid, idiot. I'm not one of those people you can look down to. Your shoes your clothes… the way these teachers are around you… your some agent from the company that knew. You knew this was coming." Trevor said getting angry.

"You are smart indeed."

"Why didn't you stop it? Why didn't you prevent it from happening?" Trevor demanded.

"We couldn't." the doctor said.

"Couldn't? Or wouldn't?" Trevor asked.

"Trevor, now…" Started the other teacher. Trevor sent a glare his way and he fell silent.

"You wouldn't." Trevor stated for the doctor.

"My boy… you don't know the situation… you don't understand the circumstances."

"No.. not then… but I do now. Tell me… what is their plan?" Trevor demanded. The man frowned and suddenly stood up.

"You said yourself I am in authority… I do not have to answer to an issuant punk." Trevor licked his lips. Noah saw the look in Trevors eye… the same one he saw on the field with the football players. Noah tapped Randy on the shoulder, and motioned him to step back.

"I said I knew you were in some kind of authority… I didn't say MY authority. I don't answer to scum who put people's LIVES in danger." Trevor said darkly.

"Excuse me?" The man hissed, "did I hear the word SCUM come out of your mouth in addressing me? Boy, you have no idea who you are dealing with. You don't know the situation at all."

"Ditto, idiot. I come from a time where their were only two kinds of people: those who killed and those who survived. And I'm not a fan of those who killed. Now tell me… what is their plan?"

"I cannot believe the demands coming from this child." The doctor said to the teachers, 'What kind of school do you run here?!" He turned back to Trevor, "What makes you think I'll just answer you? It's called national security… meaning a boy like you will never know."

"It had better be worth your life." Trevor said darkly.

"What's that suppose to…" the doctor stopped in mid sentence, suddenly starring at the black barrel of a pistol. Trevor held the weapon expertly and without shaking. The doctor hesitated, his eyes flaring up in anger at the danger this simple boy was putting him in.

"Do you even know how to use that?" the Doctor asked. Trevor said nothing, figuring he would find out soon enough. Mr. Wilks cleared his throat and tugged on the Doctors throat.

"I know I said this already… but… this school teaches all the minor survivors of the outbreak… everyone here probably knows how to use a gun." The doctor licked his lips, and looked at Trevor with a new spark in his eye.

"You're not going to kill me boy." The doctor said. Trevor's eyes flared, and it made the Doctor suddenly rethink. Trevor's next words actually made the Doctors knees shake a little.

"Not every bullet kills, Doctor."