Where in the world is that kid? I grumbled in my head, walking quickly down one of the twisting hallways at the Blackthorne Institute for Boys. I turned a corner and spotted him sitting on the ledge of one of the windows in which the glass had either been accidentally or deliberately broken, or none had ever been put in.

"Zaach… Zaaaccchhh…ZACH!" I finally yelled, trying to catch Zach Goode's attention.

"What?" He snapped without looking at me. "Oh. Hey, Joe." He said, as he finally turned from where he'd been sitting, staring out over the Blackthorne grounds.

"Where's your head, kid? You've been out of it since we got back from the D.C. mission." Zach just shook his head and got up, attempting to walk away. I was having none of it. I grabbed his arm and spun him around to face me. "What in the hell has you so distracted?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't." I shot back sarcastically. Zach yanked his arm free and half walked, half ran, away from me.

Who does he think he's kidding? I wondered, running a hand through my black hair as I thought back to the D.C. mission and what, or whom, might have captured Zach's attention. Suddenly it hit me. Of course. Who else?