Revolution (Book 3 of POE Chronicles)

Chapter 7 - Boys are troubles...

We were standing outside the SMS, more technically we were hiding behind a set of bushes facing the SMS. "Can't you just call him up?" I asked Viktor, feeling extremely self-conscious about the fact that I was in a fitted navy dress suit and black heels, hiding behind some shrubbery.

"I told you, I can't because he is not officially on the student or employee list." Viktor whispered, looking way more comfortable in his flat soled oxford shoes, long sleeved t-shirts and cargo trousers. We had made a beeline to the SMS main campus from the UGE building, which was only a fifteen minutes' walk away. I was starting to doubt the wisdom of spying when a blond headed figure appeared out of the corner of my eyes.

My heart was pounding wildly and my first instinct was to shout his name, but after noting the absence of Natalie and the size of the crowd, I decided against it but made my way towards him from my direction.

Weaving through the crowd, I observed Fred as we drew closer together. He had yet to notice me, and I could see a fresh scar stretching from the corner of his right ear to his jaw. His face looked even tenser and there was a harshness in his eyes that weren't there before.

"Bowen." I intended to say it at a normal volume, but it came out as more of a whisper as I came to a halt in front of him. At first he looked panicked, then confused, but as his eyes focused on me, they almost bulged out of his eye sockets.

"Beckett." His expression was absolutely priceless, and I was torn between laughing and crying. You had no idea how good it felt to see someone that you had been worrying for a long time standing in front of you, alive. Even if that someone had never been your favourite person in the world.

"I am so glad to see you." I said, then surprising both him and myself, I leaned forward and gave him a quick hug. Viktor coughed lightly behind me and I looked around, making sure that we weren't attracting attention, yet, but it's best to move somewhere more quiet.

"Let's go to the courtyard." Viktor appeared by my side and whispered. Fred narrowed his eyes at Viktor but followed us silently as we made our way to an isolated corner. Viktor swiped his access card over a deserted door and we slipped through into an equally deserted garden area.

"How are you here?" Fred asked, looking incredulous. I was surprised that he didn't know of my visit if his family was high up in the SMS. "And who is this? Where is Tom?"

I raised my eyebrow at him, surprised that one of his first questions would be about his arch nemy. That might be an exaggeration, but they had never gotten along great even with all the months we spent in the wild together.

"First thing first, is Natalie okay?" I asked and Fred gave me a nod, an offended look on his face as though my question had insulted his character. I spared a glance at Viktor, who seemed to sense my alarm going off on Fred's lack of information and shrugged.

"This is Viktor." I waved at Viktor. "He's a friend from SMS." I then proceeded to fill him in what had happened in as short a time as possible.

"Wow." Fred's respond was simply inspiring. "So Tom's somewhere in France and you are with prefect boy?"