Sleep never came.
Stacy lay awake, staring at the ceiling of her dorm room.
Every time she closed her eyes...
She saw the same scene.
The frightened student.
Lucien stepping in front of her.
The impossible strength.
The fear in his eyes.
Not fear for himself...
Fear for her.
"...Who are you?"
She whispered into the darkness.
No answer came.
The next morning...
Blackwood University was as lively as ever.
Students laughed as they hurried to class.
Music drifted from the student plaza.
It felt like yesterday had never happened.
Except...
Stacy couldn't pretend.
Emma noticed immediately.
"You've been quiet since yesterday."
Stacy forced a smile.
"I'm just tired."
Emma frowned.
"You're a terrible liar."
Stacy laughed softly.
"I know."
Emma nudged her shoulder.
"If something happened..."
"...you know you can tell me, right?"
Stacy looked at her best friend.
She wanted to.
She really did.
But where would she even start?
"Hey Emma, I watched a guy stop another student with one hand?"
She'd sound crazy.
"I'm okay."
Emma didn't look convinced.
Across campus...
Lucien stood outside the Dean's Office.
His phone vibrated.
One message.
Status Report.
He stared at the screen.
Then typed only three words.
She is safe.
A reply came almost instantly.
Keep it that way.
Lucien locked his phone.
His jaw tightened.
Later that afternoon...
Stacy left the library carrying a stack of books.
As she rounded the corner...
She nearly walked straight into someone.
"Oh!"
She stepped back.
"...Lucien."
He looked equally surprised.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Finally...
Stacy broke the silence.
"We need to talk."
Lucien glanced around the hallway.
Students were everywhere.
"This isn't the place."
"Then where is?"
He hesitated.
"...Follow me."
Ten minutes later...
They sat beneath a large oak tree overlooking the university lake.
The campus felt peaceful here.
Far enough away from the crowds.
Far enough away from curious ears.
Stacy folded her arms.
"I'm only going to ask once."
Lucien nodded.
"What happened yesterday?"
Silence.
"I can't tell you."
She sighed.
"I knew you'd say that."
"But..."
He continued quietly.
"I can tell you this."
"What you saw..."
"...wasn't supposed to happen."
"That doesn't answer anything."
"I know."
Stacy looked at him carefully.
"You protected me."
Lucien blinked.
"...Yes."
"Why?"
Another long silence.
Finally...
"Because I couldn't let you get hurt."
The answer came so naturally that even Lucien seemed surprised he'd said it.
Stacy looked away.
Her heart skipped once.
"...Thank you."
For the first time since they'd met...
The conversation wasn't awkward.
They simply sat together.
Watching the lake ripple in the afternoon breeze.
Then...
Lucien spoke.
"Promise me something."
"What?"
"If you ever see anything strange again..."
"...leave immediately."
She smiled faintly.
"That's hard to do when strange things keep happening around you."
A corner of Lucien's mouth lifted.
"You noticed."
"I'd have to be blind not to."
Just then...
Ethan appeared on the pathway.
"There you are."
He stopped when he saw Stacy.
"Oh."
"I didn't realize you had company."
Lucien stood.
"We're done."
Stacy raised an eyebrow.
"Were we?"
Lucien looked at her.
"...For today."
He started walking away.
Then stopped.
Without turning around, he said,
"Stay away from the old science building."
Stacy frowned.
"Why?"
"...Just trust me."
He walked away before she could ask another question.
Stacy watched him disappear between the trees.
Then looked toward the direction of the old science building.
Curiosity slowly replaced caution.
She smiled to herself.
"...Well..."
"...now I definitely want to know what's over there."
Far above them...
Hidden on the rooftop of a nearby building...
A figure lowered a pair of binoculars.
"So..."
"They've started getting closer."
He pressed a small communicator.
"Continue surveillance."
"Do not approach the girl."
A pause.
Another voice replied,
"Understood."
The figure smiled faintly.
"Interesting..."
"...very interesting."