Ron was at his computer, typing out the hasty notes Mr. McCarthy left for him. It was just after lunch on this incredibly weird day. Only a couple hours into his new position, and Mr. McCarthy had Ron doing half of his work. He began typing out agendas for meetings and emails for said meetings. Rumors had spread. It didn’t take long. Mrs. Germain was in prison. Why she was in prison was now the topic of the rumors. He worked with people who were here because of their lean toward the dramatics, so the rumors were turning absolutely impractical. Mrs. Germain wasn’t in prison, but she’d blown up after drinking a poison from a mad scientist she’d meant to give to President Arnold. Or that she’d gone insane. Or how Mrs. Germain found blueprints for a death ray and planned to use it against her husband. Others thought she was caught smuggling mad scientists to Musical Land. The thing that bugged Ron so much was he didn’t know himself. He was there, at the meeting, and he still had no idea why she got arrested. The uncertainty in his soul began to grow the longer he lingered on those thoughts. He was a Junior Official. He should know the reason why Mrs. Germain got arrested, but he was just as clueless as the interns gossiping around the lunch table.

The door flew open and Mr. Germain marched through with a large stack of papers. He dropped them on Ron’s desk. Some stayed on, but most tumbled over the desk.

“Uh, Mr. Germain?” Ron asked.

“Don’t ask me. I don’t care. Figure it out yourself.

“You were hired as an S.E.A. Junior Official,

“I trust in your skill to pick up papers,

“Or so help me you will be stocking bookshelves.”

Ron winced. The song Mr. Germain had obviously been containing while in the meeting had come out. Mr. Germain was livid, which was understandable, but Ron still couldn’t help but stare as he found himself at the center of such wrath.

Just as he was getting ready to respond to Mr. Germain’s wrath, Mr. Germain spun around and faced Albert.

“You!” Mr. Germain said, still singing his song, the sharp angry tones of the music not helping anyone stay calm.

Albert winced. “Um, yes Mr. Germain.”

“No, you’re not getting away that easily.

“Sing, you scientist.” Ron had never heard such hatred from Mr. Germain as when he said the word scientist to Albert’s face.

“Tell me where you’re hiding her.

“Or I’ll do what I can for you to receive enlightenment.”

Ron watched in alarm as the color drained from Albert’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sing it! Sing it you worthless scientist!

“I want to know the truth!”

Albert stood up, clearly alarmed as Mr. Germain came after him.

“I don’t know! I’m only a youth!” Albert sang, more like screamed in alarm as Mr. Germain continued to advance after him.

Ron stood up, completely terrified for the safety of the intern in his stewardship.

“Mr. Germain. Back away at once!” Ron sang as he came to Albert’s side.

“Not till I get information from this dunce!” Mr. Germain sang as he ignored Ron and glared at Albert.

Ron grabbed Mr. Germain’s shoulders from whatever exactly he was planning on doing to Albert. On the brink of hyperventilating, Albert cowered in the corner.

Mr. Germain turned his anger toward Ron. Ron kept a firm hand on Mr. Germain’s shoulder. The song shifted ever so slightly, not giving the sharp and jagged tones of anger, but giving way to the tone of what Ron hoped would be a command for respect.

“I know you are scared. I know it’s terrifying.

“But you can’t come in here, anger flying.

“To the inhumane you must your anger turn

“And hope your wife again my learn

“To turn her back to the wrong and with us return.”

Mr. Germain’s shoulders were trembling in rage, and it didn’t seem like there was enough air in the room for it to burn through his body.

“We need to find the underground, it’s true.

“My wifes arrest has given us a clue.”

With this, he turned his eyes on Albert. Albert seemed pinned to the wall by his gaze.

“With renewed vigor we will tear this city apart.

“And I’m quite sure I know where we need to start.”

Albert stared at Mr. Germain, his breathing coming in quick and shallow.

“I don’t understand why to me your anger burns,

“But this I know, this I have dreamed,

“That the underground is stopped,

“And you finish off their evil schemes.”

A muscle twitched in Mr. Germain’s upper lip as the song came to a close.

“I don’t know how you’re doing it,” Mr. Germain said, low and threatening. “I don’t know how you keep hiding. But it doesn’t matter. With the news of my wife’s arrest, we’re going to get permission to look in places we weren’t allowed to go into before. We’re going to crack the underground wide open, and do you honestly think those scientist friends are going to protect you once their safety is threatened?” Mr. Germain asked.

Albert swallowed. Ron felt sick to his stomach. They still had no proof Albert was even a part of the underground, but clearly Mr. Germain didn’t care. He completely blew their cover. There was no hiding that fact now.

Albert’s face was impossible to read. Music filled the room again, and Ron’s chip activated long enough to know this was Albert’s song. Ron watched Albert closely, even though Mr. Germain was already studying every facial tick Albert gave away.

“I don’t understand why to me your anger burns,

“But this I know, this I have dreamed,

“That the underground is stopped,

“And you finish off their evil schemes.”

The song was starting to fade, but Mr. Germain’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s possible you are thinking of words on the spot.

“To change and rearrange, exchange and detain,

“To do so is impressive,

“Artistically expressive,

“But let’s listen to an entire song,

“Sung only by you. Would you get it wrong?”

Albert’s eyes grew a fraction of an inch bigger, almost imperceptibly if it wasn’t for the fact that both Ron and Mr. Germain were watching him closely. The song began to change. It wasn’t a repeat of the old song but a new one completely. The song began, the opening strokes betraying a frightened feel. Ron knew Albert’s nerves were shot by this encounter, so it wasn’t surprising a new song came. Ron threw a glance in Mr. Germain’s direction. This had to be torture for the poor boy. Guilty or innocent, he didn’t think it was right to have two higher ups interrogating a teenager like this.

“Yes, I practice, yes I change, some of these lyrics I rearrange,

“But not for guilty reasons, you will find I want to help, scientists

“Are dangerous. All of them deranged,

“I practice what I do because Presley High is so competitive.”

Albert looked as though he was trying his hardest to back away as far as he could from Mr. Germain, but the wall was keeping him from going any farther. There was visible sweat on his forehead. Despite the fact that they could unmask Albert as a member of the underground, Ron couldn’t help but feel sorry for the boy.

“I never thought it would get me in trouble.

“I simply needed something to do,

“I study the sciences in my spare time,

“And if the S.E.A. knew, my career would be through.”

“I don’t study the sciences enough,

“Not to be considered a threat.

“But to you and your group

“You will bleed, you will sweat,

“Until every last one of them

“Are eliminated from this city.”

Albert was struggling, Ron could see it. And if Ron could see it, so could Mr. Germain. Mr. Germain was staring Albert down, waiting for him to make the tiniest mistake. Waiting for Albert to give any sort of reason to arrest him on the spot. The lyrics were close, but Ron couldn’t see any reason to arrest him. Albert let out a shaky breath before starting the final verse.

“Presley High is hard. I knew it before I attended.

“To think about words on the spot was a game to stay on top,

“To practice my skill, to hide my true talent, but I think I have offended

“The integrity of this place. I promise this game I will drop.”

The music came to an end. Albert, pale and trembling, stared at Mr. Germain. Ron could see the fear plain in Albert’s eyes. Ron couldn’t think of anything Albert said that would make him guilty. Still suspicious, but not guilty. Mr. Germain straightened then folded his arms.

“President Arnold is making a new law,” Mr. Germain said quietly, strained. “Anyone caught doing anything with the sciences will be immediately arrested. I suggest you find a new hobby.”

He turned quietly toward the door. He opened it and about left when he gave Albert another glare. “Where are your friends? Under the bagel shop? Under the art museum? Or in the abandoned line in the metro station?”

Albert said nothing, only staring at Mr. Germain. “I… don’t know what you mean.”

Mr. Germain gave a tiny snort. “Interesting.”

He left, shutting the door behind him. Ron frowned, staring at the door when he heard a noise behind him. Albert had slid to the ground, covering his mouth, breathing through the inadequate space between his fingers.

“Albert?” Ron asked.

Albert shook his head as his breathing turned more irregular. Ron quickly sat down next to him, placing an unsteady arm around him. There were tears in Albert’s eyes that he was trying to hide from Ron. “Albert? Do you need a medical professional?”

Albert shook his head again before he buried his head between his knees. “Fine. I’m fine.”

Ron froze, things clicking into place. He couldn’t understand why, he wasn’t even sure himself. Call it a hunch. But somehow he knew Albert was part of the underground, and Mr. Germain was about to arrest his friends. Ron winced on behalf of Albert. Albert wasn’t going to last much longer here. The stress was getting to him, and Albert was going to make a mistake. The kind that would leave physical proof. With a sinking heart, Ron realized sooner or later, he himself would have to report Albert to the S.E.A.

“It’s so… I don’t understand… why did he come after me?” Albert asked, his voice trembling and shaking. Ron could hear the slightest insincerity in Albert’s words. Albert knew exactly why Mr. Germain was after him, he was still putting up a front for Ron’s sake.

Ron got up, grabbed his jar of jelly beans, and set it between him and Albert. “The man’s been through a lot today.” Ron sounded insincere too. He was wrestling with his conscious. He had no proof other than what his gut was telling him. Until then, he had to continue being Albert’s friend.

Albert grabbed a fistful of jelly beans, not caring about the flavor, and shoved them in his mouth. Ron picked a few and ate them, not noticing the flavor, too caught up in his own mind.

“My favorite scifi shows were the optimistic ones,” Albert said quietly. Ron glanced at him, curious, but remained silent to get him to keep talking. “The ones where everyone had their differences, but they all worked together as a team anyway. No one was left out, no one was made the enemy. They just… worked together. Despite their differences.”

Ron continued to chew his jelly beans as he thought. Albert sounded a bit calmer, but only a bit.

“There was always an enemy, though,” Ron said just as quietly. “Despite the near utopian society, there was always someone they were fighting against. Or else it wouldn’t make for an interesting story.”

Albert turned his head ever so slightly to look at Ron. He seemed to study Ron just as vigorously as Mr. Germain had studied him moments before. “So who, then, should you trust in such a society?”

Ron picked up a jelly bean and tossed it in his mouth. “Definitely not the side that seeks for destruction.”

Albert turned away, staring at the floor. “And if each side is guilty of it?”

As the conversation grew, Ron could almost feel a wall beginning to build between them. “Clearly the utopian-like society who has banded together couldn’t possibly seek destruction. They are the safer bet.”

Albert gave a quiet snort. “Safer for who?” Ron frowned as he glanced at Albert. Albert looked at Ron, the first time he stared at him in the eye since Mr. Germain left.

Ron about opened his mouth to answer, but he didn’t have one. Albert’s stare turned into a glare. Ron felt spurred on by the look. “Safer for those who are willing to be good members of society.”

Albert lifted the lid to the jar of jelly beans and snapped it back on before he got up. Ron grabbed the jar and stood up. “Despite what Mr. Germain said, I’m not part of the underground.”

“Yeah,” Ron said, staring at Albert before turning away and placing the jar back on his desk. “I know.” It was a lie, and by the look of Albert’s face, Albert knew it too. “I’m glad you’re not a part of it. It’s evil. The way they use the sciences is truly twisted. I would hope no friend of mine found themselves believing the lies those mad scientists give. They are threatening the peace President Arnold has preserved, and I will not allow that in any form.”

Albert stared at Ron and said nothing for a beat before a hard shell formed in place of his emotions. “Yeah, that makes sense.” The words were quiet and insincere.

Just like in the meeting earlier that day, Ron felt something shift between him and Albert, and it felt dangerous.