Lucas took a moment to assess the boy before him. He knew it was never a good idea to jump to conclusions, many an operative of ECHO had blown their cover that way. Jamie was staring at him, the boy's grey eyes on him while the stance of his body showed he was somewhat tense, as though expecting Lucas to attack.

The question here is what exactly does he think he knows? Lucas thought, the whole time he stayed calm and relaxed, his body showing no signs of the question that raced through his mind, no indication someone who had been caught doing something they should would give.

"Alright," Lucas leaned against the doorway. "You got me."

Jamie's eyes widened and he took a step back. He didn't seem to have expected this answer.

Did he see me sneak in the window from next door, or maybe he's noticed I can't play football...then again, is he really onto me? Lucas wondered. I might as well throw something out there for now and take things from there. "I..." he took a deep breath and Jamie's eyes widened in anticipation, "I suck at football. I don't know...but ever since the accident I've been having a hard time getting my game back."

Jamie was staring at him, as though still waiting for another answer.

Guess that's not it, Lucas realized, however, he simply stopped there. He watched Jamie, looking as regretful as possible as he thought a student would in his situation.

"You can't fool me," Jamie spoke.

"I'm really not that good," Lucas replied honestly.

"No!" Jamie yelled before flinching and looking around. "Don't screw with me! I'm onto you!"

Lucas simply gave him a blank stare. However, every muscle in his body was ready to move at his command. Attack him and you'll have more problems on your hands than you want, his mind warned. Whatever he accuses you of, play dumb.

"I've seen it all!" Jamie added. His eyes narrowed. "Entering school late...sneaking around...going outside late at night...I've caught you!"

A door was thrown open at the other end of the hallway and there was a yell as someone began to run down the hallway.

Jamie leaned forward. "You're a monster," he said.

"Huh?" Lucas asked as the running guy sprinted past them and threw the door open to another room before disappearing inside. "Save me!" his voice was heard yelling to the occupants.

"To be more precise..." Jamie proceeded to correct himself just as another guy appeared out of the same room the first had. He was carrying a Nerf gun.

"Jason!" He yelled as he stalked down the hallway.

Lucas simply lifted a finger and pointed it in the direction of the room the first guy had disappeared into. The response was a grin from the guy with the gun who began to run.

"You were saying?" Lucas asked Jamie as the guy ran past. The guy burst into the room and there was a screech followed by a crash.

"You're a vampire!" Jamie yelled loudly as he thrust out a finger and pointed it accusingly at Lucas. He stood like that for what almost seemed like a full minute as Lucas simply stared at him. He almost expected a tumble weed to blow by during the awkward silence. At the same time Lucas felt himself relax.

He really is a nut job, he concluded as he stared at the younger boy before him.

"Vampire, huh?" Lucas asked. He tapped a thumb on his lip, as though considering it. "So...if I'm...a vampire, then why aren't you hightailing it out of here?" He took a step forward.

Jamie flinched back and whipped forth something. It was small cross on a chain around his neck. "I prepared," he announced as he help it out. "Ha! You can't harm me now creature of the night!"

Lucas raised his eyebrows. "Nice necklace," he said as he reached out as though to touch it.

Jamie flinched back, looking startled. "It's not repelling you," he muttered. "You should be cowering at its power over you..."

"Not to interrupt you're thoughts or anything..." Lucas spoke up. "But explain this to me again. I'm a vampire because I came late and stayed out longer at night?"

Jamie nodded, still holding out the cross.

"I don't know much about vampires..." Lucas began. "But you're reasoning makes no sense."

Jamie opened his mouth to reply and then froze. Lucas watched in amusement as the boy turned and pulled a small booklet from his pocket. He opened it and skimmed the contents, glancing back at Lucas a few times.

"You're not as pale as you should be...and the sun hasn't disintegrated you to dust..." Jamie was muttering. "Then again, who knows what devices those creatures have come up with lately. It is the twenty first century after all."

Lucas heard the shower stop. Looks like Nathan's done. "Well...that was a good talk," he told Jamie who was still muttering. "But I'm headed to take a shower." He began to close the door. Jamie's foot stopped him.

"You can try to run," Jamie warned him. "But I know the truth!"

"Sure," Lucas replied as he shoved Jamie's foot out of the door.

"I will expose you for what you really are!" was the last thing Lucas heard before he shut the door.

"What was that all about?"

Lucas turned to see Nathan was standing there with one towel wrapped around his waist while he dried his hair with a second.

"Just Jamie paying us a visit," Lucas replied as he walked towards his bed to grab some fresh clothes. "Apparently my sneaking out tonight has brought him to the conclusion that I'm a vampire," he continued to explain.

Nathan snorted. "What a nutcase."

"He certainly seems...special," Lucas replied as he grabbed the clothes. "Auden said he was a genius though."

"Oh he is," Nathan replied. "He just doesn't seem to be all there at times."

"Shower free?" Lucas asked.

Nathan nodded.

Lucas grabbed a towel and headed towards it.

"You might want to watch it though," Nathan's voice stopped him.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"Jamie," Nathan explained. "Last time he accused someone of being an alien, he followed him around twenty four seven and came up with all sorts of ideas to prove his theory. It didn't end well."

Lucas frowned. It would be troublesome having someone following him around.

"But hey, as long as you're not a vampire you have no worries, right?" Nathan asked with a grin.

"Huh," was Lucas' reply.

"Wait!" Nathan's eyes widened. "You don't secretly crave blood, do you?"

Lucas simply raised his eyebrows in response. Just then the door burst open.

At once Lucas was ready to react to the unexpected intrusion. His mind had already envisioned hi rolling across the ground to avoid gunfire, taking cover and waiting for the clip to be emptied before going in for the attack. However, when he saw the guy with the Nerf gun, he relaxed.

His roommate was the unfortunate one. Before Nathan could react he was shot right on the bare chest.

The culprit let out a whoop. "50 points!" he yelled.

"Doesn't count if I didn't see it!" another voice bellowed from down the hallway.

Nathan scrunched up the towel with which he had been drying his hair and threw it on the floor.

The guy in the doorway widened his eyes before disappearing out the doorway.

"You better beg!" Nathan yelled as he ran out after him in nothing more than his towel.

"Abort, abort!" Lucas heard echoing down the hallway.

Blinking as he tried to take in what had just happened, he shook his head and turned to go into the bathroom. High school students are crazy, he concluded.

He took his shower and got ready for bed. He would check the bugs he had planted at a later time, however, his little adventure to the pool area made him sure of one thing; most likely the sports center was not where his target was located. There was no sever reaction when the students had broken in and, even though there was someone other than the guards who had seen them, no move had been made. That told Lucas that there was nothing worth protecting in that building...then again, he would check the bugs just in case.

One building down, Lucas thought to himself as he turned in his bed. He mentally went over the entire layout of the campus. Classrooms, dorms, and teacher's offices, he noted the buildings he personally felt were the most likely to be the ones. There are always people around which would make it hard for security sake...however, it would also make it easier in the sense that they could guard without being noticed, kind of like hiding a tree in a forest. He was aware of Brian entering the room and dumping some books on his desk.

I wonder if our prank worked, the thought drifted into Lucas' mind from nowhere. He could just picture blue students walking around school. For the first time in years, Lucas fell asleep with a smile on his face.

"Oi, Lucas!"

Lucas groaned as the voice cut into his dreams.

"Hey!"

Lucas' arm went up to wave away the annoyance.

"You're going to oversleep, man!"

Lucas shot up in bed. Sleepily, he found himself staring at Nathan who, except for his tie, jacket, and shoes, was already dressed in his uniform.

Lucas' eyes flittered to his alarm clock. He blinked in surprise as he realized that he had seven minutes to get ready for class. Breakfast had already ended.

"Glad you're awake, sleeping beauty," Brian said as he walked towards the door. Nathan turned to grab his tie.

Lucas sat where he was. He was confused. How was I still asleep? He wondered. He always woke up early, he never overslept. He had learned to sleep so lightly that one simply had to breathe his name and he'd be up. That was when it hit him. No nightmares. Lucas' hand went to his forehead. That's a first. They had haunted him, following him through his training and new ones created after he joined ECHO. They were images he couldn't erase, faces he couldn't forget; things that would pop up as fresh and clearly as the day they had happened.

"Yo, you'll miss class," Nathan warned fixing up his tie to make it look neat and then grabbing his jacket. Brian disappeared out the door.

Lucas swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got up. Surprise filled him at how rested he actually felt. So this is what it's like to have a good night's sleep, he wondered as he grabbed a uniform from his closet. He was about to strip when he paused. His eyes darted to Nathan. Can't have questions asked, he realized. Being shirtless would reveal scars of his past.

He rushed into the bathroom and closed the door. Stripping, he quickly changed, grabbing a toothbrush as soon as his pants were on. He brushed his teeth while buttoning his shirt. Gurgling, he spat into the sink before throwing the door open.

"Ready?" Nathan asked.

Lucas only nodded as he grabbed his jacket and tie. He simply threw his tie around his neck, and then began to pull on his shoes while walking to the door.

They left the room with Lucas proceeding to tie his tie on the way. His jacket followed. He was glad there was no morning assembly that day. Some days the boys had it, mostly when there were announcements or a big event coming up.

"Morning," someone yelled as he ran past.

"Morning!" Nathan called back. He turned to Lucas as the two hurried forward. "Can't wait to see what the swim team will be wearing today," he said as he wiggled his eyebrows.

"What time do they practice?" Lucas asked in reply, even though he knew. He had all the sports teams' time schedules memorized.

"Start at ten thirty. Usually they all come to lunch together right after," Nathan replied. "Be sure not to miss it today. I just hope it works."

Lucas nodded in agreement. The two split ways and headed to their own classrooms. As usual, there wasn't anything new to learn for Lucas, however, he found himself listening rather than only thinking about the mission. He felt more relaxed than he could ever remember. Getting a good night of sleep had really helped. It felt nice to for once have his brain seemingly slow down and divert from only thinking of everything as a threat.

It was as if relaxing made him enjoy class more than he would have ever thought. He found himself laughing with his classmates during the breaks between classes. Frank was stressing over flunking the class and falling one lower and Raymond was teasing him about it. A few of the other guys were trying to bribe another to hand over a number from a girl from Bel high. And then as soon as the teacher entered order resumed.

Lucas liked it; he couldn't explain why, but the way in which the boys had nothing to worry about, seeming to talk about the most unusual things and making a big deal about something Lucas would have never considered, made life seem so much more colorful. He had always seen things in black and white, there was life and death, likewise, in ECHO there was success and failure.

By the time lunch came around Lucas was ready to meet Nathan and the rest of the gang. Danny had spread the word, telling the team to not forget to come to lunch. His excuse was that he wanted them to all eat together and discuss a 'strategy' for their upcoming game. Lucas knew it was just a cover for them all being there when the swimming guys came in.

"Hey!" Nathan was waved form where he was standing in line with Jordan, their goalie.

Lucas went to join them. The cafeteria was crowded, voices filling the air as guys ate and talked at the same time. Lunch was spaghetti, meatballs, and garlic bread. Lucas and the other two got their plates filled before heading over to the tables the football guys had pushed together so they would all fit. It looked like just over half the team was already there.

"Hey," a few greetings came mixed with, "Yo," from others.

Peter nodded at Lucas and then motioned to the empty chair beside him. Lucas didn't hesitate to take it.

"Glad to see you're alive," Danny mentioned from where he sat nearby. "I heard you guys had a close shave."

Lucas nodded as he noticed someone out of the corner of his eyes. It was Jamie, a hat on his head and sunglasses covering his eyes. He scooted around a pillar nearby and when he was facing Lucas lifted a newspaper, a clear hole cut so his eyes could look through. No one paid any attention, seeming to be used to this unusual behavior.

"You really think it worked?" one of the guys asked.

"Sure," Danny replied with a grin. "The beauty is it takes full effect after being mixed with hot water. So when they shower..." he trailed off.

"Not sure they would come to lunch after that though," Jordan muttered.

"Bet they will," Nathan replied. "They'll need to eat...besides, we aren't allowed to skip class unless we're dying or it's an emergency. Being a little...blue, doesn't qualify," he said it all with his mouth full.

Aware that Jamie was watching his every move, Lucas plucked the piece of garlic bread from his plate and made a great show of eating it. Jamie lowered the newspaper with a triumphant look on his face. It was followed by horror when he seemed to realize that the bread had absolutely no effect on Lucas whatsoever. The boy dumped his paper on a table and pulled out the same notebook from before, as though to double checking something.

Shaking his head, Lucas turned his attention away. The sooner he stops tailing me, the better. More of the football guys came, filling the tables.

Hearing a shout followed by laughter, Lucas glanced over to see some of the hockey guys sitting together. Somehow, one of them had ended up with spaghetti in his hair.

"The only group who's crazier than us," Peter told Lucas as he, too, watched.

Lucas became aware of a sudden change in atmosphere. It started with a few murmurs followed by laughter as throughout the cafeteria students were turning to look at the entrance.

Lucas watched as two guys with the bluest skin he had ever see, entered. The only thing that seemed to have been left untouched was their hair, most likely having been covered by a swim cap. The area around their eyes was a lighter blue where they had most worn their swim goggles for most of their time in the pool. It gave them an overall comical look, the rage on their face making it even better.

There was laughter all around and big grins on faces.

"Looking good!" someone yelled.

A hockey guy let out a whistle.

"This the new uniform you were talking about, Mark?" another yelled.

Jamie had retreated to a safe distance and was scribbling away in his note book, looking up at the blue figures every few seconds.

Looking like they were ready to murder someone, the guys glared around the room, as though searching for the culprit. Both of them paused as they caught sight of the football team.

Nathan at once tried to hide the huge grin on his face.

Both guys stalked over, the one in the lead looked more intimidating than the other. Lucas sized them both up automatically, his mind trying to decide how to best take them on if they attacked.

More blue guys entered, someone looking embarrassed and seeming to try hide, while the older ones looked as enraged as the first.

The first two reached the football table.

"What's wrong, Dean?" Rick asked innocently. "You look a little blue today."

The guy called Dean glared at him.

"It was you guys, wasn't it?" he accused.

"Huh?" Rick asked.

"You did this!" Dean roared.

"Why is it always us who get accused first?" one of the football guys asked with a sigh. "You guys are so distrusting. Just because you attacked our field like that last time you think we'd stoop so low as to retaliate?"

"Then why else would you all be gathered here like this?" the second guy asked.

"We have a game coming up," Danny spoke up calmly. He folded his hands on the table. "And we were in the middle of discussing strategy before you came interrupting."

The football guys all around nodded.

Dean's eyes narrowed and the other guy glared. The rest of the swim team was getting food, seeming to prioritize their hunger over finding the culprits.

One of the hockey guys let out a snort of laughter, it escaped before he could do a thing. In a flash, Dean and his partner were at their table.

"So it was you guys!" the accusation flew. "I knew it."

Auden looked up calmly from where he sat. You really think a dorm head would get involved in something like this?" Lucas noted how his eyes flickered over to him, a smile tugging on the edge of his lips.

"You're smiling!" Dean accused.

"If a Smurf was talking to you in person, wouldn't you?" Auden replied.

"Rather than wasting your time accusing people, I would worry about getting that stuff off," Banster said. "Otherwise that may be a look you'll be keeping for a while."

"We'll get you for this," Dean hissed.

In response some of the hockey guys stood up. Dean and his friend shrunk back.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew," Banster told Dean calmly. "The swim team may have some privileges, but when it comes to playing dirty you have no idea how far we can go."

Lucas turned his attention away from the brewing fight.

"Didn't think it would turn out this well," Peter whispered.

Lucas grinned in reply.