Alex Van Helsing The Triumph of Death - By Jason Henderson Page 0,9

the new girl his own name and Sid waved. “Sid.”

“We only allow him a few syllables a day,” said Paul. They all sat.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Minhi asked the new girl.

Astrid shook her head. “I don’t know if there’s time; I’m supposed to go and meet with Ms….”

“Daughtry?” Alex suggested. That was the girls’ assistant headmistress. If her meeting was anything like the one Alex had on his first day, it would include an uncomfortably frank discussion of any past history and plans for success, or whatever term for not screwing up they would use. But then again, that had been Alex’s experience with the boys’ headmaster, Otranto. Maybe the girls had it easier.

“Yes, yes, exactly.” Astrid looked at Alex. “Three sentences from you and two of them have ended in a question mark.”

“Here, I have…” Minhi looked at the plate of fruit she’d brought to the table. “Do you want my banana?” Astrid took the banana graciously, opening it monkey-style, from the bottom rather than the stem. She nibbled at it, her bony shoulders moving with her jaw.

Minhi turned to the guys. “Astrid is from the Netherlands. Her parents had to move to Switzerland for work.”

“My mother’s work. She’s doing a lot of traveling right now, so this was the best fit.” Astrid put her hand on Minhi’s shoulder. “So apparently I’m Minhi’s assignment.”

Minhi shook her head. “Hardly. Anyone new needs a sister, so I’m showing her around until she gets settled.”

“A buddy system.” Alex understood that well enough. If Paul and Sid hadn’t taken him under their wings when he’d come in he wouldn’t have lasted two days. Almost didn’t, as it turned out. “Is she your new roommate, too?” he asked. Minhi’s last roommate, Vienna, had left abruptly about a month ago and wasn’t expected back anytime soon. He was shocked to find he had not thought of her in a week or so.

“Nope,” Minhi said. “I’ve still got my own room, thank God.”

“Me too,” Astrid said. “I opted for a single room. It’s…”

“Tiny?” Minhi offered.

“I like to think of it as cozy.” Astrid’s smile emanated seismic waves of warmth. She turned to Paul. “So you’re the boyfriend,” she said, sizing him up.

Paul folded his arms. “Ohh, you’ve talked.”

“And you are the writer.” She looked at Sid.

“She told you that?” Sid smiled as he looked out from beneath the reddish curls that were growing longer recently.

“She did, plus about four other girls who tried to give me the entire dramatis personae before I went to sleep,” Astrid explained. “You have fans.”

“Groupies,” Paul said, clapping Sid’s shoulder.

“And you…are…” Astrid’s eyes narrowed as she took a bite of the banana and swallowed. Finally she shrugged. “Alex.”

“Just Alex.” He repeated the word, echoing her shrug. “I’m working on an ‘Alex the’ but I’m not there yet.” Alex wondered what kind of epithet his friends might have provided if they were alone. Alex the guy who got us kidnapped? Alex the guy who stole a WaveRunner to get to the Charity Ball? “Stick around and maybe you can suggest something.”

“I’ll be on the lookout.” Astrid’s English was so perfect that she must have begun speaking it as a child, possibly at home. He didn’t detect any Britishisms. Maybe an American father? Alex pushed the thought away. He had to stop this, analyzing every newcomer as though they were a schematic on one of the Polidorium’s displays.

“So here’s how it will work,” said Paul, drumming the table. “Minhi can help you through the social stuff because we’re hopeless. But you won’t be rid of us. Sid can tutor you in just about anything, and Alex and I will be available for color commentary.”

“At least one of you is dead weight,” Astrid observed wryly. “You can work in shifts.”

Alex laughed. “Well, we won’t keep you prisoner. You may actually make other friends. But if Minhi’s got your back, we do, too.”

The bell rang. “Oh!” Astrid looked alarmed, and her whole body carried the change in vibration. She stood. “I was supposed to…”

“Daughtry,” Alex reminded her.

Astrid rose and kissed Minhi on the cheek once more. She bobbed like a bird ahead of them and turned briefly to Alex. “I’ll keep an eye out.”

“For what?”

“For whatever should come after ‘Alex the,’” she said, smiling, before disappearing down the hall.

CHAPTER 3

At 11:55 on the dot, Alex’s phone buzzed on the way out of his Algebra class, jolting his body to readiness just as he was feeling the doldrums of almost no sleep. He was fishing