The Search for Artemis - By P. D. Griffith Page 0,46
knows what. Studying?” Riley asked with derision.
“Sadly for you, no. I’m naturally brilliant. I don’t need to study like some people.”
Although the comment was not directed toward him, Landon was slightly offended. He jumped in to stop the bickering.
“Anyway, I’m sorry about your eye,” Landon interrupted.
“Don’t worry about it. I know it was an accident,” Riley returned a few bites later. “But seriously, you’ve got to get better. I don’t know if I can take anything else flying at me.”
Landon looked down and fiddled with the eggs on his plate. “I hear you,” he replied.
“Well, you now have those private sessions with Dr. Brighton on Saturdays. Those should help, right?” Katie Leigh asked. Her tone was apologetic. She must have realized the callousness of her earlier words.
“I think that’s the idea,” barked Riley pointedly. “Why don’t you mind your own business for a change, you natural pain in the —”
Katie Leigh gasped before Riley could finish his insult. She looked as if she’d been stabbed by a dagger, but her expression quickly turned. She stood up from the table, holding tightly to the sides of her tray, and glared at Riley.
“Fine!” she exclaimed through a clenched jaw. “I don’t know why I put up with you. I hope your face stays like that forever, Quasimodo!”
Landon nearly choked on his bacon as he tried to hold back a burst of laughter.
“It’s a vast improvement from what you looked like before!” she fumed.
Katie Leigh stormed off down the aisle and made her way for the cafeteria’s exit. As she passed a trash can, she hurled her untouched plate of food into the bin before slamming the tray on the pile of empty ones.
They watched her leave, then Landon turned to Riley.
“Wow, that was . . . unexpected.”
“Whatever,” he returned. “Besides,” he added a little less confidently, “she’ll be back. Who’s she gonna talk to if not me?”
Landon and Riley finished their breakfast in silence. All the while, Landon couldn’t get his mind off the night before. The questions that roamed around in his head were driving him insane.
“Riley,” Landon started after finishing his glass of milk.
“What?”
“What do you think the Gymnasium is training us for?” Landon asked point blank. He intentionally didn’t tell Riley details of his encounter with the lucifugous thief the night before. Landon preferred to work things out on his own; however, if anyone knew about the inner workings of the Gymnasium, Riley was the one to ask. He’d made a reputation for himself as being the most socially informed student who somehow knew everything about everyone, whether that information was private or public.
“What do you mean?” Riley asked. “You had orientation. They’re ‘training us to control our abilities so we aren’t menaces to society.’” Riley had adopted his pompous professor voice.
“Yeah, that’s basically what they told me. It’s just . . . I was in the Library last night . . . and I started wondering, wha—”
“Hold on. What were you doing in the Library in the middle of the night?” Riley interrupted.
“Uh, that’s not important.” Landon quickly returned to the previous subject. “What about the Restricted Tower? Do you have any idea what’s in there?”
Riley answered, “Nope. It has been closed off to the students since before I got here. I’ve never even seen someone go in it. Not professors, scientists or anyone, but I heard once that they were doing all sorts of sick, sadistic experiments in there.”
“Really? What do you think they’re experimenting on?”
“Seriously, Landon? Come on, nothing bad is going on in there. The Restricted Tower is probably just some giant storage unit.”
“Then why is it restricted?” Landon asked plainly. “Is that really the time?” Landon added suddenly after getting a quick glance at the clock on the back wall of the cafeteria. “I’m supposed to be at Tactometry right now. I’m gonna be late. I’ll talk to you later.”
Landon got up and raced out of the cafeteria to his training session. If only he was permitted to skip it. Questions still consumed Landon’s brain, so he knew he’d have some difficulty concentrating during his lesson. He needed to know if there was more going on at this place that even Riley didn’t know. What is in the Restricted Tower?
What had the girl stolen? She was carrying a messenger bag, so there must have been something in it, and Landon couldn’t imagine it was something she’d brought with her. Whatever it was, it had to be something small. She only carried the small bag.