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"it won't be the same without you"
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Simon sat in the cafeteria of King's Dominion mindlessly pushing the food around his lunch tray. The rest of the Preps chatted excitedly, feeding into the drivel that Kendal fed them. The Londoner had returned from his impromptu trip with Lorraine Broughton to find that King's was a different place than they left it.
The clique of teenagers that would one day follow in their parents' footsteps—joining various government agencies like the CIA or MI6—had once looked to Simon to be their leader. But, in the time he was preoccupied with The Marcus Show, he seemed to have been replaced by the charismatic blond boy.
Simon tried not to let it bother him. He and Kendal weren't close but they had been friendly. Unfortunately, now that he was top dog amongst the Preps, he had become unbearable. Every snide comment and smug look annoyed him to no end. Not to mention the blond liked to take digs at Simon occasionally as if punishing him for straying into friendships outside their group.
The tall teen hunched over his tray, glancing at the empty table at the center of the cafeteria. The table that Andi usually claimed for herself. Seeing it empty day after day was beginning to gnaw at him, as he knew who belonged there and it felt wrong that she wasn't at the school with him.
But, he had failed to bring her back.
Lorraine and Simon pulled up in front of an imposing building. Its dark glass reflected the other surrounding structures of the boisterous city. Simon followed behind Lorraine wordlessly.
The blonde woman was confident in her strides. She strutted forward purposefully and swung open the door with ease. The lobby was darkly decorated, with only an occasional gold accent there to brighten the space.
While Lorraine approached the woman at the front desk who was flanked by security on each side, he took a minute to inspect the golden serpent carved into the floor tiles. The symbol surprised him. He knew Ouroboros' symbol was a serpent eating its own tail. However, he didn't believe that such a secretive organization would advertise its calling card so blatantly.
"Hello, Ms. Broughton," the receptionist chirped cheerfully. "How can I—"
Lorraine didn't let her finish though. "I need to speak with Odin," she demanded, her voice stern and unwavering. She would not take 'no' for an answer.
"I-I'll call up and see if Mr. Brandt is free to meet with you," she stuttered out. Her voice faltered, the uneasiness stemming from Lorraine's intimidating presence. Despite the receptionist's newfound anxiety, she maintained a smile as she picked up the phone.
Lorraine was not satisfied with her answer though. The blonde woman's jaw ticked in irritation, her steely blue eyes stared vacantly at the receptionist as she made the call.
