Criminal Codes

Chapter 3: Cole

"Hey, Kaden," I greet my guard as I head out. "What's up, man?" Act cool, act cool, act cool.

"Not much. Just standing outside your door, staring at stone, alone with my thoughts," he gestures towards the stone wall across from us. "Hey, where are you going?" Ugh, he noticed my backpack.

"Tucker's room. Told me to pack up and be ready to go. I'm assuming another assignment." I hoped I sounded nonchalant and not like someone who's afraid of getting busted.

"Ah, I see. Well, be safe out there. Don't get caught."

"I'll try not to," I smirk, heading down the hall towards the stairs, shaking my head. If only the poor guy knew.

The distance from my room to Tuckers is not long, but the change is significant. My room is on the fourth floor — the floor where the people one step down from any sort of leadership are. The fifth floor — Tucker's floor — houses the people in the first level of leadership. The higher up you go, the more important the people sleeping there are. Plus, the rooms get bigger as you go up.

Tucker's room has two parts: one for sleeping and one for working. He has a full-sized bed (big for our standards; I have a twin-sized bed that I'm almost falling off of) in the sleeping area and a huge desk and countless shelves for storage of non-existent belongings in the other section. I, on the other hand, just have a slab of wood acting as a desk situated in one corner, my bed in the other. And that's it. I'm hoping to get bumped up within the year.

Wait.

Why am I thinking of climbing the ranks when we're heading for freedom? I shouldn't be making plans for my future with the Band. In barely half an hour, I'm going to have no future with the Band! I can't help it, a smile grows and I pick up the pace, Tucker's door in sight.

"Hey, Ben," I greet Tucker's guard. "I have a meeting."

"This close to curfew?" The unfortunate thing about being a higher-up is that your guards are more intent on protecting you. Well, not really protecting you. More like protecting you from losing your well-earned spot by getting in trouble with Peter.

I sigh, my smile fading. "Yes. I have an assignment."

"Hmm, really? Because usually assignments happen closer to the afternoon and Tucker or Peter would have notified me beforehand."

Dammit, he was going to be tougher to crack than I thought. "Look, Ben. I don't have time for this. Let me in or Peter will find out about the loose bricks you found and he'll patch them up and you won't have a window anymore." The pros of being the secret keeper, I think to myself.

He shoots me a dirty look as he opens the door, letting me in. Success.

Tucker's room is a mess. And considering Peter requires us to keep everything in shipshape, this is unusual and will only raise suspicions. "Tucker! You have to clean this up! They're going to find out the second someone glances in!" No answer. "Tucker?" I head into his bedroom, finding his legs poking out from under the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for my tent." His voice is muffled by the sheets hanging around him.

"Your tent?"

"Yes," he scoots out, a dark green bundle of tarp in his hands. "For shelter. We're not staying in hotels this time."

"Ah, I see. Hope you can fit two in there." He should have told me this before I packed. I didn't think to bring a tent or any sort of shelter. I mean, I didn't think we were staying in hotels either. I didn't think about where we would be sleeping at all. I guess I hoped the Agency was close enough that we could get there before tomorrow night.