The Pyramid Chronicles: Fortuna Guard (#2)

Chapter Five: West Coast

The acquisition of Scorpion's jetchopper was the best part of Adam's week. Not because it would let the Fortuna Guard look for recruits farther away, or make running errands easier, but because it opened up a new way for him to stall his college decision: campus tours.

He had until the end of the month to pick a school. He'd initially planned on visiting every campus that accepted him, but after everything had fallen apart at Tyche Point, he'd expected he would have to pass on a tour as far as UC Davis—a school much closer to Sacramento than the southern parts of California the Fortuna Guard frequented.

Even with his high test scores and extracurriculars, Adam had admittedly been surprised by his acceptance. But it was a welcome surprise after his rejections from schools higher on his list. Though, the financial aid information was a less welcome surprise.

He'd always known an athletic scholarship was out of the question. Deep down, he wasn't sure he even wanted to keep playing football anymore. But even if he did, Tyche Point High's football team was nothing special, and Adam wasn't the best player on it. He'd have to come up with another way to pay if he picked Davis.

Still, he wanted to take a look. He asked the Newmans first chance he got the day the Fortuna Guard stole Scorpion's chopper. Surprisingly, they were willing to let him go the next morning. The Scorpion logo had already been painted over, there was more than enough fuel for a trip to Davis, controls were ridiculously simple, and technicians had swept the aircraft and removed any tech that could be used for tracking on Scorpion's end.

"It'll be a good test run," Charles had told Adam. "Be careful, obviously, and prioritize your own safety over the chopper. You're not going after recruits, so I don't think you'll run into Scorpion, but we can't be certain they won't show up."

Beth was a little less eager than Charles was to let Adam go alone. "I think he should take a few other kids with him, at least," she said.

"Really, I'll be fine," Adam insisted. "The others wanted to train tomorrow morning, anyway. And they'd be bored sitting around campus while I'm on the tour."

"I think he'll be okay." Charles glanced at Beth.

"Okay," Beth conceded after a moment. "Call us if you run into any trouble."

Adam nodded. "Sure thing."

With that, they handed over the key.

Were the Newmans willing to let Adam alone go because he'd been doing so well controlling his fire? Because he was physically strong? He didn't give the matter more than a few minutes of thought. He was looking forward to a day out on his own, and the last thing he needed was the Newmans changing their minds.

The next morning, Adam's alarm dragged him from sleep. He was grateful, despite his exhaustion. His nightmares had been getting worse.

The details changed, but he was always back in the artifact chamber under Delta Labs. Sometimes he was alone. Other nights, everyone he knew was there: his friends from the football team, classmates from school, Mom, Eric, and a vague impression of a man he was certain was supposed to be Dad.

Every time, the dream ended when the world collapsed in on them. After Adam broke through the energy barrier around the fragment with his fire.

It was his fault.

Maybe he shouldn't have done it. Maybe there was another way.

Adam climbed out of bed. There was no other way. Willow had betrayed them to join Scorpion, but he trusted her on that fact and that fact alone.

He stared at himself in the mirror. It was still weird, watching his hair grow out. He'd had his undercut since middle school.

After leaving his room, Adam stopped by the cafeteria to grab a quick bite before he took off. He was surprised to find Eric awake already, sitting alone at a table in the corner, a piece of toast in hand as he scrolled through his phone.