E.C.H.O.

Stage 6 "Surviving Practice"

Lucas decided that there was nothing to do but turn in. He could put the snooping around aside for the night. Auden came by as promised to check that all the guys were in the dorm.

"Nathan been showing you the ropes?" he asked Lucas.

Lucas nodded.

"As expected. Can't count on Brian for something like that."

"Heard you," Brian said from where he was lying in bed.

"Yeah," Auden said before setting off to leave for the next room. "Try not to set off any fire alarms this semester, Nathan."

"That was one time!" Nathan protested.

Auden didn't reply as he had already left.

The boys turned in and Lucas found sleep claimed him pretty fast. He woke up when he felt a presence near him. Automatically, Lucas reached underneath his pillow. Not finding his knife there, he remembered where he was. Slowly he turned over to find Nathan grinning down at him while holding his football.

"Tuesday. Practice at seven," Nathan told him cheerfully. He tossed the football at Lucas who caught it as he sat up. He shot a glance at the alarm clock to see that it was six.

"We're lucky coach decided on seven. One semester it was five thirty every morning," Nathan told him as he pulled off his shirt and exchanged it for a jersey with the number twenty one on the back.

Lucas didn't reply as he swung his legs out of bed. Getting up early wasn't a problem.

"Don't bother with a shower," Nathan told him. "We'll have time right after practice."

Lucas looked towards Brian's bed to see that the boy was fast asleep. By the fact that Nathan wasn't bothering with keeping his voice down, Lucas guessed the other boy was a pretty heavy sleeper.

"What time does class start?" Lucas wondered aloud.

"Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at eight," Nathan told him as he grabbed a pair of football cleats and began to pull them on and lace them up. "Tuesdays and Thursdays at nine to let teams have morning practices." He looked in the direction of Brian. "Must be nice to get to sleep in when you aren't in sports," he added wistfully.

Lucas grabbed the jersey Nathan had dropped on his bed the day before. Apparently the coach had told him to pass it on.

"Number thirteen, just like you requested," Nathan said as Lucas opened it up and stared at the number.

Lucas couldn't resist a snort. It was typical of ECHO. His code name was K13 after all.

"Don't know why you'd want an unlucky number," Nathan said.

"I don't believe in superstition," Lucas told him as he headed for the bathroom with the shirt.

Nathan watched, as though wondering why he didn't change there. Yet when Lucas made a show of grabbing his toothbrush and some toothpaste, the question disappeared from Nathan's face.

Lucas stuck the toothbrush in his mouth and began to brush his teeth. Being shirtless is going to be an issue, he noted. Especially if there are government operatives around. Normally people would believe if I told them something, but the operatives will know the difference. He kicked the door shut before pulling off his shirt. Turning to the mirror, he stared at the scars that stood out. A finger went to his shoulder and traced across the old bullet wound. The knife slash across his chest had healed well, but it was still somewhat pink. At least the rope burn around my neck isn't noticeable anymore, Lucas noted. That had been a painful one he had achieved when he had almost gotten choked in Morocco.