International Affairs

The Break In

“What?”

“Zoom up on that picture of Aiden,” Jane said. “Right to his chest.”

“Jane!” Sammy exclaimed.

“No!” Jane exclaimed back.

The librarian shushed them with narrowed eyes. 

“Look at the logo on his jacket,” Jane whispered. “It’s strange.”

Katelyn switch the picture to high definition and zoomed up on the image. She squinted at the logo. It was an academy badge monogrammed on the jacket.

“Guildford…” Katelyn said, leaning closer. “Marshall?”

“Guildford Marshall,” Jane put together. “Where is that?”

“I think it’s the academy name,” Sammy added.

Katelyn typed Guildford Marshall into the search engine. Weirdly, nothing came up. Absolutely nothing.

“Nothing we’re looking for,” Katelyn concluded after some clicking.

“Nothing at all?” Jane asked. “That’s impossible. If the school exists, it’ll come up.”

Katelyn tried some more key words.

“This search engine isn’t powerful enough,” Katelyn concluded, sitting back in her seat. “We need a different computer.”

“Where are we going to get a different computer?” Sammy asked.

Katelyn checked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. “The Headmistress’s school laptop?” she whispered.

“What?!” Sammy exclaimed.

“Shh!” the librarian shushed.

Sammy ducked her head and scooted closer. “Did you just suggest what I think you did?” she asked, under her breath.

“Tonight?” Katelyn asked.

“Jane!” Sammy hissed. “Talk some sense into Katelyn!”

Jane ran her hand through her short hair. “We could get in a lot of trouble…” she said, slowly. “But I also want to know who or where Guildford Marshall is.”

“You’re both crazy,” Sammy said, shaking her head. “We’re all going to get expelled.”

“We’re not going to get expelled,” Katelyn snorted. “Besides, we’re putting our training to the real test.”

Sammy tugged on her bangs, unsure.

“I’m in,” Jane said, holding out her hand. Katelyn clapped her hand over hers.

“You in?” Katelyn asked Sammy.

Sammy sighed and placed in hand with theirs. “One for three,” she whispered.

Katelyn smiled. “Three for all.”

The plan would take place at night. The academy didn’t have security guards but each corner of every hall had a heat sensor. Katelyn did her 8th grade extra credit on heat sensors. Through extensive middle school “research” and overall being observant, the heat sensors only scanned every 8 seconds. Katelyn also knew every security system in the world, even at the prestigious academy, had a blind spot.

Katelyn tied the black bandana over her mouth.

“We look like robbers,” Sammy noted as she covered her face too.

“Can’t risk getting caught,” Jane explained. “Not that it would really matter if we did.”

“Shh,” Katelyn said, picking up the heat reflector tarp. “We’ll just break in, look around and then get back.”