"As much as I love your enthusiasm, you have to go the process of signing up and going through a series of matches to prove your commitment. Not to mention you're not the only one wishing to be in the tournament." The coach of the chess club mused as he tossed registration papers to Andrew.
Jason who was standing to the side went on, his tone dripping with hope. "Coach Calvin, I think that Andrew could be what we were looking for to win the tournament. He's shown to be very good-" Calvin cut Jason off, raising his hand with his tone flat.
"I'm aware that he was able to beat you but don't forget that there are other players better than you." Calvin's gaze shifting to Andrew who was done filing the papers. His gaze narrowing as he tried to read the young man. 'Looks like this one is one of those, huh?'
Reaching to his drawer, he pulled a chess board, his intentions clear. "Since Jason won't stop praising how good you are, you wouldn't mind if we had a couple of matches, right?" Andrew's nod starting a series of matches, each widening Jason's grin.
Calvin, a man in his fifties and yet fit given his age, now wearing a black track suit and a calm expression despite the out come of the matches. His hair black with white hairs present here and there, a man with cool black glassy eyes and an air that spoke of wisdom which was now slowly turning into quiet frustration.
"Check mate." Andrew stated flatly, his gaze boring into Calvin who flashed a small smile. "I never thought that I would face such a loss at the hands of a student as young as you are.You could be an upcoming prodigy if nurtured right." Moving the board back to his drawer, in his mind now recalling something.
"The scores on your entry exam were a perfect score despite your past." His words reflecting his suspicion however the tense air didn't last long. "However it's nice to know that you aren't dwelling in the past like most would. Keep going like this and you'll be going places."
After that the two took their leave from Calvin's office, Jason being the first to break the silence. "I never thought that coach was capable of compliments." Andrew's silence something that he had started to get used to. "Well I'll see you later, I have to go and train."
Watching Jason take his leave, Andrew was met with a notification from Charles.
[{Charles: Can we meet? You pick the date and place.}]
"There you are Andrew." Claire's voice echoed behind his frame. "I realized that we never quite finished our tour so we might as well do it now." Andrew didn't protest as the two left the busy halls and went to the fields outside.
Going past the track field, the two went to an indoor swimming pools which were empty before making their way to the tennis court which was packed with a lot of spectators. "By the way Andrew, I've been wondering. Since you're so good at chess, are there any other hobbies that you have?"
The two taking a seat among the many who were busy cheering oblivious to the two. "Try me." His short words eliciting a cheeky smile from Claire, seeing it as a dare. "Really, then how about tennis? Do you think that you could beat her?" Claire pointed towards one of the people on the court, her figure drenched in sweat and her chest heaving.
Her hair blonde coupled with starry blue eyes, a lady who could easily be classified as a beauty. "Yes." The two watching the match unfold under the shades before it came to an end and students flooded the court lifting the blonde girl up in the air, cheering her on with her victory barely secured.
"Well that concludes our tour of the school but if there is anything that you need, please don't hesitate to inform me." Claire mused however something caught her eye about Andrew. He didn't have his usual gaze that focused on nothing but now concentrated on the blonde girl.
"Don't tell me you have a crush on Brittany Voss. She's the kind of girl who goes on through life with constant attention and appreciation from those around her, In other words not someone you could attract given your personality." A taunt from Claire however Andrew kept his gaze. "But since you're so focused on her, you might as well go and ask her, don't feel bad if she rejects you."
Claire rising to her feet, ready to meet Brittany expecting Andrew to show hesitation or fear. The crowd around Brittany had began to scatter, by now Brittany surrounded by her friends who chatted away, ready to leave before they were approached by Claire and Andrew.
"Excuse me Brittany but there's someone who would want to talk to you." Claire's hands gesturing at Andrew. "Brittany Voss, nice kick serve on game point. Shame the toss betrayed you on the next two." Brittany paused as she looked at the man in front of her, his unassuming looks something that easily melted into a crowd.
"I'm sorry but do I know you? I don't think that we've met." Her hand outstretched to meet his in a short handshake. "Andrew Grayson. We've never met. I was in row C, seat twelve." Brittany turned her head to see where he was sitting before a short disbelieving laugh left her lips.
"And you're just handing out notes?" A pause. "I'm telling you what I saw." His tone even. "Your second serve in the first set, every time you went wide to her backhand, you dropped the toss two inches lower than the first serve. Same spot, same height, every single time. She started reading it by the fourth game but it was too late for her to turn it around. You won the set anyway because she's not that quick, but she shouldn't have been able to read it at all."
Brittany gave a low hum, she had felt the toss drift but she chalked it up to the wind. Lifting her bag to her shoulder, the girls around her shot their skeptical glances at Andrew. "Are you some ex-veteran that we don't know about?" One of them quizzed as Brittany took a closer look.
Past his mundane looks, his half lid eyes and calm gaze exuded certainty. "Thanks for the tip random person but I have other things to take care off." Her departure accompanied by her flock of friends leaving the two alone on the court. "I didn't know that you knew so much about tennis. Your attempt however wasn't smart. Who goes with a critique for crying out loud?"
Claire posed as the two began to leave the court. "Hey, excuse me could you give me a moment?" The source being Brittany's opponent who had overheard their conversation.
. . .
"He seems to have a lot of tips of not just chess but other games as well like tennis. Even gave pointers to Brittany." Claire chuckled as she toyed with her pen, half way through her assignment. "Interesting." Connor's words an after thought as he was busy with the laptop.
"You made any progress on him? Found anything odd?" Connor looked up, reaching for his coffee. "Something of the sort but you might have to pick up martial arts." Claire's brows furrowing. "Why?" The sound of a graceful sip filling the air before her response came.
"As you said, it seems that he knows a lot of things and with what you're doing, it would be best to know how to protect yourself ." Claire wanted to scoff at her uncle however with what she had seen from Andrew, even she wasn't sure what his limits were.
"As for your question of whether I found anything interesting, yes. It would seem that Andrew will be meeting with this character called Charles soon. Though they haven't agreed on the date, it should be soon." Turning the laptop around for Claire to see, the lady gave a faint hum before going back to toying with her pen.
"By the way, your mother was asking me about the recent disappearances." Connor's words low which straightened Claire, feeling the weight. "And…" Her brow raised in curiosity. "She wanted you to go back to Europe out of fear should anything happen to you." The words ruining Claire's mood.
"So what did you tell her?" Her words unsure of the response she would get. "I told her that you would be fine but she didn't believe me." The sounds of keys clicked in a flurry from Connor, his gaze never leaving the monitor. "So she told me that she'll take you back should the events keep on going. Two weeks was her limit."
The air turning silent and Connor felt it. "As much as I would love having you serve as my little espionage with this case, I can't guarantee your safety at all times. So promise me that you'll take your martial lessons seriously. You have classes this weekend."
Claire's grip on her pen tightened, veins faintly visible on her temple as her fists turned white. "Well it's this or going back, I know that you've made a lot of friends here and leaving would disrupt your social life for a bit."
"Hah." A sarcastic laugh leaving Claire's lips. "For a bit?" I haven't been to Europe in a year, the last time my friends there were either going to overseas schools or way too distant for any actual connection. My social life here is all I have. I can't afford to lose it."
Palming his face, Connor sunk back into his chair finishing his coffee. "Well you better hope that the kidnappings stop for your mother to be on our asses." A groan filling the air, Claire now looking at her work with no interest to finish and left. .
"I'm going for a breather on the porch." Connor didn't stop her as he kept typing away. 'I'm extremely curious to know who this Charles guy is. Maybe he could be the one issuing commands and has other people similar to Andrew planted all over the city.'
His eyes reflecting the glare from the laptop, his index rhythmically tapping on the mahogany desk. 'It's also rather odd how Andrew hasn't used a single dime except for some purchases way a few days ago.' His fingers typing away before a name popped up. "Lara Grale."
Checking more phone logs, Connor quickly concluded the situation in the Grale household, how Lara had left with no warning and her mother Clara had been trying to call her. 'Why hasn't Andrew done anything or his kindness of spoiling Lara was nothing more than an act on his end.'
Purchases of high end clothing and a ridiculously expensive phone purchase showing the two had gone on a spending spree. 'With the amount of money he has, he could easily get them out of their current place and yet he doesn't. What other motives does he have?'
[{Ding: 60 million dollars}]
The notification stupefying Connor as he calculated the total amount of money Andrew had received.
[{190 million dollars}]
'I need to get to the bottom of this and fast. Looks like I need to make a visit to Lara.' Using her contacts locating her location and getting more information about her.
. . .
"I thought you would wait for me like last time but I guess you had other plans." Kevin shouted at Andrew as he carelessly dropped his bag, his movements suggesting fatigue as he crashed onto the couch.
The smell of well cooked food seemed to break Kevin out of his stupor as he groaned, trying to pull himself upright. "I heard that you were trying to talk to Brittany Voss." Andrew didn't bother confirming as he placed the plate on Kevin's table.
"It's better that I tell you this now, she already has a boyfriend called…" His words paused, his face grimacing as terrible memories began to surface."…Adrian Price."