The death of Adrian was viewed by the group as a means of the pair tying up loose ends which further drove them into looking into the two. Days ticked by before turning into a month and no substantial progress was made. By the end of October, Connor was left with no leads and the group other than hunches went nowhere other than stalking Brittany.
"We've been at this and it seems like she's onto us. I mean she hasn't slipped up her character once. Maintaining this aloof face that she's never had." Jason sighed as he looked at Brittany, done with her tennis spars once more. This time he was accompanied by Kevin. The two easily blending into the crowd that cheered the two ladies clash with each other.
"It is because she's changed her character means that there's something wrong with Andrew." Kevin urged, the two waiting for the students to sift out. The crowds from before had began to die out. Once Brittany's matches attracting eyes turned into a predictable game where her victory was nearly guaranteed. For the onlookers, it got stale pretty quickly.
"You two have been watching me for some time now." Brittany's words cut through the air and landed on the two men. "Brittany, congratulations on your match." Jason chuckled, offering a hand to Brittany who had a smile rather a look of annoyance they had expected. "Thanks, I take it that you're digging into Andrew so you're looking through me." Her words making the two freeze. 'Was…was it that obvious?'
Kevin couldn't help but wonder, the sounds of students talking and walking background noise. "Subtlety is something you lack." Brittany mused as she raised her tennis bag higher onto her shoulder, ready to take her leave. "Though I do share the same concern of Andrew as you do." The two looked at the crimson blonde. Everything about her seemed fantastical. No flaws on her skin, her crimson eyes piercing and her golden locks held up in a bun before she let loose of her band letting them spill all over her back.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked, the two now tailing Brittany. "Well I don't have to talk with how good Andrew is at everything he does. I'm sure you've seen his skills in debate. It was a joke at the time and yet he caught me by surprise with his presentation. Even the president seems fond of him, similar to Calvin."
Jason's body seem to tense up at the mention of Calvin, memories surfacing while Kevin only pressed on. "Are you suggesting a coalition between us? How do we know that this isn't a trap?" Brittany came to a stop, not that far from the showers making the two stop as well. "It seems that you think ill of my revelation to you and I won't bother my time explaining myself. It's clear that he's inhumane, be it his comprehension or adaptability and I want answers as to how he's so good at whatever he does."
She turned around to look at the two who had looks of concern and suspicion. "All I'm trying to do is help, since I'm the only one who can get close to him I don't mind helping you but don't think I'll go out of my way and save any of you. Adrian was something that surprised me as well." Students coming out of the shower caught glances at the two, murmurs shot their way.
"Sounds like a bad deal on our end. At the very least you could guarantee us protection from Andrew." Jason said, his hand raised in disbelief. "It's hard to tell who he's going to target." Kevin didn't skip a beat. "Well do you mind explaining what happened to Pauline's death and your words." Brittany looked to the side, as if in genuine remorse. "That…was a mistake on my end. He told me that he would get rid of her. Reasons unclear but he did from what you saw."
The two sides locked eyes with each other, Brittany adjusting her duffel bag. "Well if this was a trap as you think, wouldn't that mean that he knows about your little escapades of trying to uncover him and if he did…" She inched closer to the two, her tone lowering only that they could hear. "…Then what prevents him from killing that little group of yours? You know, you two, Claire, Eliot and possibly that detective too."
Her simple smile came off as dangerous to the two before Brittany backed up and wordlessly left. The two didn't stay there for long before leaving as well. "I mean she is right, it would be rather odd if he already knew and didn't dispose of us. I can't believe that I involved myself with this mess." Jason's last statement a murmur Kevin caught.
"Maybe he wants to toy with us. The same way predator does with their prey. However as for Brittany, I'm unsure of whether we should take her words at face value." Kevin said as the two left school grounds, done with their classes. "Well I'll tell Claire about this then, see you later." Jason and Kevin bid each other goodbye, a smile forming on Kevin's face. 'Looks like there was a positive with that freak coming back.'
He mused as he stared at Jason's back before making his way home.
. . .
The air was taut, Andrew in his meal, Kevin had lost his rage and replaced with something quieter while Clara was left feeling the spitfire of the two clash. Though wordless, the weight was something she couldn't ignore. 'I can't force them to be friends either and after Andrew's confession back then, it would seem that neither seem on making up and being acquaintances.'
A sigh left her lips, the only thing audible as she rose and made he way to her room. 'As for those people who had kidnapped Lara, they haven't made any form of contact after Andrew took the case forward.' Her mind heavy as she sat at the edge of her bed. Her hand supporting her head. 'I just hope that she's okay.'
Nightmares of Lara's head would pop up as she slept, ones that would torment her for countless night. The only comfort she got was from Kevin who would sleep with her and calm her down. 'I;m not sure that I can make it without you dear.' Clara glanced at a picture of her and her husband on their wedding day, her smile ear to ear, oblivious of the calamities that would follow.
Lights of passing cars would illuminate her room, casting shadows that stretched to the ceiling before it all fell into darkness once more. In the sitting room, the air remained in it's chaotic state, Kevin and Andrew barely maintaining eye contact. Andrew buried in his books while Kevin was busy watching television."Hey Andrew!" Kevin broke the silence, his tone arrogant and lazy. "Could you rush to the store, the batteries are dead!"
Andrew remained locked in his books, his tone indifferent' "I'm quite busy, however I could give you the money for you to fetch it yourself." His hand producing a hundred dollar bill, as if anticipating this moment. Kevin looked over the sofa headrest, a groan leaving his lips as he couldn't be bothered to leave it. "Can't you just do it? You already have the money and the energy to do it?"
Silence was Kevin's response making Kevin drag himself to the dining table and grab the bill. Shooting a glare at Andrew, he left the house and made his way to the store. It didn't take ling before he appeared once more, crashing into the sofa and back to watching to away. Andrew didn't stay up for long before heading for rest.
'Ten on the dot as always. Looks like he's a man who sticks to a strict routine akin to a robot.' Kevin stole a glance of his back before looking back at the television. "I wonder how he would react when there are deviations in his plan." His eyes rested on his bag before unpacking the contents. Spilling them on the floor, there was something that caught his gaze. 'Speech notes, I wonder how you'll work when you don't have these.'
A mischievous smile resting on Kevin's face as he took the papers and returned everything back to how it originally was.
. . .
The debate hall echoed with polite applause as the final rebuttals wrapped up. The motion this time had been: "Resolved: Social media platforms should be held legally liable for the spread of verified misinformation that incites real-world harm."
Andrew had taken the affirmative side and dismantled the opposition's free-speech absolutism with the same calm precision he'd shown in his audition. The judges had just announced a clear victory for his team.
Rachel was the first to reach him, grinning wide as she clapped him on the shoulder. "Andrew, that was brutal in the best way. The way you flipped their 'marketplace of ideas' argument by bringing in the actual tort law precedents? Chef's kiss. You made it sound like they were defending the right to yell 'fire' in a crowded theater while the theater was literally burning down. I've never seen someone make liability sound so… inevitable. Seriously, you're a natural."
Andrew gave a modest shrug. "Thanks."Marcus, captain of the opposing team, approached with a forced smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He extended a hand for a firm but slightly too-tight shake. "Well played." he said, the words clipped. "You had some… interesting takes on platform responsibility. A bit heavy on the regulatory optimism, but it landed with the judges. Congrats on the win."
Rachel rolled her eyes good-naturedly at Marcus's tone. "Come on, Marcus. He crushed the distinction between protected speech and actively amplified harm. Even you have to admit the analogy about algorithmic amplification being like handing out megaphones at a riot was solid."
Marcus's smile tightened further, though he kept it plastered on. "Yeah, yeah. Solid enough to beat us today. Just hope you don't start thinking every debate is going to be that easy, Andrew. Next time we'll be ready."
Andrew nodded politely, catching the undercurrent but choosing not to engage. "Looking forward to it."
From the benches, Brittany watched the exchange with that familiar small smile on her lips, arms crossed and tennis bag at her feet. She didn't join the congratulations right away, she simply observed, amused by the contrast between Rachel's genuine enthusiasm and Marcus's sour professionalism. Brittany on the sides wore her subtle smile, one she had been wearing as of late like a piece of cloth she fancied.
The hall began to empty as teams packed up, but the air still crackled with the afterglow of a good clash. Marcus lingered a moment longer, his smile fading the second he turned away.
"That was a stellar performance out of you Andrew. I still can't believe that you got all of that out of your head. Did you have to torture yourself by memorizing all of your points?" Her question landed as the two left, now in the school halls. "My papers suddenly went missing this morning." Her brows furrowed as her smile subtly stretched wider. "Looks like someone wants to see your reaction when it comes to change."
'I guess that means he should grow suspicious of Kevin from this. But does he actually know what's going behind his back. If he knew about my dialogue with my father, I doubt that he wouldn't know about any of this.' The two arrived at the cafeteria, a place the two had come to treat as a hub of sorts. "You do know about what Kevin's up to, right? I mean there's no way you wouldn't know." His hands placed on the table, perfectly clasped.
"Yes, as well as what game you're trying to play with me Brittany." She wasn't taken aback, as if she had expected him to figure it all out. "Well you haven't stopped me so I take that as encouragement to continue."