Date: July 17, 2010 – Friday Morning, 7:54 AM
Location: School Grounds – Behind the Gym
The morning sun cast sharp beams across the empty pavement, reflecting off the windows and warming the air with the promise of another humid Virginia summer day. Most students were just arriving, spilling into homerooms and hallways, unaware that something far more serious was unfolding behind the gym.
Lucas knelt behind a row of AC units, peeking carefully toward the fence where Brandon and Ethan had just hopped over.
He turned to Evan and Louie, both crouched beside him.
"They're making their move…" Lucas whispered.
"Let's go," he added firmly.
They darted forward, moving in the cover of low hedges and parked maintenance carts, careful not to draw attention. Louie, usually the one to hesitate, moved faster than usual—his face tight with unease.
"I knew it," he muttered under his breath. "This is just like last time."
