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Disclaimer: I own nothing. Though if I could timeshare the Sons I think I would…or would if I wasn't happily married. Damn. Others own the movie "Covenant" and no infringement of copyright or damage to psyches is intended. No money is made on this venture and my only remittance is my wonderful readers and getting this damnable story out of my brain and onto the page.
Author's Note: This is slower going than I remember. Thank you for hanging in with me. And, again, thank you for giving this story an opportunity. Criticism and comments are always welcome.
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Chapter Three
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"Hey, Baby Boy," called Reid, looking up from the graphic novel he'd been reading.
Tyler frowned in the mirror, meeting Reid's blue gaze. "Yeah, Reid. What's up?"
Reid tossed the copy of "300" onto the bed as he slung his legs over the edge of the bed. He tacitly ignored the sigh as Tyler watched the corner crinkle on the cover of the novel. "You know Porter, right?"
Tyler frowned, turning from the mirror he'd been standing before. "Rebecca Porter? Yeah, I know her. She and I worked on a history project sophomore year."
Reid nodded, not really paying attention. "Do you know if she bats for the other team?"
Tyler blushed. "No, Reid, I don't know if she's gay. I don't think she is. Why the sudden interest in Becks?"
Reid smiled. "Becks? You call her Becks?" He chuckled. "Like the beer?"
Tyler shrugged. "That's her nickname, Reid. And she's a nice girl. Definitely not your type."
Reid nodded, standing. "Sure, she's not. Caleb said she gave him notes for Pogue and Kate. Sure nice of her." The word "nice" sounded like something decidedly not nice coming from Reid's lips.
Tyler shrugged again. "She does the same for everyone. That's just how she ticks."
Reid moved to the doorway of their room. "So, tell me about her."
Tyler frowned. "She's been in school with us since kindergarten, Reid. She's never caught your eye before. Why now?" His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Reid chuckled, raising his hands in defeat. "Nah, just wanted to get her help with the English project." He glanced back to his own desk where an empty sheet of paper waited for the Garwin flair. Or some hottie to write it for him.
Tyler sighed. Reid wasn't going to tell him why he was going to be stalking Rebecca anytime soon. "She does work study in the library. And, Reid?"
Reid was already out the door and down the hall.
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Reid paused in the doorway to the library. He came here rarely, the smell of old books reminding him of the Book of the Damned. A shudder passed through him. He much preferred the sun-kissed quad and the bevy of beauties that he pursued. But a bet was a bet.
Moving catlike through the stacks, he finally saw her. She was as drab as ever. Brown hair haphazardly caught up into a messy French twist with an alligator clip to keep it out of her face. Wire-rimmed glasses perched on the tip of her nose. She was wearing the regulation skirt, blouse, knee-high socks, shoes, sweater and tie but…he caught himself. She was boring. She worked in a library.
He moved back behind the library shelves, watching. She was reshelving books used by his fellow classmates, her hip periodically bumping into the metal library cart holding the stacks of books remaining for her direction.
"Rebecca?" called a familiar voice.
The girl turned, unknowing that Reid was watching. "Hi, Sarah. How can I help you?"
Reid groaned. She even sounded less than exciting. Though her voice was not high-pitched and whiny and didn't sound like nails on a chalkboard. She was polite with a honey-flavored voice that reminded him, oddly, of s'mores and hot chocolate. She was just…nice. He winced. Nice would not cut it.
"Ms. Grantham said that you were the person to talk to about Ipswich history."
Reid perked up. Oh, really? This might get interesting.
Rebecca grinned, though Reid couldn't see the impish light that came into the brunette's eyes. "Sure. What do you need?"
Sarah grinned back. "It's for my AP American History project. I need a bunch of books on the founding of Ipswich and its colonial period just before the Revolutionary War. Think you can help?"
Rebecca carefully set the book back on the cart and nodded. "Sure, Sarah. There's a great collection that the Simms' family gave to the library in the twenties. I think that should have what you need." She pulled the cart out of the way of the aisle, tucking it against the wall of the library. "And did the other book help?"
Sarah nodded. "Oh, yeah. Thank you, by the way. I really appreciated you finding that book about the witch hunts. It answered a lot of questions."
Reid gaped, the color draining from his face. "Crap."
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Reed took a swig of his soda, watching as Sarah took her customary seat next to Caleb. "So, Sarah, how do you know Rebecca Porter?"
Sarah's eyes widened. "Becks? She helped me find some books when I first got here," she answered lamely. "Why?"
Reid's eyes narrowed. "Books about witch hunts?"
Sarah frowned. "What are you getting at, Reid?"
Reid glanced at Caleb, who wore a matching confused look to his girlfriend. "Does Rebecca Porter know about us?"
A pall fell over the table. Sarah swallowed and shook her head. "No, Reid, she doesn't. She works in the library and with all the weird stuff with Chase that first week I was here, I went to the library. She helped me find a book-a book about the five families of Ipswich and the colony. That's all. She doesn't know anything about you four."
Caleb's brown eyes had taken on a gleam of understanding. "Reid, you don't think…"
Reid shrugged, glaring at Sarah, who's shoulders had slumped perceptively. "I know that Sarah didn't do anything on purpose to compromise us. But one more person knowing anything is a risk."
Tyler glanced at Reid, surprised. Before Chase, Reid was the one who would have been voted most likely to blow the cover of the Covenant. Suddenly he was Covenant Gestapo? "Porter's a friend, Reid. She wouldn't do anything to hurt us."
Caleb nodded slowly. He knew his academic rival in passing. "Reid, I think you should keep an eye on her. Until we know for sure."
Reid nodded, slowly getting up from the lunch table. Bingo, he thought. Now no one would think twice at his spending time with Rebecca Porter and he could work his Pygmalion-like magic on her.
Caleb started to take a drink and paused. "Hey, and don't forget. They're releasing Pogue today. We're going there after school."
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Pogue looked up from his clasped hands, drawn by the change in Kate's breathing. He rose slowly, every inch of his lean frame still aching from the accident that Chase had caused him to have only a week ago. "Hey, baby," he murmured, pushing Kate's hair back from her forehead.
Kate's eyelashes fluttered. "Chase," she breathed.
Pogue snatched his hand back from his girlfriend as if burned. He shook his head, his brown hair falling into his eyes. "No," he whispered, horror filling his face.
Reid, who had been standing in the doorway, wiped his hand down his face. Crap, he thought. "Pogue, man, they've got her on a dozen drugs six ways to Sunday." He paused, glancing at the still sleeping Kate. "There's no way that it meant anything."
Pogue nodded uncertainly, slumping back in the wheelchair that would be his home until his leg healed or until the hospital let him go home. "Right."
Tyler nodded and stepped forward, grabbing the handlebars of the wheelchair. "Come on, Pogue," he suggested, already pulling the chair through the door. "Let's let her get some more rest and then you can see her."
Pogue's head had already slumped a little lower, defeat etched in his face. "Sure, Ty."
Reid watched as Tyler wheeled Pogue out and glanced back. She was awake. He frowned. It wasn't his place to interfere with Pogue and Kate. He'd never understood them and he wasn't about to start now, he decided. Stepping through the door into the hallway, he smiled as he saw Caleb and Sarah coming towards them.
"Hey, Reid, how's Kate?" asked Sarah.
Reid shrugged. "She's awake. Why don't you ask her?" His tone was unusually lacking in sarcasm.
Sarah nodded, stepping through the doorway and into the room, careful to close the door behind her.
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