Prague, Czech Republic

"Guys, can you even believe it? We're, like, not in New Orleans any more!" Exclaimed Jessica, raising one long, tanned arm to shield her eyes which were already sporting sunglasses. "I mean, we're in Europe, how cool is that?"

Cassie frowned and looked casually over her shoulder. They were walking down the street from the metro station toward the Astoria hotel, where they would be staying for this part of their two-week trip. "Yeah, it's pretty neat," she said mildly.

"'Pretty neat'?" Olivia chimed in, her round, eager eyes widening at Cassie. "Of course," she said, slugging Cassie in the arm good-naturedly. "Leave it to the world traveler to say being in Europe is just 'pretty neat.'"

"Yeah, trying to keep track of where you're at is like playing 'Where's Waldo' with a globe," joked Jessica.

"Where's Waldo?" Cassie groaned. "Come on, guys, I already get called enough names."

"No worries, Cass," Jessica said. "We were just joking. We won't tell the others."

"Thanks," Cassie said sheepishly.

Olivia and Jess had been her closest (and sometimes felt like only) friends for the duration of high school. They had always stuck with her, even when it seemed that the older she got, the more Cassie's "old school" interests clashed with those of the teenagers around her. The step from junior high to freshman year was especially jarring. It seemed that over the summer everyone had either gone through a profound personality metamorphosis, or the psychological edge of not having to attach a number to their grade anymore had changed almost everyone into self-important snobs. Kids who used to "Ooh," and "Ahh" at Cassie's stories of various digs in exotic places now snubbed her in favor of discussions on the latest TV show or most popular movie star. That school year had been possibly the worst year of Cassie's life. She still shuddered when she remembered the day one of the boys had called to her in a put-on Scottish accent, yelling, "Indiana, look out!" and threw a plush toy snake across the lunch room. The snake had bounced off her head amidst laughter from many a student, and Cassie had felt like crawling under a rock. It was then that Jessica had said loudly to the boy, "Pretty good, Karl. They must have added Dr. Jones as a character in your Magic the Gathering game." The laughter had died down, and Karl had been dutifully quiet the rest of lunch. Later Cassie had met Jess at the lockers, and Jess had smiled and said cheerily "Hey!"

"Hey," Cassie had smiled back. She paused and then added, "Thanks for sticking up for me earlier."

Jessica had stopped and looked her in the eye. "No problem! I would like to give that guy a swirly, except that he's way too creepy for me to ever risk being in the bathroom alone with him."

Jessica was, as far as Cassie could tell, about as close to perfect as a teenage girl could get. She was every boy at school's dream date: tall and slender, with skin that maintained a natural tan color, and straight, dark hair and chocolate eyes. Her outgoing personality and upbeat charisma had rocketed her up the list of "popular" people at school, but she never gave the impression that that was her goal. Instead she regularly associated with people well below her social echelon, and made sure that those who made fun of such people didn't get off scott-free. Olivia was somewhere in between Cassie and Jess on most people's pecking order. She was shorter than Jess, more around Cassie's height, and a tad plump. Her light brown curly hair and bright blue eyes accentuated her quirky but enthusiastic personality, and she always seemed to be able to make a joke that would get Cassie and Jessica laughing.

"I'll have you know I've never been to Prague or the Czech Republic before," Cassie added, "if that helps at all."

"Really?" Olivia asked excitedly. "You mean we get to check one off the map at the same time as you? That is so awesome!" She gave the air a high five.

Jess glanced at the clock on her phone. "We'd better hurry, you all," she said, quickening her pace, "or we're going to be late for the tour."

Several hours later, the three girls stood in the crowd of students looking up at the astronomical clock along with about a hundred other tourists all waiting for the clock to sound off the hour. Their school group had already visited the metronome and the memorial to the victims of communism, and this was to be their last stop for the day. Cassie looked around idly while Jess and Olivia discussed the effects of and cures for jet lag. Amongst the veritable sea of people Cassie noticed one of her fellow students stealing the occasional glance their direction. His name was Troy, and his hobby was giving Cassie a hard way to go. She frowned and tried not to give too much thought as to what he might be thinking.

The minute hand finished its lap and the crowd launched into a fury of picture snapping and video recording as the figures on the face of the clock came to life. The skeleton began ringing the bell and his companions all shook their heads, while overhead the twelve apostles passed by on parade.

"Kinda weird, isn't it?" Cassie said to her friends. "Kinda weird but kinda neat. Just think how much work went into making all those little figures do their thing every hour."

"No kidding," Jess nodded. "Way more than I would ever have the patience for," she added with a sigh.

"Junior!" came a voice calling to them, "Junior it's the final resting place of the Holy Grail!" It was Troy, obviously, albeit badly, impersonating Sean Connery. "Call your dad, Henry Jones Senior, and tell him! Maybe you can find it together." Troy was surrounded by a group of boys, all younger than him, and was going out of his way to impress his spectators. "Just watch out for the booby traps!" At this they all burst into laughter.

Jess pulled her sunglasses off and looked at them in disgust. "Seriously, Troy? Are you five?"

The boy composed himself into a mockingly penitent attitude. "No, no. I just thought Cassie and her dad might enjoy it. You know, since they have a thing about digging through dead people's junk."

Cassie's anger was rising by the second. "Troy, you can say whatever you want about me, but I would appreciate it if you didn't bring my dad into it."

"Yeah, c'mon man," said another boy, stepping up to the group. "Just lay off a little."

"Thank you," Jess said to the boy and turned back to the clock.

"I mean, after all," the new arrival continued, "necrophilia is a real thing."

At this Troy and his band erupted into a fit of laughter. Cassie could feel her ears burning hot as her rage reached explosive levels. No one was going to talk about her dad that way! Before her brain even computed what she was doing she turned and punched the last boy in the mouth, sending him sprawling backwards into Troy's group of deadbeats, who caught him. The look on the boy's face was epic as he stared at Cassie in pure shock. Regaining his wits, the boy pushed himself to his feet and came at Cassie with his fist raised. "You little-" he seethed. Several arms restrained him as general pandemonium ensued in the crowd of students who were all trying to figure out what they had missed.

Jess and Olivia were equally in shock, but quickly noticed the scowls on the faces of Troy and his gang and decided that now was as good a time as any to make tracks for the hotel. "Come on, Cass," Jessica said. "Let's get out of here."

"So, Miss Drake. What exactly happened today?"

Cassie was seated on a park bench, hunched over with her elbows on her knees. Next to her sat Mr. McKay, her history teacher and one of the chaperons on this particular trip. Mr. McKay was her favorite teacher; number one because he taught history, and number two because he understood her better than any of the others. Over the course of the last year, she had been an audience to at least two private saxophone concerts in his office, as well as having heard countless of his own tales of traveling the world. He was her go-to when the other student's constant ragging got to be too much.

"Oh, you know. Just the usual high school troubles," Cassie said sarcastically.

Mr. McKay raised one eyebrow and looked at her, the sun gleaming off the top of his shaved-bald head. His black skin always made his eyes look especially white and piercing. "I hardly call throwing punches 'typical high school troubles'. Maybe in the movies, but not in real life."

Cassie sighed heavily. "Okay, so, he was trying to say some pretty nasty stuff about my family, and his friends thought it was hilarious, and I guess I just snapped."

McKay drummed the tips of his fingers together as he looked at Cassie thoughtfully. "Cass," he said softly. "Your care for your loved ones is a good trait, but your anger is something you have to learn to control. No doubt there will be some day when that fire can be directed toward a truly worthwhile threat, but high schoolers are not it." He leaned back and rested his elbows on the back of the bench. "I heard what he said. I think I can pull some strings and get everything smoothed over enough to finish our trip without everyone killing each other. You should turn in for the night- and I mean don't show yourself anywhere outside your hotel room until I get this worked out. We will leave to on the rest of our tour at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow morning, and I expect you there."

"Thank you, Mr. McKay."

"But Cassie?"

She looked at him. "Yes?"

"Make sure it doesn't happen again."