Sam slipped through the Helicarier like a shadow. He slid through room after room, his mission objective; reach his bed without being noticed. So far, so good. Now came the hard part. He couldn't clear the next room because of the angle of the door. He was going in blind, and if someone was in the room the teens normally hung out in, he was done for.
Sliding around the frame, Sam slid into the room, and was greeted by a blinding flash of light as the overhead lights turned on. Crap. Why couldn't they go to bed at 8:00 like they're supposed to, really?
Sam looked at the faces of the whole team. It surprised him slightly that Pete was here, I mean, shouldn't he be with his Aunt June, or was it July, or maybe May, whatever, it was one of the summer months.
"Sam…" Ava said quietly. Sam looked at her, and then realized something odd. Danny wasn't here. Odd… Quite odd… "We need to talk. You seem kind of… um… off lately…"
"Off? What are you talking about?"
"We all noticed it, Sam. Danny also knows something we don't."
"Hey, speaking of Danny, where is he?"
"His room. We told him we'd beat him up if he didn't tell us what he knew, so he barricaded himself in his room." Pete supplied. Sam rolled his eyes, stuffing a granola bar in his mouth.
"Man, come on, talk to us." Luke said, rising from his seat and walking to Sam, setting a hand on his shoulder.
"There's nothing wrong, I just need some more sleep, that's it!"
"Dude, you've been sleeping like a rock for the past week." Pete said from the couch.
"Rocks don't sleep, Bugbrain. Aren't you the self credited smartest of the group?"
"He's got a point." Luke said. Pete just glared at them both.
"Stop fighting, dorks." Ava said, standing. "I need sleep. I've got a calculus test tomorrow. If you don't want to talk about it, whatever." The others followed her lead, Pete going back to his Aunt's, and Luke going to bed. Sam walked to his room, putting on his train pajamas. He walked through the bathroom to the door that led to Danny's room. Sam knocked.
"Danny? Danny? DAAANNNNY?" The door jerked open to reveal a rather tired looking Danny.
"Look, Sam, if this is about chore week, I did your chores for you."
"Oh, well thanks, but actually, this is about something Ava said."
"Fine." Danny moved from the door, flopping down on the floor. Sam sat in front of him.
"She said that you knew something about my situation they didn't."
"Yeah, you could say that." Danny laid his against his bed, closing his eyes. Sam hesitated.
"Well, could you tell me what?"
"I know… I know… you saw someone you never thought you'd see again." Sam was stunned.
"How?"
"It was the look when we were walking back and you suddenly stopped the look on your face. I've seen that look before. I know exactly what it means, in fact, I've given that look."
