Jim paced his small room with his friends. "You don't think that Sy's in trouble, do you?"

Matt looked up from his sketchbook and tilted his head. Braxton lounged on Jim's bed with his hands behind his head. All of their jackets were piled behind him to prop the pillow up even higher. "Where did that come from?"

"The admiral himself wanted to speak with him. You don't think it's bad, do you? I mean, he didn't even have anything to do with the program, I was the one that was saying yes."

Matt pawed through the box of cookies looking for the one with the most milo chips. His attention never strayed as he said, "You mean from lunch? He's had half a day to let us know if something was wrong."

"He wasn't at dinner."

"Neither was 628." Braxton countered. He reached over to ruffle the aforementioned experiment's ears.

"None of the first years were at dinner, they had that big test today, remember? He's fine, Jim. I promise." Matt pulled his prize from the box and returned to his sketchbook. "If you're that concerned, message him."

Jim took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I'll do that." He reached for his tablet and laid his hand on the surface. The screen unlocked with his hand print. An alert popped up across his screen.

Schedule Update

Recruit James Hawkins has a Service Assignment update

Changed by Admiral de Châteaupers

View?

Jim tapped to view the update. His schedule loaded swiftly and he scanned the next few weeks. "Two days of service. Looks like he took off three." He tapped on the first one for the details. Matt leaned over to see.

Hawkins, James - Service

Detail - cleaning duties in the magical and exceptional animal department

Time - 0700

Reason - Swearing

Jim sighed. "Two it is."

Matt beamed at him. "Better than five, right? Seems like this admiral is pretty reasonable after all. I'm sure Sy is fine." He set his sketchbook aside and reached for another cookie. "Tell your mom to send me some of these! I could live off her cookies."

Jim opened his messaging app. His finger hesitated over the keyboard. "Does anyone know how to spell Sy's name?" His friends shook their heads in unison.

"Do you even remember his full name?"

"Well yeah, it's, um...Danahsy Syeleven or...something? Sylvian?" Jim sighed. "No."

Matt nodded. "That's what I thought." He stood up and stretched his arms up over his head. His shirt lifted with them showing a strip of his deep black abs. The sharp contrast between skin and fabric drew the eye.

Jim wasn't the only one to notice. 628 tipped his head. He reached out and poked Matt's belly button. "Boop."

Matt squealed and giggled. "You scamp!"

Jim snickered. "That was quite the sound there Matt. Not your usual tone."

"Shut up, everyone sounds like a girl when they're tickled."

"Do not."

"Do too!" Matt lunged forward and pinned Jim to the wall. Viciously he jabbed his fingers into his friend's armpits to start tickling him.

Jim struggled to smother his giggles. He fought back, his hands flew to Matt's stomach to get him back. Matt squealed again and crumpled back away from him. "Cheat! Cheat!"

"You started it!" Jim pressed his advantage, flipping them over so Matt was the one pinned to the wall. "You want it to stop, you yield!"

"I'll never yield!"

"You will yield!"

"I'll never yield!"

"You will yield!"

"I will never yield,

I will never bow,

I may sway and bend,

but I will never break." Matt's usually rich voice was high pitched as he fought through his shrieking laughter.

"You will yield to me,

You will bow to me,

You will bend a knee and declare my victory." Faring slightly better in the laughter department Jim was able to keep his voice a little stronger.

Matt snickered out his next verse, struggling to keep the proper tempo.

"I will never yield to you,

Or your quick nimble fingers,

Even this I'll get through,

Though my laughter may linger."

"I can see your sides heaving with laughter,

This would be over faster if you just give in.

Give it up, this fight is practically over,

You and I both know that I'm going to win."

"Your confidence is admirable,

But my fortitude will overpower

I am strong, I am tough,

You are fierce, but not enough." The verse would have been far more convincing if Matt had not been gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry my friend,

you're gravely mistaken

Though I appreciate your drive,

I'll tickle you to submission."

"I'll always fight back,

I'll always stand strong,

With heart on my side-

Oh! Oh! Not my ribs, not my ribs!"

As the duet died in a fit of laughter, Braxton stole the last verse, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Press the attack,

Don't let him fight back,

The advantage is yours,

There's nothing you lack."

Both boys hit the floor. Jim's fingers wormed their way up under Matt's shirt. Relentlessly he tickled his friend, a sense of pleasure washing through him with his friend's every convulsion. Tears ran down Matt's cheeks as he laughed.

"I yield! I yield!" His voice was strained and high as he finally gave in. Matt collapsed in a puddle on the floor in front of where Jim knelt. Jim's palms pressed flat against Matt's chest as he dropped. Matt's shirt rode up, caught on Jim's wrists. Jim awkwardly extracted his hands from his friend's shirt.

"Man am I lucky you're more ticklish than I am. That's a mighty awkward position you're in." Jim smirked and smoothed out his own rumpled clothes. "You've lost to both Braxton and me within a week. Looks like we've got a new underdog of the group. Give it a few more days and even 628 will take you out in a fight."

"You're a jerk." Matt was still panting for breath.

"But a cute jerk." Jim grinned. "And it looks like I've won the cookies."

"No one said that!"

From the doorway a new, but familiar, voice cut in. "Will you at least share with me?"

"Sy!"