Fever

Olivia stared at her father, perturbed over several things. One was how he had known where she'd stayed, two where he'd been all of her and Tavis's life, and three how much Tavis really did look like the dark skinned man standing before her. He was tall and sinewy in the same way that Tavis was, with the same slender muscular build and thin lips.

He had high cheekbones with dark starry eyes the color of dark coffee with no cream. He had a mustache that was tapered with an impressive beard cut that thinned out along his jaw line. His eye lashes were long yet thin and his nose wide and round at the tip. Seeing him made her believe that Tavis would actually come into his growth spurt.

"All we need is your signature on the dotted line, signing this agreement between us and it's done." Stefan stated, handing the paper to Oden, who in turn set it in front of him and signed it. After wards, he handed it back to Stefan who copied it and then handed him a copy.

"Thank you," Oden Stated.

"Yep, you're welcome."

Grabbing Olivia's bags, he made his way to the door. Olivia paused and glanced up at Stefan with a smile on her face, "Thank you."

He nodded, "You're welcome."

As she made her way to the living area, she was met by Tavis. She watched as their father stopped what he was doing and watched him come toward them. "I'm gonna miss you, the annoying pain in my side." She smiled, "Yeah, right, you'll have your own little party after I'm gone."

"I'll be sure to move all your stuff to the basement."

Olivia laughed, "Yeah, right." She leaned in toward him, holding out her arms, "Give me a hug big head."

As he leaned toward her, he went to flick her forhead with his right nuckle. He watched as she grabbed his forefinger and shook her head, "I think not." He pushed her with his other hand. She sighed, "Since I'm leaving, I'll let that one slide. I'll see you this Christmas."

Tavis nodded. "Yep." As his gaze went to the man beside her, he held out his hand, "I'm Tavis, how do you do?"

Oden stared at his son disbelieving. He couldn't believe he actually was able to see him. The last time he'd seen him, Tavis had been two and now, he stood up to his chest, looking mature for his age. His whole demeanor spoke of his maturity. "Don't worry about bringing her back, ok?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. Oden laughed. The young man had a sense of humor. This he liked, however, where he got it from was a mystery to him. "Hey dad, how's it going?" He heard him ask. Oden's natural response was to answer, however, when he heard Stefan say, " It's good," He felt as if he was intruding, so without another word, he walked on toward the door, hefting the two suitcases in his hand. Olivia stared after their dad, her expression confused, Why hadn't he spoken to Tavis? This she couldn't understand. Glancing over at Tavis, she then understood.

He was too wrapped up in Stefan to even noticed the guy that had left. As she stared, she couldn't help but contemplate whether or not Tavis would bond with his own father that closely. However, the fact that he hadn't even spoken to him, would have him not happy when he found out the truth. She knew Tavis had a disposition when it came to behaviors and for a man not to introduce himself especially when he was his father, would make him angry.

`~

Olivia

Being his sister and all, I wanted to say to Tavis, "Dude, that's our dad, can't you tell?, but knew that it wasn't my place to say anything, so I just followed our father out to the car and waited for him to unlock the doors. Once he did, I sat on one of the black leather seats. The interior was a beautiful beige color with a cd player/radio and a built in phone system/ navigational system. I sat in the passenger seat and waited for him to transfer my belongings to the trunk. As he did so, I thought about Tavis and his response to his own son and couldn't resist asking once he'd gotten on the driver's side. "Why didn't you tell Tavis who you were?"

He started the car. "I don't need to, he has already made his choice." our father stated. I furrowed my brows and looked up at him, "What do you mean?"

"Just as you've chosen your path, so has he."

"He's your son." I stated, baffled over his reasoning.

"I know."

"And you are willing to let another man claim him as his own?"

"Yes and Olivia, please call me Oden."

I cleared my throat, "No Father, dad?"

"None of that. On campus I am only known as Oden and I would like to keep things that way."

I snorted, "Irritated, I'd suppose you wouldn't want me telling anyone you're my dad either, right?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "It's not necessary."

I stared at him incredulously now, my disappointment meter going up. "It's not?"

"I have a rep to uphold here and I'd like to keep it without blemish."

"Blemish? The only person I know who'd say something like that is Tavis."

Thinking of his old self made me laugh.

"Blemish is an actual word. Here you will be taught the proper mannerisms and etiquette of society. You will learn how to speak proper English fluently, in essence be upgraded."

"I thought this was a fighting school?"

It is, but the Gallery is heavy on academics as well, so please do not believe that you will be allowed to slouch in your studies in addition to your exercises. You will have to take education as well as these training techniques where ever you go."

I sighed, mumbling to myself, "I guess there is no way out of school work."

"There is not. Where ever you go you will have to take your studies with you, so I suggest that you get serious about learning because we have a zero tolerance policy regarding grades. You will be shunned if your grades aren't up to par."

I listened as he spoke and wondered whether I'd made the right decision coming with him. However, once we arrived at the grounds, I felt that familiar warmth exude throughout my body. "If there are an problems with your study in nature, I suggest you see the tutoring committee, so they may pair you up with the correct tutor."

"I see. Any more instructions?"

"There will be an assessment of both your academic and training abilities every quarter, just to see how you're coming along, the first assessments will take place today. All others will be at the end of each quarter."

"How long does a quarter last?"

"Three months with no breaks in between."

I turned my head in my father's direction, "Does that mean we get no breaks?"

He laughed at her incredulous attitude. "Of course you get breaks, however, they are not free passes. You must be on your quote, unquote, grind all the time."

I furrowed my brows, "What do you know about that old man?"

He laughed, "I keep up with the terms without hesitation."

I found this funny myself, "Ok, so when do I get to meet the administrator?"

"You already have."

I cleared my throat, "You run all of this?"

My gaze went over the land, which was barren of staff or students at this point. As we walked up to the building and I watched him enter a code, he opened the doors for us, "That's just a fraction of what I run Olivia." As we entered the hallway, that's when I noticed several students passing back and forth between one another, all of them chatting amongst themselves, mostly in pairs. For the first time in my life, I felt nervous. "The school is broken up into two divisions. Division one is the primary ward, "where the youngest trainers go and division two is Secondary ward where those your age and older go. The wards that you are assigned to depend on three things. One your academic assessment return, two your fight skill level and number three, any prohibiting factors that may or may not interfere with your studies."

"And that means?"

"It means that we measure three things, one how well you learn, two, how well you fight and three whether or not your learning and fighting techniques may be on common ground. We also measure aptitudes of maturity."

I was already annoyed with his explanation of things, too many rules. I didn't know if I could cut it. Overwhelming it all sounded.

"Do we get to interact with the other students on a cordial basis at anytime?"

I stole that cordial word from Tavis. He and mom always banter back and forth between words and although they most likely suspected I wasn't paying attention. I always had. So contrary to popular belief of my brother, he wasn't the only smart one. I just allowed him to think he was, it made things less competitive academically for us and after all, he is my brother, I can't show him up in everything.

"Any interaction between the student body is left for the dorm area. Once you get there, you have a dorm mother who looks after no more than sixty girls in one dorm area. What happens there is run by her. So in essence, it depends on your dorm mother."

"Where are the dorms?"

"Underground."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard correctly, underground."

Now I was trying to process how anything could be underground when there was nothing but grass out back and landscaping in front. I didn't recall seeing any buttons, secret doors, or anything of that nature, but then again, as I continued thinking, I realized you wouldn't.

~~

Olivia:

I flickered the light on inside my new dorm room, staring at the straightened bed made up on the bottom bunk and sighed at the top bunk. At home I had my own full size bed and to be dwindled down to bunks was another minus.

However, glancing up at the bunk and seeing a lime green sheet set with matching white and green polka dot comforter. As I ran my fingers over the cotton fabric, I nodded to myself, not bad. Sitting my luggage up on the top bunk, I opened the suitcase and was taking my things out when someone entered the room.

"If you're going to be in my room, you may as well know the rules, girl."

I turned to face a girl equal to my height but a lot heavier in stature. Her blue eyes were as bright as the sky during a summer day, but the attitude in her stance was all to well communicated.

"Rules?" I inquired, my eyes turning hard.

"Yeah, there are rules for this room and if you don't like it, you can go request to be moved."

I was going to answer but the way she approached my new arrival had my curiosity. Just to see what she would say, I inquired, my arms crossed, "What's your rules?"

"I know you don't...wait you actually want to hear them?" She inquired, staring at me with bewilderment.

"I've heard all the campus rules, why not hear yours?"

She smiled, "Don't touch my stuff...Don't touch what's not yours and...Don't think of touching what's not yours...and Don't touch my stuff."

I felt a laugh bubble up so hard in me that it came out in an explosion of giggles at her

"rules"

She smiled at me and held out her and, "Wendy."

I reached out a hand and shook hers, "Olivia. I won't touch any of your stuff."

She nodded, "Thank you. When did you get here?"

"Today. You?"

"Today."

"Really?"

"You will see a dozen newbies at orientation this afternoon. They recruit a good twelve peeps every quarter."

"Wow, that's a lot of people."

"Maybe but they have twice as many to move up and move out during every quarter."

"What do you mean?"

"This is a year round school, so there's always move ups and move outs. Graduation ceremonies once every quarter."

"Wow."

"That means that we are identified through quarters. There is four quarters in one full year so keep that reminder because you will be in class quarter one."

I nodded, pretending to understand what she was saying, while I understood what was said, I didn't understand how it was implemented. Sighing, I turned the conversation in a different direction, "So what's there to see here?"

~~

"You have to remember your key card to access any of the buildings on campus." Wendy stated, sliding her Identification card over the black access control panel that secured the CA building. As I was discovering, the majority of the school was located in compounds beneath the open lot in the back of the property, so as to thwart any type of suspicion. It also ensured the privacy of the students and faculty within the school. The school was so private that only a select group of people knew of it.

Those who'd graduated had all embarked on various employment opportunities, while maintaining their status as hunters from what I gathered.

The CA building housed a combination cafeteria/gym. As we entered the building, I was stunned into silence at what I saw. The brick wall was painted white with gold base boards and ironically enough, a dark golden colored carpet. I stared at the carpeting, confused as to why it had been used to decorate the lunch room.

"It's the atmosphere they want to portray." Wendy spoke next to me.

I shrugged. "Hmm." I didn't think this was actually too welcoming or even close to what ever atmosphere they were going for, but it definitely was far off. Turning to Wendy I sighed, "How do you know so much about this school and what goes on here?"

"I had a cousin who came here."

"Cousin?"

"Yeah, you didn't think you were the only one with family here did you?"

I flickered my gaze to the front of the lunch line. "What do you mean?"

"I know your dad runs the place." She stated. I furrowed my brows. "How? Did Denver say anything to you?" I inquired, my tone becoming brisk.

"No. He didn't. I have excellent hearing."

I was confused. How could she have heard me when the only person I'd discussed anything with was dad?

~

Russia was a big girl with a big attitude and just as her name spoke, she was tall, mean and ran her clique with an iron fist. No one moved, spoke or did anything unless she told them too and today was the day they'd make themselves known. A new girl had entered their school, their class and she wanted to offer her own welcome. The girl had went into the bathroom and Russia had two of her girls posted at the doors, while she went in to "speak" with the girl. She stood against the tile wall with her arms crossed, long blonde hair crushed against her back in a ponytail and feet planted firmly on the ground. She waited with anixous sky blue eyes for the young girl to come out of one of the stalls.

~~

Olivia

I heard the mild creak in the door as it opened and someone entered but paid it no mind, since I was there to relieve myself and continued emptying my blatter. I flushed the toilet and as everyone did, expressed proper etiquette in cleaning my hands at the porcelin sink. I more or less felt her presence before seeing her. I rolled my eyes. Were they really planning what I thought they were? My eyes went to the blonde leaned up against the wall. Hard brown ones locking with an equally compelling shade of baby blue. Her cheeks had a red tint them but her body language was stiff as she was solid. Letting out a deep sigh, I threw my paper towel in the garbage. I didn't know what it was with the girls in this school. It's like having to deal with cliques in public school was one thing but here, they seemed interested in testing your skill. So far I'd gotten into six fights since I'd first enrolled, all in secluded areas, where staff weren't available. Once in the dormatory, another in the library after the librarian was conveinently called to the office, another in a dark room during art class, shoot, everywhere I looked there was a group of girls waiting. What bugged me the most was the fact that the teachers seemed to be no where near when it occurred. I'd tried all week to get in and see Oden, but even that proved impossible. I was beginning to tire of this. So today was no different and as usual, I approached things with a calm interior.

"What's your name?" The girl inquired, her tone low for a girl.

I exhaled and assumed a stance, "Honestly, let's just get this over with, my name does not matter." I stated.

"Name." She insisted, her arms folded.

I rolled my eyes, "Olivia." She pushed off the wall and came near me. It wasn't long before I felt a sting at my left temple. Pulling my hand up to my temple, I let out a soft cry of irritation and was surprised to feel her boot strike my hand. I frowned as another sting hit my chest and my hand drifted out to grasp her foot, twisting it as she flew into the air. I dropped to my knees, still feeling the after shock. How the hell was I feeling pain if she hadn't touched me? I watched as her feet hit the ground firmly. She growled in frustration at me. I sighed, "You can make this a lot easier by going your way. I'm not trying to show you up."

"Show me up?" The blonde haired girl laughed at this as if it was impossible to do and tried something else. I groaned, engaging in combat.