Classes today were minimal; the school’s instructors had required every student to attend for revision of topics expected for the examinations on Saturday.

  Habitually, Anya was among the first students to finish their required supervised revision, after which she left the classroom complexes and headed for her favorite activity: physical sports.

  She had just finished her daily run and post-training yoga sessions when she noticed Ally heading toward her, anxiousness on her face.

  Anya chose to ignore this. She relaxed, closed her eyes, and slowly straightened herself up while controlling her breathing. Her lower half was now slowly moving as she pulled her legs back to her. Then she paused, her eyes still closed. Moments later, she sensed Ally close to her.

  “Yes, Ally?” She muttered while keeping her pose and eyes closed.

  “Anya… I…” she paused. Anya could feel her friend’s anxiousness, so she opened her eyes to look up at her.

  “What?”

  Ally squatted down and leaned forward. “You know Melody? Melody Des Champs?” She said in a hushed tone.

  Anya’s left cheek scrunched as she pretended to think of the name, then shrugged. “Never heard of her. Why? Should I have?”

  Ally went wide-eyed. “Anya! Melody! She’s from the Yarla plathead family? You know, her themed parties.”

  Anya’s brows frowned momentarily as the prompts from Ally triggered memories; she nodded.

  “Ah, Two-tone.” She chuckled. Melody loved to have two colors on either side of her head for her hair, so much so that she and Noa had drummed up their nickname for her. Of course, Melody had not previously approved of Two-tone as her nickname.

  Ally turned red as her close friend uttered the nick that Melody hates anyone calling her by. She sat down beside Anya and spoke in a lower voice.

  “She got called to the council for a hearing.” She said in a hushed voice.

  Anya turned to her. “Huh? Why? Her parties were all off-campus affairs. If anyone should call her to court, it should either be the fashion authorities or her parents.”

  Ally shook her head profusely. “No, no, no. A video of her partying in one of the school halls was leaked to the administration.”

  Anya sighed and slumped. “Blud, you’re ruining my vibe here.”

  She paused and finally turned to face Ally, her lips pursing into a smile.

  “Okay, tell me how she was faked into this then.”

  Her friend again shook her head, fear on her face. “It wasn’t a fake. She really did throw that… small group of peeps.”

  Anya shrugged. “So she’s color blind AND dumb… Okay.” Anya nodded understandingly before continuing. “So… what’s this got to do with anything?”

  Ally groaned. “The party was held ages ago, well ok, two months ago. And only her close circle were invited to it.”

  Anya could sense where this was going but elected to play dumb as she shrugged. “Okay, and?”

  “They say that someone broke into one of her friend’s storage and took the files.”

  Anya kept a nonchalant expression, “Uh-huh, and? Storage breakage isn’t news Ally.”

  Ally sighed. “Anya! She uses the same security systems we all do! And! I got a message just today about this, you know…” She looked around them as if checking to see whether anyone was watching. " It's from HIM.”

  “Ah…” Anya breathed out heavily. “You could have started with that, you know. I don’t really care what happens to this... Melody, but wait… wasn’t she gunning for your ass?”

  Ally rolled her eyes as she huffed.

  “Ya, she was! Well, looks like this kerb is doing you a favor!” Anya giggled, her face appreciating the irony of the situation.

  “Anya!” Ally replied with a shocked face.

  “What? It’s true, isn’t it? At least someone who was trying to get you shamed is being shamed in return; I’d say that’s a plus.” Anya chuckled, then took a deep breath and exhaled before she leaned back and looked at Ally.

  “Anyway, did the kerb have anything to say to you?”

  “He says to keep the money coming… and to up it next month.”

  Anya nodded slowly, letting the info sink in. “What else?”

  “Stop looking for him, or he’s gonna make us regret it.”

  Anya nodded again, chewing at the side of her lip absentmindedly before she patted Ally’s shoulder and stood up.

  “Okay, thanks for the update. Keep paying him what he wants, and tell him that we’ll stop looking for him.”

  Ally looked at her friend, not understanding the reasoning behind it. Her mind started debating if this was what Anya really was going to do. She had so many questions about what her best friend meant; her mind started to mull over.

  Anya snapped her fingers several times before her friend’s face, “Hello? Did you hear me?”

  She nodded, “Yes… I…um... Okay.” Then she got up and hugged Anya tightly.

  “Thanks again, Anya.”

  The hug was returned just as tightly before Anya pulled away.

  “We got this, please, don’t jump around too much? We’re SEHIL students, Ally. Panicking is a bad show of the school, okay?”

  Ally nodded and watched as Anya spun around and walked off to the female student lockers.

  After showering and changing, Anya was on her phone, which Hassan gave her courtesy of Essedar House Intel.

  “Update. Kerb getting bolder, broke into High Rise civilian comms storage and took files from it.”

  The reply took some time. When he did, he sounded surprised. “OK. Yes, that is bold. Now, City Authorities will be on the hunt for him. It works to our advantage, though, means whoever this is has upped the risk for themselves.”

  Anya smiled. “Okay, how’s the prep going?”

  “Your sister has made her plans and chosen team members. Will update once done. Good luck with exams… And Anya, be careful. I suspect that this person, or persons, have a link in High Rise. One can speculate and theorize all they want, but this comm breakage of High Rise civ phone storage is more likely than not the result of an inside job.”

  “Huh…Why would anyone in High Rise compromise their own security?”

  “Any number of reasons. I’d say personal interest. People can be greedy. Any number of personal reasons aside from that. Am afraid I’m not trained to identify any more than just mere speculation.”

  Anya scoffed and nodded. “Greed, ya, that works.”

  “Am sure your sister will update you on things once I give the all-clear. All the best for your exams.”

  “Thanks, Hassan.” The line cut and Anya let out a long exhale in relief before she leaned back against her locker. Inwardly, she prayed Noa would just beat whoever this was up.

  —------------------------------------------------------------------------

  The sisters' favorite place to spend time at home after school was a rarely used spot just under the rooftop of the Essedar home on the South Wing. From here, one could greatly appreciate the skyline offered by the towering symbols of opulence and power that the many corporate towers in the Commercial Zone offered.

  This was also the best place to study schoolwork, at least for Anya.

  School subjects came naturally for the Essedar sisters. Compared to others who shared their high grades, Anya knew that she only spent half the time studying, when compared to those same people.

  She had always explained to herself that it probably was the perfect balance of peace, good energy, scents, and plain daziness of her favorite study spot, and unlike her peers, she actually loved delving into her subjects, as long as it was done in this particular location. She would always get into such a productive flow when she started her studies here.

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  Yet this time, that wasn’t meant to be, as her flow was interrupted by her phone's buzzing. She usually left it on silent, except for family members, and this particular buzzing was reserved for her mother.

  She sighed and clicked receive.

  “Yes, mother?” she lazily asked, tearing her focus away from her work, sighing, and rolling her eyes toward the city skyline, resting her chin on a hand.

  “Anya? Where are you?”

  “My study place, why?”

  “Can you join us for a bit? The Cassidens are here, and I’d like them to meet you.”

  “Huh? Why? Who are even the Cassidens again?”

  “Anya…” Her mom dragged the last vowel in her name, a sure sign she was weighing the choice of words to explain to her daughter something she knew Anya wouldn’t be too thrilled to know.

  “They’re the plat-head family working under the Xelas! Fabulous family…”

  Anya frowned, her mind replying inside, ‘Uh-huh, and?’ while her mother droned on.

  ‘Wait, did she mention Nane’s Darling?’ Anya perked up as her mind picked out the words from her mother’s continued droning. That was her favorite drink: a yearly limited-production Pomegranate wine, which was only available in High Rises throughout the Dominion.

  Her mind slipped away again as her mother continued, and her voice faded into the background.

  “So come on down and call your sister.”

  “Do I need to change? Noa is training with Hassan right now.”

  Her mother clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “I swear your sister spends too much time with those Security people; I can’t believe I approved of your father letting her continue…”

  Anya rolled her eyes and leaned back, turned off her note computer, and closed the book she was using. Her mind again pushed her mother’s newly continued tirade to the side.

  “...Anyway, just come on down. It's not a formal visit, so I am sure whatever you have on is fine.”

  She shrugged and replied, with a heavy sigh, “Fine, mother; where are you guys?”

  “We’re at the northwest garden, the seating area by the pond? The sunset can be so nice from here.”

  “Okay.”

  Making her way down from the rooftop, she stopped at her room and deposited her things before heading there.

  The mother was spinning a tale about Anya and her sister when she realized that one of her audience had broken his focus on her and was looking over her shoulder.

  She turned and saw Anya heading toward them in a small pair of shorts and a tank top, and she frowned as her eyes roamed over her auburn-haired daughter. The material and cut of the outfit didn’t do much to hide Anya’s tall and well-toned build.

  Anya noticed the frown as she arrived. “What?”

  Her mother’s eyes replied disapprovingly as they eyed her down.

  She shrugged, the mother did say not to change.

  “Criseyde, you didn’t tell us your daughter had grown into a fine young woman!” Elizabeth Cassiden cooed, her face lit up as she smiled approvingly before glancing at her son.

  Anya smiled and politely bowed her head.

  “Anya, these are the Cassidens. They’ve been in High Rise since…well, forever. Isn’t that right, Liz?”

  Elizabeth giggled and nodded, nudging her son to get up, who did so.

  “This is Eric.”

  Anya sighed, her eyes checking out the tall, well-built man…boy? Maybe slightly older than her. She gave him a passing smile and waved at him. “Hey.”

  Eric smiled broadly, lifted her outstretched hand, and kissed the back, “Enchanted to meet the famous Anastasiya.”

  Anya’s right eyebrow rose, and she pulled her hand back faster than she had planned. Without replying - nor acknowledging him beyond the eyebrow raise - she looked at her mother, who was smiling brightly.

  “Mother, I need to prep for exam.”

  Criseyde waved a hand, dismissing it. “Grades can wait; I know you’re keeping them well up anyway. Join us for a bit, Anya. Take your mind off school a bit? Besides, Eric here is getting bored listening to us talk.”

  Anya sighed and looked around, “Where’s father?”

  A distant gunshot echoed just as she finished the question, which answered it.

  The side of her lip rose, recognizing the familiar boom. It was Father’s shotgun, probably showing off his skill to the Cassiden family head.

  The next of what seemed like ages was spent conversing about things that Anya preferred Ally to keep track of. High Rise goings-on may be important to some, but she was an Essedar. What may seem a big thing for others seemed trivial to her.

  She was more interested in useful tech, good wine, and spirits; maybe music, the trade ties between nations perhaps, and maybe fashion, but definitely dancing, and long guns and the physics behind them.

  Throughout the one-sided conversation, which seemed more like Eric trying to regale her, she repeatedly looked east, where the House Security and Intel Complex was located. Her mind triggered memories, and she swore she could smell the distinct, acrid scent of the firing range. Her trigger finger twitched.

  “Anya?” Her mother’s voice broke her revelry.

  “Hmm? Yes?” Her head shook as she snapped out of it. Her mother and the guests were standing.

  “I asked if you wanted to join us for dinner?”

  “Oh, um. No, thank you. I need to finish up on exam prep.” She smiled and got up, bowing her head to Elizabeth Cassiden and Eric.

  “Anastasiya.” ‘That was father’s voice,’ her mind chimed.

  Her father, Richard Essedar, was walking up to them with Parm Cassiden in tow.

  “Humor your mother a bit, ok? She loves it when guests are here to entertain.”

  The father offered a hug, but Anya just smiled, her nose wrinkled as she looked at his sweaty face. Her hand rose, and her index finger moved up and down like a hook toward him as she slowly shook her head.

  He chuckled and nodded, fully understanding how particular his daughter was toward those things.

  “So, you’ll join us then? Would you call Noa, please, and ask her to join?”

  ‘I’d rather not drag her into this,’ Anya’s mind replied inside as she smiled at him and shook her head again,

  “She’s with Hassan, So she’s probably having dinner with them.”

  “Richard, really. Noa spends too much time with Hassan and his people.”

  The father smiled at Anya and then turned to his wife. His expression only slightly changed, yet enough for Criseyde to understand what he didn’t want to say with the Cassidens around.

  Richard led the party to the interior of the house, where they went straight to the oversized dining area, which they only used when guests were present.

  Anya looked around. Apparently, they had all agreed upon a seating arrangement without consulting her, which annoyed her.

  Much to her dismay, the dinner seemed to be a full course. The mother had decided to flex her muscles and serve a seafood-themed dinner. Anya was still sipping on the aperitif served before the first of the food arrived. That was her favorite part of any formal dinner.

  She had had to sit beside what seemed like an overly eager and happy Eric Cassiden, which bugged her even more as he continuously bombarded her with questions throughout the meal.

  She politely deflected them with skill. Something she had picked up and honed growing up among other boys in school eager to score points with the relatively friendlier and who seemed to be the less bellicose daughter of the Essedar family.

  The conversation topics swayed, and the older persons kept to themselves until Richard forwarded a question to Eric.

  “Eric, some among the High houses and platheads have been talking about allowing the citizens of Adina City and its districts to have a say in the governing of the region; what’s your take on that?”

  Anya had chosen this time to pay attention to the conversation, and the question and idea that Richard was proposing nearly made her choke on her drink, which she sputtered. The swift movement of her hand with the dinner napkin was the only reason that it didn’t spew all over the dinner table.

  Her face flushed red from nearly choking on her drink; when she was done dabbing herself, she looked up at a table of faces paying her full attention.

  “What?” She retorted defensively.

  “You have an opinion on the matter?” Richard leaned back in his seat, looking at his daughter with interest.

  She chuckled, biting her tongue. The idea was ridiculous, yet she shook her head. ‘People can dream,’ her mind interjected as she smiled sweetly at her father.

  “Not something for um... This table, father. May I excuse myself? I really need to get back to exam prep.”

  ‘No, you don’t. you’re done.’ Her mind retorted to herself, and it took everything for her not to roll her eyes at what her mind had said.

  The whole table waited in silence. Richard crossed his arms and was intently studying Anya, who had stood up and waited for her father to say something.

  Finally, he grunted as he smiled and nodded his head. An amused chuckle accompanied what seemed like a satisfied look on his face. “Good luck with your exams, but I know you are always well-prepared for it.”

  With a hand on her chest, she bowed her head toward her father, then to her mother.

  “Thank you, Father. And everyone, it was a lovely dinner.”

  Her eyes caught her mother’s eyes, they were signaling to her side, where Eric was sitting.

  She turned and smiled at Eric, tilting her head slightly toward him. She smiled, “Thank you for the company…” She kept her smile, cutting off the second half of the formal goodbyes that the High Houses used for guests.

  She held her hand close to herself this time, not wanting for him to kiss it again.

  She spun around and headed to her room without pause. Her hand dug into the pocket of her shorts, and she dialed Noa’s number.

  “Hey, Anyanas!” Noa’s voice chimed over the phone as she answered, which was a much-needed picker-upper after the dinner she was virtually forced to attend.

  “Noakins!” She replied, dragging the second syllable.

  “What’s up?”

  She started ranting to her sister. Paying particular attention to Eric Cassiden. Whom she felt was rather attractive, yet dense ‘as a transpo without cargo.’

  Noa briefed her on things on her end, and she updated Noa on what had happened to ‘Two Tone’ Melody. Much to her surprise, Noa had remembered the girl well, yet didn’t spare her from her own demeaning remarks of her fashion sense and taste in color.

  The sisters dragged on their conversation way past the time they had both planned to, ending the night on a high note. Anya wanted to show her support for what she knew would be a challenging ‘first outing’ into what Hassan liked to term ‘the real world.’

  This time, she knew that Noa was leading the mission and had full responsibility for it. Unlike the club they had gone to, there wouldn’t be House Intel people hanging around, keeping an eye on them.

  This time, it would challenge Noa to use everything she had been taught and trained, and this made Anya worry. Inwardly knew she didn’t have to, but when she would pause and take a step back to think more on it, it seemed that the stakes seemed so high. She reasoned that it was probably because it was her own sister putting herself on the line, not some employee, agent, or soldier working for their family.