On the other side of town, Mark led the way, carrying Ethan on his back while Bianca followed right behind him. She was a bit in awe at how he moved — carefully leading them through paths that had no fights — and because of that, they managed to make their way back to Silver High without any resistance.
As they approached the gates, Tom Hanks and the others' gazes lingered for just a fraction longer than necessary before he opened the gate to let them in. As Mark passed, Tom looked a little irritated.
"Don't get cocky just because Golden Boy's got your back. You're still weak."
He said it without looking at him. Mark slowed down a bit at that, then smiled.
"I know. That's why I'm working hard to improve. And as I do, you never know — I might just grow stronger than you."
He answered almost casually, which got Bianca giggling and Caesar nodding in respect. Tom just scoffed, but deep down he felt an emotion he'd never admit out loud: respect. After all, it had been barely three weeks since Mark was nothing more than a little stray protected by a name. Now he'd become someone who could actually fight for himself, and Tom truly did respect that — even if he'd never let Mark surpass him.
As they made their way through the hallways, the teachers looked tense. The gym teacher and the math teacher came to help them to the infirmary. Mark was a bit taken aback — he'd thought the teachers simply didn't care much about the students, but he could see now it wasn't that simple. The teachers could only intervene in cases like this once students were on school grounds, because that was where they actually had the authority to act.
That gave Mark an ease he hadn't known he needed. He was sure now that the adults weren't just ignoring them — they just couldn't step in until the line was crossed.
"Are you okay, kids? Let me take him off your hands."
The gym teacher — a bald man who looked intimidating but was actually very kind — took Ethan off Mark's back, and the math teacher helped Caesar and Bianca walk properly. And like that, they headed to the infirmary.
---
Meanwhile, the nurse examined Caesar and Ethan and clicked her tongue.
"I know you kids tend to get a little rough sometimes, but this takes the cake. One has a head injury and another has a broken rib?"
She said it shaking her head, the fluorescent infirmary light humming faintly overhead. The smell of antiseptic hung thick in the air, sharp enough to sting the back of the throat. Then she sighed.
"I'll take care of this, but they'll have to stay here for a bit."
She said it stretching, her joints popping audibly in the quiet room. Bianca and Mark nodded in response. After that, they sat quietly to catch their breath for a bit, the cots creaking under the shift of weight, the low beep of some monitor somewhere behind a curtain the only other sound. Bianca looked at Mark and smiled.
"We managed to beat that guy, huh?"
Bianca said it with a smile. Mark looked at her and smiled as well.
"I guess we did."
He responded, and then they remained silent for a bit. Not awkward silence, but comfortable silence — the kind that settles into aching muscles after chaos, the adrenaline finally draining out through tired shoulders. The alcohol smell faded into the background the longer they sat there, replaced by the simple relief of just breathing. After a moment, Bianca suddenly remembered what she'd forgotten and grabbed Mark's arm.
"We need to go see Austin. Like, right now."
She said it as they rushed out, sneakers squeaking against the polished infirmary floor. Mark just smiled and let himself be pulled along. The nurse watched them go, a small smile of her own tugging at her mouth — happy kids were a pretty rare sight in her line of work.
---
A few minutes later, they arrived at the library, where Payal was helping Austin sort through the information he'd drawn out on note cards. Dust hung lazily in the afternoon light slanting through the tall windows, catching gold above the reading tables. Austin looked calm, immersed, sliding dots and cards across the surface in front of him with quiet, deliberate movements. As they approached, Payal looked up, her eyes lighting with genuine warmth at the sight of them. Bianca waved. Mark nodded toward her.
As they got closer, Austin stopped what he was doing and looked up, assessing them for a moment before he smiled.
"Should I ask what the other guy looks like?"
He said it already certain they'd won. Mark smiled, and Bianca threw her arm around his shoulder, the movement quick enough to make him stumble half a step.
"He was a beast out there."
She said it, her voice playful, echoing slightly in the hush of the library.
"She's exaggerating."
"No I'm not. You were impressive out there."
"…Thanks."
Austin nodded, proud and satisfied.
"Okay, that aside — I assume you have something to show me?"
He said it, eyes already flicking to the phone in Bianca's hand. Bianca nodded and handed it over. Payal leaned in over his shoulder to look too, her smile widening.
"Wow, is this real? If it is, we can end this very soon."
She said it, her voice excited, cutting through the library's quiet like it didn't belong there.
"It seems too easy. Let's wait for the others to come back and discuss it with them."
Austin said it calmly, fixing his glasses, the lenses catching a brief flash of the window light behind him.