Chapter VII: Foreign Symbols

When Lenz fell, the three young men approached to see what had happened, noticing that Lenz was barely holding on to a ledge. Aiden grabbed his hand and, along with the other two young men, pulled him out of the hole:

-Are you okay?

-Yes, thanks for rescuing me... I'll be more careful next time... with the scare I got... I almost died- answers Lenz

- And now? As we cross to the other side of the room," says Madysin.

- if... it seems that that whole floor is full of traps and if we step wrong it's over - says Hobson

- You have to find something that tells you how to get through it," says Aiden.

Everyone starts looking around for a clue, suddenly Hobson looks back right next to the entrance and notices a capsule in a square hole in the wall, he tells the guys that he has found what seems to be a clue and decides to take the capsule to see what it contained. On having uncovered it I take what seemed a paper and on having looked at it this one was saying: " One More is One Less "; followed by approximately 88 very strange symbols, the boys were surprised on having seen what it contained this paper, but they were confused at the same time because it was so strange that it seemed impossible to solve, Hobson with a positive attitude says to them to the others:

-Calm down, guys, I'll figure it out, no matter how much it costs me-

-Are you sure about this? That looks very complicated even for you - says Madysin

-It looks complicated but there's nothing I can't solve," says Hobson.

-He trusted him, well we have to go, it's late, let's go," Aiden tells the others.

The next day Ezequiel was taking some books out of his locker, to which Brithany and Adyson arrive and this one tells him:

-Hey Ezequiel, I hear your little girlfriend has been having a lot of fun with the new guy-

-With whom? With a topknot," answers Ezequiel

-if by copete you mean Aiden, then if it is him- says Adyson

-Don't you think we should do something to keep them away?

-with a couple of strokes you'll understand- says Ezequiel

-no, don't worry, I don't need to resort to those extremes, I have a plan- says Brithany

That's when the doorbell rings to enter the classroom, everyone enters science class and that day there was proof of what Professor Edwards enters and says:

-Good morning students, today we will have your first practical science test, please form pairs to begin-

Everyone pairs up as Ezekiel approaches Madysin and tells him:

-love, you'll partner with me today right? You won't leave me badly - so as not to leave him badly and with no other option she says:

-Okay Ezequiel, I'll pair up with you... hey Emma can you pair up with Aiden? I think he's just--

-is a good friend- answers Emma

He started the test, everyone was doing their experiments and taking note, in one of those Brithany takes out a flammable liquid from her bag, then asks Adyson to cover it while pouring the liquid into a test tube, he pours blue dye on it to make it look like one of the compounds to be used in the experiment. At that moment Emma turns to get up and go to where Professor Edwards was, Adyson, who was also going to beech, stumbles and throws his notes on the floor, at that moment Emma and Aiden help her pick up the notes from the floor, that's when Brithany takes advantage and changes the compounds; after picking up and returning to his seats Ezequiel looks back and Bry grimaces as a sign to what he is quickly hiding the blue compound and tells Madysin:

-we are missing more of this compound, won't Emma have any left? –

-if it is true, wait here I will ask him- replies Madysin

Madysin asks Emma and Aiden for the compound, and when Ezekiel adds the blue compound, the mixture begins to bubble in a strange way. After the smoke cleared, Aiden goes to where Madysin was and asks him:

-Are you okay?

-yes I'm fine, it's less bad and it wasn't worse-

-let's see... apparently they poured a highly volatile liquid, instead of the blue saline solution- says Professor Edwards

-hey what's wrong with you! Because you're sabotaging the test - says Ezekiel to Aiden all upset

-What are you talking about? I would never do that," answers Aiden.

-You gave us the blue liquid! -You wanted Mady and me to fail! It's your fault, isn't it," says Ezekiel

-no...I don't...- says Aiden

-Calm down Aiden it's not your fault maybe you got the wrong compound that's all, it can happen to anyone... I guess we fail teacher- says Madysin

-You still have the notes of the mixture before the explosion," asks Professor Edwards.

-if here they are-

-well, if it is correctly detailed and explained, you may have a good grade, there is nothing to worry about... everyone continue with the test, -says Professor Edwards

Minutes later the class ends, everyone handed in the proofs and left, and Brithany calls Ezequiel and he tells him:

-so I see your plan almost killed us, plus it didn't even come close to being right-

-ahs! Don't remind me, we can't make the two of them fight... we have to follow them closely, we have to do something before it's too late," says Brithany

On the other hand, Aiden was in the hallways with Lenz and Hobson and he says:

-It was very strange what happened to Madysin, wasn't it?

-But that explosion was very epic," says Lenz.

-epic? How can you say that Lenz, Madysin almost got hurt because of me," says Aiden.

-Of course it wasn't your fault, let me say that Aiden, someone had to change your component for a flying one," says Hobson.

-I think you're right, changing the subject. Do you have anything on the track? -Aiden asks him

-I haven't advanced anything, those symbols are strange there is nothing that tells me where to start I looked even in the biography of Horwich to see if there is any clue of the symbols but nothing... today I will continue looking, there has to be something that I haven't seen yet- says Hobson panicking

-Calm down, take a deep breath... I know you'll figure it out, take your time without pressure... let's go," says Aiden.

On the other hand, Madysin and Emma were in the bathrooms and started talking about their business and things that Adyson and Bry come into and this one says:

-well, well, well but what do we have here... we seem to see the little queen of the quilts of daddy with his henchman the dead fly... hahaha- (the little queen of the quilts comes from the work of his father, since he is the head of a mattress and accessories store in the city).

-Stop calling us that, Brithany! - says Emma

-hahaha, but if it's true... look at the queen of the quilts because you don't pay attention to your boyfriend anymore and you leave Aiden to me, he's already separated, don't think you're going to keep him... you better leave him, you don't know what I'm capable of; let's go Adyson, I'm disgusted by the flies on the mattresses hahahaha- says Brithany

As they leave, Brithany slaps the books that Emma was carrying in her hand, making them fall to the floor, while Madysin helps her pick them up. He notes Emma's science book and stares at it for a while, but she asks him if he's looking at it so strangely:

-Aiden, I'm glad you called me.

-I don't have very good news, Hobson hasn't made any progress I told him to take his time but I see he can't do it alone

-I think I know how to solve it, it's time we tell Emma, she's the only one who can help us

-Secure? -

-Trust me, she won't say anything.

-well... I trust you... see you in ten in room 17-

-well... goodbye-

After the conversation, Madysin takes Emma to the classroom where Aiden, Hobson and Lenz were, Emma finds it very strange and says:

-because we're all here? -Do you need anything from me?

-What we're about to tell you, you can't tell anyone, Horwich's future depends on you," says Aiden.