Unreliable Schedule

"So, did you make it?" A.J. slurped up more milkshake through a straw as he waited for Alan's answer. Fermat and Qaeshon looked toward Alan, too, from their seats in the snack shop.

"Yep." Alan nodded once. "I had two clean jumps, then they raised the bar for the third jump, and I hit it. Barely felt it, but I knew I had. I took a second try at it, and went over cleanly. My opponent hit the bar once every time, and couldn't clear the tallest height." He shook his head. "I need to keep working at it, though. What I'm doing is nothing compared to what the pros can do."

"Y-You want to c-compete for the O-Olympics?" Fermat asked, sounding surprised.

Alan shrugged. "Maybe. Depends on if I can improve enough." He shifted in his chair, and sucked on his drinking straw. "But, man, you should have seen this castle!"

The rest of the group groaned. "Alan, you showed us the pictures... more than once," Jason said, crumpling up his chip bag. "Now let's get down to business and do what we're here for."

"What's that?" Fermat asked, glancing around at the others. "I d-didn't know we had an a-agenda tonight."

"That's because you were off creaming the competition," Qaeshon said, grinning. "I still can't believe the score. The Quizzing Whizzards rock!"

Fermat blushed a little, and took another long pull on his straw. When he'd swallowed his mouthful of milk shake, he asked, "So, wh-what are we supposed to be d-doing?"

"Helping poor Jase come up with some smart comments to combat Sable's teasing," Kay said, giving the redhead a sly look.

"Ah, I s-see." Fermat nodded sagely. "J-Just don't a-ask me. I wouldn't know wh-what to say either." He glanced over at Alan. "M-Maybe you should ask S-Scott or G-Gordon. Of all your b-brothers, they're most likely to have some g-good answers."

"Hm." Alan glanced at his watch and tried to do the time zones in his head. "It's about lunch time, tomorrow, back home. I think I can give one of them a call. Which one?"

"S-Scott," Fermat replied promptly. "He's the one who had a d-d-d... rendezvous with her."

"I remember that," Kay said, nodding.

"So, call him already!" Jason said, sitting up and reaching for Alan's phone. Alan grabbed it before Jason could, and speed-dialed his brother.

Scott's phone rang while the Tracys were finishing lunch. He took it from his pocket, and looked at the screen. "Hey! It's Alan!"

"Alan!" Jeff grinned. "Answer it, Scott."

"Hey, Sp...uh, Alan." Scott hastily amended, catching his father's developing glare out of the corner of one eye. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good, Scott, pretty good. I won both of my events during field and came in third on the cross-country." Alan grimaced a little; the knowledge that he hadn't been properly focused still rankled. "We're down in the snack shop, taking a break."

"And we're finishing up lunch, so I'm gonna put you on speaker phone. Just a sec." At a word from Jeff, Kyrano had brought out the docking device and put it in the middle of the table. "There. Can you hear us now?"

"Yeah! Is everybody there?" Alan racked up the volume on his phone, and put it in the center of the table. "I'm putting my phone down so everyone can hear." The boys crowded around with a minimum of shoving.

"Hello, boys!" Jeff said, his words echoed by the others around the table. An excited Tin-Tin bounded in, and leaned in between Gordon and Alan.

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, everyone! Hi, Tin-Tin." Alan was, so far, the only speaker. "Pretty much all of the gang's here on this end. Jason, Kay, A.J., Fermat, and me."

"H-Hello, son," Brains said, smiling. "H-How are you?"

Fermat perked up at the sound of his father's voice. "I'm f-f-f... great, Dad. We w-won again last night!"

"C-Congratulations, my boy! Your team is doing a-awesome!" The congratulations were echoed by the rest of the Tracys, especially by Gordon, who whooped loudly with a, "Go Whizzards!"

The Wharton contingent laughed at this, then Alan quieted them. "This isn't just a checking-in-with-you social call, Scott. I need some advice. I'm glad you put me on speaker phone, though. More great minds and all that."

"What kind of advice do you need, son?" Jeff asked between sips of iced tea.

"Well, it's not really me who needs the advice, it's Jason." Alan nudged Jason with a well-placed elbow. "Go on, tell them."

Jason, whose face had gone red again, cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. Hi, Mr. Tracy."

Jeff's tone was one of slight amusement. "Hello, Jason. How can we help?"

"Well, there's this... this girl, I guess, who works in the kitchen... at the dishwasher. She's really Goth and..."

Scott interrupted. "Is it Sable?"

"Uh, yeah." Jason swallowed heavily. "Sable. Well, she has names for us all; I'm Red,; Kay is Dreads; Alan is Blondie; Fermat is Specs..."

Jeff's tone was mild as he, too, interrupted. "I think we get the point, Jason. Very colorful names."

Alan rolled his eyes, and motioned for Jason to get to the point. Jason gave him an irritated look and plunged on. "Yes, sir. Very colorful. The problem is that she kinda singles me out for extra... teasing, I suppose you can call it. "

"How so?" Scott asked. Alan couldn't decide from his tone if Scott were annoyed or not.

"She, uh, asks me embarrassing questions. So far, she keeps asking me, 'How's it hanging?' whenever I see her in the tray line. I figure she's referring to my, um, 'package'." With this last, strangled pronouncement, Jason sat back, looking totally miserable.

Alan jumped in. "It always knocks him for a loop, Dad. He gets really red and his face has this deer-caught-in-headlights look."

Kay added, "He doesn't have any snappy comebacks, and he needs some."

"Is that why you called?" Jeff asked. "To get some snappy comebacks from us?"

"Well, from Scott and Gordon in particular," Alan admitted. "I didn't figure you'd all still be at lunch."

"Ooh." Gordon sounded particularly gleeful. "Snappy comebacks are my specialty!"

"So, whattaya got?" Alan asked, winking at Jason who sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fermat's got a file open."

"F-Fermat doesn't n-need to hear this," Brains said firmly. "G-Go take a walk, son."

"Aw, D-Dad!" Fermat whined. Kay whispered in his ear; his eyes widened and he grinned. "Oh, o-okay. I'll g-g-go." His voice had a particular pouting sound to it, one that made Alan wonder what he was up to. He watched as Fermat slid out of his seat and walked away stopping at the end of the aisle.

"Is he g-gone?" Brains asked.

"Yeah, Brains. He's gone." Alan was glad that they hadn't put on the video portion of the call, just the audio; as soon as he had answered Brains's question, Fermat made a circuit of the snack shop and came quietly back to sit down where he had been. "So, you've had a few minutes to think. Whattaya got?"

"Hm." There was a long pause on the other end, and Alan couldn't tell who had made the noise.

Virgil was first to speak up. "Well, if you take the saying literally, and don't assume she's talking about your 'package', you could say something like, 'Framed and on the wall like the Mona Lisa'."

"Oh, gag!" Gordon's voice cut in. "Do you know how that sounds if she is talking about what he thinks she's talking about?" He continued. "I have a better one: 'Low and loose and full of juice'."

The boys in the snack shop were snickering, trying to keep from bursting out into full-fledged laughter, with the exception of Jason, who sat rigid and red-faced, his eyes wide.

"Gordon, that's just gross." Virgil sounded sour and snarky. "I think 'They aren't; I just went swimming,' is better than that."

"I think he c-could use this l-line: 'C-Come for a w-walk with me and find out y-yourself'." Fermat's eyes went wide with shock at hearing his father's contribution. He clapped both hands over mouth to keep his father from hearing his gasp.

"That sounds more like a pick-up line than a snappy comeback, Brains," Scott said.

"D-Do you have something b-better, Scott?" The boys could almost hear the ice in Brains's tone.

"Yeah, I think so. 'A little to the right... or left' as the case may be."

"Scott, he's used that one twice before." Alan patted Jason's shoulder. "It was great the first time, but not the second."

The elder Tracys chuckled, and Jeff piped up. "If you go with Virgil's idea, and assume it's not about Jason's... ahem... physical endowments, he could use something my dad once told me."

"Grandpa? Way cool!" Alan gave Jason a thumbs up and a bright nod. Jason leaned forward, cautious hope on his face. "What did he say?"

"He said... now let me get this right." Jeff paused for a moment, more for effect than anything else. "Right. He said, 'Like a horse thief spinning in the wind'."

There was silence on both ends. Finally, Alan remarked, "Uh, is that it, Dad?"

"Hey! That's a good line!" Jeff protested. He paused, then with a wry tone, added, "He could always use the one we used in the Air Force."

"Dare I ask?" Alan could visualize Gordon's smug face, one eyebrow raised, mouth curved in a devilish grin.

"Go ahead. Ask." There were times that Jeff knew how to set up a joke, and Alan realized this was one of them.

"Okay, Dad. What line did you use in the Air Force?"

Jeff sighed. "I really don't think it's appropriate for Jason to use, and there's a lady present..."

"Oh, Mr. Tracy, please tell us. I'm dying of curiosity." Tin-Tin had put on her most wheedling, feminine tone. "I'm sure it can't be that bad."

Jeff paused again; he thought he'd seen Onaha out of the corner of one eye. Looking toward the kitchen, he saw that she wasn't there, then muttered quickly, "'It's a'hangin' and a'bangin'."

Again, there was silence on both ends for a moment, then both groups burst out into hoots of laughter. Everyone, that is, but Jason, whose jaw dropped and eyes widened as he sputtered, "But... but..."

Taking pity on him, Alan worked to get his friends calmed down. "Okay, everyone. I think we have enough snappy comebacks for now. Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Virge, Scott, yeah, and you too, Gordon. Oh, and you, Brains. Thanks for that pick... uh, I mean, idea."

"Yeah, thanks everyone," Kay said. "We'll make sure Jase uses some of these, starting Monday."

Alan gave Jason a nudge. The redhead swallowed heavily, and in a shaky voice he said, "Uh, yeah. Thanks, guys. I appreciate the help."

"Anytime, Jason, anytime." Jeff sounded almost as relieved as Jason did.

"I need to talk to Scott privately for a minute," Alan said. "I'll talk to the rest of you soon! Have a great afternoon!"

"Goodnight, Alan!" "Have a good one, son." "Talk to you later, bro!" "G-Goodnight, F-Fermat!"

Fermat instinctively replied, "You, too, D-Dad." Then, realizing what he'd done, he made a face, and knocked on his head several times with his fist.

Brains chuckled. "I knew you w-were there. We'll t-talk about this later."

There was an audible click, and Alan retrieved his phone from the table. "Hey, Scott. I have a message for you from Sable."

"Oh really? What is it?"

"Well, she asked after you today, and told me to tell you that she owes you dinner next time you're out this way."

"Hm. I'll have to take her up on that sometime. Just not this weekend."

Alan leaned back, lifting the front legs of his chair off the floor. "Oh? Is John coming out? He said he was going to try and convince Dad."

"Well, yeah, Dad's bringing him home for the weekend and he'll be out to visit you." Scott sounded rather smug, which made Alan think he knew of John's planned surprise.

"What's he bringing with him? He said he was going to have a surprise for me if he came."

Scott grinned. "Well, he's got a surprise. But I'm not telling you. The guy deserves to have some fun from time to time."

"Aw, c'mon Scott! Tell me!"

"Sorry, Sp... bro. No can do. You have a good night, and I'll talk to you again soon. Tell Sable that she's got a deal."

Alan sighed dramatically. "All right. I'll tell her. Talk to you later, Scott."

"Have a good night, Alan. Goodbye."

The call cut off at Scott's end, and Alan severed the connection as well. That's when Jason grabbed him by the shirt, his eyes wild.

"Alan, I can't use any of those lines! They're too... too provocative! She'll just escalate things until I die of embarrassment!"

"Dude, no one ever died of embarrassment," Kay said, rolling his eyes. "Just use a couple. She may get bored of it."

"You don't know that! I'm sure there were people who were so embarrassed that they offed themselves!" Jason's tone turned pleading. "I just can't use those!"

"Then why don't you simply ask her to stop teasing you?" A.J. said. "I'm sure she would if you asked."

There was a sudden quiet at the table as all eyes turned to A.J. Then Alan chuckled.

"Leave it to A.J. to come up with the sensible answer."

"But... that would be admitting that I can't take it." Jason looked from one of his friends to the others. "I would be admitting to being a wuss."

"As far as this is c-concerned, Jase, you are a wuss." Fermat didn't glance up from his laptop. "There. I've sent you each a c-c-copy of the c-comebacks we got."

"I really liked that Air Force one." Kay snickered as he poked around his open, empty cup with a straw. "Your dad is a great guy."

Alan smiled, his expression both proud and far away. "Yeah. He is. He really is."

A light, musical tone sounded, signaling that the medical center's door had opened. Sandy glanced up from behind the desk. "Alan! What brings you here? Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah." Alan smiled as he rested his backpack on one of the chairs in the waiting room. "I'm okay, really. I just need to talk to Ms. Bell, if she has a minute."

"Sure. I'll call her to the front." Sandy put words into action, and it wasn't long before Ms. Bell put in an appearance.

"Why, hello there, Alan. I haven't seen you for a while. Are you all right?"

"Hey, Ms. Bell." Alan sketched a small wave. "I'm okay. Keeping busy and healthy."

"Healthy, huh?" She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

"Yeah, I'm going there after I talk to you. I thought it would be better to stop by now instead of between classes and practice."

"Ah, I see." Marilee opened the door separating the waiting room with the treatment areas. "Come on back and we'll see what we can do for you." To Sandy, she said, "Pull up Alan's chart, please, and load it to my computer."

"Yes, ma'am."

Alan shouldered his backpack again, but passed through the door, he frowned a bit. "Really, I'm not sick. I just need to ask you something. Something kind of... personal."

"Well, you can ask me in the examining room," Marilee insisted. "I want to get a look at your face in any case."

They entered the small examination room, and Marilee patted the paper-covered bed. "Take off your jacket and hop up here, please, Alan. I won't make you change to a gown or anything."

He did as he was told, and hoisted himself onto the end of the sloping, padded table, legs dangling off the edge. She brought over a magnifying glass on a stand, just like the one Alan's cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Phillips, had used on his initial evaluation. He closed his eyes as she turned on the light and firmly took his chin in her hand, making his head twist to one side.

"Mm. yes, this is healing up nicely. What did the surgeon have to say?"

Alan found it difficult to speak with her hand gripping his chin. "M s'pposed t' 'af surg'ry o'er th' s'mmer bre'k."

She chuckled, and turned off the light, letting go of his chin. "That's a wise move. Don't want to spend Christmas vacation all bandaged up." Wheeling the light away, she washed her hands, drying them with a paper towel as she leaned up against the small sink. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

He moistened his lips with his tongue, and took a deep breath before speaking. "You probably heard that Lee Sugimoto was sentenced last week."

Marilee nodded. "I did. I think he got off a little too easy in your case, but at least he's in jail now."

"Yeah." Alan shifted his gaze away from her, settling it, unfocused, on the door to the hallway. "I had some... um... trouble this past weekend, at the away track meet. Thought I was seeing Steve Ulrich and Lee when they weren't there. My brother, John, suggested I see a counselor, and that you might have the names of some who would come to the school and talk with me."

Halfway through his explanation, Marilee picked up her laptop, and used her stylus to bring up a page. "You have a wise brother, Alan. You've been through a lot of trauma: physical, mental, and emotional. I'm not surprised that you're having some trouble coping." She paused, then added, "There. I've sent the list of counselors who are willing to come here to the printer. Sandy will put it in an envelope for you to pick up at the desk." She glanced over at him, and gave him a small smile. "If you like, I can make the appointment for you, but you're the one who will have to get your local doctor to release the medical records concerning the attack."

"Okay. I can do that." Alan paused, his brows drawn together in a small frown. "Could you send a copy of the list to my dad? He's probably going to want to have them checked out; see if they're okay. Security and all that jazz, y'know."

"Sure, Alan. I'll do that. Then your father can make the appointment for you and deal with the records." Marilee used her stylus again. "There. It's attached to a form letter, but I'll follow up with a more personal note later today." She gave him a searching look, stylus poised over the laptop screen. "Is there anything else you need today?"

Alan shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I better get some lunch, though; I'm really hungry." As if to verify his statement, his stomach growled audibly.

Marilee laughed. "Then you're free to go. Don't forget the list as you leave."

He hopped down from the table, shrugged himself into his jacket again, and shouldered his pack. With a cheery, "Thanks, Ms. Bell," he left, stopping only long enough to pick up the envelope from Sandy. Once outside, he broke into a run, heading for the dining hall.

"Psst. Alan."

The whisper was barely audible, and Alan answered in kind. "What, Fermat?"

Fermat jerked his head toward one side of the classroom. "Look out the w-window. It's snowing."

It was Friday, and Dr. Cambioso's class was the last one for the day. Alan had been on tenterhooks all week. John had emailed on Tuesday, confirming his weekend visit, and his arrival time. Now, as he glanced out the classroom window,and saw the swirling snowflakes, Alan's heart sank. Please, please, don't let the weather hold him up!

The rest of the class hour seemed to drag. Alan tried to focus, but his mind wasn't on his lesson. Nor was anyone else's, it seemed; the other students were as distracted as he was by the snow. So much so that Dr. Cambioso lowered the blinds to remove the temptation.

The rest of class moved with infinite slowness, or so it seemed. Alan caught himself jiggling his leg up and down more than once, and tried to calm himself. Finally, when he had despaired of class ever ending, the bell rang. "C'mon, Fermat, hurry. He might be here already."

"Señor Tracy."

Dr. Cambioso's call stopped Alan in his tracks. What did I do now?

But the Spanish teacher just smiled and added, "You have someone waiting for you at the administration building."

"Yes!" Alan hissed. He put his book bag together as quickly as he could, and donned his jacket. "Muchas gracias, Señor."

The teacher waved a hand and replied, "De nada."

"C'mon, Fermat!" Alan called as they entered the crowded hallway. "John's here!"

"I'm c-coming!" Fermat was having trouble putting his jacket on while balancing book bag and laptop. Alan stopped, returned to his friend's side, and held on to the backpack while Fermat shrugged into his coat, zipped it up, put on his hat and gloves, and finally took possession of his bags. "Now I'm r-ready."

"Good! C'mon!" Alan all but dove into the stairwell, pushing past other students as he hurtled toward the outer doors. Fermat shook his head, and followed at a slower pace.

He found Alan waiting for him outside, bouncing on the balls of his feet in impatience. "You g-go ahead, Alan. I'm slowing you d-down."

Alan shook his head. "I'm sorry, Fermat. I didn't mean to rush you. I'm so excited; John has never been to see me at school. He's always been... busy." The two of them fell into step, walking at a brisker pace than Fermat would have liked, but not running. "Just think, he can watch you compete tonight, and watch me tomorrow." He glanced up and around, his brow furrowing with worry. "That is, if the snow doesn't keep us from competing."

"Hm. I don't know wh-what would happen if we got sn-snowed in," Fermat said, his tone thoughtful. "I n-never asked."

"Well, for once, I hope it doesn't stick around long."

They climbed the steps to the Administration building, their shoes splashing in half-melted slush. Alan pulled open the door with a heave that made it slam against the stopper, and made him utter a sheepish, "Oops." They stepped inside, carefully wiping their feet on the dark blue mats with the Wharton crest that sat inside the door.

"Alan!"

Alan's eyes lit up, and he hollered, "John!"

John took a step toward his little brother, and the two of them came together in a back thumping hug. "It's so good to see you, kiddo!"

"It's great to see you, too! I was hoping the weather wouldn't keep you from coming."

"Weather? You call this weather? Hah!"

The voice was different, and came from somewhere behind John. "Virge? You're here, too?" Alan glanced at John. "Is he your big surprise?"

Before John could reply, a grinning Virgil rose from a chair at one side of the lobby, where he'd been hiding himself behind a magazine. He sauntered over, but before he could get all the way to where his brothers were standing, Alan had hurried to meet him and give him the same back-thumping hug he'd given John. Virgil returned the favor, and when they parted, reached up to ruffle Alan's hair.

"Hey, not the hair!" The complaint was one of loud mock annoyance, and it brought Ms. Belvedere's secretary to the lobby.

"Mr. Tracy!"

The three young men looked her way and answered, in near unison, "Yes, ma'am?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose, and remarked wearily, "We are still working here, gentlemen, so please keep the noise level down."

Alan was about to answer her when another voice called out, "Don't you worry, dear. I'll make sure they quiet down so you can work."

The secretary's gave the speaker a weary smile. "Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate your help."

By this time, Alan's eyes were wide as saucers, and he called out in a much lower tone, "Grandma?"

"Yes, Alan. It's me." Patricia Tracy, a tiny, plump woman with short, wavy silver hair, was sitting in a chair with her back to John, and when Alan reached her, she rose to embrace him. It was a long, lingering embrace and he fought back tears as he hugged her tight.

"Goodness, Alan, you've grown so." Her eyes were moist when he let her go, and she put a hand to his face, smoothing it over his unblemished cheek. "Getting so tall and handsome, just like your grandfather."

Alan glanced over at John, who was grinning from ear to ear, then back to his grandmother. "Are you John's special surprise?"

"Why, of course I am!" She smiled up at him, blue eyes twinkling behind the bifocals. "Your brother thought it would be a good idea for me to see you compete, and I agreed. And, just look, I get to spend time with three of my grandsons at once, and young Fermat here, too. Come over here, young man, so I can give you a hug."

Fermat, who had already been greeted by John, and was on his way to say hello to Virgil, changed direction, and came over to Patricia. "H-Hello, M-M-Mrs. Tracy."

"It's good to see you, Fermat. You've grown quite a bit, too, since I last saw you," she said, opening her arms. He stepped into them gingerly, giving her an awkward embrace. "Now, none of that 'Mrs. Tracy' business, do you hear? You are family, so I expect you to call me 'Grandma', just like my hooligan grandsons do."

"Hooligans?" Virgil protested. "Why we're angels, Grandma. Perfect angels."

She shook a finger at him. "I know better, Virgil Tracy. Now, let's move along so these good people can work in peace. Alan, I would like to see your room, and meet some of your friends, if that's possible."

"Yeah, sure, Grandma. I told Coach I had family arriving today, so he told me I could be late to practice." He glanced out the door. "I don't know if we'll be having practice outside anyway with the snow and all."

"I'd have thought he'd let you skip it entirely," Virgil said as they headed for the doors. "I mean, you did for Gordon and Scott, didn't you?"

Alan shook his head. "Nope. Scott came out to see the practice... though he was a little more interested in Sable de la Croix than he was in me. Gordon and Brains showed up too late, though they weren't too late for Fermat's quizzing meet."

"Oh, I hear that's tonight." John opened the door and let the rest of the family walk through. "I also heard that the quiz team is undefeated." He ruffled Fermat's hair as the boy passed by. "Gonna win tonight, too, you think?"

Fermat shrugged. "We'll d-do our b-best."

"And their best is awesome!" Alan gushed.

Grandma had taken Virgil's arm, and he walked her down the slushy steps. "Now, Alan," she said as her youngest grandson fell into step on her other side. "I want to know about this Sable girl. I have had only a few details from Scott, and it was like pulling teeth to get those."

"Uh, yeah. Sable."

As Alan tried to explain, John matched Fermat's stride, taking the boy's laptop bag and slinging it over his own shoulder. "Fermat, is your roommate Andrew going to be around?"

"I d-don't know, John." Fermat shook his head. "Last weekend, his father was in G-Geneva, so he had to stay here, but he hasn't told me if his d-dad is coming up to g-get him this weekend."

"I hope he is. I brought along an autographed set of my books for him, since he's such a big fan. If he's not here, can I leave them with you?"

"S-Sure."

They walked back toward the parking lot, where a luxurious SUV awaited them. "I wanted to hire a limo and driver," Virgil said, sighing. "But Grandma said, 'No'."

"Your father might think that having a limo and driver at his beck and call is appropriate, but I think it's flashy and excessive. I raised you boys to appreciate what you have, no matter how humble, and I'm not going to let you flaunt your father's wealth when I'm around." She paused, her lips pursed in disapproval. "We didn't even need something this extravagant, except for the fact that it's four-wheel drive and with the weather like this..." Grandma trailed off as Virgil opened the SUV door for her and handed her inside.

"I figured we might need the space, too," John said as he slid behind the wheel. "I heard about that little dinner party Gordon paid for. We could easily fit a few of your friends in here, and go out for pizza or something." He started the engine once everyone was buckled up. "So, where to first? Alan? Your dorm or Fermat's?"

"Mine," said Alan, sounding a little gloomy. "I can't miss all of practice."

However, when they pulled up in front of Birchwood, Alan was greeted by a strangely happy Xavion.

"Hey, Pinky! Coach canceled practice for today. Seems Mr. Beccara wants the gym for the soccer team since the field is covered, and we can't all practice in there at the same time." He glanced at the people who were getting out of the vehicle. "Let me guess: two more of your brothers and..."

"I'm Patricia Tracy, Alan's grandmother." Grandma held out her hand, and when Zave took it, shook his firmly. "These are Alan's older brothers, John and Virgil."

Zave smiled. "I'm Xavion Lewis, ma'am. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He shook hands with John and Virgil. "I've seen pictures of you two, but not of this nice lady here."

"I take it you are a friend of Alan's?" Grandma asked as she followed Alan and Fermat up the steps to Birchwood.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm also the captain of the track team where Alan's being a big help in the field events."

"Ah, I see." She stopped to wipe her feet as she entered Birchwood's lobby. "Now, what was this name you called him... Pinky, was it?"

Zave's smile turned into a wide grin, while Alan rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yes, ma'am. You see, Fermat here," he turned to indicate the younger boy, "is so smart, we call him the Brain. And if he's the Brain, then Alan here has to be Pinky."

"I don't quite understand," Patricia said with a frown.

"A cartoon, Grandma. It was a cartoon," Virgil hastened to explain. "Two laboratory mice that have been experimented on. One is really smart, and the other is... well, kinda loopy."

"'Insane' is the word the show uses." John sounded very matter-of-fact, but he had a sly smile on his face.

"And e-every night, they t-try to take over the w-w-w... planet." Fermat's tone was mirthful and eager.

"So, you're trying to say that you believe that Alan is insane?" Grandma asked, her voice honey-sweet.

"Oh, no, ma'am. Nothing like that!" Alan was amused to see Zave backpedal, trying to soften the impression that Patricia had perceived. "He's just a little... crazy." He added quickly, "Sometimes."

Finally, Alan jumped in. "Grandma, it's okay. It's just a nickname, and one I've gotten used to. I let my friends like Zave here use it because they are my friends." He gave a non-committal shrug. "Besides, Fermat is definitely the Brain, and what's the Brain without his old pal, Pinky?" He put a hand up to his door's scanner, and the door slid open, revealing Dom and Qaeshon, hovering over Dom's computer.

"Hey, Dom. Hi, Kay." He stepped inside, ushering his grandmother in. "Grandma, this is Dominic Bertoli, my roommate, and Qaeshon Lewis. He's Xavion's brother, and we call him 'Kay'. Dom, Kay, my Grandma Tracy, and my older brothers, John and Virgil." While the visitors shook hands with the denizens, Alan took off his backpack and jacket. "So, what are you two doing?"

"Checking out some of our first proof pages." Dom shook his head. "The yearbook office computer crashed today. We have everything on back up media, and we're hoping we haven't lost the hard drive, but we have to make some decisions this weekend, and our computer is low on the totem pole for repairs."

"You're working on the yearbook?" Grandma asked. "That takes me back." She turned to the assembled young men. "I was yearbook photographer for two years in high school, and one year in college. I learned so much."

"You were a photographer, Grandma?" Virgil sounded intrigued. "I never knew that."

"Oh, yes. I enjoyed it very much. Of course, back then they didn't have digital cameras. Just good old 35 mm film, and a darkroom."

"We still use that sometimes, Mrs. Tracy," Dominic said. "Wharton used to offer a course in photography and the darkrooms are still usable. We can't use them often, though. Darkroom stuff is kinda expensive these days."

"I'm sure it is." Grandma looked at her watch. "I think we should take Fermat to his room so he can prepare for his quiz meet. It was nice to meet you both. I hope my grandson hasn't been an obnoxious roommate, Dominic."

Dom grinned and shook his head. "Nah. Alan's okay. He's a big improvement on my last roommate."

"I'm glad to hear it." With a nod to both Dom and Kay, she said, "Boys, let's get a move on."

The snow was coming down harder when they stepped out of Birchwood. Fermat gazed around, getting snowflakes on his glasses. "Wow. This looks l-like it's g-gonna st-st-st... remain."

Alan sighed. "Yeah. I wonder if we'll have to go to Worcester to compete tomorrow."

"I thought you had a home game," John said as he started up the SUV.

"We do. But in the case of snow, if the roads are okay to drive on, we have to get up early and go out to Worcester... wherever that is."

"If that's the case, then we'll just have to drive out there with you," Grandma declared firmly. "I came all the way from Kansas to see my grandson compete, and I will."

Alan grinned. "Thanks, Grandma."

When they arrived at Fermat's room, they found A.J. lying on his bed, reading. He climbed down quickly when he saw who was with Fermat.

Fermat made the introductions. "Andrew, this is A-Alan's brother, Virgil, his g-grandmother, Mrs. Tracy, and I th-think you know who this is."

"Yeah, I do." A.J. shook hands with Virgil and Grandma, but his wide eyes were fixed on John the entire time. "Wow. It's an honor to finally meet you, Mr. Tracy," he said as he shook John's hand.

"Hey, I told you before, A.J. You can call me John." John's smile was warm and genuine. "Have you had any opportunity to do some stargazing?"

"What's with him?" Virgil whispered to Alan.

Alan grinned as he whispered back, "He's a fan of John's."

Virgil's mouth formed a silent, "Oh," and he nodded in understanding.

A.J. was still talking. "A couple of weeks ago, yeah, when I was home. Won't be able to this weekend, though; my dad caught a bad cold when he was overseas last week and he doesn't want me to catch it. So I'm not going home, where my telescope is."

"I have something down in the car for you," John began, but he was forestalled by a buzz from the door. Fermat crossed to open it.

"Ah, there you are, Fermat." Devdan Israni stood outside. He looked in, saw the number of people standing or sitting, and gave a little wave. "Hello." He turned back to Fermat. "I was hoping to find you at home. I have news about this evening's meet."

Fermat sighed, obviously disappointed. "Let me g-guess: the m-meet is canceled due to the sn-snow."

"I fear it is so. The snowstorm started earlier to the east of us, and accumulations there are greater than those here." Dev's voice was sympathetic. "The opposing team decided it would not be wise to travel here tonight." He shrugged. "So, it will be rescheduled."

Fermat turned to the Tracys. "I'm s-sorry. There's no qu-quiz meet t-tonight."

"Fermat?" Grandma had risen from Fermat's bunk, where she had perched – having found his desk chair a little too ergonomic for her comfort. "Won't you introduce us to your friend?"

"Oh!" Reminded of his lapse in manners, the boy colored. "This is D-Devdan Israni. He's the hall m-monitor for our end of the f-floor, and quiz t-team captain." He turned to the senior. "Dev, the lady is Alan's g-grandma, Mrs. Tracy, and these are his b-brothers, John and V-Virgil."

"Ah. A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Dev said as he shook hands all around. When he had finished, he clapped his hands together. "As much as I would like to stay and talk, I must make my way to the dining hall for dinner. Fermat, will you be going there, too?"

John jumped in. "We're planning on taking Fermat and Alan out for dinner." He glanced at Virgil and Alan, a question in his eyes. When he got brisk nods, he asked, "Would you like to join us?"

Dev seemed taken aback by the invitation. "I... I would like that, yes. I do not get away from campus very often, and the prospect of eating at a restaurant is appealing."

"Then it's settled." John turned to A.J. "Do you think your father would be okay with you coming with us? I understand you weren't here when Gordon visited."

A.J.'s face lit up. "Yeah. I'm sure he'd be okay with it."

"Would you do me a favor, Andrew dear?" Grandma's voice was soft and her smile was warm. "Would you call your father and let him know of the invitation? I wouldn't want you to get in trouble with him."

"Okay. Sure." A.J. dug around in his drawer to find his phone.

"Hey, Alan, what about Jason?" Virgil's face wore a look of polite innocence. "We haven't met him yet, and I really want to. After all, we talked with him just last weekend."

Fermat and A.J. both glanced over at Virgil, eyebrows raised. A sly grin crossed Alan's face. "Sure. By all means. Jase is in Oakwood, the next dorm over. Virgil and I can go get him and bring him back."

"Right," Virgil began donning his gloves again. "It'd be easier than everyone going." He clapped Alan on the shoulder. "C'mon, Pinky. Lead the way."

Alan rolled his eyes at his brother's use of his school nickname, but led Virgil to the stairs at the far end of the hall. "Why not the elevator?" Virgil asked, as Alan opened the door to the stuffy stairwell.

"It's good exercise." Alan had both hands in his pockets as he loped quickly, not stopping, down the steps, his shoes making a light patter that echoed throughout the passage. Virgil followed, a touch slower on the unfamiliar stairs. The temperature dropped as they reached the doors; this was now the main entrance, and boys were constantly coming and going. The monitor at the desk was well-bundled up, and waved at Alan as he, then Virgil, burst through to the snowy air outside.

"It's good exercise, and it puts us close to Jase's dorm." Alan paused to let his brother catch up. "Hopefully he won't have already headed for dinner."

"Has he used any of those comebacks we gave him?" Virgil asked, a smirk on his face.

Alan looked thoughtful. "Yeah. I think he used yours... the Mona Lisa one."

"And how did Sable react?"

Virgil's question elicited a chuckle. "She gave him this 'bwuh?' look, and shook her head. Then she stopped asking him that question."

"Damn!" Virgil snapped his fingers, making a dull thud with his gloves on. "I hoped he'd have used Dad's."

"The one from Grandpa?" By this time, they had reached Oakwood and were ascending the snow-covered steps.

"Nah. The Air Force one. That one was great, once you thought about it." Virgil reached out to pull open the door. "I want to meet this Sable. She sounds like a real character."

"You'll have to try and catch her after her shift is over tonight," Alan told him. They were striding down the hallway to Jason's room. "She only works regular breakfast and dinner on weekdays. Says she has a life between shifts."

Virgil was going to make a comment, but he was forestalled by Alan's call. "Jase!"

Jason, who was shrugging into his winter jacket, turned. "Hey, Pinky! What's up?" He gave Virgil a long look, then smiled. "You have family here again?"

"Yeah." Alan pulled up beside his friend. "This is my brother, Virgil. Virge, this is Jason."

The two shook hands, and Jason grinned. "Hey, thanks for that comeback you gave me. It did the trick."

"You're welcome. Alan told me about Sable's reaction."

"Yeah. I'm so relieved that she's stopped asking me that damned question." Jason made movements toward the doors. "You two going to dinner?"

"Yeah, but not here," Alan said. He turned and started walking toward the lobby, his motion bringing Jason and Virgil along with him. "My grandma is here, too, as well as my brother, John. There's no quiz meet tonight..."

Jason jumped in. "What? No Quizzing Whizzards? That sucks!"

"It does." Virgil stepped up to flank Jason on the right. "We've heard a lot about them and wanted to see Fermat own the competition."

"But since there's no quizzing, we're going out for pizza or something." Alan was trying to sound blasé about it, but his underlying eagerness showed through. "Wanna come?"

"Pizza? Away from Wharton?" Jason grinned. "I'm in!"

Alan matched his friend's smile. "Then let's hurry. The rest of the crew is waiting at Fermat's rooms, and I want to go before Grandma thinks it's too dangerous to drive."

"Whew!" John dropped heavily into the chair beside Alan. "Remind me never to play pinball against Fermat."

Alan slurped up the last of the soda in his cup. "If I'd known you were going to, I would have warned you. Fermat's initials are at the top of every pinball machine at Wharton."

John chuckled as he rose again, plucking his own empty cup from the table. "I'm going to refill my drink. You want more?"

"Sure." Alan handed over his own cup, laying the straw down beside his plate. They had chosen the pizza place and game room that Brains had taken Fermat to, and now everyone but Alan was playing something. Even Grandma had decided to participate.

"It's been a long time since I played skeeball, but I still think I remember how," she had said as she left the table. "Come on, Andrew, and let an old lady teach you something."

Alan leaned back in his chair, the front legs off the floor, and his balance maintained by a knee strategically placed under the wide round table. He let the chair drop back into position as John returned, two full cups of soda in his hands, and a plate of apple pastries gripped between a straining finger and thumb. Alan took the plate and his cup from his brother, and began to munch on a sweet as John settled down again.

"So, why aren't you out there having fun?" John asked, snagging a pastry for himself. He leaned back in his chair much as Alan had been doing. "There's a motocross VR game that I think you'd like."

With a quick shrug and a long pull on his soft drink's straw, Alan replied, "I dunno. Just wondering if this weekend is gonna be a bust, that's all. I mean, traveling all the way out to Worcester – I don't even know where this place is so I can give you directions."

"Like that matters." John shook his head, eying his younger brother with a keen look. "All we need is the name or address and we can use the GPS." He paused to finish his sweet, then asked, "What's really up with you, Alan?"

The boy was quiet for a bit, then he sighed heavily. "I'm not looking forward to seeing this counselor. I don't want to be told there's something wrong with me, that I'm seeing things. I don't want to relive that whole mess."

"You may not have to, Alan." John sat up straight and leaned in close to his brother, arms folded on the table. "I'm sure she's going to have all the info about what happened; she'll probably focus more on what effect it's having on you now, and will give you tools to help you deal with it." He put a hand on Alan's shoulder. "That's how it went with me."

Alan wouldn't meet John's eyes. "I'm also scared I'll say something about... you know. I'm scared I'll compromise our security or something."

John shook his head. "Just keep things on task, Alan. What happened to you had nothing to do with our little family business, and in a way, that makes things a whole lot easier. Stick to your guns, and don't let the conversation go off onto rabbit trails. I know you can do that, Alan."

"I guess."

John let his brother sit quietly for a bit, then said, "C'mon. I bet I can do better on that motocross game than you can."

This got the response John was looking for. Alan turned to his brother, giving him a sly look of icy disbelief, one eyebrow raised in challenge. "You think?"

"I don't think; I know, so I bet. Ten bucks says I get a higher score."

"Make it ten bucks and all the points on your game card, and you've got a bet."

John laughed. "Okay. You're on." He rose, pushing back his chair, which skidded noisily along the tiled floor. "Let's go."

Alan snorted a laugh, then stood and followed his brother into the game room.