Terranauts: Ruby Warrior 05 - Mysteries Escalation

The cafeteria buzzed with its usual lunchtime chaos, a symphony of clattering trays, blended conversations, and the faint undertone of the kitchen staff calling orders. David navigated through the maze of tables, balancing his tray of questionable lasagna and apple juice as he spotted Tony waving from their usual corner table.

"So," Tony said as David slid into the seat across from him, "I was thinking about switching my main to a Shadow Ranger. The mobility is insane after the last patch, and the stealth mechanics actually work now."

David took a cautious bite of his lasagna before responding. "What about your Frost Mage? I thought you just got that legendary staff from the dungeon."

"Yeah, but everyone's running Frost Mage now," Tony sighed. "The meta is so boring. At least with Shadow Ranger, I can play my own style."

"Maybe I should switch too," David mused. "My Pyromancer build is feeling stale after that nerf."

"You could try Void Walker," Morgan suggested, appearing suddenly with his lunch tray. He set it down next to Tony and slid onto the bench. "Jason's been dominating with that since the last tournament. The crowd control is sick if you know the rotation."

"Too complicated," David shook his head. "I'd mess up the cooldown management for sure."

"Speaking of Jason," Tony nodded toward the lunch line, "he was telling me about this hybrid build using the Earth Shaper talents but with damage gems instead of the standard tank setup."

As they fell into their typical discussion of Battle of the Ancients strategies, David found his attention drifting to the far side of the cafeteria. Melissa Altura sat alone at a corner table, her dark clothes and heavy eyeliner standing out against the cafeteria's institutional beige walls. Unlike her usual routine of reading or doing homework while eating, today she just sat rigidly, food untouched, eyes scanning the room in slow, deliberate sweeps.

"Something's definitely up with your sister," David said, interrupting Tony's explanation of optimal gem socketing.

Morgan glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "Yeah, she's been acting off all week. Barely talks at home, stays in her room with the door locked. My parents think it's just normal teen angst, but..."

"That's not normal teen angst," Tony observed. "That's like, next-level brooding."

"She was weird at Quick Mart the other day too," David added. "Just standing in the energy drink aisle, completely zoned out. When I asked if she needed help, she looked at me like I was speaking another language."

"Maybe she's just stressed about college applications?" Tony suggested.

Morgan shook his head. "She finished those weeks ago. Early decision for all her schools." He watched his sister for another moment. "I tried talking to her last night, but she just said she needed space to figure some things out."

"Figure what out?" David asked.

"No idea," Morgan sighed. "And when I pushed, she just put her headphones on and ignored me."

The subject of Melissa faded as Tony launched into a detailed breakdown of the upcoming Battle of the Ancients tournament qualifiers, but David found himself occasionally glancing back at her table, unsettled by the methodical way she continued to survey the cafeteria.

The conversation had shifted to weekend gaming plans when a burst of laughter drew their attention to the center of the cafeteria. Nevin had arrived with his usual entourage, making their entrance with the practiced casualness of those who knew they commanded attention. Francine Holderman walked among them, her cascade of bouncy curls framing a face that made David's heart do an uncomfortable flip-flop. She wore a simple green sweater that somehow made her eyes seem more vibrant, and the silver pendant at her throat caught the fluorescent lighting in a way that momentarily mesmerized him.

"Earth to David?" Tony waved a hand in front of his face. "You're doing that spacing out thing again. I was asking if you wanted to run some practice matches tonight."

"Sorry," David tore his gaze away from Francine, who was now laughing at something one of Nevin's friends had said. "Yeah, sure. After my shift ends."

Nevin's group settled at their usual table—the best spot in the center of the room—and for a moment, Nevin's gaze locked onto David's. The brief eye contact carried the clear message that yesterday's confrontation in woodworking class hadn't been forgotten.

"Great," David muttered. "Just what I needed."

"Don't let him get to you," Morgan advised, following his line of sight. "He's all talk."

"Tell that to Seth Williams," Tony replied. "Remember what happened last year? He had to transfer schools."

"What happened with you guys anyway?" Morgan asked, turning to David. "I heard there was some kind of showdown in Carver's class."

Before David could respond, Tony jumped in. "David totally stood up to him! Nevin knocked over my project, and David called him out on it. You should have seen Nevin's face—he's so used to everyone backing down."

David felt his face warm at the exaggerated retelling. "It wasn't that dramatic. I just said it was a low move."

"Which, for you, is like the equivalent of a normal person challenging him to a duel," Morgan grinned. "The quiet ones are always the most shocking when they finally speak up."

David noticed that Nevin was now loudly holding court at his table, occasionally glancing in their direction. Though he couldn't hear the conversation, the scattered laughter following one of these glances made it clear who was being discussed. Francine sat at the edge of their group, seeming only half-engaged in whatever story Nevin was telling.

Unexpectedly, she stood up from Nevin's table and began making her way across the cafeteria. David quickly looked down at his food, hoping she hadn't caught him staring.

"Hey guys," Francine greeted as she reached their table. "Mind if I borrow you for a second?"

The three of them exchanged confused glances before Tony answered, "Uh, sure. What's up?"

"I wanted to let you know about the town meeting tomorrow night," she explained. "It's about recent community concerns—you know, those weird disappearances that happened in the past few weeks. They're holding it at the high school auditorium at seven."

"Is that really necessary?" Morgan asked. "I mean, I know about Mrs. Calloway, Mr. Peterson, and that college student, but has something else happened?"

"There might be a fourth person missing now," Francine replied. "My dad heard something about it from Sheriff Thompson. They're hoping to organize some kind of community watch program. I'm trying to get as many students as possible to come. Numbers matter when it comes to getting the town council to take action."

"I don't know," Tony shrugged. "My parents probably wouldn't want me joining a search party or anything."

"It's not about joining search parties," Francine said. "It's about showing community support. Plus, information sharing might help connect some dots." She glanced at David. "The more people know what to look out for, the safer everyone is."

David's mind flashed briefly to the strange red glow he and Tony had seen in the park, but he kept quiet.

"Anyway," Francine continued, "I hope you guys can make it. I've been asking everyone." She offered a smile that seemed to linger a moment longer on David. "See you around."

As she walked away, Tony let out a low whistle. "Dude, she was totally checking you out."

"What? No, she wasn't," David protested, though his heart had picked up speed. "She's just trying to get people to go to that meeting. She asked like three other tables before us."

"If you say so," Tony smirked. "But she definitely gave you the look."

"There was no look," David insisted, though he couldn't help glancing back at Francine, who had moved on to another table.

"Anyway," Morgan said, mercifully changing the subject, "are you guys coming to the tournament watch party at Jason's on Saturday? His parents got that massive new TV, and he's streaming the finals on it."

The conversation shifted back to safer territory as they discussed weekend plans, but David found his attention repeatedly drifting to Francine as she made her rounds through the cafeteria. There was something efficient and purposeful about the way she moved from table to table, briefly engaging with each group before moving on. It was almost like she was campaigning.

The lunch period continued, and David noticed that Melissa had begun slowly circling the cafeteria, moving from one vantage point to another. She would stop at each position, scan the room, then move on to the next spot. The behavior seemed so calculated that David found himself tracking the pattern, trying to figure out what she might be looking for.

"Your sister's doing that weird surveillance thing again," Tony said to Morgan, having noticed David's distraction.

Morgan sighed deeply. "Yeah. My mom found her doing the same thing at the mall last weekend. Standing at different points, just watching people. When we asked what she was doing, she said she was 'gathering impressions for an art project.' But she hasn't drawn or painted anything in months."

"Could she be, like, scoping out someone she likes?" Tony suggested.

"Melissa?" Morgan snorted. "She thinks everyone at this school is, and I quote, 'a shallow conformist incapable of meaningful thought.' Not exactly looking for a prom date."

David watched as Melissa completed another careful scan of the room before finding a new position. "It's like she's searching for something specific," he observed.

A burst of laughter from Nevin's table interrupted them. Nevin was standing now, doing what appeared to be an impression—shoulders hunched, expression vacant in a way that made David's stomach sink as he recognized the target.

"Look at me, I'm David Lamb," Nevin mimicked in a dopey voice. "I spend all day staring into space and drooling on my textbooks. Oh no, the teacher asked me a question! Uhhh... he burned stuff?"

The table erupted in laughter, several students from nearby tables turning to watch the performance. David felt his face burning as he stared down at his tray, wishing he could disappear through the floor. To his surprise, he noticed Francine wasn't laughing. Instead, she was giving Nevin a look of clear disapproval before turning away to continue her rounds.

"Just ignore him," Morgan advised. "He's just trying to save face after you stood up to him yesterday."

"Doesn't make it any less humiliating," David muttered.

"Want to get out of here?" Tony suggested. "We've still got twenty minutes before next period. We could hang out by the quad."

David nodded, grateful for the escape option. They gathered their trays and headed for the exit, David keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead as they passed near Nevin's table.

"Leaving so soon, Lamb?" Nevin called out. "Did I hurt your feelings?"

David kept walking, pretending he hadn't heard. They deposited their trays at the collection area and pushed through the cafeteria doors into the relatively peaceful hallway.

"What a jerk," Tony said once they were safely outside. "He's just mad because you called him out in front of everyone yesterday."

"Yeah, well, now I'm on his radar," David sighed. "Just what I needed."

They found a quiet spot in the quad, settling onto one of the benches beneath the large oak trees. The autumn air was crisp and refreshing after the stuffy cafeteria.

"So," Tony said, clearly trying to move past the cafeteria incident, "about that town meeting tomorrow night—you think you can make it?"

David shrugged. "I've got work after school, but I might be able to swing by after my shift if it runs late enough. My parents will probably want to go anyway."

"I should check with my parents," Morgan said. "They might want to go too, especially with everything that's happened."

"So what's the deal with you and Francine?" Tony asked abruptly, giving David a pointed look. "She definitely singled you out back there."

"What? No, she didn't." David tried to sound casual. "She was talking to all of us."

"Yeah, but she was looking at you," Tony insisted. "And don't think I haven't noticed you staring at her in history class."

"I don't stare," David protested weakly.

"Dude, you practically have a permanent neck cramp from turning to look at her," Morgan laughed. "It's been obvious since like, freshman year."

David felt his face growing warm. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only to everyone with eyes," Tony grinned. "Why don't you just ask her out?"

"Right, because that would go so well," David rolled his eyes. "She's Francine Holderman. She's friends with Nevin's crowd, she's in like five different clubs, and she's way out of my league."

"You never know until you try," Morgan shrugged. "Maybe at that town meeting tomorrow. It would be neutral territory."

David considered this. The town meeting did present an opportunity—a legitimate reason to approach her outside of school. And if she rejected him, at least it wouldn't be in front of the entire student body.

"Maybe," he said noncommittally. "If I can make it after work."

The warning bell rang, signaling they had five minutes to get to their next classes. As they gathered their belongings, David found himself thinking about Francine's invitation to the town meeting, wondering if there had been any special significance to the way she had looked at him.

"See you guys later," he said as they parted ways in the hallway. "I've got Physics."

"Try to stay awake this time," Tony called after him with a grin.

Physics was normally one of David's most challenging classes—not because the material was particularly difficult, but because it fell right after lunch when his energy was at its lowest. Today, however, his mind was unusually active, filled with thoughts of Francine and the possibility of seeing her at the town meeting.

He slid into his seat near the back of the classroom just as the final bell rang. Mrs. Grayson, a former aerospace engineer with prematurely gray hair and an enthusiasm for Newtonian mechanics that few students shared, was already setting up a demonstration with a pendulum at the front of the room.

"Today we'll be studying conservation of angular momentum," Mrs. Grayson announced, giving the pendulum a gentle push. "Can anyone tell me what will happen if I change the mass distribution on this pendulum while it's in motion?"

David dutifully opened his notebook, but his mind immediately began to wander. What if he did ask Francine to hang out at the town meeting? The worst she could say was no, right? But then again, she was popular, involved in a dozen school activities, and usually hung out with Nevin's crowd. Why would she be interested in someone like him?

But then he remembered the way she had looked at him in the cafeteria, how she hadn't laughed at Nevin's impression. Maybe there was a chance. A small one, but still.

He mentally rehearsed potential approaches. "Hey, Francine, want to grab coffee after the meeting?" No, too direct. "I was thinking of getting some food after this, want to join?" Better, but still too obvious. "A bunch of us are hanging out after, you should come." That might work—casual, no pressure, an easy out if she wasn't interested.

He imagined her response—maybe a smile, maybe even a yes. They could talk about normal things, not Battle of the Ancients or the weird stuff happening in town. Just two people getting to know each other better. The thought made his heart beat a little faster.

"Mr. Lamb?"

David snapped back to awareness, suddenly realizing that Mrs. Grayson was standing directly in front of his desk, along with the expectant stares of twenty-eight classmates.

"I'm sorry, what?" David managed, his ears burning.

"I asked," Mrs. Grayson repeated with the weariness of a teacher who had dealt with countless daydreaming teenagers, "if you could explain what happens to a rotating object's angular velocity when its radius changes."

David's mind raced, frantically searching for anything he remembered from the assigned reading. "Uh... it... changes?"

A few snickers rippled through the classroom. Owen Keating, who sat two rows over, made a spinning motion with his finger next to his temple, mouthing "space cadet" to his lab partner.

Mrs. Grayson's expression was a mix of disappointment and resignation. "Yes, Mr. Lamb, it does indeed 'change.' Perhaps you could be a bit more specific about how it changes?"

David stared blankly at the pendulum demonstration, trying to remember anything from last night's reading. "It... goes faster? When the radius gets smaller?"

"That's the beginning of a correct answer," Mrs. Grayson said, though her tone suggested she knew it was more of a lucky guess than actual understanding. "When a rotating object's radius decreases, its angular velocity increases to conserve angular momentum. This is why figure skaters spin faster when they pull their arms in."

She demonstrated by pulling the weights on the pendulum closer to the center, causing it to swing noticeably faster.

"The mathematical relationship," she continued, turning to the whiteboard, "is expressed as L = I × ω, where L is angular momentum, I is moment of inertia, and ω is angular velocity. When moment of inertia decreases due to mass moving closer to the axis of rotation, angular velocity must increase proportionally to maintain the same angular momentum."

As she wrote a series of equations on the board, David slumped in his seat, the fantasy of successfully asking out Francine Holderman temporarily replaced by the familiar sting of classroom humiliation.

"For tomorrow," Mrs. Grayson announced, "I expect everyone to complete problems twelve through twenty-seven in chapter eight. And Mr. Lamb," she added, giving him a pointed look, "perhaps you could give those problems your undivided attention?"

"Yes, ma'am," David mumbled, feeling his face grow even hotter.

Zack Pullman, the soccer team's goalie who sat in front of David, turned around with a smirk. "Smooth, Lamb. Real smooth."

Fortunately, Mrs. Grayson redirected the class's attention to a video demonstration of conservation of angular momentum, giving David a brief reprieve from his embarrassment. As the lights dimmed for the video, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to Francine and the town meeting.

His shift at the grocery store ended at seven-thirty tomorrow, which meant he'd miss the beginning of the meeting but could still make it for most of it. If his parents were going, maybe he could convince them to pick him up from work on their way.

It wasn't much of a plan, but it was better than nothing. And maybe, just maybe, Francine would be pleased to see him there. The possibility made even Mrs. Grayson's upcoming test seem less daunting.

The rest of Physics passed in a blur of equations and rotating objects that David barely registered. When the bell finally rang, he gathered his unused notebook and headed for his next class, already rehearsing what he might say to Francine at the town meeting—assuming he could find the courage to say anything at all.