It's winter season in Crestview. It looked like the whole campus was covered in a whitish-grey blanket with cold everywhere, forcing people indoors or put on layers upon layers of thick clothing, just to seek warmth.
It's getting close to Cameron and Leah's class project's deadline. And Cameron is filled with anxiety towards the project and the call from Blackwood.
"My roommate is having an existential crisis about her art portfolio," Leah said, shivering as they packed up their books one Thursday. "She has turned out room into a warzone of charcoal and tears. Maybe we can work at your place? I promise I don't bite and I'm not a serial killer."
Cameron stopped, caught off guard. His dorm was his safe zone. His private place. And letting someone in is like inviting a wolf into his space."
But Leah was shivering and her nose was turning red. She's his first and only friend, he calls her a friend. He can't abandon her when she's giving him that hopeful look.
"Yeah," he heard himself say. "Okay. But my space's small"
"That sounds much better." she sighed.
Twenty minutes later, Leah was sitting cross-legged on his floor, her textbooks spread out on the floor, a cup of his cheap tea in her hands. She didn't say anything, she just started doing her work.
They stayed in that silence, each doing their work, for a while. Then when they stopped to rest, she saw the faded photograph of Cameron when he was a toddler sitting on his desk.
"Cute kid," she said, smiling softly. "You?"
Cameron froze. He'd forgotten to hide it. "Yeah."
"You look serious. Even then." She didn't ask questions, just nodded. "I was a total goofball. My teeth were all missing and I had lots of injuries then." She pulled out her own phone, brought out a picture of a little girl with missing tooth and wild curls, covered in mud and smiling brightly, then showed it to him. "See?" She said, pointing at the photo. "A walking disaster."
The simple act of sharing her childhood picture made Cameron relaxed a little.
"My parents have about a million of these," she laughed, putting her phone away. "They're kind of obsessed. They stored everything like a safe keep. Trying to tease me later with it."
When Cameron heard the mention of parents and the casual care and attention Leah has with her parents made his chest feel stuffy. He looked away, avoiding Leah's gaze.
Leah noticed the slight shift, the slight tension in that's starting to build up in the air. She quickly changed the topic, going back to their project.
The following Monday, he got an email from the campus announcing an "Industry Insights" seminar. The first guest was a venture capitalist. The second, listed for the following week, was Mr. Alexander Sterling, President & CEO of Sterling Global.
Topic: "The Future is Built: Leadership in the Next Technological Era."
Cameron read the email three times. 'Alexander Sterling. Here. On his campus.' His heart began to beat violently. 'Why? What is he coming here for?' He kept asking in his head. 'Why come to his space? His safe zone. Why now?.'
——————
At the same time, Alexander Sterling was sitting on a couch in his private jet. He going through his speech for the event. This event is just his own way of scouting talent and maintaining appearance.
His tablet rang. It was a message from Benjamin.
"The investigation came back clean. Too clean. The adoption paperwork is flawless. His school records show that there was a switch in performance academically and in his behavior at the age of 18. No juvenile record. Doesn't socialize. We found a freelance online work account connected to him. He's a mystery. An anomaly. Should I proceed?"
Alexander stared at the words. Anomaly. A record that was too perfect, too clean. A clean slate in the social world. It fit the profile of someone who had something to hide… or someone who had been hidden.
'Just observe quietly now. I will be going to his campus next week. Do not try anything.' He replied.
He closed the tablet. A strange, tight feeling settled in his chest. He was going to see this 'Anomaly' soon.
——————
These few days to the seminar, Cameron was on high-alert mode. He knows he couldn't avoid it. The attendance wasn't compulsory, but his professor said he'll give extra credit to those present. And it'll look suspicious if he skip the event. He was trapped.
On Thursday, the night before the event, Thursday, he found himself at the library, in Room 307, at 9pm. He didn't know why he was there or how he got there. He just want to talk to the one person that understands and can guide him.
The monitor went on. Then he saw Aaron Blackwood's face on the screen, he was earlier than expected. He was looking at a financial report on his laptop. He glanced at the camera.
"You look distressed," he stated, no greeting.
"Alexander Sterling is coming here, to my campus, tomorrow." The words coming out quickly. "There's a seminar and I have to go. What do I do?"
Aaron set his tablet down, his full attention now on Cameron. "You attend. You sit in the middle of the crowd. You take notes. There's nothing to be afraid of. You are a student. Just that."
"What if he sees me again? What if he… approaches me?"
"He won't." Aaron's voice was certain. "That's your space. He's coming to your territory. He's not there to investigate. Suppress your fear."
"How?" Cameron's whispered desperately.
"By remembering that you belong there as much as anyone. You earned your place there. You are Cameron Reed of Crestview University. That is your identity for the next twenty four hours. Believe it."
"What about after? Benjamin Sterling is… still digging."
"Let him dig." A faint, almost mistakable smirk touched Aaron's lips. "He won't find anything of value. He will only find the traces of my security brushing against yours. That will make him hesitate. It will make you more intriguing, and less easily dismissed."
"You want him to know that you're… involved?"
"I want him to know you are protected. It will make him not to take any drastic action." Aaron leaned back. "This is a dance, Cameron. You are now on the floor. Do not let him lead you on but do not step on his feet."
Cameron took a shaky breath. "Okay." He said with a growing resolve.
Aaron watched him for a moment longer. "You have survived worse than a corporate lecture."
The words were simple. They didn't judge him, but acknowledged his fights.
"Yeah," Cameron said, strangely getting courageous. "I have."
"Good. Now go get some sleep. You'll need to be sharp and in your best shape tomorrow." Aaron's gaze shifted back to his report, a way of saying the meeting was over. "And Cameron?"
"Yes?"
"Wear the grey sweater. It makes you look more…handsome."
The screen went dark. Cameron sat in the quiet room, a strange warmth spreading through his chest. Aaron Blackwood had just given him a pep talk and fashion advice. The world had officially gone mad.
The next day, he wore the grey sweater. He sat in the middle row of the packed auditorium. Then Alexander Sterling climbed the stage. Cameron felt that same imposing authority around him. Even from afar, he can still feel it.
But he remembered Aaron's words. You belong here.
He lifted his chin and looked at the CEO. Even as their gaze meet, he didn't look away. He was just a student. A serious one, taking notes.
Alexander's eyes moved on. But he noticed something different. In that split second that their gaze met, Cameron didn't flinch. He didn't hid. He held his gaze.
After the speech, as students went to the stage to ask questions, Cameron slipped out the side exit. The cold air hit his face, cooling the sweat and slight tension. He'd done it. He'd survived the encounter.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a message from the secure server.
"Alexander Sterling's attention was drawn to you three times, for an average of 1.2 seconds each. It was not threatening. You are learning."
It was from Graves. But the quiet approval, the monitoring, felt like a shield. He wasn't alone. He was learning how to play the game.