They’re smart enough to plan and escape the cops, Gem said, but not smart enough to realize they won’t get the scholarship this way.

Lia hesitated. If they’re going to frame me, that breaks the alphabet trend, and I’m not in line for the scholarship. I’m nowhere close. Why me?

No offense, but more pressing—this means they’re in our biology class. That’s what this means, right? Gem asked. And if they’re canceling school, kids will be home alone all day. They’ll be vulnerable.

Lia closed her Assassins journal and looked toward her dark window. Was the killer watching her now? My mom is dropping me off and picking me up. I’ve got no phone or computer.

How are you talking to us now? Devon asked.

Old flip phone on Wi-Fi.

Lia got up and wedged three pencils into the sliding window to keep it shut just in case the lock was picked. She pulled the blinds shut.

We stop this now, Lia said. No more sitting ducks. Tomorrow we go after them.

Lia didn’t go to sleep immediately. She sent an email to the Council.

How did you know it wasn’t me, and why didn’t you say anything?

Their response didn’t come until Sunday morning.

We do not interfere in the lives of civilians no matter how dastardly they may be. Lincoln leaves us alone to do as we may, so we leave Lincoln alone to do as it may.

Which didn’t really help.

Lia’s mother dropped her off at school Monday one minute before the first bell rang. Devon and Gem were waiting on the sidewalk near the drop-off, and Lia’s mom said nothing when Lia said goodbye. Surely she wasn’t really a suspect now if Detective James was letting her go to school, but that meant they had no clue who it actually was. If today didn’t work, things would get worse. Lia wouldn’t let anything happen to Devon or anyone else.

No matter what.

“How are you doing?” she asked Devon.

Devon leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’ve been better.”

“I made a list.” Lia pulled out her journal and held it out to Gem. “I narrowed it down to seven people in our biology class who aren’t playing the game. The Council didn’t give me anything new.”

The seven the Council might have meant were Sam Douglas, Krystal Fowler, Hannah Henry, Faith Franklin, Suzanna Smith, Penny Peterson, and Jessica Thompson

“You can add Mateo, even though I hate to say it,” Gem said. “He withdrew before that email was sent.”

Lia added him, but it was hard to picture Mateo killing anyone. It was hard to picture anyone she knew as a killer.

Lia looked around at the kids milling about. Maybe they were wrong. Maybe it wasn’t even a senior or a student. It was too late for that now. At least they were safe at school. She had barely slept the night before. There were too many thoughts in her mind. “Time to sit in biology and hope the killer isn’t in there.”