Crosby decided to follow the marching men from a safe distance. He wanted to see what they would do.

As Nathan walked toward the cafeteria for lunch, he couldn’t have been happier. Well, that wasn’t true. If he were still back in his old town and going to his old school with his old friends, he was sure he would have been happier. But if he had to be here in stupid Ironville, things had definitely gone from bad to better. That past weekend he’d gone bowling with Bethany Willis and some of the other popular kids. He felt like he’d passed the test and had been welcomed into their crowd. In fact, he decided that this was the day he’d switch lunch tables and sit with Bethany and Tanisha.

When Nathan stepped into the cafeteria, he stopped short. For a moment he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Could that really be Zach sitting at Gavin’s table? No way. It wasn’t possible.

But it was. Nathan headed toward the table where Caleb and Emma sat. They were also staring at Gavin’s table as if they too had just noticed.

“No, you’re not seeing things,” Emma said when Nathan joined them.

“If he’s sitting with them, does that mean he’s switched to the Axis side?” Nathan asked.

“That’s what we’re wondering,” Emma said.

“No one’s asked him?” said Nathan.

Emma started to get up. “I think the time has come.”

Nathan had to admit that he was impressed. The mousy Emma he’d met a few months ago when the eSports club began would never have marched over to Gavin’s table. Now he followed her and Caleb. When Zach saw them, he stared down at his lunch, averting his eyes. But the big grin on Tyler’s face said it all. Zach had gone over to the dark side.

Before any of them had a chance to ask why, Makenzie said, “There’s no rule that says gamers can’t switch sides.”

“Whose place is he taking?” Caleb asked.

“Crosby’s not here today,” said Tyler.

“Last week it was the malware attack,” Emma said. “This week you’re stealing our players. It’s like, if you can’t win fair and square, you’ll bend the rules until you find a way. What’s the point?”

It was Gavin who answered: “Chill, Emma. It’s just a game.”

“Only, now we’re short a player,” Nathan said.

“There must be a hundred kids who’re dying to play,” Tyler said. “It won’t be hard to find someone.”

Caleb cared less about the match and more about why Zach had switched sides. “Was this your decision?” he asked him.

Zach looked away and didn’t answer. Nathan felt disgusted. This proved what he’d always known: that Zach was basically spineless. Like an amoeba that changed shape to fit into whatever place it found itself. Nathan didn’t know what the Axis squad had done to get Zach to switch sides, and he decided he didn’t care. In fact, he was happy about it. Tyler was right that it probably wouldn’t be hard to find someone to take Zach’s place. And then, this afternoon, without their vaunted squad tactician, the Allies would once again thrash the Axis. And when that happened, it would be clear once and for all that it was because of Nathan’s superior gaming skills. Not because of Zach’s so-called strategies.