"Cough, cough, Coach," Andrew said. "I'm leaving now."

"Coach, let him go," Aaron said. "Please."

Wymack flicked a frustrated look between them, but Aaron was staring at his feet and Andrew's smile explained nothing. Finally Wymack dropped his hand and said, "You and I are going to have a very long talk later, Andrew."

"Sure," Andrew said, a bright and blatant lie. He was gone a heartbeat later.

"Seriously," Nicky said when the door slammed behind Andrew, "what did I miss?"
"Answers now, Aaron," Wymack said.

"I don't know," Aaron said.

"My ass you don't."

"I don't know," Aaron said again, a little louder. "I don't know why Higgins is calling. Call him back or take it up with Andrew if you want answers. He was Andrew's mentor, not mine. I only met the guy once."

"He obviously left an impression if you still remember him."

"Oh," Nicky said in startled realization. "Is he—?"

He didn't finish, but Aaron understood what he was asking.

"Yeah," Aaron said. "He's the one who told me I had a brother."

CHAPTER TWO

Aaron's cryptic remark was the only answer they got from him at practice. Wymack stopped pushing the second things got personal. Neil expected the upperclassmen to say something about it when they put court walls between themselves and Wymack, but apparently they shared Wymack's tact. They flicked curious looks at Aaron and Nicky from time to time but no one pushed for an explanation.

Without Seth around to pick fights with Kevin and Nicky, Allison on hand to fuss at anyone within hearing range, or Andrew chattering away in goal, their drills were almost alarmingly quiet. Practice could have been a complete waste of time if not for Kevin and Dan. Kevin was too single-minded about Exy to let anything distract him when he was on the court, and Dan knew her role as their captain. She kept them moving when they slowed and talked through the awkward silences. Even still, Neil thought they were all relieved when Wymack finally called an end to practice.

They left the stadium at the same time, but Nicky's distaste for traffic laws got them to Fox Tower first. Nicky found a spot near the back of the athletes' parking lot and they headed for the dorm as a group. Halfway there they noticed the figure waiting for them on the sidewalk. Andrew sat cross-legged on the curb, hands on his ankles as he watched their approach.

"You shouldn't be outside if you're coming down with something," Kevin said.

"Such concern." Andrew grinned at Kevin's cool tone. "Don't cry, Kevin. It's nothing a nap and some vitamin C can't fix."

Nicky crouched in front of Andrew. "Hey. You good?"

"You ask strange questions, Nicky."

"I'm concerned, is all."

"Sounds like your problem. Oh, there we go, finally."

Neil looked back as Matt turned into the parking lot. Matt circled twice before he found a spot large enough to fit his truck. Andrew batted at Nicky's face in a silent order to get out of the way, so Nicky stood and stepped off to one side. Andrew waited until Dan, Matt, and Renee were close enough to hear him before lifting his hand in greeting and saying,