“Yeah, sure. But first can you make sure that the evil conniving bitch in the hall is gone? I don’t know how you were able to get past her.”

Lurch held up a small silver cannister. “What is that?” I asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

“Pepper spray,” he responded with a wink. “Works every time. And for someone who just wiped the floor with those tools, Mendez and MacKenzie, it’s funny that you’d be scared of a little girl.”

I threw the book at him and was surprised when he caught it quite agilely. “Hey! Speak for yourself! Why’d you use pepper spray to get past a little girl if you’re such a hotshot, huh?”

“Unlike you, I choose my battles wisely, grasshopper. That’s something you’ll just have to learn. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Grasshopper? Yeah, right, I’ll show you … hey, wait up for me!”

~

Lurch and I were walking towards the coffee shop around the corner from campus when we spotted Tom and Mendez seated at a table right by the entrance.

Both looked bruised and broken. And angry.