Apex in the shadows

At eight o'clock on the first Monday of every month, Sterling Academy became unusually quiet.

Not because classes were starting.

Because the rankings were changing.

Students crowded around the enormous digital display in the central atrium. Some stood on the stairs. Others leaned over the railings above. A few had arrived early just to secure a good view.

The old rankings disappeared.

The screen went black.

Then three words appeared.

RANKING UPDATE — AUGUST

The atrium erupted.

"Move!"

"I can't see!"

"Yes! Rank sixty-eight!"

"You're kidding! I dropped twelve places!"

"How did you pass me?"

Lynn Hale stood near the back of the crowd, hands in his pockets.

He wasn't interested in the shouting.

He was waiting for one number.

The rankings began appearing from the top.

Rank 1.

Rank 2.

Rank 3.

The reactions grew louder with every name.

Lynn checked his phone.

8:02.

His first class started at eight.

Technically, he was already late.

He didn't care.

Rank 98.

Rank 97.

Rank 96.

Someone cheered.

Someone groaned.

Lynn yawned.

Beside him, Finn Reid glanced over.

"You look excited."

"I am."

"You've been staring at the same spot for five minutes."

"I'm patient."

"You're bored."

"That too."

Finn laughed.

The rankings continued.

Rank 91.

Rank 82.

Rank 74.

Then—

Rank 73 — Aria Hayes.

A small wave of whispers passed through the crowd.

"Seventy-three?"

"She climbed again."

"She's getting close to the top fifty."

Lynn glanced at the screen.

Aria Hayes.

He didn't know her.

Or at least he couldn't remember having a reason to.

He looked away.

Finn noticed.

"You don't know her?"

"No."

"She's in the upper rankings."

"Congratulations to her."

"That's it?"

"What else should I say?"

Finn stared at him.

"You really don't care about anything."

"I care about lunch."

"It's eight in the morning."

"Exactly. I'm already thinking ahead."

Finn shook his head.

The rankings continued.

Rank 50.

Rank 31.

Rank 20.

The crowd became louder.

Then came the Top Ten.

Rank 10.

Rank 9.

Rank 8.

Students pushed closer to the screen.

Lynn checked his phone again.

8:04.

He turned around.

Finn blinked.

"Where are you going?"

"Class."

"They haven't finished."

"I know."

"You don't want to see Rank 1?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I already know it isn't me."

Finn laughed.

"You could at least pretend to care."

"I do care."

"About?"

"Being on time."

"You've been late three times this week."

"Exactly. I need to improve."

Finn followed him.

The rankings continued behind them.

Rank 7.

Rank 6.

Rank 5.

Lynn reached the second-floor corridor.

Rank 4.

He turned toward Classroom 2-B.

Rank 3.

He opened the door.

Rank 2.

He stepped inside.

And finally—

Rank 1.

The screen settled.

The atrium exploded into cheers.

Lynn sat down.

Finn entered a few seconds later.

"You're unbelievable."

Lynn looked at him.

"Good morning."

"You didn't even wait for Rank 1."

"I knew it wasn't me."

"That's not the point."

"What is the point?"

Finn dropped into the seat beside him.

"The point is that you are the only person in this school who doesn't care about the rankings."

Lynn shrugged.

"I'm Rank 150."

Finn smiled.

"Exactly."

At Sterling Academy, being ranked was everything.

Rank 1 meant influence.

The Top Ten meant privilege.

The Top Fifty meant recognition.

Even Rank 300 meant you had earned a place among the academy's measured students.

And Rank 150?

It meant almost nothing.

Which was exactly why Lynn liked it.

He had been Rank 150 for months.

Not 149.

Not 151.

Always 150.

Finn leaned closer.

"Seriously, though. Doesn't it bother you?"

"What?"

"Being exactly in the middle."

"Middle is comfortable."

"That's the most boring answer I've ever heard."

"Thank you."

"I wasn't complimenting you."

"I know."

Before Finn could respond, Mr. Vale entered the classroom.

"Phones away."

Everyone obeyed.

Lynn placed his phone on the desk.

Mr. Vale looked around.

"Before we begin, I assume everyone has seen the new rankings."

A few students groaned.

"Good," Mr. Vale continued. "Then let's get something clear. Your ranking does not determine your worth."

A student near the window raised his hand.

Mr. Vale ignored him.

"However, your ranking does determine several opportunities within the academy."

The student raised his hand higher.

Mr. Vale sighed.

"Yes?"

"So it doesn't determine our worth, but it determines our scholarships, clubs, training programs, internships, leadership positions, and recommendations?"

A few students laughed.

Mr. Vale rubbed his forehead.

"It determines opportunities. Not your value as a person."

"Sounds like the same thing."

More laughter.

Even Lynn smiled.

Barely.

Finn noticed.

"There," he whispered.

"What?"

"You smiled."

"No."

"I saw it."

"You imagined it."

"I know what I saw."

Lynn ignored him.

Mr. Vale continued the lesson.

For the next forty minutes, nothing unusual happened.

Lynn already knew most of the material.

He had read the chapter weeks ago.

He wasn't particularly interested in showing that.

Being underestimated was easier.

Much easier.

At lunch, Lynn and Finn sat beneath a tree behind the eastern building.

Finn stared at Lynn's sandwich.

"That's depressing."

"It's lunch."

"It looks like something the cafeteria forgot to finish."

Lynn took a bite.

"It's fine."

"You have no standards."

"You ate cafeteria noodles yesterday."

"Those noodles were incredible."

"They were orange."

"Exactly."

Lynn shook his head.

For a few minutes, they ate in silence.

Then Finn spoke.

"You know what I heard?"

"No."

"Someone says the academy is changing the ranking system next semester."

Lynn looked up.

"Who told you?"

"My cousin."

"Your cousin says a lot of things."

"He's usually right."

"He's usually lucky."

Finn smiled.

"Same thing."

Lynn was about to answer when his phone vibrated.

Once.

He looked down.

STERLING ACADEMY SYSTEM

SECURITY NOTICE

Lynn's expression barely changed.

Finn noticed anyway.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"You always say that."

"Because it's usually nothing."

Lynn opened the notification.

UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS ATTEMPT DETECTED.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

The message disappeared.

He checked again.

Nothing.

The system had returned to normal.

Finn leaned over.

"Did something happen?"

Lynn locked the phone.

"Probably a glitch."

"You don't look like you think it's a glitch."

Lynn stood.

"I'm going to class."

"We have twenty minutes."

"Then I'll be early."

Finn stared at him.

"You know you're weird, right?"

Lynn walked away.

"Frequently."

He didn't mention the notification again.

Neither did Finn.

By the afternoon, everyone had forgotten about it.

Everyone except Lynn.

Because when he checked the academy network later, he found something strange.

The security notice hadn't been a glitch.

Someone had actually tried to access a restricted system.

And the access attempt had come from somewhere inside Sterling Academy.

Lynn stared at the information.

He could have investigated.

He could have followed the trail.

Instead, he closed the screen.

It wasn't his problem.

At least, not yet.

He put his phone away and walked toward Classroom 2-B.

He didn't notice the camera above the corridor.

Or perhaps he did.

Either way, he kept walking.

Behind him, the small green light on the camera remained on.

Recording.