I walked across campus as if I wasn't about to ask the most vital questions of my life. And I probably was.

Before leaving my apartment, I debated about whether to show up as me or Tempest. Going as me seemed more appropriate. Especially since I could show my school ID to prove I was a student here. And also, if this wasn't the same Elton Blake from the lab, then at least I could walk away from it saying it was a silly pledge prank.

Just before I was going to head into the building, I caught sight of Colin.

"Colin!" I called, getting his attention as I waved him over.

He seemed out of it. More so than when we were on our date. Man, how long ago was that? It feels like forever.

"Penn, good to see you walking around. I missed you last week. POW! is definitely not the same without you." He told me, a tired smile in place.

"Yeah, it's been a crazy few weeks." I replied, trying to avoid the whole 'sick' excuse again. "How have you been though? I haven't seen much of you at POW! this week either. I keep taking over for Mr. Powers or Kyle."

"Yeah, I've just been crazy busy." He said, holding his sketchbook tightly in his hands.

I watched the way he held his sketches. His knuckles were red from clutching it with such... enthusiasm. You know, the type that just made you wonder if he was on something. If I didn't know better, I would have thought someone was trying to steal his work.

Trying to change the subject, I pointed towards his hands. "Ooh, do you have any to show yet?"

"No." he half-barked at me. "They're not ready."

"Oooookkkkkk..." I tried not to frown. "That's fine. I was just wondering."

He nodded, acknowledging my curiosity, but I couldn't help but feel like something had shifted between us. We stood there in this awkward silence that was, frankly, unbearable.

I looked at Colin. I mean really looked at him. He had bags under his eyes, and his auburn hair was messy like he was running his hands through it incessantly. He even looked a little pale—almost like the life force was being sucked out of him.

What is going on with you?

"So, Colin... I was thinking we could get another coffee sometime. We could just catch up, you know?"

"Sorry, Penn. I can't. There's too much to do." The hand that held his sketchpad twitched. "Too much to do... I have to go. See you around."

I watched him walk away. I wanted to stop him, but what could I have done? Grabbed his art? I had a feeling he would have cut me down where I stood if I did that.

"Yeah, see ya." I gave a less than enthused wave as Colin sauntered off.

I sighed as I tried to push my encounter with Colin out of my mind. No time to think about whatever the hell that was. I told myself just as I entered the science building. I needed to worry about me for the moment. I felt bad being so selfish, but it was now or never with Elton Blake, and I preferred now.

The door to his office was open and he was sitting at his desk, grading some papers. I knocked at the door before entering.

When he looked up, he smiled at me through warm brown eyes and small framed lenses. His hair was black with streaks of gray throughout his head, and his dark skin contrasted sharply with his ivory button up shirt. He definitely wasn't as old as I thought he was. I was seriously expecting someone that looked like Anthony Hopkins to be in this office. I guess I overshot the age. Either that or he ages extremely well.

"Excuse me, are you Professor Elton Blake?"

            "That's what it says on my door." he joked. "How may I help you? Are you one of my students?"

"No, sir, I'm not." I stood near the door for a second. "Do you mind if I close this door? I'd like to talk to you about something privately. I'm hoping you can help me."

"Please," he smiled curiously. "Feel free."

I shut the door and took a seat in front of his desk. "I just need a minute." I told him, trying to calm my racing mind. Not to mention, trying to steady my wicked beating heart.

"Take your time." he smiled, patiently.

The one thing I kept remembering over and over again was something Blake had written in his last entry. 'We will be whispers in the darkest corners of our world; barely spoken without a shot fired.' I looked around the room nervously. I hope Deadpool is not around here waiting to take the kill shot.

            "Ok," I began. "If you're the Elton Blake I think you are then this might not be the right place to discuss something like this, but... I have to know." I pulled out the floppy disk from my backpack. "Do you recognize this at all?"

He focused his attention on the disk and after a moment, recognition hit. He seemed to turn ghost-pale. His happy exterior from a moment ago dissipated, and all that was left was a frightened shell of a professor.

"Where did you get that?" he demanded to know.

"Can I take that as a yes?" I raised a brow. "And can you also confirm that you were working on something called Project Hope?"

"How did you—" He stopped himself mid-sentence before he nodded his head, his breath shaky. "May I have it?" he asked, pointing towards the floppy disk.

I shook my head. "Not until I get the answers I need."

Professor Blake peered outside the windows behind me. Even though we couldn't hear anything from outside, he seemed totally paranoid. Maybe it was for a good reason.

"We can't talk about this here. I'm constantly under watch because of a new project I'm invested in." he began to write something down on a post-it. "We can talk here tomorrow at six p.m." He handed me the note. "Do you think you could make that?"

I looked at the address. "I wouldn't miss it."