Anyone looking at Zac, once known as Zachariah the Clanless, would see nothing more exotic than an average college student stumbling his way to class after a late night. That illusion of normalcy was one Zac cultivated with constant effort. From his clothing, always proper to the current style without being “stylish” to being just slightly disheveled at all times. College students, by and large, were always stressed, harried by classes, exams, deadlines, social requirements and a severe lack of money. Although none of these concerned Zac in the least, avoiding detection did.

Still, after so many decades of relative security and total anonymity, Zac had allowed himself to relax some things. He remained scrupulous of his appearance, of his behavior, and made sure to always have a fully packed backpack on his person. However, he let himself slide on other things. He appeared in “selfies” with fellow students (what were the odds anyone would ever comb through such a mass of inconsequential postings to note how very long he had been around? If the trend continued, he figured he could claim to be his own brother, son, or nephew.) He spent more time with the students than he had once done, attending parties and joining them for activities such as “Dungeons and Dragons” and gaming nights. He played an excellent cleric. He even maintained a rather hazardous friendship with one of the campus security guards, an affable young man named Alex. The security guard had started a mere two years prior, so Zac had a few years before he had to fabricate a reason to still be on campus. Maybe pretend to be going for something like a PhD? Apply to be a Teachers Assistant? Perhaps take a student teaching position. Any of those could keep him around longer than a normal student's term, and by then Alex might move on to more lucrative employment.

Zac paused in the entry to the University Center to purchase a pair of bagels from the little food stand that catered to students in too much hurry to use the full cafeteria, and then staggered his tired self up to the second floor, where Alex waited in their usual spot. There were nice, plush chairs set up all around the open second floor of the University Center for studying, eating, and socializing. The best spot was the forward corner, where one could watch a game on the nearby television, observe students over the balcony, and lounge in relative silence and privacy surrounded by several ficus. Alex had already claimed this prime spot for them, and Zac plopped down on his chair next to him.

“Morning,” Alex grunted.

Zac made a vaguely speech like sound and plopped a fully loaded bagel sandwich next to his friend. Alex held out a miraculously warm paper cup of coffee, which Zac accepted with a fervor only the truly caffeine addicted could understand.

“Wild party last night?” Alex asked.

Zac shrugged, drinking deeply of the hot, bitter liquid. “Got a bit rowdy, yeah.”

“We were called to break up the festivities after the party hit the streets. Didn't see you around though.”

“I cut out early.”

“Hear you took someone home with you.”

Zac shook his head. “I just didn't want to stick around after the conversation turned to “hey, hold my beer.” Nothing good comes after that.”

Actually, he had taken someone from the party; but he didn't want to admit it because the child was “underage”, meaning currently too young to drink. As the boy had consumed more than a few beers, well, Zac admitting his interference could get the boy in trouble. For his part, Zac had seen the child back to his dorm, made sure someone would see him to his room, and slipped a note into his pocket cautioning him to drink water and be more wary at the next party.

Alex chewed on his bagel contemplatively. “You really are hard to peg.”

“Huh?”

“Well, one minute I think you're the classic party dude, hanging around campus with no plans to ever actually, you know, graduate. The next you're all responsibility, leading study groups, never drinking. When there's trouble you always manage to be somewhere else.”

Zac held up the coffee. “My one vice. I like to have fun; I also like to remember having fun.”

Alex laughed.

Zac rubbed at his temples. Something felt off. Like the beginnings of a headache or the build up to a massive storm.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” Zac said, “Just... didn't sleep well I guess.” He took another gulp. He looked at his bagel and felt unaccountably queasy. He shoved it across the small table between his and Alex's chair.

“You sure you're feeling okay?”

Zac nodded, which proved to be a mistake. Vertigo hit him like a hammer. The floor tilted and bent in unlikely fashion and he had to brace his arms against the table to remain mostly upright.

He felt a hand on his forehead. Alex, probably checking for a fever. Zac knew he would find no sign of raised temperature; a fever in Zac would be normal body temperature in a human. Alex could not know that though.

“I'm... maybe coming down with something,” Zac gasped, as the room spun faster. Could he be sick? He wasn't immune to every illness, just most of them. He should get home; if he was contagious the students, and Alex, were in danger. A mild inconvenience to his immune system might well hospitalize, even kill, a human.

He tried to stand, ended up staggering into a ficus. Alex stood and slung one of Zac's arms over his shoulder. Zac leaned into his side gratefully. Alex would get him outside. Fresh air would restore Zac enough that he could make it home. Hopefully. It might get awkward if he had to explain to Alex where he actually lived.

“Hey, Zac, you okay?” this voice was female, and came from somewhere out in the swiftly spinning fog.

Alex answered, “Think he had too much at the party last night. Needs some more shut eye.”

Zac shook his head slowly. He didn't drink. Alex knew that. Why was he lying?

“Let's go, come on,” Alex said, tugging Zac towards the elevator. Zac balked. He hated being in a tiny box suspended from two cables and human technology.

“Man, I can not get us down those stairs,” Alex grumbled, tugging Zac along.

“Guh,” Zac argued quite eloquently. He sighed and let himself be pulled into the elevator. He shied away from the stainless steel walls. He wasn't normally claustrophobic; he went exploring natural caves when the opportunity presented itself. The elevator walls felt like the were closing in, though. He could smell the burning pain just brushing the metal surface would cause. Why had the school chosen brushed steel, not, say, aluminum? Or wood paneling? Or, well, anything else?

Luckily the University Center only had two floors, so the trip was blessedly short. Alex chuckled as the elevator bounced at the bottom.

“You're really feeling it, aren't you?”

“Uh?” Feeling what? Did Alex know what was wrong... wait...

The coffee. There was something in the coffee! He had to warn Alex... but... Alex was fine.

“Come on,” Alex tugged Zac not at all gently out of the elevator.

“Coffee,” Zac slurred the word.

“Yeah, it was in the coffee,” Alex grunted.

Zac blinked, tried to struggle. Alex had put something in his coffee? Why?

Zac stumbled into a wall, thankfully this one was plastered. Alex grabbed him around the waist again and jerked him upright.

“You really are a lightweight, huh?” Alex muttered.

Was this some kind of joke? Was Alex insane? Any drug that could affect Zac would kill a human! This wasn't a prank, it was attempted murder. Unless... Alex knew.

Alex pushed through the security door at the back of the University Center. There was a van parked outside. Zac backpedaled, tried to raise his voice. He needed help!

“Just get in,” Alex grunted, shoving Zac into the open door of the van. There were no seats, only bare sheet metal. Zac gasped and screeched as his bare forearms contacted the metal. It burned!

He was rolled over, shoved, pressed hard against the floor of the van. He screamed, and something was forced over his mouth. He hit out, kicked, but his movements were feeble. Weak.

Why? Why was this happening?

“Drive! I'll secure him!” Alex shouted to... someone.

The engine rumbled beneath Zac's burning skin. He screamed and tried to keep his face off the surface.

“Can't hide now, freak,” Alex muttered to him.

Alex rolled Zac over onto his chest. Zac arched his back as far as he could. His arms were pulled back, wrists held together. There was a tearing sound. Familiar. Duct tape?

Zac fought to breathe, to speak. What was going on? Why? Alex was his friend! Why was he doing this to him?

“Why?” he gasped, only to feel something sticky and unyielding press against his face. Alex had gagged him, and bound his arms, and along the way kicked him.

Why?

He tried to twist, to at least see where these madmen were taking him, but his vision blurred beyond uselessness and he soon found himself seeing only blackness.