When Reese reached the basketball court, there was a stray ball lying in the corner. He walked over and picked it up and started dribbling it. He ran over in his mind what he witnessed between Mike and his mother. He tried to put it out of his head as he threw the ball near the basket. He missed and let the ball fall and roll across the basketball court. He just stood there for a moment, until he heard someone dribbling the ball. He looked back in time to see Cree throw the ball towards the basket. It easily went in.

Cree smiled at him. “Getting some extra practice in?” He looked straight into her eyes as he picked up the ball and walked towards her.

“Maybe you should try out for the team,” he said.

“No thanks,” Cree said as he took her hand. “So, Reese, what’s bothering you?” He had no answer. “You never play that bad unless something’s bothering you.”

“It’s nothing,” he said as he led her to one of the benches. “Really?”

He sat down first as she stood in front of him. “Okay,” she said, but he knew that this wasn’t over. “So did you find out what Mister Logan wanted to talk to your mom about?”

“Yeah,” he said and looked away from her. “I kind of eavesdropped on them.”

“Well, what was it?” Cree asked.

“Just that Mike’s on a mission. That’s all.”

“Really?” Cree said and sat down next to him. “I wonder what it’s about.”

“Just some disappearances. Looks like some idiots are abducting Sadian kids.”

“Again,” Cree said, still not believing it. “Why is it always us?”

“I don’t know,” Reese said as he drifted off into space.

“Reese, is there something else?”

“No,” he said. Cree looked sternly at him. “Cree, don’t look at me like that.”

“Then stop lying to me,” she said and got up and started to walk away.

“I’m not lying,” he said, but looking into Cree’s eyes he knew she wasn’t buying it. “Okay, it’s something, but I just can’t talk about it.”