I wasn't sure if Coop was still at his house when I returned. Trey had emerged from his room shortly after I closed the front door, but there was no sign of him.
"Hey, Oakley. Ainsley's going to stop by here later, if you don't mind." Trey greeted as he descended the stairs.
I knew what he meant by that, and I wouldn't let my mind wander too far into his hidden message.
"That's fine, Trey. Actually, Professor Eldritch told me that if you and Ainsley wanted to redo your tests, that you had to reschedule with her personally. Can you tell me where Coop is?" I relayed Eldritch's message, and Trey rose his brow.
"I'll let Ainsley know. Coop had a meeting with his dad. He should be back soon. When he gets back, just take him somewhere. He jokes too much when it comes to my...guests." Trey scratched the back of his head, and I nodded in understanding.
Trey awkwardly shuffled back up the stairs, and I made my way to their kitchen. Grabbing a water from the fridge, I thought about how I would tell him everything, and my nerves started to creep in.
A sigh whispered from my lips, and I closed the door. I opened the water bottle and gulped down half before a low voice whispered in my ear.
"Are you thirsty, little nymph?"
Water flew from my nostrils and I choked on the water in my throat. My coughing fit was overshadowed by Coop's booming laughter. When I recovered, I gave him my meanest glare.
"Coop, you scared the fuck out of me!" I shouted, elbowing him in his side.
"Oh, c'mon, Oakley. That shit hurt. I'm sorry, I thought it was funny." He pouted. I let my anger melt when he jutted out his lower lip, and gave him a soft smile.
"Alright, Coop. It's okay. Just don't do it again. This is what, five times now?" I joked, pushing past him to the stairs.
"Okay, little nymph. No more scaring you shitless. Got it." He affirmed, and followed.
Coop closed the door behind me, and he gestured for me to sit on the bed. I took in a deep breath, and steadied myself for the looming conversation. I already didn't like the situation, and as much as I wanted to ignore it completely, whoever found the lion, most likely its owner, was going to be after me. Old fears began to mingle with the new, and I wasn't sure how to contain my emotions.
"Oakley, are you okay?" Coop's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I hadn't even moved an inch. My feet were still planted on the red carpet. I shook my head, and let out a shaky breath, willing my feet to take me to the bed.
"Yeah, just a lot of information in one day, Coop." I mumbled, clasping my fingers together. My ass landed on the soft fabric, and I felt myself calm a bit more.
"What did Eldritch say?" He questioned, for once not prying further.
"She wouldn't say much at all honestly. I know that Headmaster Vancejoy wants to add more people to the authorized list, she's been meeting with the Seven's Council since the beginning of summer." I offered the information I was comfortable with him knowing, and he seemed to be taken aback by this.
"The Seven's Council? Why would she be meeting with such powerful people? There's and Education board that oversees the Academies. I'm confused."
Judging by his furrowed brow, he couldn't connect the dots either, so I cleared my throat.
"Coop, Brandon is a part of the research team." I emphasized Brandon's name, and Coop only looked more confused.
"Which Brandon there are like thirty on campus?" He asked, motioning me to explain further.
"The one you fought not too long ago." I replied slowly, "You know there are only three Brandons, right?" I added, pointing out his outrageous overestimation.
"I knew that. That's besides the point, Oakley. Why does that matter?" He questioned.
"He was warning Hannah about Alex and using his hatred for you to paint him as a bad guy." I let the gossip slip out. I was over confused Coop. I needed him to get on the same page, or at the very least, the same chapter.
"So, he's trying to get Hannah to not like Alex because of me. That fucker should have already forgotten Lydia by now."
He was ranting, and paced the length of his room a few times before I formed my next sentence.
"Alex needs to tread carefully with Hannah. I like her, and she's already defended him. She's our ticket into getting information on the other team members. Do not let Alex screw this up. Just keep an eye on Brandon, Coop. He has access to Deadly Nightshade, and he has a real sore spot for you." I was harsh in my warning about Alex, but my voice softened at the end.
As much as I hated to admit it. Coop had grown on me, and knowing Brandon could hurt him worried me.
"Thanks for the warning, Oakley. I'll be on the lookout for vengeful enemies. Now, what's the plan? How do we go about this?" His pacing had stopped, but he still looked stressed.
I pondered his question for a moment. There were a few ways to do this, but only one way would be the fastest.
"Well, we need to get Hannah on our side. Just keep the important details from slipping. I want to avoid her getting hurt in any of this. I don't know Alex well, and this is already a pretty sensitive topic-" Coop Cut me off.
"Oakley, he is a good guy. Alex could be helpful with this. We don't know what these creatures are targeting, and we don't know what the end goal is with them. He's a great fighter, and keeping him in the loop could be a good thing."
I appreciated Coop vouching for his friend, but he didn't need to cut me off. I let out a frustrated sigh.
"Trey already knows too much, and I refuse to drag Ainsley into this." I huffed, bringing my legs up and crossing them.
"Trey and Alex are under my command while they're here, Oakley. You have my word they won't do anything to sabotage us. I'll let Alex know not to fuck with Hannah's feelings, and we can have her protected while Brandon is a part of that project." His passion leaked in hi words, and I smiled at him.
Confusion seeped in at his last words, and I gave him a quizzical look.
"What do you mean while he's still a part of it?" I asked the question out loud, grimacing at the answer I already knew.
"Little nymph, Brandon is fucking with the wrong demigod. I don't like how he's talking about my friend." His tone was devilish, and his confident smirk brought heat to my stomach.
"Coop, don't let your emotions cloud the mission." I warned, getting up from the bed.
His smirk faded, and he followed me to his door.
"I won't. I promise. Where are you going?" He asked when my hand met the golden knob.
"I need to go to the library. I have some research of my own to do." I confessed, a sigh escaped my lips, and I turned the knob.
As I walked out of Coop's house, I reviewed the options in my head. If more people knew about what was happening, there was more of a chance that we could lose before we even start. If we didn't, they might screw it up on their own. An impossible choice for an impossible mission.