The atmosphere in the dean's office was tense. The flickering light from the holographic screen cast sharp shadows on the walls, but the real weight in the room came from the words just spoken.
Dean Leonard Graves' sharp gray eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, his fingers laced together on his desk. "What did you just say?"
Across from him, standing with a firm posture, was Victor Hayes—one of the academy's most respected instructors. His dirty blonde hair was slightly disheveled, a sign that he had been dealing with this headache for a while.
"Two of our students—Alice Dhark and Joshua Jeremiah—are off the grid," Victor repeated, his voice even. "They're out there handling an unauthorized case."
