SECRET SOCIETY UNVEILED

“Hey didn’t you have a dog?” Lucas pulls out his phone and begins moving his fingers along the keypad.

“I do have a dog, idiot. It’s in the backyard.” I get off the couch and open the screen door as the large german-husky bolts through the door.

“Geez!” Lucas jumps on the couch as Chase runs into the kitchen. “That thing is not a dog. That dog is three times the size the one you used to have.”

“Nope. That’s Chase.”

“Well take it outside before it eats someone.” Lucas frowns and returns to his phone. I whistle and Chase sits at my feet. “Seriously, out.” Lucas grits. I laugh and signal for Chase to lay down.

“You know dogs can sense fear right?”

“Shut up.” Lucas smirks. He clicks his phone shut and grins at me.

“What.”

“Oh nothing. Just payback for your little ‘Chase’ stunt.” Chase’s head comes up at the sound of his name. Lucas hesitantly looks down but keeps the grin on his face. “Party at your house.”

CHAPTER 4

I frown as Lucas hustles in another barrel of beer.

“You know this stuff is illegal right?”

“Hey. I'm the one paying.” Lucas grins.

“Yeah, and this is my house. C’mon. Are you that mad about the dog?” Lucas snickers and signs off on the last shipment. That's five kegs of beer. Illegal, prison worthy, beer.

“Zander. It's not the first time that you've had beer.” He throws in a few extra bucks to bribe the delivery guy.

“Yeah, and you're supposed to be clean, remember?”

“Relax. I'm not drinking any. This is all for the guests. Speaking of which, I invited Sky. And Crystal.”

“What the heck man. Sky I get, but Crystal? Really?”

“She begged me. You know how she can be.” Lucas sighs. I place a pillow over my face and let my body sink to the floor only to be jolted back up by Chase’s welcoming licks.

“Whatever, can't be helped. There's a reason I dated her last year.” I sit on the floor, legs spread outward. I pick up a tennis ball and lightly toss it across the room. Chase darts off after it. Lucas picks up three boxes of pizza and places one in the kitchen, living room, and on the mahogany, dining room table.

“Hey. No dogs allowed. Especially not with the guests.”

I stand and remove the pizza box from my parents priceless Italian furniture. I point my finger to the ground and Chase removes himself from his chewing frenzy and stands at my feet. Setting the pizza box down on the ground, I point towards a large doorway. Obediently, Chase picks it up and walks past Lucas, and into the living room.

“Dude! You’re dead. You are literally dead.” I smirk as Lucas pulls at his caramel-brown hair.

“He’s not going to eat it.”

“It was in the mutt’s mouth!”

“Lucas, that’s not very nice. Chase is a purebred.” I frown.

“The freakin’ dog had the pizza, in. His. Mouth. Everyone’s going to get rabies.”

“Ok. Seriously Luc- You gotta chill man.” The doorbell rings and after a brief debate, I succumb to Lucas and set Chase outside.

“Let’s get this party started,” He rubs his hands together and digs in his pocket for something.

“Hey. If anything breaks, You’re going to be the one that’s dead.” I glare at Lucas.

“Gesh. You really pull off that death stare, but no problem.” He smiles.

Lucas wastes no time in inviting the guests in. He collects cash at the door and I guide them towards the kitchen and the living room, where the least expensive items were located.Within the first five minutes, at least twenty-three bodies were in my house. Some of them definitely did not look like kids from our school, but Lucas has connections, so it’s sort of to be expected. Eight-thirty, I’ve lost track of how many people are in my house, and Crystal, my ex, is at the door.

“Good to see you!” Lucas calls over the loud music. He glances back at me and that’s my que. I duck behind some drunk dude and step outside through the back door. Chase is nowhere in sight, so I continue my way around the back of the three story mansion. I look up, and to my relief, all the lights on the third floor are off. I turn another corner and find Chase, with the box of pizza. I grin and open the box, toss him and piece, and take one for myself. He continues to follow me to a white door with four sets of locks. I pull at a chain attached to my pants. Each corner of the chain is bent in a different direction. I insert one side at a time. The sound of metal lightly grazing copper is heard as each key easily slides out. I hear Chase’s panting and smile.

“You’ll have to wait for more pizza boy.” I open the door and a ringtone is set off in the room. I switch on the lights and turn off the silent alarm. Three Bentley's, one Aston Martin, two Corvettes, a Bugatti Veyron...I silently count off the cars in our garage. An elevator stands off in the corner and Chase takes his place in his bed. There are a total of five rooms in our garage, not including a kitchen, as well as a hidden elevator leading to every floor in the house. I turn the corner and place the pizza box on the counter. I pull out some dog food and another piece of pizza. I head to the family game room, take a seat, and flip through the channels on the fifty-six inch television. The music upstairs booms through my ears, and I regret not telling dad to make the room a soundproof one. I end up watching some comedy movie starring Kevin Hart and eat my pizza.

“So, is this your hideout?”

I turn and come face to face with Sky. I set my plate down and frown.

“The, door was open.” Crap. I whistle and Chase gallops in.

“Escort our guest out please.” I look at Chase. He forces his nose into Sky’s leg and that’s when I notice what she’s wearing: A pearl necklace, a dark pink flowy dress shirt, and pitch black shorts cut low, her shirt practically covering it. I bring my eyes back to hers, and I notice that she’s looking me down as well. I smirk.

“What are you doing in here?”

“The door-”

“Was open. Yeah, I heard you the first time.” I cross my arms. “I mean what are you doing all the way out here. Party’s inside.”

“Lucas told me that you went outside, so, I went looking.”

“Which brings me to question number two, why aren't you with Lucas?” I can’t help but notice the terrible taste that bounces around my tongue as I say my best friend's name.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“What about.” Sky rests her hand on Chase’s muzzle and he sits down beside her.

Dumb dog.

“I know your little secret.” I can’t help but laugh.

“Oh? And what would that be.”

“You’re an assassin.”