CHAPTER 1

"Just a little bit more..." Manda Rider mumbled as she applied a slight torque with a small metal wrench into the keyhole. Her other hand added a little pressure to the pins with a pick so that it would overcome the spring force of the lock.

Next to her, stood Michael Mackenzie, holding a stopwatch in his hand.

"Come on, come on," she grumbled impatiently as she jiggled the pick a little more. Then with a sudden satisfying click, the door swung open.

Immediately, Michael pressed the stop button. "Okay, forty-point-five seconds," he reported after reading the figures on the small LCD display.

Manda's expression fell. "That's it?"

"Hey, you've improved by...five seconds," he told her with a grin.

"My Dad could pick locks less than fifteen seconds," she huffed, pushing back a strand of long black hair that had escaped from her ponytail.

"Your Dad has been working with the FBI for ages," he told her. "It takes a lot of practice to do just like he's done."

"I know that," she glared at him. She retrieved her lock picking tools, and placed them into their leather case. Her father, Blake Rider, had given the set as a present for her fifteenth birthday. She hadn't used it until now, which was three years later.

"Well, at least you've got my door open. I hate to be standing outside for hours – again," Michael replied and entered his dorm room. "I don't know why you have to pick my door for practice."

"The guidebook describes your door has a schlage wafer lock mechanism, which is supposed to be the easiest to pick," she told him. Ever since she had started reading the book, she couldn't help analyzing doorknobs on every door that she had encountered.

"Gee, that sounds comforting," Michael replied sarcastically. He placed the stopwatch on his desk before raking his fingers through his dark unruly hair. "So, are you done now? Or do you need to practice again?"

"Nah, it's enough for today," she told him, and glanced around his room. This was the third time she had visited his dorm room, and each time she was struck by its immaculate neatness. His books, papers, a PC, and other stationary were all carefully arranged on his desk - not a speck of dust could be seen. Even his bookcase was in order. And his bed, she noticed, there wasn't a single wrinkle that covered the surface. That was why she was reluctant to show him her room whenever he needed to pick up something from her. She'd rather go to his room and send it to him.

"Where's Jerry?" she asked him, referring to his roommate, Jerry Larsen, a senior at Greenwood University.

"He's got a date with Karen," Michael replied.

"Oh, hey, before I forget, thanks for the book," Manda said, suddenly remembering her other purpose to come here, as she pulled out a large hardback textbook from her book bag and handed it to him. The title on the cover said: Introduction to Organic Chemistry.

"No problem," he took the book and slid it between other textbooks on the bookshelf. Then, crossing his arms over his broad chest, he turned to her with a curious glint in his striking blue eyes.

"What?" she asked warily, slightly unnerved by his stare.

"I don't get it. Why do you suddenly need to learn lock-picking anyway?" he asked with a serious look.

She carefully turned her eyes away from him, trying to think up the right words to answer his question. Her gaze landed on his desk, staring unseeingly at his personal computer.

"I don't know," she sighed, finally looking up at him, "I figured if I've decided to be something like my Dad, I might as well start learning the ropes from now on, you know."

"I thought you don't want to be like him," he pointed out carefully.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking," she admitted, "I mean, what if something like last time happened to us, again? That even the police couldn't help?"

She shuddered inwardly at the memories. She couldn't believe it had been three months ago. Three months since her father was cleared from a murder he didn't commit. Three months since her life had turned upside down. And – she glanced at Michael – three months since she had met Michael. He was slowly proving himself to be her true friend, but there was still a lot about him she hadn't known, yet. At the moment, he was the only one she could talk to, and understood what she had been through.

"You mean, you wouldn't mind having me as your partner, again?" he asked teasingly with a devilish smile on his handsome face.

She could feel her cheeks grew warm in embarrassment. "I'll let you know when I've figured it out," she replied vaguely, not wanting to admit her true answer.

"You're still a freshman. You have a lot of time to decide, Manda," he advised, turning serious.

"Does that mean you've already known what you want to be?" she looked at him curiously. She knew he was in his junior year, and majoring in Physics and Electronics. When she'd first met him, she'd thought of him as an arrogant Mr. Perfect. Her high school experience had taught her that anyone who was too good-looking and popular had to be considered as a major jerk. She knew she shouldn't making assumptions about a person before getting to know one, but she still couldn't shed that habit – until now.

Michael gave an embarrassed shrug. "I haven't planned exactly what I want to be, but I suppose...it's somewhere along the line of software developer and electronics."

"That sounds neat." Her gaze landed on the clock on his table. "Yikes! I've got to go now," she exclaimed.

"Where are you going?"

"Amy's treating Tara and me dinner," she told him. Amy Johnson was her roommate at Doyle Hall.

"Did she win a lottery or something?" he asked, raising a dark eyebrow in surprise.

She gave a small laugh. "No, she's been accepted into the campus swim team. Her first competition would be a couple of months from now. So, she's very excited," she explained.

"Wow, tell her congratulations from me. I heard that Coach Roberts is pretty strict. Not everyone could get into the campus swim team easily."

"Yeah, she's been training pretty hard for the competition." Manda nodded. "Anyway, thanks for lending me the book, and...uh, the door, too."

"No problem. You can come anytime to pick my door."

This time she raised her eyebrows in amusement. "Anytime? You're not worried if I might go through your stuff? Or find a skeleton in your closet?"

"Okay, maybe not anytime," he corrected hastily, with a sheepish look. "But you definitely won't find my deep dark secrets in here," he added, giving her an enigmatic smile.

"You certainly are full of surprises," she remarked, looking intrigued.

"I hope that's not a bad thing," he said half-seriously.

"I can't find anything bad about you. You're too perfect." She clamped her mouth shut, and felt her face grew warm. Where did that last remark come from?

Apparently, she noticed she wasn't the only one who was embarrassed as she glanced at his flushed face. "Uh, see you next time," she said hastily, feeling slightly awkward.

"Yeah." He nodded. After saying quick good byes, Manda left his room, finally letting out her breath that she didn't realize she had been holding.

"So, did you guys enjoy the dinner?" Amy Johnson asked as she maneuvered the steering wheel of her red T-Bird. They were heading back to the campus after their dinner in downtown Greenwood. Her brown eyes were twinkling excitedly. She pushed back a lock of her pixie-cut dark blond hair from her forehead with one hand.

"It was great. Thanks, but I don't think I'll be having breakfast tomorrow," Manda groaned, patting her full stomach as she leaned back against the back of her seat. She was sitting next to Amy. She couldn't remember how many rounds she had her main dish: lobsters, shrimp, rice, and shark fin soup. That still hadn't included the dessert.

"You should know that I'm allergic to shrimp, Amy," Tara Moore complained, scratching her reddish arm. Tara was Amy's best friend since childhood. "That's why I always avoid seafood restaurant."

"Then why did you eat that shrimp?" Amy countered.

Manda glanced at the review mirror and saw Tara pouted.

"Because that waiter who put it on my plate was too cute. I couldn't throw it away in front of him," Tara explained, smoothing her long auburn locks. Her aqua eyes stood out in contrast against her hair.

"I should have known better," Amy muttered, shaking her head, and laughed.

Manda fought an urge to roll her eyes. She still couldn't understand how both of them with totally opposite personalities could be best friends. While Amy was lean, and sensible, Tara was diminutive, and wild. Manda couldn't help cringing inwardly when she recalled Tara making flirtatious gesture toward any handsome waiter that had come to their table. Something about Tara rubbed her the wrong way, and Tara didn't hide the fact that she wasn't too thrilled to have Manda as a friend either. She could tell Tara was just being nice to her because Amy was her roommate and friend.

Soon, they were in the campus territory. Tara started scanning some of the college men, who were trudging through the snow along the sidewalk, making remarks about her list of potential dates.

Manda barely listened to her ceaseless chatter. She sighed in relief when Amy finally parked the car at their dorm parking lot. Instead of following them back to their rooms, Tara stopped to a guy that had caught her attention, and quickly made a conversation with him.

"I'll see you later, Amy," Tara told her best friend distractedly before turning back to the guy she had been talking to.

"Is she always like that?" Manda asked Amy quietly, when Tara was out of earshot.

"I'm used to it by now." Amy laughed.

"She's really a pro fishing for a guy. I guess shrimp isn't her taste."

Amy groaned. "Get outta here. You and your corny puns!"

They continued chatting as they entered the elevator. Manda immediately lay down on her bed as soon as she entered the room.

"Boy, you must be really full," Amy remarked, shaking her head at her roommate. She closed the door behind her.

"Don't I know it. I don't think I've eaten this much since...since the last time that I can remember!" Her hand went under her sweater and rubbed her stomach.

"A short walk would help ease the feeling," she told Manda.

"I'm just too lazy for anything right now," Manda mumbled, and stifled a yawn.

"I – Ow!"

Manda instantly sat up, and looked at Amy in alarm. "Amy, are you all right?" she asked worriedly as her roommate suddenly bent over, clutching her midriff.

"Yeah...I guess," she gasped. Her face was pale beneath her tanned complexion. Beads of sweats were already dotted her forehead.

Manda frowned, and walked over to her. "You don't look so good. I think you should lie down," she suggested gently.

Amy nodded. "I guess I ate too much..." she rasped. Before she could take another step to her bed, she collapsed to the floor, unconscious.