Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist

“It’s sickening. An old man hanging around teenagers, plying them with drinks and expensive gifts. Buying them off to get their support to sell our school.”
    I focus on our next turn ahead. If only it weren’t so suffocating down here.
    â€œI can’t believe the Pillars would betray their friends like that,” Laney rattles on. “I mean, what happens to the students here? A lot of them have nowhere else to go.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter to us. We’re graduating.”
    She inhales sharply. “ Talan , I can’t believe you said that. What about our friends who aren’t? What about our housebrothers? What happens to them if Singer closes?”
    I hadn’t considered that. Still, I want out of this claustrophobic maze so bad I can hardly think straight. “I don’t know; I’m sure they’ll figure something out.”
    The truth is, I thought this secret society would be about parties, pranks, and perks. I don’t have a lot of other options for money, but this Sevens thing isn’t exactly what I expected. My mind jumps back and forth from every thing we’ve seen so far to the dark tunnel that wraps around me like a straitjacket.
    â€œWhat about my parents?” Laney says. “They’ve devoted their whole lives to Singer School. Where will they go? What’ll they do?”
    I love the Shanahans, but right now, the only ass I’m worried about saving is my own. “They’ll still need houseparents. Maybe nothing will change.”
    I’m getting used to the smell down here, but it still makes me woozy. Focus. One more left and a right. But then what?
    Laney’s wound up and won’t stop talking. “See, I told you the Sevens were real! They aren’t the bad guys. They never were. There’s more to them than that scandal, and we’ll figure it out.”
    I stop to catch my breath. “Kane is up to something, I’ll give you that. He wants to sell the school. I don’t think we can assume anything else. Aren’t you kind of making a stretch about the Sevens? Why do you want to believe so badly that the Sevens were innocent? Because the Pillars rejected you and the Sevens want us?”
    She flinches at my words. “Are you kidding me? The Pillars are disgusting. I’m glad they didn’t choose me. They’re up to something all right. And they’re going down.”
    As I look at her standing there with her hands on her hips, her messed-up hair falling over intense brown eyes, I suddenly realize that she’s not the same Delaney. “What’s gotten into you, Shanahan?”
    She avoids my stare and brushes past me so I have to race to keep up. “Nothing. I just hate the thought of these Pillars getting all those perks and awards they don’t deserve. There’s a waiting list a mile long for kids who need to get into Singer, and Kane is wasting tuition money on a car for Kayla Kaminski? The Pillars are supposed to be model students looking out for the school, not selling out to Stephen Kane. The Sevens must want to save our school. That’s the group I want to be in.”
    â€œI don’t know. I’m thinking the Pillars’ secret club looks a hell of a lot funner than ours.”
    Her hand flies up to smack me, and I duck. “I’m kidding!”
    Our flashlights are jumping like two headlights rolling down a bumpy road. When we reach the last long corridor, there’s a light at the far end. We get closer, and I can tell the elevator is waiting for us with its back panel slid open. I want to cry with relief.
    Inside, Laney stabs the button for the first floor and the back wall slithers into place again, making the elevator look like every other I’ve ever been in.
    Except for the black envelope taped to the center of the rear wall.
    My hand is still shaking when I pull it down. The note inside reads:
    â€œA prudent question is one-half