The official name was the All-School Common Room, but nobody called it that. Even Mr Hobson had resigned himself that the official name would never be used. It was The Lounge. Besides the introduction of Year Zero, The Lounge was the biggest upheaval the school had seen for many years. It was the place to relax in the evening or during the weekend.

The main structure of the room was in keeping with the main design of the building. Yet the furnishings made it feel fresh and modern. Recessed speakers dotted the walls so music could be heard without it needing to be loud. That way conversations could be had, or games played without being disturbed.

The room was littered with seating of all types. Settees that sat two or three. Longer cushioned benches were around the outside, and single seater stools when you might want to take part in a boardgame, such as chess.

At the end was a pool table. Its green baize illuminated by a large overhead lamp. When The Lounge had been unveiled the pupils had been stunned at what was there. The quiet was disturbed by Erika giving a big squeal of delight and was soon after named the Pool Master. The task she gave herself was to make sure that everyone knew how to play.

"David, can I have a quiet word?" Luke asked, when David had put down his book. Luke had been watching for a good time to ask without disturbing one of the head students.

"Sure, shall we go for a walk?" David smiled reassuringly. A quiet word wasn't something unusual, but it was for Luke. He was a good year leader and being in year three had most of the things under control.

They grabbed their coats and went out back to walk along one of the bike tracks that went parallel to the school. They were lit with low level lighting, so the path was visible while on it and cyclists in the winter months knew where to go. Yet there wasn't much light pollution for those who like to gaze at the night sky.

"What's my sister doing back at the school?"

A quick look showed David that Luke was confident in what he said. Lying wasn't an option, as he'd have lost trust. For a fleeting second, he considered trying to deflect the query, but Luke looked so earnest that David knew he wouldn't give up.

"She escorted the two pupils from The Manor. She stopped overnight and was on a morning flight back to America."

There was no answer, but that wasn't because the conversation was over. It had just provoked more thought. David looked on, his heart sinking. He could see that Luke was going to want to know more, and that would lead to answers he wasn't able to give.

"When you played at my old school, I recognised her then, but thought I was going nuts. The hair colour was all wrong. When I joined Hayfield, I was getting a feeling of déjà vu. It took me a while, but I eventually twigged. A lot of the daily life had been described in emails to me. Faces change as they grow from a child to an adult. It wasn't until I saw her today that I knew. She looks like our mum. I knew then that I'd been right all along."

David mused about how much to say and thought perhaps a bit of information would be the end of it.

"It is difficult with siblings. There was someone in my year who had a sister two years older. The Manor visited when we did a concert in Russia. When they went home, Erika and Martha stayed. Sam and Jessica went with the Americans. The one and only school exchange that I'm aware of."

"What is my sisters name, and why didn't she say hi?"

This was it. There was no turning back. Luke had to be told about "The Rule". David was still haunted by the memory of Helen's face when she was told. Luke was two years older than when they had been told. He just hoped it went better.

"First off, have you told your parents that they have a daughter and not a son?"

"No. Rather like I don't tell them about Mix up Mondays. It isn't good to publicise certain things."

"Okay, let me arrange something." Moving a bit away from Luke, David dialled Dr Ruiz. "Hi. Sorry to ring you so late. Can you fit in a chat with Luke and Tina? I think Helen and I should be there too.

"Regarding?"

"Luke saw our guest this morning and is asking questions. I can answer some, but I feel he needs the talk."

Rachel Ruiz sighed. This was a conversation that had to happen at some stage but was one that nobody liked. "Thanks for being my eyes on this. I'll be in my office."

A message to Helen was quickly dispatched and she responded almost instantly saying she would get Tina and meet them there. Another message was sent to Andy explaining what was going to happen. Stacy was still travelling, so he would tell her later.

"And?" Luke enquired, when David went back to him.

"We're going to see Dr Ruiz. Hopefully she will be able to answer the questions you have."

"Why so formal? Everyone calls her Rachel. You normally call her Rachel."

"Because this is a conversation she isn't looking forward to. It is a conversation I'm not looking forward to. And believe me, this is a conversation that you only think you're looking forward to. A bit of distance and detachment helps at times like this."

Luke looked bewildered. "I don't understand."

"I know. Come on, we need to get going. We don't want to keep Helen and Tina waiting."

It didn't take long, as they went in via the car park entrance on the far side. When David and Luke got to Dr Ruiz office, Helen and Tina had just arrived. Tina was sat on the settee, with Helen sat next to Tina's right. Luke quickly sat down next to Tina, and David sat to Luke's left.

Rachel wasn't dressed like she normally did. She was normally quite smartly dressed, but tonight she was in jeans with an old sweater. It was obvious to all there that this was an out of hours call.

"Nice to see your larger settee in full use," said Tina.

Dr Ruiz gave a nod in acknowledgement. "It's good that you can get closer support. I just wish it was never needed. Are you all comfortable, as once I start this discussion, I don't want to stop until it is complete?"

Nobody needed the toilet and the psychiatrist continued. "When you joined the school, you were given a set of school rules. One rule is always omitted from that first day discussion, as it isn't pertinent then and the implications of the rule wouldn't be understood. This isn't a rule the school enforces but one the pupils self-adhere to. It is the most hated school rule, and one that everyone wishes didn't exist."

Luke and Tina exchanged puzzled glances. Helen and David just sat there, waiting for things to be explained.

"Let me outline a scenario. Tina, after you finish school, you go and see your parents. What would their reaction be?"

"They would-" Tina broke off and a few seconds later continued slowly. "Are you talking about a no-contact rule?"

"Oh, of course," added Luke, like the fog had cleared and everything made sense. If it had been a cartoon, a lightbulb would have been flashing above his head. "When we joined the school, our parents weren't told where the school is. If you went home, your parents would know you'd transitioned at school. How soon before it leaked, and the school came under scrutiny. If I saw my family, that wouldn't be fair on you."

There was silence. The two eldest pupils knew not to say anything to disturb Rachels discussion. They were there for comfort only.

Tina eventually broke the silence. In a rather sad voice, she whispered. "I'll miss my sisters, but especially Ashleigh. She understood. She had a boyfriend who everyone mistook for a girl, but he claimed wasn't trans. Even my parents were fooled. I thought they accepted and let my guard down and got caught. My poor sister got banned from seeing him. They thought he was a bad influence."

"It isn't forever," said Dr Ruiz, gently.

David and Helen gaped, looking at Dr Ruiz with surprise.

"It used to be. Over the last few years, experiments took place to see if pupils that had left several years ago could meet back with family without implicating the school. The board of governors discussed the results today and they settled on a four-year minimum gap between leaving school and seeing family. Some ex-pupils might prefer longer if they are concerned. Some might never want to see their family again, though I only know a few cases where that is a possibility."

"What about family who know about the school?" Tina enquired.

"I presume you're thinking about Luke and his sister. That isn't the only family. What about Jill? She doesn't yet know about the experiment or the shortening of the rule. She planned to follow the no-contact rule, even though Julia is a teacher at the school. Year four and five will be told the new rules tomorrow."

"So, I won't be able to see my sister until I've finished for four years?" mused Luke. "I can live with that, but can I have her name so I can write to her properly?"

"This is the quandary. You aren't allowed to see family, but you can see other ex-pupils. At the end of the day, it is up to you. Siblings going through this school are rare. You are the first where the age gap meant your older sibling had left before you joined. As for her name, David do you want to tell Luke?"

"Your sister is called Stacy and her partner is called Andy. She was the Beta One at this school before me. When Stacy heard that Monica and Carolyn were coming here, she volunteered to act as the chaperon for the international leg of the journey."

"Why?"

Helen chirped in, "Besides being a really nice person and wanting to help, she had an ulterior motive. She wanted to see if she could see you without you noticing. She really misses you. She managed to get glimpses of you the last two years, but since they moved to America, she has missed that opportunity."

"How do you know all this?" Tina asked.

As they'd been through the school and became head pupils, they'd tried too always be honest. Sometimes there were times when they had to keep things to themselves, but their philosophy was to be as open as they could be. The truth sometimes hurt, but by being honest others always knew where they stood.

"One of the things we didn't realise at first is the school might have a common thread, but they realised we are individuals with our own needs. You all have your own specialist skills, and you all have your own career development paths. That is obvious. Yet it wasn't until the very end of our first year, and just after year five had left, did we realise how Mr Hobson, and all the support staff, worried about what we each needed.

"Many years ago, two pupils in year-one fell in love with a couple in year-five. This polyamorous relationship was a first for the school, but when the older pupils left the school understood something different needed to be done. Since both couples were in the Beta program, extra training was arranged to bring back the older couple to train the younger one. It made the loss bearable.

"This school takes pupils that weren't succeeding and gives them the tools to excel. They understand we all might need something a bit different and are very flexible in making sure you are the best you can be."

David felt himself starting to well up and didn't want to breakdown in front of the younger pair. He remembered the day Stacy and Andy left and it still broke his heart remembering the pain. Helen saw and continued. "David and I were those year one pupils, heartbroken when Andy and Stacy left."

Luke looked stunned and seemed to be processing the information. Tina wasn't having such issues and asked Rachel, "So why are we being told this now?"

"Because Luke knew about Stacy. He wasn't just thinking about things but asking. You needed to know the truth, and about the no contact rule, before you started jumping to the wrong conclusions. The school tries to wait until late in year three before mentioning it as most times they aren't ready. Today was one of the easier conversations, as you understood the need to keep what happens at the school secret. Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"I take it year four and five know?"

"Yes, but nobody else in year three apart from you two. I'd rather you keep it between yourselves for now. We have a day out planned in the New Year and we will broach the subject with the rest of the year then. Unless you hear someone else starting to think about this, then please let David or Helen know."

"Sorry for interrupting your evening," Luke apologised to Rachel as they all left the office.

"Do you want to know more?" David asked as they ambled down the corridor.

"More on?"

"Your sister."

"Sure," Luke responded, his eyes wide with excitement.

"She's so going to kill you," laughed Helen. Seeing a slight look of panic on Tina's face added, "just joking."

When they approached a door in the bedroom wing, Luke commented, "David, isn't this your room?"

"It was."

Instead of the usual bedroom setup, the bed wasn't there. Instead, there was an extra desk and additional corner settee. Helen held up a finger to keep us quiet and quickly scanned the room for bugs. It was clear. None had ever been found in the school, but it was something David and Helen always did when he knew something private might be discussed.

"The only thing in here is my clothes and ensuite," I said when Helen gave a thumbs up. "Sometimes we need to speak privately with others, like we are about to. We haven't slept in separate bedrooms since year one."

"That soon?"

They all sat down on the settee. "Helen and I were from the same school. We knew each other before coming here, though we weren't romantically involved. Then there was a suicide alert after the first Mix-up Monday. Since there hasn't been one since you joined the school, you won't know the rules. After someone attempts suicide, you can't be apart from your partner for 24 hours, as it can be a catalyst for others to try. I don't think anybody from my year slept alone since that day."

"In the first year we only spent three nights not in the same bed," added Helen. "Two nights punishment, and one night abroad."

"Neither of those were fun times."

"Punishment?" Luke enquired.

"Our interconnecting door was sealed for breaking the underwear rule. We were silly enough to have goofy smiles during breakfast."

Tina blushed at the older couple's candour, and Luke just looked away.

"And the time abroad?"

"This was the only time the Hayfield Beta team have had to be operational. The Alpha team got trapped, so we made a diversion. Christopher and Andy weren't able to safely make it back to the hotel due to the military hunting us down, so they stopped the night near the airport."

"How did you cope being apart that night when you'd spent so much time together and with so much fear?"

"We weren't alone. I couldn't be alone, but that is a tale for another day."

"When did you find out about the no-contact rule?" Luke enquired, his arm around Tina.

"Before we were ready," David responded, not wanting to say when it was. He didn't want Luke and Tina to think they'd missed something obvious.

Helen tapped David and hissed, "Stop paltering."

"We were in year one," he added. Helen tapped him again. "Day one."

"Paltering?" enquired Tina.

"Telling the truth to hide an omission."

Luke gave a small shudder. "Day one?"

Luke looked around the room, trying to comprehend. This seemed even harder to swallow than when he'd first been introduced to the Beta Team concept. There was a photo on a notice board above the desk.

"Who's she?" Luke enquired, pointing to the photo.

"Somebody that followed me four years ago. We put up the picture, so we remember her face, just in case we see her again."

"I saw her in Starbucks at Milton Keynes two weeks ago. She's now a brunette, rather than blonde."

"Are you sure?" David enquired, unsure at how confident Luke was.

Tina laughed. "When we first joined, every time we were watching a movie, Luke would remark where he'd seen people before. Not just main actors, but people playing bit parts too. He stopped when he realised others found it was a bit annoying."

"Okay, leave it with me. Which Starbucks and what time?"

"The main one. You know, the one near door five. Must have been about half eleven."

"David prefers the other one. It's closer to Millie's Cookies," grinned Helen.

David laughed. "I've never seen you refuse any. Anyway, back to this mystery woman. Is that the only time you've seen her?"

"Yes. I seem to remember the face and when, not much else like what they were doing. Anyway, how do you know she was following you?"

"I'd been in London for a week's work experience. On the way back to the station, I noticed that she was there, even after I stopped to tie my shoelace. I thought it must have been my imagination when I stopped for a coffee, but she turned up at the railway station a few minutes after I got there. I got a different train out of London that didn't stop at Leighton Buzzard, and she got on the same train. When I was collected, we had a tail, which we lost."

"If you came back on a different train, how did they have someone there to tail you?"

"I've no idea. I might have missed a tail on previous days, or they had people on standby in various stations, depending on what train I caught. There would have been time for someone at St Albans to move to Hemel before the train got there. I haven't seen her since, even though we've kept an eye out."

"So, what do we do?" enquired Tina, sounding excited.

"I'll send this information to the relevant person."

"And then?"

"We don't do anything," David responded, firmly, glowering at them. "We are students, not spies. You are here to pass your exams and learn new skills. The only time you will do anything like you want is if something goes wrong with Hayfields Alpha team. We will pass this information on, what happens then is out of our hands. We may never know."

Helen took over, firmly but gently. She certainly didn't glower. "Since the end of year-one, we've had a very quiet time at Hayfield. Let me explain some of what happened when we visited Russia and Iran. You'll then understand a bit more."

When Helen had finished, Luke turned to Tina. "I'd not heard any rumours about that, had you?"

"No," she responded. "There are always rumours about what had happened in previous years. This and the sister school were never discussed."

"Good. It isn't to be discussed. Remember, this is a school. I think Mr Hobson is glad that what occurred has faded from pupil knowledge. I remember being told once, that the school was here to give us the best start in life. Before coming here, we all were failing in some ways. This school has given us confidence to discover what we need to succeed. Each pupil here is learning more about what they want to do when they leave. That way we have the best chance to do what we want to do."