Chapter 79: Kelvin’s File

Xavier got to campus at 9AM on Monday with two things on his mind.

The Asset Rebound from Gerald Obi’s acquisition landing sometime this morning. And the second target from the USB list. The commercial property on Meridian Street. Which Vincent had sent a preliminary overview on Sunday evening.

He’d spent Sunday evening reviewing it properly. Clean property. Fully tenanted. Consistent rental income. The kind of asset that didn’t excite anyone but paid quietly and reliably every single month without requiring attention.

Boring is good, he thought. Boring means reliable.

He cycled his morning rebate spending on the cab ride in and checked his balance before the gates came into view.

[ REBATE SYSTEM ]

Transaction Detected: $22 spent on cab fare

Base Multiplier (Tier 2): 2x

Total Return: $44

[ Net Balance: $1,113,652.00 → $1,113,696.00 ]

The campus gates looked exactly as they always did. Students moving between buildings. The cafeteria smell reaching the courtyard before the building itself came into view. The notice boards outside the student union covered in semester flyers that nobody had read since week two.

Smaller, Xavier thought, walking through. Still the base. Still where I come back to.

He crossed the courtyard toward the Food and Nutrition block and made it approximately forty metres before Kelvin appeared from a direction that made no geographical sense given where his faculty building was.

This was, at this point, simply a feature of campus life that Xavier had accepted as permanent.

"You were gone again," Kelvin said, falling into step beside him with the energy of someone resuming a conversation that had never officially ended.

"Monday morning Kelvin," Xavier said. "Before 9:30."

"I’ve been thinking," Kelvin said.

"That’s concerning."

"About you specifically," Kelvin said. "I’ve been thinking about you specifically for several weeks now." He produced his phone from his pocket with the energy of a man about to present evidence. "I made notes."

Xavier looked at him. "You made notes."

"I’m a thorough person," Kelvin said without embarrassment. He unlocked the phone. "Okay. First observation. You arrived at Riverside University in plain clothes with a worn bag and the energy of someone who had recently experienced something genuinely difficult."

"That describes most people on their first day," Xavier said.

"Let me finish," Kelvin said. "Second observation. Within two weeks you had new clothes, a new bag, a new phone and a haircut that cost actual money. Not student money. Actual money." He scrolled down. "Third observation. You disappear. Not occasionally skipping lectures like a normal person. Actually disappearing for days at a time. And every single time you come back something about you is different."

"Different how," Xavier said despite himself.

Kelvin looked at him sideways. "You really want me to continue."

"Apparently," Xavier said.

"First time it was the clothes and the haircut," Kelvin said. "Second time you had a tattoo on your chest that definitely wasn’t there before. Third time you came back and Femi. Who had been a persistent problem for Amira for weeks. Was suddenly gone. And so was Professor Ashworth." He let that sit for a moment. "Fourth observation. You have never once in four months of university been visibly stressed about money. Not once. Which is statistically impossible."

They reached the Food and Nutrition building. Xavier pushed through the door. Kelvin followed without breaking stride.

"Fifth and final observation," Kelvin said, lowering his voice as they entered the corridor. "Last Friday night you weren’t in your room. I know because Mama Elizabeth mentioned it when I stopped by Saturday morning."

Xavier stopped walking.

Turned.

"You went to see Mama Elizabeth," he said.

"She makes good food and I had questions," Kelvin said without a trace of apology. He pocketed his phone and looked at Xavier with something that wasn’t his usual performance energy. Something more genuine underneath it. "Xavier. I’m not trying to cause problems. I’m not going to be running around telling people things." He paused. "I’ve been watching something happen for four months and I just. I want to know if you’re okay. That’s genuinely all this is."

Xavier looked at him.

Kelvin, he thought. The human satellite. Always hovering near whoever was rising, never quite landing. He looked at him properly. Except that’s not the full picture anymore. He came to Mama Elizabeth not to gather information to share. Just because he was actually concerned.

Hm.

"I’m fine," Xavier said.

"Xavier."

"I’m fine Kelvin," he said. Directly. "I’m doing some things. They’re going well. Nothing illegal. Nothing that’s going to come back on you or anyone connected to me."

Kelvin held his gaze for a moment.

"Are you rich," he said.

Xavier started walking.

"Define rich," he said.

"More money than a first year Food and Nutrition student should reasonably have," Kelvin said, keeping pace easily.

"That’s a low bar," Xavier said.

"Xavier."

"I’m doing well financially," Xavier said. "Yes."

Kelvin went quiet for exactly four seconds. The longest silence Xavier had ever heard from him.

"Okay," he said finally. "Okay. That’s... okay." He processed it. "Can I ask how."

"No," Xavier said.

"Fair," Kelvin said immediately. Then after a beat. "Are you going to be okay. Like actually okay."

Same question Amira asks, Xavier thought. Different delivery. Same genuine thing underneath it.

"Yes," he said.

"Good." Kelvin nodded once with the energy of someone who had received the minimum viable information and decided it was sufficient. "Do you want to get food after the lecture. The cafeteria has a new menu item on Mondays."

"Yes," Xavier said.

Kelvin’s entire energy shifted back to his default setting like a switch had been flipped. "Good. Because Amira keeps cancelling on me because of her research thing and I need a second opinion on the rice situation."

Xavier almost smiled and pushed into the classroom.

The lecture passed. Xavier cycled two transactions quietly under the desk.

[ REBATE SYSTEM ]

Transaction Detected: $180 spent on online purchase

Base Multiplier (Tier 2): 2x

Total Return: $360

[ Net Balance: $1,113,516.00 → $1,113,876.00 ]

[ REBATE SYSTEM ]

Transaction Detected: $95 spent on subscription renewal

Base Multiplier (Tier 2): 2x

Total Return: $190

[ Net Balance: $1,113,876.00 → $1,113,971.00 ]

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