Chapter 17: Test Anxiety

Fortunately, the rest of the protest was rather peaceful. My brother stopped the few anarchists who had shown up hoping to use the protest as cover for some robbery attempts. Jason, Ashley, and I found that someone had already warned people on the route of the march. Buildings were closed, and many had placed boards over their windows to protect them. The three-mile march proved to be no more strenuous than a weekend jog.

Jason was the first to notice that the marchers were having trouble keeping up after we had passed two miles. He looked at the crowd and shook his head. "They aren't in the best of shape are they?"

"The union tends to get all of its bureaucrats out for these things. They live in chairs at their desks most of the time. If we were at the end of the mob, we'd probably see a couple of SUV's following and collecting the union leaders as they tire," I said.

"You're kidding! You mean they won't march the whole way?" Jason snapped.

"Why do you think they would?" I asked as we made the final turn on our route. We had about a half mile to go and had opened up a sizable lead on the crowd. The lack of bystanders had allowed us to walk briskly.

"I thought they were supposed to lead the protest," Jason said. "How can you lead a protest if you are riding in a SUV rather than in the middle of the march?"

"You aren't thinking like one of them," I said disdainfully. "Only a peon would actually march the whole distance. After all, even the most perfect of unions needs someone to guide it."

"Some of us are more equal than others," Ashley said quietly.

"Huh?" Jason said as I smiled and shook my head.

"Nevermind," I said. "The key is that once the group gets here, the main leaders won't be the ones leading the chants. They have had their moment in the spotlight at the beginning when the cameras were still there. Now they'll send out younger men who are still working to rise in the organization."

"No women?" Ashley asked.

"They might find a couple, but the construction and road crew unions have the most power in this city. Those are dominated by men," I replied.

Ashley nodded and then a huge smile broke out on her face. "Wait, so your father isn't in the crowd anymore?"

"He's probably getting a ride back to the parking lot with Valery. Mom is usually one of the drivers," I admitted.

Ashley slapped me on the ass. "Mark! Let's go inside! Please!"

"Why?" I asked as she took off running. Jason and I jogged trying to keep up as she sprinted towards the testing center.

Ashley noticed I was not alongside her and slowed down. She allowed Jason and me to catch up and then glared at me. "Mark, I'm horny," she complained.

"I'm not doing it in a CAP testing center," I muttered. "But it looks like the protest will end within the hour, after that we'll try to sneak off to the treehouse."

Ashley giggled and blushed. Jason noticed as looked at his sister. "What?"

"It's just, I'll always treasure that afternoon that Mark and I spent in the treehouse," Ashley said. "It was ... wonderful."

I put my arms around Ashley. "It was perfect because it was you," I whispered. "No other woman would have made it half as good."

"And now, I owe this man a forfeit," Ashley said. "After all, he beat me fair and square yesterday at the arcade."

"Jessica beat all of us," Jason muttered. He looked up at the testing center and the parking lot. "Mark, should we suggest that people get their cars out of the lot?"

"There are cars there?" I asked. I looked up and could see two vehicles parked in the lot, over to the right side of the building. One was a blue minivan that I did not recognize, but the other a silver BMW with personalized plates I recognized. "Isn't that the car Walter's mother drives?"

We took off running toward the cars. Someone noticed our approach because the doors to both vehicles opened as our feet set foot on the parking lot blacktop. I could see Walter's mother stand up from the driver's side of the BMW, the other driver proved to be Julio's mother. Both ladies approached us as we slowed down in surprise.

"Well, I'm guessing the protest is about here," Mrs. Kendal, Walter's mother said.

"Yes," I said. "They are moving slowly so it will be a few minutes though. Is Walter inside testing?"

"No," Mrs. Agosto, Julio's mother said. "The boys are sitting in the back of my minivan trying to convince each other that they will score well."

"They might as well go inside and test," I said. "And you should move your cars from the lot. I don't expect the protesters to do any harm, but they will definitely be a bit unfriendly. This place is the target of a lot of anger right now."

Mrs. Kendall shrugged. "They don't want to be inside when the protest arrives. They might be willing to go afterwards."

Mrs. Agosto looked at me. "You took your test recently didn't you?"

"I did," I admitted. "But I'm not sure that I can help. Ashley here tested on the same day, and she said some things that makes be believe the tests aren't all the same."

Mrs. Kendall laughed. "Just go over there and tell them to relax. Tell some dirty jokes. Something to get them to stop obsessing over the test."

I looked over at Jason and Ashley. Ashley appeared to be pouting. She put a finger to her lips and looked at the sky. "I guess you could tell them about little me," she said in a little girl's voice.

"No, no and hell no!" Jason shouted. "Ashley I love you to death, and it's clear that somehow just being with Mark has made you even happier, but that would be the wrong thing to tell these two."

I thought about the situation. "How about you send those two out? We can stand here in the corner of the parking lot. Then I suggest you head out of the lot. Especially you, Mrs. Kendall. The union guys tend to dislike BMWs, because so many corporate executives drive them. Your sons can call when they are done, or I'll see if we can claim a ride with my mother."

"With your father in the van?" Jason asked.

"I expect he'll be riding with Valery and getting some ideas for future protests," I said. "He'll see this as just the opening scene in a long campaign to force the government to give in."

The two mothers looked at each other and then turned to walk towards their cars. Mrs. Kendall jumped into her BMW and started it. Mrs. Agosto shouted something as she opened the driver's door to her minivan. I could not hear the response, but she started the vehicle the instant she was inside. Both vehicles backed out of their parking spots and then drove around to the back of the warehouse where there was another exit from the parking lot.

I watched the vehicles drive away and then realized that there were two people standing next to where the minivan had parked. Julio and Walter stood and glared at us until the BMW left the lot and then stalked over to me.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" Walter shouted. "Do you want to get us all killed? There is a protest coming."

"Do you have a card?" I asked.

"You know we haven't tested yet," Julio screamed as he grabbed my shoulder. "We were supposed to test tomorrow, but our mother's talked last night and thought they should bring us in before the protest."

"The protesters won't cause any real damage," I said. I noticed that Jason was looking back towards the entrance of the testing center. Julio was holding my shoulder so I could not turn and look. "What is it Jason?"

"At Harrard's, those men you saw, were they like six five and all muscle?" Jason asked absently.

"That sounds right," I said. "Why do you ask?" Ashley gasped and then put her arms around my waist, ducking under Julio's outstretched arm.

"There are two men like that standing in front of the entrance to the center," Ashley whimpered. "Protect me Mark."

"Protect you? Why would you want him to protect you?" Walter demanded. "I'd think you'd be looking for a real man."

I shrugged Julio's hand away from my shoulder and gathered Ashley into my arms. "You ever think I might have promised her that I'd always protect her? That's what a soldier does. He puts his life on the line to protect others. You might think about that."

Walter just laughed, but Julio looked confused. "Is that really how you see it?" he asked.

Jason laughed. "It's not about how Mark sees it. It's about what it really is. I noticed that with Morgan. He has a six point nine and has spent the weekend at our house. The man looks out for everyone he can."

"Jessica is the same way and she's got a good score," I pointed out. "Julio, I don't know if you watched the Average Joes show when they first introduced the CAP score. I didn't, but I did read a bit about it. Fans were saying that it was clear that someone with a high score thought about others and how they could make everyone's life just a little nicer. It's not a perfect comparison, but it's clear that one way to score well is to be willing to think of others."

Walter just shook his head. "I'm going to be myself in the test. They should be able to take me for what I am."

The lead group of protesters had reached the parking lot. The presence of the two massive men guarding the door caused them to stop in confusion. The following marchers circled around the stopped group pushing forward until they too halted and stared at the men guarding the door.

My brother Mike moved to the head of the marchers and stepped forward. "What's this?" he shouted. "Are you going to deny us entrance to the testing center?"

"Are you here to test?" one of the men asked. They had crossed their arms over their chests, but otherwise stood unblinking as they stared down the crowd.

Some of the marchers started to slip away, obviously uninterested in a fight with the two guards. My brother walked up to them and looked up. "You think you are tough because of those muscles don't you?" he challenged.

The men ignored my brother. "Only people coming to test will be allowed inside today," the one on the right shouted. "If you wish to protest in the parking lot you may, but we do ask that you avoid blocking the entrance."

"What? When did this place become some kind of abortion clinic?" My brother snapped. "Let me tell you something Dudley Doright. We ain't no bible thumpers worried about souls. Your little CAP score game threatens jobs and lives of hundreds of working class people. We are here to protect their livelihoods."

The man who had spoke said nothing, but looked over my brother's head. He was scanning the crowd and ignoring my brother.

"Not good," Jason muttered.

"Mike is going to lose his temper," I agreed.

My brother poked the massive man, thrusting his index finger into one of the massive biceps that was folded over the man's chest. "I was talking to you!" Mike screeched his voice jumping an octave in his anger. "Listen to me!"

The other man just shook his head. "Loud dogs in this neighborhood," he muttered loud enough to cause some of the protesters to laugh.

At this point Mike stepped away for a moment. His head rose and fell, apparently as he scanned the body of the massive man. Then with a firm step forward on his left foot he took a wild roundhouse swing at the man's chest.

The man did not flinch, but his left hand whipped out and caught my brother's fist. There was a gasp from the watching protesters and then a groan as the man stepped forward and Mike fell to his knees. My brother's right arm was pushed back over his head slowly as the man moved closer.

"Damn," Walter said.

No one had time to say more before a uniformed police officer emerged from the crowd and looked over the situation. "Sir," he said. "I believe that young man is a minor. It is not lawful for you to treat him this way."