Episode 47

Chapter 193

Krissy

11:43 am, November 4th, 2006

5:43 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

Soup?

After all the time I've been in this school, does the cafeteria staff think I am stupid enough to eat their soup? I've heard even the biology department won't touch it. I'm betting it would only take two or three lightning bolts to change it into some new life form.

I joined the crowds of students grabbing only chips and sodas.

"Hey Krissy."

I turned. It was Frank. "Hey Frank what's up?

Frank gave me a cheeky grin. "Not trying the soup? According to the rumors I heard, you are indestructible after all. You are probably the only student in here who could eat it and not get sick."

That was good for a laugh. "I wish. I'm not that indestructible." I responded, pointing to the soup.

"Alright. Anyway, where's the regular table crew?" Frank looked around curiously."

"Good question. I haven't seen most of them since the day before yesterday. There have been a few rumors."

"Oh? About what?"

"The missing students."

"I've heard a few crazy ones. One was an awards conference for the school athletes. The problem with that is that several nerds are missing as well. That and several athletes are still here."

"True. I heard it had something to do with the nerds. Some sort of conference. But why would all those athletes be missing? I know some of them. They are not smart by any means."

"Good point. What do they all have in common?"

"Besides being students here? They are all teenagers."

"Funny. I knew that. What else?"

"Well Frank, if I had to guess, I'd say the missing nerds is the tip off. Have you noticed Jacob has not been seen either? My guess is that all the students do not have one thing in common with each other. I'm betting though that the groups that do have things in common among the missing are all missing because of friendships and favors owed."

"If any one student can produce that sort of network, it could be trouble."

"True." I looked at the snow falling. "You know its cold enough for a good game of ice hockey. Think the staff will get it through their heads they should close the school?"

"How deep is it?"

"Over an inch when I last cut through the court yard. That was a mistake. This thermal outfit may be colored to make me look naked, but it certainly did not help against the biting cold."

"Then don't cut through the courtyard again."

"Ha ha. Very funny."

"Anyway, back to the snow. I doubt it then. Where I come from, that would barely attract attention. When it got around three to four inches is when they would consider closing school."

"You used to live in Philadelphia. They had more people working in their streets department than live in my hometown."

"Okay Krissy. What do you think is the usual point when they decide to close?"

"Usually one to two inches."

"So you expect them to close school early?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. After all, we are already here. The teachers might decide that there is no use losing the rest of the day. Although I do have a question."

"What is it?"

"Why hold the Program during the winter. I know they gave us these flesh covered long johns. They can easily be opened. But it's still cold out there."

"They turned up the heat. Besides I think Ms. Q. wants to fix the flaws as quickly as possible. Also, think about the number of students in this school. To get a good testing of the Program, they need as much time as possible."

"That's true."

"Excuse me, Krissy." A teacher asked.

I looked up.

Chapter 194

Mr. Bacon

11:57 am, November 4th, 2006

5:57 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

"I had Krissy pulled out of her lunch period." Ms. Q informed me. "She should be here in few minutes."

"Good. We need some answers."

"We do? You know the fight was your fault, don't you. You put her in the Program. Everybody warned you that something like this might happen. But no, you listened to her. That day you sounded like her temper was just what the Program needed. Did you forget that whoever she attacked was likely to have parents? Those parents are not going to just sit and watch. They will want satisfaction. If we do not give them this satisfaction in the school, they will try to get it in the courts. Given Krissy's reputation, that will not be a hard court case for them."

"That is exactly why we are meeting with her alone now. We heard Reggie's side."

"Yes, we did. And it sounds a lot like the sort of thing that Krissy would do."

"Does it really?" I asked.

Krissy arrived as I was saying that. "Does what?" she asked.

"The fight you got into inside the bathroom." Ms. Q replied.

"Oh that. That's exactly the sort of thing I would do. Yep. You're right about that." Krissy admitted cheerfully.

Her response was no surprise to me. In fact, I would not be surprised if she had arranged an interview with the student paper by now.

Ms. Q. looked at her strangely. "Even if the fight is normal for you, you've never come out and admitted it before. Even when we had witnesses, you made us drag such a confession out of you."

Krissy grinned wider. "I thought you were smarter than that. There are two conversations we had earlier this week that explain it all. Are you telling me I'm missing lunch because you forgot?"

"Humor me." I told her. "Explain it again to her."

"Sure Mr. Bacon. Remember I volunteered to be in the Program this week? Most everybody thought this an invitation for trouble. They were right. I explained to Mr. Bacon, who hinted to you that I wanted something bad to happen. Stone beat those who would be disrespectful by using his mind. Or at least that's what it seemed like. Since when do teenagers learn that quickly any lesson that they don't want too? I knew trouble would happen. I didn't want it to happen to somebody who might not survive it. I know I could encounter trouble and make it wish that it had stayed in bed. So I volunteered. I wanted anybody who would take advantage of the Program students to realize that retribution could be swift, sure and exceedingly painful. Teenagers do not easily forget those sorts of lessons."

"I can believe that. I'm not happy about the methods, but I can believe it might work." Ms. Q. admitted. "I'm still surprised you are eager to admit it."

"That's not such a surprise when you realize that I've a week long pardon for any Program related fights from Principal Bacon over there."

"That's true. I did give the pardon. However I'd still like to know the cause behind this fight."

"Sure. What happened is this. I was going to the bathroom. Reggie grabbed me, forced me into the janitor's closet and basically told me I was going to put out for him. He did not ask. He treated me like a piece of school property that could be used by any student."

"But why? I doubt there is a student here that does not know your temper."

"Because I turned him down for a date last week. He decided he was going to use me being in the Program as an excuse."

"Thank you," I told her. "You may go."

Krissy left.

I watched her leave. "His behavior did not sound very reasonable, did it?"

"No." Ms. Q. replied. "Perhaps we need to formalize the request system. These incidents must cease."

Chapter 195

Don

12:09 pm November 4th, 2006

6:09 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

I sat by the window and watched the snow falling outside.

It was far more interesting than the classes I had to look forward to this afternoon.

"Hey Don! You in there?"

I turned to see who called.

It was Sue.

"Yeah Sue, I'm in here. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"This afternoon's classes, the snow, what's happening with the missing students."

"What, you have an idea about what's going on with that?"

I nodded. "My best friend is among them."

"And you've heard from him?"

Again I nodded.

"Don't keep me in suspense, Don. What's going on?"

"You won't believe me if I tell you."

"Try me. It can't be any weirder than some of what has happened around here already."

"Are you sure?"

"It would have to be petty weird then."

"Mind you, he was not able to say much in the email, but it looks like they banded together to rescue Jacob."

"They did what? All of them?? From who???"

"This is where things start to get more unbelievable. But if what he said was true, some Marine officer tried to kidnap him, and then steal one of his ships."

"ONE of his ships! He has more than one??"

"That was my reaction too. Supposedly a bunch of his friends and their friends as well used his other ships to attack some base in the Middle East. That's apparently where he was held."

"How is Jacob then?"

"He was hurt a bit."

"You're partially right. This is hard to believe. But then again, it involves Jacob Stone. Odd things happen to him regularly."

Okay Lou, I hope you know what you are doing. I just let the cat of the bag to the gossip network.

Chapter 196

Ms. Q.

12:09 pm November 4th, 2006

6:09 am November 5th, 2006 (local time)

Looks like the district finally made up their minds about the snow storm. I muttered as I closed down the email function on my computer. The students won't like that at all.

Now for the meeting I both looked forward to and dreaded at the same time. It would be good to know how the guardian angel concept worked out, but it was bad news when it actually has to work at all.

There was a knock on the door.

"Susan?"

"Yes."

"Come on in." I waved her towards a chair as I told her that. I watched carefully as Susan did so. I had learned long ago that how much a student shows on their face is often more revealing than what they had to say.

Students often thought they were being clever with their blank faces. But very few of them were that good at it. All the others who tried that trick just managed to make it plain that something was bothering them. They would manage to hide all emotions and thoughts except the one that they really intended to.

Susan's face was a blank mask with barely concealed rage.

Just my luck. It looks like this meeting will be another one of those meetings where I ask questions I really do not want the answers too.