Chapter 16

Dan stood beside Cindy and watched as students stumbled their way out the doorway of the classroom. Guys were staring between the flicking of their eyes up and down as they checked out Cindy. Girls were often gasping as they were pushed along past Don. Dan had a feeling this might turn out to be a really trying day.

The stream of students exiting the classroom had finally petered out and the two of them were the first to enter the now empty room. They went to their usual seats and pulled out the towels they'd first used in the conference room. They were already seated when the first of their classmates walked into the room. Dan didn't know the girl. She squealed at the sight of the two of them being naked. She also blushed and her breathing speeded up as she reacted to both their naked presence and her first reaction to it. Dan simply flinched a bit in reaction to what happened.

The girl now said something. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I was just so surprised to see you like that! I had no idea! Please, please forgive me for acting so stupid!"

Cindy answered. "It's OK, Nancy. I'm sure we'll be getting used to it by the end of the day." She sighed upon finishing that.

Dan just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head at the girl whose name must be Nancy. He felt tense with his whole body being on display. He had gotten more so since the students from the earlier class had passed by them. He tried some calming exercises.

Others had begun walking into the room and were variously stopping to stare, gasping in surprise, or just shaking their heads as they took their seats.

Things got interesting when Tasha walked in and discovered Don on naked display. She walked towards him as if she were in a trance. She stopped right in front of him with her eyes growing big and round. And slowly they came to focus upon his groin. And her eyes took on a gleam as she took in the sight of what she'd already stated as wanting. Dan just knew that his life as Don had taken up yet another notch in difficulty.

Cindy spoke up. "Tasha, don't drool." She said it simply, without sarcasm or anything else.

Tasha's eyes snapped up and looked at Cindy. "I'm not drooling. I'm just appreciating Don's physique."

"Right, Tasha." Maybe just a touch of sarcasm had entered into Cindy's voice. Tasha looked just slightly chagrined. She reluctantly moved around Don and went over to take a seat at her usual table.

Dan was wondering how much worse things could get when both Donna and Susie stopped in the doorway of the classroom. He had expected that they would have figured things out when Cindy and he didn't show up in their homeroom or first period AP English class. Now, they seemed to be scoping out things before stepping on into the classroom.

They slowly walked over to their table, staring the whole time. They kept switching their attention back and forth between their two naked friends. Susie began developing a blush as she saw her stepbrother fully nude for the first time in three years. The sight of Don's body appeared to confirm matters for her. She'd heard it from Cheryl. She'd seen Don's package concealed underneath the fabric of his briefs. Now the sight before her seemed to be affecting her. It was a sight significantly different from what she'd witnessed when she'd been twelve.

And the same could be said of Donna. She had quit glancing at her friend Cindy and was now concentrating on Don's lower body. Dan looked back and caught her eyes in what he hoped was an honest expression of his concern. He had to say something. "I think you know that what they call a 'reasonable request' isn't gonna work, right?"

Donna nodded. Unsettlingly, Susie also nodded. Dan felt like he might be about ready to run away from home if this sort of craziness kept cropping up in his new life as Don.

He had to do something to break through to the two of them. "Donna, Susie, please sit down. You're making me nervous with your staring." He let a slight smile appear after his request.

The two girls looked at one another and then glanced at Cindy. Mysterious communications protocols seemed to have been established and information was exchanged. Cindy nodded her head and nodded to the seats where Donna and Susie usually sat. The two girls moved to take their seats. Dan wondered about what information may have been exchanged between the girls. He understood that he had perceived only some small part of the outcome of their communications. He could see them taking their seats. But, what else had been communicated was beyond him.

Damn, I'm gonna have to have a talk with these girls. All of this is gonna drive me crazy if I don't.

Abe Rosen came in and stopped as he saw the two of them naked. His eyes got a little bit large and then his expression changed as his eyes suddenly narrowed. He stepped up beside Don. "Thursday, right?"

Dan looked at him with what might have been a touch of surprise. "Yeah, I think so. How'd you get there so fast?"

"I just saw Leroy in the hallway. Before that I saw who I think had to be Billy walking away from me. I guess I should be expecting to be naked sometime soon."

"Yeah, right on both counts about Leroy and Billy. So, yeah - I think you're likely right to expect things to be directed at you. I don't know, for sure. But, I'd kind of expect it. That vice principal we ran into on Thursday is in charge of this program. I guess you should expect the worst."

"I expect you're right. If true, what are we gonna do about it?"

The girls reacted to that. All three of them sat up. Dan just allowed a smile to play across Don's face. "Remember that old Klingon proverb about how 'Revenge is dish best served cold'?"

"Yeah, what're you thinking?"

"The lasers used to read or burn data and video DVDs are a cold form of coherent light, right?"

"Yeah. They are..." Abe paused in what he'd been about to say. He then smiled a beatific smile. "Gotcha. I'll start working on a cold dish of revenge. I think I know exactly what to do." He nodded to Don and went over to sit beside a staring Tasha.

Three girls stared at Don like he was suddenly something other than just naked. He smiled at them. "I don't appreciate being singled out for special treatment. Abe sees it, too - now. Leroy, Billy, and I saw it earlier. We know what happened. I'm gonna make sure someone has a short and very interesting career here at Morgan County High School." He continued with his smile.

The three girls exchanged glances. It was Susie who said it. "Oh! He's already toast, if I know Don!" She grinned.

Cindy got a smile. "Yeah, he was strange in that meeting we had this morning. I think Don's right. And I hope someone can get rid of him. Although, I don't want anyone to find out about Don being after him."

Donna and Susie nodded. Donna spoke. "OK, I'm zipping my lips. I can see how what happened last week could have gotten you in the program, Don. If that's the game that's being played, then it's fair play to turn it around." Donna's demeanor took on something more akin to what Dan usually showed via Don's face. "Fuck 'im. If he wants to play games with my friends, then let 'im learn a few nasty lessons." She glanced over to Abe. "Abe's your best bet, Don. He's way more skilled than anyone else in school. Just let him have a go at getting stuff for you. That's all you need to do." She smiled one hell of mean smile.

Dan wondered where this had come from. Donna seemed like the essence of revenge unleashed.

Damn, I gotta remember to stay friendly with this girl. She just may be more ruthless than me!

He was distracted as he noticed a few more students entering the classroom. Two of them were wearing the newer issue digital pattern BDU uniforms. He suddenly realized that there must be a JROTC program in the school. The insignia seemed to indicate an Army training program.

He was surprised when the door to the adjacent office opened and the teacher entered the classroom. It wasn't their usual History teacher, Mr. Hart. Instead, this was an uniformed Army Command Sergeant Major. And his insignia made Dan want to flinch. He just did control his reaction to the sight. The guy was a Green Beret. The name shown on his chest was Johnson.

Oh! This is Mrs. Johnson's husband. She said her husband is an SF non-com.

Then Dan really had to clamp down on things as Sergeant Major Johnson took a moment to examine the two program students he found in his class. He recognized the uniformed teacher!

Shit oh shit! I know this guy! He deployed with me to Afghanistan! He was a sergeant back then! He was on my team when I was thinkin' about doin' in Henry! And he knows about that! I trained him! Oh fuck!

Bart Johnson was looking over the class as the last bell rang. A student had just made it through the door when the bell sounded. The Command Sergeant Major walked over and shut the door to the classroom. He walked back over to the desk and leaned back against it. "Good morning, people. Your regular teacher Mr. Hart is at home today helping his wife with their new baby girl. Nothing wrong, just she's their first child and she showed up a couple of weeks early." He smiled at the thought of his own daughter's arrival in this world.

"As a couple of you surely know, I'm Command Sergeant Major Johnson. I joined the Junior ROTC program here while I'm recuperating from a little mishap I had in a place I can't talk about." He grinned at that and several students caught on to the intended humor and either grinned or chuckled in return. He noticed that the male program participant who'd stared at him for a few seconds now had what might be a forced grin. It looked like he wasn't really amused in the same way some of the other students were going along with his little joke. It was almost like he got the real meaning of his injury.

"Anyhow, since I have a degree in History I was asked to substitute for Mr. Hart until his home life gets settled. Any questions?"

He waited a few moments and since there didn't seem to be any questions he went on. He first addressed the two program participants he found before him. "OK, I think I'm supposed to ask program participants if they need any relief at the beginning of class. What about you, son?"

"What? Uh, relief, sir? Oh. No, sir. No need for that."

CSM Johnson blinked. A naked teenaged boy seated beside a naked teenaged girl and he didn't need help... His blink must have been caught by the boy.

"Sir, I'm just a little bit shocked over this program thing. I'd never heard of it before this morning. And I've got some medical problems associated with my recovery from an accident earlier this Summer. Relief isn't something I'm likely to be thinking about."

Susie spoke up. "Sir, my brother Don had a head injury at the beginning of Summer. His injuries and his medications leave him disabled, in some ways. Also, he's had amnesia since his injury." Susie smiled at Don as she spoke up.

CSM Johnson considered what he'd just heard. There was only one boy in the school who had amnesia. He'd heard about him and some of what he'd done. Disabled? What could that mean? He leaned forward and smiled. "Are you the young man who stopped that kidnapping in front of my house?"

"Yes sir."

"OK. You must be Don Nichols, then." Bart shifted his gaze to the girl who'd said she was his sister. "And you're the one he saved?"

"Yes sir."

Bart smiled even more broadly. He stepped over to the table where the boy was seated. "Stand up, young man!"

Dan was wondering what was happening. But, he went ahead and stood and looked the Sergeant Major in the eyes.

Bart Johnson saw some caution in the boy's posture and wariness in his eyes. He supposed that amnesia might do that to a person. Also, being in the program, too. He stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet one of the local good guys, son."

Dan allowed Don's hand to be shook and tried to keep anything from showing on Don's face as he found himself standing naked in front of one of his former troops. He managed to speak in what he hoped was a normal voice. "Thank you, Sergeant Major."

Bart was impressed by the boy's calm reply. But since he'd learned what the boy had done, maybe his calm wasn't so surprising. He turned to the girl who'd said he was her brother. "Miss, you're very lucky to have such a brave and resourceful brother."

Susie Waters blushed.

Dan felt like groaning. The Sergeant Major was likely making his problems worse, he thought.

Bart Johnson turned to girl who was in the program. "Miss, do you need relief?"

"No sir. I'm almost as much in shock as Don. But the four of us sitting here have known one another since we were three years old. It's easier getting used to this with friends around." Cindy smiled very slightly.

"Yes. Friends can be very important in our lives. It's good to learn that you've got several you're comfortable enough with to sit by them while you're in this program."

The Command Sergeant Major returned to the teacher's desk at the front of the classroom and continued with the history coursework. Dan sat there and tried to pay attention to the topic being covered. He wasn't sure that he heard too much of the classroom lecture or discussion. Other thoughts were passing through his mind. Some were about this program he was finding himself in.

Then, there was the craziness of finding another member of his Afghan mission here in Danielville.

Something bizarre, sure as shit - is happening. I've got to start rethinking things. I'm gonna get caught in a meat grinder if this is any indication of things.

Eventually, the class ended. He and Cindy moved along the hall with Donna, Susie, Tasha, and Abe accompanying them. They almost seemed to be an escort. Shortly, they arrived at their next classroom. It was their class in Biology.

The six of them entered into the classroom and the first thing that Dan noticed was a table had been placed in front of the teacher's desk and two chairs flanked it. He wondered what that was about as they took their seats at their regular desks.

Soon they were joined by Don's best friend Vince, who Dan had been getting to know over the course of the Summer. Vince and Abe got into a discussion with Tasha. A couple of guys who were on the football team showed up in the class, too. Dan immediately felt less uncomfortable in this class than what he'd experienced during the beginning of the history class.

The guys in the class were eagerly checking out Cindy. Some of the girls were having a good look at Don, too. Others seemed too embarrassed to do more than barely glimpse at him.

He leaned over to Cindy. "How're you doing? All the guys are really looking you over. Are you OK with that?"

Cindy gave him a slight smile. "I'm mostly OK with it. It's still weird and a bit shocking, but I'm trying to adjust to it. How are you doing?"

"Shocky pretty much describes how I feel. I'm really unable to describe it any other way. I wasn't expecting anything like this to happen. I'm not sure how I'm gonna react when some girl makes one of those reasonable request things. I guess I'm just gonna have to deal with it when it happens."

As they sat there whispering to one another the last of the students arrived in the classroom. The bell rang and their biology teacher made his appearance. Only, Mr. Robbins was naked! He walked across the front of the classroom as the talking in the room ceased and was replaced by several gasps and a couple of groans. He closed the door to the classroom and walked out in front of the staring class. He leaned back against the table that fronted his desk. Mr. Robbins now spoke to his astonished, astounded, and greatly surprised audience.

"Good morning, class. As you can see, I'm a supporter of the program here at Morgan County High School. This week we're going to examine some aspects of human sexuality with the aid of our program participants. Now, I'd like Miss Richards and Mr. Nichols to step forward and take a seat in these chairs I've got here by the table." He stepped away from the table and motioned for Cindy and Don to come forward and become seated while facing the rest of the class.

Dan turned to Cindy. "Wait one, Cindy."

He then turned to Mr. Robbins. "Why do you want us to sit in front of the class?"

Mr. Robbins seemed to almost frown before he managed to come up with a smile. "You're our living models for the week. Now, come up front and take your seats."

Dan frowned with Don's features. "What if I don't want to be a model. I'm not an exhibitionist or anything like that. I'm a very private sort of a person."

The teacher now openly frowned. "You don't choose your participation in the program and you don't choose your class assignments. Your assignment right now is to be a model for your Biology class. Now, get up here and take on of these seats! Do it now, please." Mr. Robbins seemed to be getting slightly upset.

"I didn't request to be in the program. I don't see why I should be forced to participate in anything like this."

"If you continue to refuse, then I'll have police officers come in here and force to you comply with my instructions!" The teacher now seemed to be somewhere between exasperated and pissed off.

Dan was starting to smile. He was interrupted by twin giggles from Tasha and Cindy. This latter event caused Mr. Robbins' face to become practically scarlet.

"What do you think you're giggling about!? Answer me! Now!" He now sounded excited and really pissed off.

It was Tasha who spoke up. "Don't you know about what Don does in his spare time?"

Mr. Robbins suddenly looked surprised at that apparent non-sequitor. "What are you talking about?" His excited tone of voice was somewhat reduced.

Tasha laughed. "My father's a Captain on the Sheriff's Department. Don trains our local deputies and officers in martial arts. My Daddy is in awe of what Don can do. Haven't you heard about what Don's done? Those three guys who tried to rape the District Attorney's daughter. The crazy who tried to kidnap his sister. That idiot who attacked my cousin last week. Don's dangerous! But, he's my friend. And my Daddy and the District Attorney really like him. I'm gonna talk to my Daddy about what you've said to Don and Cindy. OH! I almost forgot! I saw who's assigned to school, earlier this morning. Danny Perkins is the deputy. He's the nephew of the sheriff. He thinks Don is a great guy. He's not goin' to do anything to Don. I think you need to apologize to Don and Cindy for yelling at them. Who knows what might happen if you don't..." Tasha ended her monologue with a sweet-looking smile. Only, her eyes weren't smiling. Dan thought Tasha looked a lot like her father when he got seriously annoyed. Dan had seen Lester Thomas get seriously annoyed and he looked a bit like a cold-blooded predator on those occasions.

He glanced around and found Abe, Vince, Susie, Donna, and Cindy smiling. Some of the other students looked either stunned or else trying to stifle laughter. Mr. Robbins looked a bit alarmed over what Tasha had just said.

The teacher turned to Don. "You teach martial arts to the local police?" His voice was far less strident than it had been.

Dan allowed a smile to play across Don's face. "Yeah, I work with officers from both local departments. I also train with them in other ways." He broadened his smile as he declined to volunteer exactly what else it was he did with the local law enforcement agencies.

Mr. Robbins seemed to be getting just a bit bug-eyed. It was almost as if he'd just discovered that there was a green tentacled alien seated in his classroom. Dan felt like smiling even more, but didn't.

Well, maybe I should rethink things about Tasha. I'm beginnin' to like more 'n more how she goes about doin' things.

He had to say something to the teacher. "I've got to explain something. I've never heard of this program thing until this morning. That's because of my amnesia. So, some of what's happening is completely outside of my expectations or experience. What happens if I really don't want to be a model? I mean, assuming that nobody comes in here to try and drag me up there and place me on display. Which won't happen, by the way. Anyone laying hands on me is going to wish they'd never made that mistake when they wake up in the emergency room or intensive care. So, what happens if I just stay seated here in this seat?"

Mr. Robbins shook his head for a moment. "Wait a minute. You train the local police in martial arts and other stuff, techniques, whatever? I mean, you're just a kid of fifteen!"

Dan didn't have an opportunity to answer. Susie did it for him. "Sir, Don began shooting and training with firearms when we were just ten or eleven. He has always been a good shot. Since his accident he's been an even better shot. I've gone to the shooting range with him and he simply doesn't miss, not once. Our father trains police and security personnel and he's a really well-trained shooter. But Don outshoots everyone on the range and training course. Since he's been recovering he's proven that he's an incredible fighter and operator, as several officers have started calling him. He kept my biological father from kidnapping me. Don disarmed him and sent him to the emergency room. Afterwards, Don unloaded and disassembled the gun my 'father' had pulled out to use on him. That man wanted to kidnap me and do disgusting things to me. Don kept it from happening. He may be only fifteen, but Don's someone with very unusual skills and abilities."

Susie finished up her description and Dan noticed Cindy, Tasha, and Vince nodding in agreement. Abe was grinning. Donna was just smiling. That smile of Donna's actually looked dangerous.

Where did that come from? How can a fifteen year old girl look that way?

Several kids in the class were looking at him like he might be dangerous. The two guys from the football team were giving him some grins. They'd already heard about his actions from the previous week.

Mr. Robbins was now looking at this program participant like he might be a poisonous serpent. The naked teacher was wondering how such a young man could have been chosen to be a participant in the first week of the program. Someone had screwed up — big time! He had amnesia and he was a deadly serious martial artist! And he didn't know a thing about the program. This was a mess and it had landed in his classroom! He had to say something to the young man and still retain control over the class! What to do? His amnesia! That was it. He'd have to speak to him privately!

The teacher managed a smile. "Uh, Mr. Nichols. I wasn't actually aware of your amnesia and other matters. Could you step into my office, please? I want to speak with you for a moment."

Dan could detect desperation on the part of the teacher. He was surprised and seemed to be trying to keep things from escalating into a real confrontation. Dan figured he could go along with this for awhile.

He got out of his seat and walked over to the door leading into the teacher's office. He entered and waited for Mr. Robbins. The nervous teacher came in and sat down at his desk. He gestured to one of two other chairs. "Take a seat, Mr. Nichols."

The nervous teacher started out by asking him about the amnesia and its origins and general symptoms. Dan explained about his Summer of recovery and detailed what had happened when he'd broken up three assaults. He explained that he just seemed to be naturally gifted with talents applicable to martial combat.

Mr. Robbins was new to the school and hadn't learned of Don's situation. He explained that he had been brought into the school because of his previous experience with establishing a successful program in a nearby school district. He asked Dan about his knowledge of the program and learned of his surprise to discover that it was about.

Dan then explained how things had started out badly in the conference room, that morning. At mention of vice-principal Snottingham, Mr. Robbins' face had clouded over. Dan got the immediate impression that there was a problem between the teacher and the vice-principal. Dan decided to test that thought with a question.

"Mr. Robbins, why does Mr. Snottingham wear that unusual coat with those two strange icons on the lapels?" Dan tried to keep a neutral expression on his face as he asked the question.

Interestingly, Mr. Robbins snorted. "It's because the vice-principal is our officially licensed program manager. He's paid by the federal program to insure that the program is introduced and runs within its guidelines. Those guidelines are broad, and allow state and local school systems to customize their programs according to local conditions. He's here to make sure our implementation of the program fits within those guidelines."

"Oh, OK. He's a bureaucrat, then."

"I can see that your amnesia hasn't effected your ability to think, Mr. Nichols."

"No, I can think clearly. I can recognize things as well. You don't like the vice-principal, do you — Mr. Robbins."

The teacher allowed a slight grin to show. "You're very perceptive, Mr. Nichols." He shook his head just a bit.

"Why don't you call me Don, Mr. Robbins. My father and uncle go by Mr. Nichols, not me." Dan grinned a bit to show that it was an invitation for the teacher to loosen up with him.

The teacher's eyes narrowed for a moment. Then, he suddenly chuckled. "Oh, you're smooth, Don. You're trying to get me to relax while I'm talking to a certified fighting machine of a fifteen year old. OK, I'm calming down. However, what was said in the classroom still leaves me disturbed. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yeah, you just said it. I'm a certified fighting machine. The thing is that I'm very mature for my age. And my personal temperament is that of a very private person. However, I'm also not one to allow anyone to push me around. Trying to coerce me into doing something by force is inviting disaster. Just because of that I'm probably the last person you'd want in this program. Add in my amnesia and also the effects of my medications and then I'm really the worst candidate for the program that I could imagine." He shrugged.

"What are the effects of those medications?"

Dan explained about how the blood-pressure drug effected him. He mentioned how he'd not had a single erection since getting out of the hospital.

The teacher muttered something about idiocy. He couldn't believe that a student who couldn't enjoy the principal benefit of the program had been placed in it.

OKAAAYYY. That's plain 'n easy to understand. Then why am I here and in this situation?

Mr. Robbins seemed to pause in thought. When he spoke it seemed that he was being quite cautious. "Don, we have to do some things in class that may upset you. To get through the school year you have to participate in the program. To get through the program you have to participate in its activities. And if you're in a Health or Biology course then one of your activities is going to be serving as a living model for the teaching of human sexuality. Failure to comply in participating will eventually lead to suspension until the participation requirement is met. Those are the rules."

Dan knew he was frowning. This was going to be worse than he'd thought.

The teacher noted the frown. "Can you manage to deal with this, Don?"

His frown had mutated into a smirk. He shrugged. He'd just have to tough it out. "I guess I'll just have to deal with it."

They finished up their private discussion with Mr. Robbins going over the general rules of the program and its goals. Dan listened to this description and compared it to what he'd learned earlier. Much of it seemed the same. Some of what was described was presented in a more positive way, having the teacher place a positive spin on the message. His message seemed to contain an element that was less coercive than what Dan had heard earlier that morning. He listened to and yet recalled how this same man had tried to coerce him into doing something he objected to.

They agreed that things would be presented slowly. Mr. Robbins didn't want to eject Don from the program and cause him to be suspended from School. Dan didn't want to have to deal with being stuck in high school for an extra year, or whatever...

He reentered the classroom with the teacher. He took a seat at the front of the room. The teacher addressed Cindy. "Miss Richards, please take your seat." Cindy got up from her desk and did so.

It was bad. It felt degrading. No, fundamentally — it was degrading. Mr. Robbins attempted to ease things for them. He was thinking that the teacher at least appeared to understand what they were undergoing. But, that wasn't where Dan was at. He was also thinking about a federally mandated and 'licensed' bureaucrat who caused him to be placed in this situation. He was beginning to understand more and more about this strange, parallel universe he'd been dropped into. Things had really taken a turn towards a weird mix of the best and the worst of his own world. Lots more freedom of expression, yet simultaneously allowing for the exercise of more coercive power by some federal program.