Chapter 42 - Is This The End, Or The Beginning?

In a small dusty room in the basement of The East Side Express is Vanessa Deli, she's sitting on an old red couch which is behind a glass table. On that table are two objects. One is Mesto-Presto's black bag, which Graham took by accident, and the other is a wooden box with a metal lock on it. The box that Graham & Blanko dug up from Starlight High not too long ago.

As she contemplates what could possibly be inside that wooden box, she hears the door leading to the room unlock, and the person who enters the room is Marcus Veridan.

"MARCUS?!" Vanessa asks shocked, "Wh-what are you doing here? How did you even get in here!"

"Well it's a bit of a long story," Marcus replies, "I- uh, I guess you can chalk it up to a miracle?"

"What?" 

"Oh right, you don't know about the club I'm in," Marcus says before getting back on topic, "Look, I wanted to talk to you since…why? Why did you do all of that?"

"You…you wouldn't understand," Vanessa says.

"Then make me understand, why did you burn down the school? Why did you make a scene at the gala? Was everything a part of some big plan?" Marcus questions.

"The school thing was an accident, all we needed was that box and it got way out of hand," Vanessa says, "As for the gala, we needed a distraction, so I made a distraction."

"Is that all there was to it? All that talk about the MSA's lies was just a distraction?"

"....no, that was all true. After all they did whenever I see them all act nice and fake about how they're 'bettering the community' I just… I just get so mad!" Vanessa vents before sighing, "Though look at me now. Still just hiding away, staying still. They're probably gonna hunt me down for what I did."

"That doesn't seem likely," Marcus admits, "They've been hiding the existence of that whole thing you did at the gala. Right now it's like it didn't even happen."

"Didn't even happen huh?" Vanessa comments, "They sure like to sweep things under the rug. I guess I should've expected they'd do the same here."

Hearing that Marcus decides to ask, "What…what did they even do?"

Vanessa is hesitant at first before she explains, "It… It was seven years ago. Back then, I used to live with my family at a public housing place called Lakeview. It was the only thing my family could afford. But the MSA? The MSA didn't see that. All they saw was a place that could be torn down and replaced with a fashion outlet. So they had the city claim the infrastructure was unstable or something. Just like that they got their new fashion outlet they so desperately wanted, while I lost my home. After that things got… messy."

Vanessa places her hand on the side of her arm. Marcus is silent for a bit.

However after a while, Marcus ends up speaking, "Vanessa, I… I'm so sorry that happened to you."

"It's fine," Vanessa lies, "I'm over it."

"But still, I don't know how to make you feel better but, I hope you know that there's people like me & Alex who'll be there for you if you need it," Marcus states.

Vanessa hearing that smiles softly as she replies, "Yeah, you too."

Though as the two sit there, a thought crosses Vanessa's mind as she turns to Marcus.

"Hey Marcus, I'm sorry for asking you this but, can you promise me something?" Vanessa asks.

"Uh sure, what is it?" Marcus asks.

"Whatever you do," Vanessa begins to say, "Make sure you-"

However Vanessa wasn't able to finish her sentence as the door to the room opened. Her face turning serious as from the doorway steps Andy Nibble, who enters the room with a smirk on his face.

"Yo Vanny, got the goods?" Andy asks.

Vanessa nods as she grabs the wooden box and tosses it at Andy, he catches it.

"Good good," Andy says before turning his attention to Marcus, "and you must be the friend of those guys outside."

Marcus looks at Andy Nibble and despite not even being able to see Andy's eyes since it's hidden under his bucket hat, Marcus can tell that this man is someone he does not want to mess with.

"I'd like to apologize for the trouble that we caused you and your friends today and two months ago," Andy says with a smile on his face, "Y'see, Gabriel got a bit…carried away trying to get this."

Marcus looks at the wooden box in Andy's hand and despite wanting to ask questions, no words manage to escape his lips.

"It's something we've been trying to find for a long time, so he was a bit desperate, but don't worry, we're all done messing with your school, so you don't need to worry about us," Andy says as he begins to show Marcus back the way he came, with Vanessa following.

As Andy, Marcus, & Vanessa exit into the hallway and then the main area in the basement, they see that standing in the room are Mesto, Ronnie, Alex, Elizabeth, Graham, Blanko, and a now conscious yet bruised Mister Amnestor. Mesto-Presto & Amnestor are holding the unconscious Hunter Huntingson who's still knocked out from Andy's choke.

Andy walks over to Mesto and hands him his black bag, "You said this is your's, right?"

Mesto grabs the bag, looks inside, and a look of relief fills his face.

"Yeah we took that by mistake, sorry about all of that," Andy says.

"Don't mention it," Mesto says, still cautious.

Andy's attention turns to Mister Amnestor and he walks over while taking out his wallet, "I'm sorry for Graham hurting you, how much money do you want?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Amnestor says.

"I see, well then since we've gotten all of that taken care of, I think it's time for you all to leave," Andy says politely.

"Can I just tell Va-" Alex begins to say but is cut off by Andy.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Andy states coldly.

Alex looks over to Vanessa before sighing and saying, "If you ever wanna catch up, then you can stop by the high school."

As The Miracle Clinic, Amnestor, Mesto, & the unconscious Hunter who's getting dragged by the two older men of the group make their way upstairs, Andy turns his attention to his three subordinates; Blanko Deck, Graham Dirt, & Vanessa Deli.

"I don't think the Big Boss will be pleased that you just let them go, sir," Graham states.

Andy chuckles and says, "That man only cares for those in the gang, of course he'll think that. Besides, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Blanko looks at Andy and asks, "So what are we to do?"

"Good question Blanko," Andy states as he walks closer to the three, "The Big Boss & I have been talking with Sampson and it looks like we've managed to reduce your charges to that of just a few weeks of community service. And don't worry, Number 3 will scrub those charges off your records before you even know it."

"So what, nothing happened?" Blanko asks.

"Exactly, none of this ever happened, it'll be forgotten long before the new year even comes," Andy Nibble remarks before placing a hand on one of their shoulders, "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Vanessa says.

"Alright, you're all dismissed," Andy says with a clap of his hands.

Vanessa, Blanko, & Graham all nod as they start to make their way up the stairs. However, as they do so, Andy looks at the wooden box in his hand.

"Now then, let's see what secret you've been hiding," Andy says as he breaks the lock open with just the strength in his hand.

As Andy stares at the contents of the box, his face is filled with pure shock.

Eventually Andy can't help but let out a laugh, "My my, so that's what's been here this whole time, aye?"

____________________

In Amnestor's car, Aken Amnestor sits in the driver's seat, Mesto sits in the front passenger seat, and all of the kids, even the unconscious Hunter, are all squished in the back.

"Everyone ready to head back?" Amnestor asks.

"Yes," Ronnie manages to say as Amnestor starts to drive.

"This…is the worst," Elizabeth manages to say in the crammed back of the car.

"Yeah, not so funny now, huh?" Alex retorts.

As the car drives out of The East Side, the once awful traffic has passed making the trip much quicker.

"So uh, is Amnestor gonna have us shut down the club?" Marcus whispers to Ronnie.

"Don't worry, we managed to convince him that Graham thought we were robbing the place so I think we're good," Ronnie remarks.

As the black sedan goes over a large bump in the road, Hunter finally wakes back up.

"Uh, what happened?" Hunter asks.

"You're gonna hate this but, we're done in The East," Mesto says before something outside catches his eyes.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Hunter yells and begins to try and escape from the car, however, he can barely move due to how cramped it is back there.

After a while of driving, Amnestor & the others finally make it back to the north side, where he parks his black sedan by the district's park.

"Why are we here?" Ronnie asks as they step outside.

"You'll see," Amnestor says knowingly.

As the club steps outside they look and see several of their classmates and friends in the park. Christopher is the first to notice them arriving and he rushes over to Alex, giving him the biggest bear hug in the world.

"As if I wasn't crushed already," Alex says. 

"How'd this happen?" Elizabeth asks as Carli, Crunch, & Suzy come by him to chat.

"I'm glad you asked," Cameron says as he finally makes it over to the group followed by Hamster, Bennet the hamster, & Selina Gulvonac, "since I didn't go with you guys, I figured why not host a party here when you guys get back!"

Ronnie smirks as he says, "Dude you shouldn't have!"

"Party?" Ray Ramirez says as he walks by with fellow teachers Sam Penningberg & Zesti Champion, "Don't you mean school event that us faculty are getting paid to supervise?"

"Uh- you see- well-" Cameron begins to say but Penningberg chuckles.

"It's alright kiddo, Ray's just messing with you," Penningberg explains.

"No I'm not, if this isn't a school event that means I'm not getting paid, and if I'm not getting paid then why did I even come-" Ray starts to say but Miss Zesti Champion covers his mouth.

"Sorry about that, our teaching assistant is just a lil bit cranky," Zesti tells the kids while Ray tries to yell profanities with a hand over his mouth.

As the festivities continue, Marcus stands a bit back from the group, not wanting to intrude, however, that's when several of them come over to him.

"What are you doing all by yourself, Marcus?" Ronnie asks.

"Oh- I-, you guys looked like you were having fun and I didn't want to get in the way," Marcus explains.

"Get in the way?" Alex questions, "Pfft, dude why would you think that? You're here because we like spending time with you."

"Yeah Alex is right, if anyone is in the way it's me," Elizabeth says.

"Hey enough with the self-depreciation," Ronnie says, "let's just have a good time together, okay?"

Marcus smiles as he walks over to the festivities and says, "Right!"

As everyone continues to have fun, Mesto starts to head to work with a smile on his face. Hunter also joins him in walking away.

"You aren't getting a free meal this time Hunter," Mesto remarks, "You just got one yesterday."

"I know that," Hunter remarks, "I just was heading this way."

Back at the party, as Marcus takes a look up to the sky he begins to notice several stars are becoming visible. Seeing them, he can't help but wonder if all of what just went down is finally over, or if it was the start to something much more nefarious.

Eventually, he figures only time will tell, and right now he should focus on what's right in front of him. He focuses on the friends he's grown close to these past few months, the friends that he doesn't have to worry about if they're only tolerating his presence or not.

Because now he knows for certain that the friends he has see him the same way he sees them. That these are the people he belongs with.

"Hopefully you're with people you belong with too, Vanessa," Marcus sighs as a shooting star glitters in the sky.

See You Next Chapter!~