CHAPTER 39

Third morning in and it's like a well oiled machine, at school before classes there are people watching as now Tracy and her brother Isaac have come into the fold. We all bow our heads as if we're praying and head off to class. What I hate more than anything is that point where you have something planned and yet you have to wait through the most boring shit in existence before you get to have some fun. At the end of second class I got a notice from Coach Campbell that we are having a meeting in the library during the assembly at home period. The news puts a bit of a spring in my step as lunch comes and goes with no real speeches or people who need to be adjusted. I let Jun know that I'll need communication from him as to when to interrupt Heather and whoever is speaking with her. Last two periods drag on but mercifully pass and I watch as others head to the gym for the assembly. I take my note and get to the library where Coach Campbell is waiting in the office and the librarian hands off the keys to Coach before passing me and leaves us alone. I get into the office with Coach and he explains his plan.

"Okay meathead, they're going to be speaking in the gym but you can use the PA system from here to interrupt them, you got some way to know who you are interrupting I take it," Coach asks quickly.

"Yes sir, and thank you sir. I will remember this," I say moving to the phone he pointed out.

"Well my boy is talking about how what he's going to be doing is cool and at least I am less worried

now than I was last week," Coach says, taking out some files.

"I'll keep him around after all this as well, he has fire," I tell Coach Campbell, taking out my phone.

I didn't think I would need to wait long but I'm thirty minutes into the final hour of the day when Jun sends me a text saying that Heather and Kyle are heading up to the podium to speak. I give it a minute and after taking a deep breath punch the buttons to pull up the PA system, I hear the PA tone kick on and begin.

"I told you that we were coming but it was a lie, we've been here all along. They're lying to you; they'll tell you that they're trying to make things better but how different are they from each other. So much of the same that they see you and you and you and you as so wrong because you are different from them. They are addicted to the idea that they are heroes; they want you to see them as heroes so they can feel better about the empty hole they live with everyday. They want to lead you like sheep to a slaughter, covering your eyes so you can't see the end until it's right in front of your face. But I think it's time for the masses assembled to wake up, WAKE UP AND SEE THE LIE THEY WANT YOU TO LIVE! I watch them make people deteriorate and wither all around them, they whisper and wonder at it but they never do anything about it. They want you to crawl but you know you're meant to be upright. You know my name, you know my brothers and sisters, you whisper and wonder about what comes next. I know why they've chosen me, I've seen it in my thoughts and in my waking dreams and I know that this is not the beginning of their new regime. It's the end," I get the last words out and chuckle for a few seconds before pressing the hang up on the phone then placing the receiver in its place.

Coach Campbell has me sit next to him and we start looking busy going over my file when I hear the doors to the library open behind me and a few teachers along with Mrs. Jackson come in looking for someone. Coach greets them and says that he brought me in here so that I wouldn't do anything during the assembly and that I never touched the phone while we've been in here. Mrs. Jackson doesn't push Coach but I can see Ms. Distress is fuming mad and 'knows' that I did it. I watch her call Coach Campbell a liar and that gets Principal Jackson to turn on her wonderful 'No you Didn't' look. I let the whole proceeding play out and as the final bell rang I calmly put all Coach Campbell's files in order and quietly left with my bag, no smile or laughing as I passed Ms. Distress or Principal Jackson.

I'm walking towards the parking lot and see the Gym is letting out from the assembly but more than that the students from the assembly see me walking and soon enough my family filters out to me and gives me a barrier as some cheer and others ask questions. I get to our vehicles in the parking lot and can see that behind the assembled punks and Goth, past the nerds and outcasts there are the 'moralists'. They're watching and looking to see what I'll do next and it has me smiling.

"I think that someone heard my thoughts today," I say loudly but keeping my head downcast," Are there people here who want to believe?"

I can hear some saying yes and there are more questions as I raise my head to look at all the faces staring at me for the answer.

"It's not time yet, I'll be where the storm gathers tomorrow at the end of the rush," I tell the assembled cryptically," If you can't find me then find my family, they know and will guide those that want to believe."

I can hear the talking and don't wait for anyone to give me another chance to speak. I get on my bike and before I can get anywhere Tracy stops me with a gesture and after getting the spare helmet from the seat whispers 'Johnny' in my ear. I guess she has business there and decided to help out by driving us there. It takes a moment to realize that the whole family is following us and our arrival at Johnny's is greeted with some happier faces than I'm used to seeing when I go somewhere. I waste no time finding Johnny in a side trailer and let Tracy have her time with him. I didn't think she was into Johnny but it doesn't matter to me as I am getting my phone blown up with a text message from Kori. Kori's message takes some priority and I guess Jun or Lilly must have made a video because she's promising me some serious alone time when she's all better just for scaring Heather. I followed the link and checked the video out. Apparently I cut Heather off in mid sentence and before I was even finished she left the podium and Kyle had to talk about how they're going to help change the student body. I smile and find Jun just to pat him on the back for the video. I tell the family that I'll be alone later and that this is just a personal stop for Tracy. Devin gives me a look like I need to fix something and I remember that he's still interested in some girl in the moralist camp.

"Brother you need to tell me who this girl that I'm supposed to help you with is," I ask Devin privately.

"Her name is Masha. I've seen her hanging around whenever we gather but I don't like the way they've been treating her, she's like an attack dog as far as they're concerned," Devin says pleading.

"Okay but which one is… the bodyguard?! The damn Russian bodyguard that Heather keeps around to make sure one of the girls doesn't take her fucking head off," I say shocked by the realization.

"I like her okay, I have seen her looking at me too man but I just think that maybe if you could show her that she's just a tool for them that maybe I'd have a shot with her," Devin pleads with a puppy dog face I should not see on a large guy.