TIME & TIED: ESCALATION

ARC 2.1 - From the Past

PART 27b: FLASHBACKS 2

"A... proposition?"

"Yes." Julie stepped aside to allow Carrie to work her lock. "You seem surprised by my being here."

“As far as I know, this is the first time you've ever approached anyone of your own volition," Carrie admitted.

Julie nodded. "I've been thinking of changing that. Moreover, I've been thinking of doing that with you at my side."

Tossing her books into her locker, Carrie slammed the door shut. "Why me?"

"Because Carrie, I believe you're a relatively intelligent girl who has as much interest in status as I do. You already have some admirers, I have some ideas. By combining our efforts, well, let's just say good things are sure to come our way." There was no point beating around the bush - her best approach here was the truth.

Carrie gave Julie a wary look. "What exactly would I be getting out of this deal?”

Julie spread her hands out. "What do you want?"

Carrie laughed. "No, seriously, what would I get?"

"I am being serious, Carrie. Right now, what do you want?"

Carrie pursed her lips. "Right now? Revenge."

"Revenge?" Julie repeated, not having quite anticipated that.

Carrie nodded. "Someone broke into my room late last Friday night and broke a crystal swan I keep on my desk. I'm not sure who it was, but they seemed familiar somehow." Her mouth twitched and her hands briefly curled and uncurled. "I want revenge against whoever it was for what they did. I want them hurt, and hurt bad. Ideally without them ever knowing what hit them. Can you do that?"

Inwardly, Julie laughed. Carrie was even more perfect for her purposes than she'd first suspected.

Still, better to play things cautiously, at least to start. "Well," Julie began. "That isn't much to go on, but I'll see if there's anything I can do. In the meantime, I assure you that if you join forces with me, steps can be taken to prevent such a thing from ever happening again."

Carrie worked through a few choice expressions on her face. "What if I don't like the way things start working out?"

"Two week grace period," Julie said easily. "If, during that time, you don't like the situation? You can walk away. However, I would hope that we can deal with any problems that arise together, resolving them to our mutual satisfaction." She winked. "Come on now, Carrie. What have you got to lose?"

Carrie sized Julie up one last time. "All right," she agreed. "I'm in."

***

Corry paced in front of the two other people in the empty classroom. "So," he began at last. "It's been two days. What have you turned up on this Carrie Waterson? Sue?"

"Bits and pieces," the brown haired girl replied. "As you must have figured out, she's from the other major middle school that merges with ours at this high school. Casual inquiry has revealed that in many ways she's your typical, shallow, blonde airhead. Unfortunately, the exception here is that her head isn't filled with air."

"She knows how to use what she's got to manipulate people when she wants," Tommy chimed in. "Bit of a flirt too."

Corry leaned forwards, placing his hands upon a desk. "Popular?"

"Athletically, yes," Sue confirmed. "Fast runner and fair gymnast. However, her social life outside school is erratic at best. She’s got an attitude, and the few people I spoke with indicated that the only parties of note Carrie's ever been invited to were ones thrown by guys hoping to get to first base with her. What followers she has are at least 80% male."

"I don't think she even gets out that much," Tommy added. “Her mother is gone, either dead or divorced, which could be indicative of an unstable home life. That may be carrying over into her personality. Appearances are a bit deceiving around Carrie."

"I see," Corry concluded. “To sum up, a lively, yet somehow vulnerable person. Julie chose well... she's obviously not about to go down without a fight. As a team, how much of a threat do you think they'll pose?"

Tommy and Sue exchanged a glance. "It's too soon to tell, really," Tommy admitted. "I mean, they may bond instantly or Carrie may decide to move on next week... our data on Julie is just too sparse to make any accurate predictions."

Corry grimaced. "Well, you two have been at my side the longest. I trust you implicitly. If anyone can turn up more about Julie, you'll find a way. Don't worry about Carrie for the moment either... I'll deal with her tomorrow."

***

"Waterson," Corry said as he approached her locker the following day. "Just the person I wanted to see. A few words?"

"I have to get to class," Carrie retorted.

"We've got ten minutes before the bell."

Carrie hesitated, then shrugged. "In that classroom then," she said, gesturing. The two of them entered the vacant room.

"So, you and Julie have hooked up together," Corry remarked.

"Could be," Carrie said noncommittally.

"I strongly advise you to reconsider that decision," Corry continued. "There is a lot we don't yet know about her. She may well prove dangerous."

Carrie laughed. "What, you leap to that conclusion merely because you don't know much about her? Paranoid much?"

"I'm being serious," Corry said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his tone. "I've been getting some bad vibes about the whole situation. Now, in contrast, I am willing to be perfectly candid with you."

"I'm sure you are," Carrie said, nodding. "Mr. Corry Veniti, fraternal twin to Laurie Veniti, former student of MacKenzie King Middle School, well known in musical..."

Corry slammed his books down onto a nearby desk. "Look, Waterson, Julie LaMille cannot be trusted! I'm sorry I didn't get to you before she did, but believe me when I say it's not too late to disassociate yourself from her."

Carrie smiled. "Why Corry, are you proposing some sort of counter offer to me?"

"Well... yes, I guess I am," Corry admitted. "If you're willing to become another one of my backers, I'll give you the associated benefits and speak out on your behalf once I've gained enough of a voice around here. Given time, I may even be able to advocate for you with more than mere freshmen."

"Let me see your books," Carrie countered.

Corry raised an eyebrow. "My books?"

"I want to make sure you're not concealing any sort of recording device that you'll play back to Julie later."

"Oh, please. Now who's being paranoid?" Corry retorted.

Carrie simply looked up at the ceiling and began whistling idly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. Corry sighed. "Fine, fine, here," he grumbled, shoving his books in her direction.

Carrie grabbed them and quickly flipped through the pages of his two texts, as well as his binder. Corry took the opportunity to lean back up against the wall. "Satisfied?" he said irritably once she'd finished.

"Sure," Carrie agreed, reaching out to hand his stuff back. The textbooks slipped off the binder and fell to the floor.

Corry sighed again. "Are you trying my patience deliberately?" he asked, stooping down to retrieve the fallen texts.

"Not really. But about this deal of yours... you say follower. What about a partnership?"

“It may be possible someday," Corry yielded, adding under his breath, "assuming you're not always like this." He stood and grabbed his binder back, stacking his texts on top of it.

Carrie regarded Corry quietly for a moment. "But Julie's offering me partnership. And - correct me if I'm wrong - you did offer HER a definite partnership, didn't you?"

"Hmph. Yes, of sorts," Corry admitted. "But Julie is a unique case."

"Because you're worried about her," Carrie said.

"She has qualities of which I've taken some note, that's all."

"It's all right, Corry. It is understandable, fearing the unknown," Carrie soothed.

"I wouldn't go as far as fear," Corry asserted.

Carrie pressed a finger on her chin. "Oh no? Funny. If I were you, I might go that far. After all, she has your reactions predicted down to a tee."

"But she... wait, what do you mean?" Corry asked.

Carrie smiled again. "I mean this conversation is going almost exactly the way she predicted it would. You know, it's fascinating, Corry. I did have some reservations about Julie. But now, looking at how well she can handle someone like you, well... I think my friendship with her just might work out after all."

Corry grit his teeth. "You're making a mistake. If you're with Julie, you're against me. Are you sure you want that?"

Carrie flashed a patronizing look his way. "It's okay, Corry. I think we girls can handle you." She then produced a number of papers from behind her back, and unceremoniously dumped them into the garbage. "Bye now!"

As Carrie walked out of the class, Corry moved to see what on earth she had discarded. Lying on top of a few dirty Kleenex and a banana peel, he recognized his homework assignment for the day.

Eyes widening, Corry flipped open his binder, looking at the pocket where his assignment should have been. In its place was a small yellow card which read simply: ''Your move now. --Julie''

"All right," Corry seethed, clenching his hand into a fist. “If it's war you want... it's war you get!" Grabbing his assignment from the trash, he wheeled and stormed out of the classroom.