Chapter 16: Integration by Substitution

If luck existed in this world, then Jack had none of it. As his mother soared by on the East Parkway, Jack realized he’d not only make it in time for half his classes, but more than likely the entire day’s worth.

He did have to admit, though, driving through Manhattan from the ground was almost as awesome as flying over it. Mom and Melissa had distracted him by pointing out buildings and weird-looking stores. Some blocks had as many as forty to fifty different shops. It was incredible. His mom promised she’d bring him back here during the summer break. But they wouldn’t fly there, which Jack found disappointing.

His mom’s van was relaxing, spacious, and Jack had no problem catching a bit more sleep as they drove through the boring parts after leaving the city. He’d have slept even if he wasn’t tired, what with the ridiculous conversation Melissa was having with his mom in the front seat.

In a way, it was hard to believe. It was almost like the two had been meeting for weeks and had been working tirelessly on creating the most boring conversation that had ever been conversed in all of human history. Alana and Melissa went back and forth discussing matters so trivial and unimportant that at first Jack thought they were joking around and creating satire. At one point, while fading in and out of sleep, Jack had actually heard the two discussing bags, of all things, from some place called “Juicy Couture” or something like that. Why any human being would want to carry on a conversation about storage compartments was beyond Jack’s ability to comprehend.

Jack had tried several times during the ride to bring up more important, vital matters. He’d tried to discuss things such as the release date on the upcoming James Bond movie, or whether or not Hunters were finally getting nerfed in the next big patch. Melissa had reached over the front seat to give him a tap on the head and a threatening glare. His mom laughed at it all too—whose side was she on, anyway?

Jack woke when the car slowed and pulled up into the school lot. He groaned. The worst part of school was actually entering it. It was still awful throughout the day, but it was at its peak-awfulness when it was first beginning, and he took those dreadful first steps into the building. Why did his area of New Jersey have to be so damned close to New York City? This was the first time in Jack’s life where that had ever been a bad thing.

So, after all that, I end up back here again anyway. I don’t get it. If I really started that fire, couldn’t they at LEAST throw me in prison for a few years?

“Jack, come on,” Melissa commanded.

Jack moaned and purged himself of drowsiness. Before he could leap out the back of the van, his mom, with the reflexes of a ninja, grabbed him and pulled him close for a kiss on the cheek.

“Jack, I knew all this nonsense would happen someday, but you know what? I’m glad it’s finally all out of the way. You’ve had a bunch of excitement these last few days, I’m sure. But now life is going to return to its normal routine. This is just something we live with, and I promise you that on most days you’ll forget you even have any of the abilities you do.”

Jack sighed. “But Mom, why don’t we just—”

Alana cut him off before he could even finish speaking. “I know what you’re going to say—it’s what every new Psych thinks. But using your power for personal gain is not only very much illegal, but it’s highly immoral. If you want to make money and be successful you need work to hard like everyone else.”

Jack shook his head. “That is not what I was gonna say, Mom. I was gonna say why don’t we talk more about this at home. I just found out about all this shocking stuff, and I’ve got so many questions. My world has been shaken. I don’t know if I’m mentally capable of going back to school just yet.”

Melissa and Alana laughed together. Alana ruffled Jack’s hair. “If you were anyone else in this world, I’d believe that, sweetie. I’d take you home right now and help you cope with it, all of it. I’d answer your questions and hope that someday you can wrap your head around this insanity. But you’re you, Jack. Let’s be completely honest here—you’re already thinking about playing video games after school. In a way, I’m glad that you’re you, because as a mother I know you don’t have to live with all these torturous feelings and questions. For years and years, I wondered what I’d say to you if you ever found out what I was—the things I’d try and do to make you understand.”

Alana sighed. “And then that day finally came. I showed up to H.Q and you knew at once what I was, and who I was. For a split second, I was worried what you’d think about me, wondering what all this meant to you and how your life would be changed, but within twenty seconds of finding out the truth, you already started focusing on something else. That’s who you are, and that’s why you’re so special. I don’t know anyone else like that, Psych or otherwise. Now quit trying to bail out of school. I drove like an animal to get you here on time.”

Melissa yanked Jack out of the van, and together they walked towards the school building, stopping to wave once more at Alana before turning around.

“She’s right, ya know.”

“Hmm?” Jack buzzed. “Right about what?”

“You’re really not like anyone else.”

Jack shrugged—he didn’t see it. The two entered the courtyard to the tall, three-story building. Well, tall for where he lived. Nothing could compete with New York City. He’d only just returned from it and already everything seemed like a dream.

School, as expected, didn’t change at all in the few days he had been absent. It was a semi-disorganized mess. The students waited inside the courtyard until seven a.m. sharp, when the doors would open and they’d be allowed to go in.

In some places, there were circular cliques of friends, some exclusively guys and others solely girls, and a few were mixed. Several played stupid games like hacky-sack. Jack felt that any game you couldn’t win was stupid. Would that technically make him stupid for the massive time he put into World of Warcraft?

Many people walked around aimlessly, stopping to chat with friends before moving along. It was the group closest to the west-end of the courtyard that attracted Jack’s attention. Sitting on the small bench was an odd mix of people. One was a hairy boy, resembling more of an animal than a man—Stephen Menar, rival to Jack Harris. Across from him on the shabby bench sat Antonio Delgado, an even greater rival. From the looks of things, the battle had already begun.

Jack didn’t so much as sprint as attempt to leap over to them. He was stopped mid-stride and wondered what force was tugging on the back of his shirt.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Melissa said with a snarl.

“Melissa, what gives?”

She released the back of his shirt and poked his chest. “You’re not to leave my sight for even a minute. I thought we went over all of this. I’m in a kind mood today, so I’ll allow you to do whatever it is you were going to do. Just walk slowly, and keep close.”

Jack didn’t know if he should’ve been happy or not, but for some reason he had the odd feeling that Melissa was going to make his life a living hell. Luckily, his father had taught him how to handle this situation when Jack was growing up in one of their few late-night conversations when he wasn’t away on business.

“Woman, I need me some space.”

Slap!

Okay, Jack noted. That approach didn’t work. Rubbing the handprint forming on his cheek he led Melissa to the bench filled with the eight people society had labeled misfits. He felt into the pocket of his dark jeans, making sure the true source of his power was present. Forget all that Psych nonsense.

“Gentlemen,” Jack said, “the master has arrived.”

Four people leapt up from the table with excitement on their faces. Antonio slowly approached Jack. “So, Jack, you’ve finally come to die, have you? I wondered why you didn’t show up the last few days. I’m sorry to do this to you, buddy, but your time is up.”

Antonio reached into his own pocket. What happened next was almost too fast to follow. In a high-pitched shout, Melissa called out, “Jack, get down!”

She pushed Jack to the ground and then lunged at Antonio, grabbing his free hand before it could leave his pocket. The boy howled in pain as Melissa twisted his arm around his back and pushed him face into the bench.

“Melissa, what the hell are you doing?”

All the boys at the table laughed as Antonio wailed in pain. “Is this how you fight now, Jack? Have you no honor? In Mexico, you would never be allowed to play again for this kind of treachery.”

“Wait, don’t tell me …” Melissa released the boy and turned towards Jack, who was getting back on his feet. He had to think of something quick.

“Sorry about that, Antonio. I’m trying to teach her the rules of the game, and she thought a counter was a physical assault.”

Melissa blushed a deep shade of red, and all around the table, the eight boys laughed at her. Antonio once again reached into his pocket to reveal the stack of playing cards.

“Class is going to start soon, so let’s make this quick, Harris.”

Jack only managed to play half a game before the doors opened. The exaggerated moan came not only from the bench, but from people all around them. Like a league of zombies in route to a corpse, the students of Elms high shuffled in the doors and headed to their first class of the day.

******

Even as his hand raced furiously across the paper, Jack knew it was already too late. He could hear each footstep from the hallway, he could feel the sweat that was dripping between his fingers, and he could taste the fear that was rising from his stomach. Jack realized he was becoming desperate. He ignored the spitballs launched at his head and the laughter from the back of the class.

Jack sat in his usual wooden desk, surrounded by his classmates, and he was overjoyed that his teacher always came late. Since the beginning of the school year, their teacher had made it a habit to arrive ten minutes late. None of the students ever minded, of course, and on this particular Friday morning, Jack Harris thanked his lucky stars for it.

Adam, his impatient friend who sat next to him, shifted his eyes toward Jack. “Seriously, Jack, again? Sometimes I wonder if this happens every week because I coddle you.”

Jack frowned at him. “This time I really couldn’t do my homework, Adam. I was really, really busy. Man, you have no idea how nervous I am right now. Just give me a little more time.”

“Fine, but hurry up. You really need to learn how to better yourself, Jack. I can only imagine how much stress you’re causing yourself by doing this each week. And don’t put my name on your paper again. Oh crap, you already did. Are you kidding me, Jack? Are you freaking kidding me?”

Jack felt close to his breaking point. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He tensed, and he felt a nervous pinch in his stomach. As if to settle the issue, Melissa glided out of her desk and walked swiftly over to the two of them. She ripped the assignment from Jack’s fingers.

“There’s no way in hell we’re going through this again, Jack. Stop enabling him, Adam. This is exactly why he never learns.” She shoved the assignment back in Adam’s face.

Melissa returned to her seat, now only two desks away from them. She was using the excuse that it was hard for her to see the board from her previous angle. Mr. Munson wouldn’t object because Melissa was his favorite student.

“She’s really been on your case since she started tutoring you. Where have you been the last few days?” Adam asked.

“So much has happened that you wouldn’t believe.”

Melissa swung around in her desk and shot Jack a warning glare, as if overhearing their whispered discussion. Jack winked and ran a finger across his lips, sealing them. Adam simply shrugged and looked back down at his assignment.

“Good morning, class,” Mr. Munson exclaimed as he kicked open the door. “You’re all in luck, because today we get to learn about ‘Integration by U-Substitution.’ Can Munson get a what-what?”

As usual, only Melissa and the math geeks in the front row actually bothered to chant it back to him. Adam looked like he was tempted but thought the better of it.

*****

“Are you telling me we’re the first to find this?” Cemmera asked, a smile forming on her lips. If Paro’s team didn’t know about this then she’d get her kill for sure. It was a rarity for an Op. team to stumble upon a murder without the Investigative team having knowledge of it.

“I don’t think even the police know,” Santos said. “From what we found in his wallet, his name is Harry O’Donnell, age forty-two. He’s an accountant and has no living family.”

“Very good, very good. This didn’t happen that long ago, so we’re getting close. Neil, see if you and Santos can’t manage to track these guys. Just make sure if you find ‘em, you don’t kill them without me. You two,” she said, pointing at her two Kinetics, “you’re with me. There’s someone I want to look into—name is Jack Harris.”

Neil looked confused. “But Cemmera, I just got the updated file on his registration today. He’s not linked to any of this.”

Cemmera licked her lips. “I don’t believe that for one second. In fact, if you look at the evidence I was able to steal, you’d see that he’s the most probable suspect at this point. Paro never should have left the Op. department. He’s got no talent as an investigator. We’ll grab the Harris kid and beat him until he confesses. Then, we’ll kill him. It’s that simple, works all the time.”

Cemmera had no idea how the Carebears were able to miss something so critical. The fire coinciding at the same time as the murders—it was too much of a coincidence. Were they blind?

“We weren’t able to get every document, Cemmera. What if there’s more to this that we don’t know?” Santos shifted on his feet.

“Santos, buddy, just relax. It’s like adding one and one. You’ve seen the evidence. This is one of our guys. I can’t wait to hear him scream in pain as he apologizes for the wrong he’s done. Oh, and by the way, this kill is mine. You boys had the last few.”

Cemmera felt like drinking—she always did when filled with the thrill of a hunt. So, this Jack Harris managed to slip through the cracks, did he? Have no fear, Cemmera Wilson was here! Her team looked at her like she was a lunatic while she stood over the dead body, laughing hysterically. Noting her team’s reaction, she ceased immediately.

There was an awkward four seconds of silence, and then all four of them cracked up.

I love my team.