Chapter 19: There’s Always a Way

No matter how hard Jack tried, he couldn’t get Melissa to give him a moment away from her. He wanted to tell Adam everything, yet no matter what he did, he couldn’t seem to get more than a few feet of distance.

Part of it, he knew, was because she wanted to ensure that Jack kept his mouth shut, which was absurd—Jack was great at keeping quiet! But more so, from the way she darted her eyes like she was crossing a crowded intersection, she clearly feared an attack, even in the middle of school. Jack thought she was being ridiculous. From what he remembered about the two weirdoes from the other night, they’d stick out like a sore thumb. They wouldn’t just show up like Melissa seemed to believe they would.

Melissa followed Jack through a narrow hallway on the first floor. There were classes in session on both sides, as teachers, male and female, old and young, struggled valiantly to teach students pointless things, like art history. Jack wondered why anyone would care about the history of art.

Already Jack was receiving wide-eyed stares from everyone they passed, but it wasn’t surprising. After all, what else could be expected? Jack, the wimpiest and most bullied kid in school, was walking hand-in-hand with a knockout like Melissa. With a devilish grin, Jack realized he didn’t mind some of the jealous stares. He wondered if Melissa would become angry or embarrassed, but so far she didn’t seem to care what people thought of her.

Adam had ditched them a few hallways back while on his way to the library to study or something.

Studying, Jack thought. What a boring thing to do.

Jack had promised to meet Andy in the first floor bathroom after lunch. Something was really bothering him, and Jack was not content to sit idly by and let him suffer. Melissa was just going to have to give him some space.

The hallway was finally quiet—the click of their feet tapping against marble floor was the only audible sound.

“Hey, Melissa,” Jack said, “I need to use the bathroom.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

Jack choked on his own breath. “But it’s right here.” He pointed. “There’s nowhere to ‘go’ other than inside.”

“Exactly,” she said, “let’s go inside.”

Jack felt blood rush to his face. “To-together?” he gasped.

“I’ll stand outside the stall. Jeeze, will you quit being such a baby?”

Jack couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Melissa was going to waltz into the boy’s bathroom like she belonged there? Even if he wasn’t meeting Andy that would still be taking things too far.

“Ah … I think I’ll be fine on my own for a few minutes, and umm, just think what people would say about you if they see you following me in there.”

Melissa grunted as if the thought had already been going through her mind. With a frown, she turned to Jack. “Fine, but make it quick. You’re not taking any of this seriously enough. These people that want you are the ones who slaughtered Richard and his family. I’ll be right outside, so make sure to yell if anything happens—and hurry up.”

Jack laughed. What could possibly happen to him in a bathroom? Jack grimaced as he remembered how quite a lot could happen. The bathroom was home to some of Jack’s most hideous and grueling bullying experiences. He shook his head as he freed himself of those dark memories.

Jack pushed open the swinging door and entered. As usual, his high school’s bathroom, like most high schools, was the most disgusting and horrific place on the planet. It was almost as if—and probably was—intentionally made to be as gross as possible. Unspeakable things clung to the walls, and the stench was nothing short of nauseating.

Jack scanned the filthy bathroom—it appeared to be empty. He turned on one of the small pressure-pressed sinks and washed his hands, waiting for something to happen. The sound of a stall being opened caused him to spin around behind him.

“Andy!” Jack said cheerfully. “You almost scared me to death.”

Andy backed away and inhaled. “No! I wasn’t trying to kill you.”

Jack scratched his head. “Wait, what?”

Andy rubbed his eyes with his palms. “Never mind, I thought you said something else. I see, you said I almost scared you to death. Sorry, I misheard.”

Jack had no idea what Andy was rambling about, and while he was no therapist, he didn’t need to be one to see that Andy was in pure misery. Never had he seen someone so young look so old. It wasn’t his physical features, but the way he carried himself. He looked worn, tired, frightened, and yet despite it all, there was a small glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Jack, I need to tell you something. I need you to try your best not to freak out, run away, or yell to Melissa, who is probably outside the bathroom. She’s there, isn’t she?”

Jack nodded. “Okay, what’s up?”

“Alright … please remain calm and don’t panic. What I am about to say is going to shock you, but you must trust me and not lose your cool. Jack, listen, I know what you are, and I am just like you. I can … do things just like you can.”

Jack laughed and shrugged. “Wow, that’s so cool! Is that all? Hey, did you read the newest chapter of One-Piece?”

Andy looked as if his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. For a brief moment his mouth opened then closed as if he were about to say something, but was instead shocked out of his wits. He stood motionless for a moment, and then again attempted to speak. This time, he succeeded.

“Did you not just hear what I said, Jack? I meant about the things you can do that others can’t.”

“Umm, yeah, I heard you. It’s new to me too, but I guess some people can just do this stuff, right? No need to get all worked up about it. Don’t tell me that’s why you’re all depressed-looking, Andy?”

Andy’s eyes moistened, and Jack had no idea what for. He rubbed them with the back of his thumb and inhaled in sporadic, heavy breaths.

“You really are different, Jack. I knew it—everyone who knows you does. You’re the greatest person in the world. I mean that.”

Jack was confused. What was Andy going on about? He was acting really strange.

“Thanks, I guess.”

“I need your help, man. I’ll do anything if you’ll help me. I’ll give you everything I possess in this world. Hell, I’ll even cut off my own arm and wrap it for you, if that’s what it takes for you to help me out.”

Jack reeled in surprise as Andy got to his knees with a pleading and desperate look in his eyes. Now tears fell freely down his face.

“Jack,” he begged, “I’m a guy who will do anything in this world if you’d only help me. I’ll give you anything—I’ll do, anything. I’ll even cut out my own liver for you. Just please, help me.”

Jack felt the concern tug strongly on his heart. Andy was deeply troubled, and Jack would never refuse him. He grabbed Andy by the shoulder and lifted him off the floor, forcing him to meet his eyes. Jack was rarely so serious, but his mind turned only to thoughts of saving his friend from whatever caused him such misery.

“Tell me what’s wrong, Andy. You said you’d do anything for me, right? I only ask one thing, and that’s for you to tell me what’s wrong in the first place.”

Jack didn’t think it was possible, but Andy’s bawling increased. He lowered his voice to a whisper as the sadness fell from his cheeks and hit the floor with a small splash.

His voice was a barely audible whisper. He only said two words. “Ruin … Requiem.”

Jack’s eyes widened in alarm—his emotions ran wild. At first, he thought he had misheard Andy, but that was impossible. Despite being a whisper, the words came out clear.

Jack hated taking things too seriously, but this was different. The words Andy had spoken, for innocent lives, literally meant the difference between life and death. Andy winced as Jack unintentionally increased his grip on Andy’s shoulders, squeezing them tightly.

“What did you just say? Andy, where … where have you heard these names?”

Andy took a moment to collect himself. His lips struggled to form words. Finally, he said, “How do you think I knew what you were? I’m their third wheel. I don’t know how Requiem knew who you were, and I don’t think I even care anymore, but Jack—they’ve ruined my life.”

Jack released Andy and stepped back. “Andy, did … did you kill those people? Did you kill Richard and his family?”

Andy wailed and slammed his fists against a sink. “No! But they’re going to make me do worse. I don’t know what to do anymore. They’re more powerful than me, and I can’t stand up to them. But they said that you work for some kind of police force or something. Jack, please, I don’t want to go to jail. I don’t want to die! I just want to go back to the way things were before. Please, I’m begging you. I will give you anything!”

Andy grasped Jack, hugging him around the waist. Tears dampened Jack’s shirt while Andy clung to him for dear life.

Jack sighed. “Alright, I’ll help you.”

For a moment, Andy’s face looked youthful again, and the withered lines smoothened as a glimmer of hope shone from his eyes.

“I don’t want to go to jail, Jack. What do I do?”

Jack hummed to himself while he pondered the same. “I’ll find out more. Okay, here’s what we’ll do. Right now, you should go home early. Tell the nurse you’re sick and wait in your house. I’ll see if I can work something out.”

“Is it true?” Andy asked. “Do you really know these people? Are there really other people like us out there that stop these kinds of things?”

Jack closed his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, but I don’t know what will happen to you. Just keep quiet and don’t say anything to Melissa. Go home, stay there, and I’ll come over tonight with an answer.”

“Thank you! I will find some way in this world of repaying you, Jack. I just want this to be over.”

“Don’t worry. You don’t need to repay me. Look, I need to leave before Melissa gets worried, okay? We’ll talk soon.”

Jack felt bad for leaving Andy by himself. He was still hysterical, shedding tears of relief. When Jack returned to the first-floor hallway, Melissa gave him a quizzical look and inclined her head.

“Took you quite a while in there. What were you doing?”

“Well, Melissa, since you asked, now you have to know. It all started with—”

Jack’s words trailed off into mumbles as Melissa covered his mouth with her hand. “Sorry I asked.”

******

Michael was really looking forward to seeing Jack’s expression when they told him the news. “So, school gets out in five minutes, Paro. What do you want to do?”

Michael wondered how Paro felt about all this. At first, he seemed relieved, but now he looked frustrated. He must’ve known what a daunting task it would be to put someone like the Harris-kid on their team. In fact, everyone was up in arms, and Michael didn’t understand why. He seemed like such a fun guy, that Jack Harris.

They were sitting in a black van parked outside of Elms High, at a distance close enough that if Sarah detected even the smallest use of Psych ability, they’d be able to storm the place in under a minute.

Paro had even managed to acquire two full recon teams to survey the area around Jack’s house and the area around his school. They weren’t Psychs, but the twenty or so men hidden in the area would be more than enough to take down a pair of homicidal kids. Especially with the kind of firepower they were packing. But Michael, and probably the rest of the team, were hoping it wouldn’t escalate that far.

“Anything?” Paro asked into the small black comm.

“Recon Team A reporting in, no sign of hostile Psychs, over.”

“Recon Team B reporting in, no sign of hostile Psychs, over.”

“Very well,” Paro responded. “Keep your eyes peeled and let me know the moment anything changes.”

Paro turned to face Michael. “We’re going to have to bring this up with Jack as soon as he gets out of school.”

“But what about his mom?” Michael asked. “She doesn’t seem the type to go for something like this.”

“That’s why we aren’t going to tell her right away,” Paro said. ”First, we’re going to get this situation with the murders under control, and then we’re going to break the news to her. She’ll be hysterical, and I’m not in the mood to deal with that now.”

“But won’t she suspect something when you start meeting with Jack every day?”

Paro grinned. “Not at all, I’ve already taken care of that. She thinks we’re just meeting with him as a follow-up to make sure he’s keeping his Telekinesis under control. I’ve already told her we’re picking him up from school today.”

“That’s so mean!” Sarah chimed in.

Kazou merely shrugged, and Michael continued to laugh. “Well, it’s partly true, Sarah. I’m gonna be teaching the kid everything that I know, and I reckon if he’s gonna be working for us he might as well learn to use the tools of the trade.”

“Well, get ready to teach him, then,” Kazou said, “because there he is.”

A bell had rung, and students were pouring out of school by the droves. Jack was literally the first out the door, in what Michael figured was the only time he actually exerted himself. It seemed that to Jack, being the first one to go home was a race.

One of the first things Michael noticed was that Melissa did not seem happy. She was sprinting after him with her fist raised into the air. Even from this distance, it was obvious that Jack had snuck away from her. As the two neared the van, their voices were picked up on the high frequency audio. It was a high tech receiver capable of picking up audio even from a great distance.

“Jack, what did I say about leaving my sight?” Melissa shouted.

“You’re not the boss of me! Ouch! Stop slapping me, Melissa. Ouuuch! Wow, just for that, I’m not letting you borrow my mom’s season two collection of Glee.”

Even the slap was picked up from the audio transmitter.

“You jerk, you already said you would, so you can’t take that back now. We’re watching it when I come over tonight.”

“Whoa, you’re coming over? That’s sweet!”

“It’s just for the mission, Jack, and don’t you forget it.”

Michael giggled like a schoolgirl and Paro shot him a reproachful look.

“Does anyone have any popcorn?” Michael asked.

Sarah laughed, and when Paro glared at her, she held out her palms and smiled. “It is kind of entertaining.”

“The van’s over here, idiot. Where are you going?”

“Oh, I thought you said they were parking by the left entrance.”

“No, I said the right entrance. You don’t listen to me when I talk to you. All day long you ignore everything I say.”

“That is NOT true, Melissa. I only ignore the things that don’t interest me.”

Slap!

Paro grunted—it was a low, rumbling sound. “I can’t believe we have a second Michael on the team now, especially when I didn’t even want the first one.”

Michael tipped his cowboy hat. “You’ll thank us later!”