Chapter 2: Saving the boy

Commander Jenkins

I Sat in my office doing paperwork for the new group of kids for the battle school before I got a knock on my door “What do you need James, kind of busy here?” James looked at me worried and frantic, “The boy, John, the one who killed that what that other boy, he is going to be arrested for murder.” John? I thought I solved that, it wasn’t good that he would be arrested, I needed him way more than any of the other kids there, he was courageous, good at pulling people together. “He will be guilty if he is taken to court, those fucking lawyers will pull that fight apart to get at him, we need to step in and fast.” James darted around the room grabbing files and other things “Yeah we need all witnesses that will stand up for him, either that or a major override in power” I couldn’t bail this kid out this way, I didn’t have that kind of power, but then I came up with an idea to save him, I was going to make this kid an innocent man…

John

A week had passed since I was accepted to battle school and everyone who was going to be accepted had been, the competition to get in was over and everyone who was accepted was tying loose ends together. Around 35 of the 200 people in the year level were accepted and considering that 140 were trying to get in Id say that a lot of people were left feeling very disappointed. I being the first one to find out, wrapped things up very quickly, I had handed in all outstanding assessment, got all the paperwork needed to be signed and dated done and said my goodbyes to everyone else in the school, everything was a tad too breezy. I was worried at any second something would go wrong and everything I had planned would crumble before me. And exactly that happened, I was walking to a staff room to get a teacher signature before two police officers approached me, “Are you John Doddman?” as it was me I nodded “Well we need you to come with us, you are under arrest for the murder of Myles David.” Murder? I was confused, I thought this was already sorted “I thought I was innocent due to it being self-defence?” the officers looked at each other and frowned “Well it was like that before he died but now that he is dead his family is demanding a trial and punishment.” This was It, I couldn’t be saved at this point, people saw I attacked him after I was saved. It technically wasn’t self-defence, they proceeded to arrest me and take me to the station for a statement and interview. They put me in an interrogation cell with my hands cuffed to the table in front of me. An officer walked in, he looked like a veteran officer, about 45 years of age, middle Height, middle build, he looked like the officer of average than an intimidating figure. He sat at the same table across from me. He fumbled with a folder containing all sorts of photos and statements, anything to get me to confess the murder of Myles David, he then closed the folder shut and then gestured himself in order to have a conversation. “So, run me through the events that took place between you and Myles.” I was refusing to talk as I had no information on what he knew, and I wasn’t really feeling particularly lucky today so I would refuse to explain until I knew what he did, “Not talking isn’t going to get you far, I hope you know that son” I could see immediately that he was trying to soften me up emotionally, being kind in order for me to feel more comfortable telling him, I still wouldn’t however. He sat back in his chair and interlocked his hands and fingers together and through his left leg over his knee, he was trying to emulate disappointment but it didn’t strike any emotion in me what so ever, it felt artificial, forced “I don’t plan on running through anything, I know for a fact I’m not legally obligated too.” He changed his approach, rather than sympathising with me, he decided to take a more persuasive approach “If you decide to talk, and you are found guilty, I can talk to the judge and say you cooperated, and your sentence will become more lenient.” I knew this was true, but the reduction in sentence for this crime was minimal, from what 20-25 years in prison to 15? Not worth it for me. I was going to prove I was innocent. “what’s the story you have been told officer?” I knew almost for a fact he couldn’t give me that information, but I could only hope that it would seem to him like I was cooperating, I was being a bit of stickler so far. “I am not allowed to diverge that information to you” he was swift and blunt in his words, “well then you’re not getting anything out of me” at that moment he realised what I was doing, I was taking control of the interrogation, I was trying to establish that I had the power, not him, he caught on quick. “Don’t try that on me, I am the one making the demands here, not you.” Before anything else could be said, the commander who I met at school stormed in, with a folder of papers and a badge. “Officer you may not hold this young man he is part of our intelligence team and he was executing needed command. The rest is classified.” He then slammed the folder in front of the officer and gave me the badge, the officer flicked through the files and sighed disgruntled “Okay your free to go” he then uncuffed me and escorted me out.

We walked out of the building and onto the street before he spoke to me “How did you do that?” I asked many times as we walked out, but it wasn’t until now where he explained “I put you under my employment and then backdated the hire date, until you enter battle school you now work for me in order remove suspicion.” I was shocked, why would he do this for me? “What’s the job sir? And why did you do this for me?” he stopped walking and turned to me “You’re a undercover student investigator, and because you’re in my good books, a group of us commanders have been keeping tabs of the best talent around, future commanders and captains those kinds of people, most of us found people from already successful families with a good history, but those are the kiss asses that don’t have an original bone in there body. You however, I’ve read your application letter and it struck something in my cold dead heart that made me think that you were something better, I then kept a close track of you and your close friends, and you all have something special to bring to the table, you however, you’re a future leader and I want to protect that. Your sense of perspective is useful and that’s what we need.” Even though he was praising me, he said it such a way that it all felt as if I was a massive burden, not a person he needed to save.