Chloe pauses briefly, and then she says, “Come to think of it, I recognize the owner of the voice that threatened me. However, it is not the voice of the creepy puppet, Space Cowboy, George Lincoln, nor is it the voice I heard inside Cheaply’s shop. It isn’t Cheaply’s voice. The voice of the cheapskate idiot Cheaply still is grating on my nerves from the last time I saw him. It is a voice I will never forget.”
James says, “It is not the whining, high-pitched voice of Robert. I would recognize that eerie, shrill sound anywhere.”
Diana Jane says, “It is not Sorrie’s voice either. His gruff, lisping vocal sound gives me the creeps.”
Sophia says, “It is not the voice I heard in the library. Therefore, it isn’t a creepy clown. At least I hope that it isn’t! Then again, it may be Robert’s voice. I do not know for certain.”
Colette says, “It is not the voice I heard screaming at the mansion. That had to be a woman’s voice, or perhaps it was Robert’s voice. Heck if I know!”
Brenae says jokingly, “Well, I’ll be. It seems like there aren’t any known voices left for me to compare. Consequently, I will offer that it is probably not Molly Gertrude’s voice unless, of course, Molly has come back as a guy!”
Colette chuckles. “Bre, you must be just as afraid as the rest of us, but you still manage to crack a joke. I love your style.”
“Thank you,” Brenae whispers. “I’m trying to keep things on an even keel before our world goes under and ends horribly!”
Chloe glances around the huddle. Her expression is gritty, and she has set her lips in a straight line. There is no doubt in her teammates’ minds that she means business!
“Okay, be careful, and I wish you good luck. On my count. One. Two. Three! Let’s go!”
*****
Part III: The Collusion
The Sextet members dash off as two separate groups to confront whatever or whoever is at both ends of the warehouse. A girl frantically yells the instant the Sextet starts running in opposite directions.
“Get out of here! They are attacking. Get out of here now!”
The unknown girl’s distressed shouts are a waste of time. Sophia and James’ groups are on both ends of the warehouse in a matter of seconds.
Sophia suddenly shouts, “They are holograms, stupid holograms like the Spiderman and Harry Potter video effects at Universal Studios. Run right through them. They cannot hurt you!
James shouts from the other end, “There is only one girl at ground level at this end. It is the girl whose voice we heard. You were correct, Sophia. There are teenagers in the rafters at this end, three of them!”
Sophia does not respond. She is busily challenging two Claymore High football players. She yells, “Drop the wrench, and I want you to place the hammer onto the ground. Do what I tell you, or you’ll both be sorry!”
The teenagers look at each other, and then they start to laugh. They continue to stare at Sophia as they slowly smack the tools against the palms of their hands.
The boy holding the hammer says, “No way, girlie. I am going to knock you silly, and he is going to smash your face with his wrench.”
Sophia quickly glances behind her at Chloe and Colette. They have wide grins on their faces as they stand with their arms folded across their chests.
“Chloe, Colette! I want you to get the heck out of here! Check to see if Jay and the others need help.” With a laugh, she says in a sarcastic tone, “Trust me, ladies, I got this.”
The boy holding the wrench mimics what Sophia has said as he declares in a singsong voice, “Trust me, ladies, I got this!” He glares as Sophia. “Yeah, you got this alright! You and what loser army?” He rolls his eyes and laughs scornfully. “Jake, can you believe she said that she’s got this?”
Jake replies, “Yeah, she’s got this alright.” He whirls his finger in a tiny circle next to his temple. “She has a lot of stupidness going on inside that idiotic, redheaded noggin of hers, that’s what she’s got!”
As Chloe and Colette run to the other end of the warehouse, Chloe calls over her shoulder, “I knew it was you, Jake! Be careful, Sophia, Jake is one powerful and agile defensive end! So is the other guy, but I don’t know his name.”
“No problem, Chloe,” Sophia yells with a laugh. “The Jake dude will be on his defensive end in a matter of seconds.” She slowly approaches the duo as she continues to shout at them.
“Drop those tools, you morons! Do it now. I do not want to have to hurt you!”
The two football players assume aggressive stances as they split up. They crouch down and begin to encircle Sophia.
Jake says, “Let’s be reasonable here, girlie. There are two of us and one of you. We have the weapons, and you do not have anything but your pretty self. I honestly do not want to have to hurt you. Why don’t you go and join the others? Because, if you don’t, and you come any closer, you will be sorry.”
Sophia shouts, “Not only are you bullies. You are sexist too. I am no one’s girlie! Likewise, I am no one’s pretty self. Finally, if you make one more bullying comment about my red hair, you are going to witness firsthand how fiery a redhead can be!”
The other boy says, “Jake, they have us. I do not want to have to fight with a girl. Maybe it is better if we skedaddle. Come on, Jake, let’s get out of here. I do not want to do this anymore.”
“Ain’t no way, Clay,” Jake replies as he moves closer to Sophia. “They know who we are, so we need to find some middle ground. We don’t want this ketchup head and her pals to squeal on us. What we need is a compromise.”
Sophia says softly, “You two are Jake and Clay, yes? I do not know you Jake, but Clay, I think I recognize you. Unless I am mistaken, you are in my world history class. You’re Clay Ferguson, am I right? You’re the center on our school football team. My goodness, Clay, you are in trouble now, aren’t you?
“Furthermore, you are about to be kicked off the football team along with your moronic friend, Jake. How stupid is that?” Sophia laughs. “It’s pretty stupid if you were to ask me, Clay.” As she stares at Jake, she shouts, “Ketchup head? Jake, I warned the two of you about calling me names!”
“Shut your stupid, carrot top mouth, Sophia!” Clay shouts angrily. “Who do you think you’re talking to, anyway? How dare you insult me and imply I am stupid! Our senseless principal has already threatened to suspend me for fighting in the cafeteria, so I do not need threats from you. I’m not going to be in trouble! Our vice principal promised us even if you and your stupid friends squeal on us. Therefore, Sophia, mind your own business. Shut your trap!”
Jake yells at the top of his voice, “You shut your stupid trap, Clay! Geez, why don’t you tell her everything, huh? Sometimes you can be a complete numskull!” He glares at Clay. “I should smack you with this hammer – to knock some sense into that idiotic, ignoramus brain of yours!”
While Jake and Clay continue to size up Sophia, the situation at the other end of the warehouse is relatively calm. James is climbing the ladder that leads to the rafters. Chloe and the others are with the girl who yelled the warning a few minutes ago.
In her typical fashion of stage-managing others without them realizing it, Brenae is exchanging pleasantries with the girl. She is holding the girl’s hand. The girl is dreadfully scared and trembling uncontrollably.
Brenae already has coached the girl’s name out of her. Her first name is Emmy. She is a fifteen-year-old freshman and a member of the Claymore High computer club. Jake is her older brother. Jake forced her, Clay, and the three male teenagers in the rafters to participate in the group’s prank. Emmy had also told Brenae that she believes Mister Sorrie is behind the mischief.
James calls up to the threesome.
“Guys, I do not want to have to come up there because it won’t solve a thing. There are three of you and one of me. Therefore, I can pretty much predict what will happen if we get into it. Still, if you confront me physically, I will not hesitate to defend myself.
“Therefor
e, let’s be reasonable. It is at least a forty-foot drop to the floor from where you are right now. If someone falls and gets killed, what the three of you are doing becomes more than a prank. It becomes something worse, maybe even something the police describe as manslaughter. What do you say? Come on down, and then we can have a civil conversation.
“Besides, what you attempted to do to us did not work. We did not scream hysterically and run out of here like cackling chickens.” Jay descends the ladder a few steps. “Why don’t the three of you discuss your options. I will wait you out.”
One of the three teenagers in the rafters cries out, “Hey Jake, we think it’s time to call it quits. What do you say?”
Jake does not reply. He and Clay are continuing to encircle Sophia slowly. The three teenagers are less than three feet apart.
While the two standoffs are in progress, Chloe is on her phone with Missus Davenhill.
“Yes, ma’am. We have had a couple of meetings in the old warehouse. We were just about to leave when they started to threaten us. Yes, ma’am. Everyone is okay right now. We have one of them here. Bre is talking to her. Her name is Emmy. I don’t know her last name. She is pretty scared and shaking like a leaf.
“No, ma’am, there isn’t anyone hurt. Then again, I cannot tell what’s happening at Sophia’s end. She is squaring off with two guys. They have weapons in their hands. No, ma’am, they are tools, a hammer, and a large wrench. Oh, yes, I know one of them. He is the football defensive end, Jake something. Yes, ma’am, you are correct. Jake Silverman.
“I have no clue who the other guy is. He is huge. Yes, ma’am, he could be the center of the football team, but I am not sure. Oh, before I forget, Jay is halfway up the ladder that leads up to the rafters. He is trying to coax the three boys up there to come down before something terrible happens.
“Oh, I see what you are saying. I will tell Jay after we hang up. As far as the police are concerned, I agree. Okay, and yes. I will call you as soon as I can. Thank you, ma’am.”
Chloe ends her phone conversation with Missus Davenhill, and then she shouts at James.
“Jay, Missus Davenhill says to leave those guys alone. She doesn’t want you or any of them to fall to the ground. Please come down here and join us. Missus Davenhill says they can rot up there for all she cares,” she glances at Emmy, “especially considering we have one of the culprits.”
James replies, “That sounds good to me. Has Missus Davenhill called anyone in authority?”
“Yes, she is calling the police right now.”
Chloe walks over to the others of her team. She says, “Let her go.” She takes Emmy by the shoulders. Emmy is balling her eyes out.
“Emmy, I am sorry you are in this mess. Since we know who you are, Missus Davenhill sees no point for you to remain here until the police arrive. You have committed no civil crime, and since there has been no fighting, at least not yet, she said you should get out of here before anything happens. Missus Davenhill said your friends in the rafters are free to go as well. I recommend you talk them down. Then the four of you on this side of the warehouse should get out of here as soon as possible. You have not threatened any of us like the guys on the other end of the warehouse. Therefore, none of you is in serious trouble. At least I do not think that you are.”
Emmy is choking back tears. “Thank you, Chloe. I am very sorry we did this to you and your friends. What's more, thank you for letting me go. Once my parents find out what I have done, they will ground me for the rest of the school year. I am certain of it.”
Brenae says crossly, “You should be sorry, Emmy.” She points to the rafters. “Now, as Chloe had said, talk to your buddies up there, and then I want the four of you to get out of here before I punch you in the nose!”
Emmy flashes a timid grin, and then she rushes over to Brenae and hugs her tightly. She whispers, “Thank you, Brenae. I apologize for everything. I promise I will confess everything to everybody at school tomorrow.”
Brenae gently pushes away from Emmy and looks her squarely in the eye. She whispers, “Apology accepted, Emmy.” She laughs. “Despite that, my promise of punching you in the nose still stands if you don’t get the heck out of here right now. I do not want you to get into more trouble. Call up to your buddies and tell them to leave. Do it now!”
“I will,” Emmy says. “Thanks again.” She shouts at the three teenagers in the rafters.
“John, Paul, Zeke, get down here right now and let’s go home.” Then Emmy turns around and dashes toward the double doors.
“Poor girl,” Brenae says. “She didn’t want to be a part of this, but her older brother, Jake, made her do it. Jake made the other guys play along as well, to include the guy that’s with Jake at the other end of the warehouse.
Chloe suddenly shouts, “Oh, my God, I forgot that Sophia is all alone with those two other idiots!” Before she can say, “Let’s go see how she is doing,” the others are running to the other end of the warehouse. When they arrive, they are both surprised and amused at what they see.
Officer Bennett is standing alongside Jake. The football star is covered head to toe in wood shavings. He looks like he is in a daze as he sways back and forth slowly. Black and blue bruises cover both sides of his dirty face. His left eye is swollen shut. He has his hands handcuffed behind his back. Officer Bennett is holding a blood-stained handkerchief to his nose.
The hammer Jake had clutched in his hand is lying on the ground about twenty feet distant. Sophia had forcefully knocked it out of his hand when he attacked her. She had drop kicked him square in the face when he rushed at her. He went down immediately. Since Jake is one beast of a guy with a high tolerance to pain as a seasoned football player, he was on his feet in a flash. He picked up the hammer from the ground and rushed at Sophia a second time. Sophia tripped him up once more. He fell face-first onto the floor breaking his nose. Jake lost consciousness immediately. That he can stand at all is a miracle.
The Ferguson boy fared no better than his buddy, Jake. He is lying face down on his stomach. Bluish-black circles encircle both of his puffy eyes. He has large lacerations on his lips. Sophia is on his backside. She has his arms pulled tightly behind his back. The position of his arms looks painful.
Without looking over at Chloe and the others standing next to her, Officer Bennett says, “Have the four others at the far end of the warehouse left the scene?”
Chloe stares at Officer Bennett for a split-second. Four others? How did you know there were four other teenagers when you’re standing way over here?
Chloe quickly glances at the other end of the warehouse just as the three teenage boys are scrambling through the opening in the double doors. She looks at Officer Bennett and says, “Yes, sir. There were three guys. I see that they are leaving right now. The only female, her name is Emmy, departed a few minutes ago. Emmy referred to the three boys by their first names, John, Paul, and Zeke.”
“Are any of you hurt?” Officer Bennett asks.
James replies, “No sir,” he points to Jake and Clay, “except for these two clowns.”
Officer Bennett commands, “You, on the ground, what is your full name? Are you going to behave if I tell Miss Paige to allow you to stand up?” He grins as he says in a sarcastic tone, “It looks like your arms are hurting something terrible. What do you say, son? Are you going to play nice?”
The boy groans, “My name is Clay, sir. Clay Ferguson. Please tell Sophia to let go of my arms! They are killing me!”
Officer Bennett says, “Okay, Miss Paige, let the scumbag get to his feet. Keep him close and take him down again if he even so much as sneezes. You got it?”
Sophia nods her head as she lets go of Clay’s arms. Clay loudly sighs with relief. Then Sophia slides off his back and helps him to his feet. Once Clay is on his feet, his weapon of choice, a wrench, becomes visible. It was beneath him. Sophia bends over to pick it up from the floor.
Officer Bennett shouts, “Stop, Miss Paige! Don’t touch it. It
is evidence presuming that he used it as a weapon against you. Did he?”
“Yes, officer, he intended it as a weapon. He was holding it above his head when he rushed at me. In spite of this, as you can see, he used it on himself.” She points to Clay’s swollen and bloody lips. “My kick to his hand caused the wrench to punch him square in the mouth.” She laughs. “The wrench punching him in the mouth saved me the trouble.”
Officer Bennett turns to face Chloe and the others. “Did any of you witness these two characters with weapons in their hands?”
Chloe looks at Colette. She says, “Yes, sir, Colette Campbell and I saw them with the weapons.” She points at Jake. “He had the hammer in his hand, and Clay had the wrench. They threatened Sophia with them. Both Colette and I heard their threats as well. Jake said to Sophia, ‘I am going to knock you silly, and he is going to smash your face with his wrench.’ Those were Jake’s exact words, sir.’”
Colette says, “Aye, officer, I heard those exact words as well. Sophia also asked them to drop their weapons. They did not comply. Instead, they continue to advance on her threateningly.”
Officer Bennett says to Sophia, “I am confident forensics will find these scumbags’ fingerprints on the tools, so you are free to go. However, I need for you to tell your parents what happened, and you will need to make yourself available once we complete the booking procedures at the station. I am thinking sometime tomorrow morning.”
Chloe says, “Sir, as our school’s resource officer, may I remind you that Anthony Marvella’s memorial is tomorrow?”
“Ah, yes, you are correct,” Officer Bennet says. “Thank you for reminding me.” He looks at Sophia. “Can you accompany me to the police station?”
Sophia replies, “I have no problem accompanying you to the police station. Just give me a few moments to talk to my Mom, okay?”
“That is fine,” Officer Bennett says. “I appreciate it. As you can see, there are two scumbags here, but I only have one set of handcuffs. You can serve as my backup.” He looks at Clay. “What do you think? Do you think Miss Paige has the mettle to serve as my backup?”
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