by Katrina Cope
Since David said he hadn’t seen him pass, they decided to check the private room that Professor Showden shared with his wife, Anna. They went up the two levels and knocked on the door. There was no answer, so after a few minutes they made their way back down to the common room. David was still sitting there, clearly not wanting to move.
“Sorry,” Aaron said to him. “He wasn’t in his room, but we’ll keep checking.
Just to be sure, they went and checked the video combat room a second time.
“Still not here,” Robert noted. “That’s odd.”
“Why don’t we check Avando’s office to see if he can help or if he knows where Professor Showden is?” Eva suggested.
“Good idea,” Aaron said.
They walked down the hall and knocked on Avando’s office door. Again, there was no answer.
They went back to the common room again to tell David. Entering the common room, which was now empty because everyone else had gone to class, they saw David stand up on the seat framing the garden and at the same time unzip his pants. He turned his back to them and faced the corner of the room. To their horror, he started peeing into the garden. At the sight, they stopped in their tracks.
“Oh. I’m definitely not going to be sitting near that garden for a while,” Eva said in disgust. “Now it’s going to smell like pee.”
The boys laughed at what David was doing. “I guess he’s finally found a toilet he can use,” Aaron joked.
After a while, Jayden said, “Wow! He really had to go.”
To their amusement and David’s dismay, a new female student came out of the corridor on the opposite side of the short garden—the direction David was facing. With her was Professor Jennifer Schnell, the graphics teacher.
A look of horror crossed the girl’s face. Seeing an almost fully grown adult male with his pants down right in front of her was clearly a huge shock. In his haste to conceal his exposed private part, David didn’t have time to finish properly. While hurrying to stop, he zipped up before he had fully stopped peeing, and a stream of urine flicked across the females and ran down his pants leg, turning it dark. The girl gasped loudly, while a look of revulsion spread across Professor Schnell’s pointed, mouselike face.
“David Schatzville! What the hell are you doing?” Professor Schnell asked, clearly not amused.
“I’m so sorry, Professor.” David said, climbing down off the seat. “Scarlet has locked me out of the bathroom since very early this morning. I’ve been trying to find Professor Showden and even tried to get outside to relieve myself, but she wouldn’t let me go.”
“It’s true, Professor,” Robert added as the other four students walked toward them.
“We’ve been trying to help him, but so far we’ve had no luck,” Aaron added.
“I assume you’ve been messing with Scarlet again?” Professor Schnell asked David. Her eyebrow rose as she glared at him.
David nodded.
“Well, it serves you right for messing with her!” she retorted. “But—having said that—this can’t go on.” She visibly softened. The professor turned to the four other students. “Will you please continue looking for Professor Showden? As you can see, we are going to be busy cleaning up.”
“Yes, of course, Professor,” Eva said. “As much as he deserves the punishment, you’re right that this can’t go on.”
The four students turned to walk away while trying not to laugh.
- Chapter Sixteen -
Getting What They Deserve
Robert’s face lit up. “I know where we can try to find him!”
“Where?” asked Jayden.
“Professor Showden has a private workshop that is separate from the main building. It’s where he can work on programming Scarlet in peace, as well as work on new high-tech ideas for the school and also new surrogates.”
“Really?” asked Aaron, looking surprised.
“Yeah,” answered Robert. “Don’t you know about it?”
“No, obviously,” Eva snapped. “Couldn’t you have told us earlier, bright spark?”
“Yeah,” he responded hesitantly. “I just thought you knew.”
“Argh! Why would we know?” Eva asked.
“Well, it wasn’t a secret.” Robert said, shrugging. “Because I was good at robotics and electrical commands, he has taken me there to teach me some of the simple programming. He granted me access.”
“So what’re we waiting for? Show us the way.” Jayden said.
Following Robert, they left the main building and veered off to the left, passing by the beautiful pool and waterfall.
“Does anyone ever swim in the pool?” Jayden asked.
“If it’s really hot in the summer, we do,” Aaron responded. “Otherwise, being this high up in the mountains, the water can be a little too cold.”
Heading along the grassed and natural stone path, they went past a couple of small mountains—or what could really be called hills, because of their size. Eventually, they came to another hill and stopped. Robert reached out to place his hand on a rock off to the left of an even larger rock.
Jayden recognized the setup. “Are you telling me that all these little mountains actually buildings?”
“Yep,” Robert answered.
“Wow! To think I’ve been living here and had no idea—and I even know the setup. It just looks so natural.” He shook his head at the genius of the camouflage.
The door opened in response to Robert’s handprint, and they entered the small building. In the entrance, they saw what looked like a couple of offices. The rooms were tastefully tiled with marble and featured the trademark large windows of the school. There were computers on desks on each side of the room, which overlooked the path they had used to get here, as well as all the other views outside of the building.
They quietly moved to the next room. This room looked like a lab, with large, stainless steel tables with sinks and measuring glasses. Everything was tidy and set out neatly. The others followed Robert to the door of the next room. He opened the door slowly, and they all filed through it. The room seemed dark to them after coming in from the sunshine outside, and it was hard to make out all the shapes inside.
What they all noticed right away was a very large TV screen on the wall. The screen showed an area that was densely populated with people. They couldn’t tell where the location was, but the area was full of people of all ages—including children and the elderly. Looking at the screen, it appeared as though it could’ve been a video game with exceptional graphics—however, having had experience with the surrogates, they weren’t at all sure it was only a game. The main character on the screen was holding a remote-controlled truck. This character looked inside the carriage—and to the students’ horror, they saw that the truck was packed with explosives.
By this time, their eyes had adjusted to the dim light in the room. They spotted the tall, lanky frame of Professor Showden in front of the screen. He held a remote in his hand and was hooked up to a machine, which looked very much like a surrogate setup.
In shock, Robert asked, “Professor?”
Professor Showden spun around at the sound of the voice. “Wh…What’re you doing in here?” His eyes looked frantic.
“We were looking for you,” Robert told him hesitantly.
“Get out. Get OUT!” screamed the usually kind professor.
“What are you doing, Professor?” asked Aaron, trying to make sense of what he was seeing on the screen.
“None of your business!” The professor’s eyes were wild with anger, and the veins in his neck were bulging.
“But what are you doing, Professor?” Eva asked. “It all looks very real on the screen. You’re not actually doing this in real life, are you?”
“Little Miss know-it-all, always having to stick your nose everything. It’s none of your business. I told you all to get out!” he yelled. His hair was in disarray, and he looked crazy as he pointed to the door.
“So it was you who planted the bomb i
n the backpack you sent with me to the other school and then set it off,” Jayden said quietly.
The professor spun around, with the light of the screen shining on his face. His eyes were flaring with anger, and Jayden thought he was about to see steam come out of his ears.
“Those little brats were about to ruin everything.” he said, his voice low and threatening. “They’d already wrecked one of the major plans by destroying the bomb at the second train station. As soon as I found out who had done it—thanks to you kids—I sent them a message. I had you plant the bomb, just in case. Good thing I was organized.” He looked smug.
“Now, you kids need to get out of here like I told you to,” he added with a sneer. “Or I will organize a major school breach that you’ll get blamed for, and I’ll have you thrown out of the school.” He spun around and started to control his surrogate again with the students still watching him.
“Well, Professor,” Aaron said, stepping forward. “I’d rather be back on the streets fighting for my life than to stay here while knowing that you’re about to kill so many people.”
“Me, too,” said Eva.
“As much as I don’t want to go back on the streets—me, too,” said Jayden.
“Same goes for me,” Robert said, joining them.
The professor spun around to look at them. “You ungrateful little brats—to think that you all had so much potential. Now you’ve blown your chances. You can’t stop me—the bomb is already out there. All I need to do is to set it off,” he said with a satisfied grin.
“Not on my watch.” Aaron said.
“I’d like to see you try to stop me,” the professor responded, sounding full of confidence.
“Guys, go get help from some adults,” Aaron quietly instructed them. “I’ll try to keep him distracted. Hurry.”
The other three students ran out the door, with Eva shoving a chair in the open doorway so that it couldn’t close.
“Robert, get Charlie,” she said when they got outside. “Jayden, find Professor Anna to see if she can talk some sense into him, and I’ll look for Avando.”
~~~~~
PROFESSOR ERIC SHOWDEN smiled arrogantly at Aaron and turned to continue operating his surrogate. Aaron knew that even with all his achievements in Tae Kwon Do, his small, thirteen-year-old body wasn’t much of a match for a six foot seven man even if the professor was thin and lanky.
Seeing that Professor Eric wasn’t worried about him being in the room or posing a threat to him, Aaron searched for an element of surprise. He knew that only speed and technique would have any success against this man who had once been known to them as a gentle giant. Aaron noticed out of the corner of his eye that the surrogate was about to set the toy truck down in the densely populated area.
Suddenly, Aaron had an idea. In a few, very rapid steps, he raced over to where the professor was. While doing so, he raised his arm and brought it down hard against the remote, knocking it out of the professor’s hands and onto the floor. Then he jumped to where the electrical cords were and grabbed a nearby chair. He side kicked the professor while bringing the chair down on the connected cords. The force of the movement ripped the attachments off the professor’s head while also managing to damage the cords.
“You fool! What are you doing? You’re ruining the equipment,” yelled the surprised professor as he looked at the damage. He then turned to Aaron. “You do realize it’s just a surrogate and that I don’t need to get it out, don’t you? I can just blow it up along with all the people.” His voice was mocking as he flashed his oversize teeth. “All I need to do is to get the ignition device to detonate the bomb.”
Aaron quickly scanned the dimly lit room for any sign of a remote control or ignition device. He did this while positioning himself in a fighting stance, getting ready for the next move. He saw the professor step toward a table near him. Aaron went for a kick to the groin of the professor, but the professor stopped Aaron’s foot with a downward palm block just in time and wrapped his two long, lanky hands around Aaron’s ankle.
“No, no, no!” he said while shaking his head at Aaron. “You don’t mess with the family jewels.” He then threw Aaron’s leg upward with such force that Aaron’s other foot also came off the ground.
Aaron did an awkward back flip and landed sharply on his side, which sent a shooting pain into his hip. He got back onto his feet while still keeping an eye out for an ignition device. Finally, he thought he had caught a glimpse of one—which was confirmed when the professor made a dash for it.
Ignoring his pain in his hip, he did a slide on to the table, knocking all loose items onto the floor and grabbing the device just before the professor could.
“Argh!” growled the professor. “You ungrateful little monster!” He went to snatch the device out of Aaron’s hand, but only managed to knock it over to the other side of the room. He let out another angry growl. “Can’t you see that I’m just trying to protect all the students and our way of life?”
“By killing innocent people?” yelled Aaron. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. Nervously, Aaron looked at the screen to see if the sudden movement of the device had set the bomb off. Thankfully, it hadn’t, and he looked back at the professor.
The professor nodded in answer to Aaron’s question.
“I don’t understand,” Aaron said. “How can killing so many innocent people help anyone?”
“You just don’t get it,” the professor said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, I think I do. You’re one sick man. You need help.”
The professor took a step toward the device.
“I’m not letting you have it,” Aaron told him.
“Yeah, right.” The professor took another step.
Aaron took a long leap and jumped on the bench. He quickly maneuvered himself in one swift movement to do a jumping roundhouse to the professor’s head. The kick was spot on. It hit the professor on the side of the head, and the force of the kick knocked the professor to the ground—his mouth open and bloody. Aaron quickly went toward the device while watching to see if the professor was moving. Much to his dismay, Professor Showden was slowly getting up, so Aaron quickly dove to grab the device before the professor could gather his senses.
“I’m disappointed in you, young man. I thought we would work together for the greater good,” he told Aaron.
“I am working for the greater good. I don’t know what you’re working for,” he said, bracing himself to run.
The professor stood ready for a fight with his legs shoulder width apart, watching Aaron as Aaron carefully watched him back. The professor was starting to maneuver himself around to force Aaron into a corner, blocking him with his tall body. Aaron realized what he was doing and knew he’d have to make a move soon, or he’d be trapped in the corner. He waited for a split-second chance to make an appropriate move. There it was.
He made a dash for it, but the opportunity was too brief. The professor swung his arm and knocked Aaron across the head with all his strength. It sent the teen’s body flying across the room. As Aaron lay on the floor and senses faded into unconsciousness, he felt the ignition device falling out of his hands and heard it land with a thud.
~~~~~
AS A SCUFFLE sounded, Professor Anna entered the room with Jayden by her side. After she turned the light on, they saw Aaron’s small body flying across the room and then falling limply to the ground. “Eric?” she cried, looking horrified.
He looked up. “Oh, darling. I didn’t see you come in,” he said, smiling at her while squinting in the bright light.
“What are you doing, Eric?” she asked in disbelief. Her thin face was pale as she looked at Aaron’s still body and then hurried over to Aaron. “What have you done?” She bent down to feel the young boy’s pulse.
“I’m making a better world, darling. I’ve been working on it for such a long time.” He sounded calm and rational.
“What do you mean? We’re already in a good world. Children who
’ve come to us at the lowest point in their lives surround us. They’ve been brought here to a life they weren’t even able to dream about, and we’re helping them. What better world is there?”
“And I’m defending that.” His eyes narrowed.
“How? By hurting them? By blowing up innocent people?” She indicated the TV screen. “How is that defending the children and making a better world?”
“Those people are from the same country that killed our Mitchell,” he said, his voice growing louder.
“Oh, Eric. The death of our sweet Mitchell—though it was tragic and though I miss him every day—was a horrible mistake. He was an innocent, just like those people on the screen. No one meant to hurt him.” Her face looked crushed by pain. “That’s why we came here when Avando asked us to.”
“I can’t let my…our…son’s death go unavenged. They should’ve been more thoughtful and careful if it wasn’t intentional.” A terrifying hatred cut through his words. “You should feel the same way, too. Shame on you for not loving our son enough to care about him after his death,” he scorned her.
Tears were beginning to fill her eyes. Whispering with a combination of loathing, defiance, and hurt, she said, “How dare you accuse me of not loving our son? What’s happened to you?” She looked him up and down. “I thought you were happy.” Her voice was growing louder. “What have you done to my loving husband and father, Eric?”
“Get a grip of yourself, woman!” he shouted in fury. “You’re a spineless blob, not even worth the air you breathe if you can’t see what I’m doing is to avenge Mitchell’s death and for a better cause.” He moved toward where the ignition device had fallen near Aaron, who was still unconscious.
Jayden had been standing in a corner, shocked by the conversation that was taking place before him. He understood what the professor was about to do. He dove for the device and grabbed it just before the professor could.
“Give it to me, you little monster!” Professor Showden spat at him.
Jayden shook his head and held the device tightly.
“Why? You little brat!” The professor lunged at him and grabbed him tightly around the waist.