Chapter 9 - Classroom 206
"Ok," Simon said, "What the hell was that all about?"
"You tell me," Copeland said, taking a seat at the back of the room, "You are the one who has had brothers go through this before."
"They haven’t told me anything like this," Simon told his new friend, "Usually they go through things by rote. This was like a history lesson."
"Irons was pumping us for information," Copeland said, "Baiting us to see how we’d react."
"I noticed that too," Simon told him, "His eyes went around the room quite a bit while he was telling his story. I noticed they fell on you a few times."
"Who knows what that means," Copeland shrugged, "He also spent some time on that girl in the other row. Not that I blame him, she is cute."
"She looks like she’s from your area," Simon said as he nodded towards her, "She’s over on the other side of the room here."
Copeland looked over at her and saw that she was indeed dressed in similar clothing. She looked somewhat familiar as well, as she should have since they had gone to the same school when they were younger. He couldn’t recall her name though, as she had been much like him in the classes, quiet and unobtrusive.
"I wonder if it’s always like this when a Mullinix is getting ready to die," Simon said as he halfway listened to the lecture going on up front, "I’ll have to ask my father. He was in here when Mullinix Crianferro died."
"I read a book on Crianferro," Copeland said, also only giving half of his attention to the lecture, "He died young and rather quick. They probably didn’t have the time."
"I wonder who they’ll choose, man," Simon said, "Which one of us here is Mullinix material?"
"I don’t want to know," Copeland said, shrinking down into his desk, "Just so long as it isn’t me I don’t care."
"Keep with that attitude and it just might be," Simon teased, "You never know until it happens."
"I think I’ll just keep pushing for Taliaferro’s continued good health," Copeland said, "If he makes it through my six month period then I’ll be safe."
"More luck to you," Simon chuckled, "It could be worse though."
"Than being a Mullinix?" Copeland asked, "How?"
"You could be an ass like Suvorov," Simon pointed out, grinning.
"True," Copeland nodded, "But then, if I was an ass like Suvorov I would be safe from it."
"True that," Simon nodded sending both into a giggling spree.
"Mr. Steele," the teacher said, "Would you like to share what is so funny with the rest of the class?"
"No sir," Copeland said quickly, his face turning red.
"Then keep the conversation for later," he said sternly, "That goes for your friend there too."
The conversation ended as they listened to the older teacher drone on about the history of the Mullinix judicial system, a subject that was dry enough to put most of the class into semi-catatonia.
The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension Page 10