Chapter 2: Pathways
~ City of Chicago, southside suburbia. Modern day off the corner of main street and rembrandt drive. In the northern part of suburbia is the section of inner-city schools.~
At this school, troubled youth and gangs convene in the hall just outside class. Professor Gavin Strick takes his ruler and walks to the front of the room. One of the students, Coby, shouts to others like Henry and Mason that he has some drugs to sell. Gavin strides to the front of the room, asking Coby to be rushed outside for a face-off.
"Students, there are a few rules in our class. (Pause) One of the key ones is no drugs are allowed under any circumstances. Like I say, to learn the higher ways to achieve acclaim in life is to also learn how to avoid its pitfalls. Its blemishes, you could say. I know a lot of you say drugs are fun, that Marijuana is legal. But in my class kids, you only get to do what I see is best for you. And so there will be no substances, no talking out of turn and no running in the halls." Gavin Strick states.
"You aren't here to joyride, boys and girls. You're here to learn. At an institute for Higher Learning. Students, welcome to your Institute of Higher Learning. I'm here to show you how to be Bold, how to Achieve and how to take Charge of your life. Wouldn't you like that more than anything?" Strick insists.
"Well yeah, sure I guess teach...But we also want to blow some weed and smoke a bowl! We got no cares about this stuff, it's not like we're going to Harvard or anything..." the student Raphael explains. "Yeah teach, lay off on the wizz bleach. I ain't here to be Einstein or nothin'!" Jananae shouts. "There's no room for team without my brothas.." says AJ the student in the back. A few balls of paper are crumpled up and tossed at their teacher from across the room.
"Students, when I'm through with you all of you will have it drilled into you that, you are beyond Einstein. Now, who here can tell me who wrote the First Theory of Evolution in North America? Remember children, our time together is my time. Therefore every minute we spend is a precious thing; it's not to be wasted. You can't trivialize Higher Leraning. I'm not here to be your friend. I'm here to make you into modern role-models for a future society of world believers." Strick insisted. "To Believe is all you need to succeed. And Role-Models is exactly what you shall be!" he chided.
Students boo and heckle Professor Strick as he repeats the Allegory of Plato. "Remember to study every part of your SAT tonight, so you don't miss Tony Robbins who will be speaking at our class reunion one week from this friday." Gavin insisted.
"We will all Overcome...And together, we will be better. Better at Sports than the rest! Better at play than your comrades. Better at War. These are all things which define us, which make us who we are. Act like it." Professor Strick coldly states.
~ Fade in to Chicago business district. Steve Clark and Rachel Wagner can be seen sitting down on a park bench outside the local Pizza shop. The day is mid-day, and the City of Chicago is rife with summer heat and hot-dog sellers. There is not a single minute that the glass doesn't shine with the wet gloss of summer rain in your face.~
"Steve, I've got to go to work tonight..I don't think I can.." Rachel cooly stated.
"Then just come with me after work, the fair is open until twelve. It's not like you have somewhere else to be, right? Besides, that dream I had again...I just don't know.." Steve said with an unassuring sigh.
"Steve when are you going to get, the dream you had where we shot Gavin never happened. It's all in your head. Look, I don't know what really happened..." Rachel snapped back.
"You know, I mean, it was a long time ago...Six or so years ago. Anything could have happened to Gavin, but we sure don't know if he is dead or not." Rachel stated.
"Well we sure don't know if he's alive, either. Remember what I said about Allen...and after what happened to Allen and Abbey...I just can't shake the feeling." Steve said.
"Well if he was dead, we'd know it by now. ((Rachel eats her hotdog)) Because he'd never let us hear the end of it, if he actually got out of a place like that!" Rachel stated.
"I don't know, he's not himself...Right?" Steve said concerned.
"Maybe something like that, but I just doubt it. So will you drop me off at work?" Rachel said unphased.
"How could you work at a place like Wal-mart after all we went through? Why not take that secretary job and be a club DJ for a while, Rachel? I just...Don't get this." Steve stated with a cold stare.
"It's only temporary, besides I'm not training to be a greeter or anything." Rachel said as she chuckled over the Chicago air.
"Hey guys, what's up?" Steve's sister spoke as she approached from the south sidewalk.
"Hi Lindsay, how are you?" Rachel said with a surprise look.
"Hey Lindsay." Steve remarked.
"I'm doing good! Caleb and I were just heading over to the arcades. UV is going over there too. Something about, he wants to get out of his slump about Gavin." Lindsay said in a hasty reply.
"I think he's still bummed over Gavin's death or something." Lindsay remarked.
"We don't know if he's dead...I mean he could be. But none of us know, anyways." Rachel stated.
"I'm guessing even if he is dead, that something else about him will turn up. He always had that way of surprising all of us. Hope UV cheers up about all that.." Steve noted.
"Anyway, great to see you guys again! Have fun at the fair later tonight." Lindsay echoed as they walked the other way.
"Oh yea, I saw some guy in a blue jacket earlier. I don't think it was blue ribbon...but it freaked me out. It was at the mall on my way home from my work at the shoe shop." Lindsay stated.
"Really? That's weird, I mean...We don't ever see stuff like that here." Rachel replied.
"Steve, maybe we should check it out...I don't get why things in this quiet town never seem to settle down!" Rachel retorted.
"I'll check it out, since that's on the way to work anyhow. (Pause) Hey, this town was never quiet!" Steve chuckles. Rachel laughs as they both point out the absurdity.
"Well then...Off for a jaunt, shall we Stevie boy?" Rachel mused. "Off we go." Steve replied as they drove out of downtown towards Wal-mart.
"Ugggh...It is so late in the week for me. I don't think I can handle seeing one more shopper before I keel over." Rachel snarked.
"Don't worry babe, I'll rescue you early tonight. We can go check out my old haunt. Oh man...though does that bring back memories. Allen...He used to be so happy and then.." Steve stated
"Then Chicago happened, Stevie...It's okay. That's life. We shouldn't frown on life, I mean we should drink it up ya' know every lil drop..." Rachel stated.
"You know whatimean, good or bad. Rich or poor. Fast or slow. That's what life's about. Caus' anything else, well then we start sounding like those ribbon wackos.." Rachel retorted.
"Well yea I got to agree with you there. (Chuckle) Anyway huh...There's no one at the mall? I'll drop by later after I drop you off. I think someone might've been here." Steve said with a hint of concern.
"Don't worry about it...Just don't be late picking me up!" Rachel snarked. Their car barreled down the road past two gas attendants who were busy smoking weed. Steve pulled into the driveway at Wal-mart as Rachel jumped out, slipping into her blue uniform and disappearing inside the store's mighty reaches. She had already slipped from view and was talking to her co-worker.
"Hi Laura, how are you?" Rachel stated.
"I'm doing great Rach, how's downtown Chicago treating you? When's the Cubs game anyway? I'm so baked I'd like to get out of here!" Laura laughs.
"Oh I'm doing great. Steve and I are probly going to the Fair later. But yeah the weather's getting really nice up here, I won't miss the next time Cubs appear." Rachel grins. "Shall I reserve you front row seats?" Rachel continues.
"Sure thing, that'd be great Rach. Jen's helping me out in the back. She might be down to joining us at the game just let me know the date so I can jot it down." Laura states.
"Oh yea, between you and me I don't think you need to be a greeter...you are our best cashier. For me, if our boss made you a greeter that would kill the mood. Don't let 'em do anything you don't fit the mold for Rachel and stay chill!" Laura said
"Of course, tell them I'm leaving early tonite. I got a date." Rachel stated.
"Oh and I'll be in to help you guys in a minute. Thanks a million Laura." Rachel stated.
~ Central expanse of the road. Steve Clark whizzes down the road away from his girlfriend's workplace and back to the mall. At the mall he notices a strange guy, stays a distance away and just watches what goes down.~
"Hey haven't I seen you before some-..." Steve starts to state but cuts himself off. A man wearing a dark blue-green jacket is standing about forty feet away shouting a slew of expletives.
"Hey man, this is the last club we go to tonight I promise. O'Grady, com'on man. It's the Mile High Club, the dancers here wear like one hundred inch stiletto heels. It is like the best dance club in downtown! You can't turn this down, not now man..." Danvers retorts from behind a thick jacket.
James Danvers is a United States ROTC Seargent, first officer division. An african-american six foot-five recruit, Danvers is friends with Terrence O'Grady who is a first officer recently recruited to the ROTC. But tonight, Danvers is noticing something odd about his buddy. He is not only not acting normal, he's not speaking about things the two share in common much either. Danvers can't help but figure something is up.
"C'mon man, just one club here. It will be our best night out yet my man." Danvers stated with conviction.
"Hey, hey hey...James what is with you? I already have it all. I am complete." Terrence remarks with a stiff eye.
"Listen up dawg, you haven't been acting the same all night...Tell me 'yall drink a spike? What the hell is wit' you lately?!" Danvers says.
"I'm doing great, James. I have more confidence that I will always know the answer before you than ever. I feel better than I ever have in my life! Lets hit the sports bar and throw back a cold one. Hooo hah...Woohoo!" Terrence replies.
"Lets do it..I feel like I could take on a whole plantoon myself right now! Ha ha ha!" Terrence snarkly replies.
Steve watches in astonishment as the two men enter the sports bar. He runs near the window, not saying a word and just glances through the glass to observe the scene. Danvers tells O'Grady that maybe he should lay off on the brew this time and they could take a rain-check when their brigade gets sent for tours. But O'Grady doesn't hear a word he says.
Inside, Terrence makes a bee-line for a pretty little waitress in blue near the bar entrance. He sees this guy at a table arm-wrestling and walks up, shoves him into his chair while he's laughing. He is now literally laughing out loud to the total amazement of his friend James Danvers who feels stunned at the scene unfolding.
"Hah hah? What's this, puny man? You think you can beat me?" Ratifka the Russian wrestler retorts. He is six foot nine, two-hundred fifty five pounds. By all accounts, anyone who would challenge him to a fight would be on suicide watch. But not tonight. For tonight, Terrence says the world belongs to him and so it is pulled his way.
"I'll challenge you, you fat bastard. That's right I'll beat you senseless. With one hand chained behind my back I'll beat your ass!" Terrence shouts.
"Hah, this a sick joke? I can't believe we even have this talk." Ratifka states.
Ratifka throws him into the bench, breaking part of the seats in two halves. Suddenly O'Grady's eyes light up that familiar eerie red glow. That glow is what Steve knows too well. The damn Disturbing Behavior serum is back...Could it actually be there's more?!
Terrence O'Grady reacts at lightning speed. He throws Ratifka across the room and breaks his face across the glass counter-top at the bar, an impossibility for someone facing such a disadvantage in strength and speed. Ratifka's immense frame hits the ground with a thud. Then O'Grady glares and bends Ratifka's hand backwards, breaking it as the Russian lets out screams of agony across the room.
Suddenly Ratifka throws a punch but O'Grady blocks it: with lightning reflexes. Steve has never witnessed anything like this. And like lifting a feather, O'Grady actually tosses the two hundred fifty-five pound giant into the ceiling of the bar. This is more stunning than a pay-per-view movie, but it's almost over. O'Grady gets slammed through the stall and lifts up a heavy wood chair breaking it over Ratifka's head. The giant goes down with a thud. Danvers looks on in horrifying shock. Then, O'Grady takes three bottles of whiskey and downs all of them one after the other. He grabs the waitress in the blue garb and positions her close to him.
"My my, I've never met someone like you before...Shall we go back to my room?" Shirlene responds.
"Your room?! Hell, I saw him first!" Melinda shouts. Suddenly the two girls start screaming at each other and one tosses a bottle of gin towards the other one's face.
"Ladies, forget it. There's plenty to go around... Ha ha ha ha ha!" O'Grady bellows.
Terrence O'Grady lifts both girls in his lap, stroking their long hair and literally scoots them all into a closely secluded hotel suite just two flights upstairs. He gets inside and slams the door pointing to his pal Danvers.
"Hey James, good boy. You stay outside so we're ready for the tryouts...Or just use the hole drilled in the door." O'Grady says.
"What the-hell...Is...Up...With YOU man!?" Danvers shouts. Outside the hotel he burns up a bottle of scotch and sits astounded at the night he just witnessed.
"Oh yea...YEA you're like a locomotive...Oh wooooow I want to go to all the tryouts to...Where are you guys getting toured out to? Paraguay? Or Spain?" Melinda shouts.
"Oh spain, spain I've always wanted to go to spain!" Shirlene screams. Then both of them shout "TAKE ME TO JAMAICA! Oh hell, just take me away!" the girls state.
"One at a time ladies, or...Make that, lets split the bill on me!" Terrence shouts.
Loud sounds are heard at the Hotel Suite throughout the whole night, and a sound of a gunshot. One of them shot a hole in the ceiling during their rendesvous, with O'Grady's colt forty-five. During this time James Danvers has left the hotel door. He has run down the hall, unsure of what has transpired or what kind of steroids his friend was put on. "No amount of the shots they give us causes this sort of bull-...What the hell is...What is this!?" Danvers shouts.
"It isn't steroids he was given. (Pause) I know this may sound real out there, but..." Steve remarks from the hallway.
Suddenly a gun-shot is heard in the lobby. O'Grady has shot the bartender in the back of the head, the cook and the cafe waiter before jetting out the door. No credible witnesses were there except for a local DJ. O'Grady's car is barreling down the highway at ninety miles an hour towards the ROTC training camp in Eastern Chicago Heights. He's got a loaded gun, a cell phone and has already shot the guard at the gate going in. Danvers looks at his watch realizing he's about to be late for the beginning of camp.
"Look man, I don't know what the hell happened to him but...Can this wait until later? I have to be at my ROTC sessions at least forty minutes ago." James remarks.
"It isn't steroids he was given...That is all I can tell you. Your friend he's...Not dead or zipped up on speed...But he's not all...There anymore, either. His emotions...Gone." Steve begins to explain.
"His inhibitions...Gone. His likes and dislikes, pretty much gone or muted. Now because of the amount of fluid in his system...All he can do is surpass everyone. Surpass everyone and anyone who matters...That is all he lives for now, is to achieve and expand beyond." Steve continues.
"He may have the best kept secret flowing inside his brain now...The power to exceed beyond anyone's wildest expectations, to achieve dreams we can't..." Steve said.
"..Or think we can't do, or believe we can't do ourselves. Things that were impossible. But the side effect in it all is, the more he wins...The more Disturbing..."
"The more Disturbing his behavior will get, because O'Grady is chipped." Steve says.
"What?! What the hell are you talking about man? I thought that's a myth...There ain't no doohikey in my friend's brain. They said they don't exist!" Officer James Danvers confidently rejected.
"Well that's the thing, James...They probably lied...This is all part of it.." Steve warns
((The dream...Allen's death...Was it all in his head? What had the world come to?))
"It's some program they designed...And it's what I escaped from Cradle Bay to leave behind..This isn't grade school type science James, everything good in his life just got far far better...But as a side effect, his individuality has been wiped out..." Steve retorts.
"And like it or not, Officer Danvers...That's the consequences to Disturbing behavior.." Steve states in a confident tone.
