Responses to reviews:
Cre8ivelybankrupt87: Yeah, Gerald always was, until he finds himself alone and lost without Arnold, lol. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses I guess.
Hm, I'd say Rodrigo would be more like the Punisher, or Batman.
Curly, oh boy. That teen is just pure crazy and his antics are about to get worse...
LOL oh Rhonda. Yeah, I though it would be funny to make her flirt with the guards a bit, as well as have that Southern accent, even though she is famous and anyone who views her videos online would know she is NOT from the South, but I thought it would be funny to act as that role. Plus, this is a civil war, hehehehe.
The guards were sympathetic to the cause? Wow, that was purely coincidental. I wasn't even thinking when I wrote that chapter.
Veganmama: Well, you know they could work it out. But, they are teenagers so I doubt it, lol.
While Arnold and his supporters circled around in front of the entrance of City Hall, Mayor Dixie was standing in front of a glass window from above, watching them. Standing tall with a calm, neutral face, she continued to stare down at the protest, wondering just who they were protesting against. Her? Von Scheck? The 'decision' to re-hire him and FTI? Both? She had the same level of confusion, if not suspicion, when she approved Arnold's permit to hold a protest rally right in front of her office. Even now, she wondered why she even did it, lest she was staking her career if the protest succeed in gaining momentum, which, by the look of things, was.
As the protest continued, more and more people joined in. Some expressed their support, but physically stayed by the sidelines. It wasn't much, but the day was still young. Who knows how many more people could lend their support in the coming hours.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Mayor Dixie responded. The doorknob swung around and the door opened.
"Mayor Dixie?" Robert Dole said as he entered her office.
Mayor Dixie just quietly groaned when he entered.
Now I remember why I approved Arnold's permit so quickly. She thought.
For many months now, Mayor Dixie had been becoming a bit suspicious of Robert Dole. For a while, she thought he was looking out for her and the city's best interests. But recent events have conjured up certain 'indications' that perhaps...that may not be the case. But, she couldn't prove it, nor was she able to rationally outmaneuver any of Robert's 'suggestions' or 'recommendations', gestures which increasingly have been becoming more...explicit, let's just say.
"What is it, Robert?" The Mayor dryly asked him.
"I apologize for the intrusion," he began to say, "but here are the documents you asked about yesterday."
"Oh right." She said. "Just leave them on my desk. I'll read them soon." Before she then turned back around to face the protesters.
Robert took notice of her interest in the protest and cautiously approached her. The document he just brought were nothing more than an excuse for him to enter her office.
"Nervous about the protest?" He asked.
"Not really." She said. "I'm more amazed at how they are all willing to walk around in circle for hours during this heatwave."
"Mayor Dixie, are you sure it was a good idea to approve this protest?" Robert directly asked her.
"What do you mean?" The Mayor asked him.
"I mean are you sure it was wise to approve a protest that could potentially derail everything?" He clarified his question.
"Of that, I'm sure." She said. "How would it make us look if I did not approve it? They have every right to hold a protest, even if it garnishes them more support for their cause at our expense. I will not allow it to be sabotaged like it was the last time, as it could create a political backlash."
"Even if this could force you to recede your decision to hire FTI and be humbled?" He asked.
"Yes." She said firmly. "Even if forces me to do that."
Robert looked at her with a sense of both admiration but also profound worry. While always knowing the Mayor really did the have the city's best interest, he had no such inclinations. His main task now was to cautiously steer the Mayor into continuing to support FTI until the job was done. But now, the Mayor was acting as if she was implicitly trying to sabotage what she herself had invested her reputation in. It meant that not only was she trying to find an alternative way out from this hole that she dug herself in, but also that she was willing to stake her entire career into pulling back from the plan. He couldn't have that.
"Well, I'll leave you Mayor Dixie." He said before then turning around and headed back out.
The Mayor said nothing and just continued to glance at the protest.
Robert closed the door behind him and immediately got to work on coming up with a plan on putting a stop to this annoying protest.
Meanwhile…
While Robert schemed, Curly and his team were making their way inside the building. So far completely undetected, they slowly and as quietly as possible, they made their way towards the IT storage data room.
"Oof!" Lorenzo whispered when he collided with Curly as he just suddenly stopped. Luckily, Park and Patty stopped just in time.
*tap**tap*tap**tap* (Why did you stop?) Lorenzo tapped Curly in code.
*tap*tap* *tap* *tap*tap**tap* (Looking at the blueprint) Curly responded.
The team had trained to talk to each other in code, in case if circumstances prevented them from fully speaking to each other. This was one of those circumstances. Knowing that the ventilating system would echo around if they spoke, they opted to use simple taps by touching the person next to them.
Not wanting to waste time by getting lost, Curly had to stop a few times in order to make sure they got there in one go. The ventilating system was like a maze and the team had to take several turns in order to reach their destination.
Finally, after skewering around for a while, the team made it. Curly then took out some tools in order to open up the airway shaft that led into the room. After removing the nuts and bolts, he lifted the shaft, put it aside, then popped his head out to make sure no one was inside. He then turned to face everyone and visually instructed them that their ski masks now had to be on. Everyone understood. Then, with a big smile on his face, he then began to descend right on top of one of the data storage computers.
The room was not big, but it was not small either. It was big enough to contain eight, large, storage computers. Unlike outside, the room was dry and cool and rather dim. Each computer storage was able to contain millions upon millions of data. There was no way Curly and his team would be able to copy and download all of it. It was simply too much information. Rather, the plan was to search for any piece of communication and footage that the building received and sent during the last year or so. It did shorten the amount of data, but it was by no means small. That was still a lot of data, but it was sufficient for them to be able to copy and download them.
One by one, they slowly made their way into the room, all while keeping a close eye on the door. Finally, when everyone made it inside and jumped onto the floor, they got to work.
"Alright." Curly softly said with a grin. "Time for some fun."
Curly and Lorenzo then took out their respective laptops, turned them on and inserted a USB. Lorenzo then connected their two laptops together, while Curly connected the first computer storage that was nearest to him. In order to find which computer storage had the data that they needed, they had to connect one with their laptop and find from what time to what time that particular computer storage contained. It was going to be tedious work.
"Patty, Park." Curly then said to them, "you two go to the security office and put this USB on the server. From there, we can download all the footage they recorded throughout the year."
"Got it." Park said as he took the chip.
"But," Curly quickly warned, "you need go on the main computer and get access to those footages. From there, we can copy and download them."
"Where is the security office?" Patty asked.
"It's a few doors down. When you get out, turn left. The third door is the security office; you can't miss it." Curly explained.
With that, both Patty and Park left to do their task. Patty slowly opened the door that led to the hallway and peaked outside, making sure no one was around. Once the coast was clear, they made their way out and headed for the security office.
Meanwhile, Curly had just finished plugging into the first computer storage with his laptop. Once everything was up and running, he merely sat down in front of his laptop and smiled.
"Alrighty. Show time." He said before he then took out another ear piece, attached it to his other ear, and with his phone, before to play music.
At first, it was only a few drums, then a bass guitar, then,
Hail (hail)
What's the matter with your head, yeah
Hail (hail)
What's the matter with your mind
And your sign an-a, oh-oh-oh
Curly singing:
Hail (hail)
Nothin' the matter with your head
Baby, find it, come on and find it
Hail, with it, baby
'Cause you're fine
And you're mine, and you look so divine
Rodrigo, Stinky and Rhonda then gave a weird and confused look when they not only started hearing music from their ear-piece, but more specifically that music by Redbone that was played at the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Curly singing:
Come and get your love
Come and get your love
Come and get your love
Come and get your love
I never should have introduced that song to him. Rodrigo annoyingly groaned in thought.
Even Lorenzo gave Curly a weird look when he heard it from his own ear-piece, although he did think that given the circumstances, it was an appropriate song.
While Curly sang, he got to work, typing into his program that allowed him to gain access to the computer storage. There was obviously a password, but his program gave him a whole sequence of algorithms that very much narrowed it down for him.
"Pfft, too easy." He scoffed at the crappy security system that was emplaced as he typed away.
Curly singing:
Come and get your love
Come and get your love
Come and get your love, now
"Got it. I'm in!" He softly exclaimed with a wide mischievous grin. "Now, let's find that holy grail."
Patty and Park were still making their way to that office, trying not to get caught. They weren't running, but they weren't walking either; more like fast paced. Suddenly, Patty then stopped when she came across an office that had a large window, with various computers and other systems. Taking it as an indication that that was the security office, she tried to open the door, but was locked.
"Dang it!" She said in disappointment. "It's locked."
"Now what?" Park said.
But before Patty could respond, she instantly saw a guard approaching them from the other side, much to her horror. Thankfully the guard was looking at some documents, he was distracted...for the moment. Thinking quickly, Patty then grabbed Park and while placing her hand on his mouth to prevent him from saying anything, she then pulled him around the corner of the office, hiding them. Just in the nick of time, the guard then lifted his head up, avoiding seeing the teens by mere seconds. He then went inside the office using his security clearance card, locking the door behind him.
Both Patty and Park just sighed in both relief and then frustration. Apart from now having someone inside, they had no way of getting in. And worse still, they were now potentially exposed. If even one employee or guard caught them, they were done for. This thought circled their minds so much that they considered just heading back and coming back when, or if the guard left.
However, the guard then got up from his chair and was walking out of the office. Patty took a peak from the corner, just as the door was opening. The guard was now heading back in the same direction from where he came from. Instinctively, Patty and then Park then rushed inside the office, just as the door was closing, leaving the guard non the wiser. For safety, they dared not stand up. Instead, they waited for a bit in order to ensure the guard had actually left.
After waiting for a bit, Patty then slowly peaked outside. Finally, knowing that they were safe, they got to work. While Patty plugged in the special USB that Curly gave her to the system, Park got to work on gaining access to the security footages. Using his laptop and as how he was instructed by Curly, Park was able to get through the security system and gained access.
"OK, I'm in." He softly said.
"USB is plugged in." Patty said. "Let's find what we need and get out of here."
Meanwhile…
"HEY YOU, WE WON'T GO! WE WILL GET FTI ON THE RUN!" The protesters chanted.
"What do we want?!" Arnold shouted through a speaker.
"TO STAY!" The entire group shouted.
"When do we want it?!" Arnold shouted again.
"NOW AND FOREVER!" The group shouted.
While Curly and his team were infiltrating City Hall, the protesters had already been there for more than hour, almost two, circulating around the main entrance of the building. With the heat permeating throughout the entire city, it was causing heat exhaustion. Many of them felt they had been doing this all day. Many of those that were of older age, including Arnold's grandparents, had to continually stop and rest and cool down. Yet, the protesters did not relent. If anything, they continually received reinforcements. More and more people joined in as the time went by, although these 'reinforcements' were more of a ripple then a wave of people. Nevertheless, the more the merrier and these new influx of people only served to spur them on.
Thankfully, everyone seemed to have brought sufficient water with them, which was a major concern for many of them. For some, that may have worked too well.
Oh man, I really have to go to the bathroom! Gerald painfully thought as he attempted to hold it. I shouldn't have drank all of that water!
Gerald arrived in downtown thirsty and no sooner had the protest started when he drank almost a bottle of water, thinking his body will consume it. Unfortunately, he continued to take a few sips here and there as he continued to protest. When he initially felt he needed to go, he ignored it. However, it eventually got to a point where he was no longer able to hold it. With the way the protest was going, it didn't look like it was going to end anytime soon, so he eventually opted to find a place where he can release himself.
"Hey babe," He said to his girlfriend, "I'll be right back; I really gotta go to the bathroom."
"Oh, sure Gerald." Phoebe said. "I'll hold our sign for you until you come back."
"Thanks babe." He said with a smile before then giving her a kiss on her lips. "If Arnold asks, just tell him I'll be back soon."
Phoebe just nodded and with that, Gerald tried to walk as normally as possible in order to find a bathroom.
Normally, City Hall would allow any protester to use their facilities, but on this day, for some reason, quite conveniently, no one protesting was allowed inside the building; for security reasons.
Ah man! Gerald exclaimed frustratingly in thought. Now I gotta find somewhere else to do my business!
While trying to hold it, he made his way around the building, trying to see if other businesses would allow him to use their toiletries. Much to his dismay, many of the businesses were either closed or did not allow him to use it unless he was a customer. Gerald was then forced to go to the back of the building. Thankfully, there was a small cafe type of a restaurant that was opened and allowed him to use their bathroom.
"Oh, thank you ma'am!" Gerald exclaimed happily when the waitress said yes to his request.
Not wasting any time, he quickly made his way into the bathroom to relieve himself.
"Oh ya! Oohhhh!" Gerald loudly exclaimed.
While Gerald was trying desperately to find a bathroom, he failed to noticed a strange, but rather familiar figure lurking around at the back of the City Hall building. He didn't bump into him, and the figure was in disguise, but if Gerald was a bit more attentive, he could have potentially spotted Nick Vermicelli, spying.
I don't like this, I don't like this at all. Nick worryingly thought.
Ever since his return to Hillwood, Nick Vermicelli had been keeping a close eye on Arnold and his friends, even before Von Scheck was released from prison. Like his boss, Nick felt completely humiliated at being bested by a few nine year olds. That was one of the reasons, apart from the good pay and the threat of being exposed to the police, why he decided to work for Von Scheck again; revenge. Hence, he went out of his way to meticulously gather as much information about the football head as possible. He wanted to know what he had been up to all of these years. He wanted to know if Arnold had a girlfriend, did he have the same old friends as before, etc. Nick was taking no chances this time. He wanted to know everything about him.
However, he initially was not able to do that on his own. In order not to be spotted by the police, Nick had been careful to not go out in public unless absolutely necessary. In order to accomplish his tasks, he often had to send out his associates to do most of the work for him. Spying on Arnold and his friends was one of those tasks that Nick delegated to his subordinates. However, that all changed when reports started coming about Arnold's and his friends' 'strange behaviour'. This included not only Arnold trying to rally everyone in the neighbourhood against the Mayor's decision, a tactic that had failed last time, but he was now seen canvassing with only half of his friends, with the other half, for some reason, not being present. Nick's spy soon found out that the other half was meeting up at Rhonda's mansion, for some unknown reason. Unfortunately, due to the mansion's high security, Nick's spies were not able to infiltrate the residence.
Both Von Scheck and Nick had expected Arnold to do something drastic, such as break-in into the FTI headquarters again, or attempt some sort of heavy covert operation, if not a physical confrontation. Instead, they were met with a very predictable response from their adversary, a fact that was causing Von Scheck to become paranoid. It was not clear to either of them if this was Arnold's actual plan; to just protest, or if this was a cover-up for something else. This made more sense considering that the football head's other friends had just disappeared and began rendezvousing elsewhere. Nick did not know if a disagreement had occurred between them or if this was all part of Arnold's plan; to distract them and let their guard down before he could strike.
It was for that reason why Nick then decided to take the risk and began spying on these kids for himself; to know just what they were up to, as well as to get Von Scheck off of his back who was by now wrapped up in paranoia.
Nick was wearing a long, but light overcoat with a large fedora like hat. He had to cut his ponytail and dye his hair blonde, and shave off his light mustache in order to not be discovered. He had been observing Rodrigo since he left their neighbourhood, trying to see what his plan was. When it became obvious what Rodrigo and his group was doing, instead of it making things clearer, it only exasperated him.
What the hell are these kids doing?! He thought to himself. Are they that dumb? Are they actually breaking into City Hall? Why would that football headed kid do something like that? It's one thing to break into a company building, but a public building? I thought this kid was supposed to be a morally outstanding kid, according to the reports that I've been getting about him. This is not something I would have ever expected him to do. Something's not right here. He's either up to something, or he's completely lost it.
Nick was not dumb. He knew what Rodrigo and his group was trying to do; get evidence that would link Von Scheck with Robert Dole and many other pubic sector employees and politicians. That much was obvious. What was not obvious was if Arnold was in on this or not. Nick had never known the football head personally, but after his heroic stance against Von Scheck and FTI, a lot of information about him was released to the public. What's more, his spies were able to corroborate with the stories that were being published about him. From all of this, he gathered Arnold was a morally good, descent person, with a big heart. Even though he broke-in into a corporate head office building, he did it for the right reasons. Nick knew that. But it just seemed really far fetched for him to do something like this. This was a government building, where if caught, the municipality could use its limitless resource to bring the law down on him, hard. In Nick's eyes, Arnold was taking a huge risk on doing something like that and he gathered that if Arnold wanted people, including Mayor Dixie to side with him, he needed to be that heroic, morally upright person. Breaking into a government building was going completely against that.
That Latino kid must be doing it on his own. He thought. I don't think the football headed kid would have ever agreed to this. That must mean…they have split up!
Nick thought about this conclusion. It made sense. It explained why only half of the group was still with Arnold, while the other just disappeared.
But, why split up now? He thought. Just when that crummy neighbourhood needs him and his friends the most, they go their separate ways. That doesn't make sense. He is dividing up at a time when they need to stick together.
What if that football headed kid and his friends are all just pretending? Just to lure me away from their group and to keep me confused? He continued to think.
Regardless of Arnold's plan, he needed to stop Rodrigo from getting what he was seeking. Putting his investigative thoughts aside, he quickly got up and exited the same cafe restaurant that Gerald went in to use the bathroom. He quickly went to the nearest pay phone, one of the few ones that remained in the city, took out some change and found the telephone number that he was looking for. Just as he was about to dial it, he saw an African-American teen leave the cafe from where he just came out.
At any other time, he would have ignored the teen and just dialed the number. However, the teen's hairstyle was a trademark from a particular someone whom he once crossed paths with. It had shorten considerably since he saw it last time, but he knew who that unique, tall, afro-hairstyle belonged to.
Him! Nick thought with a glare in his eyes when he saw Gerald Johanssen come out of the cafe.
"Ohh man, that's much better." Gerald said in relief when he came out, letting a big smile to form on his face.
Gerald then began to make his way to cross the street and head back to the protest, completely unaware that just a few feet away, Nick Vermicelli was inside a telephone booth, glaring at him, but also standing perfectly still to make sure that he didn't see him.
As Gerald was just about to cross the street, he noticed someone at the other end of the road.
"Stinky?" He said to himself, surprised to see him.
Gerald was about to cross the street and make his way towards his friend, thinking that Stinky came to join the protest. However, he almost immediately stopped when he saw someone approach him.
"Rodrigo?" He said to himself. "What's he doing here?"
Gerald saw Rodrigo approach Stinky and although he couldn't hear what they were saying, the way they were acting was making Gerald suspicious. They were being very secretive and were constantly looking behind their shoulders, as if they were making sure no one approached them. In addition, neither of them had informed anyone about them coming to the protest and he was sure that if Arnold knew they were coming, he would have told them.
So, what are they doing here? He thought.
Gerald then decided to walk to the other side of the building. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but using his instinct, which was telling him that something was very fishy, he continued. His eyes and thoughts were so focused on the other side of the road that he simply bypassed the telephone booth that still held Nick inside, froze in anxiety. He then came across the three guards there were still standing there and chatting away. He looked around a bit and couldn't see anything suspicious, that is until…
What's that? He thought when he saw some movement behind the dumpsters. He didn't know what he saw, he knew that there was definitely someone there. That was when it hit him.
Oh no. He thought, with his face now slumping to a serious concern. Please tell me they didn't choose today, out of all days, to actually sneak inside City Hall and steal everyone's emails, call histories and footage!
Now, it all made sense to him. That must be why they were here.
Oh, you gotta be kidding me! Gerald lamented and angrily thought. Did Rodrigo do this on purpose? Did he actually decide to do this on the same day when we were holding a protest?! I gotta warn Arnold!
Gerald wasted no time and frantically run towards the opposite end of the building, crossed the street and headed back to the protest. Rhonda was a bit further on the other side of that same side of the City Hall building, but was as looking away when Gerald ran past the area she was surveillancing.
Nick meanwhile, was observing everything. Based on the reaction that he saw on Gerald's face and behaviour, it finally dawned on him that what he had initially suspected was correct. Ecstatic, he allowed a blunt mischievous smile to grow on his face when he realized what he had found.
I got you now! He thought. You messed up with my business plans last time, but now see how you like it when I mess around in your life!
He then began to dial. After a few rings…
"Hello?" A man answered.
"Robert, it's Nick." Nick said. "Listen, you got a bit of a vermin problem. Some of Arnold's friends have sneaked into the building."
"What? How?" Robert asked through the phone.
"How should I know? I don't have a magic ball here." He retorted. "They are just in and I don't need to tell you what they are trying to get."
Robert went quiet for a bit and just groaned, furious at how a few teenagers were able to get past through security without being detected. However, a thought soon occurred to them.
"Don't worry about it, I'll deal with them" Robert said to Nick. "These kids are so stupid. By breaking into a government building like that, they just sealed their fate. And because they are Arnold's friends, I can have everyone arrested, including that dumb football head. After this stunt, their reputations will be tarnished, not to mention that they will be locked up. They will regret ever setting foot inside this building."
"No, don't do that!" Nick quickly interjected.
"Excuse me?" Robert said, stunted at what he just heard. "What do you mean 'no'?"
"Just because you arrest his friends doesn't mean that the blame will be directed to him." Nick began to explain. "the football headed kid could deny ever knowing anything about it and can just say that his friends went rogue which, given what I just saw, that's probably what happened; half of his friends abandoned him."
"What do you mean?" Robert asked.
"I'll explain everything later, but the point is that we are not make a martyr out of that football headed kid." Nick said. "The boss made that perfectly clear; we are not to harm him. He wants him unharmed and free."
"He just wants him unharmed so he can gets his revenge and just rub in his face." Robert complained.
"It's not just that, you dope." Nick said annoyingly, seeing that Robert was not getting the point. "Given how much of a goody-two shoes he is, how do think the media will play that out? Everyone knows what he did for that neighbourhood years back and everyone knows what a good kid he is. His supporters can easily turn the media against us and attack us for arresting him, especially if there is no evidence that he was part of this break-in. You know, the whole big government against the common-man, sort of thing. That's why Arnold is not to be touched."
"So, what do you suggest I do?" Robert asked.
"It's simple." Nick said with a grin. "This is what you are going to do..."