A fair warning, the story takes a very unexpected twist here. I don't think it is triggery, but when you get to the first break, if it seems like it might be too much, please skip the rest of the story, though I don't know how many chapters it will take to resolve this part of the story line. -Tim
Ralph walked into his first period class and saw Mr. Davis standing at the front of the class room. "Well, I'm so glad you could join us today Mr. Dineen. I trust you have a note to excuse your absence yesterday?" Sarcasm dripped from his voice like poison.
Ralph mentally sighed. Mr. Davis always wanted to act like a smart ass because of Ralph's IQ. He somehow thought it made him look smart. But he never seemed to realize the only person that thought that was him. Even Ralph's classmates who kept their distance from him didn't laugh at his attempted putdowns. Ralph finally nodded as he pulled out a note and gave it to him as he walked past and on over to sit down at his desk. Mr. Davis looked at the note and the signature. "Just who is Walter O'Brien?" He demanded.
Ralph sighed. "You've met him three times Mr. Davis."
Tony raised his hand. Mr. Davis looked annoyed. "What is it Mr. Wilson?"
Tony stood up. "That's Ralph's Dad. You know, the guy they barely saved whose car was sabotaged and went off the cliff a few weeks ago."
Mr. Davis turned a bit red in embarrassment. "Oh, well, yes, very well. I was just expecting it to be from your Mother Mr. Dineen. Thank you Mr. Wilson."
Tony sat back down and Ralph gave him a thumbs up and Tony smiled.
As the period bell rang Ralph and Tony walked out of class together. "Man, I know Mr. Davis isn't a genius but you'd think he would remember who your Dad is, even if he doesn't realize he is your Dad."
Ralph nodded. "Thanks for stepping in there."
Tony nodded. "No worries, you always help me when I don't understand the math assignments. Hey how are things going with the guy who tried to kill your Dad anyway?"
Ralph shook his head. "Not that great actually, the federal prosecutor opted to let the state have the case. He claimed it didn't rise to federal level."
Tony shook his head. "That's messed up. What is the state doing?"
"He'll probably be out in 8 years for good behavior. That's the deal they worked out for him." Ralph explained.
Tony looked around as they walked. "You're Dad is like this big computer genius right? So is he going to do some kind of computer stuff to get even with him?"
Ralph laughed and shook his head. "I think Homeland would really frown on that."
"Yea, you're probably right. I'll catch up with you at homeroom." Tony told him before he took off up the stairs they were passing.
Ralph walked into his fifth period computer science lab and sat down in the back where the teacher actually preferred him because of how many kids would copy off of his screen. Mr. Simmons walked back before the start bell sounded and he smiled at Ralph. "How is your Dad doing Ralph? Has he fully recovered?"
Ralph smiled. "He's still got some restrictions, no driving and no stairs. But otherwise he is doing really well."
Mr. Simmons nodded and patted his shoulder. "I'm glad to hear it." He looked around at the other students and his face blushed as he bent over and whispered. "I think someone snuck in before class and did something to my computer. I can't get it working. Do you think you can do something about it for me please?"
Ralph smiled and nodded before he walked to the front. Ralph sat down at the computer and attempted a simple command to test the system and frowned at the response. He entered several other commands and he looked up at Mr. Simmons with worry in his eyes. He jumped up and walked quickly past Mr. Simmons and on back to the door of the room. He looked out the door, up and down the hallway and he quickly closed it and moved the boot over locking the door from being opened and reached over and flipped the lights off.
Mr. Simmons looked at him as he looked back up. "Ralph?"
Ralph put his fingers to his lips. "Everyone be quiet." He moved quickly over to his backpack and pulled out his tablet and connected it to the satellite modem in his backpack and plugged the modem into the computer on his desk for power. He turned on his tablet and connected to the Garage server. He clicked on his Dad's laptop icon and heard a soft ringing.
Walter looked up from his lunch and pushed back from the table as he frowned hearing Ralph's ring tone. "Why would Ralph be calling me?" He walked out and sat down at his desk and clicked answer. He saw Ralph's face on screen. "Ralph?"
Ralph let out his breath in relief seeing his Dad. "Dad, I think something is about to go down here at the school. My teacher wanted help with his computer and when I tested the system there is a strange set of words being reported back. They weren't a regular font but the font looks like the words are formed with the letters cut out of different magazines."
Walter looked to the kitchen. "Cabe, get Homeland on the phone. We got an emergency at Ralph's school." He began typing on his keyboard before he looked back at Ralph. "Were they regular words or was it a code?"
"Ralphy?" Paige cried out as she jumped up and came running out to Walter's desk followed by Happy and Toby as Cabe called Katherine Cooper.
"It was definitely a code of some kind." Ralph told him as he typed on his computer in front of him.
"Ralph, are you safe?" Paige asked as she worriedly looked over Walter's shoulder at Ralph on the screen
Walter began trying to hack into the school.
Ralph nodded. "I got the door shut and the boot on. Dad, I just tried to send an alert to the other rooms to tell them to lock their doors but the system won't complete it." Ralph reported.
Walter's eyes went wide. "No, no, no. Don't do that. You might alert someone that you guys are in your room and know about them. I want all you kids to get down on the floor. And stay quiet. Cabe's getting Homeland on it right now and I am working on getting into the school system. Is your teacher still in the room with you guys?"
Ralph nodded as he moved his tablet down to the floor as he slid under his desk gesturing to his classmates to do the same.
"What is that gobbledygook?" Toby asked seeing the strange font coming up on Walter's laptop as he moved up behind Walter and Paige with Happy.
"Someone has infiltrated the school's computer system. I'm trying to get access to the camera system so I can see if there are actual people there or if this is a lead up to someone trying to take the school." Walter responded.
"Hell no, I'm not waiting here to see what is going on." Happy said as she saw Ralph's face under the desk. "Cabe, get your ass out here and give me your keys." She ran over to her work area and pulled the paintball gun she'd worked on out of a cabinet. She pulled out a bag of ammunition for it and slung both over here head and shoulders.
Toby moved over. "Aren't you forgetting one important fact? You're pregnant."
Happy looked at him. "Duh, but if you think I'm going to just stand around here when Ralph is in danger you don't know me very well."
Cabe moved out of the kitchen. "Katherine has got the rapid response team moving out."
Walter was finally able to access the camera system and he pulled up all the camera feeds. His eyes opened wide as he saw three men in assault gear strike a security guard in the head with the butt of a rifle. His blood went ice cold and he stood up quickly. "Ralph, where is entrance three?"
"It is the north entrance on the other side of the building Dad." Ralph told him.
Walter nodded. "Open your window and you get out of that room, have your classmates follow you. Do NOT try and stay behind. This is not the time for heroics. Make for the south fence. I want to see you on the other side of the fence the moment we get there. We'll be there shortly."
Ralph nodded.
Walter left his laptop connected and he grabbed a tablet as he ran towards the door where Happy was standing with Toby and Cabe. Paige followed along behind him and they all flew out the door and piled into Cabe's SUV and Happy had it running before the last door was closed and she peeled out and down the street the second the last door closed.
Walter quickly connected to the SUV's wifi and then connected to the Garage server and to his laptop and pulled up the cameras so they could monitor what was going on. Walter quickly built a bridge in the software that blacked out the school's system from seeing the outside cameras all around the school but they still showed on the tablet and with Paige they watched as they began to see student after student making their way across the south campus and over to the fence.
"Walter, where is Ralphy?" Paige asked desperately.
Walter shook his head. "I-I'm not sure." He clicked the hallway camera outside of his classroom but it was clear and the door was closed with no sign of damage. "He must still be in his room or maybe outside the window helping his classmates just out of camera range."
"Damn it Ralphy, get out of there, now." Paige pleaded to the tablet.
Walter refrained from letting her know the tablet wouldn't let them talk to Ralph.
Walter looked up and saw where they were. "Happy, cut the siren, we don't need to let them know we know about them."
Cabe reached up first and flipped the switch and Happy reluctantly reduced speed to compensate for the loss of the siren to alert drivers. "Make sure you turn on the street on the south side of the campus so we can meet up with Ralph and his classmates." Walter chimed in.
"Thanks for the obvious tip." Happy spat. "Sorry Walt." She apologized.
Walter shook his head. "No, I know you are worried too Happy. You're doing fine, thank you."
Paige smiled weakly at Walter for connecting to that but she immediately looked back at the camera feed. "Oh, there he is, finally. Come on Ralphy, run baby."
Suddenly Happy cut the wheel and the SUV tires squealed as it slid around the corner and took off down the side street. They saw a small gathering of kids on this side of the fence and bushes. Happy quickly pulled up along side of them and Walter was first to jump out and as every one of them reached one of the children they began making sure each child was okay. Once they were sure the child was okay they told them to get to the other side of the SUV for safety.
Ralph finally came crawling out from under the bushes and Paige cried out and ran up to him and pulled him into a fierce hug. Walter joined her and hugged them both to him.
Mr. Simmons came out last and he looked up. "Oh thank God you guys got here. Now I can go back."
Cabe grabbed his arm. "What do you mean go back?"
Mr. Simmons looked at him. "I've got other students and teachers in there that need to get out. I only came out to make sure these students made it to safety. Now that they are safe I can go back."
Cabe shook his head. "Sorry, this is a delicate situation. I can't let you go back in."
Mr. Simmons stood up face to face to Cabe. "Then you are going to have to shoot me, because I'm going back in there."
"That won't be necessary Mr. Simmons, you can go with me." Walter told him as he released Paige and Ralph.
"Wait. What? Walter, you can't be seriously considering going back in there." Paige said as she kept one arm around Ralph and grabbed Walter's shirt.
Walter nodded. "Mr. Simmons is right. There are more people who need help. Right now, there are three men and they are in the main part, we can safely evacuate everyone in the southern side of the campus."
Happy nodded. "Now you're talking, let's get going." She jockeyed the bag of ammo and the paintball gun around.
Walter pulled the box of coms out and everyone grabbed one and put it in their ear. "Cabe, you and Happy lead us, Paige, you and Sylvester stay here with the kids. Put your lanyard on so anyone responding will know you have authority here. Toby I am sure you were going to go with Happy anyway but we might need you in case we find anyone who needs medical help."
They all nodded as Walter and Paige kissed. Walter smiled at her and Ralph. "You stay here and help your Mother with the kids. Help them stay calm. Rapid response should be here soon."
Ralph hugged him quickly before he nodded. "Please be careful."
Walter smiled and nodded. "The carefulest."
Ralph smiled. They both liked making silly words for when things were a bit too emotional and they needed to separate their feelings but still let the other know how they felt."
Happy moved into the bushes followed by Cabe, Toby, Mr. Simmons and finally Walter. There was about five feet of bushes and then the fence. Walter had them hold while he checked the tablet's camera views and nodded. "Let's go." They quickly grabbed hold of the fence and they climbed it with little difficulty.
Walter tossed the tablet back over the bushes since the connection to the SUV's wifi would be lost long before they got to the school. They made it across campus quickly. Cabe knocked on the first window and the teacher frowned but saw his badge and moved over. "Mr. Simmons?"
"Ms Blain, there are armed men in the school, get your door closed and get the kids out this window." Mr. Simmons told her.
"Okay kids, quietly, leave everything where it is, and climb out the windows and follow Mr. Simmon's directions." Ms Blain told her kids as she moved over and closed the door and put the boot down and turned out the lights.
Walter reached up and took hold of the ledge and pulled up and climbed in the window Ralph and his classmates climbed out of. He sat down at the computer and smiled seeing the satellite modem and Ralph's tablet laying there. He picked the tablet up and tapped into his laptop and pulled up the school cameras so he could check on the situation.
Cabe's head came up as he helped the next classroom get out of the building. "Those damn idiots. Turn off your sirens." He swore as he pulled out his phone and called dispatch and told them to order the responding units to turn off their sirens.
Greetings! Hope this finds you all well! Man what a storm system that hit the US! Poor Texas, we got around 10 inches last night here in Indy, and more coming between now and Thursday.
Railman - Thank you and you're welcome. Looks like whatever is going on with Ralph is going to be on hold for a bit now. lol
Marie - I think Ralph is okay for now...something else to distract the geniuses! lol
Mendex - I'm so happy you are enjoying them!
Lucy - I hadn't even considered that Sunday was Valentine's but if certainly worked out! lol Yep, leave it to Toby! lol
Guest - Yep, Ralph's caught another break so far! lol I love her pet name for him! Fungus...lol Yep, if the secret makes him happy he is going to leak it someway! lol
Mtrizee - hehe Glad you are so happy with the news!
Heleen - Wow, you got a full schedule! Don't burn out now! Yea, it has been a bit roller coaster...today I think we hit a big hill. LOL
Franxine - LOL Well, how was this for up my sleeve? heheh
To the Adventure! -Tim
