Scott's World-CH. 17
Roger talked to Peter about the observation that Scott made. He suspected that he was being watched and tailed on purpose. Peter agreed to let it go for awhile unless they suspected any fowl play. As long as they knew about where Scott was at all times than they didn't need to be obvious. It probably was about time for a cliffhanger quest to clear everyone's head.
Peter brought all the cliffhangers into a group to discuss the new quest that they would be getting prepared for. The topic was direction without the aid of a compass. They would be taken out in-groups of 4 and dropped off at various locations. The skill was to find their way back to campus without the aid of a compass. They had to rely on the positioning of the sun and the stars to guide them back.
Peter, "Group one will consist of Scott, David, Juliet and Natalie while group two will be Auggie, Ezra, Shelby and Daisy." Peter purposely didn't put Scott with Shelby and Auggie with Juliet because it might be to tempting to pursue extracurricular activities.
"You will be given a one day supply of food and water. If you don't make it back within one day than you will have to start preparing to find your own food. Each group will have an emergency radio if needed. Don't call unless someone gets hurt or you haven't found your way back within four days and then we'll come get you. Any questions?"
Scott, "Yea, if we find our way into town, can we go see a movie or something?"
"Yea, let's go to town," Auggie joined in.
"I've alerted the sheriff in town if he sees any on my gang there than he is to pick them up and hold them until I get there."
Daisy, "Well you just spoil all our fun don't you?"
"OK groups let's head on out. Group one get in my jeep and group two go with Sophie."
As they were all outside getting their gear together Scott was making arrangements for Shelby and Juliet to switch places. He figured if they got in the vehicles before the drivers did than it wouldn't be noticed. Shelby and Juliet both tucked their hair up into a hat so their hair color could not be seen. Once everyone was in the jeeps they started off. They were about a half of a mile down the road when Natalie noticed the switch and decided to spill the beans.
"Gee Juliet when did you have time to bleach your hair blonde?" she said ripping the hat off Shelby's head. Peter looked in his rear view mirror and slammed on the brakes.
"Ok whose idea was this?"
"Take your pick. Scott, Auggie, Juliet or me. What are you going to do? Give us all shuns?"
Peter looked pissed and got on the radio and called to Sophie. "Peter to Sophie can you hear me?"
"This is Sophie and I know why your calling because I just discovered the same thing."
"Back track because I'm only a half mile out. We'll meet and make the switch."
Peter turned around to them and said with a grin on his face, "Guess what guys? For that little stunt I'm going to take away your tents and now you'll have to build your own shelter."
Scott, "That's not fair. What if we don't find anything to make a shelter with? We'll be unprotected during the night."
"Well Scott you seem to like to improvise so now you can improvise your shelter."
Scott made his anger known by hitting the back of the seat, "Great"
Peter and Sophie caught up to each other and made the change. Both Shelby and Juliet gave their guys a long and sorrowful look as they moved to the right vehicle. Scott looked over at Natalie and said, "Don't expect any favors from me out there."
Peter, "Scott that's uncalled for. You are a team. You work together and you help each other out when in need. If I find out from Natalie that you made this quest hard on her than you're going to wish that you never came back. Is that clear?"
Slumping down in the seat with his famous brooding look on his face he said, "Yea whatever."
Peter finally came to their destination and waited while they unloaded their gear. He got the bag that held the two tents and threw it back into the jeep. He gave Scott the transmitter radio and told them good luck and drove away.
Scott deciding to be funny immediately called Peter on the radio and said that he had an emergency.
"What kind of an emergency?" Peter asked.
"It's my heart. I think it's broken." With that everyone burst out laughing except Natalie.
"SCOTT, you're on shuns when you get back and give the radio to David."
David took the radio and held the transmitter button down; "I'd like to order 3 large pizzas, one with pepperoni one with mushrooms and the other with everything you've got." Scott and Juliet were holding their stomachs laughing so hard. They heard the sound of a vehicle approaching and suddenly sobered up.
Peter got out of the jeep and stomped over to the group.
"This is not a toy," he said grabbing the radio out of David's hands. "Now is there anyone here that I can trust that is mature enough to handle the responsibility of this?" He looked over at Natalie and she held out her hand. He gave it to her and looked around. "Does anyone have any thing to discuss while I'm still here?" No one said anything. "Everyone better gave 100% to make this work as a team. Is there anyone here who feels that they aren't capable of this assignment? You better speak now or forever hold you peace." He looked around and they were all shaking their heads no. "Ok, I trust you guys so impress me with your ability. I'll see you hopefully tomorrow." With that said he turned to leave.
The group stood there like a puppy with its head tucked between his legs. Scott said, "Well some people just have no sense of humor. Which way do we go now?"
David, "I hungry let's eat." Scott agreed and threw himself down on the ground next to David and began digging in his pack for food.
Juliet, "It's not time to eat yet. If you eat when ever you want than your going to be running out of food to soon."
David went into Jules face and took a big bite out of his sandwich. "yuuummm" and he took another bite just to irritate her. She turned her head because she knew that they weren't going to listen to her.
Scott, seeing the disappointment in Juliet's face said, "Relax Juliet. If David and I run out of food than we'll just take yours because you know that you probably won't eat it anyway. We're growing boys, we need to keep our strength up."
David laughed and struck a muscle man pose. "I never realized what a convenience it is to be with someone with an eating disorder. I'm glad we switched you back with Shelby."
Scott, "Hey that's not nice watch what you say."
"I'm just saying that we might have starved if we had Shelby here."
Scott sat there and looked like he was trying to solve a solution to a problem.
He held both his hands up weighing them like a scale. "Sexual starvation versus physical starvation. Sexual starvation versus physical starvation. Tough decision."
Juliet, "I swear you guys have a one track mind. We need to get moving and find shelter before sunset."
Scott, "True but since we don't have a compass we need to determine which way is north, south, east or west." He knew that in order to find directions using the sun, he had to drive a three -foot stick into the ground. Once Scott did that he marked the shadow and waited 15 minutes. Once the time was up he marked the shadow of the stick again. He drew a straight line between the two marks he had made. He knew that that line always ran east and west; the second mark made is always toward the east. The line at right angles to the one he drew runs north and south. Scott was finally able to determine which way they needed to be heading.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Spencer Roberts had been perched out on a tree limb camouflaging himself as he surveyed the Horizon campus. He got a feel of where everything was. It was obvious with buildings were the dorms and which ones were the classrooms. He also figured out which one was the administration building. That was the building that he needed to focus on first. His plan was to sneak there at night and see what information he could pull from there computer system. He was searching the area with his binoculars hoping to get a visual on Scott. There were several blond hair boys but none of them seemed to match his looks. He had been watching for two days now and no one resembling Scott came into view. Spencer was beginning to think that Scott might no longer be there if in fact that he ever was. Tonight was the night that he was going to hack into the computer and see if he could pull up any concrete evidence. He waited until everyone was asleep when he made his move. There didn't seem to be any locks on the doors, which made things easy for him. Once he was able to get into the computer he pulled up the students file. There it was. Scott Barringer age 16. Instead of taking time to read the file he just downloaded it onto a disk that he could bring up on his own computer. At least he knew that he had hit the jack- pot
The only thing left to do was get a visual on Scott and then he could go back and report to Edward. He went back to where he had set up his camp and waited until morning.
Morning always came early in the mountains. Spencer was up eating breakfast and reading Scott's file on his laptop computer. It sure made interesting reading. Everything about Scott was in that file. Why he was there, what kind of drugs he was one, the sexual abuse with the stepmother and Peters observations regarding Scott's behavior. The last thing he noticed that was added just recently was a remark from Peter saying that his depression might stem from the fact that his father physically abused him. It even gave a Dr.'s notes about the bruises and trauma he was in when he was recently brought back to Horizon again. Spencer smiled because he knew that with the information that he now held, it would be so easy for Edward to file a law suit and gain custody of his grandson. As Spencer was occupied in his reading he suddenly heard some voices of a group of kids.
Before he could even think about trying to hide the group of 4 teenagers appeared out of nowhere. Juliet screamed at first from the sudden shock of seeing another person in the woods.
Scott being the protective person that he is stepped in front of Juliet as if to guard her from any harm.
"Scott I'm ok he just scared me. I think we scared him too. Hi, I'm Juliet and this is Scott, David and Natalie." Juliet always seemed it fitting to be properly introduced regardless of the situation. She was so naïve.
Spencer tried to play it off as a mountain hiker. It did catch his attention when Juliet said the name Scott. He took a good look and realized that the person he had been searching several days for was now standing in front of him. Nice looking kid, well built and very protective of females. This didn't seem to be the same kid that he was reading about with emotional problems. Spencer smiled and offered his hand to be shaken. Juliet with her brightest smile shook his hand but Scott refused the offering.
Spencer was noticing how Scott seemed to be surveying the scene around him. What was he looking for? He seemed to notice the computer and the high tech camera.
"I'm a photographer and I was just mountain climbing and getting some pictures of the beautiful scenery."
Juliet seemed all impressed with this guy. If Scott wasn't mistaken he could have sworn that Juliet was flirting with him.
Scott, "What would a mountain hiker need with a laptop?"
Spencer didn't like the way Scott started walking around his gear looking for something incriminating. "Oh I like documenting my thoughts when I get the time."
"What would a mountain hiker need with inferred binoculars, and all these tools that one doesn't need when hiking?"
"Scott, stop being so nosy," Juliet said
"Look kid, what I bring on a hiking trip is none of your business. If you guys are lost than I have a phone that I can call for help."
"No thanks, we're not lost. I think you are the one out of place. Come on guys." Scott lead the way towards Horizon.
Juliet turns and says, "Nice meeting you."
Scott, "Juliet would you stop trying to earn the congeniality award. The guy could be a terrorist with all that he was carrying."
Spencer over heard Scott's comment and just smiled. The kid has an attitude and a very suspicious mind. He had better pack up and leave pronto before Scott sends up the Calvary after him.
To be continued.
Roger talked to Peter about the observation that Scott made. He suspected that he was being watched and tailed on purpose. Peter agreed to let it go for awhile unless they suspected any fowl play. As long as they knew about where Scott was at all times than they didn't need to be obvious. It probably was about time for a cliffhanger quest to clear everyone's head.
Peter brought all the cliffhangers into a group to discuss the new quest that they would be getting prepared for. The topic was direction without the aid of a compass. They would be taken out in-groups of 4 and dropped off at various locations. The skill was to find their way back to campus without the aid of a compass. They had to rely on the positioning of the sun and the stars to guide them back.
Peter, "Group one will consist of Scott, David, Juliet and Natalie while group two will be Auggie, Ezra, Shelby and Daisy." Peter purposely didn't put Scott with Shelby and Auggie with Juliet because it might be to tempting to pursue extracurricular activities.
"You will be given a one day supply of food and water. If you don't make it back within one day than you will have to start preparing to find your own food. Each group will have an emergency radio if needed. Don't call unless someone gets hurt or you haven't found your way back within four days and then we'll come get you. Any questions?"
Scott, "Yea, if we find our way into town, can we go see a movie or something?"
"Yea, let's go to town," Auggie joined in.
"I've alerted the sheriff in town if he sees any on my gang there than he is to pick them up and hold them until I get there."
Daisy, "Well you just spoil all our fun don't you?"
"OK groups let's head on out. Group one get in my jeep and group two go with Sophie."
As they were all outside getting their gear together Scott was making arrangements for Shelby and Juliet to switch places. He figured if they got in the vehicles before the drivers did than it wouldn't be noticed. Shelby and Juliet both tucked their hair up into a hat so their hair color could not be seen. Once everyone was in the jeeps they started off. They were about a half of a mile down the road when Natalie noticed the switch and decided to spill the beans.
"Gee Juliet when did you have time to bleach your hair blonde?" she said ripping the hat off Shelby's head. Peter looked in his rear view mirror and slammed on the brakes.
"Ok whose idea was this?"
"Take your pick. Scott, Auggie, Juliet or me. What are you going to do? Give us all shuns?"
Peter looked pissed and got on the radio and called to Sophie. "Peter to Sophie can you hear me?"
"This is Sophie and I know why your calling because I just discovered the same thing."
"Back track because I'm only a half mile out. We'll meet and make the switch."
Peter turned around to them and said with a grin on his face, "Guess what guys? For that little stunt I'm going to take away your tents and now you'll have to build your own shelter."
Scott, "That's not fair. What if we don't find anything to make a shelter with? We'll be unprotected during the night."
"Well Scott you seem to like to improvise so now you can improvise your shelter."
Scott made his anger known by hitting the back of the seat, "Great"
Peter and Sophie caught up to each other and made the change. Both Shelby and Juliet gave their guys a long and sorrowful look as they moved to the right vehicle. Scott looked over at Natalie and said, "Don't expect any favors from me out there."
Peter, "Scott that's uncalled for. You are a team. You work together and you help each other out when in need. If I find out from Natalie that you made this quest hard on her than you're going to wish that you never came back. Is that clear?"
Slumping down in the seat with his famous brooding look on his face he said, "Yea whatever."
Peter finally came to their destination and waited while they unloaded their gear. He got the bag that held the two tents and threw it back into the jeep. He gave Scott the transmitter radio and told them good luck and drove away.
Scott deciding to be funny immediately called Peter on the radio and said that he had an emergency.
"What kind of an emergency?" Peter asked.
"It's my heart. I think it's broken." With that everyone burst out laughing except Natalie.
"SCOTT, you're on shuns when you get back and give the radio to David."
David took the radio and held the transmitter button down; "I'd like to order 3 large pizzas, one with pepperoni one with mushrooms and the other with everything you've got." Scott and Juliet were holding their stomachs laughing so hard. They heard the sound of a vehicle approaching and suddenly sobered up.
Peter got out of the jeep and stomped over to the group.
"This is not a toy," he said grabbing the radio out of David's hands. "Now is there anyone here that I can trust that is mature enough to handle the responsibility of this?" He looked over at Natalie and she held out her hand. He gave it to her and looked around. "Does anyone have any thing to discuss while I'm still here?" No one said anything. "Everyone better gave 100% to make this work as a team. Is there anyone here who feels that they aren't capable of this assignment? You better speak now or forever hold you peace." He looked around and they were all shaking their heads no. "Ok, I trust you guys so impress me with your ability. I'll see you hopefully tomorrow." With that said he turned to leave.
The group stood there like a puppy with its head tucked between his legs. Scott said, "Well some people just have no sense of humor. Which way do we go now?"
David, "I hungry let's eat." Scott agreed and threw himself down on the ground next to David and began digging in his pack for food.
Juliet, "It's not time to eat yet. If you eat when ever you want than your going to be running out of food to soon."
David went into Jules face and took a big bite out of his sandwich. "yuuummm" and he took another bite just to irritate her. She turned her head because she knew that they weren't going to listen to her.
Scott, seeing the disappointment in Juliet's face said, "Relax Juliet. If David and I run out of food than we'll just take yours because you know that you probably won't eat it anyway. We're growing boys, we need to keep our strength up."
David laughed and struck a muscle man pose. "I never realized what a convenience it is to be with someone with an eating disorder. I'm glad we switched you back with Shelby."
Scott, "Hey that's not nice watch what you say."
"I'm just saying that we might have starved if we had Shelby here."
Scott sat there and looked like he was trying to solve a solution to a problem.
He held both his hands up weighing them like a scale. "Sexual starvation versus physical starvation. Sexual starvation versus physical starvation. Tough decision."
Juliet, "I swear you guys have a one track mind. We need to get moving and find shelter before sunset."
Scott, "True but since we don't have a compass we need to determine which way is north, south, east or west." He knew that in order to find directions using the sun, he had to drive a three -foot stick into the ground. Once Scott did that he marked the shadow and waited 15 minutes. Once the time was up he marked the shadow of the stick again. He drew a straight line between the two marks he had made. He knew that that line always ran east and west; the second mark made is always toward the east. The line at right angles to the one he drew runs north and south. Scott was finally able to determine which way they needed to be heading.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Spencer Roberts had been perched out on a tree limb camouflaging himself as he surveyed the Horizon campus. He got a feel of where everything was. It was obvious with buildings were the dorms and which ones were the classrooms. He also figured out which one was the administration building. That was the building that he needed to focus on first. His plan was to sneak there at night and see what information he could pull from there computer system. He was searching the area with his binoculars hoping to get a visual on Scott. There were several blond hair boys but none of them seemed to match his looks. He had been watching for two days now and no one resembling Scott came into view. Spencer was beginning to think that Scott might no longer be there if in fact that he ever was. Tonight was the night that he was going to hack into the computer and see if he could pull up any concrete evidence. He waited until everyone was asleep when he made his move. There didn't seem to be any locks on the doors, which made things easy for him. Once he was able to get into the computer he pulled up the students file. There it was. Scott Barringer age 16. Instead of taking time to read the file he just downloaded it onto a disk that he could bring up on his own computer. At least he knew that he had hit the jack- pot
The only thing left to do was get a visual on Scott and then he could go back and report to Edward. He went back to where he had set up his camp and waited until morning.
Morning always came early in the mountains. Spencer was up eating breakfast and reading Scott's file on his laptop computer. It sure made interesting reading. Everything about Scott was in that file. Why he was there, what kind of drugs he was one, the sexual abuse with the stepmother and Peters observations regarding Scott's behavior. The last thing he noticed that was added just recently was a remark from Peter saying that his depression might stem from the fact that his father physically abused him. It even gave a Dr.'s notes about the bruises and trauma he was in when he was recently brought back to Horizon again. Spencer smiled because he knew that with the information that he now held, it would be so easy for Edward to file a law suit and gain custody of his grandson. As Spencer was occupied in his reading he suddenly heard some voices of a group of kids.
Before he could even think about trying to hide the group of 4 teenagers appeared out of nowhere. Juliet screamed at first from the sudden shock of seeing another person in the woods.
Scott being the protective person that he is stepped in front of Juliet as if to guard her from any harm.
"Scott I'm ok he just scared me. I think we scared him too. Hi, I'm Juliet and this is Scott, David and Natalie." Juliet always seemed it fitting to be properly introduced regardless of the situation. She was so naïve.
Spencer tried to play it off as a mountain hiker. It did catch his attention when Juliet said the name Scott. He took a good look and realized that the person he had been searching several days for was now standing in front of him. Nice looking kid, well built and very protective of females. This didn't seem to be the same kid that he was reading about with emotional problems. Spencer smiled and offered his hand to be shaken. Juliet with her brightest smile shook his hand but Scott refused the offering.
Spencer was noticing how Scott seemed to be surveying the scene around him. What was he looking for? He seemed to notice the computer and the high tech camera.
"I'm a photographer and I was just mountain climbing and getting some pictures of the beautiful scenery."
Juliet seemed all impressed with this guy. If Scott wasn't mistaken he could have sworn that Juliet was flirting with him.
Scott, "What would a mountain hiker need with a laptop?"
Spencer didn't like the way Scott started walking around his gear looking for something incriminating. "Oh I like documenting my thoughts when I get the time."
"What would a mountain hiker need with inferred binoculars, and all these tools that one doesn't need when hiking?"
"Scott, stop being so nosy," Juliet said
"Look kid, what I bring on a hiking trip is none of your business. If you guys are lost than I have a phone that I can call for help."
"No thanks, we're not lost. I think you are the one out of place. Come on guys." Scott lead the way towards Horizon.
Juliet turns and says, "Nice meeting you."
Scott, "Juliet would you stop trying to earn the congeniality award. The guy could be a terrorist with all that he was carrying."
Spencer over heard Scott's comment and just smiled. The kid has an attitude and a very suspicious mind. He had better pack up and leave pronto before Scott sends up the Calvary after him.
To be continued.