Chapter Five ~ Suspected Of Murder
"Good afternoon Darren. May I introduce to you to Victor Trent? His company is one of those that is kindly financing the school's athletics division," Chapman breezed kindly, eyeing Darren without hostility.
*It's all an act* Ax reminded himself. *Nothing but a filthy Yeerk occupying that poor man's head* Out loud he merely said, "Yeah."
Visser Three eyed him severely. "Young man, when your assistant principal is addressing you, I would expect that you would at least make an effort to listen."
This would be all too easy. "Whaffor? He's just another windbag with his head so far up his ass that he wouldn't see 'an effort to listen' even if it bit him."
Both Chapman and Visser Three inhaled sharply, a synchronised sound that almost made Ax laugh out loud. Human mouth-sounds! Their possibilities were unending. As their astonished expressions did not change, Ax wondered if he had overdone it.
Visser Three moved on, seemingly eager to remove himself from the presence of this uncouth, biting youth. Chapman hung back. "Darren, Darren, Darren," he preached, reminding Ax of a similar episode back on the homeworld. "I had hoped that you would make a good impression on your first day. Would it be too much trouble for you to meet me in my office after the break? I'll notify your teacher that you will be absent from class for that period."
Ax nodded testingly. Something didn't seem right, his… what did Marco call it? Spider sense? was tingling. Well, to put it more accurately, alarm bells were screaming in his head. He'd have to find Jake.
The Broad's classroom was deserted. Ax began to panic. Where could they be? In seconds that bell would ring and he'd have to head for Chapman's office… Drat. There went the bell. Ax sighed, dragged his feet and attempted (unsuccessfully) to look nonchalant.
* * * * * * *
"Are you one hundred percent positive that this boy is not an Andalite? The report, and his arrival in the middle of the school year… it's all highly suspicious, Iniss," hissed the Visser threateningly. Chapman actually took a step backwards before composing himself.
"Visser, I feel that we could test him. That is why I have called him to meet me, so that we could test him," stammered Chapman. "If you wish, you could demorph, and we would witness his reaction…"
The Visser cut him off. "No. If he is not indeed an Andalite bandit, then we would have to take him nonetheless to preserve our secret. And there is only one free Yeerk at this moment, a sub-Visser awaiting the infestation of a White House member. We cannot waste his potential on this trash."
There was a brief silence. Chapman offered, "Visser, we could hold him here for two hours. If he does not demorph within that time, we would know he is not a bandit. No true Andalite would surrender their form to live as a human."
"That is an intriguing plan. It should work. Well done, Iniss. Perhaps, if this succeeds, I will consider a promotion for you. Sub-Visser Hundred and Four has recently proven himself to be a treacherous coward. You would be a worthy candidate for his vacated position."
Visser Three laughed eerily as he walked out of the room. "I will join you shortly, Iniss. I certainly would not want to be trapped in morph!"
* * * * * * *
Ax made a bathroom stop before knocking on Chapman's door. No telling how lengthy a lecture would be. His friend Darft had actually managed to fall asleep during one such talk, earning himself extra work. Ax had laughed until his head hurt.
"Come in," called Chapman. Ax came.
"Ah, Darren, welcome. Would you like to visit the bathroom before we begin? I have quite a number of things to say and I would prefer it if we were not interrupted by such trivial matters."
"I just went," replied a startled Ax, worrying. He didn't suspect, did he??
Chapman droned on for around fifteen minutes, while Ax smoked. The assistant principal was making a valiant effort to ignore Ax's actions, but eventually his nerve snapped.
"We DO NOT smoke in school!! This is a NON SMOKING CAMPUS!!" he bellowed, leaning across the table and snatching the cigarette out from between Ax's fingers. Ax promptly rolled his eyes. Chapman fretted about whether he could indeed tolerate even another ten minutes of Darren Smyth. Ax's performance so far was succeeding in erasing any of Chapman's doubts as to the authenticity of Darren.
"And so, Darren, you must understand that this is a school with high morals, standards and…" he launched wholeheartedly back into his speech, wincing slightly as the fag burned into his fingers. He'd forgotten to let go of it.
A further twenty minutes passed. Chapman was now extracting a few sheets of paper from his desk. "Darren, I am sure that you have sufficient brainpower to at least pass the SAT's, and I am curious to the cause of your attitude."
Ax looked blankly at the printed scripts in front of him, and barely prevented himself from shouting out loud as he realised what they were. A (stolen, of course) diagrammatic explanation of the internal mechanics of a Bug Fighter. Underneath were lines, and a question: Summarise what makes this machine fly.
Ax plopped his feet up on the desk, tilted the paper into his lap, and with the pen Chapman had handed him, scribbled a couple of sentences onto the writing space. He then handed the paper back to Chapman, and waited with glee for the explosion.
Chapman scrutinised the almost-illegible handwriting. 'Cool spayship,' he read. 'Sci-fi freak or sumthin? I'm not doin no fucken essay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Regarding Ax over the top of the sheet and sighing with exasperation, Chapman ordered, "Well Darren, I suppose we will both have to put up with each other for maybe another hour, until you feel that you have something to say in the way of an apology and a promise to reform. That is my final word."
They sat, Chapman grading some essays about the Industrial Revolution, and Ax steadily working his way through the pack of cigarettes. Being unused to them, he was beginning to feel a headache of massive proportions building up in his skull. He ignored it and kept going.
Minutes ticked by. It had now been over an hour and a half since Ax had morphed. He pondered his choices while starting on the last tube in the packet. Ask to go to the bathroom? No… that would blow his cover. Ax was certain that Chapman was trying to force him to demorph or something, to prove that he was an Andalite. Ax steeled himself. It would have to be close. But the bell was due in about thirty minutes, and he also knew that Chapman was not allowed to make him stay any longer than the school day.
Chapman must have sensed his feelings, because he wound up and let loose with yet another sentimental speech. "Darren, I really, honestly want the best for you, but I don't understand why you have to be so stubborn. Why did you come to this school if not to learn? Darren? Are you listening?"
At the moment Melissa poked her head around the door. "Daddy? Mr Russell wants to meet Darren. He was supposed to have Biology after lunch, I informed him that you wished to talk with Darren, but he still would like to have a word. Daddy?"
Chapman came out of his reverie. "Sweetie, run along and tell Mr Russell that Darren will visit him tomorrow. Thanks for the message."
Melissa left. Ax was despairing. He had nine minutes until he would be trapped in morph; the bell would not ring until double that. Chapman began his speech again, and was only interrupted by Rachel's knock.
"What?" Chapman fairly growled, opening the door for her. Rachel was taken aback. "I just heard that Darren was with you, sir." She looked at Ax with a plaintive face. "You said you'd walk me home. You didn't forget, did you?"
"Rachel…" started both Ax and Chapman.
She gave him the puppy-dog eye treatment. "You PROMISED. And we have to leave soon or I'll be VERY LATE. And I told you before that my parents will get angry and GROUND ME FOREVER if I'm late once more."
The message was clear. Ax gave Chapman what he hoped was a gallant smile, and said, "Could I go, sir? I have to see this lady home."
Chapman looked about to burst. "Rachel, wait outside until I have finished. Darren, just slightly longer."
Ax glanced up at the clock, although he did not need to. It simply confirmed one grim fact: that he had slightly under six minutes until he would be trapped as a human. Forever.
"Good afternoon Darren. May I introduce to you to Victor Trent? His company is one of those that is kindly financing the school's athletics division," Chapman breezed kindly, eyeing Darren without hostility.
*It's all an act* Ax reminded himself. *Nothing but a filthy Yeerk occupying that poor man's head* Out loud he merely said, "Yeah."
Visser Three eyed him severely. "Young man, when your assistant principal is addressing you, I would expect that you would at least make an effort to listen."
This would be all too easy. "Whaffor? He's just another windbag with his head so far up his ass that he wouldn't see 'an effort to listen' even if it bit him."
Both Chapman and Visser Three inhaled sharply, a synchronised sound that almost made Ax laugh out loud. Human mouth-sounds! Their possibilities were unending. As their astonished expressions did not change, Ax wondered if he had overdone it.
Visser Three moved on, seemingly eager to remove himself from the presence of this uncouth, biting youth. Chapman hung back. "Darren, Darren, Darren," he preached, reminding Ax of a similar episode back on the homeworld. "I had hoped that you would make a good impression on your first day. Would it be too much trouble for you to meet me in my office after the break? I'll notify your teacher that you will be absent from class for that period."
Ax nodded testingly. Something didn't seem right, his… what did Marco call it? Spider sense? was tingling. Well, to put it more accurately, alarm bells were screaming in his head. He'd have to find Jake.
The Broad's classroom was deserted. Ax began to panic. Where could they be? In seconds that bell would ring and he'd have to head for Chapman's office… Drat. There went the bell. Ax sighed, dragged his feet and attempted (unsuccessfully) to look nonchalant.
* * * * * * *
"Are you one hundred percent positive that this boy is not an Andalite? The report, and his arrival in the middle of the school year… it's all highly suspicious, Iniss," hissed the Visser threateningly. Chapman actually took a step backwards before composing himself.
"Visser, I feel that we could test him. That is why I have called him to meet me, so that we could test him," stammered Chapman. "If you wish, you could demorph, and we would witness his reaction…"
The Visser cut him off. "No. If he is not indeed an Andalite bandit, then we would have to take him nonetheless to preserve our secret. And there is only one free Yeerk at this moment, a sub-Visser awaiting the infestation of a White House member. We cannot waste his potential on this trash."
There was a brief silence. Chapman offered, "Visser, we could hold him here for two hours. If he does not demorph within that time, we would know he is not a bandit. No true Andalite would surrender their form to live as a human."
"That is an intriguing plan. It should work. Well done, Iniss. Perhaps, if this succeeds, I will consider a promotion for you. Sub-Visser Hundred and Four has recently proven himself to be a treacherous coward. You would be a worthy candidate for his vacated position."
Visser Three laughed eerily as he walked out of the room. "I will join you shortly, Iniss. I certainly would not want to be trapped in morph!"
* * * * * * *
Ax made a bathroom stop before knocking on Chapman's door. No telling how lengthy a lecture would be. His friend Darft had actually managed to fall asleep during one such talk, earning himself extra work. Ax had laughed until his head hurt.
"Come in," called Chapman. Ax came.
"Ah, Darren, welcome. Would you like to visit the bathroom before we begin? I have quite a number of things to say and I would prefer it if we were not interrupted by such trivial matters."
"I just went," replied a startled Ax, worrying. He didn't suspect, did he??
Chapman droned on for around fifteen minutes, while Ax smoked. The assistant principal was making a valiant effort to ignore Ax's actions, but eventually his nerve snapped.
"We DO NOT smoke in school!! This is a NON SMOKING CAMPUS!!" he bellowed, leaning across the table and snatching the cigarette out from between Ax's fingers. Ax promptly rolled his eyes. Chapman fretted about whether he could indeed tolerate even another ten minutes of Darren Smyth. Ax's performance so far was succeeding in erasing any of Chapman's doubts as to the authenticity of Darren.
"And so, Darren, you must understand that this is a school with high morals, standards and…" he launched wholeheartedly back into his speech, wincing slightly as the fag burned into his fingers. He'd forgotten to let go of it.
A further twenty minutes passed. Chapman was now extracting a few sheets of paper from his desk. "Darren, I am sure that you have sufficient brainpower to at least pass the SAT's, and I am curious to the cause of your attitude."
Ax looked blankly at the printed scripts in front of him, and barely prevented himself from shouting out loud as he realised what they were. A (stolen, of course) diagrammatic explanation of the internal mechanics of a Bug Fighter. Underneath were lines, and a question: Summarise what makes this machine fly.
Ax plopped his feet up on the desk, tilted the paper into his lap, and with the pen Chapman had handed him, scribbled a couple of sentences onto the writing space. He then handed the paper back to Chapman, and waited with glee for the explosion.
Chapman scrutinised the almost-illegible handwriting. 'Cool spayship,' he read. 'Sci-fi freak or sumthin? I'm not doin no fucken essay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Regarding Ax over the top of the sheet and sighing with exasperation, Chapman ordered, "Well Darren, I suppose we will both have to put up with each other for maybe another hour, until you feel that you have something to say in the way of an apology and a promise to reform. That is my final word."
They sat, Chapman grading some essays about the Industrial Revolution, and Ax steadily working his way through the pack of cigarettes. Being unused to them, he was beginning to feel a headache of massive proportions building up in his skull. He ignored it and kept going.
Minutes ticked by. It had now been over an hour and a half since Ax had morphed. He pondered his choices while starting on the last tube in the packet. Ask to go to the bathroom? No… that would blow his cover. Ax was certain that Chapman was trying to force him to demorph or something, to prove that he was an Andalite. Ax steeled himself. It would have to be close. But the bell was due in about thirty minutes, and he also knew that Chapman was not allowed to make him stay any longer than the school day.
Chapman must have sensed his feelings, because he wound up and let loose with yet another sentimental speech. "Darren, I really, honestly want the best for you, but I don't understand why you have to be so stubborn. Why did you come to this school if not to learn? Darren? Are you listening?"
At the moment Melissa poked her head around the door. "Daddy? Mr Russell wants to meet Darren. He was supposed to have Biology after lunch, I informed him that you wished to talk with Darren, but he still would like to have a word. Daddy?"
Chapman came out of his reverie. "Sweetie, run along and tell Mr Russell that Darren will visit him tomorrow. Thanks for the message."
Melissa left. Ax was despairing. He had nine minutes until he would be trapped in morph; the bell would not ring until double that. Chapman began his speech again, and was only interrupted by Rachel's knock.
"What?" Chapman fairly growled, opening the door for her. Rachel was taken aback. "I just heard that Darren was with you, sir." She looked at Ax with a plaintive face. "You said you'd walk me home. You didn't forget, did you?"
"Rachel…" started both Ax and Chapman.
She gave him the puppy-dog eye treatment. "You PROMISED. And we have to leave soon or I'll be VERY LATE. And I told you before that my parents will get angry and GROUND ME FOREVER if I'm late once more."
The message was clear. Ax gave Chapman what he hoped was a gallant smile, and said, "Could I go, sir? I have to see this lady home."
Chapman looked about to burst. "Rachel, wait outside until I have finished. Darren, just slightly longer."
Ax glanced up at the clock, although he did not need to. It simply confirmed one grim fact: that he had slightly under six minutes until he would be trapped as a human. Forever.
