Thanks guys, for really sticking with me! Thanks to "DramaQueen110", "Aaweth", "NotAContrivance", and "attitude_chick" who now is "Levioooosaaaa52"
Chapter Twenty Nine: The Rebellion, Part 2
Location: At the blacktop outside during second recess on that same day (Thursday)
It may have been a cool, brisk, cloudy, autumn day with cold-nipping winds but things were not so cool and calm on the playground. T.J., with a headstrong determination, made his way through the crowd and the crowd backed away from him. He yelled violently to Ashley X, with everything burning inside of him, "ASHLEY X! This has gone on ENOUGH! THESE PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU, BUT YOU ARE NOT GONNA PUT THEM THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH!" The crowd of kids stared mindlessly at T.J., they did not believe anybody would have the guts to yell, much less oppose, Ashley X. Ashley X and T.J. both gave 'dead-on', bone-chilling stares to each other because they were the only two who knew exactly what he was talking about.
Gus, Vince, Spinelli, Gretchen, Mikey, and the entire playground of kids had no idea of what T.J. was talking about. Normally, Gus and Teresa (Cornchip Girl) would have called on Gelman to suppress a rebellious student but since they were friends with T.J. they were caught off guard and were just silenced by his strong emotional reaction. Vince looked at T.J. in hopelessness and slight contempt believing that T.J. had sunk into the 'deep-end' of his craziness.
T.J. kept walking through the crowd and finally arrived in front of the bench where Ashley X, Gus, and Cornchip Girl were standing. T.J. with a bitter resentment continued, "You are not going to tyrannize this playground! One way or the other….You are going DOWN!" Gus and Teresa had no idea where all of this hatred was coming from and they glanced over at Ashley X for an explanation. Ashley X angrily looked at T.J., but she delighted seeing Vince come up right behind T.J.
Vince was stomping his feet and he pulled against T.J.'s shoulder to make him turn around. T.J. was startled by the hard grip against his shoulder and how he was forcefully whipped to turn around. T.J. couldn't have possibly expected for what Vince was going to say. Vince was frustrated that T.J. could not see how foolish he was and Vince's slight contempt had become worse. Vince scornfully said, "I can't believe you Teej! Man, you really are mean like Ashley X said!"
T.J. was dumbfounded and he couldn't believe that Vince would think that badly of him. T.J. just froze there, questioning in his mind, where their friendship went. Vince went on, "I never thought you could be this cruel to someone." Vince and T.J. were looking deeply at each other knowing that the condition of their friendship was teetering uncontrollably. T.J. and Vince thought, of each other, that the other was completely ignorant and clueless to how Ashley X really was.
Gus silently asked T.J. with that familiar nervous and timid voice, "Uh….T.J. what is Vince talking about?"
Teresa curious also, feebly questioned, "Yeah, T.J. are you…I mean…can you be that mean?" She saw how angry and powered Vince was against T.J. and knew that it was something huge.
T.J. was trying to say something but he felt cornered seeing how Gus, Teresa, and Vince were all staring at him eager for explanations. T.J. quickly took note of how Ashley X was slyly smirking toward him; implying how she savored the effectiveness of her planning and deceit. T.J. stuttered to find the right words and after a few moments pleaded with as much sincerity as he could, "Vince! I'm telling you! Ashley X is not the innocent kid you think she is! Nevertheless, as nice as you think she may be, there is no way she is going to terrorize the playground!"
Vince harshly commented, "Terrorize?!? More like she's teaching the kids a lesson about respect after everything she has done for them." Gus and Teresa both nodded in agreement with Vince because Ashley X spoke with them earlier about how the students were losing respect for her (because of the Ashleys) and as usual, Ashley X put on her emotional sad 'mask' on to convince Gus and Teresa into working for her.
Gelman got fed up with all of the confusion and tiredly asked, "Hey a Ashley X! You want me to be the living tar out of T.J.?"
Vince interrupted before Ashley X could speak and she was pleasantly surprised hearing Vince defiantly speak, "I'll handle it Ashley X!" Vince looked coldly into T.J. and said, "I'll speak with him one way or the other." Vince suddenly grabbed T.J. shoulders and tried to push him out of the way from the front of the bench.
T.J. was taken back by Vince's forceful attitude and behavior and he resisted by turning around and pushing against Vince's shoulders. As angry as they were, they couldn't believe that they would find themselves this hostile to each other. Gus and Teresa were just shocked that these two were against each other and had no idea how to take it in.
Just before they could push each other down to the blacktop, Mikey shouted, "NO! YOU TWO END THIS RIGHT NOW! STOP YOUR BITTER HATRED BEFORE IT BECOMES WORSE!" Mikey ran in between them and picked them both off the blacktop in either arm. Ashley X mentally sighed in disappointment that Mikey had to intervene between them.
They both struggled to get out of Mikey's strong, wrestler type grip and they both shouted to Mikey, "MIKEY, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
Mikey looked at each of them, and heartbroken, he sorrowfully and softly said, "I may not understand what had happened but anyone can see what is happening between you two." Mikey's eyes were becoming big and wet….he was starting to weep. There was a sudden silence across the playground as the kids outside eagerly looked on to what T.J. and Vince would do next.
T.J. and Vince could see how distressed Mikey was and they both wished they were not in this tense situation. Vince believed that T.J. was foolishly headstrong and mean into thinking Ashley X was evil when Ashley X was treating the gang nicely, showed no obvious signs of her supposed evil plans, and on top of that, he was thoroughly convinced by her emotional scene yesterday. T.J. understood the depth and complexity of Ashley X's deceit and he couldn't let his friends and kids of the playground get caught any deeper when he knew the eventual consequences of it. They both knew and felt that the other had gone way too far to just sit back and do nothing.
Both T.J. and Vince managed to squeeze out of Mikey's grip and both landed on the blacktop facing each other. Mikey just fell to his knees in disheartenment seeing their friendship crumbling away.
T.J. tried not to project his anger toward Vince but he was irritated for him being in the way, "Vince! You have to trust me and stand out of the way!"
Vince fed up, replied, "Teej, that's just not gonna happen…" Vince began to stand in the way wherever T.J. was going, to block him from meeting up with Ashley X. T.J. tried to carefully push Vince away but the situation was quickly escalating into a pushing and shoving match…
Spinelli and Gretchen, at the far end of the crowd, looked on in disbelief. Spinelli wasn't even thinking about Ashley X's threat and quickly headed toward Vince and T.J.
Gretchen grabbed Spinelli's shoulder before she could leave and eagerly asked, "Spinelli, what are you going to do?"
Spinelli did not expect Gretchen to grab a hold of her and easily became upset when she was stopped. When her mind realized that it was only Gretchen, she settled herself down, and casually yet somewhat hurriedly answered, "What else? I'm gonna stop them...sometimes words ain't enough!" Gretchen continued to look on into the crowd as Spinelli quickly made her way through it.
Back in front, Gus wanted to say something to stop Vince and T.J. from trying to push each other down but he didn't know what to say and who to believe. He looked back at Ashley X and she just stood there giving an 'I don't know' expression about what was happening.
Without warning, Spinelli interjected herself between T.J. and Vince. She held them back with either hand; Vince to her right and T.J. to her left. The two boys immediately stopped and tried to comprehend what Spinelli was doing.
Vince was somewhat annoyed by Spinelli coming between them and was peeved saying, "Spinelli, what are you doin'?!? Can't you see Teej has gone too far?"
T.J. was more worried than frustrated about Spinelli being involved with their altercation since Ashley X could possibly do something harmful to Spinelli afterwards. T.J. stuttered, "Spin! What…a what are you doing?"
Spinelli looked at both of them from the corner of each eye and angrily mentioned, "You guys need to end it or my fist will!" Both of them were hushed at Spinelli's threat, but they were quick to explain and rationalize their behavior. Spinelli shouted, "Hey! You boys need to shut your mouths up!" Vince tried to enter in a word. Spinelli cut him off and with her grinding her teeth, she growled silently, "Not a word!"
Spinelli knew the real Ashley X and she was going to beat some sense into Vince. Spinelli positioned herself to block Vince from getting to T.J. and she snapped at Vince saying, "You really don't get how Ashley X is playing you?" Ashley X was seething and burning with anger toward Spinelli.
Vince's face was repulsed by Spinelli's remark and he was in disbelief. Vince crossed his arms in a haughty attitude knowing how 'hot-headed' Spinelli was and mockingly stated, "Looks like you don't know who is making a fool out of you!" Vince referred to T.J. fooling Spinelli. T.J. was deeply hurt hearing that, that Vince could believe something like that…
Spinelli lashed out, "You don't know how stupid you are Vince! I know I was when I fell for Ashley X's acting ability. She honestly made me think that she actually cared back at the hospital, but now I know exactly how Ashley X is and how she works! T.J. was right all along!"
Vince couldn't believe Spinelli's outlandish statements. Vince bitterly questioned, "WHAT?!? Like what?!? What did Ashley X do so horribly?!?"
Spinelli sarcastically brought up, "Okay persistent sports boy, when T.J. was being beaten up by Tyler on Halloween I noticed Ashley X here nearby! Ashley X did not do a thing! She just stood by watching and DIDN'T EVEN TRY to help T.J.!!!!"
Vince just stood there! Vince's entire foundation for standing up for Ashley X was shaken. Vince's eyes bulged out and the words were coming out faster than what his mouth could handle. He stumbled saying, "Wha….WHAT?!? You mean?!? NOT A THING?!?... But a, why? And huh?"
Spinelli fiercely tried to convince Vince explaining, "Yeah, when I was running back Ashley X was just standing there! When I questioned them…they just ran off!" Spinelli kept on explaining Ashley X's behavior to Vince while Vince felt his pride and his heart sink and fall inside of him.
Gus, Teresa, and Gelman were more confused than ever. Gelman was aggravated by the entire situation commenting, "Hey! Now what are we supposed to believe here?!? Forget it! This is stupid! I'm going back inside the school!" Gelman was pissed off hearing the little kids talk on and on and walked back inside the school to play in the entertainment room.
Gus and Teresa were absorbed into the heated discussion between Vince and Spinelli. Their support for Ashley X was crumbling hearing more and more from Spinelli. The kids of the playground were so engrossed in Spinelli's and Vince's conversation that Ashley X took advantage of it and stepped off the bench and slowly walked away. Ashley X knew it would be a matter of time before T.J.'s gang would turn on her. Ashley X bitterly detested Spinelli seeing how she was stepping in between T.J. and Vince, trying to resolve the situation, and turn Vince against her.
T.J. was also preoccupied with the conversation between Spinelli and Vince but something told him to watch out for Ashley X. T.J. looked at the corner of his eye and saw Ashley X carefully slithering away from the scene. T.J. tried to focus the playground's attention back onto Ashley X. He loudly and savagely called out, "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING ASHLEY X?"
Ashley X froze where she was, rotated her head like a robot, and gave a vitriolic look back to T.J. All eyes were upon Ashley X. T.J. walked closer and closer to Ashley X and he was not going to let her go so easily after ALL the damage she had done.
Vince just stood there near the bench…mindless. He had heard everything that Spinelli had said about Ashley X doing nothing when T.J. was being beat up, and the doubt of Ashley X's genuine character made him to lose touch with his surroundings. The chance that T.J. was right about Ashley X haunted him as he knew the grave consequences of what he could deal with…an unimaginably tarnished friendship.
T.J. was able to grab a hold of Ashley X's right leg before she could step onto the table of an outdoor lunch table and he held on grunting, "You're going nowhere Ashley X! It's time to get rid of you once and for all!"
Ashley X gasped being caught off-balanced and she quickly shook off T.J.'s grip. She climbed on top of the lunch table surveying and scanning the playground and getting ready for her next move.
T.J. scathingly spoke to Ashley X since no one was around at the moment, "You unimaginable fiend! All of your lies, and how you used each one of us… What kind of kid are you? All I know is that you're a kid that no one should be friends with! What you put me through! And now, how you're using my friends and oppressing the playground?!?" T.J. never felt such animosity toward anyone before…and it was escalating… T.J. ended with, "THIS ENDS HERE AND NOW!"
Ashley X with piercing, hatred eyes looked at T.J. and yelled, "Really T.J.?!? What are you gonna do about it? I'm sure SAL 4000 can teach you another lesson!" Ashley X flipped open her cell phone and tried to enter commands to SAL 4000 to shut the doors and pump water to the hoses to suppress T.J.…but it wasn't working. She fumbled to press the commands but nothing was working and T.J. was slowly coming toward her. She knew who to call on her cell phone... T.J. stepped onto the table and looked directly at Ashley X, face to face.
Vince was still lost in his reflections over his behavior toward T.J. Gretchen looked on from the back of the crowd not knowing what to anticipate and it finally dawned on her that Ashley X controlled the school through the SAL 4000. Gus, Teresa, and Mikey just stared at Ashley X horrified by the evil that was slowly revealing itself while they were now hiding under the bench in fear. Spinelli saw T.J.'s acrimonious behavior toward Ashley X and was taken back seeing so much rage in him; she snapped herself out of her surprise and she could sense T.J. had a purpose to finish off Ashley X and she soon joined T.J. to support him.
T.J. cockily smiled and said, "So what are you gonna do now huh? Looks like your toy isn't working."
Ashley X replied to his cockiness with the same attitude, "Sure...it's not working, but I know someone who is! TYLER!"
Without warning, Tyler showed up and passed through the masses. Tyler stood up on the lunch table and faced T.J. and Spinelli.
Tyler slyly commented, "Well, it's nice seeing you again Spinelli…"
Spinelli carelessly snapped, "Yeah, yeah whatever you backstabber!" Tyler and Ashley X shared a smirk with each other knowing how easily it was to fool Spinelli earlier.
Tyler wittily said, "It's a shame we couldn't have worked things out…it would have been notorious." and started to snicker.
Spinelli hissed, "It'll be a pleasure to beat the daylights out of ya!"
T.J. was taken back a bit worrying about having to fight Tyler again while Spinelli smirked, cracking her knuckles preparing for a fight. There was a minute of silence while T.J. gulped in fear over the towering 6th grader and Spinelli stood in her fighting position, mentally preparing herself. Tyler brutally pushed T.J. and Spinelli down on the blacktop. They both fell down on their sides and quickly tried to get up. Gretchen, Vince, Gus, Mikey, and Cornchip Girl saw that their two friends were down and rushed to their aid.
T.J. tried to get up but the hard fall, on his left side of his rib cage, brought the excruciating pain back from the last fight (which was only two days ago.) T.J. could not take deep breaths easily. Gretchen assessed T.J.'s pain and frantically told the gang, "Its bad guys! T.J.'s injuries did not completely heal and now his body can't fight much less bear any minor violence!" Spinelli was torn between whether to cream Ashley X or defend T.J. from the violent Tyler.
Before Spinelli could make a decision, T.J. yelled to the kids of the playground, "Everyone! I know that you guys have played with and received the coolest things in school. But look at our playground...it's gone! All of our memories and fun times outside are gone!" The kids looked into the corrosive, rusting, metal oil wells that replaced the beautiful, serene playground they all once enjoyed. T.J. continued, "I know how fun things are inside, but being in elementary school we'll only have a few more years to enjoy a playground before....before.... we never have one in middle school! If any of you, want those memories back...and want to continue to make them…now is the time! The time to stand against Ashley X!" T.J. rolled on the blacktop in pain since he had used whatever energy he had left to speak to the kids of the playground.
The kids of the playground looked at each other and reflected over the joyous memories of what used to be.... Old Rusty, the Kickball Field, the Swing Set, the Cheesebox, The Jungle Gym, the Merry-Go-Round......everything......it all came flooding into their minds. The playground may have been removed about couple of weeks ago, but envisioning of what the playground looked like was distant, hazy dream. The kids had not only lost touch of having outdoor fun, but felt that they had lost touch with a part of themselves. Gradually, they were all filled with inspiration from T.J.'s words. The kids were now willing to sacrifice themselves to restore the playground.
The kids of the playground were now becoming an angry, silent mob with a single purpose: To bring down Ashley X. Ashley X and Tyler both backed away from the mob and they soon backed into the fence.
The Ashleys and Randall were also filled with bold determination to rid Third Street of Ashley X. Ashley A commanded while walking with the mob, "Like let's make her into a fashion nightmare!"
Randall shouted, "Let's show her no mercy!"
The group of Tylers (the Ashleys' younger brothers) projected their voices to the crowd, "Let's eradicate these vermin pests!" They were infuriated with Ashley X upon hearing that their classy older sisters were tormented by a rogue like her.
Upside Down Girl bitterly commented, "Let's turn her world upside down!"
Ashley X and Tyler X were cornered by the creeping and hatred seething kids. Ashley X had the power to silence a few kids, but not a huge group of them; it was like fighting against an enormous size hive of bees. Just before the first kid could jump on them, a group of six vans arrived. The vans were filled with men and they soon stood in front of Ashley X and Tyler, even Big Rob was there. The kids, who were in front of Ashley X and Tyler, strained their necks looking up at the tall, powerful men. The kids did not have the faintest idea of who and why these men were here.
Ashley X breathed a sigh of relief that her men came just in time. The gang was floored, none more so than T.J. by the turn of events. T.J. knew these were the same men that had kidnapped him and Ms. Finster. Ashley X ordered her men, "Finish off these kids!"
The men glanced back at Ashley X in shock. Big Rob even objected to Ashley X, "But these are just children! We can't beat them up!"
Ashley X enraged, yelled back, "I don't care! Just shove 'em around or something!"
The kids of the playground were struck and petrified with fear as the men came close to them. Ms. Finster, as with all the faculty, had no idea of anything going on outside. Ms. Finster took a casual peek though the windows of the playground doors and her eyes bulged out seeing the events being unfolded. The men were beginning to shove the kids away from Ashley X and Tyler. Ms. Finster ran as fast as her orthopedic shoes could take her. Ms. Finster was panting and busted the principal's secretary door.
Menlo looked at disgust toward Ms. Finster for interrupting him, "Ms. Finster I don't have time to process another petty infraction by a student!"
Ms. Finster with a bullish voice yelled, "Not now Menlo! The playground is wilder than a rodeo out there!" Ms. Finster busted open Principal Prickly's door.
Principal Prickly sighed in annoyance over Ms. Finster while he was playing computer games, thinking it was another of her paranoia beliefs that the kids were doing something suspicious. Principal Prickly questioned, "This better not be one of those things were you think there is black market for candy on the playground!"
She was panting even harder and holding her heart. She struggled to say, "Principal....Prickly....go outside....and stop.....phew! a mob riot!"
Principal Prickly turned around sighing harshly not believing her and before he could completely turn around, he saw what was happening out of the corner of his eye and stopped breathing in a moment of disbelief over the chaos on the blacktop. The kids were climbing all over the men and trying to fight them while the men were picking the kids off of them and shoving them off. He bolted out of his chair and ran toward the playground doors.
Within ten or so seconds, Principal Prickly and Ms. Finster arrived at the doors and slammed them open. Principal Prickly was mortified seeing the students in danger. He yelled with all of his being, "Hey! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU ADULTS DOING HERE?!? GET OUT OF HERE NOW! BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE ALREADY ON THEIR WAY!"
Ms. Finster bombarded the playground, "LEAVE THEM KIDS ALONE OR DEAL WITH ME!" Ms. Finster was practicing her boxing moves.
The men were caught-off guard and immediately ran back to their vans. Ashley X and Tyler ran along with them because they knew that the kids of playground would tell them everything that had happened and how they sent these men to beat them up. The faculty heard the loud yelling and rushed toward Principal Prickly and Ms. Finster. The entire faculty and Principal Prickly all tried to catch the men before they could leave yet because of the commotion, they did not notice Ashley X and Tyler leaving with the men as well. The men started the engines and they, with Ashley X and Tyler, sped off before the faculty could reach them. The faculty and students all looked at each other and discussed about what just happened. They were all confused about what occurred and who those guys were....all except for T.J. T.J. was the only one who noticed Ashley X and Tyler sneak off with the group of men. He knew how to straighten things out...
Chapter Thirty: Everything Comes Out… Part 1
Location: In the Hallways of Third Street, after school ends that day
Ms. Grotke wasn't able to teach much after the second recess since she could not calm herself down because of her concern and worry for her students. Ms. Grotke questioned each student of the events that occurred during that recess, but when it came to T.J.'s gang, they followed his advice and did not say much about it because they knew the situation with Ashley X was far more complicated than they could explain within a few minutes. The other kids of the classroom were confused about the gang's slightly whimsical attitude toward the whole ordeal when they initiated the rebellion.
When the bell rang, the gang waited for the classroom and kids of the school to leave the school before they could walk out of the classroom. They finally began heading out of the classroom at around 3:40 PM…
Spinelli was frustrated by T.J.'s seemingly passive plan on bringing down Ashley X, "Hey Teej! What are we doin' here? Shouldn't we be finding where Ashley X is? So we can finally get a chance to beat her up?"
Vince softly mumbled, "Man, I can't believe what happened today." Vince was emotionally half-dead and half-alive by the heavy soul-pressing weight of guilt and shame for believing Ashley X. He couldn't bring himself to even look directly at T.J. for the way how he treated him back outside; he didn't even know if he was worth even being around T.J. Vince would catch Spinelli now and then being slightly peeved with him.
Gus added, "Yeah! It was really scary...." Gus was still trying to take it all in and he tried not to believe that he actually cooperated with Ashley X in oppressing the playground, but every kid's face he saw in the hallways reminded him of it.
Gretchen questioned, "I wonder what Ashley X was up to? How were those men were able to rescue her and Tyler?" Gretchen had discovered the connection between SAL 4000 & Ashley X and she was enthusiastic to uncover this entire Ashley X mystery and deception that had blanketed over everyone.
T.J. boldly said, "Guys, I know exactly where to look...." The five looked at him strangely. T.J. continued, "Didn't you guys notice that Tyler and Ashley X left the school with the guys?" Ms. Grotke and the faculty were too busy focused on the men leaving to notice that Ashley X and Tyler were gone.
Spinelli tapped her foot and said, "And...yeah....so we're glad she's gone....."
T.J. excitedly said, "We can check her locker out! And see what she was up to!" T.J. tried to keep his friends interested and on the same page with him, but he could see they were lost….lost in guilt, regret, confusion, anger, or a combination of them. When he looked at Vince, he was reminded of how Vince was deceived by Ashley X which caused him to relate his deception to Gretchen. T.J.'s enthusiasm was lessened somewhat since this thought of his deception crept in the back of his mind.
Gretchen, and T.J. to a degree, appeared to be the only ones searching for Ashley X's locker. The other four were following Gretchen and T.J. sluggishly feeling miserable about how they treated each other. Spinelli may have been showing anger, but inside she still felt horrible for being friends with Tyler when he had beaten up T.J. Spinelli felt that the least she could do was to give Ashley X and Tyler a 'piece of their own medicine' by trying to get a chance to fight with them again.
Gretchen kept track of the locker numbers as they were walking down the hallway. "Ah ha! This is it! Locker number 1562.", she then sighed in disappointment, "but we don't have the combination." (Normally, if SAL 4000 was functioning, only Ashley X could open her locker electronically because of how advanced and secure SAL's systems were.)
Spinelli stepped in, "Move aside amateurs! Let me show you guys how it's done!" Spinelli took a paper clip from her jacket pocket and then carefully bent the paper clip in several ways. She took the paper clip and slowly put it in the keyhole just below the combination knob and above the locker handle. She turned the clip a few times back and forth...then, CLICK! The locker was swung open. Spinelli grinned, "See....that's how you do it."
Gretchen opened the locker completely and inspected it.
Vince asked, in a downcast spirit, "So what are we lookin' for Teej?" Vince could feel the dreadful anticipation of what was coming. He knew something was inside that would blow them away…and that it would be completely unlike anything they would have ever seen or heard before.
T.J. took Ashley X's heavy backpack and presented it to the gang. T.J. tried to smirk and said, "Inside my friends is where the answers are." T.J. was becoming more and more aware of how heavy the backpack was and commented on the weight of it, "Dang! It's like carrying a pile of textbooks!"
Spinelli, Gus, Vince, and Mikey were not surprised seeing the several papers inside the backpack, but Gretchen was quickly searching for anything interesting. Gretchen stopped dead cold and struggled to pick up a binder that had a huge stack of documents inside, possibly 300 pages thick.
Gus noticed Gretchen's reaction, "What's wrong Gretchen? You're acting as if you received a B+..."
Gretchen slowly began to talk, "It's...not....that....Gus." The gang looked at Gretchen to see what she was talking about. Gretchen continued, "According to these documents, Ashley X has several top secret documents!" Gretchen tried to place the binder down on the floor since it was tremendously heavy but it slipped from her hands and the binder made a thunderous slapping sound echo throughout the halls of Third Street. The kids were stunned by the booming powerful sound which somehow seemed to foreshadow it's potential power.
Spinelli, Vince, Gus, and Mikey surprised all loudly blurted out, "WHAT?!?"
Mikey cried out in disbelief, "Say it isn't so! That Ashley X has another evil plan!" Spinelli and T.J. both looked at Mikey and rolled their eyes knowing how ignorant Mikey was about the depth of Ashley X's manipulation and deceit.
Vince shuddered and questioned, "What do all of these reports say Gretch?" Vince felt like as if they were reading a criminal report about him as Vince was ever so slowly beginning to realize that T.J. was right about Ashley X…in every way.
Gretchen slowly read it out loud, from the floor, to the group while trying to believe it herself, "Well....you all know about how big businesses rule the Stock Market, right?"
Gus confused replied, "Yeah...so that's grownup stuff..."
Gretchen pointed out, "True Gus that grownups control the stock market by buying and selling shares! But this is different.... These reports are about the criminal activities of some of the biggest business in the country!" Gretchen tried to fathom all of it, page after page, of businesses that people had depended on and used in everyday life had a criminal past. As smart as she was, she knew she could not predict the enormous devastation that would occur if this information was leaked out to the public. She cringed simply having this binder in her hands.
Gretchen could see that the gang was not getting the magnitude of this situation. She took a deep breath and said, "If word got out about these activities, the stock market would be hit hard and the economy of the U.S. would be shattered! If society thought the Depression of the 1930s were bad, we are talking about an economic depression of catastrophic proportions!"
T.J. defiantly spoke, "…But Gretch these are crimes! They deserved to be punished!"
Gretchen slowly started, thinking of how of her friends could understand this sensitive situation, "Teej, you remember how less fortunate the kids were during the rule of King Morty? When they had to play with tree stumps, crab grass, and wet rags during the Depression because the kids were so poor? Well, since businesses would be hit so hard with this information…a lot of families, I'm talking about tens of millions…maybe even hundreds of millions…or", as Gretchen was looking through the huge pile trying to somehow size it all up, "...billions of families worldwide, would have no jobs and since this devastation would be so widespread…those families could slip into poverty and stay there for many years, possibly a decade or two. And their kids…could possibly never have a carefree, innocent childhood because of it."
T.J., Spinelli, Gus, Vince, and Mikey could not believe it! The future of the entire economic world was in their hands! The quiet, simple kid they used to know called Ashley X had dealings with big businesses of the grownup world. It was inconceivable that a kid could possess such a gargantuan amount of blackmailing power in the grownup world.
Spinelli looked over Gretchen's shoulder and her eyes caught something. Something she never thought she would see…and it would be the perfect revenge. Spinelli slyly spoke, "Hey guys, look what I found!", her eyes followed the page as she spoke, "The Ashleys' companies have a huge fat list of crimes too!"
The other five shouted, "WHAT?!? REALLY?!?" Gretchen tried readjusting her glasses questioning how she could have missed it. Spinelli saw that the Ashleys' companies (Armbrewster Corporation, Boulet Enterprises, Quinlan Industries, and Tomassian Omnimedia) were in deep trouble from the mounting list of evidence proving their corporate fraud. These business crimes were caused in the scattered levels of middle management on the corporate ladder and were not caused by their CEO fathers.
Spinelli snickered, "This would be the perfect thing to get back at them." She knew that this could finally bring those snobbish, prissy little brats down and make them understand what it feels like without having 'daddy's money' to always save and comfort them. That the Ashleys could finally know, feel, and understand that they couldn't have everything they wanted.
The rest of the gang did not share Spinelli's view and were hesitant to speak up against her. They knew how the Ashleys put Spinelli through a lot last year but Mikey appeared to represent the group's feelings about it and asked, "Spinelli, should we really do that and let their fathers' companies suffer?"
Spinelli violently screamed, "OF COURSE! Why aren't you guys with ME? I mean this is the SWEETEST revenge we could ask for!" Spinelli noticed how loud she was and silenced herself quickly afterward.
T.J.'s eyes glazed over to Spinelli and he softly said, "We're not just talking about the Ashleys' fathers Spinelli… What about the people who work there who have families at home! Could you bear the responsibility for thousands of families without work?"
Spinelli never thought of it that way before and her pursuit of bringing down the Ashleys' companies died right there. She knew that if she released the information she could not take back the destruction afterward and that it would leave a scar of guilt on her.
Vince interrupted the dead silence between them and dumbfounded, he slowly began, "What type of kid is Ashley X? I mean businesses, the U.S. economy, what's up with that?!?" Vince felt that his whole world was sinking, and he wanted to shrink and escape right then and there since everything he believed about Ashley X was wrong.
Gretchen snapped her fingers and put everything together. Gretchen, in a moment of enlightenment, said, "I got it! From what T.J. said and the information I have gathered from these documents, Ashley X must have been blackmailing these businesses! These businesses must have persuaded the school somehow, or as T.J. says bribed Principal Prickly, to build oil wells on the playground and shared some of the profit to Prickly."
Gretchen continued her train of thought, "Which then made it possible to improve the school. And Ashley X was able to afford all of these activity rooms and gifts to befriend the kids of the playground!......Why I bet she even funded for SAL 4000! It all makes sense now!"
Gus mumbled in guilt realization, "She was trying to make herself look nice while she tried to control T.J. and Ms. Finster through the SAL 4000 if anybody got in her way of ruling the playground."
Gretchen delighted in knowing that they solved the mystery to everything that was going on in Third Street, from Ashley X's weird behavior, to the oil wells, and even to SAL 4000.
Vince could not take it anymore, and his guilt was overburdening him. Gretchen's conclusion of how Ashley X operated was the final arrow that struck right at Vince's heart. Vince weakly leaned back on the wall and slid down in overwhelming guilt and he put his head between his knees while sitting and began to cry. Gus and Spinelli were surprised at Vince's behavior but they could relate to his feelings since they had turned against T.J., but in different ways. Gus and Spinelli just stared down on the floor, and into a void of lost thought and sadness. T.J. was feeling horrible as well because that thought of his deception in the back of his mind finally preoccupied the front of his mind of how he had to keep a secret of his intentions of using Gretchen to stop SAL 4000. He could barely meet up to Gretchen's eyes.
Mikey may have been the least informed from the entire group about Ashley X's web of deceit but being the sensitive, giant soul that he was, he was able to read each one of the gang's emotions and he was able to mentally trace where things had went wrong between all of them. Mikey gently spoke to them, "Friends, it's time that we tell what's really on our minds and in our hearts…"
Before Mikey could continue his emotionally touching words, Vince blurted out by his enormous guilt, and was choking up on his tears, "Teej, I'm SO sorry man! I….I….should of never questioned you and went against you! It's just that…Ashley X looked so…so…sad and…..I can't believe I actually fell for that! I couldn't believe that….she would be this mean…." Vince blew his nose with a tissue and his eyes were blood shot from the tears.
Gus began to wail, as his feelings overtook him seeing Vince's condition, "Teej, I'm sorry too! I mean I had no idea that Ashley X was like this! I would have never ruled the playground so viciously knowing she was like that!"
Spinelli emotionally crumbled seeing Gus and Vince emotionally torn down. She walked up to T.J. and sadly whispered, not knowing what to say, "Teej, I….I…hate myself for being friends with Tyler. I mean look what he done to you on Halloween and just today! I wish I could punch myself out for being so stupid! I know you said it's not my fault and all, but…, " she became angry with herself, "…still that I wasn't able to stop him just makes me disgusted with myself. I mean you were there for me Teej! I didn't do a dang thing to try and stop it! I wasn't starting anything to go against Tyler! I'm….I'm…sorry Teej, you deserve a friend who's better than me…" Spinelli ran down the hallway and as she ran her mind wouldn't let go of how T.J. still looked and cared for her as if she had still done nothing wrong.
T.J. would have to run to catch Spinelli, but he remembered Gretchen. Before he could apologize to Gretchen, she warmly looked to him and assured him, "Teej, its okay…I know about how you had to keep SAL 4000 from me. Trust me T.J., I would of have done the same thing knowing how Ashley X was…don't fret and worry about it…okay?" Gretchen knew how deep T.J. took guilt and she kept staring at him to make sure he wouldn't feel guilty anymore.
T.J. could sense the seriousness of Gretchen's demand of him not worrying about her. He would have done it anyways, but since Gretchen admitted that she would have done the same thing comforted him and it released and eliminated any existence of his guilt. He then faced his two other friends who were sunk in their guilt. He sighed and spoke, "Guys…its okay….really…"
Gus and Vince looked at him as if he was crazy that he could still forgive them. Vince instantly remarked, as his tears were running down his face, "I mean after what just happened! Are you serious?"
T.J. walked up to them and kneeled close to them. He compassionately said, "You weren't the only ones who were fooled by Ashley X. I was…we all were….and so was the school… Please don't blame yourselves... You guys are still great friends to me…" T.J. just looked around to his friends and where Spinelli had run off to, reminding himself of the magnitude of Ashley X's deceit.
Vince and Gus looked up at T.J. and their heavy misery was paused from the poignant moment after hearing T.J. speak; that T.J. was still willing to still be friends with them after all they had done. Vince could not believe how merciful T.J. was after their fight on the blacktop.
Gretchen quietly interrupted, "Um...guys....there is one thing we forgot though. Would this have all still happened, if Principal Prickly did not allow the oil wells in the first place???" She did not want to interrupt that moment but she realized how quickly Ashley X could adapt her deception to any changes and thought that dealing with this issue immediately would be for the best.
Mikey questioned T.J., "T.J.! I thought you had told us that Principal Prickly changed last summer!?! After the whole Dr. Benedict ordeal, I thought he was genuinely concerned about students now!"
T.J.'s mind pinpointed to the time when the oil wells were built and it dawned on him that maybe none of this mess would have happened if Principal Prickly did not allow it in the first place. Could it really be possible for Principal Prickly to accept bribes? His frustration grew and he was determined to speak with Principal Prickly. T.J. wanted to continue to console Vince and Gus, and Spinelli wherever she may have been, but he knew that Principal Prickly would be leaving soon and now was the time to speak to him before SAL 4000 could be fixed. He kept it short and brief and said to his friends, "I'll go and speak with him." He was torn again leaving Vince and Gus in their beaten down selves. He sincerely and softly spoke, "Guys, really….please don't feel bad about it because no one could predict Ashley X or any kid could be like this…" He left his friends, composed himself, and walked with purpose. T.J. had to confront Principal Prickly!
Meanwhile, Mikey placed Ashley X's backpack away, took the binder with him, and closed the locker. He and Gretchen immediately looked around the hallways for Spinelli. Gus and Vince were still sitting on the floor against the wall still reflecting over everything. Gus was feeling slightly better but he saw Vince mentally lost somewhere… Vince knew that T.J. was more than willing to forgive him but he knew it would take some time…a long time… before he could forgive himself…
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To Be Continued…