Seek and Go Hide
part fifteen
Jack sat on his couch, papers spread on the coffee table, the floor and the space next to him. He was grading the extra credit reports his sophomore English class had recently turned in; he had asked them to do a modern take on one of the classic stories they had studied recently. His favorites so far had been Olivia Perkins retelling of The Odyssey as a Doctor Phil episode and Corey Morris' take on The Iliad as a multiplayer shoot 'em up video game. The paper he was reading right now compared and contrasted the political makeup of The Iliad with the political divisions of the Axis nations vs. Allies in World War II. It didn't quite fit the assignment but Jack had to admit that Stacie Stein had made some interesting parallels.
The ringing phone startled him out of his reverie. He picked it up, "Hello?"
"Jack, I need some help. Meet me at Cedar and 11th in twenty minutes. Bring a crowbar if you've got one." And with that Pacey hung up not even waiting for Jack's reply.
What in the world is he up to now? wondered Jack even as he began to shuffle papers into piles that would hopefully make sense later. He stood up and considered the whereabouts of a crowbar.
---------------
Olivia lay sprawled on her bed reading 'Our Town' by Thornton Wilder. She was feeling very swept up and wistful as she read:
It struck her as completely beautiful and so sad. That's how you know it's true, she thought to herself. It seemed the truest things, the most real things, were tinged with a certain sadness. Her cell phone rang from inside her backpack and she scrambled to answer it before it went to voicemail.
"Hello?"
"What up Olivia?"
"Hey Cliff," answered Olivia happily as she plopped back down on her bed. She found that she was suddenly buzzing with energy and delight; she loved it when Cliff called her! "I'm just reading. What are you doing?"
"Nothing much. Playing video games, eating chips."
"Sounds glamorous," teased Olivia.
"Well it's no hiding in my room, reading a book and chewing on my hair but it passes the time," shot back Cliff good-naturedly.
"Very funny Cliff. How'd your algebra test go?" Olivia deftly changed the subject.
"A squared plus B squared equals C squared!" pronounced Cliff triumphantly.
"That's geometry not algebra."
"Uhmmm...Then I didn't do as well as I thought," laughed Cliff. "Hang on a second." Olivia heard the phone hit the table followed by a muffled "Die you...dammit! Oh, Oh! I so killed you you punk-ass bitch! That's right! Take it! Take it!" After a few seconds, Cliff picked up the phone and said, "Sorry about that. It's a tricky part of the game..."
"So I guessed. Hang on a second." There was a pause; Cliff could hear Olivia humming in the background. After a minute she spoke again, "Sorry about that. This nail polish can be so very tricky."
Her sarcasm wasn't lost on Cliff who said, "There, I hit pause. Happy now?"
"Exceedingly so. After all, I live for your undivided attention."
"It's not like you to be so honest about your emotional neediness!" joked Cliff.
"I was kidding!" insisted Olivia slightly embarrassed. "I am not emotionally needy!"
Cliff decided to let her off the hook and changed the subject. "Hey Liv, did you hear about your Dr. Phil paper yet? Did you get an A?"
"Is that why you called? No, not yet. It's only been three days! It takes Mr. McPhee a while to get extra credit stuff back to us. Believe me, I'll tell you. And for the record it's weird that you're more into my grades than your own."
"Yeah, well my Dr. Phil idea was brilliant you have to admit!"
"It was ok," Olivia grinned at the dismissive tone in her voice. She knew he wouldn't buy it for a minute.
"Ok? You used it!"
"Ok, ok, it was better than ok. It was decent."
"Thank you for your begrudging props. They mean so much." The two friends laughed and then laughed at their laughter. Cliff told Olivia a joke and she needled him about a fight he had nearly gotten into at school. They talked about everything and nothing much at all.
"Cliff how many times do I have to tell you to take out the goddamn garbage? What are you doing? And why is the ice cream sitting on the counter melting all over the shitting place?" Olivia heard Cliff's mom, Tanya, enter the room and scream at Cliff. She sounded furious.
"Mom, I'm On The PHONE!" yelled Cliff. Olivia cringed and waited to see what would happen.
"Oh! You're on the PHONE! Well excuse me! I had no idea! Hang the fuck up!" Tanya's voice got louder and angrier.
"No!"
There was sound of a tussle and the phone hit the floor or the table, Olivia wasn't sure. She didn't know if she should hang up or what. She grimaced as the fight continued to escalate.
"What the fuck is your problem?"
"My problem? My problem is I got an ungrateful kid who can't even do the simplest thing right! I'm sick of your shit Cliff! Harry says I let you run wild and he's right! I should have listened to him a long time ago! Well, it stops now you got me?"
"Harry? Is that what this is about? He dump you again Mom? Well, guess what? It ain't my fault he's a total dick..."
There came a sharp sound that Olivia figured had to be a slap. She felt tears well up in her eyes and wished she could do something.
"You watch your fuckin' mouth!"
"...And it ain't my fault you got shitty taste in boyfriends!"
"Get out of here! Get! Out! You're an ungrateful bastard just like your father!"
"Fine! I will!"
A door slammed. There was a moment of silence, and then the phone was picked up. Tanya Granger's slurry voice came over the line, "Hello? Is anybody there?" Olivia held her breath and didn't say anything. Finally Tanya hung up the phone and Olivia was left to wonder where Cliff had gone.
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Jack saw Pacey's car parked near the corner of 11th and Cedar and he headed towards it. He smiled at Pacey who motioned for him to get in the car.
"You found a crowbar? That's great," said Pacey as Jack settled into the passenger seat.
"Technically it's a pry bar not a crowbar," corrected Jack. "So you wanna tell me what we're doing?"
"We're stealing a car."
"What? No we aren't..."
"Well technically it's not stealing, really we're returning a car to its rightful owner."
"Pacey..." Jack didn't know why he was surprised, but he was. Pacey had been on good behavior for so long that Jack had almost forgotten what he was capable of. "We are not 'not technically' stealing a car."
Pacey grinned, "I have the keys," he said holding up a set of keys.
"What? Who?" Jack rubbed his forehead and grimaced, "Start at the beginning dude."
"You know Elena Winfield?"
"Your latest married girlfriend? Yes, I know who she is."
"Her soon to be ex-husband is a real jerk Jack. He found out she's planning on leaving Capeside as soon as the divorce was final and he wants to stop her. He basically kidnapped her car."
"And she can't go to the police because..?"
"There's no actual proof he took it."
"And she has to have the car because..?"
"Well, it's hers first off. Second it's a 1969 Firebird her Dad gave her when she graduated from high school. It's her baby."
"And you said you help because..?"
"Because she's a good person Jack." Pacey gave Jack a fierce look and continued, "Look man, I know you don't approve of my affinity for the married ladies but you gotta believe me, their marriage was over long before I entered the picture. Besides, Elena and I, we're more friends than anything. I just want to help her make a clean break of things."
Jack sighed, "Pacey it's none of my business who you date, I just hate seeing you constantly sabotaging yourself. Seems like the only women you get involve with are the ones you can't ever have. I feel like maybe you've given up on true love..."
"Jack..." now it was Pacey's turn to sigh. The two friends looked at each other, so much unspoken history lay between them. Most of it went by the name of Joey Potter. Jack knew Pacey had never really gotten over her and Pacey knew Jack knew. But they almost never talked about it. And now wasn't really the time.
Jack relented and said, "So what's the plan?"
A huge smile spread across Pacey's face and he clapped Jack on the shoulder, "I knew I could count on you buddy! Ok, I managed to figure out that the car is in a storage unit down on South Main. All we have to go is go down there, avoid two security cameras and one guard, find the right unit and break in. Then we drive away. It's not like he can report it missing since he stole it in the first place."
"As simple as that?"
"Hopefully."
"Ok, then, let's get this over with."
---------------
The storage lot was dark and quiet. The main cinder block building lay in front of them with the smaller freestanding units to the southwest. The two friends had just scaled the back fence and landed inside its perimeter with a soft thud. Pacey gestured for Jack to stay behind him and pointed up at a security camera. For a second Jack's blood froze but he quickly realized the camera was pointed towards the main drive and not at them.
"Ok, all we gotta do is find the right unit," whispered Pacey earnestly.
"Ok, and how do we do that?" whispered Jack sarcastically. There had to be several dozen units large enough to house a car and he didn't relish the idea of having to break into each one.
"All the big units have small windows in the back - we'll just look inside. Easy." Pacey headed towards the nearest unit. He made sure to stay close to the fence and out of the cameras line of sight. Jack followed.
They reached the first one and Pacey said, "Give me a boost." When he saw Jack's skeptical, semi-annoyed look he continued, "We'll take turns, ok you big baby? Now come on!"
Dutifully Jack laced his fingers together and bent over so Pacey could step into his hands. He grunted as he lifted Pacey up and said, "Dude how did you talk me into this?"
Pacey peered in the window but all he could see were boxes. He hoped this wasn't going to be typical of the whole search but he didn't say anything to Jack. "Not here. Put me down."
Jack let go and said, "Would have been too easy if it were in the first place we looked I guess."
As the boys crept from unit to unit they chatted softly.
"You hear Gail Leery got engaged?" asked Pacey
"No," replied Jack a little surprised. "When did that happen?"
"Pretty recently I guess. I just found out today."
"It's the same guy she was dating at New Year's right? What's the dude's name anyway?"
"You know, I have no idea. I tend to refer to him as Not Mitch."
"I wonder how Dawson will take it."
Pacey shrugged, "No telling - good or bad though - he'll make it all about him if he can."
"Pacey!" Jack laughed quietly and shook his head. Pacey boosted him up and Jack peered into another window, "Weird, this one's entirely empty except for a riding lawnmower parked in the middle. What's that about?"
"Got me," Pacey shrugged and shifted the conversation back. "You talked to him lately?"
"Dawson?"
"No, the Lawnmower Man. Yes, Dawson."
"It's a been awhile. He's crazy busy. You heard his show got picked up right? He's gotta reshoot the pilot but it's tentatively set to premier in September. He's psyched."
"Dawson has his own TV show. It's kinda surreal dontcha think? I mean I can hardly remember him ever even watching TV. Doogie Houser, The Wonder Years and Fraggle Rock...I think that's it. What's it about anyway?"
"You haven't heard?" grunted Jack his he lifted Pacey up again. "You need to lay off the cheeseburgers man."
"I let my subscription to The Dawson Leery Newsletter lapse I'm sorry to say." Pacey shone the flashlight into the dim space. This one looked almost 100% filled with newspapers. "And the search continues." Back on solid ground he said, "So, you gonna tell me or do I have to wait and read about it in Entertainment Weekly?"
"Dude, it about us. High School. All the drama. I'm guessing a heavy dose of the Dawson/Joey/Pacey triangle. It's called The Creek."
Pacey just stared at Jack for a second then he burst out, "Seriously? That's awesome!" He laughed and Jack motioned for him to keep it down. They walked toward the next storage unit.
"You aren't worried?"
"Why should I be? I stand by every dumb thing I ever did. Are you worried?"
"Actually, I hadn't really thought about it...do you think I should be?"
"Nah...I mean you're as out as you can be right?" Pacey boosted Jack up and kept talking, "I bet it'll be my favorite show ever. It'll be like 90210 meets The Real World and Freak and Geeks."
From overhead he heard Jack say, "I think this is it!"
Without thinking Pacey let go of Jack's foot and stood up straight. Jack hit the ground with a solid urmph. "My bad," Pacey apologized as he pulled Jack to his feet. "Lift me up so I can check it out."
Jack rolled his eyes but did as Pacey asked. "I think I know what a 1969 Firebird looks like Pace. And how many of them can there be in this place?"
"Right you are Jack my boy. Nice work. Ok, let's do some crime. You want breaking or entering?"
"I'll take breaking." Jack held up the pry bar and grinned, "You've still got the keys right?"
Pacey made a show of patting his pockets and looking frantic before pulling them out, "Right here. Let's do it!"
The guys snuck around to the front of the small building. Jack used the pry bar to bust the cheap padlock off and carefully lifted the garage-type door, trying hard not to make any more noise then necessary. When he saw the car in the dim light, he gave a small gasp. It really was a beautiful car. He could understand why Elena would hate to leave it behind.
Pacey walked in and unlocked the car. He got in and put it in neutral then got out and started pushing. Slowly the car eased out of the storage unit and on to the main drive. Luckily they wouldn't have to pass any of the cameras on the way out but they were going to have to get past the guardhouse.
Jack pulled the door back down and pocketed the broken lock. He tossed the pry bar into the car then he helped Pacey push. After a few hundred feet or so, Pacey whispered, "Go make sure the guard is sleeping or distracted or something Jack."
"And what am I supposed to do if he's not?" hissed Jack in reply
"I don't know. Use your feminine wiles?"
"Fuck you Pacey."
"Use them on the guard Jack, don't waste them on me."
"Ha ha," said Jack acerbically.
"Just go look."
"You go."
Pacey cocked an eyebrow at Jack and asked, "You want to get caught pushing the stolen vehicle?"
"I'll go look."
Jack tiptoed up to the guardhouse. Guard shack was more like it, thought Jack nervously. He peered into the window and sure enough, the kid was asleep in front of a small black and white TV. He signaled the 'All Clear' to Pacey and watched as the car slowly but silently slid past the guard and out into the street. Jack hurried to catch up and once they'd pushed the car about a block away, Pacey started the engine and they drove away into the night.
---------------
Cliff sat at the bus stop about half a mile from his house. His pocketknife lay open in his lap and his right hand had some blood on it. He didn't remember cutting himself; absentmindedly he wiped the blood on his jeans and tried to steady his breathing. His head hurt so much. There was a small cut on his swollen cheek. His jaw was clenched so tight he half expected his teeth to turn into sawdust right now. His mother's irrational behavior had thrown him into a spiraling rage and it seemed like whenever he stopped to think about the situation, everything only made him madder. His breathing was shallow and labored and his heart beat very fast.
On his way out of the house Cliff had grabbed his jacket and tennis shoes but he hadn't put them on until he was well away from the house. His socks were damp and his feet clammy. Shame, panic and anger vied for dominance in his whirling brain. Anger had won; as soon as he put on his jacket he had found his pocketknife. The weight of it was a comfort in his hand and almost without thinking he began lashing out. Slashing tires, keying cars with the corkscrew - the physical effort took his mind off the churning emotions that threatened to overwhelm him and leave him crying and whimpering in the middle of the street. He's be damned if he was going to let that happen.
His mother had promised she wouldn't hit him ever again. She promised no one would. And like a total sucker I believed her! Cliff pounded his right fist repeatedly against his thigh. I'm so sick of this! She can't do this to me! Not after... Cliff forced his mind to shut off. He knew if he started thinking about the past that he would never be able to get his shit together. Harry. This is Harry's fault. He hates me and wants me outta the picture. It all suddenly seemed so clear. Harry had to pay.
Standing up, Cliff looked at the dark quiet houses around him. He felt so isolated, so impossibly cut off from the rest of the normal world. He couldn't believe that less than an hour ago he had been playing video games and laughing with Olivia. It felt like a million years ago. Why does everything turn to shit? wondered Cliff bitterly. He thought about Olivia and how freaked out and worried she probably was right now. He thought about going over to her place but he was still too angry and he knew her parents wouldn't like it if he showed up there so late. Instead he turned toward Main Street. There was a plate glass window he intended to smash into a million pieces. See how Harry likes that! thought Cliff with a bitter scowl.
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Pacey dropped Jack off at home on his way to return the car to Elena. Once inside his place, the lateness of the hour hit Jack like a ton of bricks. The remaining un-graded papers sat in piles on the coffee table and the sight of them made Jack feel guilty. He poured himself a glass of milk and checked his voicemail. There were two messages...
Jack laughed; Jen's melodramatic messages were becoming more frequent and more hilarious as her due date got nearer. And there were still about six weeks to go. She was going to be mighty upset when she found out he couldn't make it up there this weekend but hopefully she'd understand. The next message started...
Jack looked at the clock and was somewhat relieved it was too late to call either of them back. He was beat and the only conversation he wanted to have right now was with his pillow. But he smiled to think that he and Doug were going to have their next time so soon. A Thursday night date...I wonder what he has in mind? thought Jack as he rinsed out his glass, shut off the lights and headed for bed.
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Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am taffy stuck and tongue tied
Studder, shook and uptight
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am fine
I am covered in skin
No one gets to come in
Pull me out from inside
I am folded and unfolded and unfolding
I am colorblind
Coffee black and egg white
Pull me out from inside
I am ready
I am ready
I am ready
I am fine
I am fine
I am fine
-- Colorblind
by The Counting Crows
Author's note: Part 15?! I never thought this story would be so long! The initial plan was for a 6 part story but it seems the more I think about it, the more there is to tell. And so it keeps getting longer and longer. Thanks to all the readers and reviewers for sticking with it - you guys really do keep me motivated. Next update should be in the next few days.