Thanks to Boo for reviewing the second chapter! I'll try to keep this story going in the best way possible, so keep checking back for new chapters. Anyway, since I've already put in two disclaimers I don't really have anything else to say for now…
*****
Fillmore and Ingrid burst into the HQ minutes later, being careful not to let the door hit the wall again. The first thing they saw was Vallejo standing at Karen's desk; he had obviously not noticed that the two had returned, as they figured out by listening to the conversation.
"Tehama, I need you to give the forensics a rest and get at Third's computer," Vallejo was saying. "As long as they're not here I need someone to cover for them."
"But Vallejo," Karen protested, "the forensics are part of my job."
"The forensics are going to have to wait!" Vallejo barked. "Get over to that computer and work!"
Karen's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. Vallejo never usually snapped at people like that. She hurriedly gathered her bag and paper and walked over to seat herself at the computer, not wanting to cause any more friction between herself and Vallejo.
Fillmore and Ingrid exchanged glances, then walked up to confront Vallejo. "Hey, Vallejo," Fillmore said. "I need to ask you something."
The eighth grader spun around to face him. "Ah, you're back," he said, sounding quite relieved. He called across the room to Karen. "Hey, Tehama, you can forget about it now and go back to your forensics thing again."
Scowling, Karen strode silently back to her desk, casting a murderous glare at Vallejo before sitting down heavily in her chair.
"Vallejo," Fillmore began again firmly, "we want to know why you've been acting like this."
A slightly annoyed look overcame Vallejo's face. "Acting like what?"
"Like a total jerk." Joseph came up from behind Fillmore and Ingrid. "Coffee rings on the tabletops? You never would've thrown a fit about something like that before."
"You haven't been yourself today," O'Farrell piped up. "You're so uptight!"
"Yeah, Vallejo. Tell us what's going on," Karen demanded.
The room became alive with all of the officers talking at once and demanding that he tell them what was wrong. Finally Vallejo threw his arms up in the air in defeat. "All right already!" he shouted. "I was talking to Folsom this morning…"
The middle school teens were suddenly quiet. All bad news began with the name Folsom.
Solemnly, Vallejo continued to explain. "She said that she'd had enough with all of the school equipment being broken on our account. Folsom gave me a long lecture about how I need to keep all of you in line and make sure that you were doing your jobs right. I kept trying to tell her that it was all under control, but she wouldn't listen…you know how it is when you try to get something through to her. Anyway, she said that I had to do whatever it would take, even if it meant following you around wherever you went with an electric cattle prod.
"Then right after Third and O'Farrell left, I got a call from Folsom about the stolen bumper stickers. She was really steamed by now. She told me that if we didn't recover every single bumper sticker by the end of the month, we would literally lose our jobs and the HQ would either be torn down or become a meeting place for the Quilting Club."
All of the officers exchanged horrified glances amongst themselves. This was the first threat from the principal regarding the demolishment of the HQ that had actually worried them in a long time. This is what Vallejo had been keeping from them all morning, but now that the truth was out, they all knew what they had to do: solve the case.
*****
Jared Smith jogged around the school building with confident strides. He could imagine all the praise he would receive for all of his work this time, possibly even a promotion. Basically, all Smith wanted to do was get on the boss's good side, because he's seen what happens when you didn't…but he didn't have to worry about that now. Soon, once the school has been awarded the money, the safe under the lobster picture behind Folsom's desk would be unlocked again and the money would belong to the club.
Ducking into the shadows, Smith inched along the red brick wall until he came to the south wall of the rose maze. Cautiously approaching the thorny wall of flowers, he hissed, "Sticky, I've got the goods."
Unnoticed to Smith, a tall shadow cast over him while he had his back turned. The shadow's large hand reached for his small shoulder, moving slowly and silently. Smith continued to whisper for his master, pushing apart the tangled mass of leaves and brush. Suddenly, the hand shot forward and grasped Smith's shoulder roughly, then forced him to spin around and pressed him against the wall of sharp thorns.
The boy let out a terrified screech as a sharp pain began to spread through his body. He was now staring straight into the mug of the one and only Sticky Fingers. It was very rare to catch him in the light, where you could determine most of his features. The boy's hair was an auburn brown, and the sun's brightness glinted off his metal braces. "You have the combination, Smith." It was more of an expectant statement rather than a question.
Whimpering, Smith managed to glance down at his right hand despite the fact that he was being pinned against the floral maze. A thorn was embedded in his knuckle, blood trickling down his wrist. Squinting in pain, Smith replied, "Yessir. I found it taped to the inside of Folsom's pencil cup, so I took out my last social studies test and wrote it down when I could, sir."
"Good work, Smith," Sticky Fingers drawled with a slight tone of satisfaction in his voice. Suddenly he sounded firm again. "Then I want proof. Show me the combination, Smith, and let me know you have it."
Smith reached behind him with his good hand and dug into his back pocket, entirely sure that he was going to please his master this time. But after the few seconds in which Sticky Fingers had waited impatiently, Smith's face suddenly paled. Removing his hand, he slowly revealed his empty palm. "It's…it's not there," he stammered disbelievingly. "I was sure of it…please, Sticky--! No!"
Sticky Fingers' fist collided with Smith's face almost instantly. There was the loud crackle of brittle branches as Smith fell into them once more before falling to the grassy ground. Sticky Fingers towered above him, a look of disgust upon his face. "I thought you were ready for this, Smith," he growled. "I should have never assumed something that impossible."
*****
End of Chapter Three
A/N: Yes, that was kinda short. I know it took me a while before updating, but I've been kind of busy with school and Vic and I have been going to rehearsals for the school musical. Not much time for fanfiction. Anyway, I hope that you liked that chapter. I'll keep working on it while I can. = 0 )
~Teaz