A little refresher:
"So, what are we-,"
Nate cut Adena off, "Oh…my God."
"What?" Adena, Tanis, and Squib gasped.
"What, what?" Cameron asked.
"What, what, what?" Cody questioned, thoroughly confused.
"Hold on," he told her.
"Nate says 'oh my God'," Squib said.
"Nate says 'oh my God'," Cam repeated.
"'Oh my God' what?"
"I don't know," he told her. He turned to Squib, "Tell him we say 'what?'."
"Cam and Cody say 'what?' Squib said into his phone.
"Oh my God…" Nate repeated, smiling widely.
And now…
"What?"
"What, what?"
"Nate?"
"What's going on?"
"You guys…" Nate spoke slowly, "have got to get over here."
"Why?" Asked Squib frantically.
"Just get over here!"
"How the hell are we supposed to do that?" Adena asked.
"Wait, what's going on?" Asked Cody.
"What's going on?" Cam echoed.
"Nate wants us to go over there."
"How?" Asked Cody when she'd heard.
"Cody says 'how?'" Cam said.
"So does Adena."
"Uh…" Nate sighed, trying to think, "can't you guys sneak out a window?"
"You're forgetting you live with Bates," Tanis reminded him.
Nate sighed again, "Uh…I don't know…"
"Well, what is it?" Squib asked.
"Wait!" Nate jumped up from under the bed, "I've got an idea. Can you guys get to a computer?"
"You're forgetting he took those away, too," Adena reminded him.
"Cody says she can," Cameron told Squib, "her dad's upstairs."
"Well, you guys have email on your phones, don't you?"
"Yeah," Tanis told him.
"Okay," Nate said, "I'm gonna try and get to my scanner…" he slowly made his way out of his father's bedroom, tiptoeing down the stairs, "and I'm gonna send you all a file. I think our troubles are over."
"But that means we have to hang up!" Tanis protested.
"It'll be worth it," Nate assured her. With that, the Top Guns hung up obediently, the tennis players getting into their emails and Cody stationing herself in front of her father's computer.
A few seconds later, after scanning and emailing, Nate's cell phone started to ring.
"Hello?" He asked, picking it up quickly so as not to alert his father.
"Oh my God," said Cody on the other line, "oh my God."
"I know, right?" Nate smirked.
Cody sat in the cafeteria the next morning, unable to stay still.
"Why the hell didn't you call back?" Cody hissed when Adena and Tanis entered.
"Dorm check," Adena breathed, racing to sit beside her friend, "it was too dangerous. They probably got the boys, too."
"Oh my God," Tanis whispered, "did you see the pictures?"
"YES," Cody exclaimed, "and I'm freaking scarred- again- but this is perfect!"
"Hey guys," Squib and Cameron entered, followed by Nate.
"I can't believe this," Cameron could barely contain his smile.
"This is perfect," Nate grinned, "just perfect."
"What are we going to do with them?" Adena asked.
"We're going to get our school back," Nate said confidently.
"Nate?" Harold Bates called as he entered his home. No answer. "Nate? You'd better be in here! Because if you snuck out-," he froze as he entered his office.
"Hello, father." Much like only a couple weeks before, the Top Guns had gathered in a faculty member's office. Although this time there was no vodka, and Ms. Wiley was not tied to a chair. That didn't matter, though. They had something better.
"What the hell are you all doing in here?" He asked furiously, "You should all be in your dorms! Nate! What is the meaning of this?"
"Calm down, Bates," Squib said coolly. "We've got something we want to show you."
"Recognize these?" Cody asked, tossing a stack of photos on the desk in front of him.
"What are you-," Bates froze. "Where on Earth did you get those?"
"Interesting, aren't they?" Adena ignored his question.
"This is ridiculous," Bate sputtered.
"Wouldn't it be a shame if these somehow got out?" Tanis asked innocently.
Harold Bates sighed resignedly, "What do you want?"
"As if you don't know," Nate scoffed, "we've left enough clues these past few weeks."
"You! I should have known it was you kids! The equipment! The food fight! The porn!"
"That's right," Cameron smirked, "and now we're going to end it."
"No," Bates spat, "I refuse! I-,"
"You're in no position to negotiate," Squib pointed out.
After a moment of silence and another horrified glance toward the photos lying on his desk, he sighed again, "Fine. Let's talk terms."
"…In addition to meals being restored and the old curfew reinstated," Bates stood in front of his students and staff, after having called a mysterious assembly for that afternoon, "phones and personal computers will be allowed in dorms. The TV will return to the Open, which will be available to students once again. Visits to town shall continue as normal, and random dorm searches shall be terminated," a surprised and excited gasp ran through the crowd. Bate sighed, continuing, "Also, Cascadia has a new policy. As of today, the 'no dating' policy for staff shall be…removed. Staff are free to…fraternize as they wish…"
Hartley Myers sent a confused glance at his daughter. She shrugged, leaning over to him, "It was the last we could do."
"Freedom!" Adena cried as the student burst through the doors, talking animatedly. She sat perched on Cameron's shoulders, looking over to see Cody doing the same with Nate and Squib hoisting Tanis up.
"I can't believe we did it!" Tanis squealed (she was that excited) as Squib spun them around in circles.
"I herby declare Operation Crazy Eights a success!" Cameron exclaimed.
"Just one thing left to do," Nate said.
"What's that?" Cody asked, looking down at him.
"Good idea, Nate," Adena said as the Top Guns sat around a small campfire. The six of them sat on the beach, huddled in blankets and roasting marshmallows.
"Yeah, well, these don't deserve to ever see the light of day again. They've served their purpose."
"Alright," Cody pulled out a large envelope, sliding the pictures out, "let's destroy these puppies," she glanced down at them with a disgusted look on her face. "I still can't believe this."
There, sitting in her lap, were photos of a young Harold Bates. His second year of college, he had finally admitted to them. That wasn't what scared them
It was his outfit.
There, in all his glory, was Harold Bates dressed in a corset, black stockings, high heels, and not much else.
"He claims it was a confusing time…" Nate said.
"Either way, that's disgusting," Tanis grimaced.
"He looks great in those pearls, though," Adena pointed out.
"Okay, that's just gross," Cameron laughed, grabbing the photos from Cody. "Let's burn these babies."
"Thank God," Squib commented. Cameron tossed the pictures on to the fire, and they all watched in silence as their revered headmaster and his garters disappeared into the flames.
By the next weekend, it seemed as though nothing abnormal had ever occurred at Cascadia Tennis Academy. Students were out, enjoying the sun, taking trips to town, and blowing off homework as the Doc and Wiley leisurely strolled the grounds hand in hand.
Okay, that would take some getting used to.
But Cody assured them that so long as they kept the public displays of affection to a minimum, she could handle it.
This particular Saturday, the Top Guns found themselves laying on the front lawn, much like they had over a year ago, locked in the gym. Different location. Some new friends. Same feeling of peace.
"Life is good," Squib sighed contentedly.
"You can say that again," Nate agreed, his eyes closed against the sun and a small smile playing on his face.
"I can't believe we actually pulled this off," Adena smiled.
"We're amazing," Tanis agreed, "this one's going down in Cascadia history."
"They'll be talking about us for years," Cody added.
"So, what now?" Cameron asked. "I mean, we've got no practice."
"We could watch TV…" Tanis thought aloud.
"Go on the computer…" Adena added.
"Head into town…" Squib suggested.
"You know what?" Nate asked. "I'm pretty comfy right here."
"Me too," Cody said softly.
"It is nice out," Adena agreed.
"Alright then," Cameron agreed, not sounding at all disappointed, "sounds good." And with that, the Top Guns spent their afternoon lounging in the sun, enjoying their newfound freedom.
Alas. T'is the end. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter. And hopefully you don't have any disturbing mental images of transvestite!Bates. This one was the only one that didn't come easily, so hopefully it was up to par.
This chapter is for Candy. Because her MSN isn't working:( And it even had the littlest bits of S/T and Doc/Wiley.
Now it's back to Bend and not Break. My normal, boring story with no transvestites, vodka, or porn. Well, yet.
A big thank you to everyone who reviewed this story! It means so much to me! Leave me just one more with that little button down there! Cheers!