Chapter 8: Who says crime doesn't pay?
Outside Papa Cracky's
He's late. Fillmore thought for the fourth time in the last hour. Ingrid had arranged this meeting with Julian so they could finally begin their plan at bring down Sting Ray. Why he was suppose to trust the Vandal on this deal was beyond him, but Fillmore knew that Ingrid was very cautious about who and what to trust. That being said, Fillmore still wondered why he was standing outside his favorite restaurant instead of clearing the buffet.
"I'm glad you agreed with me Mr. Fillmore. I must say that your reputation is well deserved."
Fillmore turned slowly to face the boy who had just spoken to him. He was surprised to see that one of the most feared criminal minds at X was not what he had imagined. He had expected someone more gothic looking or at the very least some one with a more imposing presence, then Fillmore noticed the boy's eyes. Julian seemed to stare at everything around him except Fillmore, while looking directly at him as well. Julian then knowingly smirked at Fillmore's slight shifting of his feet into what appeared to be some defensive stance.
"Thanks, I think." Fillmore said and the continued at Julian's nod, "So what do have to tell me about Sting Ray's operation?"
"Mr. Fillmore, while you have frequented this establishment on several occasions, I have yet to sample the fine cuisine." Julian said while walking to the door. Fillmore followed the enigmatic boy wondering what would happen as they continued this word play.
Julian had already seated himself at table in the far end of the restaurant hands folded before him. Fillmore nodded at his choice of seating and took the seat across for him and waited for Julian to begin their meeting. Instead Julian reached for the menus at the center of the table and glanced at it before he spoke.
"What would you suggest, Mr. Fillmore?" Julian asked while raising an eyebrow at the boy across from him.
"Personally, I'd go for the buffet, but I'm not sure you could handle it Vandal."
"There is a lot that you don't about me, while I on the other-hand have been well informed about you. I must say that Ms. Third speak very highly of her significant other."
Fillmore simply nodded at this information and stared in silence for a moment before moving toward the buffet with his plate. He looked over his shoulder to see if the boy would follow. Julian simply nodded his head and continued to sit. Fillmore filled his plate and returned to see Julian casually eating a bowl of seafood gumbo. They ate in silence each contemplating the their next move. Fillmore sighed and pushed his cleared plate.
" All games aside Mr. Fillmore I believe we have more pressing matters to attend to." Julian said bring them both from further delay on the subject.
"Fine then let's do this. I need to know where they vault is."
"A very good question. And also one that I don't know the answer to."
"Okay then what can you tell me about Sting Ray's operation." Fillmore asked with some edge in his voice.
"Again nothing, you see Sting Ray has kept me far from the inner workings of his operation. I believe that he sees me as a potential liability, even though I am using him just as much as he is using me."
"What do you mean by that?" Fillmore asked.
"I am sure that you have read my profile Mr. Fillmore. I am what some would call the most intellectually advanced criminal mind at the school. Aside from yourself and the lovely Ms. Third, my reputation is second only to yourselves."
"Okay then I understand Sting Ray's in keeping you out of his inner circle, but that doesn't help me get any closer to bring Sting Ray down."
"Ah but it does Mr. Fillmore. You see while I am excluded from the inner most workings I am free to learn what ever I choose and that knowledge is what I have been compelled to give you." Julian explained.
"Then who compelled you to help a belt like me?"
"Ms. Third, who else would even remotely be worth the trouble of helping in that foolish band. Of course this is also for myself." At seeing the cocked eyebrow of Fillmore, Julian continued. "I am very many things Mr. Fillmore, but I am no ones pawn."
Fillmore raised an eyebrow at that comment. It was obvious that the Vandal had his own plan and pride involved in all of this. Be that as it may Julian was till the wild card in this whole situation. But if Ingrid trusts him then Fillmore decided it was best to listen at this moment.
"Okay then Julian, let's get this done one question: Where is the Notebook with all the stolen test papers?"
"I don't know, though I believe you are asking the wrong question." Julian replied.
"Okay then I'll try this again. Who is Sting Ray?"
"That is for you to find out Mr. Fillmore. That is the second time you have asked the wrong question, I am beginning to question how you have gotten such an illustrious reputation." Julian stated with a hard stare.
Fillmore for his part was getting more and more frustrated with this setup. Through the entire exchange Julian alluded that he did in fact know a great deal about Sting Ray, maybe even who the crime lord was. Then what was he supposed to ask to get the information he needed?
"Who knows where the vault is besides Malika and the Red Robins?"
"Finally you ask the right question," Julian exclaimed, "But before I answer you, i must know why Malika is such a point of interest to both you and Ms. Third?"
"Malika and Ingrid got history with each other and we'll leave it at that." Fillmore stated and then stared at Julian waiting for an answer.
"Fair enough. I assume that you are aware that Ms. Third was injured recently?" Julian asked. Seeing Fillmore nod he continued. " Of course she would have told you about the incident. Then I'll say this much the one responsible holds the key and that is all I'll give this meeting Mr. Fillmore. Good day to you and happy hunting."
Fillmore only stared as the boy walked from the restaurant with one thought running through his mind payback is going to be a bitch.
X Middle School
Vallejo frowned as read reread the X school newspaper, it was obvious that the school was going to hell. Any one could have told him that, but it was surprising how quickly it had happened. First the school elects a new President then he has some crackpot idea of pardoning all of X's criminals. Then in his infinite wisdom he decided to stick his nose into Safety Patrol business by appointing Tony Clementina as a special enforcer to supervise his Officers actions. Vallejo sighed, just thinking about the hell that he would have to deal with was enough to make him consider quitting the force.
"Vallejo, I need to see all the case files and all recorded evidence you have on X's criminal activity, now," the voice of Tony Clementina said interrupting Vallejo's musings.
"I don't take orders from you or anyone else Clementina, especially not in my headquarters. Get me."
Clementina ignored the comment and continued to saunter into the office enjoying the fact he had immunity in this situation and even more so that he was given the assignment of keeping the belts under control and out of the way.
"I don't give a good god damn who gives you your orders just that I get what I told you to hand over. Besides you wouldn't want Folsom to find out that your not cooperating with the new regime," Clementina stated with a predatory smile.
"Fine Clementina asked Tehama to take you to the computer lab she let you into the archive," Vallejo said relenting.
"Thanks for your help Vallejo," Clementina aid sardonically as he left the office to find Tehama.
The only thing running through Vallejo's mind was he couldn't wait for someone to put Clementina in his place.
Second Floor
Tehama was trying to contain her growing aggravation at the current situation. She was currently have Tony Clementina' pompous ass through the school to give him access Safety Patrol files. It also didn't help that the Neanderthal had hurt Ingrid recently, she was hoping for payback but Ingrid and Fillmore assured her that Tony would get his and soon. Clementina for his part was still feeling confident after his run in with Vallejo and took great pleasure in throwing his authority around.
"Hurry it up I don't have all day to play around," Clementina announced.
"The lab is right around the corner so hold your damn horses," Tehama growled.
Tony smirked at the girl's obvious annoyance. He truly was enjoying his newfound power and it showed to any student that noticed. Tehama rolled her eyes with disgust at Clementina's sauntering form. She continually murmured to self that he would get his and she would certainly enjoy every minute of it. Her musing was broken by their arrival at the computer lab and that alone brought a vengeful smile to her face. Tony seeing that they had arrived at the lab pushed his way passed Tehama and reached for the door, but halted when he was told that it was locked from the inside for safety precautions.
"Then open the damn thing belt I'm in a hurry," he ordered.
Tehama nodded and took his place in front of the door and knocked once quickly then after a moment knocked again. Stepping to the side she let the wannabe patrol enforcer but not before finishing her part in the plan.
Clementina thought nothing of the stupid belt stumble towards him and reached for the door only to have it burst outward and collide with him sending flailing backward toward the second floor railing. For a second it looked as if he would recover his balance before it came to that, unfortunately for him Tehama decided to casually extend her right foot into his path promptly sending him over the railing toward the first floor.
Science Lab
Penny Madrid had been pacing in the room for the better part of the morning trying to get her thoughts in order. On one hand she was a part of one of the biggest scores in X's history. She could gain power, prestige, and anything else she wanted by sticking to the plan they had made. Then on the other hand if Sting Ray's plan went south, she was liable to any and everything from expulsion and time in juvie, and that wasn't the only con in this whole deal. The biggest thing riding her mind was the fact that Fillmore was running for the other team.
That information alone was enough to worry her, even though the rest of her 'cohorts' seemed to think it wasn't that much of a concern. Beside her fears were unanimously ignored due to the knowledge of her infatuation with Fillmore, something that Sonny held over her head since this whole thing started. Penny simply chalked it up his inferiority complex.
"They all being idiots," she said through clenched teeth. " They don't understand even all of then together can't stop Fillmore especially with that pale gothic tramp helping him."
"Mind telling me what we're not understanding?"
Penny whirled around and froze when she saw Sonny leaning against the far wall. Her mind went blank realizing what had over heard. She knew that Sonny was firmly in Sting Ray's camp and would most likely be reporting back to his boss with any thing negative she had said. I had better come up with something convincing, penny thought.
"Sonny, you know exactly what I'm saying Sting Ray's plan has covered every possible outcome so far," she began. Seeing him nod she continued, "But we both know Fillmore's a wild card in any situation, he was…is the best. There isn't a place in the school that he can't get into, he almost a ghost went he wants to be."
"And?" Sonny asked moving from his position against the wall slowly moving toward Penny.
"What do mean and!" she almost screamed. "The point is Sonny. That Fillmore is out for payback and we both know he won't stop until he's satisfied. Which means he'll take Sting Ray's whole operation down and everyone who has anything to do with it."
Sonny paused for a moment and Penny believed she might have gotten through to him, until she felt the air driven from lungs and her back pressed roughly against the blackboard.
"You listen to me," Sonny hissed. "I don't give a flying damn who or what Fillmore is capable of understand? All that matters is that we're going down as major players in this whole deal. We're going to do something Fillmore never even imagined and finally be out of his shadow. Get me? So you're in this up to those baby blues, and if you even think of messing this up for me…."
Sonny backed off leaving the threat unfinished and walking away leaving Penny slumping to the floor.
"Not a word Madrid."
Penny stared at his retreating form and shook at how desperate the boy had become in his move to top Fillmore. All she was sure of was that this whole crime had gotten even more fucked up.
Outside Computer Lab
It was the strangest thing any one had ever experienced, one minute you're on top of the world the next you have it all collapse around your ears. That would be the closest thing to the situation Clementina was now in. It was supposed to an easier assignment, he was supposed to be in control, and untouchable. That was until he had followed that belt to get into the Safety Patrol's files, after they had arrived his mind went blank. Forcing his eyes open, the enforcer found his surroundings unlike they had previously been. Everything was sitting on the ceiling!
"Looks like you finally decided to wake up."
Tony turned toward the voice and saw that his observation about the ceiling was indeed true. Karen Tehama was clearly walking his way on the ceiling and she wasn't alone. A shiver ran down his spine when saw the sadistic smile gracing Ingrid Third's face.
"What the hell happened?" Tony asked playing down his rising fear.
"Don't you remember Tony," Ingrid asked, "You were throwing around your weight as usual and you door decided to give you it own greeting." Ingrid finished with a chuckle.
"Shut it Third! Just tell me you got the files Sting Ray wants."
He was disappointed when her response was positive, in fact it was odd the she simply point at the floor and smiled.
"Look up Tony."
The enforcer obeyed and to his horror he found himself staring at the tile on first floor hallway of X middle School. It was a very well known fact that the enforcer was terrified by heights and the higher he was the more prone he was to have a break down. So when Tony felt his body slowly rising, it was no small wonder that he began to sweat and scream for help, not that any one was around to help.
Tony breathed a sigh of relief when his ascent finally stopped. Opening his eyes, which he had not realized had been closed, Tony saw that he still was not on solid ground but face to face with the last person he had hoped, Fillmore. Worst yet the former criminal was the one holding the support line that held him above the second floor.
"What the hell do you think your doing, you lousy stinkin Belt?" Tony screamed, " I'll have your belt for this Fillmore!"
"One question T-man," Fillmore began slightly loosing his grip on the support rope. "Where is the vault?"
"Like I'd tell you." Tony sneered seemingly forgetting the situation he was in.
"Wrong answer."
That was all Tony heard before he was sent speeding toward the first floor, much to the amusement of Ingrid and to a lesser extent Tehama. The Asian patroller, while not being the biggest fan of Clementina, was in awe of the lengths her two friends went to get what they needed. Besides it was a well-known fact to everyone on the force that Tony was deathly afraid of heights. So it was strange to see that phobia being exploited and stranger still that she was helping to do it.
Ingrid smiled at the display her boyfriend was putting on. It was always such fun to see him work out his frustrations, even if was her hope to be dropping Clementina to the floor and have him screaming for his mother.
Both girls moved forward when the enforcer, finally, came to a halt about a foot from the floor. After waiting for the boy to calm down a bit and open his eyes. They asked him once again where the vault was. His response was not surprising.
"Fuck you! Get me down you crazy bitches!" he screeched.
"I guess you up for another ride then," Ingrid said with a smile. "Fillmore haul big boy up for another round."
Tony's eyes widened when he felt his self begin to move back toward the second floor. His eyes dilated and breathing became labored, sweat began to pour from his forehead. In his panicked stated he locked eyes with Tehama and he began to beg and plead swearing he would tell her what they wanted to know, if only to get away from Third and Fillmore. Tehama started to move forward to asked the boy but was restrained by Ingrid, who merely shook head at the girl.
"What are you doing? He said he would tell us where the Vault was, so why do we need to keep doing this?" she asked.
"Tehama, I understand, but we have to make sure he telling the truth. We don't have the time to be running around on a wild goose chase." Ingrid explained." So just bear with it a little more."
Tehama nodded at the explanation and even voiced that she did not like what was going on. She looked up just as Clementina was brought over the railing of the second floor.
"Well you going to talk Clementina or do you want another trip?" Fillmore growled holding the boy so that he was slightly hanging over the edge of the railing.
"I'll talk. I'LL TALK!" Clementina screamed.
"Hurry up then because I would hate to accidentally knock you over again."
"The Boss, he…. he moved the…. the Vault. It was in the old AV room b…bb…..but he thought Malika would give up it location to Third so he had everything moved." Tony said.
"You're still not telling me what I wanted to know. So I guess you want another ride." Fillmore said slowly pushing the larger boy over the railing.
"WAIT! He moved it to the MAX Detention Ward! The MAX DETENTION WARD! I SWEAR!"
"You Had better pray that this is all on the up and up or you'll be seeing me again real soon, got me." Fillmore said. "You got that girls?" He called over the railing.
"Yeah we got it, Fillmore." Ingrid yelled back.
"Ingrid what are you doing?" Tehama asked a second later.
Fillmore smiled at that question and looked toward Clementina. The boy was clearly relieved that this whole ordeal was over his breathing was claming down and he wasn't sweating as badly as before.
"Hey Tony." Fillmore called waiting for the boy to look at him. "One more thing before you walk. Never touch Ingrid again." Fillmore hissed before he shoved the boy over the railing.
Clementina wasn't alone when he screamed. Tehama watched as he fell toward the floor and it seemed that Fillmore was making no move slow his descent. She froze as the boy fell; every muscle in her body refused to move all she could was watch. She was shocked then to see the boy's fall cushioned by a laundry cart filled with what looked liked pieces of last year's peace day quilt. She moved forward fully intent on making sure the boy was all right but was stopped when an acrid smell hit her nose.
"Eww…looks like Tony don't know about potty training." Ingrid joked.
"What the Hell was that?" Tehama yelled as she whirled on Ingrid, who had moved to meet Fillmore at the bottom of the stairs. " We got what we needed so what was the point of pushing things any further?"
"We had to be sure Tehama. If we're going to bring down Sting Ray we got to do thing the hard way." Ingrid explained.
"But still that wasn't right we're better than this." Tehama said even though she wasn't sure whom she was trying to convince.
"I understand what you're saying but now isn't the time." Fillmore said moving off toward the north exit. "Besides if it makes you feel any better. Sometimes doing the right thing ain't doing the right thing."