Dared chapter
Jamie followed the group inside the school, slinking in behind them as they left a trail of unlocked doors in their wake. Any hope he had held onto about being wrong was gone. Joe and Cindy were a part of the Daredevils, and who else wasn't too hard to guess once he knew that.
"So, what do you want to do?" A female voice Jamie recognized as Cindy asked.
"They are expecting another attack towards his classroom but honestly; I'm running out of ideas, so I was thinking we could switch tactics for once; how do you feel about stealing some test answers?" Joe. Jamie was certain of it. He couldn't actually see them from where he had hidden behind a row of lockers, but he could hear them well and clearly.
"That seems a little tame?" Somebody objected.
"Let's start with that and then finish off with something he will actually find out about." Another voice Jamie recognized proposed. Wyatt. Joe's oldest friend. No wonder Joe was in over his head.
"Okay. But only if I get to do the honours afterwards."
"Wait!" Jamie called and stepped out from his hiding spot. He couldn't just stand by and let them do it. He had to at least try to stop them.
"Jamie." Joe gasped, turning around to face him.
"No, don't say anything. I don't want you guys to get caught."
"The cameras can't pick up audio, I've made certain of it. It's not a close enough image either to read our lips." Turning towards the rest, Joe said: "Relax guys, Jamie won't squeal to our brother."
"Our brother?"
"Jamie is my younger brother. He hates Mr. Ball as much as we do." At that the stances of the rest somewhat relaxed, but Jamie could see that some of them still were weary.
"Not that I mind the clarification." One guy said. "But we don't have all the time in the world."
"You're right. I know the three of you don't know Jamie, but I do and trust him. Why don't we meet in the park across from Cindy's house once we are done here? I'm guessing he has a few questions for us. And that you want to be assured that he doesn't tell a soul."
"Sure." The guy who had wanted to do the honours afterwards agreed readily.
"It's not so hard for him to guess who I am, so why not." One of the others shrugged.
"Do you promise not to tell?" The fifth guy asked.
"I promise." Jamie promised, eager to get the chance to get them to back down before they got caught.
"Okay." He agreed with a sig. "But we really need to get going or we're going to get caught either way. Let's finish what we came here for and then go talk."
"You can't." The words were out of Jamie's mouth before he could formulate the thought behind them fully.
"Are you going to stop us?"
"No, but we should probably make it look like you at least intended to leave after this conversation." Jamie explained.
"Why?"
"Because when Danny and JJ watch the tapes tomorrow, they are going to get suspicious if it doesn't look like I tried to stop you. That would support their theory of it being the six of you."
"He's right." Joe agreed. "Look, Jamie agreed not to tell anybody so the least we can do is to make sure our brother doesn't try to eat him for breakfast tomorrow."
"Yeah, yeah, we'll head back outside long enough for Jamie to leave and then come back. Joe, what time will the guard start heading our way? Do we need to wait or do it quick?"
"We should have enough time to get it done before he has finished drinking his coffee." Joe assured them. "But that doesn't mean we have all the time in the world, so let's go. Everything else can wait an hour."
-Dared-
It was definitely weird meeting the group of six friends in a setting where Jamie didn't feel as confident anymore. Here, outside in the park, he didn't have anything over them. Or he supposed he still had, but it didn't feel like it.
"I'm Logan." The one that had seemed most hesitant to meet introduced himself. "That's Will and Callum. I got the impression that you know the rest."
"Yeah. Hi." Jamie gave an awkward wave. "I'm Jamie."
"So what do you want to know?" Joe asked, sounding defeated.
"Just why"
"Why we're doing this?"
"Why risk it? You know Danny is on to you." Jamie clarified.
"Because nobody else does." Joe answered simply.
"But this isn't the way to stop Ball and you know it."
"We've tried everything else, but nothing has worked." Joe defended.
"How does this change anything?"
"It forces the grownups to look at the problem."
"And taking the test answers?" The six shared a look that Jamie couldn't quite interpret.
"There is a kid with dyslexia in our class. Ball makes sure to make fun of him every chance he gets. We wanted to give him a fair chance to prove himself."
"And he won't simply say that even a broken clock is right twice a day?"
"We have to try for justice." Logan explained. "It's worth the risk."
"Is it though? Didn't you already get as far as this road is going to take you? I don't think more pranks will make that investigation into Mr. Ball go any faster or change the outcome of it. I know he's a prick and I'd gladly fire him tomorrow if I could, but try to look at it from where I'm standing. Nothing you do at this point will result in anything but you getting in more trouble if somebody finds out who you are."
"We can't let him win."
"Is that all it has become; a game?"
"No. But the fact still remains that he needs to be taught a lesson."
"I agree, but I don't want you to get into trouble for doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. Mr Ball is already under investigation and if you stop now, nobody will ever be any the wiser."
"No." Will said firmly. "If the rest of you want to quit feel free to, but I won't."
"Me neither." Logan and Wyatt said in unison.
"I don't think so, Jamie. Thank you for looking out for me, but the best thing you can do for us is to keep quiet about who we are."
"I won't either."
"And neither will I. If that was all, I have homework to get to before my little sister gets suspicious and tattles on me."
"I guess we better head home as well." Joe threw Jamie a look. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. We'll plan then."
-Dared-
"You saw the Daredevils. You even spoke to them." Danny started the conversation off with. Jamie hadn't been that surprised to be pulled out of class by his angry older brother, but it still hadn't been pleasurable.
"I did."
"Who was it?"
"I saw the same as you did, ski masks, hoodies and caps. And nobody sounded familiar."
"You are lying." Danny said.
"I'm not." Jamie held firm.
"You either tell us what we want to know or I'm calling Dad at work. You know how happy he will be about that when he gets home." Danny threatened, quickly losing his patience.
"I truly don't know Danny! I followed them, thinking I'd figure it out, but with their choice of clothing its near impossible to recognize somebody unless they have two different coloured eyes." Jamie protested, getting angry as well.
"I think you do know who it is, but you want to protect them."
"I'm telling you I don't."
"It's Joe and Cindy isn't it?" JJ asked knowingly.
"Didn't I just tell you that it was impossible to recognize anybody?!"
"You know that you are going to catch it good if we find out that you knew all along who they were when we do catch them. And I say do because we are going to sooner or later."
"Wouldn't it be more worth the trouble for you to build a case against Mr. Ball to get him fired?"
"That's not our assignment, kiddo." JJ explained softly. "By not telling us their names you are actually causing them more trouble, because you are giving them an opportunity to continue to get in trouble."
"That's not fair."
"Maybe not, but that's how it is."
"I'm done." Jamie announced and made to stand.
"No, you are not. Sit down."
"You are not the boss of me Danny, no matter how much you wish so."
"Oh no?" Danny stood up and took a threatening step towards him.
"What are you planning to do? Hit me?!" Jamie asked incredulously.
"If it was up to me, you'd already be over my knee." Danny threatened. "But no, you are going to call Dad yourself and explain the situation."
"Gladly." Jamie spat out, feeling embarrassed that Danny was threatening him in front of his tutor's big brother whom he'd only met a handful of times.
"Don't think you are getting away with anything. You are going to put him on speaker so that I can control what you are telling him."
"You wouldn't do this to anybody else." Jamie complained.
"I would." Danny objected.
"Do you really stand by this?" Jamie asked JJ.
"I stand by finding the truth and I don't think you are telling the truth." JJ explained, levelling Jamie with his best big-brother look. "Call your dad."
"Fine." Danny held out his phone expectantly and Jamie took it with a glare. It was only once his dad's voice greeted him that it really hit him. He was about to lie to his dad.
"Danny? Has something happened? Are you okay, son?"
"It's me, Jamie. Danny is fine, it's nothing like that but he said I had to call you. He and JJ are here as well, listening in."
"Dad."
"Daniel."
"Afternoon commissioner." JJ greeted respectfully. "I hope we weren't calling in the midst of something."
"It's fine. I have a moment to spare. What's going on Jamieson?"
"I followed the Daredevils here yesterday and spoke to them. Now Danny thinks that I, despite ski masks, hoodies and caps, know who they are."
"Do you?"
"No. They even made sure I couldn't recognize their voices."
"Are you certain you don't know who they are Jamieson?"
"I don't" Jamie answered firmly. He was doing it for Joe, he reminded himself. His brother was doing the right thing, albeit going about it wrong, and nobody seemed to care about that. "Besides, I still think there are better ways to solve this than tracking down the Daredevils."
"We can discuss this more later, but if that was all, then I need to go."
"Dad, he knows who they are." Danny protested.
"Okay. This has gone on for far too long now. I'm putting an end to it. Tonight. Daniel, family dinner. Officer Collins, that invitation expands to you as I'd very much would like to hear facts and not just accusations. I also want the security tapes of all the times the Daredevils have been caught on camera. Understood?"
"Yes sir." Both officers answered in choir.
"Jamieson, I'd like to get more out of you tonight than just ski masks and a hoodie. What kind of shoes were they wearing, what colour hoodies? Did the girl have her nails painted? All things I know you noticed, whether you wanted to or not. In the meantime, back to class."
"Yes sir."
-Dared-
Joe's POV
"Uh, hi." Joe greeted JJ awkwardly, not expecting his girlfriend's older brother to be sitting in their dining room when he came down for dinner.
"Hi, Joe." JJ greeted calmly. "Your Dad invited me over for dinner and to discuss the case. I think HQ is getting as tired of it as all of us are." Joe only nodded tersely, sitting down in his usual chair. He had liked and even looked up to JJ before this whole mess, but that was all gone now. He would tolerate him for Cindy's sake, but nothing more.
"That's no way to treat a guest, Joseph." His mom scolded, coming into the room in time to see Joe giving JJ the cold shoulder.
"It's okay Mrs. Reagan, this case has us all on edge. My little sister Cindy refused to talk to me yesterday."
"Still. Mind your manners, Joseph."
"Yes ma'am." Joe answered quickly. He didn't want to upset his mom, who seemed to be the only one on his side except for Jamie. Speaking of, Jamie didn't look as surprised by JJ being there, albeit a little put off. "Do you know each other?" As far as Joe knew they hadn't met before.
"We met in school today." JJ told him and Joe almost spit out the gulp of water he had in his mouth. He had totally forgotten about Jamie getting caught on camera with them last night.
"You are suspecting him now?!" Joe tried to make his shock look like he was upset for Jamie's sake.
"No. But he did get caught on film with the Daredevils yesterday night."
"You did?" Joe turned towards Jamie to keep his full profile from Danny's and JJ's searching eyes.
"He did. But we'll talk about it after dinner, which all of us are going to eat." Joe felt his dad's eyes on him and knew that it was his way of saying that Joe's lack of appetite hadn't gone unnoticed. "No talk about the case until afterwards."
Dinner went surprisingly smoothly, Frank and Mary both keeping up a conversation with JJ while Joe focused on chewing his food mechanically.
"We really should have your whole family over for dinner one night." Mary smiled at JJ. "Looks like Joe and Cindy are quite serious and it would be nice to meet the family."
"I'm sure Mom and Dad would be delighted. Not to mention that Nix probably would fall of his chair if he were meet you, Commissioner."
"That's your younger brother, right?"
"Yes, Phoenix is two years younger than me. Nathaniel is a couple of years older than I, but he is an artist, not a cop."
"If you give me your parents' number, I'll be sure to invite the whole family over within the near future." Mary promised.
"Thank you, I will."
"Well then, if everybody is finished, we have something we need to discuss." The dreaded words came way too soon. "Joseph and Jamieson, that means the two of you as well."
"What do I have to do with any of it?" Joe protested.
"You are their prime suspect. I'm giving you a chance to defend yourself."
"Fine." Joe grudgingly agreed.
"Joseph." Joe looked down at his dad's firm tone. The constant use of his full name along with the stress of the past few days were quickly wearing him down and he felt himself fighting tears to his own surprise.
"You go along, I want a quick word with Joe."
"I'm sorry." Joe apologized tearfully, trying to blink away the stubborn tears forming.
"I know this is hard for you, kiddo, but it needs to be done. I meant it when I told your brothers earlier that I want to put an end to all of this blame and hurt going on between you, tonight." His dad drew him into a tight hug. "I need you to be honest with me though, Joe."
I am, Joe meant to say, but the words got caught in his throat and he simply burrowed his head even closer to his dad's chest, inhaling the familiar scent.
"Take a deep breath." Frank instructed calmly while rubbing his back. "We are going to be okay. No matter what is going on."
"I hate this." Joe mumbled into his dad's chest, feeling all of five years old at the moment.
"I don't like it any more than you do. I hate how it has turned you and your brother against each other. Not to mention the reason why the investigation was launched in the first place. To think that a teacher would bully his students…"
"Danny won't give up."
"Have you thought of why?"
"Because he needs to be right."
"Because he needs to protect you. The Daredevils have escalated with each prank and your brother is simply scared you'll get hurt."
"I'm not…"
"Keep that in mind regardless. Danny is trying to look out for you in his own way."
"I'm not so sure."
"I am. Come on, let's go hear them out. I would like to solve this tonight."
-Dared-
"Why don't the two of you walk me through everything you know. Facts only."
"There are six kids, who call themselves the Daredevils, who are doing damage to school property and breaking into the school building in the name of bringing attention to the actions of one of their teachers: Mr. Ball." JJ started out, explaining calmly.
"They always leave a note explaining why they do what they do. Those notes have gotten more detailed since we got involved. Bringing more attention to exactly what happened instead of to whom."
"The pranks started out small, but they have stopped showing restraint for damaging school property. A window, a chair, a whiteboard. Other than that; it's mostly pranks that have gone too far."
"What's their reason?"
"The students have claimed that Mr. Ball mistreats his students, even going as far as bullying them, sir."
"And your suspects?"
"Joseph Reagan, Cynthia Collins, Wyatt Hill, Logan Haddock, Callum Reed and William Cadieux. We know for sure that at least one is a female."
"Do you have any evidence against them?"
"No, sir. Since they are minors, they won't be in our database even if they leave DNA or fingerprints behind and so far, at least, they have been careful not to."
"I see. Do you have the surveillance video of last night?"
"It's all on here." Danny nodded to the laptop he had placed on the desk.
"Let's see it then."
"They are good." His Dad commented, almost sounding impressed as he watched the Daredevils set up one prank after another.
"Too good to not have any previous knowledge about this kind of stuff. They knew to wear gloves and costumes to conceal their identity. Not to mention that they talk freely on all the videos so they must be certain that the cameras can't pick up audio."
"They also know how to pick a lock and seem to have knowledge of the guard's routines. The encounter with Danny is however the one that sealed the deal on them being cop kids. They had to have know that he wasn't carrying his gun, or that he at least wouldn't shoot, and the tackle was truly impressive."
"Hmm…Jameson, do you have those answers I asked for?"
"There was nothing about them that stood out. They wore gloves so I couldn't see if the girl was wearing nail polish or not. As for the shoes they all wore black tennis shoes of various brands. Nike, Adidas and Vans. They looked worn though, so I don't think it's their normal school shoes."
"Talk me through what happened before the video I saw."
"It was a chance encounter. I spotted them walking across the school yard ad decided to follow them inside."
"What did you say to them then?"
"That this isn't the way." Jamie said softly, looking almost regretful. "That I understand what they are trying to do but that it isn't the way to go about it."
"Are you protecting your brother?" Joe held his breath at the question, praying that Jamie would be able to fool his dad and brother.
"I'm not protecting anybody." Jamie sounded so honest that even Joe would have
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, sir."
"Where were you yesterday afternoon, Joe?"
"With Cindy. Nathaniel saw us."
"And you stayed there the whole afternoon?"
"No, we biked over to Logan's at 4 o'clock, he wanted Cindy's help with his Maths homework."
"Can anybody verify that?"
"No. His parents were at work."
"How come you and Jamie met up?"
"He caught up to me on his bike about a block from here. I had no idea his afternoon plans had involved the Daredevils."
"Are you sure that is the story you want to go with?" There was a distinct warning in his dad's voice that Joe chose to ignore.
"Yes sir."
"Head on up to bed then. Lights out in half an hour."
"But it's still hours to my bedtime." Joe protested.
"I think both of you would benefit from an early night. JJ, Danny, head on home. I need to sleep on this."
A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait you guys. I really struggled with writing Jamie meeting the Daredevils and honestly, I'm not so certain I love the way this played out, but I hope it made sense to you. On a brighter note, I have finally figured out how I want this to end and oh boy it's going to be great (I hope!). As always comments make my day so if you liked it please let me know!
