Chapter 214: WDM Field House

Friday, January 20th, Evening

Lucas walked out of the locker room and into the field house. The crowd was thickening as the boy's game was getting ready to start. Even though his team had a better record and were gunning for a state title, the crowd came out for the boys.

Standing by the locker room door, Lucas studied the crowd, looking for his family. Part of his heart was hoping he could see that one beautiful face with blonde hair, but he didn't. Lucas saw his daughter, Ellie, looking bored. He noticed Sawyer on the baseline; she was talking with Keni and Alesha. He noticed a different blonde woman, about Keith's age, walking over to Sawyer and Keni. Lucas tried to jog his aged brain on who is this woman. Something about her was familiar, too familiar. Finally, Lucas walked towards his daughter and her best friend.

Once Lucas got within a few steps of Sawyer, he could hear what they were discussing.

"You're Sawyer," the blonde woman said.

"Yes, Ma'am," Sawyer said, using the politeness that they drilled into her thick skull.

"You're very energetic out there," the blonde woman said.

"Thank you," Sawyer said, "Ma'am," nearly forgetting the ma'am part.

"How long have you been cheering?" the blonde woman asked.

"In high school or overall?" Sawyer asked.

"In high school," the blonde woman said.

"Two years, I'm only a sophomore," Sawyer said.

"Oh my, I thought you were older, you're so tall," the blonde woman said.

"I guess, Ma'am," Sawyer said, Lucas could see her fidgeting underneath her pom-poms. She didn't like discussing her height.

That was when Lucas made the call to break this up. Before Lucas could walk over the final distance to them, Keni stepped up to the plate.

"Excuse me," Keni said, not using the politeness that Sawyer used. That was because Keni thought little of this person, or she was on alert, danger close. Either way, Keni acted.

"Yes?" the blonde woman asked.

"I'm going to have to steal Sawyer, the coach wants to talk to us," Keni said.

The blonde woman looked at Keni for a moment or two. Lucas figured that the blonde woman was trying to size up Keni. Keni is one of the smallest girls on the cheer squad. So, by that, it was natural for people to often misjudge Keni.

"Well then, I'm sorry for keeping her," The blonde woman said.

"Thank you," Keni said, in a curt, bordering on insulting away. That was Keni, though.

"Sawyer, you really did excellent out there. Can't wait to see you cheer in the boy's game, the real game," The blonde woman said.

"Thank you," Sawyer said, and this time forgot the ma'am. Lucas could almost hear Sawyer physically biting her tongue.

Keni grabbed Sawyer's arm and dragged her away. Lucas swore he saw Keni mouth the phrases stranger dangers, and she's not worth it. At least Keni was alert; Lucas noted, thank god for small blessings.

The blonde woman walked off, heading to the bleachers. Lucas shook his head and started to head towards the bleachers. Lucas passed by the cheerleaders; he saw a lone cheerleader standing by the corner of the sideline and baseline. Lucas nodded; she was all by her lonesome. Lucas walked over towards her.

"Hello Joce," Lucas said.

"Hello, Coach Scott," Joce Allen-Travis said.

"You cheered well tonight," Lucas said.

"Thank you, Coach Scott, you could hear me?" Joce asked.

"Yes, I can," Lucas said.

"Well, you coached a good game as well, Coach Scott," Joce said.

"You're welcome, also Joce, who was that talking with Sawyer?" Lucas asked.

"Oh, her, that's Mrs. Wettin, Coach Scott," Joce said.

"Who is Mrs. Wettin?" Lucas asked.

"I'm not sure, I think she's a supporter of the cheer squad, Coach Scott," Joce said.

"Okay, thanks," Lucas said and walked over to the bleachers.

Lucas slowly climbed up to where his family was sitting. He took a seat next to Brooke.

"You had a great game," Brooke said.

"Thanks," Lucas said.

"What's on your mind?" Brooke asked.

"Someone was talking to Sawyer," Lucas said.

"Lucas, she's almost sixteen, she'll want to explore things," Brooke said.

"It's not that," Lucas said.

"Then what is it?" Brooke asked.

"There was a blonde woman around Keith and Izzy's age talking to Sawyer," Lucas said.

"Maybe, someone wanted to talk to her about college," Brooke said.

"Maybe," Lucas said.

"There's more?" Brooke asked.

Lucas nodded, "Yes, there is," he said.

"So, what the hell is it, Lucas?" Brooke asked, "Damn, sometimes it's like pulling hairs out with you."

Lucas shook his head, "There's something familiar about her," he said.

"Familiar, how?" Brooke asked.

"I don't know," Lucas said and shook his head, "I wish I did. Maybe, it's just one of those feelings in the back of your mind telling me you know who they are."

"Is that's why you talked to Joce Allen-Travis?" Brooke asked.

"Yeah, that's why. I wanted to know if Joce knew who that woman was," Lucas said.

"So, did Joce actually know something important for a change?" Brooke asked.

"Joce, just said that the woman's name is Mrs. Wettin, and she thinks she's a booster," Lucas said.

Brooke looked at Lucas strangely, Lucas shrugged.

"Excuse me, Mom, Uncle Lucas, did you say Mrs. Wettin?" Chase asked, from behind, "And she was around Izzy's age?"

"Yes, I did," Lucas said.

"Not good," Chase said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucas asked.

"Am I missing something? I thought I heard my name mentioned in vain," Izzy asked, leaning forward.

"Someone was talking to Sawyer, and Lucas was getting overprotective," Brooke said.

"Hey, Izzy, couldn't you get the CIA to spy on someone?" Chase asked.

"Have you been listening to Huck again? No, I'm a congressman, not the president, and it's illegal for the CIA to do it anyways," Izzy said.

"Then, if not the CIA, then who in the alphabet could?" Chase asked.

"The FBI," Izzy said, "Anyways, I don't have the authority to get something like that going."

"What about John?" Chase asked.

"No," Izzy said.

"Right, no fun," Chase said.

"Uncle Luke, who is this woman?" Izzy asked.

"I just got the last name from Joce Allen-Travis," Lucas said.

"Not surprised from what I gather from Sawyer and Keni, there's not much going on with Joce that's not about her," Izzy said.

"Well, Joce is Joce," Lucas said.

"What he's saying is it's true," Brooke said.

"So, what's the name?" Izzy asked.

"Wettin," Lucas said.

"Wettin? I don't recall anyone named Wettin," Izzy said, and rapped her fingers against her chin, "I've gotten donations from an Asher Wettin, but never met him."

Chase hummed, "I see the plot thickens," she said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucas asked.

Izzy turned to Chase, "When did Uncle Luke start channeling Kat Valentine?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it until he dyes his hair red," Chase said.

"Or starts hitting the high notes," Izzy said, and both laughed.

Brooke shook her head, "Chase, sweety, please use small clear words for Uncle Luke; he's confused enough as it is," she said.

"Mrs. Asher Wettin's first name is Jessalyn," Chase said.

"Jessalyn?" Izzy asked, "As in?"

Chase nodded, "Yup, the same person," she said.

Izzy shook her head, "That's not good," she said.

"You're telling me," Chase said.

"Are you worried about a counter-coup?" Lucas asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Brooke asked.

"Now he has Mom saying it," Chase said.

"Same goes for her like him?" Izzy asked.

Chase nodded, "Yup," she said.

Lucas shrugged and turned to the court to watch the warm-ups.