CHAPTER 12: TRUTH BE UNCOVERED

It's 5:00 PM right now and we just got finished with cleaning the Main Building...again, after the attack that Ted set up. I can't believe that he survived and tried to take out my group. Well, doesn't matter now because he's dead. Clayton pretty much took care of that. I don't think that he'll ever be the same after all this.

"You don't think that he'll turn all psycho now? You know, kill us all while we're asleep?" Pete asks me as we're walking to the cafeteria. "I hope he doesn't. But seeing how he reacted to his own action, I seriously don't think he plans on killing us. He doesn't seem unstable. At least not yet", I told him. "At least not yet. And you know, at least he's not Gary", Pete says. "That is true. Wonder what it would be like if he were here?" I then ask. "I bet he would be trying to take over the group. That or cut our throats", Pete suggests. "Sounds about right", I said out-loud. As we entered the kitchen, we got in line and got our food. As soon as we got to our table, the lights turned off automatically.

"WHAT THE...", Pete yells as he startlingly jumped from his seat. "Hold on a second", Clayton said as he got up from his seat and then went over to the light switches. He flipped them on and off, but nothing happened. He then went upstairs to the Main Hall. After a while, he came back down the stairs and said, "The electricity is out. We're going to have to find candles and then light the place up. Hopefully if Pete is right, these classrooms have candles that we can take and use". "Well they should", Pete says to him. They then went upstairs to get some candles while I ate my food. "You gotta go soon?" Zoe asks while I was eating. "I only had to come back and warn you guys about the Savages", I told her. Right after everyone was done cleaning, Clayton told everyone about the new threat outside the walls of the school and how they should always be aware of this threat once we take back the entire school. "Are you really going to see the Bullies? What if the Nerds are right about them?" Zoe asks. "Well, let's not assume the worse until I check them out first. If they're still loyal to Russell and to me, then maybe I can talk them out of working with the Savages when I meet them", I told her. "I just hope you know what your're doing", she then tells me.

I finished eating my food, got up and then kissed her. "Well, I gotta go", I told her. "Be careful", she tells me. "I always am", I told her. I then left the cafeteria and ran into Pete and Clayton. "I'm going to go head and meet up with the Bullies", I told them. "Cool. But before you leave, I need to tell you something", Clayton says. "What is it?" I asked him. "If you go to Blue Skies and happen to be anywhere near the power plant, see if you can turn the power back on", he suggests. "I don't know if that could work. For one thing, I never managed heavy machinery before", I told him. "Damn", he said out-loud. "But I might just know some people who probably know how to mess with that stuff", I told him. "Good luck out there...again", Pete says before I left them behind. I walked out the door and then made my way back to my truck. Along the way, I took out more zombies along the way. When I got to the parking lot gate, I opened it a bit, squeezed through and then hopped into the truck. I started it up, made a three-point turn around, and then drove my way back to Bullworth Town.

When I crossed the bridge, I turned right on the one-way street and then turned onto New Coventry Road. I knew for certain that the Bullies were taking refuge at the In-And-Out Motel. And sure enough when I drove up to the driveway to the parking lot, there was some barricades blocking the way in. The Bullies are here. I probably should have told Russell that I was going to see them, but I wasn't so keen on telling him after what Algie told me. When we were cleaning up the Main Building after the attack, Russell came up to me and asked if I found his boys yet. "Not yet, but I'll let you know when I do", I lied to him. I had no intention on telling him yet. Not till I figure out their game.

I turned the truck off and then got my Super Slingshot and Spud Gun equipped, just in case. I hopped out of the car and then walked up to the barriers. I don't know why but the Bullies sure like to hang here, even before the start of the zombie outbreak. The motel was owned by Mihailovich and it was pretty much abandon most of the time. Throughout the school year, I kept hearing rumors about how Mihailovich killed his customers and then stored them somewhere in the motel. Sounded more like something out of a horror movie. I never did believe it at first, but since there are zombies walking around town...well, it's not something that I'm gonna dismiss now. "Hello", I hollered. I hopped over the barrier and then yelled again, "HELLO". Just then, two of them, Trent and Troy, popped out from around the corner with baseball bats at hand. "HOW DARE YOU TRESPASS ON OUR TURF?" Troy yells while charging. "Hey, hey, hey, take it easy", I said while backing up from him. "It's me, Jimmy Hopkins. I'm not here to hurt you guys".

"Hopkins? My God, you're still alive?" Trent asks. "Yeah and I'm here on a mission", I told him. "What kind of mission?" Troy asks. "The kind that I want to ask to everyone. But first, I have to ask you one question: are you guys working for the Savages?" I asked them. They looked at me confused and Trent then said, "Why would we work for those guys? They attacked us a few nights ago". "Really? The Nerds said that you guys were working with them", I told them. "WHAT?" Trent asks. "The Nerds said what?" Troy asks. "They said that you guys were working with the Savages and that they wanted me to kill you guys", I told them. "Well then, are you here to kill us?" Trent asks. "No, not unless you try to kill me. Do you guys feed living people to zombies?" I asked them. "NO. Did they say that too?" Trent asks. "No, but they did say you guys dissect them and even stick their heads on sticks once you're through", I told them. They both gave me shocking looks on their faces, I could tell that they really want to hurt the Nerds.

"Give us a minute", Trent tells me as he pulls Troy to the side. "This is worse than what we thought. We need to take him to Wade. He'll know what to do", Trent tells Troy. "What will Wade do?" Troy asks. "He'll talk some sense to Hopkins and he'll see the truth", Trent says. "What truth?" I asked them. They came back and then Trent said, "Come on, we'll take you to Wade. He's our leader now. We'll explain everything you need to know".

I followed Trent and Troy over to the motel. When we approached the office door, they opened it up and walked in. I followed them and saw Wade behind the counter, with a wooden plank in hand. "Jimmy, what are you doing here?" Wade asks in a surprised tone as I walked in. "Wade, we may have a problem", Trent says. "What kind of trouble?" Tom asks as he steps out of a back room. "SHUT UP", Wade hollers at Tom. "He was talking to me. What kind of problem". "The Nerds, mainly Algie, send me to kill you, but I need you guys alive", I explained to him. "WHAT?" Wade yells. "Hopkins says that the Nerds tried to get him to kill us. They told him lies about how we dissect zombies and keep their heads on sticks. And they also said that we're working for the Savages", Trent says. I watched Wade as he got so mad that he literally turned red. He then stormed out of the office and over to the birdbath in the middle of the courtyard. Using his plank, he smashed it to pieces as he yelled out in frustration. "Jesus Christ, will you calm down?" I said to him as I walked up to him. "You think that's bad, he smashed all the windows and lights on the Taxi cab over there", Tom said while pointing to the nearby car. Sure enough, the Taxi was completely smashed. Dents on the bodywork, glass everywhere on the ground. Yeah, that's Wade handiwork.

"Those Nerds are really starting to piss me off", Wade says as he drops his plank on the ground. "They're the ones that has been hostile to us. We tried to get some supplies in the clinic and they just nearly burned us alive. They want to kill us and dissect our bodies. All those stories that they must have told you about us are a bunch of lies". "Now why would they tell lies to me, even after all that I done for them?" I asked them. "Trust me man, they're using you for their dirty work and we have proof", Wade tells me. "Alright, show me your proof", I instructed him. "Oh we don't have it here. It's back at the comic book store. The Nerds actually take zombies and rip them limb to limb. They usually keep them in one of the rooms on the apartment floor. Find the dissected zombies there and you'll know the truth". "Alright, I'll check it out then", I told him. "By the way, what did you mean by that you needed us?" Tom asks me.

"I got a plan to unite all or most of the cliques to take the school back from the zombies and I was hoping that you guys would be a part of it. So far, I only got the Preps on-board. Most of the Nerds and all the Jocks are dead, and I still got to see what you guys, the Greasers and the Townies have to say about it", I explained. "I'm guessing you already asked the Nerds over at the comic book store to join?" Wade asks. "They wouldn't join if you guys join too", I told him. "I'm sorry to say, but we'll past too. Unless...you kill those smart-asses", Wade says. "I knew you were going to say it", I told him. "Again if you don't believe us about them, then go check out their little science project that they have going on in the apartment", Wade says. "Why should we go back to the school anyway? We're fine here", Troy then says.

"Because believe it or not, it's safer there than it is here. Plus, Russell's alive", I told Troy. "Russell's alive?" Wade asks. "Yeah and so is your sister Christy. They're both alive and well. We recently had an attack, but everyone's okay. No one died but the bad guy", I told him. "My God, I thought that she was killed right after the outbreak in the school", Wade says. "Yeah well, she's safe", I said to him. "Now, I'm going to check out the Nerds now. I should probably check out your guys' hideout, but for some reason I believe you guys. Gut instinct, I guess". "Be careful", Tom tells me. I nodded at him and Wade and then I went back to my truck. I hopped over the barrier and got into my truck. I made a 180 and started driving back to the comic book store. As I got back to the Nerds' haven, I can't help but think what just might just happen if the Nerds are the hostile group. What will happen if I find out the dirty truth, if there is a dirty truth to be uncovered. Well, there's only one way to find out.