The gangs hadn't been as much of an issue for Jack and Andi for a few weeks. Nothing had happened and they hadn't recognised anybody in the few weeks they'd turned up on the odd occasion. Frustratingly, they had nothing to even explain who they were or what they belonged to. "Orange shoelaces represented the Dale Sken Crew," was something that went around but looking at their shoes had been the last thing they thought of.
Stood in a long line before school. Mr Byrne seemed a defeated man as he handed out bags for phones. Somehow, Jack conjured up a quick plan to avoid having to hand his phone in and Mr Byrne seemed to trust anything the more normal kids said. "I'd never brought a phone in. Andi's always done the same. No reason to start now," Jack mentions in a more confident tone than usual in an attempt to hide his lie. Somehow, it worked.
Heading to the new security gate, "Williams, Jack," Jack says knowing it was the last name first. Easily heading through the gate. Following the same format, "O'Donnell, Andi," continued Andi. "Like that radio show, Viv," the seemingly uninterested security guard had mentioned. He didn't seem interested in the slightest. He'd have probably let anybody through those gates.
Maths was the first lesson of the day. The only thing announcing an off-timetable day about Gang Violence did was bring a concern to those who had nothing to do with it. Chalky explained how he was the Gang Liaison Officer for the school and seemed to have been deserving of the role despite everything about him describing otherwise.
At the end of class, Jack let the group he was with head off to break. "I'll catch up later. I've just got to speak to Chalky," Jack says as the group think nothing of it. As the class leaves, Jack closes the door. "You seem to know a lot about this gang stuff. I don't think you have a past," Jack begins to say with slight concern in his voice. "How much do you know?" Jack asks Chalky with interest. "Only what's available online. History of armed robberies, drugs, and anything criminal. It's possible to be them," Chalky replies looking slightly confused why this Southern, more normal kid would be in any way interested.
"What would you say to drugs near the Retail Park? Three guys in their 20s holding small, green parcels. About the size of two or three PS3 games stacked on top of each other," Jack continues. Noticing Chalky's eyes widen as he wonders how this would be the case. "I couldn't tell you when I know just that. It's possible to be the Dale Sken Crew but it could be any of them, why?" Chalky asks with what could only be described as a combination of shock and concern on his face. "Went out with Andi at the end of term, and she led me to somewhere quieter. As we were about to leave, these three guys backed us back in and threatened us. Doing this," Jack says with fear on his face as he drags his finger across his neck.
"That's very serious," Chalky replies in shock. "But I don't know enough from what you said to help. It makes sense they're from the Dale Sken Crew. I'd recommend you keep quiet but you probably figured that out for yourselves," Chalky finishes. "Yep. Thanks," Jack says as he headed out the door.
Heading down to break, Jack moves Andi to one side. "I told Chalky. He said to keep our heads down as well since there's not enough to go on," Jack says with continued fear in his voice. "You have your phone and I have mine. Put it on silent if it goes wrong," Jack continues to recommend. "Chalky was the guy who'd be the most useful. I know you might be annoyed," Jack finally finishes as Andi shakes her head. "No. Mr Chalk is the easiest guy to speak to. I understand," Andi responds more softly as she's aware of the situation around her.
"The more trivial, the better," Mrs Diamond mentions in an attempt to understand the minor nature of gang warfare. "Who cares about the Premier League title race? The Championship is far more interesting. The Skates are being relegated and the Saints are going up. Beat Middlesbrough and Coventry and it's fighting over second for you," Jack, for some reason, responds to Emily's uninteresting jab about the two Manchester Clubs. Andi eye-rolls at the comment. "What? She said the more trivial, the better. I know where I am. This is my element," Jack responds to Andi's eye-roll.
For some reason, this turns into a discussion of jealousy between Scout and Emily and the former then stormed out of class. "Must be a Reading fan," Jack says with his tongue firmly in his cheek. Prompting a further nudge from Andi. Continuing the annoyance, "She says trivial. I could go far worse," Jack says with a sly smile. "I'm the manliest person when I go round your house. See. The joke also works when you go round Mr Wilding's house," Jack continues with a scowl from Andi. "The line gets even worse when you realise I say it. I'll stop now," Jack finishes. Knowing he's just digging himself a deeper hole.
The rest of the Sciences of Gang Warfare turned out normal…well as normal as something you could call the Sciences of Gang Warfare. In English, Mr Clarkson seemed different to his usual self. Understandable considering the circumstances. Overhearing a marriage proposal and an argument involving immigration followed.
"Back onto the economy, education probably comes under that too. Investment into education helps the economy and prevents them from going to gangs," Jack says bouncing off Danilo's point from earlier in an attempt to divert from the awkwardness.
At lunch, Scout and Danilo seem to go missing. "I need the toilet. I'll be back in a minute," says Jack whilst on their hunt for the pair. "Keep looking. They can't have gone far," Jack continues as he heads off.
Returning from the toilet, Jack bumps into Mr Clarkson, "Do you have any idea where Scout and Danilo have gone?" He asks in a hurried tone. Noticing his rush, he responds with a quick shake of the head. "No. Marriage is my guess but it's a far-fetched one." Jack responds as Mr Clarkson hurries off.
Returning to the side gate, Jack notices a lack of Andi. Even anybody else. It was a quiet part of the school but there were a couple of people there. In response, Jack rushes around like a headless chicken in a blind panic. "Andi!" He shouts around the exit as Chalky comes up to him. "What is it?" He asks in his usual, calmer voice. "I went to the toilet, came back and she's gone. That's all I know," trembles Jack in his current panicky tone. "Come on. Let's head to the toilet. Maybe she's there," Chalky replies with a lot more logic than Jack has. "She'd have been out by now," Jack replies as Chalky puts his arm around his shoulder and guides him in.
Waiting outside the toilet, the wait for a female teacher feels like an age as Mrs Diamond comes in a similar rush to earlier. "Can you check in there for Andi O'Donnell?" Chalky asks before heading in. Looking confused as she returns, "No response," Mrs Diamond says in a confused tone as Jack's eyes widen.
"Come on. What have you got next?" Chalky asks as his concern increases. "Something with Mr Budgeon," Jack mentions knowing it's off-timetable anyway. He'd probably sacrifice a few things for an excuse to get out of Mr Budgeon's classroom but not sure this was it. "You're with me. I'll make something up," he says in a much more assertive tone than usual. "It could be the people you saw a few weeks ago. Human trafficking is in their range," Chalky mentions as they head to his class.
"We both have our phones," Jack admits knowing it won't be an issue now. "In fear, I mentioned putting them on silent. We might have a chance of finding something out," Jack continues knowing the phone ban wasn't targeting a situation like this. "I didn't understand the phone ban, anyway but that's irrelevant now. We've got time to wait for something," Chalky reassures Jack in the hope that something will come for information about her whereabouts.
Minutes felt like hours and hours felt like days as Chalky's registration group came in and left at the end of the school day. Jack texted his parents that he'd be home late, if at all. Knowing it wouldn't be explainable in a text. "I texted her earlier. Nothing," Jack says with clear fear on his face. "Call her. The phone's on silent, it would be fine. She's smart," Chalky mentions.
At that time, Jack gets a text from Andi. "Birch Industrial Park. Whittle Lane. Back corner." His eyes widen more than they ever had. "Chalky. What's the plan?" He asks as he shows the phone to him and his face drops. "Reply. Find out if she can talk consistently," he says as something as Jack texts. "It's like a jail in here. Can't talk" is all Jack gets as a reply.
"Alerting the police would be too hot and dangerous. We'd have to go ourselves," Chalky advises. "You're joking, right?" Jack asks with no idea if he's being serious. "No. They'd most likely kill her with police attention," Chalky continues. "We'd have to be quiet. You'd have to change since they might have already seen you," he finally finishes.
"We'd be killed if it was just us two," Jack mentions raising a key concern. "Neither of us can run and neither of us can shoot. We can't take weapons and we've got one chance. It's a suicide mission even if I'm in all black," Jack finishes. His voice trembling as he knows how little chance they've got. "I know. We've got one chance and we don't know what their plan is. At night makes the most sense. I'll call somebody," he finishes knowing it's a suicide mission as they rush down to Chalky's car.
"We need somebody who could fight," Jack says entering his car. Continuing to tremble with fear as Chalky parks on the kerb outside Jack's house. Unlocking the door and rushing in before coming downstairs in as much black as he could find. "It's dark. Dark clothes. The opposite of being on a bike. We don't want to be seen," Jack says as he drives off.
"Where are we going?" Jack asks since he knows they're nowhere near driving into the area. "I've just got to pick him up," Chalky continues. "It's either Mr Byrne or Mr Clarkson. We've got nobody else I'd say would work in that situation," prophesies Jack.