Too Equal For My Taste

Chapter 11: A Murtaugh's Failure

The Bakers rode back home, Jake personally enjoying daydreaming about the glory he received from the same students who made fun of him. Boy, did he show them? Tom privately felt grateful that Jake did what he did, and even Kate felt kind of happy. It was a nice sacrifice, and it really helped them. It was behind the great win the Bakers received that day, and that was worth thinking about. Not once did it occur to the Bakers that the Murtaugh's were having their own trouble by the time they arrived home.

Jake smashing Calvin the way he did counted majorly against the young man. Calvin was being confronted at home about the performance, and who else would bring it up, but someone seeking to get the position himself for his own desires? Kenneth Murtaugh laughed himself stupid at Calvin the moment they all arrived home.

"That was so"- he tried gasping for breath. "So- so gay. That was hilarious. You were, hah, you were beaten by a kid!"

The room they were in was quite small and dimly lit. Just a few sofas were scattered throughout the room, so only the older kids and parents sat on them. The rest sat back and relaxed on beanbag chairs, and rested their heads on their palms.

Jimmy and Serina listened solemnly as Ken laughed at Calvin out loud. A few of the younger kids grinned as well as Calvin was looking very small, and Ken was having the time of his life.

"He ran into me!" Calvin complained. "That was classic Zidane right there. It's not fair. He should be kicked from the competition right now."

"Yeah, only there was no head-butt!" Ken said back at him. "Face it, you suck. I call for impeachment right now."

Serina looked up. "Wait a sec. Impeachment? Of Calvin?" She looked at Jimmy. If Jimmy agreed to a fair vote, then Calvin would be kicked from captaincy, and Ken would have a wide open shot.

Jimmy looked down. He did feel his own mistake in demanding Calvin captain. He sighed, "I guess we should do a vote for a captain."

"Wait, that's not fair!" Calvin said angrily. "I'm older, and more experienced in life than those nuts."

"Those nuts were playing better than you ordered!" Ken said back at him. "I'm putting myself up for captaincy. This way, we can really own them. Show them that we rule. That numbers don't always count. We're one player less than them. We can show them that just because they're more athletic, doesn't they mean they win. If we win this, we'll have bragging rights for a whole year! We won't have to listen to their gloating. We won't have to look at their smirks. We won't have to look at their smugness. Now, let's kick their asses!"

Jimmy nodded, and opened his mouth, "Ok, I'll accept a new captain, but Ken is too you"-

Ken was about to angrily retort to his father, but he was saved the trouble by Serina, "Oh no, not this time, Jimmy!" she said angrily. "Listen to me." Jimmy opened his mouth to argue, but Serina silenced him again, "Listen, now! You're the one who wants the competition. I accepted it. You want a real one, you'll accept whoever earns the vote. Or so help me, I will call Kate, and call this whole damn thing off!"

It was no use arguing with her. He had to cooperate, or it really would be called off. After playing the first game, he didn't want that. He wanted to keep going. "Ok, ok, you win," Jimmy gave in.

"Who else is coming forward," Serina called.

Calvin stood up, "I'm coming forward, and making my case. I'm older. I'm more athletic. Plus, if I'm captain, I can push for Jake's elimination from the games, because he'll do it again!"

"Yeah, and as much as we'd love that, they might call the thing off," Ken pointed out sarcastically. "Just leave it. Jake's a good player. Minus the next time he does it, and it doesn't matter."

"Well, we already heard both of them," Serina said commandingly over the two. "Whoever wants Calvin, raise your hand."

Only the two older kids voted for him. Daniel and Anne promptly raised their hands, and tried speaking with their hands raised in protest to convince others.

"He's older," Anne protested.

"Exactly, we need someone like him!" Daniel said in agreement. "Guys listen. If Calvin stays our captain, we can get Jake out of their team. Plus, they can't throw the competition away. It'll be too much to lose; especially after they won the first game."

"No one wins one day, and wakes up the next thinking, 'I'm going to drop out.'" Anne said pointedly.

"But losing their best player will put pressure on them to throw it away, and we won't fairly win," Ken said over them. "Though we could take that as forfeit, we didn't a win a thing. If we win by playing, however roughly, they won't have any excuse. They would have failed. Eliminating Jake is dangerous."

"Plus, it'll reignite enmity between the two families," Serina agreed. "No, I personally think Ken's right. It doesn't really matter who's older, and Tom was wrong to demand him in."

By the end, Daniel and Anne's vain attempt only won Jimmy over. Kenneth won the rest, including Serina's vote. That secured everything for him. Ken was voted new captain of the Murtaugh's.

A/N: Now we just need to see if Ken's plan will fall into place, or if he too will be voted down. Everyone R&R, since it's a game we're talking about. If you want the Bakers to win, they're gonna need all the help they can get, and reviews will increase their morale. (I never made a statement like that before. That's new)