Chapter 13

The call turned out to be a simple extrication from the trunk of a car. Seems two siblings were fighting and the older brother threw his sisters favorite doll in the trunk of an old abandoned car in a vacant lot and slammed the lid closed on her. No one knew if there even was a key to the thing so with police approval John and Roy used the Ajax tool and a pry bar to get the trunk open and the crying girl out and into her mother's arms. A quick check showed she was alright and her mother agreed to take her to her doctor if there were any problems.

Before John and Roy left the area they used the tools on the squad to remove the trunk lid from the car to prevent anything like that from happening again.

The first thing Roy did when he got back in the squad was drape his arms over the steering wheel and burry his head for a moment then he took in a deep breath and lifted his head taking in the family they had helped. The mother was still holding her crying daughter on her hip the girl's doll held as tight as the daughter. To the side was a now ashamed brother with his hands in his pockets and his head hung low, a police officer asking him questions and taking notes. Roy let out his deep breath and looked once more at the car they had tore apart and then to his partner.

"Ready to go back to work?"

"Are you?" Johnny replied as he studied his partner.

"Yeah, I think I am." Roy responded then started the truck and put it into gear.

When the squad was backed into its place in the apparatus bay the two paramedics rolled out of the squad with thoughts of fresh coffee only to hear their Captain call them.

"Roy, you have a visitor, she's in the office. John pall I need to talk to you about an accident report the police are now investigating." With that Roy was thumbed into the office and John was directed to the back of the engine to discuss the papers in Captain Stanley's hands.

With some trepidation Roy stepped in to the office to find Miss Marlow rising to her feet at his entrance.

"HI there, Cap said you wanted to see me?" Roy responded.

"Yes," Miss Marlow responded and her tone of voice brought some hope to Roy, "I wanted to tell you that as a result of the conversation we were having with Mr. Bunker when you left he has been placed on temporary leave pending the outcome of a psychological evaluation." Roy instantly let out a deep sight of relief, "The substitute teacher that has been assigned to his class until things are settled is a former Marine with experience in Law enforcement and has worked with a few at risk youth groups. Also thanks to the little party you had at your house the other night, we now know the out of sight places where most of the incidents where children were harmed have taken place. We have a group of screened volunteers monitoring those area's and have already picked up three children in bullying behavior. You may find it interesting to know that two of the juveniles who were involved in your son's assault were truant from the nearby Junior High school, they are both former students of Mr. Bunker." "Still we can't prove that they didn't just act on their own accord and of course the boys aren't talking, accept to place blame on your son. Don't worry we've already proven their accusations to be false, but their still standing by them. Their court representative is one who has worked with them for several years now they aren't worried about any consequences of their actions, at least not yet. I'm going to be working heavily with the judge to find some appropriate consequences for their actions and hopefully some professional counseling."

"So it's done, this rest of the students are safe now?" Roy questioned, it all seemed too good to be true.

"I think the term is safer for the time being." Miss Marlow blew reality into the situation. "Mr. Bunker is still a much respected teacher, by parents and peers alike, Most of his fellow teachers think he's a wonder to behold, believing her is bringing about great changes in students that have caused problems throughout their school career. He's up for a fancy award for his success in taming the problem student. Frankly I think they're just glad to have some one take care of them and worried if we pull him out of the school that they'll have to deal with those problem student's themselves." Miss Marlow took a moment to look Roy in the eyes. "This war is far from over but at least we have won a major battle for now."

Again Roy sighed and let out a deep breath.

"I thought you'd like to know about the every little situation Mr. Bunker accused your son of taking charge of, well, I've gotten several reports of how one of Bunker's boys have tried to start something only to have your son walk in to the argument as calm as can be and encourage the other boys to walk away with him. He's quoted as saying, 'the fastest way to win a fight is to refuse to take part in one.' I have a hunch that's something you've taught him?"

"Actually it was his mother," Roy gave his wife credit, "I'm the one who tells him to just walk away and not let it get to him. I guess his mother's advice has been the best."

"Well I can tell you that a lot of your son's friends have noticed how angry the other kids get when they just walk away. They see it as a Victory and plan to keep up the practice." Miss Marlow again praised.

"Thank you for telling me that," Roy responded with a thoughtful smile, "It's nice to know."

"One of the reason's I came to speak with you. Now that we have Mr. Bunker out of the school and a more intense grounds security in place, we are going to be bussing the Baldwin children back to school. They will remain in the shelter until their mother is released from the hospital and can care for them herself but everyone involved believes it is best to get them back to a normal routine. I'm here to recommend that you do the same with your children. Of course we will let that be your judgment but I thought you might also help out with grounds security, on your days off of course."

"I'll have to talk to my wife about it, as far as putting the children back in school, as for the security thing is there some training, I mean I don't know what to do if I catch the kids beating on other kids and with out some guide lines I would probably wind up beating them to a pulp." Roy responded with a doubled up fist hitting his open palm.

"I'm impressed by your honesty and I understand your feelings, there is a short class we are asking the other volunteers to take but being as it is taught while you are on shift I'll arrange for you to work closely with one of the police officers who is volunteering with this project and that way he can show you the ropes."

Miss Marlow ended by giving Roy some literature to read and leaving him to work out the rest for himself.

After walking her to her car Roy returned to the station and found his partner and Captain on the tail board of the fire engine, "Is there something I can do to help with things here?" Roy asked.

"Possibly, how did things go in the office?" Hank looked up hopeful of good news fearful of something else.

"They've put Mr. Bunker on a leave of absence pending the out come of a psyche eval. And but a former Marine in his place for the time being. They've also beefed up play ground coverage with extra people to focus on the out of the way area's the Bunker Boys are pulling their victims into."

Roy moved closer and leaned into the engine. "They've decided it's safe enough to send the Baldwin children back to school and want me and JoAnne to send Chris and Jenny back."

"What are you going to do?" John asked as he leaned around his Captain.

"Well, they have taken care of a big part of the problem and the kids belong in school, I'm sure Jo will agree with me that they need to go back."

"It's either that or private school," Cap interjected seeing exactly where Roy stood.

"Not on my pay scale," Roy stated the obvious before sitting down next to his partner and Captain to look over the reports at hand.

Later that afternoon Roy and JoAnne spoke over the phone about the situation and it was decided that it would be best to keep Chris home for a few more days to heal but that is should be safe to send Jenny back to school.

JoAnne readily agreed telling her husband that Jenny was finding all kinds of books to read at the shelter including one on surgical procedures and how to perform them. "She really needs to get back to school where she's just applying Band-Aids," JO declared.

As the DeSoto world turned the Jenny's first day back to school was also Roy's first day back on duty. Roy was up early giving his son a good check over. He wanted to keep him home for another day or two but Chris felt he had something to prove and could only prove it by going back to school. He assured his parents that he had no intention of playing on the play ground and would just sit on the planters watching the other kids during recess.

Roy hummed and hawed and took a few deep breaths then checked his son's cracked ribs once again. Then JoAnne lay her hand on his shoulder, "We have to have faith in the system or it won't work," Jo said softly.

Roy looked up at his wife; they had talked and talked and talked about all that had happened. "The only thing to fear is fear it's self." Roy repeated the phrase that the two of them had talked about in bed long after the children were asleep.

Keeping a firm upper lip Roy granted his son permission to attend school, then gave them both a pep talk before he left for work.

"Just be sure to stay together, remember there are going to be extra people there today and it's their job to take care of any problems. If you happen to see anything suspicious you should go to them don't try and fix it yourself." Roy made sure to look each of his children in the eyes and made sure they knew all the places as school to avoid. Then he softened and gave each one a hug, extra gentle for Chris because of his ribs. "Have a good day and stay safe."

JoAnne gave her husband a long passionate kiss, that the children groaned at having to see, and begged him to keep his mind on his work and stay safe for them and Roy went on his way to work.

Feeling the bus could be a week link in the new monitoring system and given that her children had been in the middle of a brawl on the bus once before, JoAnne decided to drive her children to school. As she arrived she realized that she wasn't the only one who felt that way as several of the neighbors and other friends she knew were also there walking their children up to the building. Jo did the same doing her best to keep Chris from getting his ribs bumped in the sea of children. As she walked her children to the door she noticed the extra people, some she knew were police officer others were from the school district. Everyone was trying to make the children feel comfortable and not scared, but Jo had to raise a few eyebrows at some of the smiles. Some looked painted on, others stiff and starched there were those that were genuine and they were in the majority but there was still some strain in the system.

Once the bell rang and the students were taken inside the building and to their classes the parents talked to each other for a while outside and then gradually pealed away and headed home to do what ever they could to stay calm until their children came home again.

Once in the class room Jenny was quick to wave to Tracy and each had a genuine smile on their face. School went fine and when the first recess came Jenny and Tracy found they didn't have to work for be in a group they were welcomed by several girls to play hop scotch.

Chris had to ease himself into his desk but found several of his buddies from the neighborhood and scouts were willing to sharpen his pencils for him and do some of his running so that he wouldn't have to get up and down from his desk it was clearly painful to move.

At recess the boys sat around on the planters near where the girls were playing hop scotch and when a group of Bunker Boys walked over looking like they were going to do something to send a message the boys all got up and stood in a line between the Bunker Boys and the girls playing hop scotch.

Before anything could happen the extra playground workers intervened and the Bunker boys were sent to another part of the play ground while the rest of the kids sat down again and the girls played hop scotch. While they say and while the girls were waiting for their turn the topic of conversation was how to stay safe and what and where to hit if and only if you felt you had to. For the most part the word was spread as to places around the school to avoid and the protection found in groups.

During lunch recess their group had grown, they wanted to feel safe and by talking amongst themselves they had each convinced themselves how to go about that and still be the good kids their parents wanted them to be.

During the last recess there was a slight disturbance in the far corner of the school yard caused by some older possible even high school aged boys. The Play ground workers quickly grouped up to follow the principle out to deal with that situation as the other children were directed to a quieter part of the play ground nearer the building.

Before they even got out of the building Chris and some of his friends along with Jenny, Tracy and a few of the more determine minded girls were corralled and elbowed and shoved until they were being herded down the hall toward the lunch room. Several of the group managed to get away but the Bunker Boys doing the herding, including some Junior High school aged boys were focused on Chris, Allen, Tracy, and Jenny and several of those who were tight with them.

They knew they were being herded toward the Janitors closet, A room that also housed the entrance to the stair well that led to the top of the school. This was one of those to avoid at all cost places at the school but the principal had felt the best way to avoid problems with that location was to keep the door locked rather than to worry about keeping some one in that area.

The tension was mounting as each of the ten children being pushed and shoved, and yes they were particularly brutal toward Chris and Allen and their injured ribs and other injured areas, and they were all being directed to the Janitor's closet.

Everyone really started to worry when they looked up to see Mr. Bunker himself standing at the door with the key in hand unlocking it.

"We're going to take our school back," one of the pushing boys claimed and Chris and his group took hold of the younger ones and stopped starting to bunch up with their backs against each other forming a circle of protection. Those who didn't start the protective circle soon joined in and the stronger ones pushed the smaller and younger ones in behind them to protect them including Chris and Allen.

"It's our school too and we're not going to give it to you to terrorize us with it." Gerry Connor declared, He and his brother had spent the long weekend talking after they had met with police and social workers at the DeSoto House after Chris had been injured. They had heavily discussed ways to avoid a fight but also were given permission to do what they had to, to keep from being puppets or get pushed around.

"Well if you haven't noticed there's more of us than there is of you and we all know who's the toughest."

"Do we?" Chris poked a shoulder into the outer circle. There were ten of them and that included Jenny, Tracy and three other girls all younger than the group of boys that were surrounding them. Thirteen at the count the smallest of them being bigger than the biggest of the other group some of them no longer in elementary school,

Chris was really hoping that it was true what they said when they said the bigger you are the harder you fall.