CHAPTER 17: JOHN MACIEL'S DEAL

Word started to spread across campus about what I did at the football game. Everyone was talking about what I did, and I mean everyone. Everywhere on campus, all I heard people talk about what either how badly I hurt the Jocks and their reputation, how I messed up game night, or even how much Jake wanted to hurt me. A lot of the non-clique students looked at me in surprised as I marched down hallways, the Nerds gave me high-fives, and even a few of the Bullies, with one of them being George, congratulated me in person.

"Much respect", George tells me. "I can't even hate on you for helping them collect their money. Taking on an entire football team, that is fucking awesome". "Thanks, dude", I said as we fist bump. "Our leader, Tyler Northrop, will want a word with you as soon as you are available", George then tells me. "I'll try and see him later today if that's the case", I told him. "Give me your number. He usually likes setting up meetings", he says. I wrote my number on a slip of paper and then gave it to him. Right after he took the sheet and left, Jaquon came out of nowhere and pinned me against a set of lockers.

"You sack of shit", he tells me, "you think you got what it takes to take us down?" "I did so far", I retorted. Just as I said that to him, he pressed me harder onto the lockers. "You think this is a game? You think that you can go against the top dogs of the school? You don't know what you're dealing with. We humiliated you once, we will do it again". With what strength I had, I then knocked his hands off me. "Get your hands off me", I told him as I pushed him away. "I don't care what you do to me now. I'm going to take your whole damn clique down, and there is nothing you can do about that". Just as I said that, he threw a punch at me only for me to dodge it and watched it smashed right into one of the locker doors. I was getting ready to fight him when a female prefect came out of nowhere and pressed Jaquon against the lockers, slapping cuffs onto his hands in the process.

"Let go of me. I did nothing wrong", Jaquon pleaded. "Initiating violence is not allowed in the academy", the prefect tells him. "He's the one that initiated the violence. He attacked us during our game", Jaquon says out-loud. "Not according to John Maciel, he didn't", the prefect tells him. Jaquon remained silent as the prefect turned to me and said, "Speaking of which, John Maciel wants to speak with you. He'll meet you over at Burger Shot in Old Bullworth Vale. Arrive at exactly 4:00 PM if you don't want to get on his wrong side". And just like that, both the prefect and Jaquon were gone before I could ask why.

He probably wants to beat me up for hurting one of his prefects back on Friday. Or probably threaten me for harassing Jake and his team during the game. Whatever the case, I don't trust John. He allowed Jake to run amuck on campus and let him do whatever the hell he wanted. I have never run across a corrupt cop before back in Liberty City, but John fits the perfect description of one as much as I know. From what I know, all the prefects under his command are afraid of him and do not want to get on his bad side.

I was not looking forward to our meeting, not one single bit. But since he was the big-bad authority figure around here, I had no choice unless I wanted to face his sheer brutality. Man, this was becoming one hell of a Monday, and I thought Mondays were meant to be boring.

7 Hours Later; 4:00 PM

After I was done with my last class of the day, I hopped into my car and made my way to Burger Shot. Once I parked my car at a convenient spot, I walked about a block or so to the fast-food joint. Once I entered the restaurant, I scanned all the tables for any sign of John. After a while of scanning, I couldn't find him. And I thought that he was serious about meeting me here.

I sat down at one of the tables and started looking at the menu to pass the time. After a while of looking over the menu, I was about to order the heart-stopper when I felt something tap me right on the back of my head. "Bang, you are dead", the cold familiar voice tells me. "You got me", I told John as he sat on the opposite end of the table. "Seems a little immature for you to mess around like that, doesn't it?" I asked him. He ignored my question and went straight to the point. "I know about your plan to take the Jocks down, and I totally support you for your actions".

"You support me?" I asked in utter shock. This makes no sense whatsoever, I thought to myself. "May I ask why?" I then ask him. "Jake has been taking this whole 'in charge of school' phase for far too long. It's time he gets knocked down all the way to the bottom", John answers. This still doesn't make any sense. "You're the one that practically gave him the untouchable attitude", I pointed out. "Just from what gathered up during my time here about your mutual friendship with Jake, you let him do anything at his free will and you never stop him. And now, you want him to stop. Why can't you just tell him?"

"I tried", John explained, "I really did. The problem is that Jake just can't take no anymore. He let stardom get into his head. And you are right, he is untouchable now because of me. I never should have given him special privileges, and I did. But now, I plan on to change that. I plan onto with your help". "With my help?" I asked him.

"Word across campus is that you declared war against the Jocks, and every clique besides the Preppies want to back you up", John explained. "However, they will want certain tasks done to know if you're the real deal or not". "Craig already told me that", I told him. "So, you're working with the Nerds already?" John asks. "I wouldn't have sniped the Jocks on the field had Craig not ordered that special BB gun", I told him. "Good to know", John remarks. "I have to ask you this", I told him, "why should I let you help me out? Why let you in onto my plans after letting Jake humiliate me weeks ago?"

"I didn't know that Jake would do that", John answers, "and for that, I'm sorry that it did happen". "I don't even know if I should let you in on my plans. How can I tell that you're trustworthy?" I then ask him. "You don't think that I'm trustworthy?" John asks. "How about what happened earlier in the hallway with Jaquon? How about the fact that you didn't go to Headmaster Kowalski's office and got detention for shooting one of my subordinate officers in the crotch Friday night? If I wanted to right now, I could drag your ass into an alleyway, beat the living tar out of you in front of some town folks, and I wouldn't even have to worry about losing my position as head prefect. I could do all that just for what you did, and I would get no punishments. Kowalski is oblivious to my power, and I intend to keep it that way.

"Believe it or not, I can help you by keeping my prefects in line and telling them to turn a blind-eye from your actions. I can also provide you with some weapons that could come in handy, from airsoft guns, BB guns, paintball guns, and Spud Guns to more wacky stuff like marbles, stink-bombs, and possibly dildo bats if I wanted to get you one". "Dildo bats, really?" I asked him. "I'd rather keep those in Saints Row rather than to actually use one on campus", I then tell him. "Whatever the case, I can get you anything if I get in on your plans", John tells me. "Question is will you let me in?"

This was probably the most difficult decision in my life. On the one hand, I could really use him to get some interesting weapons that may be useful further on in my plans. Hell, if the other cliques were going to be in on my plans and probably even help me out on the field, then they were going to need some weapons of their own. On the other, Craig told me about John's former past life back in Los Santos. How he was a member of the Vagos crime gang and possibly killed a rival gang member. My dad has always told me that if you can't trust someone, then there was no point in making them allies, and he would know from what I heard he did 20 years ago when he first arrived in America. But there was one expression that he has told me before that kind of lost its meaning years ago: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. After taking that into consideration, I finally made my decision.

"When can you get weapons for the Bullies? I'll be meeting them sometime later this week, so we may need to get them some", I told John. "Smart decision", he tells me. He then gets up from his seat and tells me, "I should get them in by Thursday. I have a contact that really delivers. For now, continue with your plans. Enjoy your evening".

And just like that, he left the burger joint. At that moment, I hoped that I was making the smart decision. If John Maciel could keep the prefects off us while we wage war on the Jocks, then that could be a great advantage for us. Weapons was also a huge necessity for us now. I just hope John can deliver on his promises. However, there could be inner motive for him to help me. I'll have to keep an eye on him from now on.