Chapter 7: The Ransom of the Bronze and Platinum
Crabblesnitch realized his slip up would only peak my curiosity. "Dr. C, tell me. Everyone will know about it eventually. Keeping this to yourself will not help." I said trying to convince him. Ian and Anthony were starting to walk up behind me and Catie got up and backed up to the back wall. I slammed my hands on the desk to wake the principal from whatever dreamlike state he was in. "Now! What happened Dr. C? Who is the victim this time? Clearly you're afraid of going to the police for this one, and I want to try and help if I can." I said trying to get through but he stood up and looked me square in the eye; realizing we were similar in height. "What makes you think that you can help anybody? Resort to your act of aggression? I'm afraid we cannot negotiate with these street terrorists!" He yelled into my face. "What do you mean? They kidnapped someone didn't they? Who kidnapped them?" I started yelling as much as he did and he retreated to his desk to find the tape and remote.
He put in the video and played, as white noise was the only available thing on screen. Then a familiar logo flashed on the screen, but the strange thing was I hadn't seen it in years and watching it flash on the screen felt like a nightmare. It was a logo of a generic alien head, but it had a large scorpion tattooed across his face along with an animation of the alien sticking its tongue out which was the scorpion tail. I knew exactly what this was and realization came over me. Then a group of men had two people strapped to a chair and paper bags over their heads covering their identity. The men around them had either ski masks or hockey masks covering their faces. They were holding weapons of nearly every kind to show their strengths, and their weaknesses. Soon a man walked into frame from the darkness and stood between the two boys. I knew who this was immediately since he had done this kind of thing for so long behind my back. Why the hell was he showing this video to Crabblesnitch? Soon he lifted the bags up to reveal two familiar faces that had been beaten half to death.
"You may know these students Doctor. On my right is the one I call Platinum, and the other I call Bronze. Or as you may know them as Derby Harrington, and Ted Thompson, you see I can be a reasonable person Dr. Crabblesnitch, and to be honest I would rather not kill children. However, I do enjoy inflicting pain on them as much as my friend who you may know." There was a pause and I knew that he would rat me out when he gets the chance. "You may know this boy as Gary Smith." I looked at the screen wondering why he would mention him. He soon came into frame laughing along the way like he did the first day I saw him.
"Did you miss me? I bet you did. Now I know what you're thinking: I need to get the police to tag and bag Gary Smith right? You are wrong my friend, and you probably even think that I killed Hopkins right? Once again you have lost, and this can go on forever. Unfortunately killing isn't necessarily my style, and truthfully I would rather not be on death row. However, these fine gentlemen surrounding me have absolutely nothing to lose. I do have something to say though if I may. The killer does happen to be amongst the Bullworth town general population, and I can narrow it down for you. One of the people in this gang is responsible for carrying out a crime I could never bring myself to commit. However, you know what crime I can and always will commit? Blackmail. I could easily take your ass to court Crabby, especially if the general population of Bullworth as well as the police, found out about your affair with a female student on campus." Then a short video showed of Crabblesnitch and definitely a student here doing unspeakable things. I wanted to punch Crabblesnitch so bad, but I knew them talking about me was soon to come.
I wanted to stay on his good side for the time being and it took every fiber of my being not to punch him. I could only recognize the red hair I saw the first day I came swinging around.
"So here is how this is going to play out. You will meet my demands as well as theirs. You see they have come a long way to play with a forgotten friend, and all I want is something as well. My demands are met as follows, you will make me the controller of all that goes on in the school, and if possible the town. I want to make sure Bullworth understands the power of a teenage boy. This well known gang, all they want is their old friend, and you happen to be harboring them. He goes by many different names, but I know that he will undoubtedly be standing in your office as of right now. So go ahead and look at their friend and wave Crabby, and all we need is him dropped off at the location sent through the mail, and you will get your rich scum and your school spirit back. Otherwise Platinum and Bronze here; will get melted into something that stands on a pedestal at the school. Of course if you haven't figured out who their mystery friend is, he is more than likely hanging out with that new girl. We finally remembered her name, it is Catherine Wayne, have fun Crabby, and say hi to the school for me." He said as the screen cut into white noise again and faded out. I knew it was coming and I knew that I could fight them if it ever came to it. I just never realized they could get Smith on their side, from how James explained, he was a tactician and never took any sort of help from anybody. He had others doing his dirty work for him, and all he had to do was sit back and watch everybody tear each other apart.
Now this was a far more dangerous situation that I was familiar with and that he was not. I waited for the inevitable yelling that was going to ensue from the chaos witnessed on screen. Catie would more than likely be the only one defending me, and the fact I never told either of the boys' makes it that much worse. I turned to look at them and try explaining. "Guys. I never meant for any of this to happen. I have to tell you this, but I have a feeling you have already figure it out. I was in that gang once, but I never took too kindly to it. I ended up quitting the life for good and move on, change my identity, and hopefully start a new life. I don't want you guys involved in this stuff because they are a lot more dangerous than you think. Hell the leader who knew anything and everything trained me, and I don't want to endanger you guys further. If you want you can go to class and leave me to it. I have to face these guys alone." I said realizing Catie came up behind me.
"You can't do that. They will kill you on sight. Did you see the weapons they were carrying?" She asked concerned. "Catie I know it sounds bad, and the only option I do have is to get killed. It is the only way this can end." I said knowing that I had to face my demons. "But you can't. I won't let you." She said and at this point I was tired of her pleading for my life. "Catie you don't understand. Why are you so concerned about me anyway? I saved your life and now I am going to save everyone else's by doing this! What don't you understand about this? Why try and fight for my life now when there is nothing you can do?" I screamed at her as she burst into tears. "Because… I…" She swallowed hard.
I felt Anthony's hand rest on my shoulder. "If you need it… Ian and I got your back. We actually have guns hidden. I don't think it would be wise to go at it alone. Everyone needs someone in their lives to help them, whether they admit it or not. This is one of those times you refuse to admit it, but you know this is the time you need help more than anything. Let us help you fight them. We can stop these guys together." He finished with Ian nodding confidently. "This isn't a time to play heroes guys. Your experience with weaponry doesn't compare with what these guys can do. I don't want to be the cause of the end of your careers. Same with you Catie." I said looking at her and she nodded through falling tears. "We're willing to do what's right. Like you do." Ian said. I looked down ashamed that I had caused such a mess unwillingly. Catie finally calmed and adjusted herself. "I'm with you too." She said nodding.
I nodded back and breathed out slowly. "If we're going to do this, we can't do it alone. We definitely need a lot of backup too. Hopefully someone around here has shot a gun at least once in their life." I said as they straightened up and smiled. "No. You will not put any more students in danger, I refuse to let you…" But Crabblesnitch was cut off by a massive explosion, and it made all of us shake in the room. "What the fuck was that?" Anthony asked. "I don't know." I said as I ran out of the room and saw a frenzy of students running around yelling things about being attacked by aliens or something. I jumped over the railing to the front doors and saw a horror of a sight. Ian, Anthony, and Catie soon came behind me and we looked at this together. "They're here." I said.