Spectrum AAU 02 The Hall Where It Doesn't Happen

Earlier, in an Alternate Alternate Universe

One of the nicest things about having a magic ring on your finger? You can ask it to cover the boring parts of school for you.

Joy didn't want to, at first. she claimed I would learn better naturally. I reminded her that I was actually an adult, and this was all basically pointless. She reminded me that I was schooled in the Bahamian system, not the American one. I reminded her I had a hyperbolic virtual chamber where I could review later, and even conduct independent research. She conceded. But under protest.

And that's why I was watching Youtube videos and writing the Great Bahamian Novel while Mr. Wossname drones on about something or other. And arguing with strangers on the Internet. A little.

It was just like being unemployed again!

Gabe said Guys? We have a problem. Someone is about to get shot.

My eyes snapped open. Well, they would've if they weren't already open. But, you know, metaphorically. What?

Someone has a high-energy weapon. I can't tell who, exactly, but before the end of the next break, they plan to use it.

Oh.

Oh, crap.

Is there some kind of popular girl who bullies some kind of loner girl?

Gabe and Olivia were silent for a second. Then Liv said This is a high school. Can you narrow it down?

I think I know what it is. My heart started going double-time. Someone gave a vulnerable girl a laser or particle beam or something. When we disarm her, make sure to point it at the floor, or it might overpenetrate-

Mike thought and how do you know this?

I can't tell you. Potential theological implications.

I'm an atheist.

Look, just trust me, all right? Joyeuse, grab the security cameras. I have a basic plan, but we don't have any time for fine-tuning. If we're very, very lucky, nobody dies or gets maimed.

-/-

Imagine.

There's a girl, in a school. Her name is Ashton. Other girls and boys have done and said some very, very cruel things to her. She's socially isolated. She's angry.

Somehow, she gets her hands on a gun.

When the bell rings for break one day, she goes to her locker, pulls out the gun, and puts it in her bookbag. She clutches it to her chest, as normal. When she wore it on her back, people would pull on it, throw her off balance, make her fall down.

Someone calls her name. She turns around, finds a well-built Asian girl. The martial artist. Smiling. Broadly. They've never met before, never talked. What does she want? Is she going to mock Ashton too?

And in that instant of distraction, someone strikes.

Well, not exactly. He waits until Olivia has finished whatever nonsense she was spouting, and Ashton starts to turn around. Then he grabs her right arm and yanks it out of her bookbag.

With the help of the supercomputer on his finger, he manages to keep the gun's muzzle away from anyone in particular. Though the roof might end up needing repairs, if Ashton pulls the trigger.

Best to prevent that.

In a carefully selected moment, when his body is between the gun and the camera, he subspaces the weapon, then brings it back out with the safety on.

It looked like a HEW. But it wouldn't be the first time someone glued crap to a regular gun to make it look more dangerous. Better safe than sorry.

Ashton's eyes go wide, and she reaches for the gun. Olivia grabs the other girl's arm, and uses the leverage and momentum to spin Ashton into a locker, facefirst, then put her in an arm bar.

I let the gun dangle from my pinky, held at arm's length, not pointed at anything in particular. And that just leaves-

Mike came around the corner with the school resource officer behind him. Johnson had a hand on his weapon, and tensed when he saw us.

Uh...

I slowly swung my hand around so Johnson could see the gun. "Officer, please take this weapon."

He came forward carefully, took the gun from me, looked at it, and nearly crapped himself. Then he turned to Olivia. "Is this the girl you were telling me about?"

Mike nodded, realized Johnson couldn't see him, then said "Yes, sir."

Johnson exhaled like someone who was getting too old for this crap. "Let her go, Aldrin."

Joyeuse?

(! Several police officers take her father's classes. ยก)

Oh, okay.

Olivia let go, and Ashton...didn't run away. She just...slumped against the locker. My adrenaline was wearing off, and that's when I noticed Ashton was crying.

So, what was she feeling?

Fear, rage, and a little will. And hope. Messed up.

Johnson walked up to her. Spoke quietly. She just kinda...slid down the locker to the floor, and put her hands behind her back.

Johnson knelt, put the gun on the floor, slipped the cuffs on. Then he picked up the gun, stood up, and looked at us.

"You'd better come along too." He looked down at the gun again, and muttered something I wouldn't exactly repeat in Sunday School. "Just...one question. How did you three know?"

We looked at each other.

Okay, maybe we stopped planning a little early.

Joyesuse? Time dilation. Now.

-PR-

Disclaimer: The original story has been in the works for a very, very long time. To put it in perspective, the original end for the first novel would've been Chris/Floyd stopping 9/11. I came up with the initial idea the summer of 2001. The idea of the team stopping a school shooting has been part of the story for, oh, at least a decade, I think. It wasn't inspired by any recent events. If anything, it was inspired by Columbine.

Also, the "Chris Benson" alias for Spectrum is taken from Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, because that's the sort of music I liked around his age*. Since then, both musicians committed suicide by hanging. I'm not sure it qualifies as 'ironic', even in the Alanis sense.

* And to this day, to a certain extent.