Todd took the key from Lyle and inserted it into the lock. Elise threw open her door from inside and blocked his path. She held her field hockey stick, spinning the blade in a confident, businesslike way.
Emboldened by the others, if not quite as committed, Brooke picked up a pillow from the sofa. Reared back. Totally prepared to throw it.
“Excuse me?” asked the operator.
“One sec,” said Will. He lowered the phone and made a show of counting Lyle, Todd, and the two goons—one, two, three, four. He lifted the phone again: “Make that two ambulances.”
Todd signaled his sidekicks. Both lunged at Elise. With the reflexes of a cobra, Elise smacked their wrists, a sharp precise crack from her hockey stick. They backed away, shaking their hands in pain. Everyone tensed, both sides waiting for the other to react, the prospect of violence heavy in the air.
Standing in the doorway to Will’s room, Dave took out a cigarette lighter, fired the wick, and held it in the air like a concertgoer listening to an ’80s hair band. He disappeared a moment later when the front door burst open. Dan McBride hurried in, followed closely by a breathless Ajay.
“What’s going on here?” said McBride. “Mr. Ogilvy? Please explain.”
“Searching the room for contraband, sir,” said Lyle.
“On what basis?” asked McBride.
“He doesn’t have one,” said Will.
“I do so!” said Lyle, eyes blazing with anger, then he seemed to instantly regret that he’d said it.
Will could read it in Lyle’s eyes: He’s seen something but he can’t reveal how. There’s more to this creep hassling me than just bullying. Maybe a lot more.
“Let’s hear it, then,” said McBride.
“I’m afraid I can’t prove anything,” said Lyle, backing down.
“Yet. Let’s call it a misunderstanding.”
Lyle gestured to the others and they quickly followed him to the front door. Nick, politely, opened the door for them and waved as they left.
“Ta-ta,” said Nick quietly. “Have a safe trip back to Douche-bagistan.”
Todd gave Nick a last poisonous glare on his way out. McBride headed after them into the hallway. “I’ll be right back,” said McBride as he left. “Hello? Mr. West, are you still there?” said the operator.
“Mr. West?”
“Sorry. Wrong number.” Will hung up the phone.
“Da-yem, that was classic,” said Nick.
He asked for a fist bump. Will gave him one. Brooke dropped the pillow and wrapped her arms around Will, who didn’t object. Leaning against the door frame, twirling her hockey stick, Elise offered a crooked smile and a raised eyebrow.
“Two ambulances,” she said. “Nice.”
“Nice?” said Ajay, jumping around. “Nice? Are you kidding me? That was totally fa-rouking awesome!”
McBride came back into the room. “Will, step outside with me for a moment,” he said.
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WAYFARER
Once they were in the hall, Dan McBride confided that this wasn’t the first complaint he’d heard about Lyle Ogilvy. He explained that the Center gave provost marshals authority because it reflected their philosophy of students governing themselves. This had occasionally led to a few marshals abusing their position. McBride promised to bring the incident to Headmaster Rourke’s attention.
“I’m glad you called me, Will. You let me know if he troubles you again. You’re certain you have no idea what Lyle could be looking for?”
Will felt bad about lying to him but didn’t see an alternative.
“No, sir.”
McBride bade him good night. Back in the pod, Will found his roommates seated at the table. Elise sat apart from the others, staring at the ceiling. He realized they were waiting for him to speak first, and he took a deep breath.
“Anybody have a problem with how that went down?” he asked.
“You’re clowning, right?” asked Nick.
“I know you’re afraid of Lyle,” said Will. “For good reason. He’s messed with you before, and he’s going to keep messing with you.” He made a point of not looking at Brooke when he added: “The same goes for his pit bull, Todd, and those other chuckleheads.”
“Tim Durgnatt and Luke Steifel,” said Ajay.
“Unless we put a stop to it. Right now.” Will waited. No one responded. “Come on, the headmaster wants us to talk to each other. So let’s talk.”
“Our concern is this, Will,” said Ajay cautiously. “As delicious as it was to see them all eat a large helping of crow, we’re afraid that now it may only get worse.”
“This is supposed to be a democracy,” said Will. “Who wrote this Code of Conduct Lyle keeps yapping about?”
“Dr. Greenwood and the school’s first class,” said Brooke. “Students helped draft it, and they’ve been in charge of it ever since.”
“Can we change it? To put the brakes on Lyle, or any other kid who throws his weight around?”
“You can propose amendments,” said Brooke, “but they have to be approved by the student council.”
“Small problem,” said Elise. “Lyle, Todd, and their minions—all seniors—control the student council.”
“And Lyle and Todd just put you on their Major Shit List,” said Ajay.
“Along with the rest of us,” said Brooke.
“Big whoop,” said Nick. “We were on it already.”
“Well, now we’re number one,” said Brooke. “With a bullet.”
“Thank you, Miss Congeniality,” said Elise caustically.
Time to make it real. Stop worrying about what they think of you and speak your truth.
Will stood: “Everybody shut up!”
They all looked shocked. Particularly Elise. But she didn’t look angry.
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#98: DON’T WATCH YOUR LIFE LIKE IT’S A MOVIE THAT’S HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. IT’S HAPPENING TO
YOU
. IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
“Fighting among ourselves is exactly what they want,” said Will. “What’s the worst they can do if we stick together and stand up to them? Throw us out of here?”
“Isn’t that bad enough?” asked Brooke.
“You tell me,” said Will. “The day before I got here, back home, a group of men in black sedans tried to kidnap me three times.” He paused to let that sink in. “And I’m starting to wonder if Lyle and Todd are mixed up in it somehow.”
They all stared at him, stunned. “You can’t be serious,” said Ajay.
“What’s your evidence for that?” asked Brooke, her eyes wide.
“Let him talk,” said Elise intensely to the others, and then to Will, an order, not a request: “Talk.”
“I can’t prove they’re part of this yet,” said Will. “But I saw something today that strongly suggests the kidnappers have people here who are working with them, or for them. I have an idea about where to look to confirm this, and if I’m right, if Lyle and Todd are involved … then we’re all in danger.”
Will looked around: Now he had their attention.
“You have to tell the school,” said Brooke.
“I told them some of this already,” said Will. “But I can’t tell them about Lyle because I don’t know who to trust. Here or anywhere. Aside from the four of you.”
“Dude,” said Nick sympathetically. “So what can we do?”
“What does that have to do with this?” asked Brooke, looking nervous.
“You heard him,” said Will. “Lyle just declared war on us and he has the Code on his side. If the system’s rigged against us, we have to fight back any way we can.”