A Game of Chase Page 6

  Gavin nodded, narrowing his eyes. ‘Somethin’s goin’ on there, that’s for sure, but I ain’t gonna say nothin’ until I have proof. Sebastian seems to have Wyatt wrapped around his little finger.’

  ‘Or the other way around,’ I said. ‘Have you noticed that the rest of the hall monitors have been replaced with members of his red ninja clan?’

  Gavin curled his lip, nodding.

  ‘It’s like Wyatt used a cheat code to warp to a higher level,’ I said, proud of my video game analogy.

  ‘What?’ Gavin asked, confused.

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Never mind.’

  ‘Wyatt’s whole thing is a mess in itself,’ Gavin continued, ‘but I don’t think we should take our eyes off our current situation.’

  ‘I agree. Jovial is still on the loose, and I have no idea who got the chess piece today.’

  Gavin lowered his eyes and reached into his front pocket. Before he could say anything, I already knew what he was doing. He set a black chess piece on the table in front of me. It was another pawn.

  ‘That’s really why I’m here,’ Gavin whispered. ‘I need your help.’

  I stared at the pawn. For some reason, sitting in the cold room of detention, it seemed more serious than it had before. There was something dark and brooding about it sitting alone in the middle of the desk. ‘Was there anything else with the piece?’ I asked, flicking the pawn over. ‘Everyone else got a clue with theirs.’

  Nodding, Gavin pulled out a rusted metal combination lock. The dial was caked with dirt. ‘Just this,’ he said. ‘Recognise it? It’s from—’

  ‘The old ninja hideout,’ I said, interrupting him.

  ‘Mmhmm,’ Gavin hummed. ‘Which means my project is probably around the new bleachers by the track.’

  ‘You figured that much out on your own,’ I said. ‘What are you doing in here? Why wouldn’t you go check the bleachers by yourself?’

  Gavin leaned back and propped his feet up on the desk. He had a confident smirk as he put his hands behind his head. ‘I figured you’d be good at this by now. I thought maybe you’d be able to help with investigating the bleachers.’

  Nodding slowly, I said, ‘Fine. I owe you one anyways.’

  ‘Owe me?’ Gavin asked. ‘Owe me for what?’

  I kicked the bottom of his chair, causing it to slip out from under him. He landed hard on the carpet, grunting in pain. ‘For that,’ I laughed.

  Standing up, he dusted himself off, which was weird because there wasn’t any dust on him. ‘First we have to figure out how to get outta this room.’

  I looked at the doorway of the detention room. ‘It’s not gonna be hard. I’m not sure Mr Lien is even paying attention right now. You sure you’re alright with sneaking out?’

  Gavin’s face beamed with a smile. ‘I’ll do ya one better,’ he said. ‘I’ll get Mr Lien to let us go.’

  ‘What?’ I asked. ‘How?’

  Gavin tapped his head. ‘I learned a couple of tricks while I was the hall monitor captain.’

  Gavin stood from his desk and walked toward the door. He turned around and motioned for me to follow. He peeked his head around the corner to make sure no one was there, and then stepped across the hall to Mr Lien’s computer class.

  ‘Hey, Mr Lien?’ Gavin asked, leaning through the open doorway. I was standing directly behind the ex-hall monitor captain.

  Mr Lien looked up from his desk. ‘Yes, Gavin? What is it? Is everything alright in there?’

  Gavin nodded. ‘Everything’s fine. I was just wondering if it’d be alright if Chase and I picked up some litter around the school.’

  Picked up litter around the school? Was this kid serious? He was going to get us out of detention by simply asking if we could leave? And not just leave the room, but also if we could go outside? I folded my arms, waiting for Mr Lien to completely reject the idea and scream at us to get back to our seats.

  Instead, Mr Lien waved his hand and looked back at the papers on his desk. ‘Sure, sure,’ he mumbled. ‘Grab those passes on the wall there so nobody stops you. I’ll fill out the proper paperwork later, but you’ll need to remind me.’

  My jaw just about hit the floor.

  ‘Thanks!’ Gavin yelped as he grabbed three plastic passes hanging next to the door. Why would he need three of them? After handing me one of the passes, he started skipping through the empty hallway.

  I shook my head in disbelief as I jogged to catch up. ‘What was that? You can just ask to go outside and he’ll let you?’

  ‘Mr Lien is on the environmental board,’ Gavin said. ‘Whenever his classes have downtime, they go outside and do things to make Buchanan a better place. Sometimes they plant trees and other times they clean up rubbish. Kids in detention are allowed to help if they know to ask. He considers it community service.’

  ‘But what if Principal Davis sees us?’ I asked, feeling my heart race at the fact that we had just walked out of detention.

  Gavin raised his eyebrows. ‘It was Davis’s idea! The only thing is that kids have to ask in order to do it. A lot of students don’t know it’s an option, and I think they want to keep it private otherwise detention wouldn’t be detention anymore.’

  He had a point. If everyone knew they could escape from that black hole, then Buchanan would be overrun with ruffians trying to get a spot in detention. I chuckled at the thought of detention having a wait list. Could you imagine that? Kids fighting over the last open seat in there? How backwards would that be?

  Gavin passed the lobby of the school, glancing through the tinted glass walls of the cafeteria. All of the tables had a kid or two sitting in them for study hall.

  I looked at the clock above the front office. A good half an hour had gone by since first period started.

  The door to the front office opened and Mrs Robinson, my homeroom teacher, stepped out. She stopped in the doorway, staring at Gavin, confused.

  Gavin lifted his plastic hall pass. ‘Mr Lien is having us go outside for litter duty.’

  I forced myself to keep a straight face. Gavin had just said ‘litter duty’ but my brain heard ‘litter doodie’.

  Mrs Robinson didn’t reply. Instead, she smiled and continued down the hall.

  The double doors of the gymnasium were just ahead. I sped up until we were walking next to each other. I was going to ask what the plan was, but stopped when I noticed we walked right by the gym doors.

  ‘Wait a sec – aren’t we going out to the track?’

  Gavin didn’t break his pace. ‘We are, but not before getting Zoe.’

  That’s who the third pass was for. ‘Dude, really? Can’t we just do this on our own?’

  ‘Zoe’s a smart girl,’ Gavin said. ‘Besides, she’s been by your side this entire time, and right now she knows you’re innocent. It would be good to get help from her, don’t ya think?’

  I couldn’t argue. Zoe has been nothing but helpful during my time at Buchanan. It was just the thought of Gavin and Zoe being an ‘item’ that grated on my nerves.

  ‘Fine,’ I finally said.

  I let Gavin do the talking with the art teacher while I waited down the hall. I knew that Brayden would be in class, and if he saw Gavin and Zoe helping me, he’d probably make a fuss about it. It made me sad to know that he was upset with me.

  Gavin’s voiced echoed off the metal lockers as he spoke with the art teacher. ‘Zoe needs to come with me to the Principal’s office … no, I’m not sure what it’s about … yeah, I have her pass right here … okay, I’ll have her back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!’

  I guess the art teacher wasn’t aware of Gavin getting canned from hall monitor duty.

  Zoe stepped out of the room. As soon as Gavin and her were away from the door, she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a huge hug.

  Barf.

  When she saw me, she let go of Gavin, embarrassed. ‘What’re you doing out here?’ she whispered.

  ‘Gavin needed my help,’ I replied, folding my arms
with gusto, hoping it was obvious that I was grossed out by their PDA.

  ‘I told him to get you,’ Zoe said. ‘I knew you’d help. You’re too honourable not to.’

  After saying something like that, how could I be annoyed with her? I flashed a smile and scratched the back of my head. ‘Well, you know me…’

  Zoe turned back to Gavin. ‘So what’s up? What did you guys figure out?’

  ‘Our hunch is that my project is around the new bleachers on the track,’ Gavin said.

  ‘That’s what you think the rusty lock meant?’ Zoe asked.

  ‘The lock is from the old lockers in the woods,’ I said. ‘My ninja clan used those lockers to store our outfits, and like, snacks and stuff.’

  ‘Snacks?’ Zoe said. ‘Ninjas have snack time? Do you have nap time too?’

  ‘No!’ I snipped. ‘I mean, yeah, we have snacks, but it’s not snack time! And only babies have nap time!’

  ‘I’m messing with you,’ Zoe said as she took the lead down the hall. ‘We’d better get going though. There’s no time to waste.’

  Gavin smiled like a goon, following behind her. I started walking too, but stopped instantly when I heard a familiar voice.

  ‘Hold on there!’ said a boy’s voice from just around the corner, in front of Zoe and Gavin.

  I leaned against the wall knowing full well that it was Wyatt who stopped them. He was like a splinter I couldn’t get rid of. And now that he was the hall monitor captain, I feared that it was only going to get worse.

  ‘Hall passes,’ Wyatt said. He had stopped Zoe and Gavin at the spot where the hall turned, so he still hadn’t seen me. Another step forward and I’d be right out in the open.

  Gavin lifted his plastic hall pass. ‘How’s the new job going?’

  Wyatt chuckled. ‘Easiest money in the world,’ he replied.

  ‘You’re getting paid?’ Gavin asked.

  Wyatt paused. ‘Didn’t you?’ he asked. ‘Oh that’s right, you didn’t.’

  Zoe stepped forward and spoke with a hint of anger in her voice. ‘If you think you can get away with any of this, you’re dead wrong!’

  I was impressed. I knew Zoe had a strong spirit, but I didn’t know she was so tough.

  Wyatt took another second before he said anything. He handed the hall passes back to Gavin. ‘Everything checks out. Be on your way.’

  Zoe quickly glanced over her shoulder. I knew she was telling me to hide before she continued around the corner.

  I didn’t waste any time. As soon as she looked at me, I was gone in the other direction. I knew where Zoe and Gavin were headed. All I had to do was meet them there.

  It took a few minutes for me to make it to the old ninja hideout. It was so strange-looking that I felt like I was having an out of body experience. I saw the spot where the giant log I learned to balance on used to be. I felt sad for the days when we used to train in this spot. Is this how adults feel when they see their old stomping grounds taken over by supermarkets? If it is, then growing up isn’t something I’m looking forward to.

  Ducking under the metal bleachers, I waited for Zoe and Gavin to arrive. I decided against slipping on my ninja mask while I was out there. There were just too many students messing around on the field for me to risk it.

  Other students in the gym class were playing football while the rest kicked a soccer ball around. Mr Cooper was in his usual reclining lawn chair, sipping on a glass of raspberry lemonade, his signature drink. I’m not sure how focused he was on the class because his head was leaned back, staring at the sky. Wait, was he wearing an earring? Had he always had that?

  ‘Chase?’ a girl asked.

  I was beginning to hate the sound of someone using my name as a question. I turned around with that terrible feeling of not knowing what to expect. It was Olive, my science lab partner.

  She leaned her head under the bleachers to see me. ‘What are you doing out here? You’re not in this gym class.’

  I did my best to stall her while I thought of a good reason for me to be under the bleachers in a gym class I wasn’t in. My mouth creaked open, and with a long sigh, I said, ‘Uhhhhhhhhhhhh…’

  Olive stared at me, waiting for my answer, but my sigh went on for a good thirty seconds or so.

  ‘Okaaaay,’ Olive said as she started to walk away.

  ‘How’s your project going?’ I asked, instantly regretting it because if I would’ve said nothing then she would’ve just walked away. Stupid, Chase! Stupid!

  ‘It’s coming along,’ she sighed, leaning her head down again. ‘I’m not sure I can get it back to a hundred percent, but I might have an ace up my sleeve.’

  ‘What’s that mean?’ I asked.

  ‘An ace up my sleeve?’ She repeated. ‘It means I’ve got a couple of days before the science fair. I can figure something out to make it work.’

  ‘Why not just start from scratch?’ I asked honestly.

  She exploded with anger. ‘Because I’ve worked on that project for months! There isn’t time to start over and have it done by Friday! Do you know how hard it was the find the right pieces to build that bridge?’

  I shook my head rapidly. ‘No,’ I said. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean – I just thought that maybe – I don’t know … you’re right. Never mind.’

  Olive huffed and shut her eyes. When she opened them, it looked like the anger had disappeared from her. ‘Sorry about that. I have a bit of a temper sometimes.’

  What was wrong with this kid? She had some serious anger issues. I bet she could fill a lake with them.

  I waved my hands to let her know it wasn’t a big deal. ‘I get it. Your project is important to you. It’s cool.’

  She smiled at me one last time, and then jogged away after saying goodbye. I was going to have to remember to be more sensitive towards her in class.

  ‘Good to see ya made it in one piece,’ Gavin said as he ducked under the bleachers after Zoe.

  ‘Barely,’ I replied, watching Olive run down the track.

  ‘Huh?’ Gavin said.

  I shook my head. ‘It’s nothing.’

  ‘Did Wyatt see you?’ Zoe asked.

  ‘If he did, I probably wouldn’t be here,’ I said sarcastically.

  ‘Did you see him at all?’ Zoe said. ‘Or the hall monitors that were with him?’

  ‘No,’ I replied. ‘I took off before they came around the corner. Why?’

  Zoe looked at Gavin, concerned. ‘They were all wearing those red bracelets,’ she whispered.

  I nodded. ‘Yesterday morning Wyatt cornered me by my locker, and I saw the same thing. His elephant of a body guard had a red bracelet too.’

  ‘It’s the red ninjas,’ Gavin said. ‘It’s like they’re seeping into the rest of the school right out in the open.’

  ‘Is it a takeover?’ I asked.

  Scratching his eyebrow, Gavin answered. ‘If it is, then those guys are doin’ it the right way. They’ve been given actual power by becoming hall monitors.’

  I took a deep breath. ‘President Sebastian is the one giving them power though. How is he in on it?’

  Gavin shrugged his shoulders. ‘I don’t know. I’ve always thought there was something off about him, and this just strengthens that idea.’

  All three of us sat there, staring at each other, unsure what to say. We knew something was happening with the red ninja clan but didn’t know what. There wasn’t anything else to say about it, so we sat there in awkward silence.

  Finally, Zoe looked through the bleachers, watching the other students in class. Then her eyes widened, and she snapped her attention at me. ‘Is Mr Cooper wearing an earring?’

  ‘Right?’ I said. ‘Has he always had it?’

  Gavin approached the open slit in the bleachers and looked out at the gym teacher. ‘I think he’s going through some things right now.’

  ‘I understand teenagers who want to get earrings,’ Zoe said, ‘but a forty-year-old man getting one is …. different.’

  ‘
I can hear you guys talkin’ about me,’ Mr Cooper said from his chair.

  My muscles tensed. Did he know who it was under the bleachers? Or did he just hear some kids talk about his earring?

  Mr Cooper stared at the sky. ‘I lost a bet.’

  Zoe’s mouth curved into a huge smile as she nodded. Pointing at me, she said, ‘There it is.’

  ‘Mmhmm,’ Mr Cooper hummed. ‘Now would you mind not staring at me anymore?’

  ‘You got it,’ I said loudly, ashamed.

  Gavin stepped away from the bleachers and spoke. ‘Can we get back to the reason we’re out here? My science project is somewhere, and I ain’t exactly blessed with an abundance of patience!’

  Zoe and I stared at Gavin, confused. ‘What did you just say?’ I asked.

  ‘I said let’s find my project and get it back to class!’ Gavin said.

  I crouched lower, studying the dirt. ‘Could’ve just said it like that,’ I whispered.

  The new bleachers seemed to stretch for miles around the track. Last month, the school cleared out the entire wooded area to make room for the metal eyesore. The trees were ripped up within a day, and the bleachers were put up within two weeks.

  Reaching the spot where the old lockers used to be, I scanned the ground for clues as to where Gavin’s project might’ve been. The earth was hard and dry from the cold weather.

  ‘You see anything?’ I asked.

  Zoe kicked some grass around with her foot. ‘Nothing yet,’ she replied. ‘How about you, Gavin?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Gavin sighed.

  And then I saw it – the corner of a plastic bag poking out of a pile of leaves about three metres away. Gavin’s name was on a sheet of paper inside the bag. I jogged over to the leaves and started digging through them. Zoe and Gavin joined me, grabbing handfuls of dry leaves and tossing them over their shoulders.

  As we uncovered more of the project, it was clear that it wasn’t damaged yet. It had been carefully placed by Jovial.

  ‘Thank goodness,’ Gavin sighed when his project was fully removed from the leaves. He wiped a dirty hand across his sweaty forehead.