The Hijinks War

24. Don't Drink the Water

"Yes! We captured the Hellhounds flag this afternoon in the middle of classes!" Jess's squeal in our earpieces was louder than it needed to be. "Turns out it was the lucky rabbit's foot keychain that's on Hadley's bag."

"Jess, shut up!" I heard Emma's voice. "They need to be able to hear. We're only supposed to talk if it's important."

"Fine. Sorry."

I almost chuckled at Jess' tone and the fact that the stupid game was still going on, despite everything else. But entertainment was needed now; something to take minds off the stress, boredom and rigidity of what life had become. Those trapped in their rooms, with brains that were trying to remember how to communicate to bodies, relied on the game for some reason to smile.

The fact that the Thunderbirds hadn't even tried to retrieve Jackson's socks and had simply designated a new Flag was pure fodder. It had been the talk of the last few days, and the Hellhounds still hadn't figured out what it was. Not all of us could get our kicks and exhilaration from reconnaissance missions like Eddie and I were doing at that exact moment.

Hidden among the shelves of the library, we waited for Emma―watching the security cameras on Eddie's laptop―to give us the go ahead to move to our target.

"All clear." Emma finally said and we flitted across the library to the closet adjacent to the detention hall. I fumbled with the key Ashley had given me my fingers shaking; the very real threat of being caught by someone who was willing to drug students was sinking in.

"There's movement on your six! Hurry!"

Someone on our six—directly behind us—meant if I didn't get the door open quick, we would be seen.

"Breathe, Love," Eddie whispered, and took the key from me. I cringed at how loudly the lock clicked in the stifling silence of the library, and how quickly he'd opened the door. Definitely not the soundless entrance I was supposed to execute. Eddie moved to the task he needed to accomplish, and Emma praised the Lord that we made it.

Pressing my ear to the door that led into the detention hall, I was terribly aware that if replacement Mr. Kramer opened the door, I would be wildly unprotected. I heard nothing on the other side, no chairs scraping, no lecture, no pencils scratching on paper, no noise. I imagined the entire group of detentionees sitting ramrod straight, gazes focused on the replacement at the front of the room.

"And we have eyes!" Emma proclaimed.

I flicked a proud glance at Eddie who somehow managed to tap into the camera at the back of the room.

"Um. Wow."

We didn't get any clarification for some time, nor did we get the go ahead to leave the supply room. We remained frozen where we were at the sound of a door opening. Two sets of footsteps paced deliberately up and down the room, accented by a fairly evenly spaced thumping. Something being handed out? It reminded me of the sound of those damned yellow slips being slapped onto desks.

"Alright, Twerps." Replacement Mr Kramer sneered. "It's damn hot in here, so I had them bring up some cold water. Aren't I nice? Now drink up."

My eyes widened and I reached out for my friends instinctively. Eddie pulled me away from the door and into the shadows of the shelves. We couldn't see what was happening, but we knew. The drug was in the water.

"Shit... Ghost, don't drink it!" Emma warned Mark in a harsh whisper.

Our exit was on hold until Emma cleared us to leave; we were stuck in the supply closet, each minute increasing our risk of exposure. It was a while before we began hearing a couple of students complaining that they didn't feel so good. Jess and Emma provided us with commentary—some students passed out before they could complain and the thunks of their heads on the desks were made worse by Jess and Emma's gasps.