Everett: Revised edition

Chapter 8 Part 3

"Hey Everett, sit over here," a boy with bright, shining eyes beckoned me to a spot next to him. I sat cross-legged next to the boy and Greg was seated on the floor to our left. As usual, Greg remained silent and his stern, stone face unbreakable. He intently looked at the opposite wall where the council leaders sat in chairs or stood under the goblet flames. Greg's hands covered his mouth. Something seemed to make him jittery tonight.

"Everyone, teacher and students, will be gathered in the courtyard. We'll have all our numbers gathered. Most of the security will be gathered in one place and focused on the crowd. Our man will be the one on the bus with our graduates. Our graduate will lead the others once outside the gates," said the head Shadow Council leader. The head leader was notable. He was always the head of the three chairs placed in the lair. He seemed to be the oldest of them all too, but he was a broad, but fit, sturdy looking man. Although, it may have been the wide shoulders of his dark robe that made him look more imposing.

"Who will be our graduate?" Mrs. Connelly asked. Her fingers were gripping tightly to the arms of the chair. And the look in her eyes made her glare feel hard as stone.

"I am."

The adults, all in their chairs, gave raised eyebrows. Connelly had a look of disgust written upon her face. In the fire light the shadows darkening their expressions, pronouncing each lengthened sigh behind closed lips.

"Connelly?" Lawrence, the head council leader, said. She rested her finger across her lips as she thought.

"He's been here for quite some time, and I know him well," Connelly said.

"And you should know I'm no traitor. Just because I'm here doesn't mean I've been pulled in," Greg said.

"No, but I worry about your antics."

"Don't patronize and treat me like a child."

Connelly cut in, "I've known you practically since you were a child."

"Then ask Noah. He can vouch for me."

Connelly paused with an inquisitive look and said, "not sure if he is the best judge of character". The observers watched as the words ping-ponged back and forth.

Connelly's eyes narrowed. Greg stood tall and set his lips firm trying not to show any wavering. Noah and Greg had been "friends" for quite some time as Noah was a security guard [at/in] the SchoolYard for quite some time. Noah had been employed through the school for decades now. He had often talked to Greg about his brother who had been sent to the school while they were young. In fact, his brother had been one of the first.

"Perhaps I would if you didn't have him wrapped around your thumb since birth," Connelly scolded.

"He's a good man and you know it! Without him we wouldn't be able to meet here," Greg replied.

A Shadow Council leader interjected, "True. Many of the faculty make sacrifices to be here and support us ...and you." After the head Council spoke, Connelly sat back in her wooden chair. Greg's shoulders remained back, but relaxed. "I would like you, Greg, to come back so we can further discuss what we expect from you." With that Greg gave a confident nod and sat back down.

The "Elders" continued to hold their meeting. Everett and the bright-eyed boy leaned over to Greg. The bright-eyed boy said, "What do they mean? What are they choosing you to do?"

"Maybe if you'd shut your mouth and listen, you'd know," Greg said.

"Pfft, like they'd tell us anything important," the bright-eyed boy said, rolling his eyes. "It kills them to tell us this much."

Greg gave a little smirk and looked up at the leaders. It seemed like he wasn't going to tell until he finally continued, "I could tell you, but I don't even know myself what they have planned."

The meeting concluded. People retreated into the various coves of the catacombs. The smoke wisps swirled from the extinguished candles. Everett looked back as he walked down the tunnel back to the boy's bathroom in the [west] wing to see the Shadow Council leaders disappearing in the engulfing darkness.

In the morning, Noah, the guard, prepared to leave his post in the video room. As he waited, he listened to the children speak as they walked the halls, as they discussed in class, and as they talked at breakfast. He watched them from above through the security lenses. The students walked in line like rows of well-ordered ants. The feed was recorded and streamed to the security office in the Community as a second layer of defense as reinforcement could be sent in quickly. Noah was an ordinary orderly, but he was about to do something extraordinary.

His guard was exchanged at seven o'clock when many of the students were going to breakfast. Graduation was approaching. Noah would be called in for extra support at the gates, dressed in uniform, watching the students proceed out the SchoolYard, onto the bus, and back to the Community.

The weeks rolled on and Greg was becoming more edgy as the plans became more concrete. We were no longer talking plans but preparing them. I'd seen Greg's actions give the SchoolYard public punishments. I've seen the little rules broken and how they pile on the Admins like stones. I've seen Lovel step out of line once by mistake within the last month and be punished while the rest of us were stung.

The anger grew in the students' eyes, and I've seen more converted to the cause as Greg's actions have sparked others to action in his defense.

Lovel and Greg and I walked to class with our heads held high. I looked in everyone's eyes as we passed.

Note: Sorry about the part 1 and part 2 chapters. I'm still hammering out whether to combine new scenes into one chapter or keep some separate. Non-the-less thank you for the reads and support.