School Wars: The Great Pumpkin Caper

Chapter Five

Cannon marched down the hall, a small group of soldiers behind him. He'd gotten only a few hours sleep the previous night with the whole chase for Jenna, and he was not feeling great. He'd have to check in all the dusty corners and muddy holes around the school, all while dealing with the arrogant and ambitious Adam. Adam had ordered for five of his best Special Forces Operatives, and Cannon had brought along his four least sleep-deprived men, so they had a small strike force in case Jenna tried to attack. Some of the new wanted poster Jack'o'Lanterns illuminated the early dawn darkness, Jenna's mugshot staring out at people walking through the halls. Cannon led the way into the library, which was empty save for a student passed out over a History Alive textbook, a pair of guards playing chess and a boy checking out a copy of the popular novel "When the Ponies Attack".  Cannon marched towards the counter and examined the unusual amount of dust on it while Adam and his men swept the clearly empty room with their machine guns. Cannon stepped forward and felt something crunch underfoot. He picked it up. There was a small piece of torn lined paper, written in messy handwriting. Its message was simple and uninforming, a heading to a greater plan. Kaley and Jenna's Plan to Kill Adam, the paper read, presumably beginning a page full of details of ninjas, bombs, and anvils to assassinate the Lakes general.

"Adam, get over here!"

Adam rushed to Cannon where he jumped onto the counter and checked the area behind for spies. There was no one there. Cannon rolled his eyes and handed the paper to Adam.

"I found this on the floor by the counter," Cannon said.

Adam glared at the note. The soldiers finished checking the library and returned to Adam's side.

"So the girl who helped Jenna escape is Kaley. Interesting," Adam noted, tucking the note into his pocket.

"Are you worried?" Cannon asked, feeling bad for Adam for the first time since he'd become a General.

"I'm always paranoid about someone threatening me in my position of authority. I'll only have to redouble my efforts in my own safety and the security of the school,"

 "I see," Cannon rolled his eyes, "Where do you think the note could've come from? There's dust here on the counter. Maybe there in the attic."

"Don't be ridiculous Cannon. Nobody ever goes up there,"

"Sir--"

Cannon was cut off as a girl with a knife in her hand ran into the room. All of Adam's men raised their guns, and it was a miracle she managed to put her hands up before she was blasted off her feet.

"Ahh, don't shoot!" she cried, "I was going to carve another pumpkin when I found this."

The girl held up a small pumpkin. It had Jenna's face carved into it, but the candle from inside was missing along with all the flesh and seeds.

"What is it, I don't understand," Adam said, holding the pumpkin in his hand.

"Someone took the candle and the seeds. I think it was Jenna. Wherever she's hiding, she has nothing to eat. She's using the pumpkins,"

Cannon nodded and pointed to the shelf that contained years of yearbooks. 

"Add Kaley's face to pumpkins. She's the other criminal," Cannon explained, and the girl scurried over to find a picture of Kaley.

And with that, they all marched back to Adam's room to keep him locked up nd safe from the assassins that stalked the school.