Come 8 O'clock, Tony was outside the Glass Jaw Gym building, the exclusive stronghold of the Preps. Though the Preps were seeing tough times of late, the building and all the stuff in it...The Workout & Weightlifting Equipment, and the Boxing Ring itself...Were held in a Legal Trust in perpetuity. No matter what, the Preps would always have the Glass Jaw.
Karen had wanted to come along, but Tony told her to stay at the Dorm instead. It was just too dangerous, he told her. Tad might have a sneak attack in store for him, he said. In reality, Tony didn't want Karen anywhere around Tad, in case he might bring up any suspicions he had concerning Tony ever being with Pinky.
But Tony wasn't a dumbo, either. What he told Karen was partly true. He didn't trust Tad at all, just as he had never trusted Derby before him. Tony was fully armed with a fully loaded Spud Gun, with a Super Slingshot in his back pocket. He would be ready for trouble, he hoped. Normally, he would have had Nick come along, but that was just not possible yet.
Tony entered the Glass Jaw. Going forward in the foyer, he could see into the ground floor. There was no one in the Workout areas directly ahead. Hearing noise, he peeked to the right and glanced towards the Boxing Ring. There, he saw Bif and Chad in the ring, apparently Sparring. Tony backed up, drew his Spud Gun, and took the stairs to the left up the second floor, moving quietly. There, at the door that led to the Prep's combination Bar and Observation Room, he cautiously turned the knob and opened the door. Leading in with his Spud Gun at the ready, he entered.
"I say, is that really necessary ?", a frosty voice spoke up.
Tony whirled to his left. Tad was behind the Bar, mixing himself up a drink. Even though his voice was cold, a smirk was across his face. He appeared to be unarmed.
"It is if you're laying a trap", Tony replied, looking around the large room. "Can't be too careful, you know."
Tad laughed harshly. "So, you think we would attack the Hero of Bullworth who came to pay us a little visit ? You're really losing it, old man."
"Crossed my mind, yeah", Tony said. He walked over to the large observation window which looked down on the first floor and the Boxing Ring. Bif and Chad were still sparring. "So where's the rest of them ?"
Tad came out from behind the bar, drink in hand. "They're at the Beach House...But you know that, don't you ?"
Tony turned to face Tad. He was unarmed. "Heard something about it", he said.
"I'll just bet you did", Tad said, a crude smile working about his face. "But not to worry, our Clique will be reunited soon enough, perhaps even before the summer is over."
"That's...Um, good to know", Tony said, lowering his weapon. "That's why I've come to you instead of going to Bryce and the others with this."
"And...Just what would 'this' be ?", Tad asked condescendingly. "Would it by chance be having to to do with this talk I've been hearing about something you've been cooking up ?"
"Matter of fact, yes", Tony said. "How did you know ?"
"I keep an ear out for things", Tad said, turning towards the Bar. "Come and tell me about over a drink. It should all be rather amusing."
The last thing that Tony would have ever expected was to be having a drink with Tad Spencer, but that was just what he did, as he explained the points of the Binding Agreement to him. Tad listened, mostly with an amused look on his face. When Tony had finished, Tad just sat there, brooding over his drink.
"Well, what do you think ?", Tony asked. "It's a reasonable Agreement for the benefit of everyone. I'd like for you boys to get on board. Everyone else is signing up for this."
Tad was silent for a moment as he drained his drink. He set the empty glass on the Bar. "You kill me, Calderone. You've only been here a year and you think you know everything. Big Man, save the School, save the Towns, be a big Hero, get all the girls. It's all been done before...Just last year, in fact...Chap named Jimmy Hopkins. But you know all about that, don't you ?"
"Yes", Tony said. "I do know all about that, and more...I know about you too."
"Just what do mean by that crack, Calderone ?", Tad asked, somewhat aggressively. "You don't know anything about me, you Fucking Pauper. I've been here for years and you haven't."
Tony drained his own glass and set it down before answering. "That's just it, Tad. You've been here for years, and you've known just about everybody. People like....Oh, say, Gary Smith, who as it so happened, you were good pals with."
Tad blanched. "How could you know something like that ?", he scoffed. "That Chap Gary was a Psychopathic Ass. He very nearly destroyed the School by tricking all the Clique Leaders into sparking a huge riot...."
"Which was your plan all along, now wasn't it ?", Tony interrupted. "You knew Derby would get the blame for all that, since he was at Harrington House in a Smoking Jacket, looking for all the world like he was in charge of the entire Complete Mayhem. Once the Riot was over, the finger of guilt would have been pointed at Derby. Dr. Crabblesnitch would have been forced to expel him and his sidekick Bif, and you would have been able to take over the Preps, which you felt had been unfairly denied you to began with." Tony didn't add that Tad would also been able to take over Pinky, but he felt it best he didn't mention her.
Tad suddenly looked absolutely ashen now, and sputtered, "But...But Gary Smith double-crossed me ! We were going to run the School together, with the Preps as the most powerful Clique, and he...." Tad stopped suddenly, knowing he'd gone too far and revealed his own complicity. "How...How can you know any of this anyway, Calderone ? You weren't here !"
"Simple...Jimmy Hopkins told me", Tony replied. "He told me everything..."
"How...How in the Hell was that ?", Tad Interjected. "You didn't even know Hopkins, he was in Jail, and...." Tad stopped there, remembering just then at seeing Tony talking to Jimmy in the crowd on the day Jake was defeated, after it was all over.
"I was in contact with Jimmy for months, after he made his Jailbreak", Tony said, not adding that he was a part of that Jailbreak. "He told me lots of things about you, including your dealings with Jake and the Clothing Scams."
Tad looked absolutely white now. "Lies ! All Lies !", he sputtered. "You have no proof of any of this !"
"Who needs proof ?", Tony asked. "All that has to be done is reveal this to the other Cliques, on the word of Jimmy Hopkins. They will turn on you, and the other Preps too. You have pretty low respect right now, you're just a laughingstock. Can you imagine just what it will be like once this gets known ? You all will be Outcasts, everyone will bully you. And without Weapons, none of you will stand a chance. Your own Clique will turn you out...Some have already abandoned you. If you don't become a part of this Agreement, it gonna be curtains for you."
Tad hefted the bottle and poured himself another large drink. "This is Blackmail, Calderone", he muttered. "There's things about you I can tell also."
"I don't think you want to do that", Tony said smoothly. He was prepared for this. "It would only make you look foolish if what you're thinking happened ever got out, now wouldn't it ?"
They both knew what that meant, Tony having sex with Pinky while she was supposed to be Tad's Girlfriend. Tad stewed on that awhile, but had to concede that Tony was right. "All Right, Calderone...You Win. I'll join the Preps up to your Fucking Agreement. But I want to read the whole thing first, on paper, before I sign anything."
"You'll have a copy tomorrow, after Chem Class", Tony told him. "If there's anything you want negotiated with the other Cliques, let me know." Tony rose to leave. "I'll be around Friday night to get the final signatures."
"Fine, whatever", Tad said, taking a big swig of his drink.
Tony stopped at the door and added, "This will make everything better for ALL the Cliques, including the Preps. You'll see."
Tad didn't answer, and Tony left the Glass Jaw. Dwelling on the matter for a long while after, Tad decided that maybe the Binding Agreement could work to his advantage after all, considering what he had planned. In fact, it might work out smashingly well.
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