The Bullworth Never Ending Story

[BloodChuckZ]

Most students awoke late on Christmas Eve morning, since there were no classes. Each Clique in turn found the notes tacked to their doors, the Nerds finding theirs last when they gathered at the Library.  There was shock, anger, and disbelief at the start....Then, to a man, in each Clique, a call for revenge.  That all the Cliques had been attacked did not enter into their thinking....This threat was surely meant for them, and them alone...The other attacks must have been fakes !  They were hoaxes, just a ruse, for each Clique could plainly see now that they had been the target all along !

Throughout the day, they gathered in their respective places...The Bullies at the Boy's Dorm, The Nerds at the Library, The Preps at Harrington House, The Greasers at the Autoshop, The Jocks at the Gym....They posted guards in case any other Cliques might try to attack, but had to change them often...The snowfall that had accumulated overnight was now being whipped about by ever-increasing high winds, as the blizzard began to make it's presence felt. No Clique attempted to communicate with another, none were to be trusted.  Every Clique member armed up for tonight's battle.

Each Clique debated who the strange message was from.  It was certainly the work of another Clique, no one person could have carried out those attacks alone.  That had just been a foolish rumor, they could see that now.  They had been bushwhacked, victims of a carefully constructed plan....And now, their attackers were taunting them !  Daring them to show up and face them !  And saying they were gonna get their butts kicked, again ! Well, No Way, No How, No Sir !!  That wasn't gonna happen. Each Clique zeroed in on just who they thought had attacked them...No, Bushwacked them....And planned accordingly for the showdown.  Paybacks are a Bitch, and each Clique intended to be just that Bitch that did the paying.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Keeping to the alleyways and keeping out of sight, a task made easy as it was Christmas Eve, and snowing heavily, most places in the Towns were closed.  Tony got Lola over to the Vale.  He was going to see the only adult he really knew around these parts.  The only one, he thought, who just might be willing to help.
They reached the back door of the Business.  Tony knocked, as hard as his frozen hands would allow.  The door opened, and he and Lola were brought inside.

"Hello, Chef....I need your help", Tony said through chattery teeth. "This girl has to get home.  It's an emergency.  She needs a ride.  Can you get her over to a station in the next town, Warwick ?"

It was a fact that there was no stations of any kind in the Bullworth Towns.  No Bus Stations, no Train Stations, no Airports.  The entire place was ringed in by mountains, virtually cut off from the rest of the world except the road in and the road out.  And, it was so confusing as to just where that road was, exactly, that many of the town's residents didn't even know just where it was, causing them to drive around and around endlessly, looking for it.  But the Chef knew, Tony was certain.

"Oui ?", the Chef said. "But, my little friend, the Storm...She rises..."

"But...She has to leave now....Really....It's an emergency", Tony repeated, earnestly.

The Chef stood looking at the swirling snow beyond the plate-glass window.  "Mon Dieu", he muttered.  Then...."Okay, Allright...I will do....But must be quick, we must leave now. The Storm, she will rage...Come, let us go then.  I know of a....How you say.....Grey-Hound Station there."

Lola face broke into a look of relief.  "Oh, thank you, Chef, thank you...."

The Chef smiled. "A real sucker for...Damsel in Distress, that is me."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jake was humming a tune as he packed for the evening's activities. The Carnival was completely shut down for the Holidays, and wouldn't re-open until after the first of the year.  Point in fact, he was the only one here right now. Billy-Bob, Crystal, Brandy, Dorsey, and all the rest, had lit out for warmer parts, leaving him here to mind the store.  Even the midgets were gone.  Well, so much the better for him.  "Hail, Hail, the gang's all gone", Jake whistled, and then laughed manically.  Thanks to some dumb fuck who was running a vendetta of their own, and to his notes he delivered very early this morning, there oughtta be a hell of a Battle Royale tonight down by the old Schoolyard.   And Jake was going to get a front-row seat, yessir, no two ways about THAT, better belive it, baby.  And when the time was right, he would stride in, disarm the Students, and save the day.....And those shitheads would see how wise and smart he was, would bow down before him, and beg....BEG him to take over, to save them from themselves.  Jake could almost have an orgasm just thinking about it.  Hell, he WOULD have an orgasm every day, into each and every one of those slutty bitches who went there and would gladly give it up to him, the Ultimate Fixer.  It would be just like having his own Cult, he thought, only better...He wouldn't have to make his followers drink Cyanide....Unless, of course, they really pissed him off.
 
Jake's laughter was crazy good as he stuffed binoculars into his backpack for better viewing tonight.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Chef's car pulled up to the Greyhound Bus Station in Warwick just as the daylight was growing dimmer. The storm swirled here too, winds howling their mournful tune.  It had taken several hours to get here, and it would take more to get back....Those mountain passes has been rough.
 
Tony walked Lola to the front door. The lights were on, and there was a lone woman behind the counter. Both were relived the station was still open, but Tony knew that it would take more than a piddly little blizzard to stop a Greyhound....These Buses ran through nearly all kinds of weather.

Lola faced Tony at the door. "Thank You, Tony, for helping me", she said softly.

"Aww, shucks, t'wrern't nothing", Tony said, and they both laughed.

Lola looked at Tony serious then, and said, "Tony....I saw you and Pinky at Derby's house...I was watching.  I saw you go in with her."

Tony was shocked. "Well...It wasn't...how it looked....I...I....Just walked her there...And....."

"Hush", Lola said. "It's all right....I won't tell anyone....Or about us, either.....Let's keep it....Our little secret.....Forever...."

Relief flooded Tony. "Yeah, Cause.....You know....."

"You have someone special", Lola said. "Don't you, Tony ?"

"Yes....Yes, I do....",Tony replied. "You ?"

"Oh, Yes....I didn't realize just how special until just recently", Lola said sadly. "That's where I'm really going, Tony....To make it up to him. If he'll still have me."

"Follow your heart", Tony said.

"Yes....And you should too", Lola breathed softly.

A horn blared suddenly. Chef rolled down his window. "Mon Dieu !!  Tony, we must GO !!  The Storm, she grows worse !!"

"I..uh...have to go", Tony said. "You...Take Care now.  You have enough money ?  For the ticket ?"

"Yes", Lola said with a distasteful look. "Blood money, I suppose....But I'm gonna put it to good use."

Impulsively, Lola leaned over and kissed Tony. "Get back to your lady. I've got a bus to catch."
 
With that, she turned, and went through the door. Tony stood there for a few seconds longer, then dashed to the waiting car.  He stopped briefly and waved, then got in.  The car pulled away, and began the long journey back to Bullworth through the storm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lola approached the ticket counter.
 
"Can I help you, dear ?" the woman behind the counter said.

Lola consulted the rate charts. "I'll take a one-way ticket", she said, and laid her money on the counter.

"Where to, dear ?", the woman said kindly.

"Detroit", Lola said. "One-way to....Detroit."
_____________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Pete sat alone in his office, papers spread over the top of his desk, mostly notes from interviews from the Clique members that had been in the Infirmary and the Clinics in town.  Most of the information was useless, but there were a couple of things that caught Pete's attention....An unpicked-up order at the Dragon's Wing, and Tony's report of a strange Carnie fellow somehow connected with the Terrorists.  These were things that needed more investigation....And Pete was close, real close, he felt, to unraveling the clues and making sense of the whole thing.

Laurent and Constantinos returned to the Mediator's Office.  "What'ja find out ?", Pete asked.

Laurent tossed a paper on the desk. "Copy of the order form for 1 Stuffed Bunny."

Constantinos pointed to the bottom.  "Look at the name here."

Pete's eyes widened in surprise. "How....I never would have suspected.....Wow."

"Something's going on out there, Pete", Laurent said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"Like what ?", Pete asked.

"The Cliques have posted Sentries", Laurent said. "Think something is brewing."

"Yeah ?", Pete looked up. "In this weather ?"

"Want us to check it out ?", Constantinos asked.

Pete waved a hand. "No...I need you guys to check out this guy."  He handed over a slip of paper.

"Like, right now ?", Laurent said. "It is getting late...Be dark soon, and is snow-storming. It's kind of far, too."

Constantinos nodded at that. “Getting’ nasty out there.”

"Look fellows", Pete said. "I'm real close to putting this all together.  All of it, tonight. This is the last of it, I promise."  He cast a pleading look at the two boys.  "I'd send Tony, but he seems to have taken a powder the past couple days."

The boys looked at each other and shrugged.  "OK....One more....But man, it sure is cold out there", Laurent said.  With that, both left the Office to try to track down one more clue.
_________________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Jake arrived a bit early, climbing over the junk pile behind the Autoshop, then scaling the ladder to the roof, moving to the far Northern part to get the best view of the area, although the Southern portion of the Quad was obscured by trees.  Since the leaves were off, a partial view was afforded, but the winds and the swirling snow made viewing difficult at best.  Jake hauled out the binoculars out of his backpack, and laid down on the peak with his elbows over the edge, and took a look.  Not the best, he thought, but it would have to do.  Jake had also brought along three weapons of his own....A Bottle Rocket Launcher, A Spudgun, and the ever-trusty Air Rifle, which was swung over his back.  On his belt was clipped a small bullhorn from the Carnival.  He settled in to wait the arrival of the Cliques.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As the hour approached, each Clique moved out into the storm in sequence, highly bundled and highly armed.  First the Nerds moved out from the Library, followed closely by the Bullies from the Dorm. Then the Preps left Harrington House, followed by the Jocks from the Gym.  The Greasers were actually the first to arrive, for they only had to scale the break in the wall from the Autoshop.  From the area of the Parking Lot, the Rockers were the last to arrive.

Each Clique, except the Rockers, had expected to see only one other Clique arrive, but as each new Clique came into view, there was first surprise and then confusion.  The night was dark, with the high blizzard winds blowing the accumulated snow around to nearly whiteout conditions.  In the poor lighting, it was difficult to tell just who was who.  It was also hard to hear, as the high winds made a loud howling sound, first high, then low, then back high again.  Mixed in with the wind was the shouted sounds of trash talk, from the Cliques nearest each other being the only ones heard initially.
 
It is unclear who fired the opening salvo, but it was later agreed that it must have been the Nerds, for they alone among all the Cliques had the most enemies, being universally the group bullied by all the others.  Within seconds, the other Cliques opened fire, with Bottle Rocket Launchers, Spud Guns, Egg Cannons, M-80 Firecrackers, Stink Bombs, and Super-Slingshots.  The Battle Royale was on.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The noise of the battle over the sound of the high winds reached the Principal's Office, where Headmaster Crabblesnitch was having a romantic late Christmas Eve dinner with Miss Danvers in his Office.
 
"What on Earth is that noise ?", exclaimed Miss Danvers.

"Sounds like trouble.  Call the Prefects.  I'll check it out", Dr. Crabblesnich said, heading towards the secret door to the outside back Balcony.  Miss Danvers went through the double doors to the Main Office, scooping up the Intercom to alert the two remaining Prefects, as the rest had been allowed to leave for the Holidays yesterday in advance of the storm.  "Max McTavish and Karl Branting, report to the office right away", the Intercom blared throughout the empty School.

The two Prefects came on the run, and joined Dr. Crabblesnitch on the outside back Balcony.  Looking down they could just barely make out what looked like groups of Students that appeared to be firing Weapons and throwing Firecrackers and Stink Bombs at each other.  But because of the darkness and the swirling, wind driven snow, it was hard to make out any specifics in the relatively weak lighting of the back lot behind the school.

"Get the floodlights, boys", Dr. Crabblesnitch ordered, and the two Prefects scrambled to comply, running back through the Main Office to the Auditorium to get the huge stand-up lights and the extension cords to run the power.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In the small Mediator office, Laurent and Constantinos had returned with valuable information.

"That's it...That's the missing piece", Pete said. He looked up. "That's who has been doing this..."

He was cut off by the blare of the Intercom, Miss Danvers calling the Prefects. "Go find out what's going on", Pete ordered the two boys.  As they left, through the open door came the distant sounds of the battle.   Pete began unlocking the bottom drawer of the huge File Cabinet, and withdrew an object he had been hiding there for quite some time.  Pete knew what those sounds he was hearing were.  Another huge fight.  What the hell was the matter with these kids ?  Pete had had enough.  He was going to put a stop to this, and by-god, they were going to listen to him this time.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Chef pulled up in front of the school at a half an hour before Midnight.  It had been a tough return trip, but they had made it back in one piece.  Tony said his 'Thank You's' to the Chef, and exited the car.  He had decided to return to the School and confront those who were running rumors saying that he had anything to do with the attacks.  First, though, he had to talk with Pete.

The entire place seemed empty, there were no patrolling Prefects....Which, given the howling winds and blowing snow, really wasn't unusual.  However, upon entering the Dorm, Tony also found it completely empty.  There was no one there, and many of the room doors were open.  This was disturbing, since room doors were uaually always kept shut, due in part to the simmering tensions that was a regular part of life in the Boy's Dorm.  Tony decided to go check out the School to see if Pete was there.  He had been keeping late hours there, trying to do his part to track down those responsible for the attacks.  Tony had to tell him about what he had learned from Lola, anyhow.  He headed off towards the School building.
______________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Though it was hard to see, the battle still raged.  From his vantage point, Jake was giddy with excitement at what he was seeing.  Though many of the targets were being missed, due to the poor light and high winds, a few hits were finding their mark, as Jake was seeing some of the kids down.  Better this way, though, that they could exhaust their ammo with minimal collateral damage.  He figured they would probably use the Air Rifles last, at the point where they would run out of most of their other ammo. Once the Cliques got close enough for some hand-to-hand, fist-to-fist fighting, the visibility would be improved enough to use the Air Rifles more effectively.  Jake guessed that the Clique leaders were the ones who would have possession of the Air Rifles, and use them to target and take down other Clique leaders.  When that happened, Jake would vacate his spot and appear with the Bullhorn to bring a halt to the fighting and "save" the School.  The Clique leaders, upon seeing  'Ace Adams' would lay down their weapons, for if anything else was sure, it was that they would not harm the conduit to the 'Terrorists' and risk inciting their anger.

Jake noticed some kind of activity on the School's back Balcony.  He trained his binoculars there, although, he didn't quite have the right angle to see just what was going on there. Then, without warning, the floodlights came on.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Laurent and Constanous had run out towards the Main Office area just in time to see Max and Carl wheeling two huge racks of floodlights into the Main Office, heading for Dr. Crabblesnich's Office.  They tried to follow, but Miss Danvers stopped them, denying them access.  Rather than trying to argue about it, the boys ran down the steps and around to the rear exit door on the Southwest side.  Going through the door, they stopped on the steps and surveyed the scene on the Quad in front of them.  It looked like a scene from some kind of horror movie, complete with swirling white smoke tinged with green from the Stink Bombs.  Over the wind they could hear shouting, cries of pain, and Weaponry....Lots of Weaponry.

As they watched, the floodlights suddenly came on.
---------------------------------------------------- 

There was a brief pause in the action, as the Students were startled by the sudden brightness....But realizing that they could now see their targets a whole lot better, they began to fight again with a renewed vigor, advancing foot by foot on their adversaries, their Rockets, Spuds, Firecrackers, Eggs, and Stink Bombs coming more fast and furious than before. As Jake had expected, the Clique leaders raised their Air Rifles and began to fire on the other Clique leaders.  Derby was to first to go down in a fuselage of Pellets.  The damage was slight, due to the heavy winter coats the combatants were wearing, but from this range the pellets packed quite a punch that was sure to leave deep bruises. Over in the Nerds group, Melvin began firing, being protected in front by a line of his fellow Nerds, including Algie, who was firing his Spud Gun non-stop at the Preps, Jocks, and Bullies with uncanny accuracy.  Soon, Trent was taken down by a combo of Pellets and Spuds.  The Rockers, who still hung back toward the Parking Lot area, rapid-fired on everybody that still moved within range, but mostly the Greasers, who were closest.  Peanut was hit with several pellets, but managed to stay on his feet, as did Ted from the Jocks.  Being off to the side, the Rockers were hardly getting hit, and gleefully kept pouring on the shooting, with Kurt shooting Pellets at his favorite targets, the Preps, long after Derby went down.

From the door behind Laurent and Constantinos, a figure came charging out, running past them down the steps and out onto the pavement.  The figure had what looked like a Bullhorn in one hand, and as he came to a stop nearly in the center of the Quad, he raised an object in his other hand, pointing it towards the sky.

BLAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The loud noise echoed off the school building.  The figure raised the bullhorn to his mouth.....

"STOP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
______________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tony had checked the empty School building, going to Pete's little Office.  Nobody was around, but Tony became aware of noises seeming to come from behind the School.  Sounded like....Fighting noises.  Heading off down the stairs at a run, he scampered to one of the back doors and pushed it open just as a loud exploding noise sounded and a voice sounding like it came from a Bullhorn yelled "STOP !!!!!!!!!"

Tony burst through the opening, nearly running down his two friends standing on the steps, Laurent and Constantinos.  The noise of the battle had abruptly ceased, replaced by the low howl of the wind and the groans and sobs of what seemed to Tony to be half of the Bullworth kids.  It looked to Tony that all the Cliques were here, scattered in groupings around the Quad.  In the center of it all was Pete, with a raised bullhorn to his mouth, and pointing a smoking .357 Magnum in the air.
__________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

"STOP IT RIGHT NOW !!  WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE ??  ARE YOU INSANE ??"

Pete had lowered the Magnum to arm level, jabbing the gun at each Clique in turn as he spoke.

"EVERY ONE OF YOU BELONGS IN A PSYCHE WARD !!  YOU ARE IDIOTS !!!  A BUNCH OF STUPID SHITS !!  DOUCHEBAGS !!  WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR ?? 

Each remark was punctuated by more wild jabs of the gun.  The Cliques shrank back at each jab.

"I'M SICK OF THIS !!  TIRED OF TRYING TO KEEP PEACE WITH YOU MORONS !!  YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF SICKOS !!  YOU ALL NEED TO TAKE SOME RADICAL ANGER MANAGEMENT COURSES !!  THAT IS...HAHAHA...IF YOU COULD EVER TAKE SOME TIME OFF FROM BASHING EACH OTHERS BRAINS IN TO ACTUALLY GO TO CLASS !!!"

Up on the Balcony, Dr. Crabblesnitch called down....."Pete, My Boy !  Stay Calm, Son !  You Need To Put The Gun Down !!"

"WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SIR.....YOU NEED TO SHUT THE HELL UP !!!  THIS SCHOOL IS A HELLHOLE BECAUSE YOU TURN A BLIND EYE TO WHAT REALLY GOES ON OUT HERE....AND YOU DON'T CARE THAT THESE FOOLS ARE BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF EACH OTHER, WARPING THEMSELVES FOR LIFE !!  DOCTOR....YOU ARE NO GENTELMAN.....AND I'M NOT YOUR SON !!!"

This last was said with Pete jabbing the gun in the direction of the Balcony.  The two Prefects, who had been standing still through Pete's tirade, backed suddenly away from the railing of the Balcony, getting out of range.

Up on the Autoshop rooftop, Jake was beside himself with sudden outrage.  Just a couple of minutes ago, everything had been going according to plan, and he was preparing to ready himself to climb down and assume control of the situation.  Now this stupid numb fuck had put a monkey wrench in his carefully laid plans.  Jake thought furiously, trying to come up with a way to salvage his edge.

Tony cupped his hands, and yelled, "PETE !! Have them lay down their Weapons, and we can resolve all this !!"

Pete turned to the sound of Tony's voice.  As he did so, Algie, who had also heard Tony's voice, now saw him standing on the steps along with Constantinos and Laurent.  Tony, and his Fucked-Up Friends !!  Algie dropped his Spud Gun reached over and tore the Air Rifle out of Melvin's hands.

"Hey !!", Melvin cried. "What are you doing that for, Algie...?"  Melvin tried to reach in to take the Air Rifle back from Algie, and Algie bashed Melvin right smack in the middle of the forehead with the butt of the Rifle. Melvin was knocked back on his ass, and he sat there, stunned.  Algie then shouldered the Weapon, took a bead on the trio of boys standing on the steps, and fired a barrage of Pellets at them.  Tony was struck in the upper arm, and Constantinos had a piece of his ear ripped off.  Due to his skills of ducking faster, Laurent escaped getting hit altogether.  Pete whirled back around and faced Algie.

"DROP IT ALGIE !  IT'S ALL OVER !  I KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE....NOW EVERYBODY IS GONNA KNOW......HERE'S YOUR ATTACKER, GANG !!!  ALGIE ENGINEERED THE WHOLE THING.....LURED YOU IN, SET YOU UP, TRAPPED YOU, CARRIED OUT THE ATTACK.....ONE NERD BOY GOT THE BEST OF ALL OF YOU !!!"

"Yeah, SO WHAT !!!", cried Algie.  "They ALL had it coming !!!  PEE-STAIN !!! PISSY-PANTS !!! FOUR EYES FAT SHIT !!!  Always MAKING FUN OF ME !!!  Always PUNCHING ON ME !!!  And then One of You Bastards BLEW MY NUT OFF !!!!!   I'M SO ANGRY !!!!!!!!!"

This news stunned the other Nerd boys.  They backed away from Algie, unbelievingly.  Pete spoke again....

"THIS WASN'T THE WAY, ALGIE !!  I WOULD HAVE FOUND OUT WHO DID IT, AND WE COULD HAVE DEALT WITH IT.....BUT NOT LIKE WHAT YOU DID....."

"Is that true, Algie ?  You attacked.....Us ?  Why ?  Why ??", Bucky asked, shocked.

"It was for your OWN GOOD !", screamed Algie.  "We couldn't be the only Clique that WASN"T ATTACKED !!!  I SAVED YOU by doing that !!  Don't you UNDERSTAND ??"

Pete spoke, sadly.  "I THOUGHT YOU NERD TYPES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOGICAL, AND THAT DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.....GIVE IT UP, ALGIE...IT'S ALL OVER FOR YOU !!"

"NO !!!!!", Algie screamed, pointing the Air Rifle at Pete.  "IT'S NOT !!!"  He took aim.

WHAP !!!!!!!!!!  Algie pitched forward, the Air Rifle clattering to the pavement as he fell face forward on the ground, knocked out.  Standing behind him was Melvin, who had recovered, scooped up the Spud Gun that Algie had dropped, and shot him point blank in the back of the head.  "Sorry, Brother Traitor....But that had to be done."
______________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

There was shocked silence at this turn of events.  The winds continued their low howl from the Storm, snow swirling everywhere.  Then, slowly, an angry muttering arose from the other Cliques who had suffered the attacks.  The sound built, overriding the noise of the Storm.  The Cliques began to slowly move in the direction of the Nerds.  Pete raised both the Bullhorn and the Magnum again.

"THAT'S FAR ENOUGH !!  NOTHING IS GONNA BE HAPPENING HERE TONIGHT....IN FACT, WHAT YOU IDIOTS ARE GONNA DO IS DISARM.....THAT'S RIGHT !!  BRING YOUR WEAPONS FORWARD, ONE CLIQUE AT AT TIME !!"

The Clique members stopped, and all looked at Pete like he was crazy.  "But...We NEED our Weapons !!", a voice spoke up.  "For Defense !!", cried another.  "'This is Unfair !!", a third voice added.

Jake had suddenly decided what he had to do.  Unslinging his Air Rifle, he adjusted the scope, and tried to take aim on Pete.  He would have to take him out.  But the tree limbs blocked a straight sight at him, and the wind kept pushing off his aim.  Jake settled in, biding his time. Sooner or later, Pete would come back into his view.  Jake knew he would have to get Pete with one shot.  A head shot, to knock him out.  To shut him up.

A voice piped up from the Jocks Clique, probably Ted's...."What if them Terrorists come back ?  We need our weapons to defend ourselves!"  There were cries of agreement at this.  Pete began laughing.....

"HAH-HAH-HAH.....TERRORISTS ??  THERE ARE NO TERRORISTS !!!!!!  YOU ALL HAVE GOTTEN SCAMMED !!!!  THAT'S RIGHT, BOYS....SOMEONE PULLED A FAST ONE ON YOU !!  AND YOU FELL FOR IT, THE BIGGEST LIE IN ALL OF BULLWORTH HISTORY !!  SPAWNED BY YOUR VERY OWN 'WEAPONS GUY', ACE ADAMS !!  ALL LIES, LIES !!

The Clique leaders were aghast at this bit of information.  Their members started peppering the leaders at once with questions and accusations.  In the meantime, Pete waved Tony and Laurent over to where he was at.  Putting down the bullhorn (but not the Magnum), Pete conferred a brief time with them, and both boys took off, headed in the direction of the school Basement entrance.  Pete raised the Bullhorn once again, this time to the Balcony.....

"DOCTOR CRABBLESNITCH, I SAW SOME PREFECTS UP THERE.....I NEED THEM TO BE SENT DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW....THERE IS WORK FOR THEM TO DO."

Max and Karl looked over at Dr. Crabblesnitch.  The Headmaster nodded.  "Go. Let's get this over with."  The two Prefects began climbing down the trellis to the raised area, then hopped down the stone wall to the pavement.  By this time, Tony and Laurent had returned from the School Basement, hauling Mr. Luntz's oversized wheelbarrow with them.  Pete raised the bullhorn and spoke again....

"ALL OF YOU WILL SURRENDER YOUR WEAPONS....WALK UP TO THE WHEELBARROW AND DUMP IN ALL THE WEAPONS YOU HAVE ON YOU.....DON'T EVEN THINK OF HOLDING BACK....THESE PREFECTS WILL BE CHECKING YOU."

Nobody moved.  Pete became very angry, and began jabbing the Magnum at them again....

"DO IT !!!!!!!  DO IT NOW !!!!!!  I WILL START SHOOTING CLIQUE LEADERS IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY !!!!!  ALL THE WEAPONS INTO THE WHEELBARROW, NOW !!!!! MOVE IT !!!!!!!"
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Slowly, one after another, the Cliques came forward and began tossing in their Weaponry.  Max and Karl searched each one to make sure they weren't holding back.  Up on the Autoshop roof, Jake's mind had gone ballistic. All his plans to take over the School lay in ruins. Pete had exposed his alter-ego.

That goddam little fuck blew my cover !!!!  I'm gonna waste that fucking bastard !!!  NO MORE GAMES !!!!  I'm gonna take this rat-bastard fink out for good !!!

Jake still didn't have a clear shot.  Forcing himself to remain calm, Jake resettled himself and checked through the scope again.

The Rockers were still partly out of sight.  Kurt motioned Tibo over to him.  "Here...Take These", he said, handing Tibo the Air Rifle and two Spud Guns.  "Cut back through the Parking Lot...They won't be able to see you....Go !  Meet you back at the house."  Tibo took the Weapons and snuck away at a jog.  Out of the corner of his eye, on the rooftop, Jake saw him go.

When all the Weapons had been collected, they made a huge pile in the large Wheelbarrow.  Pete had another surprise in store.  He raised the Bullhorn again.....

"MAX...TONY...LAURENT....TAKE THESE WEAPONS OF EVIL DOWN TO THE BASEMENT....AND THROW THEM IN THE FURNACE !!  DESTROY THEM FOREVER !!!"

A huge groan went up at this from the Cliques.  Then the outcries began in earnest.

"SHUT UP !!!!  SHUT UP !!!!!  YOU MORONS BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELVES !!!!!  THIS ISN'T A SCHOOL, IT'S A WAR ZONE !!!  THIS ISN'T A NORMAL PLACE IN ANY SENSE OF THE WORD !!!!  YOU CORRUPT THIS PLACE WITH ALL YOUR SENSELESS VIOLENCE !!!!  IF YOU WON'T STOP ON YOUR OWN, YOU WILL BE MADE TO STOP, WILL BE FORCED TO STOP !!!!  THIS MUST END, AND END NOW !!!!  WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG ??"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Getting the loaded wheelbarrow down the steps and through the winding corridors in the Basement wasn't easy, but they finally made it to the Furnace room, located under the Great Hall in the front of the School.  Grabbing a rag, Tony got the Furnace door open.  Flames leaped out at him.  This was a massive Furnace, as it had to be, in order to heat the whole School.  It ran nearly non-stop from late October through early April.  Max and Laurent took ahold of the Weapons and began throwing them into the fire, where they quickly began to melt down, with the Air Rifles taking the longest amount of time.

Back at the windblown Quad at the rear of the School, Pete was still talking....And walking, back and forth, side to side, as he made an impassioned plea for a new era of co-operation in a School without weapons.  Up on the Autoshop roof, Jake finally had the shot he had been waiting for.  Pete had moved far enough back to clear the trees, and Jake, very steady on the trigger, squeezed off a shot.
____________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

POWTHUNKK !!!!!!!!

Barely heard over the sound of the wind, the Pellet sped toward it's target.  Pete had turned toward the low sound, and the Pellet hit him in the right eye, tearing through the soft tissue and breaking through the thin bone of the eye socket behind.  It's momentum slowed, it lodged itself there, a short way into Pete's brain.

Pete dropped both the Bullhorn and the Magnum, and fell to the ground.  There was a shocked gasp from the crowd.  Karl the Prefect ran over and scooped up the Magnum, and, scanning the students, began to bark out orders.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Up on the Autoshop roof, Jake had slipped from the recoil of the Air Rifle.  It was a modest recoil, but on the now slippery, snow covered roof, he began to slide off.  Jake twisted and tried to stop his slide, but to no avail.  Jake slid over the edge, but as luck would have it, fell onto the dumpster behind the building, only suffering a twisted ankle.  Recovering his senses, he rolled off the dumpster and onto the pavement.  He could stand, but was unable to run.  The gunstrap was still wrapped around his arm, and the Air Rifle was undamaged.

He had to get out of here, and fast.  Limping around the building towards the Garage Doors on the North side, he went to the first closed Garage Door.  It was locked.  Bracing himself, he emptied the round of Pellets from the Air Rifle into the lock to break it, then slammed the butt of the Rifle into the door until the locking mechanism was knocked out.  With that, the locking bars released, and he hauled up the door.

Inside, as he remembered, was the Go-Kart belonging to the Shop teacher, Mr. Neil.  Throwing himself into the seat, he hoped the battery was up and the dumb fuck had left some gas in it.  It did, and fired up after a couple of cranks.  Throwing it in gear, he mashed the gas pedal and laid rubber going out of the Garage.  Some of the Rockers who had seen him were coming over to investigate, and he ran a couple of them down while fishtailing around.
 
Jake fought for control on the slippery pavement, regained it, and went speeding out the Parking Lot, through the Gates and down the long drive towards the road, where he made a left turn and again laid on the gas down Vale Valley Boulevard.  Just before the tunnel, he spotted Tibo crossing the street, his back towards him.  Jake ran him down, knocking him out.  He squealed to a stop, backed up, and picked up the Air Rifle that Tibo had been carrying, and sped off towards the Carnival.  He had to get his shit and disappear, the sooner the better.  His cover was blown, and Ace Adams was dead.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As they exited the School Basement steps, Tony and Laurent saw the Go-Kart tear through the Parking Lot.  They ran back to the rear Quad of the School, followed by Max the Prefect (Who had volunteered for extra duty this holiday only because the Army and the Police hadn't yet received his application).  Max ran around the boys to help Karl restore order, which would prove to be easy, since the Cliques were now Weaponless.  As Laurent stopped to check on Constantinous, still at the steps with a bloody rag pressed to his torn ear, Tony spotted Pete laying unmoving and ran over to him.

Tony slouched down on his knees and gently lifted Pete up, resting him against his leg.

"Pete !! Pete !! Can you hear me ?  Pete ?"
Pete's head lolled around.  Tony could see a slow flow of blood and tissue oozing from his ruined eye.

"Tony ?", Pete said weakly. "Ahhh.....Island......Pirate.....Island......"

"Don't try to talk, Pete...We're gonna get you some help....Just hang on !", Tony said.

"Island....", Pete repeated.  "Grid.....67....."

Pete mumbled more, but Tony couldn't catch it. Then, Pete passed out.  From somewhere, far away, Tony could hear a bell ringing.  It was Midnight.

Christmas was here.

------{{ END OF CHAPTER TWO }}----------

________________________________________

[Mike_W]

                         THE BULLWORTH NEVER ENDING STORY

                                                         {{ CHAPTER 3 }}

                                                  The Valentine’s Bloodbath


Tony awoke excited, for it was Christmas.  Tony had all sorts of fond memories of Christmas from when he was a young kid.  However, as he sat up, he soon snapped back to reality as he began to recall the events from the previous night.  Oh my god !, he suddenly thought, Where is Pete now ?

Then Tony remembered that Pete had been taken to the Clinic in Bullworth Town.  In a few days, Tony thought he could be able pay him a visit.  For the time being though, Tony thought it was best to let Pete rest up and try to recover.  His wound looked serious, they probably wouldn’t let anybody see him anyway.  Tony sat on the edge of the bed, thinking for awhile.  While Pete was gone, who would be keeping peace at the School now ?   If it was to be him that would again have to take over in Pete’s absence, what could he do to Mediate the Cliques ?  He really didn’t have a clue.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized he would need some serious help if Pete were to be out of commission for a long time.  An idea slowly took root in his mind.  It was far-fetched, but in a nutty place like the Vale Valley, it just might work. 

Tony finally got dressed and wandered into the Common Room.  There was a brightly lit Christmas Tree in the corner of the room by the Arcade Game.  Tony then noticed his best friends, Constantinos and Laurent sitting together on the couch. As he got closer, Tony saw the bandage on Constantinos' ear.

"Hey Guys, Merry Christmas", Tony said.

"Hi there", said Constantinos in his usual glum way.

"What's up with your ear ?", questioned Tony.

"Oh, I got injured in the madness last night”, Constantinos moped.  “A small piece of my ear came off, but they were able to sew it back together last night at the Infirmary.  I guess I lucked out with all the cold air last night, preserved it, they said.  Thanks for noticing.”

"Here Tony, drink up", said Laurent, trying to hand Tony a bottle. Laurent had apparently been able to get his hands on some liquor.

"No, but thanks", said Tony.  He just wanted to stay sober today.

"So, what do you want to do ?", questioned Laurent.

"Well, I know this seems strange", said Tony, "but I think we need to go find a certain someone".

"Like who ?", Constantinos said, somewhat confused.

"Someone that has experience with this School and all of the Idiots that reside here", Tony said firmly.

"You don't mean....No, you can't be thinking of.….", stammered Constantinos.

"Yes, Constantinos, I think you know exactly who I mean", Tony replied. "We need to go and get Jimmy Hopkins.”

"Are You Crazy !?!", shouted Constantinos. “He’s locked up !”

"Look, I know that sounds nuts, but I have my reasons", Tony argued.

"Yes, and what would those be, huh ?....Wait…What ?", struggled Laurent, as he was obviously beginning to show signs of being intoxicated.

"The reasons", stated Tony, "Is that the School may be calm now, but you all would be crazy to think that we have entered a time of eternal peace.  You guys know that in a few weeks, or less. things will get crazy again."

"Yeah, but why Jimmy ?", questioned Constantinos, "Isn't he like a crazy killer now ?".

"He was only been accused, far as I know, and that means nothing", Tony said. "Besides, if anyone could help us, its him.”

Tony pestered Constantinos until he finally agreed to come with him to the Towns.  Laurent was getting too drunk, so Tony thought it would be best not to drag him around.  Before leaving the Dorm, each of them had packed a backpack full of items they each thought would be of use in maybe breaking Jimmy out of Jail.

They left through the unguarded Front Gates. Tony guessed that there wasn’t much point to guard them now, considering more than half the kids were probably in the Infirmary or Clinics after last night’s Great Clique War.
________________________________________________

[Mike_W]

"So, where do you think he’s at ?", asked Tony, as they stood out in front of the School Gates.  “When I saw him that one time, he was in Jail over at the Vale.”

"Um, well, he may be....Uhh…", said Constantinos as he tried to think of which of the four Jails that Jimmy might be at, if he was in the Vale Valley at all right now.  Well, the Jail over at the Vale, usually he is just held there right before transferring him back to the Prison….”  Constantinos hoped he could give Tony a fake location to stall the mission he really didn't want to do.

"Cut the bullshit, Constantinos, you and I both know that you know where he is, so just spill it", Tony said forcefully.

"Ok, Ok, I think he's at the main Police Station by the Courthouse”, confessed Constantinos.  “If he has Appeals pending, that’s where he would be, if he’s here at all.”

“OK then…Let’s go”, Tony, turning towards the direction of Bullworth Town. 

"You DO understand that you can't just walk in and break him out", Constantinos warned him as they walked. "That place is really locked down".

"How would you know that?", questioned Tony.

"I…Uh.…Had a little run-in because of….Um…Some Comic Books last year", Constantinos said, as he nervously stroked the back of his head.

Tony thought for a moment. "Who guards that place anyways, which Officers ?", he asked.

Constantinos told Tony how Officer Williams and Officer Morrison were the ones who worked at this station most of the time on the weekends and Holidays. “Seeing as how it’s Christmas, they’ll be pretty lightly staffed today.”

"OK….so what do we know about these Officers ?  We need to distract them somehow", said Tony.

"I know Officer Williams is black…”, Constantinos said.  We could lure him with a giant Watermelon, and maybe some grape Soda…”

"You fucking retard, that's just a stereotype”, Tony scoffed.  “Besides, he's a Cop.  If this goes wrong, the last thing we need is to be charged with some sort of racial hate crime.”

"Anyways, about Officer Morrison, I hear that he likes music and the club scene", Constantinos continued, ignoring Tony’s outburst.

"So what do you suggest, we lure him away with some Pop Music ?", said Tony sarcastically.

"Maybe....", said Constantinos, “We’d have to be able to get by them, to the back, where the Holding Cells are, just to see if Jimmy is there.”

The boys arrived at the front of the Police Station at the North end of Town.  Tony just figured that they could try things on the spot and improvise, and motioned for Constantinos to follow him through the front doors of the Station.
_______________________________________________________

[Mike_W]

Tony and Constantinos snuck through the front doors of the Police Station.  As they made their way forward, they looked around a corner.  There was Officer Williams, standing in front of a door that Constantinos indicated led to the Cells.

"I'll be back", said Constantinos, resigned to doing this crazy thing.  "I'll distract him, go forward when the coast is clear.”

Constantinos then disappeared from sight as he carefully removed a panel set into the wall and quietly climbed up into a nearby heating duct.  A few minutes later, Tony saw something that both made him angry and fear for his life.  Constantinos had carefully opened a vent above the Officer, and then proceeded to lower a giant Watermelon on a fishing line slowly towards the floor by the Cop. "Son of a bitch, where did that bastard get that damn Melon ?", Tony whispered to himself.

Tony watched as Constantinos raised and lowered the tasty fruit on the line, pulled it up just as Officer Williams spotted it was about to grab it. Tony could not believe what he was seeing, the Cop was actually falling for this horseshit !   Just then, Tony held his breath as the line snapped and the Watermelon fell, hitting the floor with a THUD.  Miraculously, the fruit did not break, but rather began to roll down the corridor. The building was so old that the floors had settled and become uneven over the years. Tony watched as the Watermelon began to pick up speed and roll down the hall with Officer Williams in hot pursuit, going out of sight around another corridor.

When the coast was clear, Tony began to venture down the hall towards the Cell Block door.  Constantinos soon caught up with Tony and proceeded to smile a large toothy grin. "How'd I do bo-, I mean Tony ?"

"You got lucky", said Tony. In a few seconds, the pair found themselves outside the door to the Cell Block. A large sign read: “Jail Officials Only Beyond This Point"
Peering through the little window on the door, Tony spotted officer Morrison. "I suppose you know how to appropriately handle this ?", Tony said with a hint of aggravation.

"Yup, I think so", said Constantinos somewhat confidently.

Tony watched as Constantinos rummaged through his pack and pulled out a Boombox.  "Oh, Shit", Tony muttered as he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Constantinos then popped in a disk and pressed the play button. The musical stylings of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" soon filled the air. Officer Morrison began to sit up.  He could hear the catchy tune playing and began to move with the rhythm. "I wonder if it’s okay to go dancing in my uniform ?", the boys heard him asking himself.

"Quick, Tony, hide in this here Equipment Locker.  I'll walk down the hall with the Boombox and leave it in the Holding Room.  “I'll try and make it back somehow and help you", Constantinos said assuringly.  Tony squeezed inside the Locker as Constantinos took off.

As planned, Officer Morrison opened the door and began dancing down the hall in the direction of the music he so loved.  Quickly leaving the locker, Tony slipped through the open door and stepped into the Cell Block.  Tony crept down the line of  Holding Cells and spotted Jimmy Hopkins directly in front of him in a dimly lit Cell.
____________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

"So....We meet again", said Jimmy.

"Right", said Tony, remembering their brief encounter a few months ago.

"So, whatta doing here ?", asked Jimmy.

"We come to bust you out", answered Tony.

"Really ?  How come ?", Jimmy quizzed.

"We need your help....Rather, the School needs your help.  Just consider it a Christmas Present",  Tony said absently, looking around.

"It would sure beat the shitty green sweater I got for Christmas last year", Jimmy remarked.

"How do I get the cell door open ?", asked Tony, still looking around for some keys or something.

"It's an Electronic Lock.  Look for the box with the release switches down the hall there...."  Jimmy pointed down the hall where Officer Morrison had gone.  "Only.....Get ready to run....A loud buzzer is gonna sound once you hit that release switch."

Tony felt his way along the darkened wall until he saw the large box-like Control Panel.  It was marked with the cell door numbers on it, left to right.  Shit...He had forgotten to find out the cell number.

"What cell are you in ?", Tony called back in a stage whisper.

"FOUR !", Jimmy called back, in the same kind of whispery voice.

Tony put his finger on the toggle switch marked '4' and hesitated just a bit. 

In for a penny, In for a pound.  He flipped the switch.

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!
__________________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Hidden safely away on this Christmas day, in the In & Out Motel, Jake stood in front of the bathroom mirror.  He had, once more, escaped undetected.  But, once more, his plans had failed, brought to ruin by the interference of others who were trying to keep him from his rightful destiny. 

After running down Tibo, he had returned one last time to the Carnival.  He had taken his Weapons stash, his clothing stash, and most importantly, his lockbox containing over $ 7,000 in cash.  His cover as Ace Adams exposed, he could no longer stay there.  Loading up those items on the Go-Cart with a bit of difficulty, due his the sprained ankle, he had half-expected that someone would soon be along soon to arrest him.  But no one showed up, no Cops, no one from the School, which made him think that there was something else at work here....If not Karma, it was secrecy, corruption, malfeasance.....Jake didn't have time to dwell on it.  These were things to figure out later.  Right now, he had to have a place to hide out.

Hooded in a heavy coat, a wrap-around scarf, and a sock hat, he made his way on the Go-Kart back through the deserted Towns,  pulling into the In & Out Motel.  He had to have some shelter from the weather.  The Desk Clerk, an Indian-looking guy, wasn't too happy about being roused to provide a room, but when Jake flashed a $100 dollar tip in addition to the room rate, he suddenly became real cooperative.  After unloading his stash, he had ditched the Go-Cart over behind some warehouses to the East.  He nearly froze his ass off limping back, but for now....For the time being, he was safe.

Looking at his image in the mirror, he knew he would have to alter his appearance once more, and take on a new persona.  Just who, he hadn't had time to decide.  Only a day ago, he had been poised to take over the School.  Now....Now he would have to start over.  Again.  But this time, no one was gonna get in his way, he vowed.  Nobody.
__________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

 "This had better be important", said the tall, well-dressed man.  "It was a real pain getting over here in this kind of weather.  Not to mention it's a goddam Holiday."

"Sir, I apologize for having you come, but this is serious", the man in the white lab coat replied. "There was an....Incident....over at the School last night." 

"So how is that my problem ?", the first man said."That Idiot Crabblesnich should be handling it.
Why are you bothering me with this ?"

"A boy was seriously injured", Lab-coat man went on. "In fact....He's in critical condition."

The man glanced sharply at the Technician. "It wasn't Derby, was it ?"

"No, sir...It's a boy named Pete Kowalski", Lab coat man replied.

"Kowalski....Hmm....That's the boy that Old Goat was using as a Mediator, wasn't it...."  He shook his head.  "I told that fool this was a bad idea....Those little brats are animals....They don't need a Mediator, they need to be locked up.  Goddam Paupers."

"This boy sir....He needs more help than we can provide....An Operation...", Lab coat said.

"How bad off is he ?", the tall, ell-dressed man asked.

"He has a pellet in his brain, sir....He's in a coma....He could die", Lab coat answered.

The man swore. That couldn't be allowed to happen.  There would be questions....An Investigation.....Just how much did this boy know, he wondered, given the position that dunderhead Crabblesnich had afforded him ?  He couldn't afford to take any chances, not with that Hopkins kid still stonewalling about those missing documents.

To the Technician, he said, "Call Providence.  Get a Medical Transport.  A Med-Copter, if they can.  Roads are impassible right now.  I'll get you the access codes for a line out."

"What about his family ?", asked Lab coat man.

"Kowalski's an orphan...Ward of the state. Won't be any trouble there.  I'll take care of that."

"There's....One other problem, sir", Lab coat said.

"What the hell else could there be ?", the tall man said, irritably.

"There's another boy who was brought in", Lab coat continued.  "With a concussion....He will recover....But...."

"Spill it man....What is it ?" The tall man was becoming angry now.

"Uhhh...It's that Algermon boy....The one who had his....Testicle....removed a couple months ago, in that....Er....Explosion.....At the Comic-Store....", Lab coat said nervously.

"Too bad for him", the tall man said. "So why is that our problem ?'

"Seems he....Er....Engineered the attacks on the Students this past month", Lab coat answered.

"ALL of them ?", the tall man asked, unbelievingly. "By HIMSELF ?"

Lab coat nodded. "Looks that way.  He's back there now, babbling...Calling for his Mother."

The man swore again, more forcefully.  Why couldn't Crabblesnich keep his house in order ?  They were just a bunch of malcontents, for the most part.  How hard could it be ?  He cursed the day he had hired the pompous stuffed-shirt to run the Academy. A trained monkey could have done a better job.  But...He was stuck with him now.  Crabblesnitch knew far too much, and had too many contacts of his own.   

"Sir...What should I do....About the second boy ?", Lab coat asked.

A sudden thought occurred to him. "Babbling, Eh ?  A clear danger to himself, and others, I'll wager.  The boy should be....Put Away, so he can't hurt anyone else.  Call the Asylum people to come pick him up.  We'll have him committed.  I'll have Judge Starkweather sign the paperwork."

"What about the Mother ?", Lab coat asked. "We haven't notified anyone yet..."

"Don't worry about the Mother.  I'll have the Good Doctor deal with that, if it becomes necessary. In the meantime, just follow my instructions."

He strode to the phone.  Picking it up, he punched in a series of codes, then spoke into it, verifying them. He then turned to Lab Coat man.  "There.  You have a half hour access.  If there's nothing else, I'm going back home. Take care of this, Today."

"I'll get right on it, Mr. Harrington", Lab coat man said.
______________________________________________