The Bullworth Never Ending Story

[BloodChuckZ]

Trussed up in the Straight Jacket, Johnny trudged up the road to the Asylum, flanked on either side by Tony and Nick.  It took a little bit of convincing for him to go along with Tony’s plan, but after Tony explained it in painstaking detail, Johnny reluctantly agreed.  As they neared the bend in the road but sill not in sight of the Asylum, the Greasers walking behind them about 20 feet back began to guffaw and make snide comments at Johnny’s expense.

“Now everybody‘s laughing at ME !", Johnny fumed.  Still walking, he turned to glare at his Clique boys.  “Well, not anymore !”

Peanut tried hard to suppress his laughter.  “Eey, sorry Johnny....Youse just looks so damn funny there !”

“All bound up like a Turkey on Thanksgivin’, dats what !”, Hal joked, which set off a fresh round of laughter among the Jocks.

Tony and Nick stopped in their tracks and faced the Greaser Clique.  The Asylum was almost in sight around the edge of the small rock-faced mountain on their left.  “Com’on guys, cut the crap”, Tony ordered.  “Do like we rehearsed and start heckling us.  We’re almost there.  Just pretend we’re The Man, and takin’ Johnny in for real. Don’t forget to mutter some threats.”

The Greasers’ mirth subsided, and they went about putting on some angry faces.  Finally, Ricky got the insults rolling with “Where yous takin’ Johnny, youse asshole pieces of Shit !”  Norton joined in with “There goin’ to be an Ass Beatin’ if’n yous don’t be lettin’ him go !”  Similarly, Lefty, Lucky, and Vance joined in with more threats.  “That’s better”, Tony said.  “Don’t forget to get louder when we get closer.  Let’s Go !”

 As they rounded the curve in the road, the Asylum gates came into full view.  Tony could see right away that a few changes had taken place.  For one, the large kiosk at the edge of the sidewalk was gone, blown away by the explosions and not replaced.  The remains of it, along with some other rubble, was pushed up against the side of the mountain where the tunnel was, effectively blocking it.  Unlike before, the whole area was open to scrutiny.  Laurent, who was trailing a little ways behind the Jocks, would have to be real sneaky to be able to get through unseen and take up his position in the tree as planned.  Tony didn’t think it would be any trouble for him though...Hell, he could probably Parkour it, even in the Greaser outfit he was wearing.

The large gate across the road had been repaired, with the addition of some gnarly barbed-wire across the top, as had most of the other fencing, as far as Tony could see.  The smaller gate had also been restored, but as a totally see-through gate, he noticed.  The change that mattered most, at least to their mission tonight, was the glassed-in Guard Booth that was now set just to the other side of the gates.  It was hard to miss, as it was lit up from the inside.  A bored-looking fellow was inside, looking at what seemed to be a girlie magazine.  Tony gulped as they moved forward, the Greasers behind them loudly heckling them now.  He hoped his plan would work.  Unlike Nick, he had never been inside the gates before.  Tony glanced over at Nick, who showed no fear as they approached closer.  Tony took heart at that, and adopted Nick’s swagger as they closed the distance to the gate, walking like they owned the place.

The fellow in the booth frowned as he heard the commotion outside the gates.  Who dared to disturb his evening ?  It was usually always peaceful here.  “Lousy Americans”, he grumbled, dropping his magazine.  Standing, he exited the booth to see what all the ruckus was about.   

The fellow, whose name was Konstantin, stared out beyond the gate.  He saw two Orderlies there, with a guy in a Straight Jacket between them.  Behind them were a bunch of oddly-attired kids, looking like throwbacks to another era.  Konstantin scratched his head.  He hadn’t been in the Valley long, so he really knew nothing of the Greasers.  He had come here after the big trouble at the behest of his Uncle Milhailovich to help run the In And Out Motel.  As the tourist traffic had died out after the Holiday, his Uncle had told him to go get a real job and stop hanging around the Motel like a lazy bum.  So, he had gotten work here, at the Asylum, where he still hung out like a lazy bum, but at least he got paid to do so.

“See Here !  What Is-a All This ?", he asked, raising his voice to be heard above the din.

“We got a new...Er, Patient here !", Tony announced.  He had almost said ‘Prisoner'.

“Where Is Your Van ?", Konstantin inquired suspiciously.  Most Patients in Straight Jackets were brought in by Van.  Or so he heard.

“Broke Down", Nick said, taking over from Tony's lead. “Right after we came from Coventry.  Been walking every since."

“These Freaks have been tailing us", Tony joined in. “Friends of His."  Tony jerked his head towards Johnny, who as planned was struggling against the Straight Jacket and cursing.

“So let us in already", Nick said briskly, then suddenly turned and made threatening motions towards the Greasers. “Get Back !  Get Back, I Tell You !"

“Wait, I will let you in, sure”, Konstantin said, reaching inside the glass control booth and activating a switch.  There was a BUZZ !  and the small gate popped open.  Tony and Nick hustled Johnny, still cursing and yelling crazy stuff, inside.  He struggled between the two boys, twisting and bumping.  Staring wild-eyed at Konstantin, Johnny proclaimed, “I’m Coo-Coo As Coca Puffs !!!”

Konstantin reached behind them and shut the gate, witch gave out an audible ‘CLINK’ as it was shut.  He turned to face Tony and Nick, still holding a struggling Johnny, who was now doing Rooster Calls.  Still making a commotion, the Greasers crowded close to the gates and spread out, allowing Laurent to sneak off unseen to his target of the big tree.

“There, you go inside now”, Konstantin said, indicating the Asylum.  Pointing to the Greasers, he asked, “What will I do about-a these wild American Boys here ?”

“Ah, they’ll back off after a bit”, Nick bluffed.  “If they don’t, threaten to call the Cops.”  Tony almost laughed out loud at that.  The Cops were still short-handed, and would probably never come over to this part of town anyway.

“Ok-a, I will-a do that !”, Konstantin said, and then turned and began to hurl insults at the Greasers in his native language.  The three boys headed across the yard, bound for the asylum building.  Unlike last time, they saw no one patrolling the grounds, a break for them.

Halfway across, Tony hazarded a look back. “Boy, that was great Johnny...You should give acting lessons !”, he said wiry.

“Didn’t I already tells you’s ?”, Johnny said.  “I’m the King around here !”
____________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Entering the Asylum, the boys caught a couple of other breaks....For one, while the damage caused by the chunks of Monk statue that had come crashing into the reception foyer during the bombings had been repaired, there was not yet a working card key lock on the new front entry doors.

There was no one at the caged reception area to the right, either.  Tony had been banking on there being a much smaller staff at night, and that seemed to be the case. Going through the two doors towards ‘A’ Block, Johnny said, “How much longer I gotta wears dis thing ?  I’se gettin' un-comfor-tables !”

“Easy, big guy, it won’t be much longer”, Nick said offhandedly. “We gotta go to ‘B’ Block first.”  Tony was actually glad to have Johnny trussed up like this, for if Johnny only knew what he and Lola had been up to last night about this time, he wouldn’t be so docile.

In 'A' Block, Tony strived to act like he belonged there.  Nick looked much more comfortable than he felt.  Then again, Tony felt that a lot was riding on this, maybe unlocking the clue that would lead them to the Girls.  Even the responsibility for the fate of the School and the Towns had not weighed as heavily on him as did this mission tonight. 

They saw no one in the halls of ‘A’ Block, save for some of the Inmates who peered out through their barred doors to watch them pass.  Muffled whispers of “New Fish, New Fish, New Fish !!” began to circulate in the hall about them, and Tony shuddered slightly.  He wondered if this what Jimmy had gone through the first time he had to walk the halls of Prison, then decided that it was probably just like this, and worse.

They went through the double doors out of ‘A’ Block and entered what was referred to as the ‘Rec Room’, although very few inmates played anything in there.  At far end was a couch facing a TV.  It had been occupied by an Orderly last time Nick was in here, but was empty now.  Another break.

The trio moved to the double doors of ‘B’ Block and proceeded inside.  As they rounded the first corner, they could see why they had broke lucky so far.  There were two Orderlies struggling with an Inmate, trying to push him back into a cell.  One had what looked like a Cattle Prod, and was trying to shock the Inmate, who in turn was hanging onto the doorsill to the cell with all his might while kicking and screaming. 

Nick nudged Johnny to go into his crazy act as they got closer.  Johnny started spouting nonsensical Greaser stuff.  When they got closer still, Nick suddenly left and went to help subdue the patient.  Tony pretended to hold onto Johnny’s Straight Jacket to keep him from escaping.  It took some doing, but the Inmate was finally wrestled back into his cell, and the door slammed shut.  In the process, the Cattle Prod had been knocked to the floor, and Nick picked it up.

“Ey, thanks, bud”, one of the orderlies said, who looked to be Theo.  “Damn Loonies, do ‘em a favor by takin’ them to the shitter, and see what happens.”

“S’allright”, Nick replied, “I seen you all had your hands full.”

“You boys new here ?”, inquired the other Orderly, whom Tony thought must be Gregory.

“Yeah”, Nick said nonchalantly, “Just brought in a pick-up from Coventry, one of them Crazy Greasers.”  As he said that, Johnny launched into his Rooster calls again.

“The whole lot of them oughtta be locked up”, the first Orderly said.

“Damn Straight”, Nick replied.  “Oh, uh, here’s you Prod.”  Nick held the Cattle Prod out to them.

“Naw, just keep it”, the first Orderly said, eying Johnny, who was still making crazy noises.  “You might need it for that Nut Job there.”

“See Dan up there in the Control Room cage and get him signed in”, the second Orderly added.  “We’re a bit short-handed around here.”

“Ok then...Thanks fellows !”, Nick said smoothly, and he motioned Tony to bring Johnny and head for the back of the Block.  The two Orderlies took off in the direction of the Rec Room.

“Pretty smooth there”, Tony said in a low voice, between Johnny’s crowing.  Nick rarely carried on conversations with people past a few sentences, and most of the time didn’t say much at all.  Tony had no idea that Nick could bluff people like that.  He garnered a new respect for his friend’s abilities.

“I have my moments”, Nick said with a deadpan look on his face.  Tony almost laughed. “Shh, we’re almost here.”

They had reached the Control Room.  Behind it sat Dan the Orderly.  Tony took the lead here, on the off chance Dan would recognize Nick’s voice from before.  “New Inmate Here”, he announced, “Supposed to go to ‘C’ Block, we were told.”

Dan looked up from the Porn Magazine he was ogling.  “Huh ?  Oh, yeah, sure. Electro-Shock Treatments ?”  He peered a bit closer at Johnny, who was still doing his crazy routine, making finny noises and bugging his eyes out.  “Hey, I remember this one....Screwed up over girls again there, Whacko ?”

Tony felt that Johnny ought to get an award for not breaking character.  In the face of an insult, he just continued with his act.  Dan looked quizzically at Nick next.  “Hey...Don’t I know you ?”

“We’re new”, Tony said quickly, “Just come in for the summer work and all.”

Dan eyed Nick a tick longer, then said, “Ahh, guess not then.”  He fished around on the counter and handed a plastic card through the grating to Tony.  “Here, you’ll need this Key Card to open them new locks back there.  Just got installed last month.  Just pick a cell close to the Morgue, that’s where the Shock treatments are done. Pretty empty back there right now, only got one of them Dropout kids back there.”

Tony took the card and exchanged glances with Nick.  Dan went back to his Porno Mag, and Tony and Nick hauled a still-babbling Johnny back down the length of ‘B’ Block and then through the double doors to the Rec Room.  Gregory and Theo were now on the couch, watching TV, and barely gave them a glance as they hustled Johnny across the Rec Room and through the double doors of ‘C’ Block.

As soon as the were safely inside, Johnny dropped his nutso act and said, “Whoa...It’s hard playin’ crazy !  Get me outta dis thing, would’jrs ?”

“Sure Johnny”, Tony said, and undid the tied-down long sleeves.  Johnny whooshed and flexed his arms as the Straight Jacket came off.  “Damn...That’d be a good torture thing to use on dem ugly Preps !”

“Let’s get to looking”, Nick said, and pulled out his small flashlight. “Check every room.”

“We oughtta let Johnny search”, Tony said, “He knows them better than we do.”

Nick agreed, and handed over his flashlight to Johnny,  “I’ll go stand guard”, he said.

Nick stayed by the double doors while Tony and Johnny started checking cells.  Shining the flashlights through the barred windows, they first went up the West row, finding them all empty, then doubling back and starting up the East row.  With just a couple of rooms left, Johnny said suddenly, “Look !  Dere He Is !”

Tony stepped closer to look through the cell door window opening.  The Insane face of Clint Henry stared back at them, drool running from his mouth.
_______________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

“Go get Nick”, Tony told Johnny as the flashlight beam played on the figure of Clint Henry.  “Tell him we got him.”

Johnny went off down the hall to round up Nick and they soon returned.  “Found him, huh ?  What’s the plan ?”

“A little Interrogation is in order”, Tony said, swiping the Key Card through the electronic lock.  “You still got that Zapper thing ?” 

Nick nodded, pulling it out.  “Right here.”

“Good”, Tony said grimly as the door sprung open. “Let’s go get him.”

The three filed in the small cell.  In the flashlight beam, Clint Henry sat on the floor, his back to the wall.  His knees were drawn up and his arms encircled them.  He was rocking back and forth, muttering some sort of gibberish to himself.  Tony heard him say, "If I had a monkey in a sailor outfit, I'd call him Admiral Apeface !"

Tony maneuvered the Flashlight around a saw a light switch.  He flipped it on, and a dim light flooded the cell.  Clint blinked in the sudden light, clearly disoriented.  “Whadda Doin', School kids ?"

Tony blinked.  Could he see through their disguises ?  “That’s Crazy !”, muttered Nick.

Clint seemed to hear that, for he responded, “I'm crazy, rich boys, Crazy, and you are starting to annoy me !"

Tony frowned, and said, “We’re here to ask you some Questions, Dirtball !”

Clint‘s wandering eyes focused on Tony.  “So what's it to me ?", he spouted. Then his gaze shifted to Johnny, standing slightly behind Tony and Nick, and he said, “You don't belong around here !"

“Henry”, Johnny said the name as if it were acid burning his mouth. “How’ya doing dese days ?”

“Me ?  Just Fine !", Clint said, then punched himself in the head. “Top of the World !"

“This isn’t getting us anywhere”, Nick said, disgustedly.  “This guy’s Nuts.”

“You sayin' I'm Crazy ?”, Clint said, focusing on Nick.  “Cuz I am !  I’m three-quarters short of a dollar bill !”  With that, he punched himself in the face.  “Ahhh, My Nose !”, he cried, then talking to himself, said,  “You call that a punch ?"

“Listen to me, uhh...Clint”, Tony tried again, beginning to feel like this whole thing might be for nothing, “Where is Omar and your friends ?”

“Who Knows ?”, Clint said distractedly.  “Out where the wild wind blows !”  A course of blood mixed with snot trickled from his nose and he laughed manically.

Johnny flexed his fists.  “Lemme at’s him. I’se get him to talk !”

“No”, Tony said.  “Let’s try something else.”  Turing to Nick, he said, “Zap Him.”

Nick pulled out the Cattle Prod and approached Clint, who didn’t move.  Sticking the Prod in Clint’s side, he depressed the trigger.

”ARRRUGH !!!!!!”, Clint screamed, and a blissful look overtook him.  “Do that again !”

Tony was stunned.  He wanted more ??  An Idea began to form in his mind. “Clint, you like Electroshock ?  I like that too !”

“Not as much as I do !", Clint said, gasping in pleasure. 

Turning to Johnny, Tony asked, “You got that Straight Jacket still ?”  Johnny handed it over.  “Good.  Let’s take him to the Morgue.”

They approached Clint Henry.  Nick and Johnny grabbed him under his arms and hauled him upright.  ”Someone‘s gonna get hurt !”, Clint said.  “You wanna fight me ?  Cuz I really like that !"

While Nick and Johnny pinned Clint’s arms, Tony struggled to get the Straight Jack on him.  It took some time, since Clint became aggressive, muttering vague threats.  Nick zapped him again with the Cattle Prod, and his resistance faded as an almost orgasmic look flooded his features.

“There’s more where that came from”, Tony said, feeling funny that he was meaning that as a promise and not a threat.  “You know the way to the Morgue ?”, he asked Johnny, who nodded. Clint offered no resistance as he was led from his cell.  Tony shut off the light and closed the door, in case any of the other Orderlies wandered back here.  They set off towards the Morgue with Johnny leading the way.
________________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

“Down this-away”, Johnny said.  “Through here.  Gimme your flashlight !”  Tony pulled out his flashlight, fumbling it somewhat as he gave it to Johnny, as he was trying to hold on to Clint Henry along with Nick.  It wasn’t as easy dragging him down the hall as he thought it should be, since Clint kept trying to bash his head into the wall every couple of steps.

“Through here”, Johnny pointed.  The doorway gave way to a wide hallway about 20 feet in length.  Together, Tony and Nick struggled to pull and push Clint along.  Finally, they went through another doorway and stepped into the Morgue.  Johnny let them pass, then located the light switch and turned it on, closing the door behind them.

Tony and Nick had never been in the Morgue before, and looked about in the sudden brightness.  The room was about the size of one of those old Army Quonset Huts, and shaped the same with a domed ceiling.  On one wall was one of those backlit white screens where X-rays were stuck into them to be seen.  Straight in front of them were a bank of 12 ‘Meat Lockers’ where, presumably, Corpses were to be stored.  On both sides of that were metal lockers, built into the wall.  By the right one stood a complete Skeleton on a pole, and next to that was a series of connected sinks for washing up.  To the right of where they stood were an assortment of tables for putting bodies on, it would be assumed.  The farthest one by the wall was the only stationary one, so that’s where they headed, dragging a now-weeping Clint Henry. "Stop your blubbering !”, he ordered himself, as they drug him over to the table and slung him up on it with some effort.  There were straps there, and they quickly strapped him down.

“So where’s the Electro-Shock machine thing ?”, Tony wondered out loud, looking around.

“It be in that Locker Cabinet, over by the Skeleton there”, Johnny directed.  “I would get it, but I’se not goin’ near that thing.”

Tony wandered over to the Cabinet, curiously taking a look at the Skeleton.  For all intents, it seemed like a regular Skeleton....Until one got really close.  Then Tony noticed that the Skull was misshapen, looking far bigger at the top than the bottom.  A chill ran through him as he noticed that the Skeleton Fingers appeared obviously too long for what would be a normal human hand.  The feet, also, looked oddly different....And, the rib-cage was different.  Seemed....Alien.

Tony shook off his willies and opened the Cabinet.  Sitting there on a shelf was a rather large box-like thing.  He wrestled it out, and lugged it over to the counter by the table where they had placed Clint Henry.  Feeling around it, he saw it had a detachable lid, so he unclipped it, pulled it open, and removed it.  Inside was an old-looking machine that seemed like something out of the 1930s.  There was an identifier on it under a huge dial.....
 

Electric Shock Machine
Model PS-1
Electro-Physical Laboratories, Inc.
New York

________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Clint lay gurgling obscenities on the table as Tony inspected the Eletro-Shock Machine.  On the top left, it appeared there was a round circular plug-in for something.  To the top right was what looked like a light sticking up through the plate, with the reading below, “Do Not Operate unless this tube glows”......In the top center between them was that huge dial, marked “Voltage Selector”  with readings in Volts around it from ‘0-120V’.  Down below that, on the left, was a place marked, “2 Amp Fuse", and to the right of that was a “Power“ switch, with ‘On / Off’ settings.  Below those, on the left of the Identifier Logo  was “Treatment Switch” with ‘Treat / Off’ settings, and to the right of the Logo was a dial marked “Timing In Seconds”, marked from ‘1-6‘.  At the bottom, two heavy wires plugged in, and led to a couple of round metal paddles.  In a side compartment on the left, there was a more heavy wires and a rolled up strap that looked like a headband.

“How do I work this thing ?”, Tony wondered out loud, as Nick came over to look. 

Johnny came up behind them, but not too close.  “Take dat dere wire in the side compartment and plug one end up there on top...De other inna Outlet”, Johnny instructed.  “Den dat dere strap thing goes around his forehead, an’ take and stick them two metal paddle things under the strap on his temples.”

Tony did as Johnny said, hooking the round part of the heavy wire into the machine, then finding an outlet on the wall nearby to plug in at.  Nick put the headband on Clint’s head and shoved the Paddles under it at the temples.  “Now What ?”, asked Tony.

“Den just turn it on”, Johnny said distastefully.  “Youse can figger it out from there, you smart kids, aint’cha ?  I’se gonna go stands over there and keep guard.”

Johnny went over by the door, placing some distance between himself and the machine.  Tony wondered how he knew so much about it, and then decided that maybe it was because it had been used on him at one time...Or possibly more.

Tony turned the machine 'ON’ with the “Power” switch first. The light, which was actually a vacuum tube, glowed a dim orange, then slowly brightened as it warmed up.  Next, he fiddled with the switches, adjusting the “Voltage Selector” to 20 Volts, and then set the “Timing in Seconds” switch to '4'.  The machine gave out a hum as he did those things, like the purr of a Pussycat, but like one that could easily become the roar of a Lion.

He then turned to Clint, still laying on the table muttering indecipherable crap.  “Ok, um...Clint.  Got some questions for you, and you better give some straight answers.”

Clint stopped his muttering and focused his wild eyes on Tony.  “Think you're funny, Doncha ?  A Real Gas ?"

“Not funny, Clint, I’m serious here.”, Tony replied, his hand on the “Treat” switch.

“That’s what that Shrink said", Clint said. “So I headbutted him."

“Where is Omar and your friends”, Tony asked, ignoring him.

“Where is Omar and your friends”, Clint mimicked.  “Why should I tell you, Schoolboy ?”

Tony flipped the “Treat” switch to ‘on’ and watched as the electricity surged into Clint’s head.  “I’m REAL serious, that’s why.  Where are they ?”

“AHHHHHH !!”, Clint exclaimed in ecstasy, “That’s The Stuff !!”

“Like that, do you ?”, Tony asked, and turned the dial up to 40 Volts, flipping the “Treat” switch off and then back on again.  Another, stronger surge hit Clint’s head.

”Damn Straight ! ARRRUGH !!!”, Clint hollered.  “WHOO !!!!”

“Where are your Pals hiding out at ?”, Tony persisted.  “I Wanna Know !!”

“Down In The Tunnels Of Love !”, Clint cried out, his body twisting under the shock.

“What kind of answer is that ?”, Tony questioned. “Gimmie the Straight Dope !!  Where Are They ?”  Tony turned the dial to 60 Volts and zapped Clint again.

“AHRUGGGGGH !  Down Where The Rats Run ! “, Clint replied, his face twisting.

“What the HELL does that mean ?”, Tony said.  He was getting frustrated.  “Make Some Sense !!"  He jacked the dial up to 80 Volts, and zapped Clint again.

“OHHHHHHHH !!” escaped Clint’s lips through gritted teeth.  His whole body seized up like a hard wooded board.

From across the room, Johnny suddenly said, “Ask him where Edgar Munsen be at.”

Tony flipped off the “Treat” switch and frowned, remembering.  Wasn’t that who Jimmy had told him was the Townies leader before ?  But he was dead, according to Jimmy, killed by Big Darrell.  He looked at Nick and Nick shrugged, saying “Why Not ?  We’re not gettin’ anywhere anyway.”

Tony looked down into Clint’s crazed features.  Worth a shot, he supposed.  “Clint....Where is Edgar ?  Edgar Munsen ?”

A tear seemed to come to Clint’s eyes, or maybe it was just a watery gaze.  “Edgar..?  Edgar’s on the Second Level....With the Dead Animals...Lots and Lots of Dead Animals....”

Nick shook his head.  “He’s babbling.  What the Hell does that mean ?”

“I donno”, Tony said.  “I’m gonna try again.”  He set the dial up to 100 Volts, and got ready to flip the “Treat” switch again.  “One last time, Clint....Where is Omar and the Townies ?”

“You think...I'm a Moron, don't you ?", Clint gasped.  “Omar’s gonna....Get’cha back, don’cha see ?  Goin’ take sopmtin’ from you Schoolboys, oh Yes...”

Tony hit the “Treat” switch again.  Clint’s features tightened and his body strained against the bonds.  “MMMMMMMPH !!!!!”, was all he could muster between clenched teeth.

“WHERE ARE THEY ?” Tony shouted in his face.  “TELL ME, GODAMMIT !”

The cycle timed out and Clint collapsed, his breath coming in ragged gasps.  “Third Level...Third....Down the Tunnels.....Already....Told You....Schoolboy...”

“Third Level Where ?”, Tony said angrily.  “Make Sense, Sicko !!”

“Industrial....Complex...”, Clint said, “Fuckin’....Morons...”

Pissed, Nick reached across Tony, jacking the dial to the full 120 Volts and flipping the “Treat” switch.  Electricity surged into Clint’s head, distorting his face into something almost unrecognizable.  His body arced off the table nearly a full foot, straining tight against the bonds. Tiny wisps of smoke began leaking from his ears. 

“Shit, Man, SHIT !!”, Tony exclaimed.  “That’s Gonna Kill Him !!”  The Electro-Shock Mackine was humming loudly now, and the lights overhead were dimming.  It didn’t seem like the Machine was going to cycle out this time, the Voltage was set too high, maybe.  Frantically, Tony grabbed at the electrical cord and yanked it from the wall. 

Clint slammed back down on the table.  Drool ran from his open mouth in a steady stream.  If his brains weren’t fried before, they certainly were now.  Tony checked to see if he was still breathing, and heaved a sigh of relief.  Clint was, but it was ragged.

“We gots to get outta here”, Johnny said from the door.  “Dey gonna see dem lights dimmin’ and comes a-lookin’....We gots to get hims back to his cell and get da Fuck Out !”

Tony and Nick hurried to undo the straps that had held Clint down to the table, then hoist him up.  It as like trying to move a dead body.  Clint’s limbs flopped everywhere.  Tony pulled off the metal paddles and headband from Clint’s head.  There were burn marks on his temples.  Johnny came over to help.  Lifting under one of Clint’s arms, he told Tony, “Puts that...Thing...Away, back where’s you gots it.  We can gets him back to his cell.  Com'on, Hurry !”

Tony piled the cords and things back into their compartments, then replaced the lid.  Dragging the Electro-Shock Machine back to the cabinet, he struggled to lift it inside onto the shelf, as it was heavy.  Finally, he got it in, then secured and closed the cabinet.

There was still time to wait until Johnny and Nick got back.  Tony looked to his left and noticed the 12 ‘Meat Lockers’ again....The refrigerated vaults where dead bodies were kept until they were buried or disposed of.  To these vaults, he knew, the corpses of Gary Smith and Edgar Munsen had passed through, along with countless others over the years.  Tony had seen enough TV shows to know just how they worked, with their slide-out tables and all.  Since he wasn’t planning to ever come back here, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.  Might even find a clue.

He opened each door in turn, shining his flashlight inside and seeing nothing.  He looked into 11 of them and came up empty, but one of the vault doors on the bottom row was stuck.  He pulled and yanked without success, then braced his feet against the wall and gave a mighty heave.  The door popped open suddenly, spilling him on his ass.  Ruefully, he got up, and went to look inside.

His flashlight spotted something inside, and he pulled on the table.  It too was stuck, and it took some doing to get it to come out even halfway.  Finally, it was out far enough.  Tony rose and took a look, then gasped with horror at what he saw on it.
______________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Nick and Johnny clamored back through the door, closing it.  “Come on, Tony, they’re coming !”, Nick shouted.  “We got to clear out, NOW !”

Tony numbly backed up from the sliding Vault table, his face registering shock.  The image of what lay there was burned in his Retinas.  “Ummm.....What ?”

“I said, we got to go !” Nick said.  Seeing that Tony looked dazed, he said, “Man, are you all right ?”

“Um....Sure....Just fine”, Tony replied, shaking his head.  He looked around.  “How do we get out of here ?”

“Lets go out the back way, follow me !”, Johnny said, and went to a door set into the wall by the X-ray Screen Reader.  Opening it, he wen through it, and Nick and Tony followed. 

It was the Asylum’s Furnace Room.  Tony saw that strangely, the furnace was still on, even though it was summer, a fire burning merrily within.  But there wasn’t time to tarry.  Johnny was already at another door, and when he opened that, Tony could see it led outside.  “Com’on”, Johnny said, “We gotta climb the fence !”  As they headed out the door, alarm bells began ringing inside.

But once outside, in what was the Asylum’s ‘Exercise Yard’. they all saw that they didn’t have to climb a fence after all.  This is where Jimmy had waited with Damon and Algie, as the bombs exploded all over the towns, and then around the Asylum.  Jimmy had told him he how blew the fence here with a little bit of C-4 and then made their escape, winding up holed up in the Save Warehouse as the Greenish Gas blanketed Blue Skies from the Chem Plant explosions, and a good thing for Tony and his crew that day that they did. 

The fence, he saw, hadn’t yet been fully repaired.  The base wall was new in places, but there were only 4x8 pieces of plywood set in place where the fencing was missing.  It was only the work of a moment for the three of them to pull one of the sections loose and scamper through the opening.  “I’ll run across to the gate foirst....Youse guys act like yous is chasin’ me !”, Johnny said. 

That made good sense, as Tony and Nick were wearing Orderly Uniforms.  Johnny took off running, and Tony and Nick followed after a few seconds.  It seemed the escape would go smoothly.  Unfortunately, Theo was now patrolling outside, looking for the escapee that the alarm was ringing about.  He spotted Johnny and gave chase. 

But just before he was going to catch up to Johnny, a Spud slammed into Theo’s guts.  “Oh, MY BOYS !!”, he screamed as he fell to the ground.  “So Sorry, I didn’t see it coming !”, he gasped as he got up on his knees.  A second Spud smashed into his shoulder, and a third into his head, and he went down, groaning. 

Tony and Nick spotted Laurent up in the tree and signaled to him by waving their arms so he didn’t shoot them too, as they were in the Orderly Uniforms.  In the Moonlight, Tony could see him wave back, and the boys increased their speed to catch up with Johnny.

But Johnny had made the gate now, as planned.  Konstantin charged out of the Guard Booth and tried to grapple Johnny against the gate.  “I Got Him, He’s Right Here, Boys !  Come Help, I got...URK !!!!”

The first Spud slammed into Konstantin’s kidney, shot by Tony, and the next one shot by Nick splatted into the back of his head.  He went down, unconscious, never even knowing that he had been nailed by the two ‘Orderlies’ chasing after Johnny.

Tony reached into the Guard Booth and activated the switch to open the small gate.  There was a BUZZ ! and the gate popped open.  The three boys went through and out to the road beyond.  Laurent had dropped down from the tree and joined them.  The Greasers themselves, as per Johnny’s instructions, have retreated to under the Rail Bridge to await their return.

There were a bunch of high fives upon Johnny’s return.  Tony and Nick were sure to tell them that without Johnny, they couldn’t have carried out the mission, and that he had acted heroically under stressful conditions.  Tony knew the news would get spread around by morning, and that Lola would hear of Johnny’s success.  She would find that exciting, and most likely return to Johnny.  It was all so predictable.

The Greasers mounted up then and sped off for the Blue Balls Bar, leaving Tony, Nick, and Laurent behind.  They began walking back the way they came, through the small Park and the wooden walkway, back to the Secret Cave to change out of the Orderly and Greaser Outfits.  It had been a long night, it seemed, even though only a couple of hours had passed.

“Glad that’s done”, Nick commented as they got closer to the Cavern.

“Got that right”, Tony said.  “Least we got some clues.”

“Merde, I am bushed !”, Laurent commented, even though all he did was wait in a tree.

“Hey, uh...What was you looking at, right before we left the Morgue ?”, Nick asked.

Tony made a face.  “Let’s get changed first.  I’ll tell you all about it on the way back to the Dorm.”
___________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tony had a lot of trouble getting to sleep, even after such a tense mission.  The horror he had seen on the Mortuary tray haunted him.  Even after he had told Nick and Laurent about what he had seen, they reacted with disbelief, telling him he had surely been mistaken.  It couldn’t have been that bad, they said, pointing out that even by his own admission, he had only a fleeting glimpse of whatever it was he thought he saw.

But Tony knew better.  This had been the sort of thing that real nightmares were made out of, Jason and Freddy Kruger all rolled up at the Bates Motel, waiting on their next victim.  The image burned in his mind even as as his exhaustion overtook him and sent him down into an uneasy sleep.  Soon enough, though, he went deeper, ever deeper.

He was back in the Dome.  He had traveled far, a bit more than halfway, he saw.  The jagged hole at the top loomed directly overhead now. He looked behind him to judge his progress, and was surprised to see he was in some sort of rift.  A depression in the middle, perhaps ?  He was in a canyon-like area that twisted and snaked to either side of him as far as he could see in the dim light.  He looked about, and judged the height of the walls as too tall to Parkour.  He moved ahead to the canyon wall, and then moved along it, seeking a way he could continue forward, a way to surmount this obstacle and continue on to the other side where he must go, for he knew his time was even shorter now than it ever had been.

An oppressive, humid air hung about him as he searched, the sense of danger like a live, palatable, living thing just out of sight.  After what seemed to be an interminable time, he spied a stocky, block building far up ahead, butted up against the canyon wall.  As he got closer, he could see the structure was actually merged into the canyon wall, with no definition as to where one left off and the other began.  Finally arriving, he examined the building, walking around it slowly.  There was only one way of entry, a steel door set into the side.  To the left of it was stamped ‘XX-7‘ in large black stencil.  He tried the knob and found it locked.  He jiggled the knob uselessly and groaned.  The feeling overwhelmed him him that he had to get inside, there was something in there he needed, something that he had to see, to know about, to discover.  He chafed at the unyielding knob in his grip.  If only he had the services of Bullworth’s Master Lock Picker, but she wasn’t here with him, and might never be again unless he could find her.  He banged his other fist on the door in frustration.

Suddenly he felt a warmth in his pants pocket against his leg, which quickly began to build to a burning sensation.  He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small object, which cooled as he did so.  It was a key, he saw, and on closer inspection, with the letters 'NP’ scratched onto it.  He tried the key in the door lock, and with some jiggling around, the lock was released.  Cautiously, he opened the door and looked inside. 

It was an large-sized room.  The same dim-ish light that prevailed in the Dome was here, also.  Ahead and to the right of him were banks of TV Monitors, too many to count quickly, and consoles underneath.  He moved into the room towards them for a closer look.  None of the Monitors were on, they were just as dead as everything else in this place.  A strange scrambling noise attracted his attention to his left, and her whirled around to see what it was.

Incredibly, the wall to that side now was the Mortuary wall, with the gleaming doors of the 'Meat Lockers’ embedded into it.  Rising from the tray where the door that he had wrestled open in the lower bank was the horror he had seen earlier in the Mortuary.  The figure gained the floor and stood up, facing him, the black molted robe flowing about it like a putrid swamp.   In his dream state, Tony was frozen with fright, unable to move or speak.  The part of the robe covering the face of the figure had fallen away somewhat, revealing the horrid white face, strips of which were peeling away like old paint from a wall, wet and diseased.  The figure raised one arm and pointed to it’s left, towards the corner, where there was an oversize red push-switch mounted on the face of a box attached to the wall.

The thing opened it’s mouth, and a flood of green-ish blood-like fluid poured forth.  In a ragged, guttural voice the creature spoke, the very sound of it akin to centuries of evil and depravity that Tony could only barely begin to imagine.  “THE ONES YOU SEEK ARE NOT HERE.  YOU MUST GO INTO THE TUNNELS THERE.  GO, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, ELSE THEY WILL BE FOREVER LOST.”

He could not move, but his frightened dream-eyes shifted slightly to the corner that the figure was pointing to.  As he did, the creature began to suddenly dissolve from the head down, collapsing like those two towers had done seven years ago, falling to dust.  Tony fell too, fell into blackness, into the darkness and the sleep of the dead.
_________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

It was nearly 5 AM, and it would be getting light soon.  Constantinos scuttled from the Library, easily dodging the lone Prefect roaming about.  In his backpack he was carrying a load of books, his fifth such haul of the night.  He hurried to the lattice ladder at the side of the Girl’s Dorm and ascended it, the weight of fifty pounds of stolen books pulling at him.  If nothing else, his overwhelming infatuation with Tiffany was getting him plenty of physical exercise....And a good thing that, for it helped give him stamina for his encounters with Tiffany, the thing that he craved most of all just lately.

Taking a bit of a breather, he surveyed the attic.  He had in mind to move the entire stash of books deeper into the attic, more under the eaves and back where it was darker.  Though the Matrons rarely came up to the attic, Constantinos’ muddled mind knew it was an eventual possibility.  There was one more trip to take before it was to become light out.

Relieved of his load of books, Constantinos was able to quickly slither back down the lattice, and headed off the the Boy’s Dorm.  Entering his room for the first time in days, he found his roommates still asleep.  In silence, he stripped his bed of sheets and blankets and swiped as many as he dared from the sleeping roommates.  Then he retrieved some items from his Wardrobe stash, including a half-used roll of Duct Tape.  He bundled everything together and left the the Dorm, sneaking unseen back to the Girl’s Dorm and back up the lattice for the final time tonight.

Once back in the attic, he used the Duct Tape and sheets to make sort of a room in the far South-West corner of the attic.  He put the blankets on the floor inside, ironically on top of Mandy’s old room, the head cheerleader whose panties he had stolen numerous times.  He then moved the entire stash of books into the new ‘room’, arranging them in a display the she was sure to like.

By the time he was finished, it was light out and he could hear the sounds of the Girls moving about below.  It wasn’t too long before Tiffany snuck up to the attic, and Constantinos proudly showed her what he had done.  She was estacitic, her eyes flashing brightly as she ran her hands over her new treasures.  A look of psychotic delight came over her features as she ran her hands over the books.  Then, she stripped off her nightgown and grabbed a couple of the books, rubbing them in her crotch and moaning.

Soon, she turned to Constantinos, pulling him over to the blanket-bed.  She lay down, spread-eagle, and ordered him to do her, right now.  Constantinos lost no time shedding his clothing and climbing on top of her, his excitement rising as it would be the first time she had allowed him to be on top.  She urged him to ram her, ram her HARD, and he did just that, long after the bells had rung for morning classes.
______________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Bethany Jones was fuming.  That Bitch Phillips had forced her to clump around all day yesterday missing one of her new high-heels.  That, and plus her guts hurt all day because that Bitch had punched her, and she had a headache still because that Bitch had slammed her head against the door. 

Bethany was not a woman who backed down lightly.  It was true that she came across as a bit ditzy and immature, but she had at one time been on her way to being a professional glamour model, doing photo shoots in such places as Boston and New York.  But it was a highly competitive choice for a career, and Bethany was forced to spend a lot of money on clothing and accessories.  In the end, she had to return to the Vale Valley, but not, in her mind, as any type of failure.  She was firmly convinced she would have fame and glory one day, as her sense of entitlement was the equal to that of any Prep.

But an ugly thing was creeping in from the outside world.  It’s name was the Great Recession, and it had made her put her future plans on hold for now.  Being as it was hard to live a glamorous lifestyle with no income or trust fund to supply it, she eagerly took the job at Bullworth Academy.  It would only be for awhile, she reasoned, not really knowing anything about economics or how things like that worked in the real world. 

So, she got this job, and one of the more alluring perks that came with it was to work for her teen teacher idol, Mr. Galloway.  Of course, back then she had been a foolish teenager with a crush on a handsome new teacher.  Still, he had never left her fantasy, and when she saw her chance to have a little tryst with Mr. Galloway, she did not hesitate.  After all, the situation presented itself, and she merely took advantage of it.  The fault wasn’t hers at all, she decided, it was that Bitch Phillips for showing up early when she said she would be late.

True, Bethany was a bit promiscuous, and often bragged about the number of ‘Gentlemen Callers’ she'd had, particularly Mr. Breckindale, who had been her latest ‘Sugar Daddy’.  But wasn’t everybody into sex these days, even the snots and brats at this place ?  What gave that Bitch Phillips the right to be so high and mighty, like her shit didn’t stink ?  By last count, that Slut had two or three Ex-Husbands already.  It was plain to see, at least to Bethany, that she was no good at relationships either, that sanctimonious Cunt.

She’d been taken by surprise and caught rather red-footed on Monday morning.  But that wasn’t going to happen again, she vowed.  The next time she seduced Mr. Galloway, it wouldn’t just be on the spur of the moment.  It would be a planned seduction, executed to perfection.  And if that Bitch Phillips wanted to make something out of it, well she could just bring it on.  Bethany wouldn’t back down the next time.
_____________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tad Spencer had woken up early enough to get to classes on this Tuesday morning, but wound up not even making his first class at all.  The figure of Vanessa stirred beside him as he slowly ran his hand up and down the naked curve of her sexy ass, and his early morning bulge increased in size as he did so. 

It hadn’t taken long for Vanessa to wind up in Tad’s bed after Pinky left, the next night in fact.  After a day to let her injuries from the fight heal, they had bonded closer on their visit to the School Clinic.  Vanessa knew what she was after, and the door was wide open now.  She had come to Tad’s room last night, and did things to him Pinky never had. 

It was a natural fit, according to the set of rules the Preps lived by.  Vanessa came from 'old money’, her family was filthy rich, and her station demanded no less than being the girl of the top Prep on Campus.  Tad, on the other hand, desired Vanessa not only for her incredible beauty, but for a possible future union.  Although far from poor, the Spencers were going to take a hit financially from the recent trouble, and a lasting match-up with Vanessa (and her family’s money) would go a long way to restoring the Spencer Fortunes.  Tad was sure his Father would be pleased.

He gave fleeting thoughts to Pinky.  While he cared for her, after his own fashion, he regretfully would have to let her go.  It didn’t look too good for the Gauthiers, being inexorably tied to the Harringtons as they were related (Pinky being a Cousin to Derby), and they were sure to take a huge financial hit to their fortunes by the time the criminal cases were all settled.  Pinky would become ‘Poor’ by Prep standards, although ‘well off’ still by anyone else’s definition....And that just wouldn’t cut it when it came to the social standings in the Prep world.  No, it just wouldn’t do at all.

Vanessa stirred and turned over, opening her eyes.  Her face lit up with a brilliant smile.  “Want to play Stock Market ?”, she asked coquettishly.

“Sure, as long as I get a Preferred Share”, Tad answered, playing along.

“You’re not going to be doing any Short Selling because of last night’s Market Activity, are you ?”, Vanessa giggled, snuggling closer.

“Hell, No”, Tad huffed.  “I got plenty of Shares left in my Principal Trade instrument.”

“Well then”, Vanessa said saucily, swinging one leg over Tad and mounting him, “I’m going to issue a Call Option on you right now."

“I believe I have enough left in my Margin Account to cover that”, Tad said, his bulge rising to the task.  “Where would you like me to deposit the Funds ?”

“Right here in my Stock Split”, Vanessa breathed, grabbing his bulge and guiding it into her Assets.  “Add it to your Investment Funds”, she cried, ramming her hips toward his crotch, then rising and slamming him again, over and over.  In due time, Tad would make another Deposit to his new Account.
_________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tony and Nick didn’t make first classes either, as both were still asleep when the bell rang, and in fact, for quite awhile after.  Tony woke first, his latest Dome dream burning in his mind.  What the Hell did it all mean this time, Tony wondered.  He cast a look towards Nick’s bed.  Nick was snoring away still, sleeping like the dead.  Tony wondered how his friend could be such a sound sleeper, given all they had been through lately.  Tony himself felt exhausted much of the time these days.  His worry and fear that he would never find Karen alive grew bigger as each day passed.

Tony hauled himself out of bed, going to his Wardrobe and picking out a less-rumpled outfit.  He decided to head to school, not to try to go to class, but to see if he could talk to Mr. Riddle.  He let Nick sleep as he headed off to the School.  There was nobody around as he crossed the Quad and went up the steps.

The hallways were empty as well, classes were still in session.  Tony headed around to the School Store, and saw Mr. Riddle sitting inside, reading something.  As Tony approached, he looked up.

“I, uh...Need to talk to you, Mr. Riddle”, Tony said, “It’s kinda important.”

Mr. Riddle glanced both ways into the halls, seeing them empty.  He motioned Tony, saying, “Go to the back room, through the basement door.”

Tony did as he was told and went around to the basement door and went inside.  Mr. Riddle entered through the access door from the School Store and said, “Pull up a crate and tell me what’s happened.”

For reasons unknown even to himself, Tony felt he could trust Mr. Riddle.  On the face of it, that seemed rather crazy, having known him less than two weeks.  But this new Janitor had been nothing but helpful, even though he exuded an air of mystery about himself just as Mr. Luntz had done.  It could be that Tony felt this way because his dreams had directed him to Mr. Riddle in the first place.  Whatever the reasons, Tony began relating the events that had happened since Sunday, the last time he had seen Mr. Riddle.  He told of Nick’s finding of the Cell Phone call from Melody’s phone to the Asylum, of his finding out that there was a Townie still locked up in there, of their foray into the Asylum last night and their interrogation of Clint Henry.  Tony also related his latest dream, about finding the strange building with the dead TV monitors inside and the vision that came along with it, that of the horrid rotting Monk figure pointing him towards an electrical box with a red button while saying something about them going into tunnels before it was too late.

“Whew”, Mr. Riddle whistled when Tony had finished, “You’ve been quite busy in the last couple of days !”

“Yeah, well, I just keep following the clues, like you said”, Tony replied, “But all it seems like is they just go to more clues, and so on.”

“That’s sometimes how it is in life”, Mr. Riddle told him.  “The way isn’t always clearly defined, you have to zig-zag from one point to another to reach your objective.  Let’s examine what we know, starting at the beginning.  It’s pretty obvious that those girls didn’t vanish on their own, so that means they were abducted.”

“And, no one else had been taken since and no ransom demands have been made known”, Tony said, following along, “So it might be personal against Nick and me as some form of revenge. The only ones that come to mind, now that Jake and the Punks are locked away, is the Townies.  Even Clint Henry told us that Omar was going to ’Get Us Back’ and was ‘Gonna Take Something’ from us.”

“The Townies all escaped from jail during the power blackout, except one, who had probably been sent to the Asylum beforehand”, Mr. Riddle continued.  “They supposedly disappeared after that, but may be in hiding somewhere.”

“The first clue from my dream, and from you, was to go check out the Church, where we somehow found Melody’s Cell Phone”, Tony went on.  “The Monks who may be there in hiding hypnotized us somehow, but let us know that the girls weren’t there, but somewhere far from there.  There is a connection between the Monks and the Asylum, but I’m not sure what that is.”

“Then, several clues pointed you towards the Asylum, where you found this Townie fellow”, Mr. Riddle said, “And he revealed things to you as to where his gang may be hiding.  What did he tell you exactly ?”

“He told us...”, Tony began, “Well, first he said, ‘Out Where The Wild Wind Blows’, which doesn’t make much sense, then he said, ‘Down In The Tunnels Of Love’, whatever that means. Then when we zapped him more, it was ‘Down Where The Rats Run’, and then he said that Edgar was ‘On The Second Level, With The Dead Animals’....No idea what that means.  Then he said last, ‘Third Level, Down The Tunnels’, and then ‘Industrial Complex’.  That was the last we got out of him.”

“Hmmm”, Mr. Riddle sat in thought.  “So, then you have a dream, last night, that essentially tells you the same thing, about some tunnels.  But you have to locate a certain building to get access to them, apparently.  What were that painted on it, that you said ?”

“Um...’XX-7‘, that was it”, Tony said.  “It looked like, inside, some kind of monitoring station or something, with all them blank TV Screens.”

Mr. Riddle seized on that.  “Why where they blank, do you think ?”

“Well....There was nobody there, for one thing, I guess”, Tony said, recalling.

“Or maybe....There was no power ?”, Mr. Riddle suggested.

“Yeah, that’s it !”, Tony exclaimed.  “It was like they were dead, or was turned off !”

“And much of the Industrial Complex over there isn’t back to operating, is it ?”, Mr. Riddle queried.

“I don’t know”, Tony answered.  “I think I heard that Blue Skies Shipping still is, and maybe the Refinery.  I really haven’t been over there since the Bombings, except to do that mission last night.  I should check around, do you think ?”

“Yes, I do”, Mr. Riddle told him, “And maybe you should concentrate on the part of the Complex that’s NOT working there....That could be a reason this 'Control Building’ isn’t running also.”

“Yeah, maybe that’s right”, Tony speculated.  “But, I’m wondering what that ‘Level’ thing that Clint Henry said was, and that blabber about ‘Dead Animals’....He is a little deranged.”

“Seems that way”, Mr. Riddle said. “But even Idiot’s blabber holds some grains of truth.  You just have to follow the leads, Tony.  That’s all you can do.”

“I suppose so”, Tony said, somewhat dejectedly.  “Got any advice for me, Mr. Riddle ?’

“Well, first off, I think you should turn over that Cell Phone to the Police or the F.B.I.”, Mr. Riddle told him.

“Oh, yeah, like they’re gonna get real hot and solve the case”, Tony scoffed.  “They been doing such a bang-up job so far.”

“One thing that Cell Phones do, when they’re on and activated, is to ‘Ping’ their signals off the nearest cell tower.  Locations of calls that are made can be traced and pinpointed to a specific location”, Mr. Riddle informed him.  “If the Police or the G-Men can’t find any clues, they can’t do their job, y’see.  You know, it wouldn’t hurt to have some backup on this, Tony.  Better than taking it all on by yourself.”

“I got plenty of backup”, Tony replied.  “I think I can get up whatever I need, there’s plenty of people upset about all this, particularly those who’s got girlfriends.”

“I know that”, Mr. Riddle said, “But what do they have ?  You really think you can save those girls with some fists and a few slingshots ?  From what I understand, it took the Feds and the National Guard to stop the whole valley from being blown off the map.  These boys, these...Kidnappers, they’re dangerous.  You find where they’re at, back them into a corner, they might hurt those girls, or worse.  You might want to consider that.”

Tony really didn’t have an answer for that.  “I guess....You might be right...”, he reluctantly admitted.  “I should take the phone to the Cops.  But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop looking for them”, he added.

“Of course not”, Mr. Riddle said.  “But you should make sure that you give those girls their best chance to get rescued.  They deserve that much.”

Tony sat in silence, digesting that.  “Yeah, maybe you’re right”, he said, rising to go.  Tony faced Mr. Riddle and cracked a crooked smile. "Got a Riddle for me before I go ?”

“Sure”, Mr. Riddle said.  “Riddle me this....Where is the place down low that can only be entered up high ?”

“Don’t suppose you can tell me what that means ?”, Tony said, not really expecting anything.

“Nope, sure can’t”, Mr. Riddle replied, preparing to return to the School Store.  “I just tell ‘em, kid....To solve ‘em is up to you.”
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

As Tony walked back to the Dorm to see if Nick was awake yet, his Cell Phone rang.  He snatched it out of his pocket, wildly hoping it was Karen.  But it wasn’t.

“Tony !!”, he heard the nasally voice of Algie whine, “There’s been a theft !  The Shooting Range booth was broken into last night and all the Air Rifles are missing !”

Tony groaned.  This was some serious shit.  He could think of only one group that would be ripping off weapons about right now.  “Stick around there, Algie.  We’re on our way !”

Tony punched the ‘off’ button on the Cell Phone and stuffed it into his pocket before he burst into a run to the Boy’s Dorm.  When he arrived at his room, Nick was sitting up on his bed, obviously having finally woken up.  “Hey, get some duds on, they jacked them Air Guns from the Carnival !”, he said in a rush. 

Startled, Nick rose and went to his wardrobe to throw on some clothes.  “All of them ?”, he asked while dressing.

“Yep, that’s what Algie said when he just called”, Tony replied. “We need to get over there.”

“What happened to those Guards, I wonder”, Nick said as he finished dressing.  “Where were they at ?”

“I donno”, Tony said, “Guess we’ll find out when we get there.”

Both boys hurried from the Dorm and headed toward the Autoshop Garage to get their bikes.
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Arriving at the Carnival, Tony and Nick went through the Front Gate on Tony’s pass card.  Just inside was a small Clinic to the left.  There were two burly figures inside laying on cots, they both saw.  “Guess that's what happened to them”, Nick remarked as they went by.  They continued up the Midway towards the Rides, keeping an eye out for Algie. 

They didn’t have to look too far.  Algie was near the Big Squid ride, along with a bunch of other Carnival workers and some of the Freaks.  Tony was mildly surprised that they were even let out of their cages.  There was also some fairgoers milling about.  All eyes were fastened on the Shooting Range area, which had been roped off with Police Tape.  Officer Monson was in front of the Gallery, interrogating one of the Carnies, which looked to be Crystal.  Neither Tony or Nick had seen a Police Car, so it must be that Officer Monson had walked there or had gotten dropped off.

The boys sought out Algie and drew him aside.  “Ok, what happened ?”, Tony asked.

“Like I told you, someone stole all those Rifles”, Algie answered.  “Freeley found the guards unconscious when he went to open up this morning at 10 O’clock, one near the front gate and one back toward the Roller-Coaster.  It looked like they got Bushwhacked !”  Algie shuddered, ironically forgetting that he himself had 'Bushwhacked’ half the kids in the School last winter. 

“How’d they get in there ?”, Nick asked, pointing to the Shooting Range building, which had large fold-down flaps that were locked every night.

“It looked like all those big padlocks were cut”, Algie said, “Just sheared off !”

“Boltcutters”, muttered Tony, then said snidely, “Now, I wonder who has access to those ?”

“Yep”, Nick said grimly.  “Gotta be them, all right.”

“W-who ?”, Algie asked nervously.  “Them, Who ?”

“The Townies”, Tony spat out.  “They’re arming up.”

“But...But they disappeared !”, Algie said, perspiring a bit more in the early day heat.

“So they wanted everyone to think, after they broke Jail”, Tony said.  “But, they’re here...Were right here, that is.”

“If we find them, they’ll be armed to the teeth”, Nick said.  “Every one of them will have a Rifle.”

“This just got more dangerous”, Tony said, “We really got to watch our step.”

Algie’s eyes ping-ponged back and forth between Tony and Nick as they talked.  Then he squeaked, “Are...Are they gonna come after....Me, do you think ?”, fearing that the Townies would have it out for him for his part in the failed attack on the School.

Tony stared at Algie, though not unkindly.  “No, Algie....If they wanted retribution on you, they’d have done it already.  After all, they was right here,”

A bit of relief mixed with hope crossed Algie’s face.  “Then...I’m safe ?”

“We didn’t say that”, Nick told him.  “Just be on your guard, eh ?”

“They’re after us”, Tony told Algie.  “We think....They’re the ones who kidnapped the Girls.”

A mix of emotions ran across Algie’s face.  “So....I’m not safe....”

“Look, Algie, just stay in your Carny disguise and they’ll never know it’s you”, Tony told him.  “Nobody ever really notices a Carny.”

Algie nodded and gulped.  “Okay”, he said, than after a bit, added, “Did I do good ?  Letting you know ?  I called as soon as I knew.”

“Yeah, you did good, Algie”, Tony said, “I’ll be sure to tell Melvin and Fatty you helped.”

That seemed to pacify Algie, and after a while, he whined, “I’m hungry.  I’m going to the food tent for something to eat.  You guys need anything else ?”

Tony and Nick shook their heads, and Algie wandered off.  They stood for a while longer, watching the scene, before deciding to leave themselves.  It was time to make new plans.
________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

Tony and Nick made a bike run back to the Boy’s Dorm to get Melody’s Cell Phone.  Tony explained his reasons on the way back for wanting to turn it over to the Police, and ultimately the F.B.I.  Nick wasn’t so sure that was the thing to do, what if the Girl’s abductors tried to call Melody’s number using Karen’s Cell Phone, which they surely still had, to make demands ?  Tony pointed out that their names and numbers were in both Cell Phones, if the kidnappers wanted to contact them, they had most likely kept Karen’s Cell Phone for that purpose.

Nick was still bothered, however.  He still didn’t understand just why the Cell Phone was at the Church in the first place. “I still think those Monks, or whatever they are, had something to do with all this”, he said.

“No, I don’t think so”, Tony answered as the swept toward the school.  “I found out from a few people how the Townies used to hang out at the Graveyard late at night, and I think the Monks ran them off for some reason.  I’m convinced the Townies planted that Cell Phone over there.  Don’t you remember ?”

“Remember What ?”, Nick asked as they crossed the South Bridge.

“What that Monk said to us when we were in the Basement, about the Cell Phone”, Tony said back.  He could hear it clear in his mind right now....'HERE, TAKE THIS.  IT WAS THROWN THROUGH ONE OF OUR WINDOWS  EARLIER.  IT MIGHT PROVIDE A CLUE.’

“What Basement ?”, Nick said.  “What Are You Talking About ?”

It suddenly occurred to Tony that he could remember being in the Church Basement, and the vision of a Monk with a blue upside-down Cross floated before his eyes.  The suddenness of it came smashing in on his senses, so much so that he nearly crashed his bike into the side of the school wall as they approached the front gate.  He braked his bike hard and brought it to a stop, feeling rather shaky.

Nick came to a stop as well.  “What Is It ?  You remember something, don’t you ?”

“Yeah”, Tony said, his mind spinning.  “Just bits and pieces....What about you ?  You can’t say you never remembered anything at all, now can you ?”

“Well....No, I can’t say that”, Nick admitted, recalling the strange voices that had come unbidden to his mind that day down on the Football Field as he was talking to Lance and that big kid Bob.  “I’ve remembered....Stuff.  So, what did you just remember ?”

Tony told him, including a chilling glimpse at the Monk.  “That’s why I think it was a Setup”, he finished.  I’m more sure of it now as ever !”

“Well, maybe you’re right”, Nick admitted grudgingly.  “Maybe those weird fucks didn’t have anything to do with it after all.”  He started his bike towards the Dorm.  “Let’s jut get the Cell Phone and get this over with....Never been real fond of Cop Stations.”
__________________________________________

[BloodChuckZ]

After retrieving Melody’s Cell Phone from their room, Tony and Nick biked over to the Bullworth Police Station.  Going inside, they asked at the front desk to see Chief O’Rourke on a matter of inportance, and were escorted to his office.

“Gorry Be, boys, I have no new news on the girls disappearin’, if that’s what ye be here for”, The Chief said.

“We do, Chief”, pulling out the Cell Phone and laying it on Chief O’Rourke’s desk.  “This is Melody’s Cell Phone.”

“Why, I’ll be”, the Chief said, picking it up.  “Where did you all find this ?”

“Er...In the bushes by the Park, over by that small bridge on Vale Valley Road”, Tony lied.  He had already decided not to let on that they had found the phone in the Church....Or rather, had been given the phone in the Church.  It might just lead to too many questions that he and Nick just couldn’t answer, and would come out as being rather bizarre, to say the least.  Besides, Tony had a strong feeling that the Monks wouldn’t take kindly to having their Sanctuary raided again by Federal Agents.  Added to that, the fact that they had given over the Cell Phone to Tony in the first place indicated that they had been inclined, for whatever reasons, to aid them in their quest to find the girls. 

Chief O’Rouke flipped the Phone open.  “How does one work these contraptions ?”, he asked.  Like most of the long-time populace of the Vale Valley, the Chief was unknowing about even the simplest technology such as Cell Phones.  Tony showed him how to turn it on, and then showed him how to check for calls on it....Made calls, Received calls, and Missed calls. 

“See, and here’s why this is important”, Tony went on, “This here made call was done a couple of days after the girls went missing.  That means whoever took them used the phone !”

Chief O’Rouke peered at the small screen and squinted.  “This number looks sort of familiar, it does.”

“It’s the number to the Asylum”, Nick spoke up. “We already checked it out.”

Tony shot a warning glance to his friend not to say too much.  “Um...Yeah, we um, found out that there was still one of them Townies locked up over there.  What we think is that their buddies we using Melody’s phone to call and check up on him.”

“That’s an awful big leap there, isn’t it Boyo ?”, Chief O’Rouke said.  “Anybody could be callin’ there for any reason, any reason at all.  What be makin’ you think it was after this Townie boy ?”

Tony sighed.  He guessed he would have to tell, at least in part, of their little adventure last night.  “Well, Sir, we, um, went to see for ourselves....And, he was there, all right, a guy named Clint Henry.  He, um...Let on to some things.”

“How did you boyos get into there, that’s restricted and all...”, The Chief said, then backtracked.  “No, don’t tell me, I don’t want to know that.  I have enough to be handlin’ in this place without havin’ to clap you boys in the brig.  Just tell me, what did the miscreant say ?”

Tony took a breath, relieved.  “He said that, um....That their leader, Omar, had it out for us, and was gonna 'take something from us’, and also said something about tunnels under the Industrial Area, and something about 'Levels’....He wasn’t real clear about stuff, cause he’s pretty crazy and all.  But we think the Townies are still here in the Valley, hiding somewhere, and that could be the place.  They Kiddnapped the girls to get revenge on us for beating them when they attacked the school.  It all fits !”

The Chief looked doubtful.  Nick spoke up again.  “Tell him about the Cell Phone Tracking.”

“Oh...Yeah”, Tony said.  “There’s a way to track these things here, it’s called ‘Pinging’, off the nearest Cell Phone Towers.  There’s only one in the Valley, up in the Vale Woods, that’s what the guy who sold us the phones said anyway....So, anytime a call is made, a location can be pinpointed, how close I don’t know, but at least it could be a clue !”

“So, you be tellin’ me...”, Chief O’Rouke said slowly, “That this here phone could lead to a possible location ?”

“Yes, that’s it !”, Tony exclaimed.  “But, how close, like I said, I don’t know.  But it’s a chance, isn’t it ?”

The Chief fingered the phone.  “Aye, it’s a chance.  I’ll have to turn this over to the F.B.I. Agent-In-Charge, we have no way of checking it out at our local level, regrettably....We are just so far behind the times still.”  He didn’t add his resentment that the F.B.I. had virtually taken the case away from the Bullworth Police, who were ridiculed far and wide these days for their incompetence.  More that anything, the Chief O’Rouke wished just to go back to just being Fire Chief once more.  At least in that job there was a modicum of respect.

“So...You’ll let us know if they find anything ?”, Tony asked.  “We’ll give you our Cell Phone numbers, just in case.”  Tony grabbed a pen and paper from the desk and wrote them down.

“Aye, if I can”, the Chief said, a mite irritably.  The chances that the F.B.I. would tell him any information was rather small, as they hadn’t updated him on anything so far. 

The boys got up to leave.  “Well...Thanks Chief”, Tony said.  “We’ll check back in if we find out anything else.”

Chief O’Rouke pointed at them.  “You boyos stay out of trouble”, he warned. “Let the professionals handle this.”

“Oh, you are so right, Sir !”, Tony said, having no intention of doing that at all.  The boys exited the office, and then the Police Station. 

Outside, they gathered their bikes and got on.  “What now ?”, Nick asked.

“Now, we go look for that building”, Tony said, “And try and find those tunnels.  Let’s go !”
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