Two Clocks Past Midnight Part 6 (26)

  POV: Jessica Black

  Tuesday

  Mr Mirmen tapped the chalkboard full with notes. Writing in details about word choice and syntax. Abunch of stuff I didn’t care about. I was too far ahead of the class to be entertained by the lesson and I actively refused to let my mind wander to anything mundanely adolescent. Which did not leave me with many options for self entertainment. Kevin’s soft snoring on the other side of the room didn’t help.

  I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I sincerely considered just ditch classes, but I knew Jesse and Jennfier would just get on to me, and I didn’t want to deal with that.

  “You seem bored,” Jerry whispered to me. “Can’t blame you. You’re so used to excitement.”

  I scowled at him, “What are you on about?”

  He just smiled back with his annoying smirk, “As I said. Things are usually so active for you, but don’t worry. Things are going to pick up soon enough.”

  I scowled deeper, “What do you know? What have you heard? Tell me!”

  “Not as much as you do.” He taunted with a shrug, “But that doesn’t mean I can’t help.”

  My scowl became a snarl, “Jerry, I swear, if you have anything to do with this, or if you’re just jerking me around, I will make you regret learning English!”

  “Ms Black!” Mirmin shouted, “If you’re not willing to participate in class you can at least follow Mr Zapotec’s lead and not bother your classmates! Now, as I was saying.”

  Mr Mirmin turned back to the board just in time to be interrupted by Vice Principal Thompson entering the room. “Mr Mirmen, I need Ms Black, if you will.”

  “What? No!” Mirmen yelled back. He threw down his chalk, “Damn It All, Tom! You can't keep doing this!”

  “Mr Mirmen, please understand.”

  “No, Tom! Why is it always my class you interpret! I'm trying to do my damn job here!”

  “Simon,” Vice Principal Thompson said softly, “It's an official matter.”

  “Well,” Mr Mirmen puffed out his chest, “I officially still hold the authority of an army captain. So unless it's someone higher up.”

  “The governor of Virginia has made this request.”

  Mr Mirmen sighed and deflated, “Ms Black, if you want, please allow Mr Thompson to escort you.” He spoke with the clean cut cascade of protocol. “The rest of you open your textbook!”

  Mary turned around, “What did you do?”

  “No clue,” I stood and started at the door, “I'll let you know when they tell me.”

  Exiting the classroom I walked with Vice Principal Thompson. He walked with his hands behind his back and his head high with authority.

  “You're not in trouble,” He said.

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  “I didn't I was.” I said back.

  “Really? Most students are some kind of worried when pulled from class. At least the first few times.”

  “Are students pulled from class often?”

  He sighed, “Not at much as one might expect from a school of demi-human teenagers.” He looked back with a smile, “Problem is that there usually is trouble when I do.” He chuckled as we reached the door of the school counselor's office. Opening I saw the tall man from the dream world.

  “You,” I exclaimed in shock.

  “Me.” He answered, “It's nice to meet you again Ms Black, though I don't think I introduced myself properly last time. Though it wouldn't have mattered.”

  “Oh?” I was highly suspicious of the man. “Why is that?”

  He chuckled. He seemed so perfectly normal. Uncannily so. “To put simply, you can't share names in dream space.”

  “Oh?” I strided in closer.

  “Yes, after all, have you ever introduced yourself to anyone in a dream?”

  “I've never met anyone in a dream until you.” I said evenly trying to hide my cards in this.

  “Well that's why you were called today,” came the voice of Counselor Viy sending a startling shock up my spine. She stepped over from the side where her coffee machine was slowly dying. “Apparently you're involved in a concerning situation.”

  Before I could respond the man spoke up, “Viy, was it? This is a sensitive subject. May I speak to Ms Black alone?”

  “Oh!? Well,” Counselor Viy seemed incredibly unnerved, which seemed to be her default mentality. She wanted to think of a reason to not leave, but in the end she shrunk down and eked out, “I guess so.” She nodded and inched her way to her door. “I'll be right outside. If you need anything, just call for me. Okay? Okay.”

  She shut the door with the softest of clicks. Leaving me alone with the man. He smiled at me, “You're a very jumpy young lady.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because you nearly leaped out of your own shoes when Ms Viy spoke,” The man stood and walked behind the desk to sit in the counselor's chair, “Though I guess I can’t blame you too much. Ms doesn’t put off much of an energy signature. Makes you wonder why they put her in the position they did.”

  “There’s more to her than you know.” I said. Though I didn’t know much about Ms Viy either, but I wasn’t the intruder here.

  “Very true,” He gestured to the seat he was sitting in a moment ago. I took it and continued to stare on. He went on and introduced himself. “My name Allen Wrench. No relation to the tool. Do you know anything about family?”

  “No.”

  “Understandable. I do try to maintain a somewhat low profile,” He leaned back, “The Wrench Family is a wizarding clan. We specialize in psychomancy and also neuromancy.”

  “Do you work for the Department of Demi-Humans?”

  “No. Not directly. I don’t hold the status or title of an agent. But I am in contact with the Governor of both Virginia and Maryland as well the mayors of both sides of Progress City and lastly the Vice President himself has an ear on the situation.”

  That was a note of concern for sure. Just how big was the situation? How many people were in danger? And just how bad were the forces at play? More and more questions came to mind, but as I sat I scowled and asked only one, “Why am I here?”

  “That’s a very good question.” Allen smiled, “In short, I’m here to gather what information I can from you. You can of course ask whatever questions you want in turn.”

  “Are my friends in danger?” I asked.

  His eyebrows shot up, “Well now. That's a very direct question. Noble too.”

  “Answer it.” I was hard set on this. I wasn’t going to back down.

  “Ms Blanc is fully protected by her connection to Paradise.”

  “What about Melissa and Jennifer?”

  “As a mundane and a mutant, Ms Odinson and Ms Knight are vulnerable, but I doubt they’ll be in further danger.”

  “Why is that?” I asked.

  Allen raised a hand, “Hold on. It's my turn. I might be on a humanitarian mission, but I am still a wizard.

  Damn. He was right. I didn't know much about wizards, but I did know they didn't like giving away information for free. I had to make a decision. I could strong arm another question out of him if I was forward enough, but I have so many more questions I wanted answered. There was also the option of just leaving. It was the worst option, but it was there. In the end I couldn't pass on this opportunity. I nodded and set Allen Wrench's game into motion.

  “Ask your question.”