Survival of the Toughest

The Trial- Judgment

We walked into the front office where Nielson was waiting with Kevin Scott and the other board members. By the look on his face, Nielson had met our backup and was not happy about it.

"Patterson." He hissed. "You have five seconds what the hell the entire circus is doing outside my meeting room or else-"

"Morning, boys." William Landry, the president of the board, interrupted Nielson. "Follow me so we can get started."

We followed them to a meeting room. Waiting was the Latimer brothers, Mr. Li Tsun, and Mr. Harlan. No Coalition guys in sight.

"Bif!" I whispered. "Did your plan not remember that they had to be here today?!"

"Don't fret, Ricky." Bif answered. "Grandad and Mr. Lombardi are probably just behind so they can make an entrance. Annoying, yes. But I swear they're all about grand entrances."

"Now," Landry sat down. "Be seated and let's proceed."

We sat down.

"Today, we are here to discuss the pending expulsion of Bif Arlington, James Weng, and Rick Patterson. Depending on how the process goes today, a verdict might be reached early. Now, to state the accusation of why the three should not be allowed to attend school in this district, Superintendent Nielson has the floor."

"It has become clear to me that these three here are more interested in causing trouble than getting an education." Nielson stood and pointed at us. "And I have it on good authority that the are also involved with gang activities."

"Why would that be?" Kevin Scott asked.

"Well, Mr. Scott. We are only three months into the school year and I have had to defuse situations caused by these boys almost every week. It feels like if I'm not at the high school dealing with Arlington and Weng, I'm at the middle school dealing with Patterson."

"Would you care to give an example, Mr. Nielson?"

"Well, with Patterson- He's quite the insurrectionist." Nielson singled me out. "I had to suspend him a week or so ago for starting a gang fight in a classroom. And before that- I had to dish out Saturday detentions and cleanup duty to him and his little friends for stirring up a fight during lunch. The reason he is here now- he, Arlington, and Weng had decided to haze a few other students outside of school. One of the parents had contacted me with concern after this had happened and I felt the need to remove the problem. Which would be these three."

"Is said parent here today?" Scott pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he had a headache.

"Er, yes. Mr. Dean, if you would."

Clifford Dean stood up.

"Mr. Dean has the floor." Landry said.

"Well." Clifford shot me a quick glare. "These three degenerates-"

"Mr. Dean, if we could refrain from name calling." Scott sighed.

"These three boys have been a thorn in both of my sons' side for a while now." He continued. "They have harassed them outside of school, bullied them in school, threatened them, attacked them, and goodness knows what else!"

"Do any one of you three boys have any thing to say about that?"

"Yes." Bif raised his hand. "None of us laid a hand on Anthony or Auston unless it was in self-defense. And I would like to say that Mr. Dean's statement is so biased that it's FALSE."

"Excuse me?!" Clifford went pale. "How dare you-"

"Now, Bif." Landry cut Clifford off. "What's your reasoning for that?"