The New Age

Chapter 4: The Plan

A pulse goes down Jack's wrist. It starts vibrating, faster and faster until Jack wakes up from his sleep. He looks at SOAK on his wrist. 6:45.
"What the -? Oh wait, nevermind. It's just SOAK."
Jack gets ready for school, and then heads downstairs quietly so he doesn't wake up his mom.
He makes himself a quick breakfast and waits for the bus. On the bus, he sits in his seat finishing his English assignment. He's doing it so quickly, quicker than ever.
"How did I finish my English assignment in 10 minutes? Guess I just feel rushed and that helped," he thinks.
In Algebra, Jack suddenly understood everything. He could do all his problems so quickly and all in his head. Even the teacher can't believe it.
Walking out of English class after the same thing happened, Jack now understood why he was able to do so well now in his classes. He looks at his wrist. He could almost feel SOAK slightly vibrating and pulsating during those classes.
"Thanks SOAK, but I wont need you to help me in geology or chemistry," he thinks.

Once Jack gets to PE, he feels a lot more fresh since he didn't feel stressed during English and Algebra, also since they're currently playing basketball in. Jack goes into the locker room to change.
"Okay SOAK, I can't wear anything like a watch in gym so I'm gonna have to put you away inside my bag now," he thinks trying to communicate with SOAK without causing attention.
Jack goes to the bathroom before putting away SOAK. Suddenly, SOAK morphs around Jack's entire arm into a white, padded arm sleeve.
"I guess you plan on helping me play basketball then too," Jack mumbles walking out of the locker room.
It's day 2 of the basketball unit in PE, and now the playoffs have begun. Jack's teammate wins the tipoff and the ball tips to Jack.
"Showtime," Jack thinks remembering a line from a movie that he forgot the name of.
A defender quickly tries to trap Jack, but Jack quickly spins around him like an elite NBA point guard, getting a few oohs from the move, and zooms in for an easy layup with the court.
"Damn that was nice," Jack says to himself, "let's keep this up."
Jack's matchup dribbles up to the half court mark, and Jack quickly steals the ball. He races down the court, and rises off the ground for a strong windmill dunk. Jack's whole team stares in pure shock, as well as the opponent team. Jack had never been able to dunk, let alone a windmill dunk. The other teams playing on the other side of the gym stop playing and look at Jack. The gym teacher looks at Jack. Jack awkwardly stood there looking at everyone.

"My goodness Jack! Do you play varsity basketball, because you look like an nba prospect right there?!" the gym teacher shouts across the gym.
"I tried out a couple times," Jack replies, "never made it. Guess the coaches wanted better players on the team."
"Well I tell you what, you should have tried out this year, because they way you're playing would get us a state championship!" the gym teacher shouts back, "Okay everyone, Continue your matches."
"But we want to watch Jack play!" someone replies from one of the other teams. A few others agree, and the PE teacher decides to let them watch. Jack's matchup continues.
Jack's man attempts an off balance three-pointer, but Jack snatches it quickly out of the air which causes the observing students to cheer. Finally, Jack had gotten some recognition. He races down the court, his defender on his tail.
"I'ma get you this time!" his defender says behind his back.
Jack heard him say it, so he quickly stops dead in his tracks and snatches the ball backward, sending his defender flying forward. The audience burst out laughing at his defender and freak out. Jack stares at his defender lying on the ground in embarrassment, and takes the 25 foot three pointer, nailing it nothing but net. The audience, and even students watching from out in the hall lose it, and run on to the court celebrating around Jack.
"This doesn't feel right," Jack thinks as everyone is celebrating and cheering around him, "it took me playing like an NBA superstar in a regular PE basketball game to get people to want to be around me."

"Okay everyone it's time to go change, class gets out in 5 minutes!" the gym teacher orders. As Jack walks to the locker room, the others surround him and the boys follow him into the locker room. All Jack heard as he changed, was how he did a crazy dunk, and how he broke his defenders ankles and nailed a deep three. He manages to get into a stall  in the locker room so SOAK can morph back into a watch without anyone noticing. From then on to when Jack got on the bus to go home, Jack is surrounded by other students who praise him for what he did in that game. Once the bus leaves, even the freshman and sophomores surround him on the bus, all trying to get Jack to talk to them as if he was a real-life celebrity. Jack tries to get them to give him space, but they won't budge. They're too attached to how he played that game, even though they weren't even there. But finally, when Jack got home, he could finally find some peace, as well as carry on with the mission. He checks to see if anyone's home. No one answers.
"Okay SOAK, I'm glad you helped me play so well in that game," Jack says looking at the "watch" on his wrist.
SOAK disassembles back into it's original spherical shape, and levitates in front Jack.
"I did what you asked," SOAK replies, "but I can not help the fact that those people wanted to be around you after your insane performance in the game."
"But it was a little to crazy," Jack responds back, "I'm glad you helped me play amazing out there in that game, but I wasn't expecting everyone to just start liking me. It almost felt pitiful."
"I guess I sort of understand what you are saying. No one really cared about who you were until you did something that blew their minds."
"Thanks SOAK, but to be honest, I kind of like how all the ladies are probably now attracted to me sort of in a way," Jack jokes, "Now, about that mission?"

"Ah yes, the mission. Well first off, you are going to need someone to drive you there. Someone who can be trusted."
"Wait, so you're telling me that I have to find a friend of mine who won't tell anyone about you to help get back the spaceship?"
"Unfortunately yes. If there was another way to do it without help, we would be doing that instead. For example, if you had your driver's license-"
"Wait, cant you just make a fake driver's license for me? You can do that right?"
"True. You are right on that Jack. I could just morph into one if you ever get pulled over so you would not have to worry about your parents finding out what you are doing. But there is still one problem."
"What's that?"
"You don't have a car that we can use."
"Shit. Well, I guess I will have to find someone who we can trust to keep you a secret. But don't worry, I think I know just who to call."