Retribution

Chapter Twelve

Anxiety festering inside of me, I walked through the halls. My mission was to find a way to cut the power. I'd have to go to the main level and try to find the box. I had been chosen because I was the "most innocent". The least likely to do something like this.

If only they knew.

Successfully I made it to the cafeteria. All I had to do now is get to the janitor's closet. Nina had known where it was, because back when Riker and her were first going out, they'd meet there for some PDA. From how much she talked about him, I could tell she missed him. Not only him, but her parents. I couldn't blame her, because I knew I'd miss Josh if I was ever taken away from him.

After passing the door multiple times, I finally found the closet. Getting the door open was a breeze, it wasn't even locked. But of course there wasn't a light switch in there and the door wouldn't stay propped open. Thank god for cellphones, right? I used the tiny glowing screen to find the circuit box.

It stinks in here.

Immediately upon getting to the back of the dank room I found a little metal door on the wall. Opening it, I found what I was looking for. Quickly, I flipped off as many circuits as I could. Some wouldn't budge. I darted out of the closet and found my way into the bathroom where Nina would be waiting. When I entered the bathroom, I was met by a distraught Nina.

"I can't do this," she whispered to me.

"We don't have a choice. We're in too deep."

"What if we--"

"Run? Call the cops? Warn Mrs. Noble?"

"Well. . .yeah."

"Things aren't that easy," I sighed. "And if you can't follow orders, I'll have no other choice but to--"

"To what?" she hissed. She might have been afraid of Boss, but she sure as hell wasn't afraid of me.

"Please," I begged, "just follow orders."

"No. I'm calling the police. Vanessa, you're a good person. How did you end up in this mess?"

"Nina--"

She pulled out her cellphone, so I pulled out my pocket knife. John's pocket knife.

"What the fuck Vanessa!" she cried, backing away from me. Calmly I told her, "Put the phone down." Frantically she nodded, placing it on the floor. Without hesitation I gave it one good stomp, shattering the screen with ease. It probably wasn't unuseable, but at least I'd get my point across. Tears welled up in her eyes and she pleaded, "Don't kill me. Please, don't. Just let me go home."

"I won't have to hurt you if you just follow the instructions."

Then things took a turn for the worst.

Out of her pocket she pulled a small aerosol can. Before I could identify what exactly it was, she sprayed it in my face. I screamed, dropping the knife so that I could rub at my eyes.

Mace.

I stumbled to the sinks, Nina already out the door, to wash off my eyes. To try and stop the burning. Before the burning subsided, I heard a gunshot. With my eyesight still blurry, I picked up the pocket knife and ran into the hallway.

Nina had been shot. I could tell because of her distinct neon green hair. When I looked around for the assailant, my eyes locked with the only other person in the corridor.

"Boss' orders," Chauncey smirked. "And if you run, you'll get the same punishment." He stepped over Nina's bleeding body and grabbed my face, "we wouldn't want such a pretty girl go to waste, would we?" I made a weak attempt to shove him off, saying, "We have a job to do."

He pushed me away, a sadistic glimmer in his eyes, "Let's get to it then."

"Call Boss. Let him know everything is setup." I started to walk away when he asked, "Isn't that your job?"

"Not anymore."

My footsteps echoed in the desolate halls. Nobody was around. The PA system went on, whoever's words making little sense to me though they were speaking English. It was probably the principal, Mrs. Davidson, telling the teachers to lock their doors.

Some of my fellow League members ran past me. I snagged one of our more recent volunteers, Cortez.

"What's up, little mama?" I pointed to the door that was in front of us.

"Can you kick that down?"

"You're kidding, right?" he laughed. "That door looks like solid oak!" He made a gesture at the glass, "That, cariño, is what you'll want to break."

He took the butt of his semi-automatic pistol and smashed at the glass a few times. When the glass was caved in enough, he gave it one good kick. Screams rang out from the small room as the window completely shattered. I went through first, pocket knife ready to go, and shouted, "Principal Davidson, if you come with me, nobody will have to die." Cortez peered in and asked, "You got this handled?" I nodded.

"Vanessa?" Principal Davidson gaped as she came over to me.

"We don't have any time to waste." I grabbed her arm roughly and took her into one of the empty classrooms. "Sit," I commanded. She obeyed.

"Why are you doing this?"

I ignored her.

Together we waited, as shattering glass and gunshots echoed throughout the small building. Screams of terror and pain soon followed after. Mrs. Davidson was crying silently, doing her best not to become hysterical.

There was a knock on the door, which surprised me more than anything else.

"Who--" In stepped Mike and Josh.

"Boss wants you," Mike said solemnly. "We'll watch her. You'll find him on the second floor."

All the way up the stairs to the second level, my hands fiddled with my pocket knife. Something, amidst all this abnormal chaos, wasn't right.