As the door to the auditorium closed, Todd winced and gently let go of the handle. He took careful steps as he walked backwards in an attempt to be a quiet as possible. Under normal circumstances, nobody would have paid much attention to someone leaving the auditorium, but with the energy in the room today, an alien could have landed and no one would have noticed. For some reason, which Todd could not identify, everyone in the room seemed antsy. The school band was well regarded as the best in district, and while nobody could argue they were comparable to a movie on the first day of school, it was still odd that the audience seemed almost agitated as they played. There was no telling how long their absence would go unnoticed and Todd wanted drag Jun and back before word reached Principal Park. However, rather than a feeling of panic because he now had to play hide and seek with a student who seemed to specialize in appearing in random places, Todd smiled; he had the perfect plan on how to locate Jun.
“We have to go before we get in a ton of trouble.” Todd said from the doorway. Jun slid back a little and spun around in an office chair to look at Todd.
“Huh. You’re more resourceful than I would have ever guessed, Todd Stewart.” Jun said.
“Well actually, I-” Todd paused. The words of The Ever So Great Frissini echoed in his head: never reveal your secrets. “Yeah. I’m very resourceful. Very difficult to lose. Most don’t even try since it’s doomed to fail. So we might as well never do this again.”
“Okay, calm down there. Let’s not break an arm patting yourself on the back. Sheesh.” Jun said as he rolled his eyes. He spun the chair back around to the computers on the desk he was sitting at and resumed staring at the monitor.
Todd tracked Jun down to the security office, a small room adjacent to the library. The room had two desks, each with computers that used dual monitors, on opposite sides of the narrow space. A server rack lined the wall near the entrance, and next to the window was cork board with various notes and coupons pinned to it.
“Did you break the lock?” Todd asked.
“It was like that when I got here. Probably. I wasn’t paying attention.” Jun said without looking at Todd.
“If we get caught we are screwed and there will be no honor’s classes for anyone.” Todd lowered his voice as he spoke and turned to close the door.
“So then leave.” Jun replied.
“Not without you.” Todd said. Jun sighed.
“I see.” He put both hands together and rested them on the tip of his nose as he leaned back in the chair. “Todd you can’t be a part of this mission.”
“What mission?”
“I appreciate the demonstration of whatever skill that was supposed to be when you tracked me down, and your pledge of undying loyalty, but frankly I just think someone of your...capability would just slow me down.”
“What do you mean my capability? Not that I want to join in this nonsense, but I’ve had the highest placement test score two years in a row.” Todd said. He put his hands on his hips and frowned.
“Sure you did.” Jun said and winked at him. “Listen, I’m not saying you don’t have any value. Just none that I need or want. If this mission weren’t a one and done, and I were still around in need of help with a simple low skill task, you’d be...on the list of who to call.”
“I was in an all honors class schedule at the best school in the state.”
“Yeah...last year, grandpa.” Jun said with a chuckle.
“Okay, you know what I don’t want to be start of your stupid pretend play time for babies.” Todd shouted.
“Todd, come on. I know you’re disappointed, but some of us are trying to avoid being caught.” Jun said.
“Good luck doing that with the door open.” Todd said.
“Wait-” Jun started to say, but Todd ignored him as he threw the door open. He got as far as one step into the hallway when a blinking red light flew past his face. Todd scratched his cheek and stared across the hall for a moment. He leaned forward and turned to follow the direction the light went. At the far end of the hall, something mechanical hovered in the air, then slowly turned around. It took off, headed back towards Todd; he could hear the whirring and clicking of gears as it tore through the hallway. Todd felt a pull on his book bag and he was yanked back into the security office.
Todd watched from the floor as Jun jumped over his body and slammed into the door to quickly shut it before they were spotted. Jun put his back to the door and slouched while he stared down at Todd. “Are you crazy? You can’t just rush a hall monitor like that.” Jun shook his head. Todd, mouth still agape, closed his eyes and struggled several times to speak.
“I....what...hall monitor?” Todd asked. Jun stepped back over him and pointed at one of the wide computer monitors at the station he was using. When Todd arrived he saw that each displayed several feeds from the various security cameras positioned around the school. Jun tapped multiple videos on the screen.
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“That’s just a couple of them. They travel in large groups. Try to take one on and you get swarmed. Come on Todd, use your head.” Jun tapped his temple. Todd looked at the screen. The so-called hall monitors looked like orbs inside of a metal square which had been tilted in to a diamond shape. When one floated by the screen, Jun paused the footage. The ‘face’ consisted of three concentric circles, with thick metal rims, and a steady red light at the center. They looked about the size of a basketball in total, and seemed harmless until Todd noticed the jagged teeth at edges of the other two circles.
“Honestly, the Industrial Tech class has just gone too far this time. They’ve always been sort of the bad boys and girls of after school mechanic clubs and I knew it was only a matter of time before they’d make some crazy drone-” Todd said.
“Hall monitor.” Jun said. “Those aren’t drones.” This time it was Todd’s turn to snort derisively.
“I find that hard to believe. It bet it’s a prank. I’ve seen that thing maybe a hundred different ads online.”
“That’s not some toy. Hall Monitors are designed to be relentless as they seek and capture a target, or general scouting and location security. And yes, some times delivering serving trays at dinner parties but I don’t see any appetizers around here anywhere, Todd. Do you?”
“You expect me to believe that the school district made some secret, sci-fi, flying robot that they deploy when important people got to a school? And nobody’s seen it before? And this is all just a normal occurrence?”
“It was a project developed by the Truancy Dept but not not really. There’s nothing normal to be found here. The world is a far more fantastical place than you could ever imagine, Todd Stewart. Whether you believe it or not.” Jun said. He looked at Todd, his face tight and his eyes far more unyielding than Todd had seen in the few instances in which they had spoken.
“Right. Let’s say that’s true, what are they looking for? You?” Todd asked. He didn’t really buy anything Jun was saying, but it seemed like a good idea to see if he could play along and steer the game back to the assembly.
“Don’t be silly Todd, red light means they’re securing the premises. If it were green they’d be looking for me. But they wouldn’t find me assuming you don’t give away our position.”
“I didn’t give away our position.” Todd muttered. Even if he were just playing pretend, he still refused to take the fall. “What are securing the school for? The assembly?”
“They wouldn’t break out the Hall Monitors for your precious school band. No, the fact they’re here must mean he’s here.” Jun said. Todd raised and eyebrow. “Superintendent. I’m going to defeat him and get my freedom from this place.”
“The district Superintendent is here? Today? Wait, when you say defeat...?”
“They must be moving him around securely, only person I’ve seen is this lackey.” Jun poked the screen. In the middle of all the camera feeds was a live broadcast of the assembly. There were two angles: one of the front of the auditorium and the other back stage. Up front, the band was continuing the concert, but backstage Todd saw Principal Park talking to the man in the dark suit that he ran into earlier.
“That guy works for the superintendent?” Todd asked.
“Hmm? Yeah, he’s some kind of something or another. I don’t really care about underlings.” Jun replied.
“He’s talking to Principal Park.” Todd said.
“Yeah.” Jun said, his voice made it seem as the most obvious fact in the world. “Keep an eye out for the Superintendent and we’re even.” Jun said.
“Even for what? I’ve never met the Superintendent. What does he look like?”
“Todd I can’t spoon feed you. You gotta pull your weight. He looks like a regular intendent, but super.” Jun said. Todd, at a crossroads of whether to explain how little sense that made, how unhelpful it was, or the fact he still had no idea what was going on, decided to focus in on the conversation between the principal and the man in the suit. He clicked on the feed to make it active and turned up the speakers.
“I should warn you that when in my school, it’s best you watch your...step.” Principal Park said. The man in the suit had his back to it to the camera while Principal Park’s face was visible; he did not look happy. The main in the suit, though he had had an overall relaxed posture, put his hands up.
“Easy now. There’s no greater respecter of Principal sovereignty than I, but you know the board loves new and shiny things. This is just the newest and shiniest.”
“I won’t let my students become guinea pigs. Is that...understood?” Principal Park said.
“Did things get a little out of hand last time? Yes. It’s regrettable any time a school mascot is burned in effigy, but we reviewed the results from last year and this a whole new program.”
“As far as I can tell, last year’s data is...useless.”
“Well who’s fault is that?”
“I make no apologies for forcing the shut down.”
“True to type as always. But we know that’s not the only reason you need back in the good graces of the board.” the man in the dark suit said. Whatever he did, Principal Park leaned back and folded his arms. “Look, as far as I’m concerned you made your case. Just...this will help everyone see it that way. And they won’t need to seek my opinion on the matter.”
“And what of increased district presence?” Principal Park asked. He smirked. “You didn’t think I knew about that...did you?” The man in the dark suit brought his hand up and smoothed back his hair.
“Of course a dedicated principal knows what goes on in his halls. We were going to consult with you after...it’s just standard operating procedure, We have a VIP and I want to make sure we take the upmost care. This is a big day for Fillmore.”
“If-”
“I know. I know before you say it. All safeguards are active and every thing is in motion as silent as a whisper.”
“I don’t appreciate the taken...liberties. I will meet with him myself.” Principal Park said. “In the mean time, you can field any questions from teachers...understood?”
“They’ll fall in line. Look at this way: you get the full project roll out before even Viltburg. How about putting that on the brochure?” the man in the suit said. He gave Principal Park a thumbs up.
“Before they send you to speak with me again, make sure to commit to memory that I do not like to be...patronized.” On screen Todd only saw the Principal glower with such intensity it almost looked as if his face lit up; it must have been even worse in person because the man in the suit to took a slight step back.
“Duly noted. Likewise, you should remember that this may be your school, but it’s his district.” the main in the suit’s voice had changed from insincere slickness to a much more serious and authoritative tone. “In fact-” He was cut off as Jun reach over and clicked on a different camera feed.
“What was that for?” Todd asked.
“Bleh. Not listening to that all day. We got what we needed. The Superintendent is on the premises. Keep an eye out.”
“I just wanted to remind you that I am still not trying to be on whatever this is, and we really need to return to the auditorium.” Todd said.
“Hmm? I doubt he’d be in the auditorium.” Jun said. His eyes were more than just fixed on the screen, they almost appeared as if he stared through it. Todd turned back to his own screen, but his own focus was elsewhere. He needed to come up with a way to get Jun back to the assembly, but nothing that came to mind seemed like a workable plan; Jun was determined to play pretend or do whatever it was he was planning to do. Todd glanced back at the auditorium feed to get a sense of how much time might be left. His mouth fell open and Todd felt a pit in his stomach as the man in the yellow flannel stepped out from behind the curtain and onto the stage.