Dark Days at TAC

by Richard Pinkerton

CHAPTER 7:

  Moonlight Assault

 

  ‘I don’t trust that guy, Rex,’ Vanessa said that evening as she and her dollbaby walked along the road his arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist. The moon was full and the air was cool, but it was pleasant. She loved taking a stroll in the moonlight, especially with her guy at her side.

  ‘So you really think old Reverend Flanders has his eye on you, huh? I guess he wouldn’t be a straight Kiwi male if he didn’t.’

  ‘Oh Rex, no, are you suggesting that every male teacher in the school fancies me?’

  ‘Well no, but then I’m pretty sure not all of them are straight.’

  ‘Gee, thanks that makes me feel a lot better.’

  Rex chuckled. ‘I bet one or two of the female teachers fancy you something fierce too.’

  She released him for a second, thumped him on the shoulder and delivered him a cheeky grin. She put her arm back around him. ‘OK, I can accept that maybe some of my male teachers have the hots for me. Yes and maybe a female teacher or two, but if they do they keep it hidden, because they’re professional, but that guy clearly isn’t. A professional teacher doesn’t start preaching the bible to his students during Biology class. During any class for that matter.’

  ‘You’re right. There’s no excuse and you can bet that I’ll be watching that guy like a hawk from now on. If he dares try anything on you, he’ll have me to deal with.’

  ‘I don’t want you punching out a teacher. You’ll get in serious trouble.’

  ‘Just as long as he keeps his dirty hands off you.’

  Vanessa delivered him a warm smile. She loved it when he played the protective boyfriend.

  They turned down a road that led them out of town. It was good to get away from the streetlights and the neighbouring houses. They often went down this way and climbed over a fence where they had a favourite spot in the grass beside the Rocky River. They sometimes even took a dip when it was hot, but the cooler weather was well on its way now. All remained quiet, apart from the chirps of crickets and one car that drove slowly past them, built up speed and disappeared over the hill.

  ‘So, Rexy, I was hearing rumours that Mr Harris got into trouble for his Boot Camp scheme. Is that true?’

  ‘According to him, yes. He’s trying to push forward the fact that he did the whole Boot Camp thing mainly as a way to try to deal with the increasing drug problem plaguing the school. They say there is at least one P dealer in the school, but they’re unable to track down the source.’

  ‘Oh. That’s bad.’

  ‘I found P in one of the bags I confiscated cigarettes from.’

  ‘Oh my God. Whose?’

  ‘I’m not allowed to say, but I don’t expect he’ll reveal anything to the cops after they’ve talked to him. He’s the really stubborn type and loyal to his friends.’

  ‘Why don’t you try twisting his arm?’

  ‘I’ve considered it, but nah, I’ll leave this one to the cops.’

  ‘Well good work, Detective Cassidy,’ said Vanessa putting on her best masculine cop voice, which even then was way too feminine. ‘Thanks to you, we’ve managed to convict another P addict. That’s one less potentially dangerous eejit on the streets.’

  They continued to walk in silence for a while, just enjoying each other’s presence. They passed by a hedgerow when suddenly two figures slipped out from the far end, blocking their path. Vanessa jumped and her chest tightened when she saw who one of them was. It was someone she recognised, someone who no doubt in her mind had a grudge against both her and Rex.

  ‘Well, well,’ said the man in his late teens. ‘Fancy seeing you two here.’

  ‘What do you want, Williams?’ Rex scowled.

  Rod Williams was a former student of Te Arawa College. He’d left before either Vanessa or Rex had come along, but they had both had dealings with him outside of school and he was as a nasty piece of work, despite being the brother of the previous year’s head girl. A scowl came across his face. ‘I have unfinished business with the both of you.’

  His friend, who Vanessa had never seen before, stood next to him and in his hand was a baseball bat, which he slapped into the palm of his hand several times with a gleam in his eye. Vanessa’s knees felt weak, but when she saw the calm expression on Rex’s face, she gained some confidence.

  If Rex had any fear at all, he kept it remarkably well hidden. ‘Don’t tell me you’re still holding a grudge over the way I humiliated you at my birthday party last year. You really are pathetic, Williams.’

  If it had been at school, faced by unarmed bullies, Vanessa would have mentally cheered Rex on, but faced with two young adults, one with a weapon, made her wish he hadn’t been so insulting. Then again, perhaps Rex realised that being diplomatic would achieve nothing, so he might as well get in some psychological shots first.

  Rod’s eyes bulged. ‘You should be down on your knees begging for mercy right now, not trying to piss me off even more. Besides, this isn’t all about that!’ He turned his glare to Vanessa. ‘You have a lot to answer for too! You reported me to Rita at the tavern, didn’t you? You told me what I did to get that fat moron Tucker Pyles fired. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still have my job!’

  Vanessa considered denying it, but reckoned it would do no good. If Rex was going to thumb his nose at danger, then so was she. ‘I figured you needed a good lesson in “what goes around comes around”. Did it register? Oh dear, it looks like it didn’t.’

  ‘You want to talk about “what goes around comes around”? Well I think actions speak louder than words, don’t you?’

  ‘Nessa,’ Rex touched her shoulder, ‘I’ll take care of these creeps, I want you to RUN FOR IT!’

  Vanessa hesitated only for a second. The last thing she wanted to do was leave him to their mercy, but she realised he would be a lot better off if he didn’t have to protect her. Rex took a swing at Rod, taking him off guard sending him sprawling back into the hedge with a wail. Vanessa took to her heels and ran. She turned her head to see Rex struggling with the other guy, trying to gain control over the baseball bat. Rod scrambled to his feet and seeing Vanessa running shouted out and charged after her.

  Vanessa focussed on running now and turned her head to see Rod swiftly gaining on her. She strained to pick up her pace, running on the road. She could hear his heavy footsteps growing louder. She turned her head again only to see Rex fly in from behind, tackle Rod around the waist and bring him crashing to the ground. The two struggled violently with each other, both trying to get on top of the other.

  ‘Go!’ Rex yelled.

  Peering back down the road however, Vanessa could see the other attacker stumbling along, blood pouring from his nose, but the baseball bat still in hand. If she ran now, he would surly have an easy target when it came to Rex.

  She couldn’t very well take on the baseball bat guy so she rushed over to Rex and Rod and stomped on Rod’s head.

  He cried out and released his grip on Rex. The baseball bat guy came in and swung wildly as Rex rose to his feet, but he ducked under and slammed his foot into his attacker’s gut. Rod’s goon doubled over, a burst of air escaping from his mouth.

  Vanessa tried to run again, but Rod’s hand grasped over her ankle. She tried to kick him with her other foot, but only succeeded in losing her balance and falling. She attempted to get up, but Rod had already made it to his feet and grabbed her roughly by the arm. Meanwhile Rex once again struggled with his opponent, trying to gain control over the bat.

  Knowing that she had to do something desperate, she called on the self-defence training she did earlier that year, which had served her well just recently when a gang member attempted to assault her. She turned sideways and rammed the heel of her foot straight into Rod’s kneecap. The previous time she had succeeded in breaking her attacker’s kneecap. This time there was no crack but it caused Rod to scream out in agony, buckle and crumple to the ground, clutching his knee. ‘You bitch!’ He attemp
ted to reach out and grab her from his lowered position, but she was ready for him this time, leapt out of the way and ran again.

  Rod tried to rise to his feet, but fell back down and swore loudly. Once Vanessa had run far enough down the road, she turned. She gasped when she saw Rod on his feet hobbling towards Rex who now traded blows with his now unarmed opponent. Rod reached down and picked up an object. The baseball bat.

  ‘Rex!’ she screamed out.

  Rex turned his head, but it was too late. Rod swung the bat and it connected with the side of his head. He went down and hit the ground with a thump. He did not stir.

  ‘No!’ she gasped, horror welling up inside her. ‘Oh my God, no!’

  ‘Hey, hey, little girl, we got your boyfriend!’ called out the baseball bat guy. He cracked up laughing. ‘Better come back if you know what’s good for you.’

  Vanessa felt weak. The sight of her beloved Rex lying inert on the ground made her insides tangle up and her entire body feel heavy. ‘No...’ she said again, the words having trouble coming from her lungs.

  ‘You better come back here, bitch!’ Rod snarled, rubbing his knee.

  She couldn’t think straight and her mind was a mess. She wanted to run over there now and examine his body and make sure he was ok, but even through her jumbled mind; she knew that she would be putting herself at their mercy. Rex would not have wanted that and neither did she.

  Her cell phone.

  She reached for it, inside her jacket pocket and felt tremendous release when she felt it there, still in one piece. She pulled it out and began to dial 111, but then Rod gave another shout. ‘She’s calling the cops. Get her!’

  Baseball Bat guy began to run towards her. He had run ten metres before she had the presence of mind to run herself. She fled once more, not looking back, putting every ounce of speed into her strides as she could. She ran and ran until she reached town and only then did she dare turn around to see if she was still being pursued.

  There was no sign of the baseball bat guy.

  She stopped to catch her breath, her mind still in torment, pictures of Rex lying there on the ground still invading her mind. Her heart beat so fast and so hard, she could have sworn there was a drum player inside her performing in a heavy metal band. She continued to stare down the road hoping desperately to see Rex appear, but no one came. At least Baseball guy had given up the chase.

  She took her cell phone and dialled in 111. She prayed Rex was ok.