The Games Villains Play (The Academy Trilogy)

by Joshua DeBenedetto

  DONNY CONSIDERED HIMSELF to be good at reading the facial expressions of people, but sometimes a reaction comes along in which there are just too many jumbled emotions to interpret. This was the reaction on the faces of Jay, Michael, and Zahrah when Donny arrived at practice that afternoon followed closely by the giant Lenny.

  “Guys, this is my new friend Lenny; Lenny, these are some of my other friends,” Donny said in introduction. Lenny extended his hand, but unsure who to extend it to, he swung it about from person to person. Jay was the first to take Lenny’s hand and shake, then the other two followed suit.

  “Is he going to be on our team?” Michael asked.

  Donny could see the smile fade on Lenny’s face, and quickly made an answer, “no, he doesn’t want to play in the games, he is just going to hang out with us while we practice.”

  “Well, you are more than welcome, and it is nice to meet you Lenny,” Zahrah said courteously.

  “Alright, let’s get back to our jumping drills,” Donny said, taking command of the situation to make sure Lenny did not feel uncomfortable from the evident stares he was receiving. Jay began jumping again, starting out with about half the distance that they ended with the day before, and quickly surpassing where they had stopped. Donny was glad Lenny was there for two reasons; the plan how worked, and Jay was now staying strong as he was remaining by a towering Titan, but also because Lenny was clearly enjoying the show, watching Jay leap further and further. Lenny’s smile would widen a little more with each jump, and his enjoyment lightened all of their spirits. With Lenny’s strength and Zahrah’s speed, Jay was able to jump further and further, and to everyone’s relief his strength would always hold out long enough for a safe landing on the other side.

  By the end of their practice that day, Jay was jumping three quarters of the length of the entire arena. The rest of them felt like this was a big accomplishment, but Donny was not so sure. Donny knew that Jay needed to be able to make it all the way in order for this plan to have a chance of working, but even if he could jump the length of the arena, he was falling way too slowly for Donny’s comfort. He would have to give this a little more thought.

  THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE try-outs, Donny had the uncomfortable experience of sitting through his resident leader giving the group a talk describing the simulation games. The resident leader kept asking Donny questions about if the try outs would be any different that year, or if he knew how many opening there were on different teams, or similar questions that it would make sense for Donny to know being one of the team leaders, but that he had no idea as to the answers.

  After the room meeting, Donny immediately left the room in order to escape the awkwardness he felt at his lack of knowledge. He walked through the halls, without a set plan as to where he was going, but just letting himself wander. He walked until he arrived at the track, where people were running and training, getting themselves ready for the try outs in the next few days. He sat down in the back corner of the bleachers that were set up on one side, and idly began watching the students practice down below. It was not long before they began to notice Donny watching them, and since most of them wanted to be on his team, they began to practice all the harder, trying to show off. This was not what Donny was hoping to see, so he got ready to leave, when a first year Prometheus came up the bleachers to him. When the young boy arrived, he extended an envelope to Donny, and told him, “I was asked to deliver this to you.”

  Donny took the envelope and sat back down. He opened it as the boy left, heading back down the bleacher steps. Inside the envelope were two pieces of paper. The first was a letter that read:

  To he who gives brownies to giants;

  I wish to submit my candidacy for membership amongst your ranks, as well as supply a peace offering to help you. I did not approach you sooner as you had told people you would make no team selections until the try outs, but now that the try outs are upon us, I feel it is the time to come forward. I am an old friend of your brother’s, who had competed in the simulation games this past year alongside him. With that said, I want you to know that I am a man who follows orders, and despite my age I would be happy to help you as you lead your team to victory. I have been watching all the team leaders, and I know their strengths and weaknesses well. For example, your weaknesses include your newness to the school, let alone the games, as well as not having physical powers of your own or friends. Your biggest weakness however is that you don’t know who to trust for this team, because almost everyone you have come across has been trying to butter you up in order that they could play for your brother’s team. Your strengths include your fresh, creative outlook, your determination, and your understanding of the way things work. It is also impressive how you have yet to fail a weekly quiz, despite your difficult course load. I say these things not to intimidate or impress, but merely to show what you would be getting with me. I believe there is power in knowing your allies and your enemies, and I make it a point to know both.

  It is your decision whether to take me or not, I will not be offended either way. As my peace offering, I have done research into who I believe you can trust. Granted, you need to be able to trust me first in order for this list to be any good, but you are welcome to ask your brother about that. He had given my friends and I a set of simulation games to remember last year, and whether I am on his team or not, I want to repay the favor.

  Your Prometheus, Duke

  Donny looked at the second page, and on one side of the page was a long list of names with their respective year and ability, and a title at the top saying “Those Who Want to Be on The Winning Team”. Turning the paper over, there was a much shorter list of names, again with year and ability listed, but this time with a title saying “Those Who Want to Be on Your Winning Team”.

  Donny looked around to see if he could tell who sent the letter, but of course, he could not. He laughed a little to himself. Looks like I’ve got friends I didn’t even know about. Donny thought to himself.

  DONNY ARRIVED AT the try-outs with paper and pen in his hand. He had poured over the list that he had received from Duke, and he decided he could trust this guy, as the lists matched many of his own suspicions. He also did some research of his own to learn what he could about Duke, and discovered that a fellow Prometheus, who Duke was seen with quite often and who had been on the green team with Duke and Jay the previous year, had been placed on the ‘do not trust’ list. Donny felt like if Duke was willing to be honest about his friend, he could probably be trusted with the rest of his information as well.

  Donny thought about what he had so far. He had one Hermes, two Prometheus (he was convinced by the letter to take Duke, although he had not made his offer official yet), one with all the abilities, and himself, with none. Since the teams are comprised of 21 students total, he had 16 left to choose. Donny sat down with the rest of his Advanced Strategic Leadership class, and watched as those wishing to try out poured into the track area.

  Donny was amazed at the sheer number of students who had come out. He looked around at many familiar faces, as well as many unfamiliar ones. Each student had a large sticker on the back of their shirt with their name and class year on it, so the team captains can keep track of those of whom they wish to make offers. Donny watched the stream of people onto the track and the field in the center until the stream died down.

  Just before the events started, Donny noticed one more person walk into the track space. The late arrival looked over the tops of the heads of the crowd, and tried to figure out where he should go. Donny kept watching this person, unbelieving of who it was, until they noticed Donny and held up an arm to wave. It is! Donny almost exclaimed, it’s Lenny! Donny laughed and gave a small wave back at him.

  “Yeah right,” Donny heard one of his classmates say. “There’s no way that oaf is getting onto my team.”

  He heard his classmates laugh, and realized immediately that they too had noticed Lenny walk in late. Donny thought for a moment. He’s strong, loyal, he�
��ll listen to what he’s told, he certainly won’t backtalk, and his heart is in the right place…I’ll take my chances with him. Before the try-outs had even begun, Donny had chosen his first Titan.

  Try outs consisted of each of the team captains standing up one by one and making a request for the group to do some task. They would all watch as the task was completed, taking notes frantically. Donny made no notes except for when he wrote down a name, and requested no tasks. He was content just to watch, as the students did their best to show what they could do, and as his classmates snickered and joked about the “pathetic first years” who were trying out. As much as Donny wanted to deny it, they were not completely wrong. Compared to the older students, the first years, and often the second years as well, were far behind the rest. Even so, Donny disliked his fellow team leaders more and more as the event progressed.

  Donny’s list was shaping up fast. It was much easier to pick players once he had found those from Duke’s list. Some were experienced players, and some were not, but Donny was alright with having new players on his team, and in many respects it would be nice.

  At one point towards the end of the try outs, after many of the students had decided they had shown what they could show and left, one of the team leaders who had previously been bragging that he had his team already picked out asked those that were left to line up and one by one state why they wanted to be on a team. At this point it was mostly first year students left, and Donny knew he was doing this so they could have more to laugh about. They started, but Donny felt like he was the only one actually listening. One by one they went down the line and each person said their piece. Then it got to Lenny, who was still there trying out as well, and it was silent. Lenny turned to the next boy in line, but he clearly did not get the message that Lenny was not going to speak.

  Donny’s classmate that had made the speech request of the students stood up. “Hey, I said to tell me why you want to be on a team, what, have you been at this school so long you’ve forgotten what the games are for?” the boy called out.

  Snickers and small laughs came from many of the other team leaders. “He doesn’t want to talk, leave him alone,” Donny said, just loud enough for the other team leaders to hear.

  “Stay out of this shrimp, don’t tell me what to do,” The boy replied.

  “Yeah, bug off Napoleon,” another student added.

  “I’m sorry, I guess I misunderstood,” the boy called out again, “I thought that tree in the middle of the field was someone who wanted to try out. Don’t worry tree, you can always try out again in another ten years.”

  “Leave him alone! He didn’t do anything to you!”

  Donny sat there facing the student with his mouth still open. It took him a moment to realize the statement that he was going to say had actually come from somewhere else.

  “Who said that?” his classmate, no longer laughing, called down to the track.

  “I did,” a small boy said stepping forward. He was clearly frightened, despite the confidence he showed a moment earlier when he stood up for Lenny.

  “Well, thank you for making this easier on us, that’s one more person we don’t have to consider. You can be on your way.”

  The boy turned to leave, but Donny sprang up and called out to stop him. “Hey, hold on! What’s your name?”

  The boy stopped and turned back to face them. “My name is Juan Pablo, sir.”

  “Well, Juan Pablo,” Donny called down to him, “I want to make sure you understand what he means. You’re one more person they don’t have to consider, because I’m taking you onto my team. The bravery you just showed, and the willingness to stand up for your teammates, is exactly what we need on … Napoleon’s army.” Donny looked over at his classmates on these final words, then sat down to the sound of the surprised murmurs coming from the track below. To Donny’s ears the murmurs were like applause, and despite the clear change he made in the eyes of his classmates from an irritated dislike to a wrathful hate, he relished the moment.

  Donny knew as he walked away from the track that his strategy of flying under the radar was now completely blown. He had the most powerful player in the school on his roster, and he would be making offers to a few key veterans who had been on the winning red team the year previously. Many more of his players would be coming from the previous year’s green team, which had come in at a narrow second. Team members aside, Donny had also just thrown down a challenge to the other captains. He had stood up in contradiction to them, and metaphorically spat in the face of the power they so thoroughly enjoyed. Indirectly, he also made a statement by accepting Juan Pablo, a second year with no real merit to his ability. By Juan’s physique, Donny could tell he was probably a Hermes, but thinking back he did not recall noticing Juan during the activities for the Hermes group. On top of that he had decided to take Lenny, and Michael too may prove a difficult player to handle due to his lack of experience. Donny hoped he was ready for what he was throwing himself into.

  CHAPTER 4

  JAY, MICHAEL, AND Zahrah got together the next morning for their usual breakfast before classes. None of them had gone to the try outs the night before, having already accepted positions on Donny’s team, but with the forming of the simulation game teams being the favorite topic of conversation around the school, it did not take long for word to spread to them about what had taken place the night before at the try outs. Jay was worried about Donny; despite his small size and lack of abilities, he was making some big enemies.

  Jay knew Donny often came to breakfast around that time as well, most of the time joining Jay and his friends for the meal, so he focused his mind on a wide blanket reading to see if he could identify Donny anywhere around. This was unnecessary, as Donny had already spotted him and was coming his way.

  “Hey guys,” Donny said cheerfully.

  “Hey, how’s it going?” Jay asked, not wanting to jump right into the question that was begging to be asked, the question regarding what he could possibly have been thinking the night before.

  “Great, sorry I can’t stop to talk or eat with you guys, I have to go make the rest of my offers. I just wanted to let you three know that there will be a practice tonight at 1800 hours. We are meeting outside the arena,” Donny said casually.

  “Are we going to expect anyone new there tonight, or will it just be the same five of us?” Michael asked. Despite the strong block Donny was pushing, the knowledge that this would be a surprising and unusual practice still slipped through, and both Michael and Jay picked up on it immediately.

  “Oh yeah, the whole team will be there,” Donny replied.

  The three of them looked at each other in surprise. “Donny,” Jay began, “typically you give people some time to decide if they want to accept a position on your team or another. Don’t you think this is a little fast? What if you don’t hear people’s decisions in time?”

  “I don’t plan to hear people’s decisions in time. I’m giving out sheets of paper to those who I’m offering places, and I’m telling them to think it over and come to practice tonight if they wish to join us. If they can’t decide by then I’ve got other players I can ask,” Donny replied, looking around the cafeteria as he spoke.

  “But Donny, I…”

  “Sorry Jay, but I have to go, some people I need to give invitations to are getting ready to leave. I’ll catch you guys later though!” Donny turned and walked briskly away. The three of them watched in disbelief as they saw Donny approach a table of first year Hermes students, and give sheets of paper to three of them. Jay had a moment of fear, wondering if he, Michael, and Zahrah would be the oldest members on the team. His fear was eased slightly when he saw Donny walk up to a sixth year Prometheus who had played for the red team the year before and hand him a sheet. Jay thought how it was almost comical to watch, little Donny offering a place on his team to someone many years his elder, and the joy the older boy received from the invitation. Jay wondered if he would be as excited if he had seen who rece
ived the invitations right before him.

  “Quite a brother you’ve got there.”

  Jay turned to see Duke placing a tray at their table. Jay was glad to see his old friend, but then Jay suddenly remembered the promise he had made to Duke not to play for a team that Duke was not on.

  “Don’t worry,” Duke said with a smile, holding up a sheet of paper. Sure enough it was one of Donny’s acceptance letters. Jay relaxed; he was glad he did not have the problem of Duke being on a different team from him. Duke continued, “I look forward to seeing what your brother has in store for us. He’s accepting quite a diverse group of people, with the oldest and youngest people in the school already on the team, himself being the youngest of course. He’s got the oldest and youngest, the most powerful and the least powerful, hardened veterans and fresh off the plane newbies.”

  “Personally I would have gone just with the old powerful veterans,” Michael chimed in.

  “You do realize that wouldn’t include you, right?” Duke replied with a smirk. “Anyway, don’t pass judgment just yet, I’ve been watching who he’s been accepting, and I think we have a team of winners this year.”

  “You did see him give three acceptances to first years, didn’t you?” Michael asked, a little perturbed by Duke’s know-it-all attitude.

  “They’ll serve their purpose.” Then without another word Duke dug into his food. Jay was amazed at Duke’s confidence. Jay had known his brother his whole life, and had seen Donny accomplish things well beyond his years. How is it that Duke, who hardly knew Donny at all, had more trust in Donny’s ability to lead this team?