Isabel wanted to wait before going to the police. Spring’s journey wasn’t over, Rey had said, and some of the police were on Alexa’s side. They had yet to come to Spring’s final drawing: the image of the house with the turret -- “this is the tomb.” Isabel was planning on writing an expose on Alexa, the police, and the administration. On Tuesday, before Rey went to school, Isabel told him she wanted him to call her in between every class and she gave him a container of mace. He decided to keep it in his pants pocket.
Christy hadn’t gotten much sleep. She almost fell asleep on the locker next to Rey’s before the first bell rang. Christy told Rey that Brianna didn’t come home last night. Radelle was in tears and had called the police five times. The police said she wasn’t a “missing person” until twenty-four hours had gone by. Christy wanted to know what Rey thought they should do. Rey told her that they had other problems and he explained about the phone call with Aba yesterday when Isabel had him stay home from school. He told Christy the two of them were going to check out the basement during C period and they should find someone to make sure no one saw them go in or out.
Christy suggested they ask Fynn Chatoya. When they had ate lunch in woodshop with Fynn on Friday, they told him how Alexa Bartlett used to be the principal of Pemota High. Fynn told them he was going to go tell Ms. Parker that he’d reveal the truth about her past unless she did something to get the administration to reverse its course of action. Christy said they could be sure Fynn wasn’t on Alexa’s side and he would be a good choice to stand watch while they checked out the basement.
Rey had forgotten that today was the day Brianna had planned on meeting Ms. Parker’s health class in the woods. Today was the day of the fire drill. When it began ringing, Rey was in Earth Science, and he considered walking away from the group, but when he made a move to, Ms. Godfrey told him to get back in line. When Christy, Rey, and Fynn, met up after B period, Rey was on the phone with Isabel.
“We had a fire drill, but we’re okay. I’ll call you after C period.”
“Rey. Don’t forget. I’ll be waiting.” Isabel was at The Pemota Gazette.
As the hallway grew deserted, they made their way to the sophomore’s side of the school where the janitor’s closet was located. It was unlocked like Frank had said it would be. There were cleaning wipes, degreasers, glass cleaning detergents, toilet bowl cleaners, and there, opposite them, was a drain on the floor, and a bottle of Lysol on the wooden rack adjacent.
“There’s the Lysol,” Rey said. “Ready?”
Christy went back to the door and looked out both ways to see no one except Fynn. She closed the door. “Okay,” she said.
Rey walked over to the Lysol and pulled on it. It only came an inch off the rack -- it was attached by a string. Then he pulled on the dishrag, attached by the same type of string, and on the dishrag again. To the left of the rack was a drain on the floor in front of a wall of tiles with deep grooves in between them. The wall dropped down into a hole in the floor. Rey found himself surprised by how light the wall seemed. Beyond it was a steel elevator. Christy walked forward towards it.
“Fynn still out there?” Rey asked.
She nodded. “Come on.”
They got into the elevator wondering if the wall would close back up. It did. The elevator descended. When it stopped they were imprisoned on all four sides. They both looked around for a button. Then Christy found it -- on the wall next to her. It was purple. She pressed it and the wall dropped down into the floor like the one upstairs had. That was when they saw the entire room.
The room was as big as a gymnasium, but with an eight foot ceiling height, and all four walls were purple. On the wall perpendicular to them was an exit that seemed to lead to a hallway. In front of them, were the rows of tables. To Christy it reminded her of a museum. Here, there were tables, fifteen rows, waist high. On each row, were twenty displays. There were names in front of the displays. And behind those were decaying avocados. They were spotted with brown in some cases, and contained large brown areas on others. Next to each name was a number. From 1 to 300.
“What do you think the numbers mean?” Christy asked.
“Do you remember the assembly on the second day of school?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you remember what seat number you were sitting in?”
“Yeah. Annette told me that the seat number was my age: 15.”
Rey walked over to Christy’s avocado. It was spotted brown,
and behind it was an 8-ball. “Annette was sitting next to you?” Rey looked at Annette’s avocado. It was spotted brown also. Behind it was a DVD of The Wizard of Oz.
“She said she was watching The Wizard of Oz in her mind,” Christy said. “She mentioned that it was her favorite movie when she was younger. Her parents probably told Alexa that.”
“Let me find mine,” Rey said. He walked over to an avocado near the center of the room. Behind it was a plastic “Timberland” logo. “I bet I can find Huxley’s,” Rey said. He paused for a second, trying to remember where Huxley was sitting during the assembly. He walked among the rows of tables until he found his. Behind Huxley’s decaying avocado was a stencil of the words “American Bully.” It seemed there was one personal item for each person. There was Fordel Garza’s avocado. Behind it was a tie. Peter Laft had a chess piece behind his. James Owens had a pair of suspenders. Holly North -- always the gossip sort -- had a folded note.
Christy was standing there, struck by the amazing spectacle of it all. “Remember the image of a garden of decaying avocados,” Christy asked Rey. “Let’s do what it said: replace all the avocados.”
“It looks like some of them already have been replaced,” Rey said. He showed her avocados 300 to 213 then. None of those were blemished.
That was when two police men emerged from the entryway on the side of the room. Rey and Christy turned back to the elevator quickly and saw Fynn standing in it. One police officer pulled out a walkie-talkie and the other one pulled out a gun. Christy looked around, terrified. The one on the right, Rey recognized as Hunter Bordare -- the one whom he’d spoken to when Huxley handed him the cell-phone. The one of the left had a buzz cut and a long face.
Fynn smiled. “Sorry guys.”
“I thought you were on our side,” Christy said.
“I told my parents about you,” Fynn said. “They say you guys don’t have a bug’s chance in an ocean of winning against Alexa. But I’m gonna be a millionaire. And I’ll figure out a way to stop her later. I want to win too.” Fynn pressed the button on the wall and then he was gone.
“You said you’d back off, Rey. Not a very honest fellow are you?” Hunter Bordare said.
Rey turned around. “Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
“You didn’t.” He pressed the button on his walkie-talkie and said into it, “They’re right here.”
Alexa’s voice came through loudly. “Don’t kill them. I want to talk to them.”
“You got it.”
Rey looked around the room, trying to devise an escape. He thought it would be unlikely they would shoot him, after Alexa had told them not to. But the hallway probably led to the Pemota Community Center. That was where Brianna had said they were having the policeman’s cook out today. Some of those police could not be trusted.
“Missing the cook out?” Rey asked.
“Steaks should be ready in twenty-minutes,” Hunter Bordare said. “We’ll be done with you by then.”
“Where’s Brianna?” Christy asked. Tears came to her eyes. “Is my sister dead?”
“We’re not murderers. But what’s at stake is bigger than you, and you should realize that by now.”
They turned and saw Alexa standing in the elevator. She was dressed all in black, including the black sunglasses perched on her upper forehead. Alexa stepped towards them, until she was a couple feet away from the two
of them. Then she slapped Rey in the face.
Rey looked at her in shock.
“I didn’t want to have to do this. You are aware that I can kill you anytime I want and disappear. I have half of Washington in my back pocket. And two measly little ninth graders are getting under my skin. Now, give me the cell-phone.”
“The cell-phone?” Rey asked. Then he reached into his front pocket and handed it to her.
Alexa went through the pictures on it, until she found the one of Viola. Then, she deleted it.
“Why are you doing this?” Christy asked. “We know you killed Spring. What’s your problem?”
“When every challenged child simply needs to take a pill to be smart, it will be a perfect world.”
“You’re like this because of your daughter, Zara,” Rey said. “Right?”
Alexa’s eyeballs seemed to protrude. “We tried everything. ECT, drugs. Nothing helped. And now we have a chance to eradicate it forever. A perfect world forever. How can you not see? Cell-phone?” Christy reached into her backpack and withdrew her cell-phone, then handed it to Alexa. Alexa placed both cell-phones into her pocket. “Take their backpacks.”
Hunter Bordare took Rey and Christy’s backpacks. “Put them in the C-room, with Brianna,” Alexa said.
Rey’s cell-phone rang. Alexa took the cell-phone out of her pocket and looked at the name on the display. Isabel. After one ring, it went straight to voicemail. Alexa stood there staring at the display. Then a notice popped up: one new voicemail. Alexa flipped the phone open and held down the number 1.
They could hear Isabel’s voice from a couple feet away. “Rey. The nurse said you fainted. I don’t know if this is true. She said she has you resting and I should pick you up.”
Rey called out, “Mom!”
“I’m going to go check out the electric company. So I won’t pick you up for a couple hours. Call as soon as you can.”
Alexa closed the phone. “I thought a family meeting was in order. But there’s been a slight change of plan. Put them in the C-room and I’ll go take care of Isabel at Pemota Electric.”
----
Fynn walked into Health Class ten minutes late, his hat over his squinty eyes, and his head down as if trying not to draw attention.
“Oh, here’s Fynn.” Ms. Parker took out her attendance book. “You have a pass Fynn?
“No.”
Ms. Parker shook her head. “Fynn you wouldn’t by any chance know what happened to Rey Naresh would you?”
“Haven’t seen him.”
“This is the second day Rey has been absent. Annette, you’re friends with Rey. Is he sick?”
“I heard he was suspended,” Dara said.
“He wanted me to get his assignments from you,” Annette said, “but last I heard the suspension was revoked.”
“Annette. Why don’t you tell us what you know about Rey’s suspension,” Ms. Parker said. “I did see that newsletter.”
“It’s not really my place to tell.”
“Well, I think we’ve all come to know each other quite well, seeing as what Brianna Lane did, why don’t you share.”
“Well, the administration is trying to harness electromagnetic energy. And there’s a substance in Hochus Mochus and Mountain Springs which is affecting our minds. And Claudette Laurie and a woman named Alexa Bartlett want to change High School forever with a medication that affects brain functioning.”
“I heard the woman, Alexa, is a billionaire,” Blair Carlyle said.
“I suppose I’m the last one to hear about all this,” Ms. Parker said.
“I thought today was the day we were supposed to pretend to go along with Brianna’s plan,” Fynn said.
“Brianna and I came to a compromise. You shouldn’t be hearing about that again. What do you say we talk to the police about this business?”
“Christy told me some of the police are in on it,” Annette said.
“I heard there’s a policeman’s cook-out at the Pemota Community Center today,” Dara Switely volunteered.
“Let’s take a walk,” Ms. Parker said, as she stood up. “After all, we are supposed to be learning about the dangers of drugs.”
----
Hunter Bordare walked behind Rey and Christy, a gun to their backs, as they left the room with the avocados and headed down the hallway. Christy saw three doors ahead, and noticed the walls were stenciled with pictures of lemon trees. She had a stomach full of nerves as she worried about Brianna’s well-being. Hunter stopped them in front of the C-room. Each letter for each room had something written underneath it. Beneath the letter C were the words, “Achievement Oriented.” Beneath the B, was the word, “Special.” Beneath the letter A was the word, “Sweet.”
As Hunter Bordare opened the door, Brianna came into view. She was seated in a high-backed chair -- one of many surrounding the board room table. Behind her the wall had been pulled back, revealing another room, and on the ground was a twin mattress -- the bed was unmade. Christy felt her eyes tear up when she saw Brianna. Brianna didn’t have her glasses, her hair was on her shoulders, and she had bags under her eyes. Hunter Bordare closed the door after they entered the room, and they could hear the lock click into place from outside.
“Brianna are you all right?” Christy said.
Brianna sat up slightly. “Christy. Does Mom know you’re here?”
“No, but Rey’s Mom is going to figure it out soon. What happened to you?”
Brianna said urgently, “She wants it to be like a police state where the police monitor every school in the country and make sure students are taking their meds and conforming to the archetypes. The three rooms are for the police. So they can decide how to govern the school.”
Christy walked around to the other side of the table and pulled out a chair. She sat down. Rey sat on the table on the same side as Brianna.
“Did you find the avocado?” Christy asked.
Brianna nodded. “It was in a P.O. Box that said L-95. Aba Brule’s letter was just a clue.”
“What are they going to do to us?” Rey asked.
“When the week is up, Alexa will kill us,” Brianna said.
Christy put her arms on the table, and rested her head on them. The three of them were silent. Then Christy looked up at Brianna. “You haven’t been watching us in your mind?”
“You guys don’t have enough Avocadonine. There’s a giant glass tank of it at the electric company. We had to sit and wait when one of Alexa’s guys told her Spring was saying something. Then Alexa took me to the control room. I saw the monitor state what Spring was saying. Inez told us the truth about that. Spring says if anyone turns off the power grid the students will be almost brain dead and the ones that continue to drink Hochus Mochus and Mountain Springs will have a couple years left to live and then they’ll just die. Those students are the Avocadites.”
Christy sounded deeply depressed. “God.”
She turned to them. “Alexa believes in God. And she set up a test to decide the fate of the ninth grade in the entire country.”
“What’s the test?” Rey asked.
----
Viola was staring at the test. Six avocados were arranged like bowling pins on the card table in the house with the turret. One of them was gold. And the other five were different varieties. Viola didn’t know what varieties -- nor did Huxley, Der, and Joe who were staring at the avocados transfixed. The four of them were skipping class and had been led to the house with the turret by a police officer. He stood in the corner of the room watching the four of them.
“Alexa wants you to choose,” he said.
“Why?” Viola asked.
“What avocado you choose will indicate the course of action Alexa takes. It is Alexa’s wish that you choose whatever you desire. It is a test.”
Viola turned to him. “Do I get to keep the one I choose?”
“No,” the man said.<
br />
Viola stood in front of the table. She looked around at Huxley, Der, and Joe, who were stone-faced.
“Go ahead,” Huxley said.
“Call it exercise,” Der said.
Huxley and Joe laughed.
Viola reached forward and put her hand on one of the avocados. She lifted it up and stood there with it, looking down at it.
----
Brianna told Rey and Christy the six avocados were the Gold Avocado, the Hass Avocado, and four other varieties. “That’s why Alexa wanted the Gold Avocado,” Brianna said. “For the test. Alexa’s point is that because Spring delivered a Hass avocado to her desk every morning, it means Spring wants the rest of the class who answered ‘Rudolph’ on the questionnaire to be recognized for their intelligence. If Viola chooses the Hass avocado, Alexa will continue with her plan to make the medication.”
Christy rolled her eyes.
“It gets worse,” Briana said. “She also believes everyone can be bought. So if Viola chooses the Gold Avocado, she’ll teach the world a lesson in power by turning off the grid and the ninth graders will be practically brain dead and then have to continue drinking Hochus Mochus and Mountain Springs. If she chooses one of the other four varieties, it will indicate the randomness of the universe and she’ll make the medication but it will only be available for the richest people on earth. She told me that before telling me I had a week to live.”
“So if she shuts off the power grid, all the ninth graders in the country are in trouble,” Christy said.
“We have to stop her,” Brianna said.
Rey nodded. “Yeah. We do.” Then he said to himself, “‘The Avocadites don’t care about what makes us human, what’s still left for us in the garden.’ What’s still left for us in the garden of avocados is our uniqueness. It’s because of Alexa that all the avocados are decaying. Like Spring said.”
“We’re probably going to die,” Brianna said.
At that moment, they heard the sound of the lock on the door clicking. The door opened and Frank Brule stood there, a smile on his face, and a big garbage bag in his hand full of something. “Let’s go,” he said.
“Hey Frank,” Rey said. The three of them ran towards the door. “Where’s Hunter?”
“At the cook-out,” Frank said. “Come on. This way.” As they walked out into the hallway, Frank explained there was another exit and he told them someone should stay behind. When they stared at him blankly, Frank said, “I guess it’s gonna be me.”
----
Marv Core was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans. He was seated at a picnic table behind the Pemota Community Center. Ms. Parker had seen him at the town fairs and knew his face. The other members of her Health Class were apprehensive about speaking with the police. Ironically, the police looked just as worried when they saw the class. Ms. Parker’s Health Class came to a standstill -- Ms. Parker at the head. Marv reluctantly stood up, mopped his lips with a napkin, and made his way towards them.
He extended his hand for Ms. Parker to shake. “Huxley, all right?”
Ms. Parker shook his hand. “Actually, we need to talk to you about the entire ninth grade, Mr. Core. Is there some place we can talk? Where my students can wait?”
“Absolutely. Right this way.” He put his hand on Ms. Parker’s shoulder.
“It’s come to my attention this past week. I think Annette could explain everything best. Annette will you join us?”
“Sure.” Annette shrugged. “Christy said we weren’t going to talk to the police, but I don’t know where Rey is, so I probably should.”
They entered the Community Center and Marv turned into the workout room. There was a small office where they would sit and talk. Ms. Parker told the class, the three of them would be right back. Len Mears walked over to the bench press and the rest of the class scattered around the room.
“Shoot,” Marv said.
Annette saw fear behind his façade. No doubt, he was wondering what Huxley had done this time.
“I’m sorry to do this Mr. Core. I have a daughter and I know how it feels to worry. But I want you to know that we’re not here to chastise Huxley. This is something that seems much bigger than that.”
Marv leaned forward on the desk. “Huxley, has been more and more distant this year. And to be honest I’d just be relieved to know what’s going on.”
“He forges his report cards with paper from town hall,” Annette said.
“What kind of grades does he get?” Marv asked.
“B’s is what I heard,” Annette said.
“Well, there seems to be some conspiracy among the administration and a woman named Alexa Bartlett. That’s what we’re here to tell you about.” Ms. Parker turned to Annette. “Annette?”
Annette explained everything she knew, deliberately omitting the details about the mercenaries on the police force. There were more important matters in play.
When Annette had finished speaking, Marv made a whistling sound. “You realize this is a matter that is best diffused carefully. I mean the scientific community alone is going to want to know everything. As far as I’m concerned, this matter doesn’t need to leave this room.”
“Mr. Core,” Ms. Parker said. “How many people find out about this is not the important thing to me. The problem is the mental and emotional state of half the ninth graders in the country. And Alexa is out there, using the Avocadonine to drastically alter the minds of all of them. And something must be done to end this as soon as possible.”
“Fine. I’m in agreement.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in?” Ms. Parker said.
The door opened and Fynn stood there. “Guys. Rey Naresh and Christy Lane are in trouble.”
----
Frank pressed a button on the wall and a man-hole cover opened into the lawn behind Pemota High. Frank handed a cell-phone to Rey. “Call your Mom,” he said. Rey, Christy, and Brianna climbed up a ladder out of the underground complex. When they’d exited, Frank pressed the button again and the man-hole cover closed. Frank threw his bag over his shoulder and made his way towards the room with the avocados.
“I’m going to the Community Center,” Brianna said.
“Be careful who you talk to,” Christy said. “Some of them are with Alexa.”
“I know,” Brianna said. “Good luck.”
Brianna broke into a run. Rey and Christy looked around to get there bearings. The Pemota Community Center was fifty yards away, and Pemota High a short jaunt in the opposite direction.
“Let’s go to my house,” Christy said. “Your Mom can pick us up.”
Rey nodded. “If Alexa hasn’t gotten to her yet.” Rey typed the number into the phone and called.
----
A sign on the desk read, “Carl Haget: Department Head.” The office was large. A Golden Retriever lay beside the desk on a maroon carpet. The carpet was reminiscent of one from an old motel. Isabel sat across from Carl. Behind him was a bulletin board and a diploma from Pemota Regional High School. Carl shuffled some papers that were scattered around the desk. Isabel was explaining that she intended to write a human interest story on a worker in the power plant -- a day-in-the-life expose. She wanted a tour of the facilities.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Miss Naresh. The facilities are hazardous to one who is untrained with the equipment and our insurance simply isn’t adequate to afford such a risk.”
“Can I see the safer areas? Some of the facility is safe. This office is safe.”
“Who did you say this was for?” Carl asked.
“I’m a staff writer at The Pemota Gazette.” Isabel withdrew a tape recorder from her jacket. “Do you mind?”
Carl shifted uneasily in his chair. “And what did you say your name was?”
“Isabel Naresh.”
“I really do need to get back to work, Miss Naresh. I don’t mean to be
rude. But I really can’t talk to you today.”
Isabel was staring at the diploma on the wall from Pemota High. “What year did you graduate from Pemota Regional High School?”
“A long time ago. Late 1970’s.”
“Do you remember who the principal was when you were there?”
“I’m afraid I don’t. Now…”
Isabel’s cell-phone rang. She looked at the caller’s number. She didn’t recognize it. She decided to answer anyway. “Hello?”
“Mom. I’m not at the nurse’s office. Alexa heard the voicemail you sent and she’s coming for you. Right now. She’s coming to kill you.”
“Okay. Where are you? I’m coming to get you.”
“We’re going to Christy’s. We’ll meet you there. Get out of there now.”
Isabel hung up. “Looks like you’re right. We can’t talk today. We’ll have to continue this some other time. Thank you, Mr. Haget. I’ll show myself out.”
“You’re not leaving anytime soon, Miss Naresh.” Carl was out of his chair.
----
Frank Brule was replacing the avocados. He’d bought hundreds of Hass Avocados from the supermarket and had started replacing them a few days ago. If it was like Spring said, and the decaying avocados were motivating the mental and emotional state of the ninth grade, replacing the avocados made sense. As Frank went one by one, avocado after avocado, he thought about what impact his note on Rey’s math book at the beginning of the school year had had. Frank had paid Rey’s math teacher 200 dollars to give Rey that book. He’d written “The Avocadites are Watching You” thinking it would motivate Rey further along the journey Spring intended. It had. He was on avocado number 22 and moving quickly. In a few more minutes, all the avocados would be replaced.
----
The police officer had gotten into his car parked across from Sage Court, and Viola was walking back to school. He’d explained to Viola and Nadine’s Puppies what the test had been. Huxley, Der, and Joe were skipping a second class, rejoining a few seniors on the Smoker’s Corner. Joe lit up a cigarette, and Der kicked some dirt around absentmindedly. They were still waiting for a call from Alexa to tell her what avocado Viola chose. Then, Huxley’s cell-phone rang.
“Is it Alexa?” Der asked.
Huxley looked at the phone number. “It’s my Dad.” Huxley flipped open the phone.
“Huxley, what are you doing?” Marv asked.
“Just got out of class. Getting some books from my locker.”
“What have you been up to today?”
“Eh, just a lot of freakin’ school work.”
“I don’t like what I’ve been hearing.”
Huxley looked at Der. “What have you been hearing?”
There was a short silence. “We’re gonna have a long talk today. I’ve been talking with Annette Oslow and Carolyn Parker. I know about the tattoo and Alexa Bartlett. I’m not happy. You hear?”
“Yeah, Dad. Yeah. I hear.”
“You may be in some very serious trouble.”
“You’ll just have to cover it up. Like you did with Stella’s.”
“Come to the Community Center and we’ll talk about it.”
“I still gotta talk to Alexa.”
“You need to get your priorities straight. The entire administration is colluding one this. From the sound of things Alexa is a murderer. We’re talking big news.”
“Let me just tell Alexa what Viola chose, and then we’ll come on over.”
“What did she choose?”
Der and Joe were staring at Huxley trying to make out what Marv was saying. “She chose the Hass Avocado. Alexa is not going to shut off the power to the town. The medication is still the plan.”
“Come to the Community Center. And bring your friends.”
----
The door opened and Alexa stood there. She smiled and perched her sunglasses on her forehead. “Hello, Isabel. I’d like my Star Sapphire back seeing as you’re of no help to me.”
“It’s in a safety deposit box with an entire article explaining your involvement in the events the past few months,” Isabel said, daggers in her eyes. “You kill me and everyone finds out about it.”
A knock at the door caused Alexa to turn around. She opened the door a few inches. Isabel heard a man say, “Helicopter’s here, Miss Bartlett.”
“I’m going someplace they’ll never look for me,” Alexa said. “My employees will carry out my plans. Your threat is insignificant.”
Carl said, “Spring said something today, Miss Bartlett.”
Alexa looked over at Carl. “What pray tell?”
“She said to turn off the power grid at 12:46.”
“Now, why would Spring want me to turn off the grid?”
“It’s 12:40 right now.”
“I’m calling Huxley,” Alexa said, as she pointed a gun at Isabel. “I want to find out what Viola chose.”
----
Rey and Christy were rounding Pemota High. The Smokers Corner was in the distance. Huxley, Der, and Joe were the only ones there. Huxley saw them and called out, “Rey and Christy, how’s the suspension going?”
Christy and Rey ran towards the three of them. “We’re not suspended,” Christy said. Rey and Christy had their hands on their knees. They were out of breath.
Joe was looking at them searchingly. “She chose the Hass Avocado.”
“She did?” Christy asked.
“Tell us what you know,” Joe said. “Tell us about Spring.”
“Why don’t you tell us what you know,” Rey said. “Why did you call me after Stella’s?”
Joe dropped some ashes on the ground. “There was a key with your name on it. Huxley and Der found it.”
“We know about it,” Rey said. “Aba Brule put it there. That’s why Spring led you to Stella’s.”
“Brianna is going to talk to the police,” Christy said. “Say your goodbyes now. You’re all in serious trouble.”
“Well, maybe we’ll just kill you and disappear with Alexa,” Huxley said.
“There’s a lot of people that know,” Christy said. “And Alexa doesn’t care about you. Spring’s on our side.”
Joe nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah. That’s what it sounds like.”
“Like I said,” Huxley said. “We’ll slit your throat and leave
you on a clothesline to dry.” Huxley’s cell-phone rang. “Hey Alexa. Rey and Christy are right here.”
“How in the hell?” Alexa said. “Fine. Why don’t you do it. Use your switchblade.”
“What?” Huxley asked.
“Kill him. Slit his throat. They’ve been causing way too much trouble.”
Huxley paused. “I, uh, don’t want to kill him.”
“Well, why on earth not?” Alexa said. “You tell Rey he can kill himself or I kill Isabel.”
They could hear the sound of the Golden Retriever barking in the background.
Huxley said to Rey, “She said you can kill yourself or she kills Isabel.”
“What did Viola choose?” Alexa asked Huxley.
Rey looked Huxley in the eye, yearning for decency. “Tell her she chose the Gold Avocado,” Rey said.
Huxley swallowed. His eyes darted around. Then he said to Alexa, “She chose the Gold Avocado.”
“Fine,” Alexa said to Carl, “Shut off the grid.”
Rey turned to Christy and said, “It’s okay. Frank replaced all the avocados.”
The Golden Retriever continued to bark. “Shut that thing up,” Alexa said.
Rey could hear a man call out, “Kill the power to the whole town.”
----
As Isabel stood there, she thought the dog was reacting to the gun. They could hear a man from downstairs call up, “Grids down.” At that moment, the Golden Retriever leapt at Alexa, biting into her hand, and making her drop the gun. Isabel wasted no time. She picked the gun up and po
inted it back and forth at Carl and Alexa. The Golden Retriever was now on the floor with Alexa. The dog dug its teeth into her neck drawing blood. But Isabel knew that wouldn’t be enough. She fired a bullet into Alexa’s shoulder. The dog bit harder, shaking its head back and forth with vigor. Then Isabel fired a bullet into Alexa’s head. She pointed the gun at Carl and backed out of the office.
----
A short while after Rey heard the gun shots from Huxley’s phone, his own cell-phone rang. He looked at the phone number on the display. It was Isabel.
“Rey?” She said breathlessly.
“Mom. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Alexa’s dead. Are you all right?”
“Yeah. Let’s talk to Marv Core. If any of us go down, Huxley is going with us. Marv Core is at the Community Center.”
“Fine. I’ll meet you there.” She hung up.
Rey looked at Huxley, Der, and Joe. “Spring won.”
Huxley looked ambivalent. Then he extended his hand to Rey. “Peace.”
Rey shook his hand. “Peace.”
Huxley turned to Der and Joe. “Let’s go talk to my Dad. You guy’s coming?” He asked Rey and Christy.
“Yeah,” Rey said. “We are.” It was over.