The Gunpowder Society

10. "You Should Bring Someone Else"

“I mean… realistically how long do you think you’ll be gone Father?!” Mary asked as she rushed along with everyone, into the lobby of the school, clearly exacerbated.

“I honestly don’t know dear,” Fr. Maven answered calmly though he possessed a look of distress and wasn’t making eye contact as he was overwhelmed by his thoughts.

“But…” Mary paused deciding on her next question, “What am I to do while you’re all away?”

“Mary.  Follow the scholastic lesson plan I’ve left for you.  I’ll have a phone the whole time if you have any questions.  I’ll call every day,” assured Father as he hit the button to call the elevator.

“You should bring someone else with you,” Peter suggested.

Mary’s eyes shot up to the floor indicator light above the elevator doors and saw the elevator car begin to descend, “Ahhhh!!  Why do you guys have to leave all of a sudden anyway?!”

Father shot Mary a cold look of displeasure at her badgering, but then realized he didn’t know why.  He turned to Haze and asked, “Did Fr. Augustine say why the plans have changed and why we are to leave immediately?”

The group turned towards Haze as well, as he explained, “He said that our contact Cicero wants you specifically,” Haze motioned to Fr. Maven, “to meet him when we get off the plane in Paris to discuss the details of his findings.”

“He said we are to meet?  …In person?”  Fr. Maven asked surprised.

“That’s what Fr. Augustine passed along, yes,” Haze answered.

“Why?  The rule has been we’re not supposed to me.  That’s strict orders from August…” Father began.

“Augustine is in Paris now with Cicero.  He mentioned that the rules have changed dramatically,” Haze revealed.

“What?  Why?” Father asked even more confused and anxious.

“Father Augustine said that Cicero has uncovered a plot against people like us and that you, Father, are one of the targets mentioned in the plot.”

Father looked down at the floor in worried thought.

“You need to bring someone else with you,” Peter again suggested.

“In addition to other people like us who the Society is or was unaware of,” Haze dropped on the group.

This silenced the panicked group.

“What do you mean people like us?” asked HP still red and splotchy from being thawed out.

“People with special powers,” Haze clarified.

Silence resumed again in the lobby as this information was heavy and new to everyone. 

“You should bring someone else,” Peter broke the silence.  Father turned to the boy who looked extremely serious and he continued, “You should bring Bruce.”

Father turned to find Bruce who was trying to blend into the background next to Gwen at the back of the room.  Bruce’s eyes widened and he starred back at the priest.  Father paused as he started to assess Peter’s suggestion.

“Are you kidding?” asked HP.  “He’s eight years old.  We’ll be fine.”

“What happens if you guys run into this group who’s plotting against us?!” Peter yelled in extreme aggravated tone, “Heal them to death?!”

HP starred back at Peter not liking the disrespectful tone at all and then turned to Maven, “I told you having children here again would suck.”

Peter ignored HP and turned back to Father, “You’re leaving in a hurry because it has come to light that some unknown group is plotting against people like us, and you’re embarking on your trip defenseless.”  Peter let that sink in Father’s mind, “That’s not a smart move from any perspective.”

“We’re not defenseless!” HP argued.

“Healing is not a defense!” Peter screamed.

“Relent!” Father yelled at everyone, completely overwhelmed.

Peter calmed his voice, but finished with, “When Cicero says people like us, he means us.”

The students went silent, but Peter just starred with raised eyebrows at Father with a look like ‘you know that what I’m saying it true.’  

Father rubbed his brow and massaged his temples as he tried to make a decision.  He knew what Peter was saying was right in every aspect.  He looked at Bruce, who returned the look of a student dreading being called on by his teacher.  Bruce’s worry reminded Maven that the young student was only eight, and not in control of his gift.  He then looked passed the group at the kitchen that had been turned up-side-down from Bruce’s cannonball act, and he remembered that even he himself didn’t have Bruce’s gift under control.  He debated between the addition of strength that Bruce would provide by coming along, and the risk that was also taken on by bringing him.

Down deep, in every fiber of his body he knew Peter was right, “The young students will all remain at the school under the care of Mary.”

“Such bullshit!” Peter yelled as he turned around and walked away.

“Watch your choice of words lad!” Father exclaimed, but Peter has already exited the room, and the priest didn’t have time to pursue.

DING!  The elevator doors opened.

Haze and HP entered into the elevator car, and Haze held the door open for Father.  Fr. Maven looked at Mary and said, “Just follow the plan.  I will call here everday around your lunchtime,” and he stepped into the elevator car.

Mary looked like she was trying to come up with another question, but couldn’t decide on which one to fit in, “That’s it?” she asked.

“That’s it,” the priest replied, “Now we are rushing and don’t have time to say…” he stalled his words as he was caught off guard by Bruce who was silently walking up to the elevator as if to step inside, but stopped just infront and starred as Father Maven said, “…good bye.”

The elevator doors closed.