Not a Hero

Chapter 2

"There are some events going on at some government facilities in the city. At this time offices aren't sure what exactly is going on. Normally you would all be sent home until the threat passes, however since what is happening is unknown it has been decided that, for your own well being, you will stay at school for the moment. I've been asked to remind you that this is not necessarily an emergency and there is no reason for you to panic." Ms. Larron looks at us all in what is supposed to be a reassuring manner. It's highly ineffective. Anyone with any brains could tell her lines were scripted, and she read them perfectly. She claps her hands twice, "Now that we've gotten that over with and you all turn to chapter seven and take notes on it." She smiles again and sits down heavily behind her desk, not bothering to see if her instructions are followed.

Immediately the whispering starts. Phones fly out of pockets, news sights religiously checked. Parents are anxiously texted. Not a single textbook is open. Except mine. The Cherokee Indians await, and I have a lot of notes to do. No time for checking the news. Even if I wonder. Even if I to am worried. Because school is more important. Even if the world might be about to burst into flames I have to keep my grades up. This is why the teachers like me, I don't talk, I work. Which is fine by me, when you talk there is the distinct possibility of extreme embarrassment, which I would rather not risk. Some people I'm comfortable around, I'll chat with them, I might laugh around them and on rare occasions I'll even give them hugs. Of course, that to causes some level of embarrassment, due to the fact that my hugs are basically around their waists. 

The whispering rises to a crescendo, rumors flying. But they're missing the obvious. Normally we'd be sent home if there was a terrorist attack, which seems to be what this is shaping up to be. The only reason we'd be kept at school would be if it was to dangerous to leave. Theodore Roosevelt Island is ten miles away from here, so for it to be to dangerous even here something has to be seriously wrong. And this is what scares me the most, because everyone knows something is wrong but no one knows what. 

"Class, calm down." Ms. Larron final speaks up, "I understand at the moment there are some rather disturbing events happening, but there is no evidence of any foul play. In fact it is looking as though it may have been a false alarm." She gives the class another "reassuring" smile.

"Ms. Larron, there were reportedly several shots fired." Cameron lowered her voice and bit her perfectly glossed lip. She's a pain, but both of her parents work on Roosevelt island.

"Now Cameron, there is no reason to be alarmed. Authorities have everything under control." Ms. Larron is very much grating on everyone's nerves.

"Yeah, Captain America is there!" Harvey is bouncing incessantly up and down in his chair, ridiculously excited. The fact that Captain America is on site does little to reassure me, in fact it simply cements the fact that something is very wrong indeed.

"There's real time footage on CNN. It looks pretty bad." Melly breaks in, holding up her phone.

"I thought they didn't know what was happening!" Someone demands.

"They don't." Melly seems unreasonably enthusiastic to be the one sharing this information, "The footage is from off the island and is pretty low resolution. But you can tell that something serious is happening."

"But the police are there?" Cameron asks.

"No, they won't let them on the island." 

"Why not?" 

"Nobody knows." Melly says ominously, "But from what I'm reading it looks like after the this blows over the government is going to have a lot of explaining to do."

"What do you mean? " Seth gives Melly a look. His parents are government as well.

"Apparently everyone seems extremely well trained in combat." Melly shrugs.

"So?" Seth growls, fists clenched.

"And," Melly looks like a cat who just ate a canary, "They're all wearing the same uniform."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well it's looking like an inside job."

"And why would the government have a lot of explaining to do? Anyone could make that mistake." Which is kind of a stretch, except Seth is upset. We all are.

"That agency has always been secretive, but one thing they are certainly not supposed to be is combat prepared. And did I mention what good fighters they all are?"  

"It's just a big misunderstanding." Seth is grasping at straws, trying to keep thing the way they were. But when something like this happens things won't go back to the way they used to be. If Melly is right then the government has messed up, big time. But Captain America is a super hero, whatever he does will be for the good of all of us, whether we see it or not.