Darkness and Love: A Wednesday x Tyler Story

Chapter 2 - Part Four: Outreach Disaster

Jericho - Town Square - Day

The next few weeks were the same as any other. We pushed through our classes, the subject material as easy as any other. Tyler needed a hand with a few things here and there and I was happy to oblige. When we weren't in class or doing school work, our group was in the Nightshades library, doing research hoping one of these books mentioned anything about our mystery man. We made sure to keep constant eyes on James Atlas as well.

We took turns following him from school to his small apartment in Jericho. He seemed as normal as any person, as normal as an outcast was concerned anyway. Unfortunately we were no closer to figuring out the identity of the masked man or his plan.

Then the day I dreaded has approached once again. Our group walked into the Quad, the giant OUTREACH DAY banner hanging from two pillars. Last year's outreach day had been a thrill as I was investigating the actions of an outcast hating pilgrim. This time there was nothing to stop me from actually doing the assignment given to me on outreach day.

Interestingly enough I was assigned to the Weathervane. Tyler wasn't given an assignment as his job at the Weathervane counted as his outreach activity. I wasn't exactly against the idea of working with my boyfriend for the day, but the idea of serving people coffee who have nothing vaguely important in their lives other than sitting at a booth in a coffee shop and incessantly complaining about their quote on quote "shitty and unfair lives" seemed pretty boring.

Tyler was allowed to drive himself into town for Outreach Day so Ajax, Enid and I decided going with him would be better than being crammed on a bus with a bunch of teenagers who wear too much perfume or not enough deodorant.

We pulled into the parking lot behind the Weathervane and got out, making our way to the town square, bleachers and benches being set up for the ceremony that is being performed later that day. The other students had started streaming in and the four of us found a nice spot where Bianca, Xavier, Eugene and Yoko could join us. 

I could see Tyler's dad was instructing people, making sure things were in the right spot. Weems walked up to him and they shook hands. After the events of last year, the Sheriff's department and Principal Weems figured they should work together to stop something like that from happening again. I assumed they were sharing resources about Laurel's death and the destruction of the Gate's Mansion.

Sheriff Galpin walked over to us, Tyler standing up to give him a hug. I gave him a polite handshake.

"Sheriff Galpin. You look like you're doing much better." The sling was off his arm and he could move freely, only a small resonance of pain remaining from the bullet wound.

"Well I figured I couldn't solve this case with a sling on my arm the whole time."

"Dad." I could see Tyler was worried. He put an arm on Tyler's shoulder.

"I promise bud, I'm fine." Tyler nodded but I could tell he wasn't fully convinced.

"Any new developments on your end." He scratched his chin and looked around.

"Not much. The guy left almost no DNA at Laurel's crime scene. We found a small bit of his blood left on the highway after your encounter with him. No matches in our system. It seems like this guy appeared out of nowhere." Honestly this notion didn't surprise me. If he did have some kind of history in Jericho, he most likely scrubbed it from all public records.

"Speaking of guys appearing out of nowhere. Weems filled me in on your new mystery teacher. Once I get back to the station I'll do a deep dive on him. For now though she said his background is solid." I guess whoever this man is, learned from Laurel's mistakes.