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Chapter Eighteen: The Plunge

8:13am

Joji pulled up to Reis's house as Reis came sprinting across the lawn over to the car.

"Morning Joji," said Reis with a smile.

"Hey Reis, sorry I'm late, I had to drive Alex to school this morning."

Reis chuckled, "I thought the boss was never late."

Joji smiled, "If being late becomes a habit with me, I might no longer be the boss in a couple of months." A nervous shock went through Reis's body; he could not bear to think that Joji would be voted out of the department.

"I'm sure that you won't have to worry. I'd trust Marcus with your campaign too."

Joji smirked, "So he told you."

"Of course."

Joji looked at Reis, "Speaking of which, it must've already been a lonely few days without him around, huh?"

Reis sighed, "Yea, he's back in Florentine for the week at a FERNAL convention and...wait, how did you know about that?"

"He told me."

Reis looked puzzled, "He did? When?"

"A few days ago. Something wrong with that?"

"No, it's just that...I didn't know you two really talked to each other. Other than when I'm around."

Joji nodded his head upward, looking at the street. "Well, let's just say that we kinda had a meeting of the minds a week or so ago."

"The campaign, right?"

"Yea, there's that."

Reis sarcastically hit his forehead, "Duh, then of course he would have told you about it. I guess my mind's still asleep."

Joji turned onto Main Street. When they passed by the Hole In The Wall, Reis said, "Anything come up about your friend... huh... Lighthorn?"

Joji huffed, "I wish. Apparently, nobody's seen him around lately. Makes me believe that my little smear campaign worked and he's ditched town. Which I guess it good but..."

Joji tightened his grip on the steering wheel, making a squeaking sound as he squeezed the rubber coating.

"But what?"

Joji sighed and turned to face Reis, "Look Reis, before I forget, I need to tell you that starting next week you're going back with Karma."

Reis's swiftly turned his head, "What? Why? Is something the matter? Did I do something wrong?"

"No...No...not at all. It's just that, I think that it would be in your best interest to be with someone who can focus more on giving you the on the job training you need. There are some things that my job is demanding right now that I need to focus a bit more on."

Reis gave a grave glace, "But I thought you said that I already knew what I needed to know, and all that mattered now was to follow the right lead."

Joji rubbed his neck, "I know. But...well...let's just say that circumstances make it necessary for me to have an officer with me whose a bit more experienced."

Reis lowered his face to the floor. Joji gently tapped his on Reis's shoulder with the right side of his fist.

"That's not a problem, is it? You still like Karma, don't you?"

"No, it's not a problem..." said Reis with a subtle whimper.

"Good."

Reis then raised his head, composing himself confidently.

He has to know.

"Joji...how's...how are you and Salina doing?"

Joji beamed, "Just fine. By far, she's been the longest girl I've had in a while. She may be Ivey League, but I think there's a real click between us."

"No problems?" Reis nervously choked out.

Joji looked to Reis with oddity, "Why're you concerned?"

Reis pressed his fingers against his eyes as he shook his head and let out a groan.

"What is it, Reis?"

"Okay...okay...and please remember that I'm telling you this because I'm your friend."

"What?" demanded Joji.

"Remember that night at Genesco Park last week?"

"Yea...of course," said Joji rather gravely, again giving the rubber coating on the wheel a squeeze.

"Salina came up to me when it was real late...you were gone..."

"-She couldn't have. She told me that by the time she got back, she was too tired to..."

"-She was there, Joji, and she came on to me..."

A dead silence followed, which was broken by Joji roaring "Excuse me?"

"She took me to the pond saying that she needed to tell me something. When she got there, she said things like...like that she didn't think I was gay, that we both needed to know for sure, and then...then...she tried to kiss me. But I pushed her off and said that I loved Marcus. And then I just left her. I didn't tell Marcus, but I will. But I think you needed to know most of all. I'm sorry, Joji."

The car came to a red light. Joji stared at the steering wheel, twisting it harder. Then he pounded the side of his right fist against it, "DAMN IT REIS, I KNOW YOU'RE UPSET, BUT THAT'S NO REASON TO..."

"ATTENTION ALL UNITS! ATTENTION ALL UNITS!" screamed a voice over the radio.

Joji rant ceased almost automatically and he immediately picked up the microphone.

"What is it?"

"Gunshots have been heard at Mayfield High School! Along with some explosions!"

"ALL UNITS PROCEED TO MAYFIELD HIGH NOW!" shouted Joji, "Form a perimeter around the school and wait for further orders!"

Joji threw the microphone down and turned on the siren. He cut right through the stoplight and sped down the road.

"Reis, in the trunk are two shotguns. When we stop, I want you to load both of them. Quickly! Understand?"

Reis stared forward as if in a trance and Joji smacked Reis's arm to snap him out of it.

"Listen to me! You got that? Get those shotguns loaded!"

"Yea...yes...I got it."

Joji swerved the car hard around the street corners. Reis was worried that all a carless car had to do was to only slightly pull into the road and cause a major collision.

Finally, after only a minute or two, they approached the school.

It was chaos. Masses of students came running out of the building with their hand on their heads. Some were screaming. Some were crying. But most were quiet, with only the look of sheer terror on their faces.

As soon as the car stopped, Joji and Reis charged out of the car. Joji leaned over the radio and yelled over it, "REPEAT, ALL UNITS TO MAYFIELD HIGH SCHOOL NOW! FORM A PERIMETER AND WAIT FOR FURTHER ORDERS!" Reis flung the trunk door open and searched frantically for the shotguns. Suddenly, an explosion from the western side of the building was heard. Reis looked up to see smoke arising from the building. It was billowing black. The shrieks from the students outside were soon drowned out by the sound of sirens of a fire truck and three police cars as they pulled up. Then came a loud barrage of gunfire from within the school. It also sounded like it was coming from the western side of the building. As if flashed back in time to his days in Iraq, Joji ducked down to the ground.

"GET DOWN YOU FOOL!" Joji yelled at Reis. Reis quickly complied, pressing both shotguns to his chest.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO THEY GOT IN THERE?" yelled Reis.

"SHUT UP AND GET THOSE LOADED!"

Joji was all too well the familiar sound of a fully automatic rifle.

When the volley ended, Joji ran over to Reis and took one of the shotguns. Turning his head back to the school, he saw a familiar face come running out of the front entrance, leading a group of petrified students. It was Massak.

"MASSAK!"

"JOJI!"

Joji ran over to Massak, his shotgun clutched in his left hand, and grabbed onto Massak's shoulder. "Massak...Where's Alex?"

Massak struggled to speak, "I...I don't know..."

"THINK DAMMIT!"

"I don't know! He had...he had gym first period..."

Joji's furious irises shrank. The gym was in the western part of the building.